Virgina Guevera, 66, had been homeless in Orange County since 2016, living in a car for half a decade before moving into a shelter for a few years.
But in January, she moved into a new affordable housing complex in Stanton that will be her first permanent home in years.
“To me, there’s peace and there’s serenity,” Guevera said. “You have privacy.”
Guevera’s home is in the Clara Vista apartments, one of three motel conversions unveiled on Wednesday, May 29, in Stanton. The three complexes, with a combined 153 rental units, are now all permanent supportive housing communities that will serve people who are experiencing homelessness, with some units set aside for those with significant mental disabilities and veterans.
All three developments received state funding from Homekey, which is one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature programs that turns blighted motels and other properties into housing for the homeless – Newsom visited another Homekey project in Costa Mesa in January.
The county and city of Stanton also chipped in to fund the three new conversions along with help from tax credits.
The three apartment complexes that have finished in Stanton:
- Iluma, 72 units, $24 million to develop out of the former Stanton Inn & Suites at 7161 Katella Ave.
- Clara Vista, 60 units, $30 million to develop out of the former Tahiti Motel at 11850 Beach Blvd.
- Aurora Vista, 21 units, $13 million to develop out of the former Riviera Motel at 11892 Beach Blvd.
The three developments all finished their renovations in recent months.
Guevera toured the Clara Vista apartments during construction and said she felt comfortable moving in since the studio she would get was around 500 square feet, had a kitchen and came partially furnished with a bed and dresser. At the shelter, there was no privacy with shared rooms and bathrooms.
After moving in, Guevera slept so much that first week that she “felt like Rip Van Winkle,” she said.
Local leaders celebrating the new communities…
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