Brilliant Corners

Brilliant Corners works with property providers across California who share our vision that an end to homelessness is possible. By opening doors and providing a welcome home for participants, they show us every day that our communities can come together to create opportunity and belonging for our unhoused neighbors. We are honored to spotlight our incredible housing partner, Wayne, who shares his experience working with Brilliant Corners during a panel for Tipping Point Community back in 2019. You can watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/g-T5picY

Behind every Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool success story is a dedicated Housing Coordinator whose proactive, person-centered, and creative approach builds trust and changes lives. Check out the graphics below to learn more about this important role and how Housing Coordinators connect with participants, property providers, and internal teams to achieve long-term housing stability for participants and lasting relationships with property providers. And if you're interested in joining our team as a Housing Coordinator, we’ve got several great open opportunities. Explore them here: 🏠️Los Angeles: https://lnkd.in/gUUWk328 🏠️Los Angeles (Bilingual/Spanish): https://lnkd.in/grAQTYKt 🏠️San Francisco: https://lnkd.in/gm6ngWeD #SupportiveHousing #NonProfitJobs #SolveHomelessness #HousingSolutions #PropertyManagement

One year ago, we celebrated the Grand Opening of Homekey Harbor City, a former Motel 6 that is now a thriving community providing supportive housing, thanks to an amazing collaboration between Brilliant Corners, the California Department of Housing & Community Development, Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing, Los Angeles County Development Authority, Genesis LA, and CSH Housing Solutions. In partnership with Sparano + Mooney Architecture and Walton Construction, Inc., we reimagined the existing building into dynamic permanent supportive housing. Homekey Harbor City was fully renovated with all new interiors and exteriors, including new building and mechanical systems, and new exterior hardscapes for parking, site accessibility, operations, community space, and security. The renovations also included mobility and communication features that modified existing spaces into four fully accessible mobility units and two fully accessible communication units. Homekey Harbor City provides 50 units—including 49 units for households who have experienced—and one unit for onsite property management to support building residents. The Grand Opening featured Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (SD-2), who performed the official ribbon-cutting to mark the site’s opening, Brilliant Corners Chief Executive Officer, William F. Pickel; Gustavo Velasquez, Director, California Department of Housing & Community Development; Emilio Salas, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Development Authority; Leepi Shimkhada, Chief Program Officer of Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing; Jennifer Lee, LCSW, Principal Analyst, Permanent Housing, Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gi-PZHQF

Having a home of one's own can unlock so many possibilities for healing and success. Our former Breaking Barriers participant, Jenna, shows us what is possible when individuals receive the support they need. Back in 2023, Jenna's inspiring story was featured in a moving video celebrating our Chief Operating Officer Chris Contreras' The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. When Jenna first connected with Brilliant Corners, the Breaking Barriers team helped her find an apartment and assisted her with the move-in process and ongoing wrap-around support. “Whether it was for employment, education, food, and resources — anything that I didn’t have, I could make that phone call and they would help me figure it out,” Jenna shared. With a place to finally call home, Jenna could focus on her education and her future. She reflected on the support she experienced from Breaking Barriers, from Chrysalis staff, and her former Brilliant Corners Case Manager Morgan Chandler: “It took a whole army of people pouring into me to allow me to see my potential.” After finally having a home, and a new community of support, Jenna accomplished so much, earning two Associates degrees, and recently graduating with her Masters in Social Work. Jenna is in the process of becoming a therapist, and we couldn't be happier for her! Congratulations to Jenna, thank you for sharing your inspiring story with us.❤️ https://lnkd.in/gywAWfNt

Housing—combined with case management and job training support—can be transformational for individuals who are justice impacted. Breaking Barriers former participant, Eugene, shows us how success is possible when we invest in dedicated programs that reduce recidivism and prevent returns to homelessness. Eugene is the talented head chef at a well-known restaurant. But as a young adult, he experienced incarceration and homelessness. Eugene was referred to Breaking Barriers, where he accessed housing and case management services from Brilliant Corners. Chrysalis provided Eugene with job training support that helped him launch a career in the food industry. The Breaking Barriers program provided Eugene the stability he needed to excel in his life and career. To learn more about how Brilliant Corners and Chrysalis are helping participants overcome housing and employment barriers, visit: https://lnkd.in/etrA2-PZ

According to research from the UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative and Housing Initiative (BHHI), nearly half of single homeless adults in California are age 50 and older. Without needed support, many face barriers to housing stability including rental costs that outpace limited income from public benefits or low-wage employment, health challenges, discrimination, and the lack of access to technology to help navigate systems. Through a person-centered approach that takes into account the life stages of our participants, we are working to ensure that vulnerable people in our community can live safely and stably in a home of their own. Read more about our housing services here: https://lnkd.in/gPeKUEwA #HousingForAll #Supportiveousing #SolveHomelessness

Meet the team that's strengthening collaboration and driving strategies to best support participants’ experience at Brilliant Corners. The Program Development team partners with our Housing Services programs statewide to strengthen internal program policy, ensure quality standards are met, drive continuous improvement through program evaluation, support staff development, and create meaningful participant engagement opportunities. We're excited to share more updates from this team soon, including a new Brilliant Corners Participant Advisory Board!

People coming home after incarceration need a place to call home—but face significant barriers and discrimination in accessing housing and employment. With the support of the Breaking Barriers program, participants have been able to overcome significant barriers stacked against them: stigma, housing and employment discrimination, and the challenge of having to start over and rebuild from the ground up. Breaking Barriers has shown time and again that with the right supports in place, a second chance can be a new beginning. Keep an eye out for more success stories from our inspiring Breaking Barriers participants.

"Today, I love having my place. It makes me feel respected. It makes me feel joy.” -Kevin, Brilliant Corners participant With support from Brilliant Corners, Kevin has gone from living in a tent on the streets to having a safe place of his own to call home. He values the consistent guidance and helpful communication he gets from his Brilliant Corners Housing Coordinator, Daizia. Kevin shares that one of his favorite things about having his own apartment is having a place to display photos of his family, who are so proud of the independence he has achieved. https://lnkd.in/gWTsjQqj

Brilliant Corners develops supportive housing solutions through new construction, acquisition, rehab, and preservation. We developed our first multifamily site, Octavia Court, to provide dedicated supportive housing in San Francisco for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The building features a day program, community integration, and employment services for people with disabilities, and won a 2012 Builder’s Choice Award. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gSGjkQhd