A group of people sitting at a table painting.

A family is standing in front of their home.

Life Skills Education

Life Skills Education is a pivotal component in supporting affordable housing residents to thrive within the community by offering programs focused on family and financial management, as well as their responsibilities as tenants. Through the initiation of a Life Skills Education Program, MECH at selected properties aims to empower tenants to effect positive changes in their lives. The program entails a series of interactive presentations lasting 1 to 2 hours, covering topics such as:

Financial Management and Building Credit
Career Development and Employment Opportunities
Family Dynamics (inclusive of parenting skills and awareness of gang influences)
Fostering Civic Pride
Accessing City and Community Services
Health, Nutrition, and Effective Food Budgeting

All classes are voluntary.

Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort Housing Initiative

The development agreement between the City Dana Point and the developer included provisions for affordability provision.

The most feasible solution was for the Hotel to provide a housing subsidy to its lower-income employees to allow them to live closer to the hotel.

-- Qualified employees select housing and pay 30% of their income towards rent. Hotel pays the remainder of rent up to cap.

-- MECH manages the program and the City monitors for compliance.

-- MECH administers the Life Skills program to all participants.

Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort Hotel benefits from the Subsidy Program through decreased staff turnover and access to a local employment base. Employees are more satisfied with a shorter commute and an employer invested in their well-being.

Life Skills and Teens Forward

Mary Erickson Community Housing requires all Monarch Beach Housing Initiative adult residents to participate in monthly Life Skills workshops providing training in goal setting, household financial planning, home buying, career advancement, parenting, and community resources and participation. Mary Erickson Community Housing teams with other community organizations to provide computer and ESL classes to interested residents.

Mary Erickson Community Housing offers a Life Skills program to teen residents called Teens Forward at selected properties or programs. The program brings in speakers from colleges, vocational programs, community organizations, and drug and alcohol prevention groups and hosts interviews, job and scholarship applications, and self-esteem/peer issue workshops. The program also pairs kids in need with free or low-cost tutoring and counseling services.