Equitable Homeownership and Climate Resiliency in Florence-Firestone

Housing and Homelessness

South LA

Applying a proven model or solution to a new issue or sector (e.g., using a job recruiting software or strategy to match clients to supportive housing sites, applying demonstrated strategies from advocating for college affordability to advocating for housing affordability and homelessness, etc.)

Habitat LA's Holmes Development is located in Florence-Firestone, a historically Black and now majority Latinx neighborhood marked by below-average school quality, segregation, poverty, extreme housing burdens, and low median household income, according to a 2020 UCLA-County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning report. The report identifies racist housing policies endorsed by federal, state, and local governments as the cause of these challenges. Working with volunteers, families, individuals, corporations, congregations, and donors, Habitat LA addresses these critical issues of equity and inclusivity in homeownership throughout greater Los Angeles, and we aim to extend the reach of our proven programs to Florence-Firestone and increase homeownership among communities of color, particularly Black families. At the same time, we will bring sustainable building practices to a community disproportionally impacted by climate change.

An LA2050 Grants Challenge award will support the construction of Habitat LA's newest, sustainably built, affordable homeownership development on Holmes Avenue in Los Angeles. The property for this development was acquired through a partnership with Los Angeles County, and Habitat LA donors will contribute the funds and in-kind products and services needed to build the homes. The development is the site of eight new homes in the Florence-Firestone community located east of the 110 freeway and south of Slauson Avenue. The two-story townhomes will have attached two-car garages, as well as solar energy systems, drought-tolerant landscaping, energy-efficient appliances, and solar energy systems, all of which will drastically reduce energy costs for homeowners. The homes will range from 1,075 to 1,230 square feet with two and three bedrooms. In addition to being a general contractor to ensure the best quality construction for homeowners with low incomes, Habitat LA is a US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-certified housing counseling agency, a lender, and a real estate broker. This model allows us to sell these homes to partner homebuyers without profit and help them finance them with affordable loans. And to further ensure our families' success, we also offer pre-purchase and post-purchase education and counseling, and Habitat partner homeowners invest sweat equity hours building their future Habitat homes and the homes of other homebuyers.

Habitat LA's vision has always included a commitment to build equitable and inclusive neighborhoods and has evolved and expanded over the decades to include housing for families built with methods, products, and processes that lessen detrimental impacts on personal health and the ecological environment. Combining affordable homeownership with the dramatic cost savings of our green building priorities, spaces that promote health and comfort, and the removal of blighted properties, our Holmes Development may be a model that has a far-reaching impact on the Florence-Firestone community and beyond. It will further our priority to set partner homeowners up for success with low down payments, affordable mortgages, and financial education, increasing the likelihood they will be able to maintain their homes for years to come, build wealth, and potentially pass their wealth on to future generations.

While Habitat LA has been building homes since 1990, and climate resilience has been a priority for our new construction developments for more than 15 years, our Holmes Development is a new project. Holmes demonstrates our commitment to sustainability practices, which minimize energy and water consumption, improve indoor air quality for families, and are a key part of urban development that seeks to combat climate change while drastically reducing energy costs for our partner homeowners.