Finding an affordable place to live seems out of reach for many in the Inland Empire, but a new building rising in downtown Riverside is making affordable rent a reality for hundreds of residents in need – including veterans who have experienced homelessness.
A few weeks from now, the nonprofit Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation will open doors to residents at Mission Heritage Plaza a community of 72 affordable one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes in the heart of downtown Riverside with monthly rents that range from roughly $500 to $1,400.
While 47 of those affordable homes are designed for qualifying individuals and families earning around $28,000 to $69,000 per year, 25 are permanent supportive housing apartments designed specifically for veterans who have recently been homeless. These safe, secure homes include wrap-around support services from Lighthouse Social Services and VA Loma Linda that promote stability and allow them to thrive.
Mission Heritage Plaza is Wakeland’s largest development in Riverside to date as well as one of the most unique, according to Wakeland’s President and CEO Rebecca Louie.
“I am so excited to welcome residents to Mission Heritage Plaza,” said Louie. “In addition to 72 much-needed affordable homes, this building includes space for the new Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California and offices for the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County. Civil Rights and affordable housing are inextricably entwined, and this is represented in this amazing development. As an Alaskan Native, female CEO, I am always conscious of the giants on whose backs I stand. I’m so proud to be part of this project that commemorates those who went before and fought to get us where we are today.”
The brand new Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California is a 3,500-square-foot facility for the celebration and defense of civil rights. It offers cultural and social history exhibitions; an oral history recording media center and a digital archive to preserve the history of diverse Inland communities and space for educational programs and performances.
Designed by Gonzalez Goodale Architects and built by Sun County Builder, Mission Heritage Plaza consists of two buildings: a five-story mixed-use building with housing, the Civil Rights Institute, offices, and space for community use connected by a central plaza to a three-story structure with homes that have a friendly, “front porch” design. Ample common-use space includes a courtyard with BBQs and a tot lot, a community room that will host resident workshops and social events, and a surface parking lot with shade structures.
Financing for the $47.2 million development drew on a unique mix of sources including state tax credits, a direct allocation from the state budget, the Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention program, the Strategic Growth Coalition’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, and loans from the City of Riverside and Bank of America.
Mission Heritage Plaza was also built to ensure longevity. With 72 units, it has the potential to provide affordable homes to thousands of people in Riverside over its expected 55-year lifespan as residents succeed and move out, making room for other neighbors in need.
“Prevention is key to combating long-term chronic homelessness and with these 72 units we’ll be able to provide real housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness or living on the brink of it,” said Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson. “The way a community treats its most vulnerable is a direct reflection of our values as a City. And please know this: Riverside values all those who would call this City home. This new project is a brick-and-mortar testament to that.”
People who think they may qualify for affordable housing can go to https://www.conam.com/property/mission-heritage-plaza/ or call (951) 708-1671 to join the tenant interest list for Mission Heritage Plaza.