Southern California Nonprofit to Provide Homes of the Steel for the Brave of Heart
MIDWAY CITY, CALIF. (November 30, 2015) – American Family Housing (AFH) – a nonprofit organization dedicated to permanently ending the cycle of homelessness – is proud to announce its visionary new project in Midway City, Calif., called Potter’s Lane. Estimated for completion in 2016, the energy-efficient and sustainable housing site will fulfill one of the community’s greatest needs: permanent housing for chronically homeless veterans. Simultaneously, AFH will join a revolution that is bringing an end to chronic homelessness among our nation’s veterans in major metropolitan centers throughout the U.S.
“While Orange County and Los Angeles have made great strides with the provision of some 4,000 units of permanent housing for the homeless, an additional 5,000 is needed if we are to succeed in achieving our goals,” says AFH president and CEO Donna Gallup. “The truth is, however, that while many areas of our country are experiencing decreases in the numbers of homeless veterans, Southern California is seeing an unsettling and unacceptable increase. Bleak as this may sound, there is still hope, and AFH plans to take the lead with Potter’s Lane.”
By leveraging valuable partnerships with state, county and AFH benefactors, AFH is fulfilling that goal, bringing to life an eco-friendly housing project that utilizes modified-steel shipping containers—upcycling them into beautiful housing units that meld seamlessly with surrounding areas. The project is comprised of 16 480-square-foot units and has the potential to reduce development costs and inefficiencies, increase sustainability and energy efficiency, create opportunities to leverage scarce resources, and provide a solution to increase access to affordable permanent supportive housing without the long development cycles associated with conventional site-built construction and financing. In addition to housing, AFH will provide comprehensive wrap-around services to help these veterans achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
The 16 units at Potter’s Lane will offer both indoor and outdoor spaces, with beautiful gardens and native plants to provide a sustainable environment that soothes the soul. Through tranquil common areas, residents will interact with each other and help build a sense of community.
“Countless veterans deal with the effects of war—commonly known as PTSD—and other life-changing conditions that for most of us are a distant proposition,” adds Gallup. “Lost in traumatic memories and suffering alone on the streets, veterans are in their minds still soldiers on the front lines yet remain ill-equipped to face this battle without our help—which they so richly deserve. We couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity to provide them with a road home.”
This project has already drawn wide support from corporate and other large-scale donors who will be recognized for their contributions with their names on structures in the community. AFH welcomes additional donors, and in gratitude for their assistance, AFH is offering further naming opportunities within the Potter’s Lane development.
For more information or with interest in getting involved, visit us at www.afhusa.org/potterslane
ABOUT AMERICAN FAMILY HOUSING:
Founded in 1985, American Family Housing (AFH) is a nonprofit organization that provides a continuum of housing and a broad spectrum of services to vulnerable populations facing barriers to achieving housing stability, including war veterans and adults with disabilities and mental illness. Operating 63 housing sites, with 267 units that serve more than 1,000 unduplicated adults and children each year in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, AFH is committed to permanently ending the cycle of homelessness, helping low-income families and adults achieve a self-sustaining way of life and become active members of their communities.
