Venice Community Housing
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Venice Community THE STORYHousing OF US Venice Community 1988 Housing– 2013 Venice Community Housing 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 1 3/13/15 12:34 PM Venice Community Housing Venice Community Housing TABLE OF CONTENTS 2013 Board of Directors 2013 Young Professionals Board of Directors Letter from our Founders .....................................................................3 Our Founding .........................................................................................4 Chairperson Directors Skye Allmang Marie Kennedy Indico Arnell Indico Arnell Housing ...................................................................................................6 Randy Brook Adam Cowing Westminster Transitional Living Center ........................................ 10 Vice Chairperson Robert Greenwald Jeffrey Fischer Jataun Valentine 25 Years of Responding to the Needs of the Community ........12 Robert Jay Grossman Linnea Koopmans Venice Youth Build .............................................................................16 Secretary Jeffrey Levine Kevin Michini* Mindy Meyer After School Program ....................................................................... 20 Mike Suhd Ashley Powell Barbara Milliken 25 Years of Celebrations ..................................................................24 David Sway Treasurer Susan Nakaoka Eugene Travnikoff 2013 Financial ....................................................................................26 Doris Oliker Dana Newman 2013 Supporters ............................................................................... 28 Michele Prichard Whitney L. Morris John Raphling Thank You............................................................................................. 30 Neal Richman *VCH Staff Vision for Our Future .........................................................................31 Maury Ruano Anne Zimmerman 2 | THE STORY OF US 1988 – 2014 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 2 3/13/15 12:34 PM What can we do? That was the question on the minds of a group of young Venetians troubled by rising numbers of homeless people in their community and throughout Los Angeles. In the 1980s a deteriorating national economy along with federal cuts to low-income housing and social services led to a sharp increase in homelessness across the country, including unprecedented numbers of homeless people in Los Angeles. The eventual founders of Venice Community Housing sought the input of housing, social services and mental health experts and came to understand that a combination of affordable housing and supportive services was the key to not only preserving the racial, economic and social diversity of Venice but also to saving the lives of chronically homeless people. Twenty-five years later, Venice Community Housing owns and manages 14 affordable housing properties. We recently acquired a fifteenth property that we will develop into 21 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless people who are frequent users of the medical system. Our responsive programming includes a nationally-recognized YouthBuild program, academic- focused after school programs serving over 100 low-income elementary school students, and a 100% volunteer-led project providing free storage to the homeless on Venice Beach. The results? Over 1,300 lives were touched by our work this year. It is our pleasure to present you with our 2013 Annual Report, which not only highlights our achievements over the past year, but also celebrates Venice Community Housing’s quarter century of building community. Marie Kennedy Steve Clare VENICE COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2013 | 3 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 3 3/13/15 12:34 PM THE FOUNDING OF VENICE COMMUNITY HOUSING THE YEAR WAS 1988. Ronald Reagan was president, George Deukmejian was Governor, Tom Bradley was our Mayor, postage stamps were 24 cents and movie tickets were $3.50 and most importantly eight committed Venice community members were gathering to discuss the gentrifi cation of their beloved community; the rising rents, increase of homeless people and their desire to start a movement to address these issues. Searching for answers on the causes of these matters they created a group called “Neighbor to Neighbor” and decided to educate themselves by inviting experts from local agencies focused on social services, mental 4 | THE STORY OF US 1988 – 2014 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 4 3/13/15 12:34 PM THE FOUNDING OF VENICE COMMUNITY HOUSING health, and those serving the homeless and inclusive community. The result of their From left: Arlene Hendler, Steve Clare, Susan Millman, Mike Suhd, low income residents. Asking what can we vision was the creation of Venice