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Foster Youth Transition Ready To Open At Palace A transitional housing addition to Long Beach is nearing completion, officials said. Last Thursday, Aug. 4, construction workers used a crane to install one of the last major pieces onto the roof of the renovated Palace Hotel — two large fuel cells. The restoration project has gone smoothly, for the most part, officials at LINC Housing said. “I think we’re looking for completion sometime in September and early move-ins sometime in October,” said Hunter Johnson, LINC president and CEO. The Palace Hotel, which is a designated landmark in the city, is being converted into transitional housing for the use of United Friends of the Children (UFC). Once the project is completed, UFC will institute an 18-month program for youth ages 18-24. The program is designed to give these young people career and educational services and mental health support as they work toward independence. The foster care system only supports children until age 18. Once the child reaches that age, regardless of whether they’re still in high school or not, the support stops. Typically, that means they must leave where they are living. UFC currently is working to recruit people for the 14 studio apartments (there is one apartment for a building manager) that have been completely restored and improved on the interior, officials said. “We’re planning on having an orientation (soon) and we’re in the middle of recruitment,” said Polly Williams, UFC president. “We’re looking for people who are engaged in the city of Long Beach, who live there and who want to work. They have to want to have adults speaking into their lives (and giving guidance).” The affordable housing will cost 30% of that young adult’s income, Williams said. While there were no intentions of changing the outside that much, Johnson said his team worked to make the restorations and the building green and environmentally friendly. To that end, new windows were installed. There are massive solar panels on the roof, and those coupled with the two hydrogen fuel cells (powered by natural gas piping) will be able to give the building the majority of its electricity, he said. There will be a common area, a computer lab and the roof has been outfitted with patio furniture for an extra common area. “We wanted to provide a place for them outdoors when it is nice out, so we built a rooftop patio,” Johnson said. There also is a 1,000-square-foot retail space built into the building that has not been leased. “We’re hoping to find someone who could create some jobs, maybe even for the youth living there,” Johnson said. LINC plans on having the restoration done by mid to late-September. From there, UFC will start moving the young adults in by the end of October. For more information, visit www.unitedfriends.org.
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