New affordable housing for homeless and low-income families opened in the city of Long Beach, in an attempt to tackle community poverty.
The Century Villages at Cabrillo opened the Cabrillo Gateway housing earlier this month in an effort to combat the homeless issue in Long Beach and to provide housing at a reasonable price for families. The Century Villages at Cabrillo campus is 27-acre residential community designed to break the cycle of homelessness.
The new development has 80 units and is able to house up to 250 people. The ground floor of the facility is equipped with a Federally Qualified Health Center, which is operated by The Children’s Clinic of Long Beach. It is also partnered with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. The CVC offers emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent housing.
“Cabrillo Gateway expands our resources and enhances our ability to provide more housing and supportive services for people who need them the most,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a press release. “The city and all our partners on the Continuum of Care are taking a collaborative approach to addressing homelessness and related issues.”
The Long Beach Continuum of Care is a collaboration of service providers working to end homeless and serves an average of 26,000 clients annually, according to the press release. The Multi-Service Center for the Long Beach CoC is one of the main sources for people who are homeless and are seeking homeless assistance.
The CVC also has a an Oasis Community Center which offers programs for adults and children in order promote stability and self-sufficiency, according to the CVC website. The Oasis Community Center highlights skill-based knowledge in areas like career planning, personal growth, parenting, financial literacy, and computer competency.
The Century housing is located at 2001 River Avenue near Pacific Coast Highway. It was formerly a Navy housing site that served the Long Beach shipyards. The CVC was established in 1997 when the United States Department of Defense gave the land to the CVC under the McKinney-Vento Act, according to the CVC website.
The McKinney-Vento Act is the first and only major federal legislative response to homelessness in the nation, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.
According to the Long Beach Community Action Partnership website, 22 percent of Long Beach residents live in poverty, with the national average across the United States around 15 percent.
“Since the McKinney Act passed the Century Villages has served as a steward of the property, seeking to protect, preserve and enhance this critical community asset that is home to more than 1,300 residents on any given night, including more than 550 veterans,” the press release stated.
The CVC provides veterans with the opportunity to obtain and maintain jobs through the U.S. VETS Work Re-entry Programs. The programs help veterans who face substance abuse, mental health abuse and lack job skills according to the CVC website.
“This new development will support veterans and families as they get back on their feet, receive the services they need and make our community stronger,” Long Beach councilmember Roberto Uranga said.
The CVC has 24-hour secure entry, laundry facilities, career center, outpatient health clinic for veterans, affordable telecommunication services and recreational and social gathering spaces for residents.