The sun shone down on the grand opening of the Puerto del Sol apartment complex yesterday, as city officials and organizations gathered to celebrate Long Beach’s latest project to provide housing to working families. It shone down on the center courtyard and playground, on all 64 units and into their spacious living rooms, and into the hearts of those who have moved in.
Patricia Wright is not going to take the little things in her new apartment for granted – her own bathroom, her own bedroom. That’s because she found herself disabled and homeless a few years ago due to a sudden medical condition. Today, she’s back on top in her new Puerto del Sol apartment, right across from Cesar Chavez Park, within walking distance to almost anything in the downtown area, and most importantly,
within her budget.
“We can truly say we’ve found affordable housing in the city of Long Beach,” she told a teary-eyed crowd of onlookers, “And for that we are truly grateful.”
Wright’s is just one of the touching stories of residents who found an oasis in Puerto del Sol, some of them remaining on a waiting list for years as the complex was under construction. But the reward was worth the wait, and tenants now enjoy spacious layouts with large kitchens and bathrooms, back patios and up to five bedrooms for larger families. All in the $599-$749 per month range, causing some fellow reporters’ mouths to drop as they briefly considered racing to the office for an application.
The design was also carefully considered, with the hope that an aesthetically pleasing complex will influence surrounding housing for the better, and improving the community as a whole.
“It may stimulate other properties in the area,” said Vice-Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal, whose district contains Puerto del Sol. “When you focus money in a blighted area, the hope is that there will be a ripple effect, and there’s no doubt in my mind that this will improve the neighborhood as a whole.”
By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor
Councilman Val Lerch congratulates Patricia Wright and a fellow Puerto Del Sol resident on their new apartments.
The view of a model unit’s living room from the kitchen.
Large bathrooms are one of the key selling points.
A back patio opens up into the center courtyard.
Residents are provided access to a computer lab equipped with eight new Dell desktops.
The playground in Puerto Del Sol’s center courtyard.