Community Penny Pettler-Jennings, Teresa do? They soon realized the key to addressing Housing Corporation. Reese, Morise (Moe) Stavnezer: these needs was affordable housing and not pictured, Rick Davidson supportive services. The organization we have today, 25 years (passed away in 1999) later, is because of the vision, wisdom, and While not one of these eight people had commitment of Steve Clare, Rick Davidson, any experience with affordable housing, Arleen Handler, Penny Jennings, Susan they did have a commitment to building Millmann, Teresa Reese, Mike Suhd, and community. They focused not just on creating Moe Stavnezer. a housing development corporation, but a true community development organization This 2013 Annual Report is dedicated to our grounded in the belief that addressing founders with sincere gratitude from the VCH the needs of the whole person is vital and Board, Staff, Residents, Students, and most necessary to preserving a diverse and of all our greater Venice Community. 5 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 5 3/13/15 12:34 PM Housing Stats - 2013 Improvements have included: installing new as a “family building,” the Beach Avenue property • In the City of Los Angeles there were 29,682 flooring, adding three-in-one sinks, cabinet and will be designed to provide permanent supportive homeless people in 2013, an increase of 26 refrigerator units, adding ceiling fans and HVAC housing for chronically homeless people who are percent since 2011 (LAHSA 2013 Greater systems, replacing old plumbing, upgrading old frequent users of the healthcare system. Los Angeles Homeless Count). railing systems, and installing an energy-star rated roof. We hope to complete construction by Spring • In 2013 we housed over 500 people in 2016 and to fully lease the units within 60 days We have partnered with a Venice-based landscape of completion. Once complete, the property will HOUSING 195 units of non-profit affordable housing, including 386 adults and 145 children. architect who has volunteered to design aesthetic include parking, an on-site property manager and improvements to several of our housing properties on-site supportive services. • We provided permanent supportive housing as well as our administrative and program to over sixty formerly chronically homeless headquarters at 720 Rose Avenue. Improvements We are partnering with three seasoned individuals through our Shelter + Care are scheduled to begin in early 2014. organizations on this project: Los Angeles-based program. architecture firm Brooks + Scarpa to design the Beach Avenue Construction new property, Hollywood Community Housing Corporation as a development partner, and St. Capital Improvements In August 2012 Venice Community Housing purchased a two-story commercial building located Joseph Center as a service partner. “We are embracing a new standard for our at 13368 Beach Avenue in Del Rey. We acquired housing.” – Maxwell Harris, Director of Housing & the adjacent property, 13366 Beach Avenue, in Asset Management July 2013. The combined two-lot parcel is large enough to feasibly develop 21 units of permanent In order to maintain safe, comfortable and supportive housing. attractive conditions at its existing affordable housing properties, our Housing and Maintenance This will be our first new construction project since Departments have continued with scheduled developing Washington Courts in the 1990s. capital improvements at several of our affordable While the Washington property was built primarily housing properties. 1993 1994 1994 1994 1996 1997 1998 2000 Westminster Navy Apartments 511 Brooks Avenue 5026 and 5032 Construction Washington Place 920 6th Avenue 200 Lincoln Blvd. Transitional Living completed acquired Slauson Ave. completed on Tabor developed and purchased purchased Center purchased Courts completed 6 | THE STORY OF US 1988 – 2014 2013VCH-AR_031315_FIN.indd 6 3/13/15 12:34 PM HOUSING 102 NAVY APARTMENTS VCH applied for and received a federal Shelter + Venice Care contract for 14 units, 8 of which are located 5 singles, 9 one-bedroom units in the Navy building. These units are designated for permanent supportive housing for chronically Venice Community Housing acquired this property homeless individuals who struggle with a combi- with the support of the Los Angeles Community nation of mental health issues, substance abuse Redevelopment Agency. and/or chronic medical conditions. We partnered with St. Joseph Center to provide the counseling The sale was negotiated by then- City Council- and case management that help these tenants woman Ruth Galanter as a condition of approval to stabilize their lives, maintain their housing, and of the owner’s plan to eliminate rental units at reintegrate into the community. Gingerbread Apartments on Ocean Front Walk and use the property for commercial use. VCH partnered with the Los Angeles Community Design