CDU Wins Bid to Develop Future Site North of Campus
ANNUAL REPORT 2021
CDU , in partnership with Thomas Safran & Associates and Century Housing Corporation , was selected in April 2021 to develop the 12.8 acre former Lincoln Elementary School site that sits across from the CDU campus on 118th street . The school closed in 2017 and its proximity to the CDU campus makes it an ideal location for CDU ’ s future expansion .
The selection process was administered by the Los Angeles County Development Authority and the Compton Unified School District , which previously ran the
elementary school . CDU and Thomas Safran & Associates , known for developing affordable and mixed-use rental housing in Southern California , joined with the Century Housing Corporation to form the CDU / MLK Wellness Collaborative , LLC , to develop the site as the future home for a new CDU North Campus as well as provide additional affordable housing for the community . The future campus expansion will include administrative offices , athletic facilities , student dormitories , and more .
Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards CDU Generous Gift to Advance Equitable Vaccine Distribution
In early April 2021 , CDU received a $ 1.6 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies ’ Greenwood Initiative to enhance the university ’ s efforts to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to under-resourced communities in and around Los Angeles .
The support has been used to add several mobile health units to CDU ’ s community outreach efforts to vaccinate vulnerable populations and is part of an over $ 6 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to the nation ’ s four historically Black medical schools — CDU , Meharry Medical College in Nashville , Howard University College of Medicine in Washington , DC and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta — for similar vaccination efforts through mobile medical units .
“ COVID-19 has been devastating to the health and economic wellbeing of many Black families – and right now , increasing equitable access to vaccines is one way we can serve the needs of those who need it most ," said Michael R . Bloomberg , founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies , and 108th mayor of New York City . “ Bloomberg Philanthropies is glad to expand our partnership with America ’ s four historically Black medical schools as they ramp up their mobile operations and ensure that more people get their shots quickly .”
Bloomberg Philanthropies ’ Greenwood Initiative is an effort to accelerate the pace of Black wealth accumulation in the United States and address decades of systemic underinvestment in Black communities .
“ The Bloomberg Philanthropies ’ support of our expansion of the mobile health vaccination efforts will help build upon efforts to achieve national vaccination goals ,” said Dr . Roberto Vargas , Assistant Dean for Health Policy and Inter-Professional Education and the University ’ s lead on COVID-19 community support and partnership efforts .
This generous gift follows a previously announced $ 7.7 million award from Bloomberg Philanthropies , the largest private gift ever presented to CDU at the time , to provide scholarships / debt relief of up to $ 100,000 to nearly 50 % of medical students currently enrolled and receiving financial aid over the next four years .
CHARLES R . DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE 17