COMPTON, CA-Meta Housing Corp. has broken ground on an affordable senior housing community, Metro @ Compton. Located at 302 N. Tamarind Avenue, the 75-unit development will provide an affordable housing option for seniors over the age a 55, a housing option in small supply in Compton. "Metro @ Compton will fill a void in this market for a richly amenitized, transit-oriented, affordable senior housing community. The project will also make use of an underutilized vacant lot, helping to improve the surrounding neighborhood and the economic vitality of the area," says Kasey Burke, president of Meta Housing Corp.

The property will cost a total of $19.5 million. The City of Compton committed $4.1 million and Los Angeles County $2.5 million in public funds. Developers have been planning this project for the past five years, but hit several obstacles due to the 2008 recession. "Compton's elected officials and redevelopment agency remained fully committed to this project, refusing to yield to the struggling economy," says Burke. The County of Los Angeles joined the project in 2011, and according to Burke, the county remained committed to the project for the last three years.

Meta Housing Corp. designed the property with a sustainable mindset with solar power and a photovoltaic system. The property is located in a transit oriented and highly walkable neighborhood. Several bus stops, the Martin Luther King Jr. Transit Center and the Metro Blue Line light rail are located nearby. With walking distance, tenants will find the Compton Senior Center. "Upon completion, Metro @ Compton will elevate this area, transforming it into the senior hub of the Hub City," says Tim Soule, Senior Project Manager for Meta Housing Corp. "Construction of this project to meet the Green Point standard will generate over 150 construction jobs, and will also significantly enhance the image, livability, and economic vitality of the Compton community."