Jamboree Housing Coproration Breaks Ground For New Birch Hills Apartment Homes In Brea, Ca

Oct. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Brea, CA (October 26, 2012) – Underscoring  the importance of public/private partnerships in the development of affordable housing,  the City of Brea in Orange County, CA, has partnered with Jamboree Housing Corporation, one of California’s leading community development organizations specializing in affordable housing, to develop Birch Hills Apartment Homes, a new workforce housing community.

Construction is now underway on the 115-unit, Spanish-styled apartment development  that is adjacent to the Birch Hills Golf Course.  The new community will provide housing for families who earn between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with rents ranging from approximately $500 to $1,500 per month based on family size and income level. Completion is slated for September 2013.

Since 1993, the City of Brea has assisted in the funding and development of hundreds of affordable housing units and is considered one of Orange County’s most progressive cities when it comes to the creation of affordable and workforce housing.

The newest addition to Brea’s workforce housing inventory, Birch Hills Apartment Homes is the second workforce housing development in Brea built by Irvine, CA – headquartered Jamboree. Earlier this year, the company completed its LEED gold certified Bonterra  Apartment Homes featuring 94 garden-style apartments that also provide workforce housing for families who earn between 30% and 60% AMI.

“This new property is an important public/private milestone for both the City of Brea and Jamboree because it marks the first time that we have built two workforce housing developments in the same municipality within a period of two years,” says Laura Archuleta, president of Jamboree. “These two developments not only underscore the value that the City of Brea places on workforce housing, but they also emphasize the demand for this type of affordable housing in Brea and all of Orange County.”

Strategically located near shopping, community services, and schools, Birch Hills Apartment Homes is part of the La Floresta planned community currently under development in Brea by Birch/Kraemer LLC on land owned by Chevron Land and Development.  Designed to be LEED Platinum, the apartment property encompasses eight three-story buildings and a recreation building, all arranged around central courtyards that are linked by tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly landscaped walks.

"The City of Brea is once again pleased to partner with Jamboree to bring an attractive, well-planned, sustainable housing development to a new master development community in our city,” says Brea Mayor Don Schweitzer.  

The public/private partnership to build Birch Hills Apartment Homes was also key in overcoming the challenges of funding  affordable housing in California due to the demise of redevelopment.

Financing for the $26.2 million development consists of $4.75 million in redevelopment funds as well as donated land for the 5.8-acre project site from the City of Brea; $2 million in HOME Funds from the County of Orange; $11.15 million in low income housing tax credit equity invested by Union Bank through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC), as well as $17.94 million in construction financing and $7.9 million in permanent financing from Union Bank.