2 Area Nonprofits to Get HUD Grants

Two Valley nonprofit organizations will receive more than $7 million to construct and redesign subsidized housing for seniors and disabled people, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Thursday.

United Cerebral Palsy of Van Nuys, which operates 25 homes in Los Angeles County for people with developmental disabilities, will receive about $900,000 from HUD to redesign homes in Northridge and Van Nuys that can accommodate up to six residents each.

Sun Valley-based Community Partnership Development Corp. will receive $6.1 million to purchase and refurbish two buildings in downtown Los Angeles that will serve as low-income housing for seniors.

In all, California organizations will receive $64 million, or a little more than 10% of the $595.6 million allocated by HUD this year to create housing for seniors and the disabled. In addition to building expenses, the grants also pay for five years of rent subsidies, HUD officials said.

“We received a large number of applications. The fact that these groups received money means they were among the best,” HUD spokesman Larry Bush said.

Ronald Cohen, executive director of United Cerebral Palsy of Van Nuys, said his organization plans to modify two single-family residences, making them wheelchair accessible and otherwise suitable for disabled people.

“If you are severely disabled and your sole source of income is Social Security, it is pretty difficult to find an affordable and accessible place to live and eat,” Cohen said.

Frank De Santis Jr., president of the Community Partnership Development Corp., said it will take about two years for his organization to complete its redesign of the downtown buildings.

“There is a real demand for affordable senior housing,” De Santis said. “A project like this gives people an opportunity to have a decent place to live at an affordable cost with a lot of services nearby.”