Alta Vista, National CORE’s innovative 60-unit live/work community in East Los Angeles that is redefining affordable housing, was named the nation’s “Best Workforce Housing” at the National Association of Home Builders’ 2013 Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards on Thursday.
A partnership of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based National CORE and the East LA Community Corporation (ELACC), Alta Vista combines affordable living with access to employment – all within a state-of-the-art design.
“The affordable-housing crisis in this country is about more than who can or cannot afford shelter,” said Steve PonTell, president and chief executive officer of National CORE. “It has broad economic and social implications, which, along with our partners at ELACC, we’re taking bold steps to address at Alta Vista.”
ELACC President Maria Cabildo said, “Alta Vista is a prime example of the value of workforce housing, providing high-quality shelter along with the opportunity for residents to improve their economic situation. Live-work units and access to transportation are critical elements to self-sufficiency, and we’re proud to be partners in this effort.”
Among the integrated features at Alta Vista are 11 ground-floor, live-work units set aside for small home businesses, and two floors of underground parking. The development is also located directly across from the Gold Line, allowing many residents to commute to and from work.
National CORE and ELACC received more than 4,000 applications for the 59 units available and 125 applications for the live-work units. As part of National CORE’s Economic Development program, residents who are small business owners only pay for their living space and are offered onsite assistance with small business development.
National CORE’s Hope through Housing Foundation and ELACC manage the Community Center, offering classes for residents and the local community in family economic mobility and small business development. ELACC and the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment of Los Angeles (PACE-LA) offer programs including asset and wealth building, career assistance, business development services, community organizing and afterschool tutoring.
Alta Vista, located at 5051 E. Third St. in unincorporated East Los Angeles, is among more than 80 National CORE affordable-housing projects serving individuals, families and seniors. In all, CORE manages 8,800 units in California, Arkansas, Texas and Florida, and through its Hope through Housing subsidiary has provided more than 2 million hours in supportive services to enhance quality of life, including preschool, afterschool and senior wellness programs. For more information, visit www.nationalcore.org.
National CORE has won more than 50 national awards for its properties and resident services over the past 20 years, including 13 prestigious NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry awards.
The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB’s builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.
“As the multifamily sector has returned to healthy levels of activity, builders, developers, architects and marketers have responded with tremendous creativity,” said W. Dean Henry, CEO of Legacy Partners and chair of NAHB’s Multifamily Leadership Board. “This year’s Pillars award winners demonstrate that there is an exciting menu of choices out there for today’s renters and condo buyers.”
Contact:
Steve Lambert, The 20/20 Network
(909) 841-7527 | [email protected]