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Cesar Chavez Foundation breaks ground on new high-quality affordable housing community

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Cesar Chavez Foundation breaks ground on new high-quality affordable housing community in Fresno for low-income intergenerational families

June 20 celebration features speaking program with Foundation President Paul Chavez, District 3 representative for Fresno Board of Supervisors Sal Quintero, and son of Sal Gonzales Sr.

FRESNO, CA (June 19, 2018) – The Cesar Chavez Foundation is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales, Sr., a new intergenerational affordable housing community in southeast Fresno on June 20. This new residential community will feature 135 units of affordable housing.

“We’re pleased to break ground on our fifth affordable housing community in Fresno,” said Paul Chavez, President, Cesar Chavez Foundation. “In addition providing families and seniors with high-quality housing, the property will also include an afterschool program for young residents and programs for seniors.”

Eighty-nine units at Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales, Sr. will be designated for low income families and an additional 46 units for low income seniors. The buildings will include a computer lab, recreational room, community kitchen, patio courtyard, picnic area, garden area, child activity area, two multipurpose rooms, a library and senior activity area.

The property will house a Si Se Puede Learning Center, CCF’s flagship afterschool program available to young residents, as well as a Si Se Puede Senior Center that enables resident seniors to be active both mentally and physically and empower them to develop joyful, healthful and meaningful lives.

The project was funded primarily through California’s cap and trade program – one of the largest amounts given out in California. It received federal tax credits, state tax credits, tax exempt bonds proceeds and assistance from the City of Fresno. Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales, Sr. will be an energy efficient property with walk paths, bike paths, improved crosswalks and street lighting to better connect residents to four new bus rapid transit stops along the Kings Canyon corridor, linking residents and riders to major retail, social services, education and employment opportunities.

The property is named for Sal Gonzales, Sr. a farmworker and delegate at the United Farm Workers (UFW) Founding Convention in 1962. He supported Cesar Chavez, the UFW and union strikes including the Delano grape walkouts. Sal was very active in politics and aided farm worker lobbying efforts in Sacramento. He was the director of an anti-poverty program called West Side Planning which assisted small Latino family farmers.

Who: CCF President Paul F. Chavez, COO Manuel Bernal, EVP of Housing and Economic Development Alfredo Izmajtovich, District 3 representative for Fresno Board of Supervisors Sal Quintero and Sal Gonzales (son of Sal Gonzales, Sr.)

What: Groundbreaking of Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales, Sr., a new 135 unit affordable housing community

When: Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: 5070 E Kings Canyon Road, Fresno, CA 93727 (drop off location)

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Cesar Chavez Foundation and New Directions for Veterans break ground on Ybarra Village

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Cesar Chavez Foundation and New Directions for Veterans to break ground on affordable housing project for veterans in West Adams district on April 4

LOS ANGELES – The Cesar Chavez Foundation and New Directions for Veterans (NDVets) will officially break ground on Ybarra Village, a new affordable housing community for veterans in the West Adams district of Los Angeles on April 4, 2018. This new residential community will feature 64 units with on-site supportive services for veterans provided by NDVets.

“There is an affordable housing crisis in Los Angeles and this project is critical to helping veterans in need of housing,” said Alfredo Izmajtovich, Executive Vice President of Housing and Economic Development for the Cesar Chavez Foundation. “We look forward to working with New Directions for Veterans in order to provide veterans with affordable housing and the services they require.”

Ybarra Village will feature 64 units with more than half of the units designated for homeless veterans, as well as additional units for veterans’ with special needs. The remainder of the units will be allocated for seniors, with a preference given to senior veterans. There will be a wide range of on-site social service programs for veterans provided by NDVets, including counseling, case management, job training, legal assistance and Veteran Affairs (VA) health services and benefits assistance.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that veterans are more likely than civilians to experience homelessness in their lifetime due to factors like Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),” said NDVets CEO and President, Colonel (Ret.) Yvette J. Kelley. “We are grateful to the Cesar Chavez Foundation for making veterans a priority with the construction of Ybarra Village, where veterans will have a safe place to live with staff on-site to help ensure they have the necessary support and resources to retain housing.”

The property is named for Miguel “Mike” Ybarra, a U.S. Marine Corps and World War II veteran. Ybarra was active with the United Farm Workers and worked with both the union and Cesar Chavez to organize farm workers across California. He was a longtime board member of the Cesar Chavez Foundation.