An article in Shelterforce article details how Healthcare Anchor Network member Dignity Health (now CommonSpirit Health – a merger between Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives completed on January 31, 2019) stepped in to fund a stalled affordable housing project in San Bernardino’s core neighborhoods. This is a part of Dignity’s participation in the Accelerating Investments for Healthy Communities initiative, for which it worked to design interventions to improve the community investment system. Dignity Health committed a $1.2 million bridge loan to help fill the affordable housing project’s funding gap—and helped spur further support from other community stakeholders.
According to Pablo Bravo Vial, vice president of community health at Dignity Health, “As a large employer and anchor, we understand that investing in projects like Arrowhead Grove can help bring stability to San Bernardino neighborhoods and transform lives.”