2017 AIA Awards – Architecture: The Six

AIA: Eschewing the mold of traditional shelter models by emphasizing group and social spaces, this 42,500-square-foot housing project provides 52 units, support services, and rehab for formerly homeless disabled veterans and individuals in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park section.

Happy Holidays from the Trust!

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This holiday season we look back at 2016 with gratitude, thankful for the amazing people and organizations that invested in housing and support to end chronic homelessness. Last spring we celebrated the grand opening of The Six in MacArthur Park, and over the summer we were the beneficiaries of the Psomas Paper Yacht Challenge. This fall we launched the Skid Row Denim Academy to create new advocates for solutions to homelessness. The campaign for Measure HHH launched at our New Genesis Apartments, which passed with 76% of the vote thanks to your support. We promoted permanent supportive housing and innovative design whenever possible, and – most importantly – provided homes to over 1,800 people who have struggled or are at-risk of homelessness.
In 2017 we will continue working to end and prevent homelessness, an effort that will require the support and participation of the entire community. Now is the time to get involved. Make a contribution today at skidrow.org/give. Every donation creates more homes and expands supportive services that help residents achieve long-term success.

Gimme Shelter: Housing the Homeless in LA

KCRW Press Play: More than 27,000 people are homeless in Los Angeles. The problem is getting worse. In a special live event, Madeleine Brand looks at how we got here, what at-risk people are doing to keep off the streets, and what big ideas exist to effectively tackle the crisis.

Give to Lending a Hand to the Homeless in Los Angeles

NBC Give visited Skid Row Housing Trust’s Star Apartments.  Host Laura Marano surprised staff and residents with a special gift from California Community Foundation!

The Homeless Want More Than Housing

Landscape Architecture Magazine: Speed bumps and curbs that narrow the street to slow traffic. Safety zones for women and LGBTQ residents. Vegetable gardens with citrus trees. Drinking fountains, storage units, and cell phone charging stations. This isn’t a laundry list of community benefits in your local affluent suburb; it’s a wish list for the nation’s most concentrated homeless community in downtown Los Angeles: Skid Row.

Star Apartments Win American Architecture Award

Star Apartments was awarded a 2016 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and European Centre for Architecture. The annual awards program recognizes the best new buildings designed and constructed by American architects and by international architects for buildings designed and built in the United States. The American Architecture Awards are the nation’s highest public awards given by a non-commercial, non-trade affiliated, public arts, culture and educational institution.  An exhibition of all the award winning designs will open in Athens, Greece.

Homeless housing crisis aided with $64.6 million loans

Skid Row Housing Trust’s Six Four Nine Lofts development was awarded $5.3 million in California cap-and-trade funding through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC). Six Four Nine Lofts will create 55 supportive homes for homeless and disabled individuals in Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row neighborhood. A ground-floor medical clinic, with dental, optometry, pharmacy and mental healthcare services, will be operated by Los Angeles Christian Health Centers and is expected to serve 7,500 people each year. In addition, a portion the funding will be used for pedestrian and bike infrastructure improvements around the development, including a new Metro Bike Share Hub. “This development will not only provide homes for people experiencing homelessness, but it will also place housing and medical services near improved transit options,” said Ben Rosen, the Trust’s Director of Real Estate Development. “By making the community more sustainable, Six Four Nine Lofts is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19,182 metric tons.”

Read more on MyNewsLA.com.

Vote YES on Housing, Help & Hope to End Homelessness

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Yesterday morning, I had the great privilege of hosting a broad coalition of elected officials, civic leaders, philanthropic partners, nonprofit service providers, and homeless advocates at Skid Row Housing Trust’s New Genesis Apartments, which gathered to urge Angelenos to vote yes on Proposition HHH on the November 2016 ballot. The proposition – “Housing and Hope to End Homelessness”- would allow the city to finance 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing over the next 10 years. It would triple the rate at which Los Angeles currently builds safe, stable, and affordable housing that is desperately needed by thousands of individuals who are currently homeless.

