Linc Housing and National CORE Open 340-Unit Pioneer Village Affordable Community in Glendale

GLENDALE, Calif. — Linc Housing and National CORE have opened Pioneer Village, a 340-unit affordable housing community at 515 Pioneer Drive in Glendale, California, marking the completion of a development that drew more than 7,500 applications for a limited number of income-restricted apartments serving seniors and families.

The grand opening, celebrated Sept. 22, 2026, brought together the City of Glendale, the Glendale Housing Authority, and public and private financing partners including Bank of America and CalHFA. Construction began in January 2023 and was completed in July 2026, with residents beginning to move in during June.

Project Overview: Scale, Design and Affordability

Pioneer Village comprises three elevator-served, five-story buildings on 2.79 acres, totaling approximately 298,000 square feet of residential space. The development includes 92 apartments reserved for low-income seniors age 62 and older, 245 apartments for families, and three units for on-site property staff. Rents are restricted to households earning between 30% and 80% of the Los Angeles County area median income. The unit mix includes studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.

The buildings are arranged around courtyards and open spaces connected by bridges, with a pedestrian paseo linking the property to nearby Fremont Park. Shared amenities include more than 5,800 square feet of indoor community space with community rooms, kitchens, computer labs and a gym, along with playgrounds, community gardens, outdoor courtyards with barbecue and picnic areas, rooftop decks and a walking path. The development includes 342 parking spaces in a two-level subterranean garage, with 35 electric-vehicle-ready stalls.

Each apartment includes air conditioning, electric heating, a patio or balcony, dishwasher, microwave, garbage disposal and all-electric appliances. Pioneer Village is designed to meet LEED Gold standards from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The site was formerly occupied by AT&T and was acquired by the City of Glendale in 2019. KFA designed the project, and National CORE served as general contractor. HavenCORE is the property manager, and Linc Housing provides on-site resident services.

Financing Structure: Bank of America, CalHFA and Public Sources

Pioneer Village was financed through a layered capital structure typical of large affordable housing developments in high-cost California markets. Funding sources include multifamily housing revenue bond proceeds and construction lending from Bank of America, low-income housing tax credits arranged through Bank of America, City of Glendale Measure S funds, Low and Moderate Income Housing Asset Funds, HOME Program funds, CalHFA's HUD Risk-Sharing Program, CalHFA's Mixed-Income Program funds, and additional public and private sources. The City of Glendale authorized a $10 million appropriation for the project in 2021.

"CalHFA is honored to help finance Pioneer Village through our Mixed-Income Program, and I particularly want to celebrate the collaboration that went into this development," said CalHFA Executive Director Tony Sertich. "We saw mission-driven private partners, the City of Glendale and various state government entities all working together with a common goal of providing seniors and families a safe and affordable place to call home."

The financing approach reflects broader conditions in California's affordable housing market. A 2026 analysis of the state's development pipeline estimated that projects already underway require approximately $2.3 billion in state subsidies, $1.8 billion in state tax credits and $5.8 billion in tax-exempt bonds to move forward, underscoring the degree to which large affordable developments depend on combining local funds, tax credits, tax-exempt bonds and state financing programs.

Developer Perspectives

"Pioneer Village brings seniors and families together in an intergenerational community, giving residents the opportunity to deepen their roots in Glendale and build more stable futures," said Suny Lay Chang, president and COO of Linc Housing. "That is the heart of Linc's work: creating homes where people feel secure, connected and part of a community. Pioneer Village was possible through extraordinary partnership among the City of Glendale, the Glendale Housing Authority, CalHFA, Bank of America and National CORE. We are deeply grateful to see that shared commitment become a place people can now call home."

Michael Ruane, president of National CORE, emphasized the efficiency advantages of building at scale. "Pioneer Village shows why we need to build at a larger scale. Bringing 340 homes online through one coordinated development allows us to use land, infrastructure and financing more efficiently, so limited resources can help house more people," Ruane said. "Opening the doors is only the beginning. Affordable housing works best when it gives people a chance to build community, know their neighbors, connect to services and feel that they belong. This is not just a collection of apartments but a community where families and seniors can deepen their roots."

Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian noted the city's long-term commitment to the site. "Pioneer Village is a fitting name because it really does take a village to make a project like this happen," Kassakhian said. "The City saw an opportunity with this property years ago and made the decision to invest in affordable housing. Today, that investment has become 340 homes, and that is something worth celebrating."

Demand, Location and Resident Services

The volume of applications submitted for Pioneer Village — more than 7,500 for 340 available homes — illustrates the scale of unmet demand for income-restricted housing in Glendale. The initial applicant pool represented more than 22 times the number of apartments available.

Pioneer Village is within walking distance of Fremont Park and the Glendale Beeline Route 5 stop at Doran and Pacific. It is also within one mile of the Glendale Central Library, Glendale Family Medical Center, grocery stores, restaurants and pharmacies.

Resident services are provided on site by Linc Housing's resident services team and include healthy cooking and eating classes, exercise classes, social activities and supportive services designed to promote health, wellness and access to resources.

Linc Housing has developed more than 10,000 homes across 108 communities statewide over more than 40 years. National CORE reports serving approximately 30,000 residents and created the Hope through Housing Foundation in 1998 to provide services focused on educational attainment, economic mobility and resident well-being.

Sources

Linc Housing — Pioneer Village Grand Opening Announcement