National CORE and Prima Development Break Ground on 202-Home Esperanza Village Affordable Community in El Monte

National CORE and Prima Development broke ground Sept. 2 on Esperanza Village, a 202-unit affordable housing community at 4024 Durfee Avenue in El Monte, California, marking the start of construction on a $138.3 million development that will serve low-income families and seniors on a former institutional campus in the San Gabriel Valley.

The Mission-style community will rise on the site of the former MacLaren Hall, a property spanning approximately 13.7 acres. The project will deliver two residential buildings — one offering 102 family apartments and a second providing 100 apartments for seniors ages 62 and older — alongside a co-located health center and an array of resident services.

Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis joined National CORE, Prima Development, the City of El Monte and community partners at the groundbreaking, which was held in conjunction with the grand opening of the adjacent Hilda L. Solis Community Park on Gilman Road and Durfee Avenue.

Project Details and Unit Mix

Esperanza Village will target households earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income. The development will offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments across both buildings. Each building will feature its own courtyard, community room, bicycle storage and lounge areas.

A significant portion of the units are designated as supportive housing. Fifty-five apartments in the family building and 99 in the senior building are reserved for individuals experiencing homelessness, those at risk of homelessness and survivors of domestic violence. The family supportive housing component will also serve transitional-age youth.

Prima Development will also construct a health center on the site to serve both residents and the surrounding neighborhood. The facility will include space for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, a community clinic, a senior care center and a pharmacy.

"Affordable housing is more than just rent — it's access to healthcare, childcare and services. And that is exactly what Esperanza Village will bring to the city," said Alexa Washburn, National CORE's chief development officer.

Fernando Vasquez, president of Prima Development, said the project reflects a broader investment in the community. "By bringing together much-needed housing, public park space, new jobs and greater access to healthcare, this community represents the kind of thoughtful investment that strengthens neighborhoods, improves quality of life and creates lasting opportunities for El Monte families," Vasquez said.

Financing and Public Support

The project carries a total estimated cost of $138.3 million. Los Angeles County contributed $18 million toward the development, and the county authorized up to $80 million in multifamily mortgage revenue bonds as part of the capital structure. J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking provided construction debt and permanent financing.

"We're proud to provide the construction debt and permanent financing for Esperanza Village, helping deliver 202 affordable apartments that will serve seniors and families in El Monte for generations to come," said William Ho, executive director of J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking. "This development responds to the urgent need for supportive housing across Los Angeles County, with most units reserved as permanent supportive housing for residents exiting homelessness, offering real pathways to stability and opportunity."

The Los Angeles County Development Authority awarded more than $35 million to the project and provided 154 Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers. Emilio Salas, LACDA executive director, said the agency views the development as central to its housing mission. "The groundbreaking celebration of Esperanza Village represents a meaningful milestone in the LACDA's commitment to Build Better Lives and Better Neighborhoods," Salas said. "We are proud to have awarded over $35 million and provided 154 Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers to this project, building a pathway of hope and dignity for individuals and families experiencing homelessness."

Site Reuse and Community Context

The redevelopment of the former MacLaren Hall site — identified in city filings under assessor parcel numbers 8549-004-900 and 8549-005-900 — represents a land-recycling effort in the San Gabriel Valley. The project's program has evolved since early planning stages: a 2022 filing described the development as 340 units with approximately 36,000 square feet of community-serving space, while the revised plan reduced the residential count to 202 units across four buildings totaling 406,135 square feet.

Alma Martinez, city manager for the City of El Monte, said the transformation of the historic MacLaren Hall site carries both practical and symbolic weight. "The transformation of the historic MacLaren Hall site also preserves space for community, acknowledges the complex history of this property, and creates a more hopeful future — and we are deeply grateful to Supervisor Hilda L. Solis for her vision and leadership in turning this site into a positive, healing and inclusive community space," Martinez said.

Once completed, Esperanza Village will sit adjacent to the new Hilda L. Solis Community Park, which features a soccer pitch, basketball and tennis courts, a children's play area and walking paths. The site is also near the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, a regional park with bicycle and walking paths, fishing areas, sports facilities and a nature center.

Supervisor Solis framed the project as a generational investment. "Seeing this site become a park where children can play and families can gather, alongside new affordable homes and a health center, is a powerful reflection of what is possible when a community comes together," Solis said. "This is about more than transforming a property. It is about investing in El Monte and making sure families, seniors and young people have the opportunity to build a future here."

Market Context and Developer Track Record

Esperanza Village moves forward against a Los Angeles multifamily market that recorded a vacancy rate of 5.5% in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting some softness as new supply has outpaced demand. Despite that dynamic, the region's subsidized housing pipeline remains constrained by high construction costs and complex financing requirements. California municipal impact and development fees have averaged roughly $29,000 per unit in recent assessments, and construction loan pricing in the Los Angeles area has commonly ranged from 7% to 10%, underscoring the difficulty of penciling affordable projects without substantial public subsidy.

National CORE and Prima Development have collaborated on other affordable developments in the region, including Amanda Villas in Cudahy, a 140-apartment senior community that also incorporates a health center. National CORE has described an active development pipeline, with 400 apartments completed in 2025 and construction starts on approximately 1,000 more, with 13 additional projects expected to begin in 2026.

The Esperanza Village groundbreaking reflects a broader trend in California affordable housing development toward mixed-use, service-integrated communities that combine residential units with healthcare access, social services and public amenities — an approach that developers and public agencies increasingly view as necessary to address both housing instability and the wraparound needs of formerly homeless residents.

Sources

• National CORE — Esperanza Village Groundbreaking Announcement
• National CORE — Esperanza Village (Press Release)