San Bernardino, Calif. – The Hope through Housing Foundation has received an $80,000 grant from The Ahmanson Foundation to help support educational, economic and social services in the Waterman Gardens neighborhood.
The money will help more than 6,000 individuals living in the neighborhood as it undergoes a dramatic revitalization.
“Waterman Gardens will be a social and economic catalyst for the city, in large part due to the services that Hope through Housing and other community organizations will provide,” said Steve PonTell, President and Chief Executive Officer of National CORE, master developer at Waterman Gardens. “We greatly value the support of The Ahmanson Foundation in making this happen.”
Waterman Gardens is a public housing project built in the early 1940s. National CORE, in partnership with the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, will replace all 252 existing units with modern high-quality apartments as part of a $150 million-plus revitalization. The project will also feature senior housing, market rate apartments and owner-occupied units.
A key element of the transformation are the aligned social services provided by Hope through Housing, designed to help residents move from dependence to economic independence. These range from preschool and afterschool programs to training in financial literacy, interviewing for jobs and career advancement.
Research has shown that the physical transformation, along with the life-changing programs Hope is providing, will result in millions of dollars in economic benefit for the community surrounding Waterman Gardens.
Ground will break in May on the first phase of the redevelopment – a 75-unit, off-site residential community at 9th Street and Valencia Avenue.
About National CORE, Hope through Housing
National CORE, based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit developers of affordable housing. CORE manages nearly 9,000 affordable, senior and market-rate units in California, Arkansas, Texas and Florida. Hope through Housing was founded by National CORE in 1998 to provide life-changing social services to residents and communities. For more information on CORE and Hope through Housing, please visit www.nationalcore.org.
Contact:
Steve Lambert, The 20/20 Network
(909) 841-7527 / [email_link email=”[email protected]” variation=”black”][email protected][/email_link]