Non-profit developer Linc Housing Corp. has broken ground on a more than $15-million project in the unincorporated community of South Whittier.

The affordable and permanent supportive housing development is called The Nook, alluding to its location at 14433 Leffingwell Road - formerly the site of the South Whittier Library.  Plans call for the construction of a three-story edifice featuring a two-bedroom manager's apartment and 26 one-bedroom apartments - reserved for homeless persons earning 30 percent of less than the area median income - with parking for 10 vehicles.

Groundbreaking for The NookLinc Housing

Rents at the property will be set at $587 per month, according to a 2020 staff report to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.  The apartments will be reserved for transition-age youth, ranging from 18 to 24 years old.

“Homelessness can be devastating to a young person's future,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in a news release. “Too many students are forced to choose between paying rent and staying in college. We are turning this old County Library site in South Whittier into affordable homes for young people so they can focus on building the type of life they want for themselves.”

VTBS Architects designed the contemporary low-rise building, which will also include a computer lab, a community room, a rooftop deck, a community kitchen, and on-site supportive services provided by Jovenes.

14433 Leffingwell RoadGoogle Maps

Funding sources for the project, which will cost roughly $559,000 per unit, include tax credit equity, an allocation from Los Angeles County's No Place Like Home program, and a traditional bank loan.

The project's general contractor, Walton Construction, Inc. is on pace to complete The Nook in mid-2022. Upon opening, the apartments will be filled through referrals from Los Angeles County coordinated entry system.

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