A crowd gathered off College Avenue and First Street Tuesday afternoon, despite wind and cold weather, to celebrate the grand opening of Claremont’s Courier Place Apartment Homes.

The affordable housing project, a collaboration with the Jamboree Housing Corporation, began admitting residents this past December. The completion of the housing project is the realization of a nearly decade-long city priority to help Claremont residents unable to continue to keep up with Claremont’s high cost of living.

“As the real estate market became expensive and rental prices started going up, it became really difficult for people of lower income to be able to afford to continue to live here,” said Brian Desatnik, director of community development, in a January 2012 edition of the COURIER. “All cities should be taking a certain amount of responsibility to provide their share of affordable housing to address the problem.”

Courier Place marks the city’s first low-incoming housing complex, with residents making 30 to 50 percent of the area’s annual median income, according to Jamboree officials. The multi-building facility includes a total of 75 units for low-income residents, with 36 family units and 38 for seniors. Family-housing units range from one to 3 bedrooms.

Courier Place also features a 3,000 square foot creation center with a multipurpose space, kitchen, restrooms and a computer lab. Other amenities include a swimming pool, playground, and a patio with barbecues. After-school programming will also be made available to the Courier Place’s younger inhabitants.
“We are very pleased with the result and all the support we have received. We really want to be an asset to this area, helping people stay in their hometown, creating housing opportunities for people that work locally,” said Mary Jo Goelzer, Jamboree’s Chief Operations Officer. “We want to help preserve the strength of this community.

“I look forward to showcasing Courier Place to other cities as a model of what can be done when working with an involved, thoughtful community and an experienced developer,” said Claremont Mayor Sam Pedroza.

Courier Place is located at 111 S. College Ave.

—Beth Hartnett