BLUE BUTTERFLY VILLAGE
Los Angeles, CA
2017 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award Winner in the Veterans Housing Category
Blue Butterfly Village embodies endurance, change, hope, and life for its residents. Located on more than nine acres in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, Blue Butterfly Village provides sustainable, permanent affordable housing for veterans and their families, primarily focusing on female veterans with children facing homelessness. Blue Butterfly Village’s 74-unit two-bedroom townhouse community was created to address the high level of homelessness faced by those who have served our country, specifically veterans who have experienced sexual trauma within the military or domestic violence, and in some cases, mental illness. Very few existing housing properties for veterans are designed to serve families, making Blue Butterfly Village a critical solution.
Developed by Volunteers of America Los Angeles, the completely rehabilitated residences come fully furnished and include an in-unit washer and dryer. Common amenities consist of private office/meeting space for social services, community rooms, meeting/conference rooms, a children’s playground, and a community walking path.
Blue Butterfly Village partners with the local Boys & Girls Club, the Toberman Neighborhood Center, and the Children’s Home Society. These partnerships provide residents with a wide range of supportive services, including after-school transportation and activities for their children. In addition, a case manager meets with and conducts a needs assessment for each veteran resident upon initial occupancy. On-site staff coordinate physical and emotional well-being programs including mindfulness groups and a walking group, as well as special events such as children’s art workshops. A mental health case manager from the Department of Health coordinates care for many of the residents.
Financing for Blue Butterfly Village was obtained through a combination of Housing Credit equity provided by National Equity Fund and loans from multiple sources. Among these sources was a construction loan from Bank of America and permanent financing from the City of Los Angeles, the California Housing Finance Agency, and the Federal Home Loan Bank. The Home Depot Foundation provided a $500,000 grant for the project. Residents pay 30 percent of their income for rent, with the balance of the Village’s operating expenses funded through a 15-year commitment of Project-Based Vouchers and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles’ HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.
Learn more about how the Housing Credit serves veterans here.
