Fontana, CA – Jamboree Housing Corporation, along with a crowd of more than 80 supporters – including City of Fontana officials – celebrated the grand opening of Ceres Court Apartment Homes. In a continuing effort to revitalize the City of Fontana, Jamboree Housing Corporation opened the City’s first multi-family affordable housing development in fifteen years.
“Ceres Court exemplifies Jamboree’s business philosophy of working in partnership with local communities to design financing and construction for high quality affordable housing,” said Laura Archuleta, president of Jamboree. “It’s our mission to strengthen the communities that we work in by creating opportunities for lower income families to access housing that is affordable, resident services that are responsive, and programs essential to improving the quality of their lives. This development goes a long way in fulfilling our mission,” stated Archuleta.
Ceres Court will be home to families who earn 50% or less of the area median income in a community with excellent employment and educational opportunities. For example, a family of four earning $33,300 (50% of area median income) will pay about $830/month in rent for their three-bedroom home. The 20-unit apartment building is located on a 1.73 acre city-owned site, where each two-story unit conveys a townhouse-style design. Each two- and three- bedroom craftsman-style apartment features ENERGY STAR appliances and an enclosed patio in an engaging, garden-style walk-up environment. Under a 20-year lease with the City of Fontana, Jamboree will maintain, manage and operate the property for the City, which owns the lands and improvements.
“Ceres Court is a welcome addition to our community,” stated Acquanetta Warren, Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Fontana. “Its creation not only satisfies a great need for hard-working families, but makes possible the quality of life they deserve. As the first of hopefully many more properties, we embrace Ceres Court residents as members of our Fontana family.”
Ceres Court is an innovative project that seamlessly integrates a new 20-unit construction property directly adjacent to a 44-unit development currently operated by Jamboree. Because Ceres, the original property, had become a blighted property, it was renovated to integrate with the new construction property. The original units were enhanced by replacing drywall, flooring, tubs, bathroom fixtures, decks and balconies, repairing the roof, plumbing and property fences, and painting interiors and exteriors. An impressive 3,250 square foot community center, a tot lot and creative hardscape and landscape unite the new and existing sites into one property. Residents benefit from the close proximity to public transportation, local markets and schools.
In addition, Ceres Court is one of four Jamboree communities in Fontana, including Hillcrest, Valencia Woods, Ceres I and Citrus Grove. Each community participates in the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program – a coalition of law enforcement, business owners/managers and residents committed to providing a safe living environment.
“Ceres Court is an example of how positive change is not only possible, but a reality,” stated John Roberts, Council Member for the City of Fontana. “When we look at Ceres Court, we see a continuing promise to better the lives of working families and a chance to make the City of Fontana an even greater place to call home.”
In its commitment to strengthen communities by improving the quality of family life, Jamboree’s Housing with HEART (Helping Educate, Activate and Respond Together) will offer free, onsite resident services and programs tailored to meet the needs of residents and their families. These programs include activities such as homework assistance and tutoring for children and consumer credit counseling, ESL classes, financial literacy and pre-employment counseling for adults.
“At Ceres Court, we are able to offer more services to more people with more efficiency,” stated Cruz
Avila, Resident Services Manager of Jamboree’s Housing with HEART. “With the addition of our new regional office, we continue to learn from the residents of all our properties, identifying what they want and what they need. We transform houses into homes, properties into communities, and challenges into opportunities for all of our residents.”
Ceres Court’s community center includes offices for a new Housing with HEART regional center office for the Inland Empire. The expanded resident services will not only benefit the four communities in the City of Fontana and the surrounding neighborhoods, but will support all of Jamboree’s Inland Empire properties. In addition, Jamboree and the City of Fontana will partner in a new pilot program, increasing the property’s availability to external organizations for more resident programs to be brought right to the residents.
“When I first moved here, it was tough. The neighborhood was overcome with crime, drugs and violence. It was nightmare on Ceres Street. I would only leave the house in the mornings to go to the store. It wasn’t safe,” stated Jessie Walton, a resident of Ceres since 1998. “I saw a change in the care that was given once Jamboree took over. Now, we have great management and we all take care of one another and our home. The way I look at it, we are family and we are supposed to look out for each other.”
Ceres Court Apartment Homes Fact Sheet, Before and After Property Photos are available upon request.
About Jamboree: Founded in 1990, Jamboree Housing Corporation is an award-winning, broad-based nonprofit housing development company that develops, acquires, renovates and manages permanently affordable rental and ownership housing for lower-income families and seniors throughout California. Housing with HEART (Helping Educate, Activate and Respond Together) is a 501 (c)(3) organization and a division of Jamboree Housing Corporation. A leading nonprofit developer, Jamboree’s portfolio includes the development of and/or ownership interest in more than 5,000 affordable rental apartment homes in more than 46 California communities.
Currently, Housing with HEART programs and services are offered at 34 JHC communities with designated staff at each location. More information is available on the company’s Web site at www.jamboreehousing.com.