Elected officials, City and County leaders, and other dignitaries gathered Friday to welcome residents to their homes at a new affordable housing community in Riverside. They joined the nonprofits Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation and Riverside Housing Development Corporation (RHDC) at the grand opening ceremony for La Entrada, built to address a growing need for affordable homes in the area.

Rents at the 68-unit property range from $524 to $1454 per month and are structured so residents pay roughly 30 percent of their income toward rent, freeing up their household budgets to pay for other essentials like healthcare, food and transportation.

Residents who have moved into La Entrada are already enjoying the benefits of having an affordable home. “I am excited to be able to save money now that I have moved into an affordable home. It will allow me to say yes to family trips and spend more quality time together,” said resident Shakiya T., whose family experienced homelessness before living at La Entrada. “Moving to affordable housing has been a beacon of hope, transforming our lives for the better. It wasn’t just a physical move to our new house, but a significant step toward a healthier, happier life.”

La Entrada is Wakeland’s third affordable housing community in Riverside, and represents a comprehensive approach to increasing housing affordability for local residents, according to the nonprofit’s President and CEO, Rebecca Louie.

“Wakeland designed La Entrada to serve a broad range of people who need affordable housing – from large low-income working families to people who have experienced homelessness,” says Louie. “High housing costs and homelessness are such pervasive issues in our communities right now, and we are so proud to be a part of the solution in Riverside.”

To that end, the majority of the apartments are two- and three-bedroom units tailored to the needs of large families and eight are “supportive housing” – permanent homes set aside for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. The supportive housing rentals are paired with robust social services from Mercy House that help residents rest, recover and thrive. La Entrada also serves community needs with an onsite Community Annex building that offers dedicated meeting space for local community groups to use as needed.

“La Entrada is an impressive project by Wakeland. Their focus on providing affordable homes for large families, as well as dedicated space for community groups in Riverside’s Chicago-Linden neighborhood is commendable,” said Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson. “I am confident that this project will have a lasting impact on the Chicago-Linden community and beyond.”

The design and location of La Entrada is also at the leading edge of California’s efforts to fight climate change through easy connections to transit, pedestrian and biking options and other measures that make it easier for residents to drive less. Apartments at La Entrada are located in a highly-accessible area of eastern Riverside 1/4th of a mile or less from restaurants, grocers and community resources like dentists and banks. The development created other convenient options for residents to travel to jobs, run errands and have fun. These include: enhanced bus stops adjacent to the property, free bus passes (one per household) for three years, two miles of new bike lanes, improvements to the Vine Street Mobility Hub, Complete Streets improvements to Park Avenue, a solar walkway and audio/visual upgrades to six crosswalks.

“I’m thrilled to see the La Entrada Apartments open their doors! This 100% affordable, and sustainably built housing project has laid a strong foundation in the community for generations to come,” said Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes. “With the rising cost of living and climate challenges our region is facing, La Entrada is a huge achievement for the Eastside community. Congratulations to Wakeland and all the partners for bringing this much needed project to our community.”

Designed by Rodriguez Associates Architects + Planners and constructed by Allgire General Contractors, La Entrada has a beautiful Mission-inspired design with five three-story garden-style buildings and two single-story community buildings interspersed with landscaped outdoor gathering areas, a tot lot and BBQs on a two-acre site. Financing for the $44.9 million development came from a mix of public and private sources.

La Entrada is fully leased-up, but people who think they may qualify for affordable housing can go to wakelandhdc.com/leasing-information to find a list of other properties that they can call to inquire about vacancies. People who are experiencing homelessness should call 211 to connect with housing resources.