The City of Corona, in partnership with the County of Riverside and nonprofit owner/operator Abode Communities, is pleased to announce the grand opening of Vista Dorada, a Permanent Supportive Housing development featuring 53 homes on Frontage Road. The transformation of this former Ayers Hotel is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to develop an A to Z system of services to address homelessness in Corona and the County’s Homeless Action Plan which takes on a regional approach in working with cities to expand capacity and increase housing and services to better support residents in each region.

Vista Dorada reached 100% occupancy in June 2023, providing critical housing and supportive services to people previously experiencing chronic homelessness in the City of Corona. Through compassionate outreach and engagement provided by the Corona Police Department Homeless Outreach & Psychological Evaluation (HOPE) Team in collaboration with City Net, a nonprofit funded by the City of Corona, people who had lived on the streets of Corona for many years now call Vista Dorada their home!

Permanent Supportive Housing is a best practice model that provides permanent housing with services.  Accordingly, Vista Dorada provides wrap-around services that help residents maintain stability and housing retention. Examples of services include mental health and substance use services, connections to medical care, education, workforce development, and many other services, including ongoing case management. Wrap around services are provided by the Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health Department in collaboration with City Net, a nonprofit partner funded by the City of Corona. This project exemplifies the joint vision of the City and the County to end homelessness through public/private partnerships and integration of resources.

Public-Private Partnerships Pave the Road to Transformation

Vista Dorada is a highly collaborative partnership among Abode Communities, California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD), the County of Riverside Housing & Workforce Solutions Department, Housing Authority of the County of Riverside, and the Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health Department, the Riverside County Continuum of Care, the City of Corona, and the City’s two contracted partners, City Net and Mercy House Living Centers.

The project is funded with nearly $12 million in HCD HomeKey funds, along with matching grant funds of $2.5 million from the County of Riverside's American Rescue Plan Act allocation. Equally crucial, the Housing Authority of the County of Riverside has allocated 52 Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers to ensure the long-term viability of Vista Dorada. These vouchers will provide rental subsidies for both current and future tenants residing at the property. The estimated value of the Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers is $16 million over a 20-year period. In addition, the City of Corona funded $25,000 in home furnishing move-in kits, $10,000 in essential items gift bags, $70,000 in resident Security Deposits, as well as all of the outreach/engagement, bridge emergency shelter, and case management services for the residents. The City’s services and support were provided through its contracted partners, City Net and Mercy House Living Centers.

"This initiative serves as a pivotal component in the ongoing endeavors of the County and City teams to create opportunities to move individuals from street living to permanent housing with services," expressed Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel. "Establishing permanent housing constitutes a crucial element in the homeless action plans of both the County and the City of Corona."

“The City of Corona is grateful to the State and County for supplying the financial resources that transformed this project from an idea to a reality. The Vista Dorada partnership is a game changer for the City and contributed to our dramatic reduction in street homelessness,” says Corona Mayor Tom Richins.

Nonprofit developer Abode Communities will own and operate the housing in perpetuity. “We know the greatest single way to reduce homelessness is to create more housing,” said Holly Benson, President & CEO. “We’re excited to become a permanent member of the Corona community, and continue our mission to address the critical and immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness in the County of Riverside.”

A Systems-Oriented Approach that Works

In 2019, before launching the City’s Homeless Strategic Plan, Corona had 164 unsheltered homeless residents. The County’s 2023 Point in Time Count results confirmed that number is now 65, which means we have achieved a 60% reduction in unsheltered homelessness. The formula for success is Corona’s system’s-oriented approach.

The City of Corona developed a transformational system of services, including homeless prevention, outreach and engagement, emergency shelter, supportive services, and permanent supportive housing.

The opening of Vista Dorada follows the opening of Corona’s Harrison HOPE Center which opened in June 2023, following the May Grand Opening Celebration.

Be a Part of the Solution

To learn about our Homeless Solutions, please visit our project webpage at www.TheRoadHome.CoronaCA.gov or email HomelessSolutions@CoronaCA.gov.

About the City of Corona: Corona is a vibrant, culturally diverse community located in the heart of Southern California at the junction of the 91 and 15 freeways with a population of more than 160,000 residents. For more information regarding the City of Corona, visit www.CoronaCA.gov.