Laguna Beach : City May Donate Funds for Senior Apartments

In a move that city officials hope will help create additional affordable housing for Laguna Beach’s senior citizens, the City Council on Tuesday will act on a request to donate as much as $75,000 to a project to convert an unused school to low-income apartments.

According to City Manager Ken Frank, the actual amount of the donation can vary, depending on the cost of the project. The money, he said, would come from $400,000 in fees paid to the city by developers in lieu of building affordable housing.

The Alsio School in South Laguna, which is in escrow, has been empty for several years because of declining enrollment. However, in a plan between the Orange County Environmental Management Agency and National Church Residences of Laguna Beach, the school will be converted into 71 low-cost apartments for seniors.

Partially funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the $3.8-million project is due to begin this month and completion is scheduled for mid-1986.

“We feel that this would be a very appropriate use of the money,” Frank said. “There’s a very high expectation that seniors living here will be able to get units there.”