Founded in 1972, the mission of Search To Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) is to enhance the quality of life in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown and for Filipino Americans throughout Los Angeles County.
As such, SIPA provides a wide range of health and human services and community economic development programs aimed at improving economic self-sufficiency, educational attainment, cultural awareness and civic engagement. Youth and family services (counseling and case management, afterschool programs, etc.) are the core of SIPA’s programs, but in the 1990’s housing, small business and consumer assistance and civic engagement and advocacy were added to more comprehensively address the needs of their clients.
Additionally, SIPA has expanded its capacity to serve a diverse population and currently provides services in English, Tagalog (Filipino), and Spanish.
The loan proceeds will be used for tenant improvements for SIPA’s new headquarters and community center at HiFi Collective. SIPA will occupy the commercial space at HiFi Collective, an affordable housing community providing 63 units of permanent supportive housing. This will allow for SIPA to reopen in the very same space that it has operated for decades, serving the Historic Filipinotown community with programs and much needed services.
This loan will be repaid with pending grants and capital campaign.
In the next few years, SIPA’s goals include expanding their existing services, while growing support for youth, families, seniors and vulnerable communities though expanded programs that are responsive to needs that have emerged from the pandemic and rapidly changing conditions.
SIPA will open their new offices in early-2023 as part of the HiFi Collective, a 63-unit permanent supportive housing development in the heart of Historic Filipinotown. Residents are moving in starting August 2022.
Watch the video below for a virtual tour of the SIPA office.
