News from the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition
La Quinta, CA: On February 27th at 11 AM, the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) will celebrate the Grand Opening of its Senior Development known as the Washington Street Apartments. Located at 42-800 Washington Street in La Quinta, CA, this community will feature energy star rated appliances throughout the property. It is also designed utilizing materials, equipment, and/or systems that increase the energy efficiency of the buildings by at least 32.5 percent above the 2008 Title 24 energy standards.
CVHC uses the following features to make its developments more environmentally friendly:
Solar Thermal Energy generation, Energy Star Rating appliances, Natural gas for cooking and heating, Fluorescent light fixtures for at least 75 percent of lights in each unit, Dual-glazed windows, Energy Star rated roofs, R38 roof insulation exceeding minimum code requirements of R30, Vented kitchen range hoods to the exterior of the building, flow restrictors on kitchen and bathroom faucets, hard wiring for computers in each unit plus CAT5e or better network for television services, plus cabinets and countertops that are free from added formaldehyde or fully sealed on all sides by laminates.
CVHC is also moving forward with the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for this development. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. A LEED home is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer because of its energy efficient construction.
“As Baby Boomers have now all reached retirement age and lifespans have lengthened, many need help in paying rent for decent housing. We are proud of the comfortable and dignified living environment for 140 of the Coachella Valley’s low-income seniors created by the Washington Street apartments,” stated Julie Bornstein, Executive Director at CVHC.
Residents have access to two brand new community rooms. Each room includes a computer learning center, complete with laptop computers, educational software and internet access. The community rooms also provide access to local service providers offering residents healthy living programs, exercise classes, nutrition programs, art classes, and other enrichment programs. Residents can also use the community rooms for special events since each is equipped with a full kitchen with access to an outdoor courtyard equipped with barbecues for indoor/outdoor events and activities. All services are provided free of charge to the residents. To promote health and fitness, the site features two fitness rooms that will be equipped with treadmills, exercise bikes, exercise balls, pull up/chin up station, abdominal board, exercise bands and exercise mats that will be constructed as part of the community center. Formal outdoor recreation areas include roughly 2 acres of parkway/green belt for recreation and social gatherings, a walking track, a dog park, and two swimming pools. Ample space and free flowing paths provide opportunities for informal social interactions. “CVHC recognizes the need to connect affordable housing with effective resident services programs, which give residents the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives. Our seniors are now enjoying very active lifestyles and these services will add to their health and fitness needs,” said Javier Lopez, Director of Community Relations at CVHC.
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Located in Indio, California, about one hundred miles east of Los Angeles, the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) is an award-winning nonprofit housing development corporation dedicated to helping low-income households improve their living conditions through advocac, research, construction, and operation of housing and community development projects. For more than 35 years, CVHC has been providing affordable housing and community development programs to hundreds of working families. To date, CVHC has developed more than 4,000 homes and apartments in Riverside and Imperial counties. In addition, CVHC provides its residents access to a variety of programs, including: early childhood education centers, after-school and recreational programming, medical clinics, cultural music, art and dance classes, computer technology instruction, STEM-blended Lego Robotics, an Alternative High School and GED Diploma program, Financial Literacy, English as a Second Language courses, homeownership counseling and other opportunities that improve their lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.cvhc.org.