Senior Housing for Mentally Ill Homeless Coming to NoHo

Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, PATH Ventures  and Clifford Beers Housing (announced Friday that a groundbreaking ceremony will take place next week for a senior housing development that will set aside the majority of its units for homeless and mentally ill seniors.

The 49-unit development, which is planned to be located at 5525 Klump Ave., will have 30 units set aside for "seniors who are homeless and mentally ill at the time they enter housing," according to PATH's Web site. The groundbreaking ceremony is set for Wednesday at 9 a.m.

LaBonge issued a press release that said the complex will include mental health services provided by the San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center. Northeast Valley Health Corporation will also provide on-site health services.

"This complex serves a great need in our community. Seniors who are dealing with mental illness and don't have a home are some of the most vulnerable people in our city," said LaBonge in the press release. "This is a place they can call home while they get the help and services they need."

According to PATH, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing quality affordable housing for the homeless, the development will feature a landscaped courtyard, a roof deck, laundry room, leasing offices, a 600-square-foot community room, an examination room and offices for on-site mental health and social service personnel. Clifford Beers, which also developed the project, works to provide housing and services to low income individuals with special needs.

Funding for the project will be provided by Mental Health Services Act, Los Angeles Housing Department Permanent Supportive Housing Trust Fund, California Department of Housing and Community Development, low-income housing tax credits through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Raymond James Tax Credit Fund, Inc., Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Affordable Housing Program, and Citi Bank.

The complex was designed by Killefer Flamman Architects.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story did not list Clifford Beers as a developer of the project.