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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 38-Unit Community Aims for LEED Gold Certification for Excellence in Green Building SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2009 — Helping to ease the severe shortage of affordable housing for seniors in South Orange County, SEASONS II Senior Apartments, located in San Juan Capistrano, celebrated its official grand opening today. Grand opening festivities included refreshments, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, prize drawings and tours of the property. The 100 percent affordable 38-unit community, located at 27271 Paseo Espada, was developed by a partnership between Gardena, Calif.-based MacFarlane Costa Housing Partners, LLC, and the Long Beach-based nonprofit LINC Housing Corporation. Guest speakers at the grand opening were San Juan Capistrano Mayor Mark Nielsen; Kevin Horner, vice president of project development at MCHP; Hunter Johnson, president and CEO at LINC Housing; and City Councilmember Thomas Hribar. Featuring Mission-style architecture and a palette of warm earth tones, SEASONS II offers 38 one- and two-bedroom apartment homes with one bath, ranging from 552 to 778 square feet. All units are set aside for seniors age 55 and older, earning from 30 to 60 percent of the area median income for Orange County, as established by HUD. Rents range from $523 to $1,046 per month depending on household income, well below prevailing market rents for comparable apartments in the region. SEASONS II represents the second phase of a two-phase community. The adjacent SEASONS I includes an additional 112 units and is currently more than 90 percent occupied. Amenities include elevator; a community room; fitness center; computer center with free Internet access; pool and spa; laundry rooms; and professional landscaping, highlighted by a beautiful rose garden. Individual apartments feature built-in appliances (including refrigerators and dishwashers); central heating and air conditioning; mini-blinds; walk-in closets; smoke alarms; plush carpeting/vinyl flooring, and patios or balconies. A variety of on-site social programs and services are offered to residents’, including computer training classes and recreational activities. In addition, residents enjoy convenient access to nearby shopping, restaurants and recreational facilities. The community is also located near the San Juan Hills golf course. “With the number of seniors on fixed- and limited-incomes growing each year, it’s important that we continue to build high-quality affordable housing to help ensure everyone has a safe, comfortable home,” said Hunter L. Johnson, LINC Housing president and CEO. “We’re proud to have worked with the City of San Juan Capistrano to add 38 more homes for the seniors in this community.” SEASONS II is expected to be granted Gold certification under the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a coalition of more than 6,000 industry organizations dedicated to promoting sustainable building practices. The LEED designation recognizes buildings that meet or exceed established green building goals and performance criteria. The new complex incorporates high-efficiency plumbing and lighting fixtures (e.g., low-flow showers and toilets), Energy Star kitchen appliances, and drought-resistant landscaping. In addition, the community also features an on-site array of photovoltaic solar panels allowing it to generate electricity, thus partially offsetting utility costs. SEASONS II was financed using low-income housing tax credits. Construction financing was provided by California Bank & Trust, with permanent financing from the California Com-munity Reinvestment Corp. In addition, the City of San Juan Capistrano Redevelopment Agency extended a low-interest, $4 million loan to the project. Total development cost was approximately $11.1 million. American General Corp. served as general contractor, and the project was designed by the award-winning KTGY Group, Inc. On-site property management is under the direction of Western National Property Management. Move-ins have already begun at SEASONS II, and only a few units remain available for lease, after which a waiting list will be established. Those interesting in learning more about leasing opportunities or income eligibility can phone the leasing office at (949) 487-0210.
About LINC Housing Corporation
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