Permanent supportive housing in Los Angeles has a 90% success rate at ending homelessness, and is 43% cheaper than leaving people on the street where they are dependent on emergency services and temporary shelters for care. Not just an apartment, permanent supportive housing offers voluntary on-site health, mental health, recovery and case management services so that formerly homeless individuals can stabilize their lives on their own terms. Unfortunately, there is not enough housing to help all of those in need, and the waitlist is long. Visit yesonhhh.com to learn how Proposition HHH would dramatically accelerate the work that is being done, bringing this proven solution to scale.

Proposition HHH is a common-sense approach based on evidence and years of hands-on experience: Homes end homelessness. It would bring tens of thousands of our neighbors – men, women, children and veterans – home. We were honored to host the launch of this important campaign, which was covered by the LA Times, KCRW, MyNewsLA, ABC, CBS and many more. Join this historic effort to end homelessness in our City by spreading word and voting yes for Proposition HHH this November.

Mike Alvidrez
CEO, Skid Row Housing Trust

 

Sylvia of Downtown Women's Center

City of Los Angeles CAO Miguel Santana, City Council President Herb Wesson, Councilmember Mike Bonin, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Rusty Hicks, Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Councilmember José Huizar, United Way of Greater Los Angeles President and CEO Elise Buik (not pictured), and Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Gary Toebben (not pictured) listen to formerly homeless advocate Sylvia Hernandez stress the urgent need for housing.

Grant Announcement: Bank of America

Permanent supportive housing – decent, affordable, community-based housing that offers voluntary support services – has proven to be most effective at helping individuals who struggle long-term homelessness. However, Los Angeles only has enough of permanent supportive housing to help 20% of those in need. We are proud to announce that Bank of America awarded the Trust $20,000 to help us continue creating safe and stable homes for some of our most vulnerable neighbors. With the support of partners like Bank of America, we aim to develop or renovate over 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing over the next five years. “Tackling the immediate needs of our homeless neighbors who continue to struggle with access to affordable housing is important to assist them with regaining and maintaining long-term stability,” said Raul A. Anaya, Los Angeles market president, Bank of America. “By supporting nonprofits like Skid Row Housing Trust, we can strengthen our community and play a vital role in its overall economic health.”

Psomas Paper Yacht Challenge

On June 23rd, we raced paper boats across City National Plaza Fountain to raise support for Skid Row Housing Trust! We raised over $50,000 for permanent supportive housing that breaks the cycle of homelessness, a record for the event. Thank you to Psomas and all the wonderful sponsors, volunteers, participants, and donors who made this fun-filled event possible. View photos online highlighting the event, and check out the great PHHHOTO booth at http://phhhoto.com/p/paperyacht.

Tasty treats and beverages were served by The Pie Hole, Pink’s Hotdogs, Tito’s Vodka, and Boomtown Brewery. Silent auction items were donated by Rotelli Cyclery, Skingraft, LA Downtowner, The Standard, ACE Hotel, Warby Parker, Tanner Goods, Wheelhouse Coffee, Panel Wallets, and many more. This year’s sponsors included:

ADMIRAL

Tito’s Vodka

CAPTAINS

The Giving Keys

Union Bank

LIEUTENANTS

National Equity Fund (NEF)

Foley Lardner LLP

ENSIGNS

Bocarsly Emden Cowan Esmail & Arndt LLP

JOSS Realty

The Standard

ABLE SEAMEN

ACEC

Eminent Resources, Inc.

Dealey, Renton & Associates

Gensler

California Community Foundation

Warby Parker

Killefer Flammang Architects

Crain & Associates

Geoffrey Arrobio

Morley Builders

Nabhi Yousef

Tribute Real Estate Holdings

PIRATES

Gibson Transportation

LAHQ

John Pallante

Partner Energy, Inc.

Arad Vejdani

HONORARY SPONSORS

The Pie Hole

Boomtown Brewery

City National Plaza

LA Downtown News

DJs on a Dime

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