Service-Enriched Affordable Housing

Housing and Homelessness

County of Los Angeles

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

Affordable housing has been shown to be a critical social determinant of health, financial well-being, and long-term personal and economic resilience. Yet, according to the California Housing Partnership, median rent in California has increased 38% since 2000, while the median income for renters had only increased 7% (Affordable Housing Needs Report, March 2023). The state needs an additional 1.2 million affordable homes by 2030 to keep pace with demand (Roadmap Home 2030, March 2021). The need to provide more housing has never been more urgent. IHO seeks more efficient and innovative solutions to housing society's vulnerable communities while providing our residents with the tools and support necessary to achieve self- reliance.

IHO provides high-quality affordable housing communities with integrated supportive services to those most in need. In Los Angeles, we recently celebrated the opening of Firmin Court, a seven-story, newly built community with 63 affordable housing units, including 45 designated as permanent supportive housing. On-site social services provided by St. Joseph Center include behavioral health and primary health counseling, independent living skills, and employment/educational assistance. Our development pipeline includes two more Los Angeles projects: -87th & Western This 160-unit, mixed-use development at Western Avenue and 87th Street includes 51 units set aside for homeless. Set to break ground in 2024, it will include public art and commercial space for a sit-down restaurant, social enterprise, and nontraditional banking center. This project also showcases IHO's commitment to smart, equitable business practices by reflecting the community's mandate that a majority of consultants "live, in, work in, or look like" the community. -Serenity This five-story building will feature 50 studio and one-bedroom apartments, reserved for residents aged 55 years and older, above 1,600 square feet of commercial space. Amenities will include an outdoor courtyard with barbeque area, 1,500 square feet of indoor community space, a gym and a laundry facility. IHO is partnering with St. Joseph Center to provide supportive services. Construction is expected to be completed in November 2023.

IHO is on track to add 210 units of desperately need affordable housing in Los Angeles. We recognizes that high-quality housing is the cornerstone of thriving communities. Done well, it is the launchpad for personal and economic mobility, can attract reinvestment to overlooked corridors, and can retain elders and upwardly mobile young people priced out of neighborhoods by zoning laws meant to help. IHO's strategy is to partner with community stakeholders to identify treasured resources and amenities, leveraging those connections to build trust. We then find the win-win among competing stakeholders so that all can find a way to build roots and success. We use our expertise in housing and community development to create a legacy that builds community pride and self-reliance. We are proud to be recognized for being creative, resourceful, and authentic. It is not the fastest route to success, but we have been invited back to every community we have served and are paid in hugs.

For over four decades, IHO has developed enduring, holistic housing solutions that enhance underserved communities. Research shows that access to affordable housing is associated with benefits such as improved food security, health care access, reduced stress, housing stability, and overall improved quality of life. In our own surveys, IHO residents report improved physical and mental health since moving into our communities. = Every IHO development is designed for its site and incorporates meaningful resident services, creative placemaking, economic development principles, sustainable technologies, community benefits, and open space. We are helping solve the region's housing challenges by building innovative, sustainable communities that make a positive social impact. We collaborate with residents to envision improved living spaces through housing, amenities, and economic drivers. Our goal is to enhance the lives of everyone in the community.