Army Veteran Plans Affordable Housing Mecca for Moreno Valley Veterans, Seniors

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The need for affordable housing is at a crisis level, especially for veterans as they transition from warriors to workers. But a self-sustaining, mixed-use development created by veteran-support company Vendaval has plans to build apartments, create purpose, and establish a vibrant community for veterans, independent-living seniors and anybody who needs a roof over their heads.

Nick Saifan, a 24-year-Navy/Army veteran and Chairman of Vendaval, knows the challenges veterans face as they seek affordable housing, veteran services, and employment. His planned development shows how the private sector can step in where government falls off. "I believe in a community that gives back," Saifan said. "I believe in veterans that give back. I believe in giving everyone an opportunity to a successful future."

That future development is slated for Moreno Valley, where Vendaval hopes to build residential units and 30,000-square-feet of retail facilities. The development will be a Mecca for veterans and seniors, who will find jobs, homes, facilities, training, mentoring and a sense of place all in one location.

Feedback from the Moreno Valley officials favors the plan, as do countless veterans who reside in this section of Riverside County, CA. The development will not only ease affordable housing needs in the community, but will also provide hundreds of construction, retail and restaurant jobs at a time of rising unemployment.

In addition to establishing on-site job training and self-advancement opportunities for veterans, the proposed development will include similar benefits for independent-living seniors, single-parents, and teens in need of guidance.

Programs and Services to be Offered

• Veteran Programs, including counseling and mentoring,
• Job-Placement Assistance,
• Transportation to Medical Appointments,
• Transportation to the Air Force base's PX market
• Youth Programs,
• GED Training,
• After School Education and Child Care,
• Internships,
• On the job training,
• Housing Assistance,
• And many more

The development will be self-sustaining, and programs will be free. Revenues from the apartment rentals and retail shops will more than cover the cost of giving residents, independent seniors, and military veterans a vast range of life improvement opportunities. That includes rental assistance by the Department of Urban and Housing Development (HUD) and other programs. Saifan expects a percentage of the rent to be covered by assistance, "but our goal is to reach 100% coverage," he said.

The demand for a project like this is obvious. Affordable housing is scarce in California. Moreno Valley, where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment runs north of $1,600 a month, is no exception. By some estimates, California needs nearly 1.5 million additional affordable housing units.(1) The government can't fill that void.

The need for housing is especially critical for veterans who face many serious obstacles when they return home. The issues range from the trauma of war to the isolation and frustration veterans can feel when they seek a so-called "normal" life of work and home. Saifan, who has strong ties with the VA, as well as connections to a wide array of social service and educational professionals, sees the Moreno Valley community concept as a one-stop-shop for veterans. "I see holes in the VA system, especially with housing," he said.

The Moreno Valley location is ideal for this development because it is just 25 miles from the nearest VA hospital. The location is home to many veterans and is only five miles from the March Air Reserve Base. The project should be attractive to Moreno Valley officials who have expressed the need to build thousands affordable housing units in the community.

In the end, the Vendaval proposal is about community good and doing right by those who gave all they had in service to the nation. "Veterans lived their lives in the service of others, and it is only just that we provide them with the most assistance possible," Saifan said. "We are here to make things possible for veterans and help them live a more fulfilling life."

About Vendaval Corporation
Nick Saifan served in the U.S. military for 24 years, including time stationed in Riverside County, CA. He experienced firsthand the difficulties of transitioning from military life to civilian life and, as a co-founder of a community-based nonprofit, he watched the difficulty in getting donations increasing year by year. Today, he's putting his business savvy where his heart is. He sees a community that, like many, has struggled to evolve with a changing employment picture in the region. Today Vendaval Corporation visualizes  a sustainable business structure creating the opportunity for helping those in need with successful community-based programs. The differentiator in the communities he visualizes is self-sufficient affordable housing in a mixed-use development that offers on-site programs for veterans, youth, education, childcare, on-the-job training, and job placement. These programs begin even before ground is broken. Rounding out the community are retail outlets such as bakeries/coffee shops, dry cleaning shops, a paid-membership fitness center, and financial institution. For more information visit http://www.vendavalcorp.com/

1. Bollag, Sophia; "With Renters Struggling, California Still Needs 1.4 Million More Affordable Units, Report Finds"; Last updated March 2019'; Sacbee.com; sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article228200679.html

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SOURCE Vendaval