Interim, Inc. held a groundbreaking event for the Sun Rose Apartments on Aug. 19, with a number of speakers and dignitaries, including Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Ca.), Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig, and chair of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Wendy Root Askew.
The event was held at the apartment building site at439 Soledad St., in Salinas. SunRose Apartments will provide nine units of low-cost, supported permanent housing in studio/one-bedroom apartments for adults with psychiatric disabilities, as well as an eight-bedroom shared residence for adults who are homeless, chronically homeless, or are at risk of homelessness due to their psychiatric disabilities.
All tenants of Sun Rose will be offered mental health and case management on-site by Interim Inc. staff with the goal of helping residents to maintain housing and develop skills to be successful in the community.
“This housing will make a real difference in the lives of the people who will live here; helping these vulnerable individuals in achieving stability and a higher level of functioning within their own lives and the community,” said Katy Eckert, Monterey County Behavioral Health Bureau Chief.
Speakers included Diana Rosenthal, President, Board of Directors, Interim, Inc., as Master of Ceremonies; Rep. Panetta, Kathryn Eckert, Monterey County Behavioral Health Bureau Chief; Roxanne Wilson, Executive Officer, Coalition of Homeless Service Providers; and Barbara Mitchell, Executive Director of Interim, Inc.
In addition to the seven speakers, the event included a “Shovel Crew” for the groundbreaking ceremony that included Elsa Jimenez, Monterey County Director of Health Services; Steve Carrigan, City Manager, City of Salinas; Megan Hunter, Community Development Director, City of Salinas; Alejandro Amezcua, Housing Development and Property Director, Interim, Inc.; Gladys Houston, Interim Board Member and Chair of Housing/Facilities Committee; and Junior Rangel Rivera, MCHOME Representative.
In addition to Mitchell and Rosenthal, members of the Board of Directors in attendance included John Stafsnes, Vice President; Julie Altman, LCSW, Ph.D., Secretary; Alan Stumpf, Treasurer; Doug Anderson; Fran Baca; Richard Bishop; Catherine Brennan; Diane DeBerry; Sheila Holmes; Gladys Houston; Carl Miller; Eva Montis-Portis; and Mark Shaw.
Architects for the project are Wald, Ruhnke & Dost LLP and the contractor is Kent Construction. Funding for the project, which was in partnership with a partner with
Monterey County and the City of Salinas included State of California-Community Housing and Development; County of Monterey Housing and Community Development, No Place Like Home Program; City of Salinas-CDBG funding; California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, Homeless Housing Assistance Program; County of Monterey
Whole Person Care, Inclusionary Housing Funds, and CDBG; Monterey Peninsula Foundation; Harden Foundation; Berkshire Foundation; and other private community donors.
Interim Inc. would like to thank everyone who attended the event and for all those individuals and organizations that made this much-needed project a reality.
For more information, please contact Deb Shearer, Development Officer,
Interim, Inc., at (831) 649-4522 ext. 205.
