60B - AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND FOR MERCY HOUSE

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Pre -Commitment of Affordable Housing Funds to Community Development Partners April 7, 2020 Page 3 commercial conditions of the boulevard while providing a comfortable environment for residents. Much of the street facing ground floor is occupied by resident amenities, as well as spaces for service providers and community partners. The indoor amenities and most apartment homes are oriented around a series of courtyards with a mix of balconies, patios, and decks engaging the common outdoor spaces. Expanded breezeways and upper level deck distribute common outdoor spaces throughout the building. The amenities in the project include a community room, community kitchen, laundry room, computer room, pocket park, picnic/BBQ area, and a tot lot. Resident Services Mercy House will coordinate the delivery of all services including those anticipated to be committed through the Orange County Health Care Agency and Orangewood Foundation. A comprehensive range of services will be offered to assist residents achieve and maintain self- sufficient, healthy and purposeful lives. Working under a Housing First and "Whatever it Takes" philosophy, Mercy House staff utilizes strategies from an array of evidence -based models and practices to ensure residents have access to all required services. The project will provide a full suite of on -site client -centered services for the PSH residents that support wellness, recovery and resiliency to adults diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness who are homeless. A Residential Clinical Services Coordinator will ensure that a Supportive Services Plan is enacted for all PSH units and residents have access to needed services to maintain housing, a sense of community and quality of life. Additional supportive services and case management will be provided on site by the Orangewood Foundation to assist TAY resident's transition to permanent housing. Services will be focused on four critical areas: health and wellness, housing, life skills and employment, and education. Highly trained Youth Support Specialists will be available to assist TAY residents in acclimating to their environment and building life skills necessary to maintain housing (financial planning, advocacy, interpersonal skills and communication skills). Lastly, Mercy House will provide wrap -around services and coordination to activate the community amenity spaces on site to meet the needs of all residents. Community Inclusion As part of the development process, the development team has engaged local partners to determine suitable housing types and services, and to identify ideal partners for implementing the project. This engagement has included extensive communications with the United Way of Orange County, Orangewood Foundation and Samueli Academy, the latter of which has led to engaging in a partnership specific to this project. The project will include, a public pocket park, oriented toward the neighborhood, providing a much -needed community asset. The nearest publicly accessible open space, Edna Park, is over a third of a mile away from the project site, and requires traversing multiple major thoroughfares. This pocket park will provide neighbors essential public open spaces, along with play equipment and a picnic area.