1010 Development Corporation and Valued Housing have announced the completion and lease-up of Casa Carmen, a new senior supportive housing community in Pico-Union.

The project, located at 1800-1810 W. 11th Street, replaced a multi-tenant commercial building with a three-story edifice featuring 24 units of affordable housing for formerly homeless persons aged 62 and older, in addition to one manager's unit.  The apartments all feature one-bedroom floor plans, with access to common features such as a conference room, a reading room, a community dining room, and offices for supportive services.

Construction began in August 2017, and the property was fully leased within 24 hours in March 2019.

Onyx Architects designed Casa Carmen, which was tailored to complement the architectural elements of the Pico Union Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, most notably by retaining and incorporating the facade of the original 1920s commercial building.

1010 Development Corp. worked closely with Pico-Union Neighborhood Council co-founder Carmen Vaughn, who marshaled community support for the project.

“Carmen Vaughn has been our angel," said Robert Buente, 1010 Development Corporation's President and CEO.  "She was absolutely instrumental in getting local residents on board with the project. We are very proud of Casa Carmen and believe it to be an asset to the neighborhood.”

In addition to 1010 Development, Valued Housing, and Onyx Architects, the project team includes general contractor Westport Construction, Placed Interior Design, and Barker Management.

Interested in finding affordable housing? Visit housing.lacity.org.