Holos Breaks Ground on Safe Harbor I - providing Family housing through alternative funding solutions

WILMINGTON, LOS ANGELES, CA – Holos Communities’ Executive Director & CEO Cristian Ahumada, with TPC Homes Executive Director John Maceri, were joined by Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, President & CEO of HACLA, Craig Arceneux, Assistant General Manager of LAHD, and Tom De Simone, President & CEO of Genesis LA, for the ceremonial groundbreaking of Safe Harbor I.

Safe Harbor I is a partnership between Holos Communities and TPC Homes, delivering 50 units of permanent supportive housing to the community of Wilmington. The five-story building will include 49 two-bedroom residences and one manager’s unit surrounding a courtyard that will be planted with native, drought-tolerant landscaping and edible gardens. The project will also include a community room, supportive service offices, and on-site property management. The development will serve formerly unhoused families in LA County Service Planning Area 8, pairing stable homes with on-site services to support long-term housing stability. This project compliments Safe Harbor II, Holos Communities’ neighboring collaboration with TPC Homes, which broke ground in February 2026.

“Safe Harbor I is an example of how affordable housing can be built without utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC),” said Cristian Ahumada, Executive Director and CEO of Holos Communities. “Holos was able to shave off 20% of construction costs by removing the concrete podium used for parking that most construction typologies in Los Angeles have, which also significantly reduces carbon emissions associated with concrete construction.”

Safe Harbor I was catalyzed through HHH funding from the City of Los Angeles aimed at creating alternative methods of funding affordable housing. The project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflation that followed threatened to make the project infeasible as costs increased dramatically. To bring this site to life, TPCHomes reached out to Holos Communities to restructure the project. Holos reimagined a new financing strategy that was made possible without the utilization of LIHTC by pairing HHH with the State of California’s non-LIHTC program and Homekey+ funding, which completed the project’s capital stack. HACLA is providing Project-Based Vouchers for each of the 49 units, ensuring that families receive essential support for their housing costs, a vital step in long-term stability.

“HACLA is committed to making housing more affordable for all Angelenos, and Safe Harbor I shows what we can accomplish when we work together with strong partners,” said HACLA President & CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez. “Congrats to Holos on this new community that give families a stable place to call home, along with the services that help them thrive. We’re proud to support its long-term affordability through nearly $34 million in rental assistance over the next 20 years.”

The site’s design was intentional toward sustainability and community well-being. As a wood-build construction, and without a concrete podium, Safe Harbor I will reduce almost 30% of typical carbon emissions. Deepening Holos’ commitment to addressing food insecurity, the project will also contain edible gardens incorporated into the landscape plan on the fourth-floor rooftop decks. This holistic vision ensures that landscape design plays a central role in providing sustenance, sustainability, and community well-being while also creating a calming, colorful environment that contributes to cooling and long-term climate resilience.

“At the heart of Safe Harbor I are people who deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives in a place they can call home,” said John Maceri, President of TPC Homes and CEO of The People Concern. “Housing is the foundation, but what truly creates lasting change is the combination of stable homes, supportive services, and a community that believes in people’s potential. Safe Harbor I reflects our holistic approach to helping our formerly unhoused neighbors move forward with dignity, stability, and hope.”

Safe Harbor I has shared laundry rooms on each floor as well as a rooftop deck that provides seating, edible planters, and beautiful views. The development will include a children’s play area, a courtyard picnic space for community gatherings, and shaded seating areas emphasizing the project’s focus on quality of life.

Safe Harbor I is located near essential services and community amenities. Wilmington’s commercial core along Avalon and Anaheim Street is less than half a mile away, with Wilmington Urgent Care and Family Clinic nearby as well. For recreation, Wilmington Recreation Center is a 10-minute walk from the site, and Wilmington Waterfront Park is about 15 minutes away. In addition, nearby bus lines connect the project to Downtown Long Beach, long-term and short-term bicycle parking will be provided to encourage alternative transportation options Residents will also enjoy excellent access to daily needs, with Food 4 Less just an eight-minute walk away.