La Mirada Vistas is a 75-unit affordable community for older adults and people with disabilities. Located in the heart of La Mirada, California, the community is part of Retirement Housing Foundation’s (RHF) national nonprofit network of affordable housing. With many residents in their 70s and 80s, some who’ve called La Mirada Vistas home for decades, the 1989 building’s aging infrastructure wasn’t just an inconvenience, it was a concern for comfort, safety, and long-term viability.
Much like its residents, La Mirada had stood the test of time. “The property was aging in place along with the residents,” said Yuri Escandon, vice president of operations at RHF. And like anything worth preserving, it required care and attention to continue serving its purpose. “We were starting to pay significant repair costs especially for the central boilers. That’s when I knew it was time to reach out to the Multifamily Energy Savings program.”
Escandon and his team had worked with Multifamily Energy Savings on other properties and saw a clear path to upgrade La Mirada Vistas. By partnering with the program on this property, they identified immediate energy-saving opportunities and crafted a project scope tailored to the building’s needs.
La Mirada Vistas is managed on-site by what Escandon calls a “tripod” team: the property manager, maintenance technician, and social services coordinator.
Project Details
“We pulled them together and asked: ‘What are the key areas you want to see addressed?’” Escandon said. “Between the three of them, they pulled together their thoughts and ideas and came back to me with a plan.”
“We were starting to pay significant repair costs especially for the central boilers. That’s when I knew it was time to reach out to the Multifamily Energy Savings program.”
— Yuri Escandon, Vice President of Operations, RHF
Upgrades for efficiency and comfort
Through technical assessments and collaborative planning, Multifamily Energy Savings helped La Mirada Vistas implement a wide range of upgrades:
Common area upgrades:
In-unit upgrades:
In total, the project received over $114,000 in incentives, with an estimated annual energy bill savings of nearly $15,600 all at no cost to residents.
Upgrades enhance comfort and quality of life for residents
The lighting upgrades may seem minor, Escandon noted, but they’re not. For older seniors, brighter, safer walkways make evening walks more accessible. The new boilers helped deliver more consistent hot water and heating throughout the building, enhancing comfort for older adults who are more vulnerable to temperature swings, too.
“The boilers that provide heat and hot water to our residents gave us another 10 to 15 years of life for La Mirada,” said Escandon “I’m going to be able to house seniors and do it with proper heating, cooling, water, and even lighting.”
Property Manager Gloria Pedregon also quickly saw the impact of the upgrades on residents’ daily lives, especially comfort and safety. “I can’t say enough about how great it is to have hot water instantly for our residents,” said Pedregon.
Comfort in shared spaces also improved. “The air conditioners are great,” she said. “We have several activities in which the residents benefit from the nice cool air, especially our resident line dance class.” The new common-area refrigerator also made a surprising difference for staff she says. “Both staff and residents benefit from having a beautiful large refrigerator at their disposal for all events and staff lunch storage,” Pedregon adds
Clear steps, big results
While Escandon noted the paperwork and initial coordination could feel daunting, having a comprehensive assessment, recommendations, and contractors that knew the program allowed RHF to move quickly and confidently.
“This program is so ideal for affordable housing providers,” Escandon said. “You may not have $80,000 sitting around to replace a boiler, but the program makes it possible. They bring technical help, real funding, and flexibility to work around your residents. Go out there and look for these incentives. You’re going to see a great return in the invested time,” he added.
— Yuri Escandon, Vice President of Operations, RHF
Want to improve resident comfort, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the life of your affordable housing property? The Multifamily Energy Savings program offers in-unit and common area upgrades as well as no-cost technical assistance for both deed-restricted and non-deed-restricted affordable housing properties.
Visit esamultifamily.com/apply-now to complete an interest form and find out if your property or individual units qualify.
