PRESS RELEASE

“This groundbreaking underscores the City’s strong commitment to creating and preserving affordable housing options for all residents,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Long Beach Senior project is another great development that will provide 67 permanent homes and services to help ensure the security, dignity and well-being of our older adults and senior veterans in Midtown.”  

The event, attended by City and Mercy Housing officials as well as representatives from local and state partner agencies, including The Long Beach Community Investment Company(LBCIC) and the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB), featured a ceremonial groundbreaking for the four-story apartment complex to be located at 941 E. Pacific Coast Hwy. The development will offer 67 affordable units for low-, very low- and extremely low-income older adults ages 55 and older earning less than 60% of area median income, with units reserved for older individuals and veterans who have experienced homelessness. The project will also include one on-site management unit. 

Long Beach Senior will consist of a combination of studios and one-bedroom units, several resident amenities and a courtyard and recreation area. Residents will have access to various onsite health and wellness, financial literacy, art and cooking programs. The project will incorporate several energy-efficient components, including solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems. The project will also feature a community center and public art installations inspired by input provided by residents and neighborhood partners.  

“The Sixth District has been uplifted with wonderful new opportunities and development,” said Councilwoman Suely Saro. “The Long Beach Senior project builds on this energy, providing quality housing and services for older adults and veterans as well as a new community center for everyone to be able to enjoy.” 

Long Beach Senior is one of nine new affordable housing developments completed or currently underway since 2019 and is expected for completion in fall 2023. In July 2021, the City celebrated the grand opening of Spark at Midtown, a 95-unit affordable housing community in Midtown. Additionally, in November 2021, the City celebrated the groundbreaking of Anaheim & Walnut, a new 88-unit affordable housing community in Cambodia Town. Last month, the City also celebrated the grand opening of Vistas del Puerto, a new 48-unit affordable housing project in the Midtown community.  

In April 2021, The LBCIC approved a $3 million loan to provide gap financing for Long Beach Senior. Additionally, HACLB awarded the project 15 Project-Based Vouchers and 18 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers. The project will also be funded in part by the California Department of Housing and Community Development Multi-Family Housing Program, a loan from the Los Angeles County Development Authority and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. 

“The LBCIC is proud to invest in supportive housing communities that create safe, healthy environments for some of our most cherished Long Beach residents in need,” said The LBCIC Chair Mary Castro. “Affordable housing options such as Long Beach Senior demonstrate our commitment to the vitality of our great city while honoring the life experiences and challenges of its population.” 

Mercy Housing is one of the nation’s largest affordable housing organizations, participating in the development, preservation, management and/or financing of affordable, program-enriched housing across the country.  

“Escalating rents are creating an enormous burden for seniors in Long Beach, and we were able to act with urgency thanks to collaboration of our partners,” said Mercy Housing California Vice President for Real Estate Ed Holder. “These homes and services will provide seniors with the opportunity to age with dignity, health, and support.”     

The lease-up process is anticipated to begin in spring 2023 with anticipated move-in period of fall 2023. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit longbeachsenior.org for updates.  

For more information on the City’s affordable housing efforts, visit the Long Beach Development Services webpage.  

About the City of Long Beach 
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program. 

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. 

About Long Beach Development Services 
Serving residents, businesses, and the community at large, the Long Beach Development Services Department sets a standard for high-quality, innovative urban planning and livability efforts that create more progressive and sustainable communities in the City. The Department, in its pursuit of the City’s goals to eliminate blight, create economic opportunities, provide affordable housing, and revitalize neighborhoods, works closely with The Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), the City’s nonprofit affiliate. The LBCIC advises the City Council regarding delivery of housing and neighborhood revitalization services, use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, and ongoing administration of the City's affordable housing funds. For more information, visit longbeach.gov/LBDS.