County Approves Housing for Homeless Vets in Newport Beach

The Orange County Board of Supervisors today approved a plan to help homeless veterans get shelter in apartment buildings in Newport Beach and Midway City.

Through federal programs providing vouchers for veterans, six units in a 12-unit building of one-bedroom apartments at 6001 Newport Shores Drive in Newport Beach will be set aside for chronically homeless veterans, according to county officials.

The rest of the apartments will be reserved for seniors earning at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income. One of those apartments for seniors will be reserved for a senior who is also a veteran.

Officials estimate the Newport Beach development cost will be $6.1 million.

The development in Midway City is at 15171 Jackson St. A 16-unit building will be built with 15 studio apartments and a manager’s residence.

Eight apartments will be set aside for chronically homeless veterans and seven others for chronically transient individuals with no military service. Two apartments will be reserved for homeless veterans who have been “less than honorably discharged,” according to county officials.

The Midway City development is estimated to cost about $4.3 million.

The program is part of the county’s 10-year plan to end homelessness.

“This will keep that momentum going” in the 10-year plan, Supervisor Andrew Do said. “We need more resources (for transients) on the west side of the county.”

City News Service; Photo: www.flickr.com