Irvine-based Families Forward has completed an affordable housing community called The Bungalows in Costa Mesa.
The eight-unit facility was built to help homeless families, offering them a place to “get a fresh start in the new year,” according to the nonprofit.
The construction project included rehabbing six existing units and adding two accessory dwelling units on the property. The complex also will provide residents with access to supportive services such as food assistance, mental health counseling and career coaching.
We asked Families Forward a few questions regarding the project. Their answers have been edited for length.
Q: How much did it cost to get The Bungalows completed?
A. The overall cost for this project was $4.5 million. Families Forward received $2.3 million in donations, including a $2 million donation from the Chia Family Foundation to purchase the property, $975,000 from the city of Costa Mesa and funding from the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Q: Do the units come fully furnished?
A. Yes, the units will be furnished. This was made possible through generous donors and a grant facilitated by former Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett.
Q: How big are the units?
A: The Bungalows are comprised of one three-bedroom unit, three 2-bedroom units, and four one-bedroom units. The dimensions are 500 square feet for the one-bedroom units, 800 square feet for the two-bedroom units and 1,100 square feet for the three-bed units.
Q: Are the units now occupied?
A: Not yet, but they will be once utility inspections are finalized.
Q: How long will a family stay in a unit?
A. As long as they need to. We hope that they will move out within six years. On average, our clients are usually able to become financially sufficient within two to three years.
The national average for a family staying in subsidized housing is six years. Our aim is to cut that in half and in turn double our impact. However, there is no time restriction and a family can stay housed as long as they need. Every family is connected to a supportive service coordinator who is focused on providing intentional services to promote economic mobility and graduation including savings incentive programs, credit counseling, financial literacy, and career support.
Q: Is there a live-in manager? Or are services handled on a daily basis?
A. There is no live-in manager, but we will have staff on site to support families and address any maintenance concerns/needs.
Q: Is there any cost for the families living in The Bungalows?
A. Families living in the Bungalows are paying rents targeted to the very low-income levels (50% of the area median income), which will range from approximately $900 to $1,300.
Other philanthropic support for the project came from Debbie and Bart Thomsen, The Capital Group Cos. Foundation, Cushman & Wakefield, Dhont Family Foundation, KNU For Kids Foundation, OC Gateway to Housing, and David and Eleanor St. Clair.
The project also involved HomeAid Orange County. Project partners included W.L. Butler Construction Inc., Marx | Okubo, Gradient Real Estate Group, NEXT Architecture, the city of Costa Mesa and the county.
The five-story Marriott Element Hotel, formerly a Cambria brand, recently opened at 17662 Armstrong Ave. in Irvine. (Courtesy of Terry Architecture & Planning)
Marriott sprouts from former Cambria in Irvine
A newly redesigned hotel has reopened in Irvine.
The five-story Marriott Element Hotel, formerly a Cambria brand, recently opened at 17662 Armstrong Ave.
The updates were aimed at standard and long-stay travelers.
Common spaces include meeting rooms, workout facilities, an outdoor swimming pool and sun deck, lounge areas, complimentary breakfast, cocktail bar, guest laundry, outdoor patio area, accessibility rooms, a covered parking garage and two-room suites with in-room kitchenettes.
The developer was Huntington Hotel Group of Dallas. The general contractor was Layton Construction Co., and the principal architect was Charles Terry with Terry Architecture & Planning in Laguna Niguel.
In the last year, more than 100,000 square feet of space has been leased at the Harbor Gateway Business Center. (Courtesy of South Coast Metro Alliance)
New leases add up at Harbor Gateway
Within the last year, more than 100,000 square feet of space have been leased in the Harbor Gateway Business Center in Costa Mesa.
The new mix of tenants includes several that have expanded their corporate headquarters. They include:
NationsBenefits expanded to 42,500 square feet and was represented by Ryan Nunes of JLL. The company provides managed care organizations with customizable healthcare solution systems.
Ultra Mobile, a provider of talk, text and data plans, renewed 29,585 square feet in its corporate headquarters.
Orange County Transportation Authority leased 20,000 square feet to make room for its Corporate Service Center for the 405 Express Lane Project. Peter Andrich of CBRE represented OCTA.
Sparkhouse leased 3,282 square feet to accommodate its corporate headquarters and production studio. Sparkhouse creates videos for their clients. Jordan DeMeis of South West Commercial Real Estate represented the tenant.
Creative Resources Technology Group renewed 3,150 square feet in its corporate headquarters. The company provides small and medium-sized Mac-based businesses with tech support.
Visible Intellect expanded its corporate headquarters by 2,712 square feet. The company provides its clients with a host of services including control systems, video surveillance, integrated communications systems, system automation, consultation and design.
Real estate transactions, leases and new projects, industry hires, new ventures and upcoming events are compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to Business Editor Samantha Gowen at sgowen@scng.com. Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.
