PSCDC and Chelsea Investment Corporation Celebrate Tripoli Groundbreaking in Coachella

The $63M project will introduce an additional 108 units of affordable housing in Coachella.

COACHELLA, CA – June 7, 2023 – Pacific Southwest Community Development Corporation (PSCDC), along with Chelsea Investment Corporation, city officials, and other community development partners, celebrated the groundbreaking event for Tripoli, a $63 million, 108-unit affordable family community, in Coachella last Wednesday.

Representatives from PSCDC, Chelsea Investment Corporation, and Coachella Council members celebrated the event at 51392 Cesar Chavez Street, where the 2.8-acre project will be located. Supervisor V. Manual Perez, Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez, and Council members Denise Delgado, Frank Figueroa, Stephanie Virgen, and Neftali Galarza were all in attendance.

"Access to housing is not just a basic necessity; it is the foundation upon which lives are built," Neftali expressed in a written statement. "By investing in affordable housing, we are investing in the future of our community. We recognize that everyone, regardless of their income, deserves a place they can proudly call home."

Tripoli, will have a total of 108 apartments units and two retail units, which will be split between a three-story Building A and a four-story Building B.

Tripoli wll join the growing list of Chelsea Investment Corporation's affordable housing projects in Coachella, being the fourth project behind Pueblo Viejo Villas, Cesar Chavez Villas, and Cesar Chavez Villas II. More than $100 million have been allocated to affordable housing development between the four projects.

Funding for the project has come form a collaborative effort between state and city governments. Funds for Tripoli are coming from the California Department of Housing and Community Development's Infill Infrastructure Grant, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside, the California Department of Developmental Services' Community Resource Development Plan Priorities, and the city of Coachella. The cooperation between different levels of government has shown the desire for effective city planning and development.

"We are experiencing more often that local governments are not just building to increase capacity - they are building in their civic core, revitalizing key areas within the city while incorporating beautiful affordable housing that not only provides homes to lower income families, but also becomes an essential part of the fabric of the community," Chelsea CEO Charles Schmid said in a statement.

As Chelsea's non-profit partner, PSCDC's role in the community is to provide a variety of essential community resources and services. For school-aged children, an emphasis will be placed on education through the establishment of an after-school program tailored for homework assistance, out-of-school tutoring, and supplemental learning. Adult residents will also be given educational and skill-building classes that will include computer literacy, ESL, and art classes, job counseling, financial literacy and health and wellness workshops, and a food distribution program. PSCDC programs, classes, and workshops will all be provided on-site and at no charge to the residents.

"The overall objective of our services is to promote self-sufficiency and economic stability of our residents who in turn will contribute to the economic and revitalization goals of the City of Coachella," PSCDC Executive Vice President Juan Arroyo emphasized in a statement.

The project is located near City Hall and the public library, and is set to be yet another example of the focus in redevelopment activities for civic, commercial, residential, and mixed-use components set forth by the Pueblo Viejo Master Plan, city officials said.

"Affordable housing throughout the Coachella Valley is an important asset for our families and communities," Perez said in a statement. "Everyone deserves somewhere to call a home they are proud of."