DOWNTOWN Mental health provider Step Up on Second has received $750,000 from the Annenberg Foundation, the largest cash donation in the history of that program.
The donation comes as Step Up — which provides housing and comprehensive services for people suffering from chronic and persistent mental illness — breaks ground today on a new, five-story, 46-unit apartment building called Step Up on Fifth, which will provide housing for patients, said Tod Lipka, executive director of the nonprofit.
“We feel so fortunate to get the recognition of the Annenberg Foundation with such a wonderful grant,” Lipka said.“They have supported us in the past and made substantial contributions. This is just really wonderful.”
The nearly $17-million project will be located at 1548 Fifth Street, just north of Colorado Avenue. Preliminary construction on the new facility began March 1, with completion scheduled for December 2008.
Applicants for housing at the Second Street facility face waits of three to five years, according to the group.
“Step Up on Fifth is helping to solve a critical problem that affects the entire community,” Leonard Aube, managing director of the Annenberg Foundation, said. “This new facility will expand the reach of Step Up, giving more people who are homeless and suffer from mental illness a safe and well-managed place to call home.”
The Annenberg Foundation is the latest group to make a large donation to the program. In late 2006, the George W. Hoag Foundation donated $500,000 to build additional housing units on Fifth Street for the homeless suffering from mental illness. That donation helped kick-off a capital campaign for the project, Lipka said.
Other notable gifts have come from the Weingart and Ahmanson foundations. City Hall has committed $7.1 million, with another $7.5 million in tax-credit funding, according to the group.
“We believe that the Step Up on Fifth campaign serves a significant community need and is a project that is both attainable and sustainable,” said Chuck Smith, executive director of the Hoag Foundation.
Step Up is looking to earn “green” building certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), by incorporating energy-saving, high performing systems into the project. The architect is Santa Monica-based Pugh + Scarpa, who are known for energy efficiency, Lipka said.
Once completed, the project will house 33 mentally ill homeless people who are currently living on the streets. Two residential managers will also be on site 24 hours a day. Services will be provided at the Second Street facility, Lipka said.
Step Up has secured a five-year funding commitment from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to pay for the majority of rents.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 14, 2007. Read the original PDF.