Heroes Landing is a new sanctuary, providing stability and hope for 75 formerly homeless veterans and their families in Santa Ana, California.
Developed by Jamboree, the permanent supportive housing community is the nonprofit organization’s first dedicated property for veterans and Orange County’s largest housing development exclusively for vets.
“The development means hope for many of our residents,” says Richard Owens, a senior program manager at Jamboree, a Marine Corps vet, and an Army reservist. “As they settle into their new home, they begin to rekindle their vision for their own future. They are no longer alone. Many believe they belong to something bigger than themselves. They comment on the love and detail that went into the design and development of the property to make it feel welcoming. From the gym to the garden club to the pet spa, nothing was spared to set them up for success. As such, there is a lot of pride of belonging and ownership amongst the residents. All of this gives them renewed hope and lights a spark in them to overcome their barriers.”
Jamboree opened Heroes Landing in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, safely moving the formerly homeless veterans from the streets into fully furnished affordable apartment homes.
As the project was being constructed, one resident, who had been living in his car, would park nearby just to be close to the inspiring development.
Built in collaboration with the city of Santa Ana, Veterans Affairs (VA), and four other leading veterans service organizations, Heroes Landing combines affordable housing along with critical services for its residents, including those living with mental illnesses.
At the LEED for Homes Gold-certified community, the residential space opens onto a spacious courtyard, with nearly 10,000 square feet of active open space, including a community garden and reflection walk. A 4,500-square-foot community center includes a computer lab, a kitchen and activity rooms, and on-site offices for the Heroes Landing Community Collaborative. This brings together—in one place—some of the county’s leading veterans agencies to immediately and conveniently address the needs of residents, as well as to leverage and expand resources to veterans throughout the greater community. On-site service partners include VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Goodwill of Orange County’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services, Veterans Legal Institute, Strength in Support, and Step Up.
As a result, when residents move into Heroes Landing, they have immediate access to a wide range of programs to help them achieve stability and better their lives.
Much of this is possible through the federal HUD-VASH program, which combines rental assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development with services from the VA.
The development provides a wider public value. Based on models, Heroes Landing is anticipated to save the county approximately $2.5 million annually through avoided emergency services.
