The project is committed to revitalizing the Chinatown neighborhood of Salinas, a community rich in cultural heritage and a burgeoning homeless population. By providing housing with extensive onsite services for low income, single individuals, many of whom are formerly homeless with special needs, MidPen Housing in partnership with the City of Salinas and the Central California Alliance for Health, is reducing the burden on the healthcare system by holistically responding to the highest, most vulnerable users, the unhoused.
Housing and providing services to support these individuals in their journey towards health and well-being addresses the relationship between housing and health. Designed to facilitate this journey, the architectural style incorporates specific cultural elements that reflect the history of the site, and includes a community room with kitchen, courtyard with community gardens, bicycle storage, a library and multipurpose room. Free onsite services include: individualized service plan assessments, cognitive and behavioral modification, professional case management and care coordination. Additionally, organized activities, such as arts classes and events, health and wellness classes and cultural and educational programs, will be offered to promote community building. On the street level, there are 7,700 square feet of artist studios and commercial space for services to serve the broader community.
