18 December 2013 - Consul General Maria Hellen Barber Dela Vega joined local government officials in inaugurating the Larry Itliong Village, a joint housing project of the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation (LTSC CDC) in Historic Filipinotown.
Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Dela Vega commended PWC for its continued commitment to provide affordable housing to marginalized individuals. She congratulated PWC and LTSC CDC for their joint investment in efforts towards revitalizing Historic Filipinotown. Lastly, she noted that the housing project represents a fitting tribute to Larry Itliong, the Filipino labor leader who advocated for equal treatment, better working conditions and fair pay for farmers.
PWC Executive Director Aquilina Soriano expressed her sincere gratitude to their partner organizations and donors for their strong support for the construction of the apartment complex. She said that the ceremony represents the culmination of nine years of planning, designing, fundraising and complex negotiations among PWC’s many dedicated partners involved in the project.
Bank of America provided over $20 million for the construction of the complex. Other donors, including the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Low Income Investment Fund, Environmental Protection Agency, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, and the City of Los Angeles Housing Department, provided grants to further finance construction costs.
The Larry Itliong Village is composed of 45 apartment units for low income families, transition-age youth and homeless individuals. It is both energy and water efficient. The project also houses community spaces for recreational activities, a technology center, and retail spaces for commercial use.
PWC, the project’s service provider, was formed in 1997 to provide low income Filipino workers and their families with immediate services and resources. LTSC CDC, a Japanese-American service group, is the sponsor of several major community development projects servicing Asian and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County. END