HomeAid Orange County Dedicates Landmark Project — Village of Hope

IRVINE, Calif. (September 30, 2008) — After 14 years of predevelopment, demolition, grading, renovating, new construction and enduring two building industry downturns HomeAid Orange County and more than 400 partners recently celebrated the completion of their 43rd project — the Village of Hope on the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station. The five acre campus developed for the Orange County Rescue Mission, has the capacity to provide shelter for 192 homeless men, women and children. It serves as a national model for demonstrating successful reuse of a U.S. base closure.

During the rehabilitation of the two existing three story barracks and new construction of two buildings, "miles and miles" of yellow construction tape were used to block areas of construction. To symbolically show the barriers are gone, Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony guests gathered in the center of the 150,000 square foot campus and tossed yellow construction tape into the air celebrating that now the Village of Hope is open and providing shelter for the homeless in Orange County.

"People who come on this site today or in the future will never know all that has gone on during the 14 years of development and construction. When we reached a barrier or were up against a hurdle — we persevered. Whether or not it was funding for the project or the physical aspects of construction we had to go through - we persevered. Because we ultimately knew there would be people here that would come and that their lives would be changed," said Scott Larson, Executive Director, HomeAid Orange County.

HomeAid's role, as it is in all the organization's projects it to recruit and work with builders, architects and specialty contractors to build facilities for service providers like the Orange County Rescue Mission. Lead partners on this $28 million project were Gensler Architects, Oltmans Construction, William Lyon Homes, John Laing Homes, Laing Luxury Homes, Lennar Homes, Shea Homes, The Cheesecake Factory and the Children and Families Commission of Orange County.

"HomeAid brings the best the building industry has to offer to those who are in need. When people come to the Village of Hope as a guest or as a volunteer our hope is that they will be inspired to give of their best talents. What they do will impact lives now and into the future," said Dave Prolo, HomeAid Board Member and Division President, Southern California Division, John Laing Homes.

The debt free project gives the Orange County Rescue Mission administrative offices, professional kitchen and dining area, a 290 seat chapel/auditorium, donation warehouse, 128 dorm rooms, child development center, adult education facilities and a community health care facility. With key resources all located in the Village of Hope, homeless families and individuals have a greater opportunity to overcome the bondage of homelessness and to achieve the ability to live independent self-sufficient lives.

About HomeAid Orange County
HomeAid Orange County is the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the mission to build dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. Founded in 1989 by the Orange County Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, HomeAid acts as the housing developer and liaison between service providers, community volunteers, builders and specialty contractors. To date the organization has completed 43 housing developments with two projects in development that serve victims of domestic violence, pregnant homeless women, abused and abandoned children, homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS and homeless families. www.homeaidoc.org