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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
1.22.2008 - 08:12am ET
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Socially Responsible Real Estate Investment Firm, Learning Links Centers, Expands to Dallas
Firm Refurbishes Or Builds Apartment Communities, Creates "Resource Rooms," Reduces Rent For School Teachers
(CSRwire) LOS ANGELES, CA - January 22, 2008 - Learning Links Centers, LLC(R) (LLC),
a socially responsible Southern California based real estate investment
company has expanded its concept of Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship
to Dallas, Texas. Real Estate entrepreneurs and LLC co-founders Joe
Killinger and George Pino announced today their acquisition of the newly
purchased 71-unit complex located at 14000 Maham Road, Dallas.
Through its expertise in the real estate business, LLC acquires,
refurbishes and manages apartment buildings in targeted neighborhoods,
setting aside a percentage of the residential units for accredited school
teachers. Additionally, they renovate one unit in the development to
serve as a "Resource Room", equipped with computers, internet service,
educational software, and books and games. In exchange for a reduction in
rent, the school teachers tutor the children that reside in the building a
few hours a day, four days a week. The resource rooms offer a safe
environment away from negative influences, where the children can study
without distractions.
In addition, the program works with local bank representatives to open
savings accounts for the kids, to educate them on basic money management
and life skills.
"Our program has been tremendously successful in Los Angeles and when we
researched other opportunities, we felt Dallas was among the top areas
that offered a promising investment potential and due to our business and
personal contacts in the DFW Metroplex, the expansion into this market was
a natural progression," said LLC/EAF co-founder Joe Killinger. "The
Resource Room is an excellent and conveniently located place for kids in a
wide variety of grades to get one-on-one personal attention outside of the
school."
"This marks our first purchase in Dallas and we have a plan to acquire
additional assets in the greater DFW Metroplex with a long term goal of
acquiring properties in other states. I would like to see LLC acquire
600-1000 units within the next year, to keep the program growing
steadily," said LLC co-founder George Pino. "Based on the results we've
seen in Los Angeles, we anticipate that the program will not only help the
kids that live in the buildings, we believe the program brings a
stabilizing factor into the community as well."
LLC is in the process of staffing the Maham complex with teachers and
organizing donations of computers and books for The Resource Room. The
grand opening is expected to take place early spring 2008.
The owners of LLC, have also created a non-profit to oversee the Resource
Rooms, Education Advantage Foundation (EAF). Working In conjunction with
LLC, EAF organizes, promotes and oversees the after school programs as
well as "Life Enrichment" events for the children involved in the program.
EAF's goal is to promote higher education by providing scholarships and
no-cost after-school mentoring and tutoring programs to students.
LLC currently owns and operates five buildings in Baldwin Village,
California, and one development in Dallas, Texas. Through the added
incentive of educational opportunities, the buildings become desirable
destinations for renters, which minimizes vacancy, rental default and
vandalism rates, thereby helping to improve community standards. Students
participating in LLC/EAF programs range from kindergarten to the 12th
grade.
Additional information on Learning Links Centers(R) and Education
Advantage Foundation can be found at the following links:
www.learninglinkscenters.com
www.educationadvantage.org
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