We celebrated the grand opening of Lorena Plaza, a 49-unit affordable housing project 18 years in the making, last Friday. This project is a testament to perseverance, as a community of hundreds came together to make this day possible.
Built on Metro-owned land, Lorena Plaza is a joint development between @A Community of Friends and Los Angeles Metro. The space brings permanent supportive housing to Boyle Heights, alongside 7,500 square feet of commercial space, on-site case management and mental health services, a library, and a community room.
As Dora Leong Gallo, A Community of Friends CEO, says,
"Lorena Plaza will give people experiencing homelessness or who are struggling in this economy the opportunity to start over and to achieve stability in their lives. At A Community of Friends, we know from years of experience that people experiencing homelessness can, with an affordable home and wraparound services, regain the skills needed to live independent lives."
In our journey to ensure everyone has housing, many roadblocks appear, and only when we come together can we truly make a difference. This project shows what’s possible when public agencies, designers, builders, and advocates commit to staying the course.
