On April 2, we celebrated the residents and grand opening of Cielito Lindo, our newest affordable housing development in Boyle Heights.
Mayor Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Jose Huizar, and local community leaders joined us to celebrate and commemorate this affordable housing milestone.
Cielito Lindo is a $21,812,697 investment with 50 units total, 30 are one-bedroom, 3 two-bedrooms, 16 three-bedrooms and 1 manager’s unit. Families in the new apartments earn between 30% and 50% of the area median income, for a family of four that is $27,030 to $45,050. After 18 months of construction, 50 families were welcomed to their brand new home.
“Cielito Lindo Apartments is a creative and unique development where we increased the housing for families, preserved the Peabody Werden House, and provided a right of return to families that were living in the buildings that were here before,” said Isela Gracian, President of East LA Community Corporation.
ELACC worked with residents for a strong right of return program where families received relocation funds to move during the construction. Seven families returned and are now enjoying their new home. Cielito Lindo Apartments is ELACC’s 6th community driven development along the Metro GoldLine, ensuring affordable housing and community spaces along public transit.
After the program, attendees took guided tours of Cielito Lindo that showcased the different services and spaces tenants can now enjoy; a laundry room, recreational playground, computer lab, community room and financial services provided by ELACC financial counselors such as credit counseling, EARN savers program, access to free tax preparation, and the First time home-buyer program.
Isela Gracian, ELACC’s President, recognized financing partners and the construction team that worked to make this development a reality. They included: Council Member Jose Huizar, Wells Fargo Bank, Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department, California Department of Housing and Community Development, California Community Foundation, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Westport Construction, Gonzalez Goodale Architects, AMJ Construction Management and all the neighborhood residents that participated in focus groups, community dialogues and design sessions.
Construction for Phase II of Cielito Lindo, ELACC’s new supportive housing development adjacent to the East front of Cielito Lindo with 29 units, 14 units for families and 14 units for transition age begins summer of 2018.