Long Beach midtown project will add 95 affordable housing units

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- An affordable housing project received an important endorsement.

The Spark, scheduled to be built in Long Beach's Midtown neighborhood, has been allocated $1.62 million from the county.

Of that, $1.5 million will come from the 4th District's Homeless Prevention Initiative funds and $120,000 from the South Whittier Library project.

The Spark will create 95 low-income apartments, with around half of the units set aside for those currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The commercial space on the first floor will include retail, services for tenants and a YMCA office.

The project is one of many under construction located near transit lines.

The Spark is scheduled to break ground in early 2019.