The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education approved the sale of the Maple Elementary School site to La Familia Counseling Center for $300,000 at its Feb. 5 meeting, according to an April 8 announcement. The property, which currently houses the Maple Neighborhood Center, has now closed escrow and will allow La Familia Counseling Center to take ownership of the facility.
The sale is expected to support expanded community services in the South City Farms neighborhood and throughout Sacramento. A press conference is scheduled for Friday, April 10 at 2:00 p.m. at the Maple Neighborhood Center (3301 37th Ave, Sacramento) where details about service expansion, facility upgrades, and plans for a new park space will be announced.
Maple Elementary School was closed by the district during campus reductions in 2013. In 2015, an agreement allowed community groups including La Familia Counseling Center to provide services at two former school sites. For nearly eleven years since then, La Familia has operated various programs from this location.
Tara Jeane, president of SCUSD Board of Education said: “The Sacramento City Unified Board is incredibly proud of our partnership with La Familia Counseling Center. It was important to our Board that the old Maple Elementary property be repurposed in a way that benefits our students and the entire community. We look forward to seeing La Familia expand upon the wonderful work they do in support of Sacramento families.”
Rachel Rios, Executive Director of La Familia Counseling Center said: “We are deeply grateful to Sacramento City Unified School District for their partnership and shared vision. This transition ensures the campus will remain a place of opportunity for children and families for generations to come.”
The district noted that before finalizing this sale it went through its public “7-11 committee” process which reviews options for reusing or selling properties no longer needed as schools.
