Affordable Housing Development for Low-Income Families and Residents with Disabilities Breaks Ground in East Long Beach

City and Linc Housing officials celebrate the groundbreaking of Thrive with a ceremonial shoveling of the dirt. Above from left: Meggan Sorensen, Housing and Neighborhood Services Bureau Manager; Christopher Koontz, Director of the Community Development Department; Suny Lay Chang, President and Chief Operating Officer of Linc Housing; Mayor Rex Richardson; Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan; and Joey Shields, Linc Housing Senior Project Manager for Thrive.

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach and developer Linc Housing have broken ground on Thrive, a 73-unit apartment complex in the Zaferia neighborhood that represents a significant step in the City's efforts to expand affordable family housing to all parts of Long Beach. Located at 4151 E. Fountain St., Thrive will provide affordable family apartments within walking distance of elementary and high schools, a public library, Recreation Park, public transportation and other community amenities.

"The new Thrive community delivers more affordable homes in close proximity to schools, parks, the library, and transit, helping reduce household costs for working families while expanding access to everyday resources and opportunity," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "By locating this development along a major transit corridor, we are building a more connected, sustainable, and inclusive Long Beach."

Thrive will consist of two newly constructed buildings, one that is three stories tall and another that is four stories. Importantly, 21 of the apartments will have three bedrooms each, helping to reduce a gap in the family rental market. The rest of Thrive will consist of 16 two-bedroom apartments and 36 one-bedroom units. All units will meet state and federal accessibility requirements, and a portion of the homes include enhanced mobility and communication features to better serve residents with disabilities.

Eighteen of Thrive's homes will be reserved for people who have disabilities and earn no more than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). These units will be designed with accessibility features that aid residents who use a wheelchair, have differing hearing or vision abilities or have other disabilities. Fifty-four units will go to residents whose household income is no more than 60% of the AMI. One unit will be occupied by an on-site property manager.

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Designed by BAR Architects & Interiors, Thrive will also feature a large courtyard with barbecue grills and playground equipment, two outdoor decks and a dog run. To alleviate concerns about increased traffic on residential streets around Fountain Street, developer Linc acquired an adjacent property to create a new entry and exit to Thrive via Anaheim Street.

"This is an exciting day for our community and an important step in helping more families find a safe and stable place to call home," said Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan. "This project makes history as the first affordable housing project to be approved and constructed here in District 3."

Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw was instrumental in the early planning for Thrive when the property, formerly known as the Fountain Street Apartments, was part of his district. After new City Council district boundaries went into effect in late 2021, the development became part of the area represented by Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan, who joined Mayor Richardson and other dignitaries at the May 28 groundbreaking ceremony.

"Thrive puts families in a high-resource area with quality schools and a strong neighborhood at rents they can afford," said Suny Lay Chang, president and chief operating officer of Long Beach-based Linc Housing. "Pairing that access with life-enhancing resident services creates opportunities for lasting stability for these families."

Construction is expected to wrap in late 2027. The application process for prospective residents will be announced closer to completion. Thrive reflects the City's broader strategy to expand affordable housing opportunities in neighborhoods throughout Long Beach

The $66.1 million project is partly funded through the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), the nonprofit arm of the City formed to increase housing availability and affordability in Long Beach. LBCIC loans were made possible with funding from the State of California's Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Asset Fund and Housing Trust Fund and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program. Significant funding for Thrive also came from the California Department of Housing and Community Development's Multifamily Housing Program as well as private financial partners, notably U.S. Bank and a consortium of banks organized as the California Community Reinvestment Corporation. The project was also awarded 18 Project Based Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach.

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"Located in a walkable, family-friendly neighborhood, Thrive represents an important step toward expanding housing opportunities for families and strengthening our community's housing resilience," LBCIC Board Chair Alejandra Ramirez said.

Long Beach now has six affordable housing developments under construction across the city, five of which were partly funded by the LBCIC. In March, the City broke ground on the Armory Arts Collective (854 E. 7th St.), which will create 63 apartments for low-income older adults on the site of what had been a National Guard station. Other LBCIC-funded affordable housing under construction include The 101 (101 E. Pacific Coast Highway), which consists of 51 apartments for people who have experienced homelessness; Alamitos on 4th (300 Alamitos Ave.), 81 apartments for older adults who have lower incomes or who have experienced homelessness; Linden Apartments (946 Linden Ave.), which consists of 99 units designed for low-income families and individuals; and Habitat for Humanity townhomes (5500 block of Orange Avenue), with eight units for low-income families seeking a path to homeownership. Luma Point, which is not funded by the LBCIC, consists of 163 apartments that are expected to come available in summer 2026.

About the City of Long Beach

Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Community Development Department, visit longbeach.gov/lbcd and follow @longbeachbuilds on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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