Carquinez Vista Manor
In 1990, a group of citizens, calling themselves the Crockett Senior Housing Committee, became concerned that many local elders were having to leave the area because their homes had become too much of a financial burden. They wanted to build affordable senior housing but there was not enough community support or demonstrated need to obtain the necessary funding for construction. They approached CCH for help. The Crockett Senior Housing Committee and CCH held public meetings every other month for 12 years in an effort to build community support for the project and do the work necessary to submit funding applications. The results were impressive: the project was funded by HUD through the Section 202 Capital Advance Program and by Contra Costa County HOME funds. Additional funds were received from the Cowell Foundation and the Crockett Community Foundation. By the time the building was ready to open, the community support was phenomenal. The grand opening ceremony was funded by selling quilts! One wall of the lobby is lined with the names of every community member who, at one time or another during the 12 years of predevelopment, participated in garnering support for the project. It is a fitting way to honor the community that fought for the right of their seniors to continue living in the town they call home.
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