Jamboree was privileged to participate in the 30th Annual UCLA Extension Land Use Law and Planning Conference. Welton Smith, Jamboree Vice President of Housing Development spoke to more than 250 attendees as part of a panel discussing current challenges in securing funding and land for affordable housing today. As pictured above (photo by Elyn Marton), the panel included Donna Kelly, Vice President of Lennar; Cesar Covarrubias, Executive Director of the Kennedy Commission; Welton Smith, and Jeffrey Lambert, Director of Community Development for the City of Ventura.
Since redevelopment ended in California in 2012, affordable housing developers like Jamboree have faced numerous challenges to find both funding and land for new projects. As a result, they’ve had to be smarter, more determined and more creative in finding sites and coordinating financing. Because of this, Smith pointed out that public/private partnerships are more important than ever.
As an example, he pointed to a new development Jamboree is undertaking with the City of Garden Grove and the Garden Grove United Methodist Church. This partnership could be the way of the future for developing affordable housing in land-restricted areas like Southern California. Jamboree has leased more than two acres of unused land from the church including a portion of the parking lot, and In partnership with the church and the city, will develop an urban campus with multigenerational housing, a Head Start learning center and other community and social services on site.
With this arrangement, Jamboree has buildable land. The church receives ongoing support for its charitable activities through lease payments. The city will have new affordable housing for its residents. And, the entire community benefits from a variety of health and educational services. “This partnership not only provides our company with the land and funding necessary to develop a multi-use property with affordable housing for families and seniors, but it will bring a host of important amenities and services to the residents and the community,” Smith explained. “It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
View the presentation with additional case studies.