More than 110 chronically homeless men and women are getting keys to their own, new apartments in the Abbey Apartments in LA’s Skid Row.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34), who represents Skid Row in Downtown, joined the Skid Row Housing Trust, developers, managers and residents of the Abbey at the grand opening event held at the complex at 625 South San Pedro Street. The Abbey is the 21st developed and managed by the Skid Row Housing Trust and the first affordable housing in Los Angeles to provide such a large range of on-site services.
Left to Right: Chair of the Skid Row Housing Trust Board of Directors Marc Hayutin; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Abbey Apartment resident Karen Burton; Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry; Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard; and Skid Row Housing Trust’s Executive Director Mike Alvidrez.
Funded with city, county, state and federal money, the Abbey provides subsidized rents and medical, mental health and social services. Many of the formerly homeless are addicts, have mental and physical disabilities and suffer from illness. At the Abbey, they will be an elevator ride away from treatment that meets these challenges.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said: “Through its permanent supportive housing model and myriad of on-site social services, Abbey Apartments is an oasis that will extend Skid Row Housing Trust’s outstanding record of helping individuals achieve security and solid re-entry into society. While we celebrate this wonderful achievement, we also know that much more needs to be done on Skid Row and throughout our city and the county of Los Angeles. I assure you, that during this Congress, I will continue to fight for increased funding for homeless assistance grants, including Shelter Plus Care, which supports permanent supportive housing developments like the Abbey Apartments. I will also continue to work hard with my congressional colleagues to reauthorize the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act in order to continue and expand the vital services provided by the Trust. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with all of you until we achieve our mutual goal of providing permanent, affordable, independent living opportunities to the homeless and low-income residents of our community.”
Medical, mental health and substance abuse treatment services are handled by JWCH Institute, a provider of healthcare for the homeless in LA County, and Behavioral Health Services, local experts in substance abuse treatment. Every day, Abbey residents will have ready access to these services. Additional funders for this innovative program include the Low Income Investment Fund, the Los Angeles city Housing Department, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Los Angeles County Housing Authority, Citibank and Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.
Los Angeles County is providing the funding for the supportive services at the Abbey. "It is unconscionable that we have nearly 75,000 people living homeless on our streets," Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky says. "Creating more permanent supportive housing offers a more humane, successful and cost effective solution than the vicious cycle that keeps them spinning hopelessly between the street, hospital, court and jail.”
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose 9th Council District includes Skid Row, has worked with the Trust to enable development of permanent supportive housing. “The opening of the Abbey is another significant step forward for Los Angeles to embrace permanent supportive housing,” she says. “Permanent supportive housing has helped other cities, from Seattle to New York, reduce their homelessness. We can do that too.”
The Skid Row Trust is recognized as a national leader in developing affordable permanent supportive housing. “We have always operated on the idea that permanent supportive housing is the most effective way to reduce homelessness and give the formerly homeless men and women their lives back,” says Mike Alvidrez, Executive Director of the Trust. “Permanent supportive housing succeeds because it stabilizes residents so that treatment works.
”We’ve expanded the range of service in our new building because, after 20 years in this business, each new building helps us learn what more we can do for our residents,” he says. “What we’ve learned has informed the design of the Abbey.”
The Abbey, designed by the award winning Koning-Eizenberg Architecture firm of Santa Monica, like other Trust developments, sets a standard for affordable housing design. The Trust places a strong emphasis on good design in order to improve the community and give residents pride in their new home. A leader in the US for its standards, Trust buildings are also designed to enhance a rapidly changing downtown Los Angeles.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard with Skid Row Housing Trust Executive Director Mike Alvidrez.
FHLBank San Francisco worked with Citibank, a member of the FHLBank San Francisco, to support the Abbey Apartments project, which was developed by the Skid Row Housing Trust.
At today's ceremony, Lawrence H. Parks, FHLBank San Francisco's Senior Vice President for External and Legislative Affairs, cited the importance of public-private partnerships at a time when the nation's economy is struggling and funding for expanding the supply of affordable housing is drying up.
"It has become increasingly difficult for community developers to secure funding for projects like Abbey Apartments, which are badly needed in many communities," Mr. Parks said. "FHLBank San Francisco is proud to be a resource for communities seeking to address those needs. Last year, our AHP grants contributed $79.6 million to projects that will help expand the supply of affordable housing and we are pleased that our AHP grants have contributed to this worthy development."
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