Glennwood House nearly ready for residents

Work crews are putting the finishing touches on Glennwood House of Laguna Beach in anticipation of its July 13 grand opening.

The newly renovated 30,000-square-foot facility at 2130 S. Coast Hwy. will house 50 developmentally disabled young adults.

Current and former state and city representatives, including Laguna Beach Mayor Kelly Boyd and former Mayor Jane Egly, will be on hand from 3 to 7 p.m. that day for the invitation-only celebration, said Shauna Bogert, executive director of Glennwood Housing Foundation Inc.

The three-story building, a former assisted-living facility for seniors, will offer a wealth of activities and amenities for residents, including a gym with treadmill and elliptical machines, an art studio and a game room with a foosball table, Bogert said.

A full-time activities director will coordinate three daily endeavors for the adults, which could include a walk or working in the garden or on an art project in the art studio. Bogert said all residents will be required to do chores at the house.

Forty-two of the residents will have their own rooms, including bathroom, while the remaining eight adults will be in shared rooms, according to Bogert.

Men and women will be separated: men on the second floor and women on the third, while on the first floor, each group will have its own wing.

The rooms are nearly complete. Workers are wrapping up any last-minute plumbing and carpeting needs, according to Bogert, who added that the renovation project includes new windows.

Residents are beginning to add personal touches to their spaces, such as bean-bag chairs, love seats and personal refrigerators to store snacks and drinks, Bogert said.

A full-time chef will prepare three meals per day and the house will have a housekeeper, bookkeeper and certified nursing assistant as part of the 15-person staff.

Overnight staff members are trained in CPR and first aid, Bogert said.

The $1.4-million renovation is being covered by more than $400,000 in donations and a $950,000 loan from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Bogert said.

The federal fund awards money and tax credits to community-based organizations that work to improve residents’ quality of life, according to the fund’s website.

Bogert and staff are working on an endowment to assist seven residents in need of financial support.

“Two-hundred dollars to help with room-and-board would help,” Bogert said.

Residents will pay $2,500 per month for a single or $1,900 for a shared room, Bogert said.

“We are working hard to keep it affordable,” she said, noting the cost is significantly less than other programs in the area.

Most residents have medical insurance through their families or Medi-Cal or Medicare.

The goal is for residents to care for themselves, manage their money and keep their apartments clean, according to the Glennwood website.

For more information on Glennwood House and updates on the upcoming opening, visit https://www.glennwoodhousing.org.