Vaughn Next Century Learning Center in Pacoima broke ground on a wellness center and 21-unit apartment building. The project aims to expand mental health services and provide workforce housing for teachers in hard-to-fill positions.
*Vaughn Next Century Learning Center in Pacoima* broke ground on a dual-purpose development that will bring mental health services and workforce housing to a neighborhood that has seen both needs grow sharply in recent years.
The project includes a community wellness center and an apartment building with 21 units. Both structures will be built next to the school’s existing Family and Community Center, according to Fidel Ramirez, CEO of the K-12 school.
The wellness center responds to a documented surge in demand for mental health support among students and families. Ramirez said the school employed eight counselors and social workers before the COVID-19 pandemic. That number has grown to 20.
“Now that we [will] have a center, the idea is that we would have additional offices and therapy rooms to be able to provide that support, not exclusively by our own clinicians, but inclusive of our partners that we currently have,” Ramirez said.
The center will open its doors to students, families, and the broader Pacoima community. Outside agency partners that currently lack space on campus will be able to conduct services inside the new facility.
The 21 apartments are designed as workforce housing. Priority placement will go to teachers in positions the school classifies as hard to fill. Those include special education, math, and ESL instructors, according to Ramirez.
Once those positions are staffed, the remaining units will open to the broader community.
“We deserve workforce housing for our families in our communities, so we’re excited to be able to bring this new kind of venture to Pacoima,” Ramirez said.
The project was approved by the school’s Board of Directors more than two years ago. Approval from the California Department of General Services was delayed due to last year’s wildfires, Ramirez said. The school now estimates construction will take approximately 15 months to complete.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place during a recent Family Appreciation Night on the Vaughn campus, with staff and local community members in attendance, according to the San Fernando Valley Sun.
Vaughn Next Century Learning Center is a public charter school serving students in Pacoima. The wellness center and housing project represent a shift toward addressing community needs beyond the classroom, with services and housing that extend to residents who do not attend the school.
The project timeline and housing allocation details were provided by Ramirez in a statement published by the San Fernando Valley Sun on May 27, 2026.
This article was generated with AI assistance.