FHLBank San Francisco Hosts Roundtable on
Availability Of Senior Citizen Housing
GARDENA, Calif. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) was a special guest participant in an important discussion on Gardena’s housing issues, which emphasized increasing the supply of affordable senior housing for the city’s aging population.
Hosted by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBSF), the Roundtable Discussion on Senior Affordable Housing Development in Gardena brought together more than 35 participants, including banking officials, economic development professionals, affordable housing developers and social service providers. The event was held at the Nakaoka Community Center.
“I am grateful to the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco for inviting me to participate in this meaningful discussion on the challenges facing the development of affordable senior housing in Gardena,” Rep. Waters said. “I am pleased we could bring together advocates, experts and community leaders to have a candid discussion of the affordable senior housing needs of Gardena, what programs and initiatives may exist that can help, and what we can do to ensure more is available in the future.
“In Washington, I remain committed to using my role as Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over housing issues, to ensure we are working to meet the housing needs of our aging population in Gardena and across our community,” Waters added.
Among those attending the event were representatives from the California Bank & Trust, Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, Little Tokyo Service Center, Cathay Bank, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Union Bank, Operation Hope, Community Bank, Bank of America, California Independent Bankers, Hahn Partners, Inc. and Summit Consulting.
Lawrence H. Parks, Senior Vice President, Legislative and External Affairs, for FHLBank San Francisco, noted that 14 percent of Gardena’s population of 58,829 is over the age of 65 or slightly more than 8,200 members of the community, which has created a strong demand for senior housing.
“Housing is a critical element in the lives of seniors,” Mr. Parks said. “The affordability of housing affects the ability of the elderly to afford other necessities of life such as food and medical care. The lives of senior citizens can be enhanced by housing that is located near hospitals and doctors, shopping, transportation, and recreational facilities. FHLBank San Francisco and our member institutions will work with the community stakeholders to find ways to increase the supply of affordable housing suitable for seniors.”
A number of participants – and stakeholders – expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to discuss the city’s housing challenges.
“In the 15 years I have worked for the City of Gardena, we have never had such a diverse group of business and community leaders at the same table to discuss this issue in depth,” said Yvonne Mallory, who is Manager of Economic Development for Gardena. “It is gratifying to have them working on solving our city’s challenges.”
Dean Matsubayashi, Executive Director of the Little Tokyo Service Center, said “We value the leadership of FHLBank San Francisco to bring together the City of Gardena, local financial institutions, and community-based organizations to begin a constructive dialogue on how we can collectively increase the affordable housing stock for seniors and other low-income households. I also applaud Rep. Waters for her strong support on affordable housing issues.”
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco delivers low-cost funding and other services that help member financial institutions make home mortgages to people of all income levels and provide credit that supports neighborhoods and communities. FHLBank San Francisco also funds community programs that help members create affordable housing and promote community economic development.
