Long Beach launches new registry to alert residents to affordable housing, funding for home improvements
The new registry will alert those who sign up when the city has funds for things like roof repairs or when a new affordable housing project is accepting applications.
Long Beach launched a new registry where renters, homeowners and even housing developers can sign up to get updates when affordable apartment units going on the market or when funding is available to build more units.
The Community Development Department regularly receives state and federal funding that it can use to bolster local programs that can help people in the city buy their first home, or assist low-income homeowners repair theirs.
But the department has long struggled to reach the people who need these resources. This registry could change that, according to Meggan Sorensen, the bureau manager of the city’s Housing & Neighborhood Services.
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“There are so many people waiting for any opportunity to get into affordable housing and now we can notify them directly,” Sorensen said.
To sign up, people would have to provide their full name and email address. A phone number and mailing address are optional, according to the registry’s website.
Affordable housing developments in the city, which offer lower rents for households who make a certain percentage of the area median income, are often flooded with applications that far outpace the number of units available.
The Wellspring project that the city celebrated the grand opening of earlier this week has 88 units but received more than 5,000 applications. Registering to be on the city’s new list could give people a head start on applying for future units, but Sorensen said it won’t serve as a priority list.
The registry will also include information on resources for first-time homebuyers like the city’s downpayment assistance program. For people who already own a home and need help repairing it, signing up for the list could alert them to when funding for things like roof repairs, something the city has given grants for in the past.
“This could be a gold mine for people,” Sorensen said.
For developers, the registry will be able to alert them when the city has funds to help with the development of future projects. Affordable housing projects typically require a local investor like the city to pay for a portion of the project through a loan or other means.
To sign up for the registry, click here.
