Company:

Jamboree Housing Corporation

Status:

Awarded

Awarded:

Other

Additional Files

Buena Esperanza - supplemental information

Additional Information

Please see the uploaded supplemental information attachment.

Buena Esperanza

Project Location:

Anaheim, CA

Project Description:

Buena Esperanza is the first motel to Permanent Supportive Housing conversion project in the city of Anaheim.  Jamboree Housing, in partnership with the City of Anaheim and other stakeholders, transformed an existing two-story EconoLodge Motel on one acre on La Palma Avenue into 69 affordable studio units with full on-site supportive services for veterans, individuals with mental illness and the formerly homeless. The project includes an 1,800 sf community center, counseling room, community kitchen, barbecue area, laundry facilities and a community garden.

Project Justification:

Buena Esperanza is the first conversion of an aging motel into Permanent Supportive Housing within the city of Anaheim and represents a milestone in community improvement. The City’s first foray into creating homes of this type for the needy has proven to be a highly successful venture that is now trending in California. Its concept was used as a “blueprint and a road map” for the State’s Project Homekey, which has provided millions to California cities to remake motels into long-term housing. Rather than tearing down deteriorating motels, these “recycled” urban renewal projects demonstrate the transformative power of housing redevelopment that uplifts the surrounding community as well the families and individuals that benefit from living here. The community’s name, Buena Esperanza, was taken from a ranch that once occupied the site, and translates to “The Good Hope”, which is what it represents to its residents today.

Comprehensive civil engineering, survey and mapping, and stormwater quality management services were provided for Buena Esperanza. Project challenges included surgical match-up to very old existing utilities. Other obstacles overcome included implementing drainage/water quality features, including parking lot pervious pavers and raised planters, featuring bio-retention flow-through under the parking lot. These creative solutions were created on a tight budget and did not require pumps or proprietary products.

Special Circumstances:

The Buena Esperanza project was a cooperative effort, using money and financing from the Anaheim Housing Authority, California Housing Finance Agency, Orange County Housing Trust, U.S. Bank, California Community Reinvestment Corp., Providence Hospital and the Walt Disney Co. There is a live/work preference for Anaheim residents and workers for units funded by the Anaheim Housing Authority.

Buena Esperanza’s civil engineering challenges included precision match-up to very old existing utilities. Other obstacles overcome included implementing drainage/water quality features, including parking lot pervious pavers and raised planters, featuring bio-retention flow-through under the parking lot. These creative solutions were created on tight budget and did not require pumps or proprietary products.

Project Attachments:

Please see the uploaded supplemental information attachment.

Award Citation::

Jamboree Housing, in partnership with the City of Anaheim and other stakeholders, transformed an existing EconoLodge Motel into Permanent Supportive Housing, with 69 furnished studio units for veterans, mentally ill individuals and the formerly homeless. Its concept was used as a “blueprint and a road map” for the State’s Project Homekey.

Suggested Award Summary:

Renovating existing motels/hotels to affordable or permanent supportive housing is one of the most effective answers to the housing shortage, which most affects very vulnerable segments of the population: homeless families and individuals, veterans and the mental ill. Anaheim has many aging motels, some of which are prime candidates for such conversions. The Buena Esperanza Permanent Supportive Housing project is the first conversion of this type in the city of Anaheim and represents a milestone in compassionate community improvement. 

Jamboree Housing, in partnership with the City of Anaheim and other stakeholders, transformed the existing EconoLodge Motel on one acre on La Palma Avenue into the new community of Buena Esperanza.  This Permanent Supportive Housing development provides 69 fully furnished studio units for veterans, individuals with mental illness and the formerly homeless. The community also features an 1,800 sf community center, counseling room, community kitchen, barbecue area, community garden and laundry facilities. The community’s name, Buena Esperanza, was taken from a ranch that once occupied the property, and translates to “The Good Hope”, which is what it represents to its residents today.

The Buena Esperanza project was a cooperative effort, using money and financing from the Anaheim Housing Authority, California Housing Finance Agency, Orange County Housing Trust, U.S. Bank, California Community Reinvestment Corp., Providence Hospital and the Walt Disney Co. There is a live/work preference for Anaheim residents and workers for units funded by the Anaheim Housing Authority.

The City’s first foray into creating homes of this type for the needy has proven to be a highly successful venture that is now trending in California. Its concept was used as a “blueprint and a road map” for the State’s Project Homekey, which has provided millions to California cities to remake motels into long-term housing. Rather than tearing down deteriorating motels, these “recycled” urban renewal projects demonstrate the transformative power of housing redevelopment that uplifts the surrounding community as well the families and individuals that benefit from living here. The City of Anaheim may potentially convert 20 older other motels on the city’s west side through Project Homekey and funding from additional sources.

Fuscoe Engineering worked closely with the client, City and consultant team to provide civil engineering, survey and mapping and stormwater management for this pivotal project. The Fuscoe team faced several project challenges during design of Buena Esperanza, including surgical match-up to very old existing utilities. Other obstacles overcome included implementing drainage/water quality features, including parking lot pervious pavers and raised planters, featuring bio-retention flow-through under the parking lot. These creative solutions did not require pumps or proprietary products.