“Starting this fall, a crew of young people who have pledged to turn their lives around will build three houses intended for first-time buyers in the Logan community, a working-class neighborhood that police say has been claimed for generations by a gang,” according to the L.A. Times.
“Together, the group of former gang members, high school dropouts, recovering drug users and recent parolees will construct the bungalow-style three- and four-bedroom houses. The residences will be sold through a lottery for below-market prices — as little as $160,000 — aimed at low-income first-time home buyers. Preference will be given to families who live or work in Santa Ana.”
The construction workers are part of “Hope Builders, a construction company founded by Taller San Jose, a Santa Ana Catholic nonprofit that trains troubled youth in the fundamentals of construction and carpentry.”
It’s about time! This is an exciting development. This is the first time I can recall the City of Santa Ana getting involved with entry level housing instead of promoting luxury condos or town homes. The City “approved a $1.5-million agreement with the Orange County Community Housing Corp., a nonprofit organization that advocates for low-income housing.” That orgtanization then contracted with Hope Builders.
The implications of this program are incredible. “Joe Andrade, a local activist, welcomed the project as a signal that the city was giving priority to families. “With three more houses, we’re making this back into a residential area,” he said.”
And for the former gang members in this program they have at last achieved redemption and can take pride in what they are doing. The trades offer a fantastic source of income for these young people. I commend them for getting involved in this program and turning their lives around.
And of course kudos to all the players involved in this story – from the sisters at Taller San Jose to the City of Santa Ana. This is a move in the right direction!
I really think this is a great idea.
Perhaps after a significant number of gang members have gone through this program the city could provide advisors and consultants so that the gangs could form their own construction/land speculation operations. The large national gangs could soon rival Bechtel and Halliburton and I can imagine a Blackwater spinoff would be a natural.
Too often to our neighborhood youths gangs are the place to turn for money in a depressed economy. In these gangs drugs or prostitution become the monopolized comodities, and a program like this would foster diversification and provide a way to plow those windfall profits back into the community.
Talk about a redevelopment area!
Wow! Great news for Logan for a change. Now all they have to do is find a way to get Ware out faster. As former gang members, I’m sure they have their ways!
No, I’m kidding. The guys in this picture look like they’re getting down to some serious hard work. Good for them! At least their still-active gang counterparts aren’t working for a DPOC campaign!
SMS
What a great program!
When you keep young people busy with jobs, skills, and goals, they don’t have time for petty crime and violence. I’m sure that these young men feel so proud of their accomplishment in building these much needed, affordable homes.
Congratulations to Logan Barrio !!
And props to the City of Santa Ana for getting this one right.
This should be happening in all areas and infill projects. I wonder if it is a part of the Super fund initiative?
Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI)
Key Topics
* What is SuperJTI?
* Program Benefits
* Success Stories
* Getting Involved
* Resource List
* SuperJTI FAQs
Welcome to the Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) Web site.The Superfund Job Training Initiative Logo
SuperJTI’s mission is to provide or support job training opportunities in communities affected by Superfund sites, and encourages their employment in site cleanup activities.
The Program is based on the dual premise that:
* EPA can help re-connect communities, government, businesses, and other organizations through partnerships which will enable communities to solve their problems.
* EPA can bring existing resources and expertise to bear on issues that arise at Superfund sites but are outside of Superfund authority.
Visitors to the Web site can learn more about SuperJTI, from implementing the program to actual success stories from around the country. In addition, the site provides a resource list, answers to frequently asked questions, and contact information about how you might be able to get involved.