Rural Development

Pueblo Unido CDC Community Driven Model

Early in 2009, PUCDC initiated a new model of community work that has, as a primary focus, the support for community driven projects and self-initiative towards building a healthy environment for families and children. PUCDC’s main assets are its strong and well-established community relationships, which constitute a long term commitment to improving the quality of life; technical expertise in proposing viable solutions; and a strong spirit of collaboration with other community based organizations.

Rural Habitat

Rural Habitat is Pueblo Unido CDC’s community driven core philosophy and catalyst in bringing partnerships and collaborative efforts for innovative ideas centered around provision of housing that are both flexible and sustainable. PUCDC has been able to utilize its community base to promote and strengthen collaborative efforts in achieving this feat.


The Polanco Rehabilitation Assistance Program (PRAP) provides technical assistance in all aspects of project management and rehabilitation; and the Rural Communities Infrastructure Fund (RCIF) provides financial assistance for capital improvement.  These programs are critical to ensure that Polanco communities have access to infrastructure resources with the goal of achieving compliance with housing codes and regulations.

Rural Infrastructure

The Rural Infrastructure Program provides viable solutions to access alternative and cost effective infrastructure. Focused on cost effective solutions primarily point-of-entry and point-of- use filtration systems to remove arsenic and fluoride. These systems have been implemented in the Eastern Coachella Valley while maintaining a community centered approach when identifying new systems.

 

 

  • Mobile Home Pavement Project, Pueblo Unido CDC (PUCDC) and the Riverside County Transportation Department combined expertise in rural development and paving and road building projects in the Coachella Valley correspondingly is an ideal partnership for paving of unpaved roads at participating mobile home parks. This endeavor dramatically reduced the levels of dust and benefited the community with other critical services including better access for school buses, fire department, and social and community services creating better opportunities for families and their children.
  • DAC Onsite Plumbing Retrofit Program, the Coachella Valley Regional Water Management Group (CVRWMG) developed a project to include outreach and education for disadvantaged communities (DACs) and provide a cost-effective mechanism for addressing reported water quality and water supply needs. The DAC Onsite Plumbing Retrofit Program was, developed to address both drinking water quality and water conservation issues by providing cost-effective repairs to faulty systems that leak and address potential drinking water contamination. Program partners will include CVRWMG, Pueblo Unido Community Development Corporation (PUCDC), and Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability (Leadership Counsel).
  • The implementation of the Short Term Arsenic Treatment program (STAT) and the approval of the Coachella Valley Mobile Home Park Pavement Project are two results of PUCDC’s efforts. This program serves as an alternative for mobile home park owners to comply with country regulations with regards to treating the sewer water.  The reverse osmosis technology that is used is an innovative and cost-effective alternative to provide drinking water to thousands of families relying on onsite wells with high levels of arsenic and other elements in rural communities and installed at no cost. This program has been recognized at a state level as a short-term solution for families to access safe and affordable drinking water.

Community Economic Development

Community Economic Development promote environments charged with vitality, resources and investment to strengthen the fabric of communities. PUCDC focuses on projects that leverage investment, offer new resources and opportunities for sustainability, and most importantly have been identified by community leaders as sustainable and viable solutions.

 

 

  • Comunidades de Salud (CODESA), a training and educational program which started in January 2010. The program is designed to help families understand how to efficiently manage their septic systems, water use and monitoring of drinking water.
  • Agua 4 All, a state wide campaign to increase access to drinking through an innovative pilot. The campaign consist in installing bottle filler station at key locations including schools, community centers, parks and other community facilities. Agua4All primary goal is to optimize the access to drinking water in the community by providing education regarding the importance of drinking water for health, and through the installation  of bottle filler stations.
  • PUCDC provided legislative and technical support for AB225 to amend the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) – Mobile Home Park Resident Ownership Program (MPROP). AB225 which was signed into law in September 2014 will provide new funding opportunities for the rehabilitation of Polanco parks in California.

Rural Habitat Housing Project

This new and innovative project addresses the urgent need for affordable housing for agricultural and low-income families in the Coachella Valley. Due to a lack of options, many of these families live in substandard conditions with limited access to essential services like healthcare and transportation. The Rural Habitat Housing Project is a new affordable housing concept currently under design aimed to provide alternative cost-effective, and energy efficient farmworker housing in the eastern Coachella Valley