El Verano, a fully occupied 54-unit affordable apartment community for formerly homeless and low-income seniors, is now open. The apartment community is located at 1248 E. Lincoln Ave. in Anaheim.

El Verano replaced a blighted motel property purchased by the city for redevelopment in 2017. The 1.1-acre property is now the site of a Spanish-inspired three-story building. The design includes native landscaping with multiple sustainable elements and outdoor common amenities.

Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), the city and Anaheim Housing Authority announced the opening.

“Our primary focus in all we do is helping our residents successfully transition into their new homes and build personal resilience. We design our communities with a collection of intimate niches and spaces so that everyone can feel safe in connecting to each other, support service providers and to our staff,” says Rochelle Mills, IHO president and CEO. “The integration of art elements further adds to a sense of pride for our residents but also shows how important it is for us to add to the neighborhood, and elevate the idea of affordable housing. We truly believe that our properties can be a catalyst for improving and enhancing the community at large.”