Rendering courtesy of Meta Housing.

A 41-unit, $16.4M senior housing unit at 21st and Long Beach Blvd.—just slightly north of one of the county’s most recognized senior housing complexes, the Long Beach Senior Arts Colony—has broken ground.

“The development of this community will help to satisfy a deep need for high-quality affordable senior housing equipped with supportive services in the Long Beach market,” Kasey Burke, President of Meta Housing Corporation, which headed the project.

Meta—also part of the aforementioned Senior Arts Colony—worked closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) in order to make the complex not just a place to live, but a place where seniors can find assistance with employment, should they seek it, money management, and educational services.

“As long-time partners and supporters of this project, the DMH and CalHFA served as the catalysts for the development by providing vital financing through their jointly administered Mental Health Services Act Housing Program,” Burke said.

Designed by PSL Architects, the four-story building echoes the aesthetic of the Colony, but more geometric in shape and driven by larger portions of glass. One and two-bedroom floor plans will be offered while the space will feature a community room, community kitchen, library and roof deck.

The project was financed largely by Bank of America, which Senior Vice President Charmaine Atherton noted is the twelfth project the bank has taken on with Meta.

Other financiers included the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, California Community Reinvestment Corporation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

“We understand that our apartment communities should be places where people will not only live, but thrive. For that reason, we consistently integrate design features that foster a sense of community and facilitate social ties,” said Meta Vice President Chris Maffris.

The Long Beach and 21st Apartments will be located at 2114 Long Beach Blvd. It’s expected to be completed by Summer 2015.

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