HiFi Collective is a new affordable and supportive housing community in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood of Los Angeles. The ground floor houses the new headquarters for Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), including programming spaces, community cultural center, and a small business center. Proposition HHH helped fund construction, and Measure H will pay for wrap-around supportive services for the building's residents.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Linc Housing, in partnership with Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), marked the grand opening of HiFi Collective, a new 64-unit affordable and supportive housing community in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood of Los Angeles. California Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell were all on hand to celebrate.
In Los Angeles, there's been more affordable and supportive housing built in the past five years than in the previous 30 years, demonstrating progress toward solving the region's affordable housing shortage and homelessness crisis. HiFi Collective is one of the newest contributions to this progress. The five-story building, located at 3200 W. Temple Street in Los Angeles, features 63 supportive apartments and one manager's unit. SIPA's new headquarters, due to be completed in spring 2023, occupies the entire first floor. In addition to SIPA's offices, the ground floor will also feature programming spaces, community cultural center, and the John Eric Swing Small Business Center.
"The vast majority of Historic Filipinotown residents are renters, and their median income is about 40% of the Los Angeles County's median income," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. "There is a great need for affordable, stable housing in this neighborhood. To that end, it is critical that we continue our work to bring more housing projects like HiFi Collective forward and the necessary services our residents need to thrive."
Mayor Garcetti added, "Supportive housing is the key to unlocking our goal: an end to homelessness in Los Angeles. The 64 homes at HiFi Collective represent opportunity, security, and a path toward recovery – and demonstrate the commitment of partners like Linc Housing and Search to Involve Pilipino Americans to bring our unsheltered neighbors home."
Solving homelessness requires more than just housing. With funding support from Measure H through Housing for Health/Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Linc will provide intensive case management services to help ensure housing stability for residents. Supportive services include mental health and physical health services, employment counseling and job placement, education, substance use counseling, money management, assistance in obtaining and maintaining benefits, and referrals to community-based services and resources.
In addition to the apartments and wrap-around services, HiFi Collective's residents will benefit from additional amenities, including a community room, computer lab, community kitchen, indoor bike parking, laundry, outdoor deck, and offices for supportive services. The location is convenient to public transportation, shopping, and other services.
"Being homeless wears on people's bodies. It wears on their souls. And it wears on our moral conscience," said Suny Lay Chang, president and COO, Linc Housing. "HiFi Collective brings 63 people inside, providing the space and support for healing and rest. We know that providing housing first is how we fix the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. Linc is proud to partner with SIPA to be part of the solution."
The ground floor headquarters for SIPA allows new spaces to expand its community programming with a 2,700-sq-ft. multi-purpose area, professional grade kitchen, technology center, and the new John Eric Swing Small Business Center, featuring resources and incubator spaces for entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in working in HiFi or with the Fil-Am community. SIPA named the John Eric Swing Small Business Center in honor of SIPA's executive director and beloved community leader who died of COVID-19 in June 2020.
"This moment means so much to all of us, SIPA's board and staff, as we welcome the first HiFi Collective residents who now can call Historic Filipinotown home," said Kimmy Maniquis, SIPA executive director. "SIPA was founded here in HiFi 50 years ago, when many of our families also migrated and have continued to migrate here and build community. Recognizing housing as a human right, SIPA added affordable housing to its mission and work more than 20 years ago, and we continue to remain committed to that endeavor."
Funding for the development comes from a variety of sources including construction and permanent loans from Bank of America, $12.7 million in Proposition HHH funds managed by the City of Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), $6.8 million in No Place Like Home funds from the Los Angeles County Development Authority on behalf of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and tax credit equity from Raymond James. The building receives rental subsidy from the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. The California Endowment provided predevelopment support.
HiFi Collective was designed by D33 Design & Planning, with cultural design by Synthesis Design + Architecture (SDA). It was built by Walton Construction Inc. All apartments were filled through referrals from the County of Los Angeles Coordinated Entry System (CES).
About Linc Housing Corporation
Linc Housing, one of California's most productive nonprofit developers of affordable housing, is committed to building communities and strengthening neighborhoods for people underserved by the marketplace. Linc has helped create more than 9,000 homes in 91 communities throughout the state. The organization's properties are known for excellent design, outstanding management and life-enhancing services for its residents. Linc has 38 years of service to families, seniors, people with special needs, and local governments - helping to create sustainable communities via new construction, acquisition and rehabilitation, and historic preservation. Visit http://www.Linchousing.org for more information.
About SIPA
Since 1972, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the multicultural district of Historic Filipinotown and the greater Filipino American community. As one of the oldest and largest Fil-Am non-profits in the United States, SIPA is widely known as an ambassador of Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles, where it is headquartered and where all are welcome. Led by Fil-Am business and community leaders, SIPA provides youth services and programming, family health and human services, small business counsel, arts and cultural education, events and resources. More about SIPA is available at https://sipacares.org.
Media Contact
Holly Ferris, Linc Housing, 562-746-8461, [email protected]
SOURCE Linc Housing
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