Hunter Gillaspie
Finca Serena Groundbreaking
Updated: Nov 11, 2021
On Wednesday, October 27th, UPholdings and Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for Finca Serena, a new 80-unit, affordable rental community in Porterville, California. The event, held at the future property site, was attended by several community leaders and finance partners who helped make the project possible. Event speakers included Jessica Hoff Berzac, Co-Founder and Principal of UPholdings, Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend, Porterville Mayor Monte Reyes, and Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of SHE. Check out the video above for all the highlights!
"Finca Serena was developed and named with the intent of providing a safe and serene environment for vulnerable individuals and families here in Tulare County," said Hoff Berzac. "At UPholdings we believe that housing is a human right and that peace can be achieved only when people have a secure place to call home. We are committed to our residents for the long haul, and we will continue to work collaboratively with our community partners to ensure Finca Serena residents will have both the foundation of housing, as well as the supportive services needed for them to achieve their goals."
The milestone event is an important one for the local community of Porterville, where 27% of families live in poverty. Finca Serena will offer a robust continuum of on-site services and support staff for mixed-income families, and will also include apartments targeted for individuals with disabilities or who are at risk of homelessness. Stay tuned for progress updates and a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2022!
A special thanks goes out to our community and finance partners that made this project possible:
Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance
California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
California Department of Housing & Community Development
Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency