When Jamie General — founder and president of JAG Interiors, Inc. — landed her first affordable housing project in 2012, a new dimension was immediately added to her existing passion for interior design. “Knowing that we are improving the quality of life for previously homeless individuals and families makes these types of jobs extremely satisfying,” explains Jamie. “Our clients have always appreciated our design input in the planning stages, and this step is especially important for affordable and sustainable communities, where value engineering is critical,” she continues. “There is no room for errors and do-overs, so every contingency must be considered before construction begins. Our expertise and experience are invaluable during the initial design phase and through to the finish line.”
Since that first affordable project — Avenida Villas for Amcal and A Community of Friends — JAG Interiors, Inc., has completed numerous rewarding assignments for Southern California developers and has become an industry leader in design for affordable and sustainable housing communities.
LINC HOUSING
Linc‘s mission is to build communities and strengthen neighborhoods for people underserved by the marketplace — creating and preserving affordable housing for families, seniors and those with special needs. JAG is very proud to have contributed to many Linc Housing communities over the past decade, including these two recent installations.
Springhaven at Willowbrook: Working together, Linc Housing and the County of Los Angeles have developed an extensive project that combines 100 units of affordable housing with accessible pathways that connect pedestrians and bicyclists to key destinations in their community of Willowbrook, California. Residents who are coming from homelessness receive Intensive Case Management Services.
(Left) JAG Interiors keeps the emotional well-being of future residents top-of-mind in our design, art and color choices. At Springhaven, wall decals add playfulness and inspire creativity.
Spark at Midtown: This mixed-use development brings affordable apartments, community-serving retail and a multi-faceted outdoor park space to the City of Long Beach, California, and received “Transformative Community of the Year” honors at the 2021 Homes Within Reach Awards, presented by the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH). An on-site medical center provides convenient access to healthcare, and a year-round YMCA Youth Institute program creates pathways to post-secondary education and career readiness for low-income, culturally diverse high-schoolers.
(Right) Bold colors cheer up Spark’s common areas and strong graphics coordinate with the modern architecture.
META HOUSING CORPORATION
Since 1993, Meta Housing has built one of the industry’s most successful track records, developing more than 7,900 residential units in affordable and mixed-income apartment communities that infuse vibrancy, inspire community, and support individuals. They are experts in securing and leveraging state and federal tax credits, and in arranging complex finance structures that ensure the highest and best use of available funds.
Metro at Buckingham Senior Apartments is a transit-oriented affordable housing community for age 62 years and older. The community features 102 one-bedroom units within walking distance of the Crenshaw/Martin Luther King Jr. Station on LA County Metro’s new Crenshaw/LAX light rail line. The property offers accessible walkways and elevators located throughout and include an on-site gym, game room, library, and laundry room.
(Left) “The JAG team did an exceptional job at selecting furniture and wall art that gave each of those amenities a distinctive identity. JAG understands how to highlight the essence of any space.” (Paris Howze, Meta Housing)
Loma Linda Veterans’ Village is an 87-unit affordable apartment community for low‐income Veterans and their families, featuring a series of amenities that cater to special needs.
(Right) JAG created a warm, inviting and friendly place for Veterans to congregate, relax and feel at home, including luxury vinyl wood planks in a triad of earthy colors, tile tabletops and classic craftsman styled furnishings. Flexible, functional and parklike furnishings complete the myriad of outdoor amenities.
JAMBOREE HOUSING CORPORATION
Jamboree is among the top 20 largest developers of affordable housing properties nationwide and California’s largest. Currently, the nonprofit has an asset portfolio of $3.2 billion that includes 96+ affordable housing communities in nearly a dozen counties throughout California.
Buena Esperanza: JAG recently helped Jamboree design and furnish the interior common areas of a former Econo Lodge motel — and longtime Anaheim eyesore — as they converted it to supportive housing. This project is part of California’s Homekey initiative — a multi-billion dollar program to convert aging properties into homeless housing at a much lower cost than building from scratch.
(Left) The blighted motel was transformed into long-term studio apartment homes for 69 formerly unhoused people, and includes new amenities, updated landscaping, furnished courtyards, public art and Spanish-style façade elements.
West Gateway Place is a mixed-use, transit-oriented workforce housing property located in the West Sacramento Bridge District. It was the first affordable housing development in California to be financed from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, awarded through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program to only 28 housing and transit-friendly infrastructure projects throughout the state.
(Right) The interiors were designed for management, classroom/work-learning, media and fun — with accents of iron, warm woods and vibrant art inspired by the District’s Modern Industrial aesthetic.
AND MORE!
LA FAMLY HOUSING (SCANPH Homes Within Reach “Developer of the Year” for 2021: The Emerald (Coming Soon), Residences on Main, and Arroyo Womens Shelter.
COMMUNITY CORP OF SANTA MONICA: The Arroyo
AMCAL: Villa Encantada and First Street Apartments
CENTURY HOUSING: Century Villages at Cabrillo
With rewarding projects like these it’s easy to understand why we find so much personal and professional satisfaction from serving our Affordable and Sustainable clientele.
~ Jamie General, President, JAG Interiors, Inc.