Published by Staff On January 10, 2019 Author: By Eric Heinz
Raya’s Paradise
With assistance for hospice, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and independent living care, Raya’s Paradise plans to open its doors by 2020 after years of going through planning processes.
Moti Gamburd, the CEO of Raya’s Paradise, said he acquired the land about five years ago but that it’s been a long process to get the project started. They had to go through San Clemente’s planning process as well as the California Coastal Commission for permitting.
Raya’s was required by the commission to remove trees to make an ocean-view corridor for residents, as well as other mandates. He got the final approvals from the Coastal Commission last year.
Raya’s Paradise will be located on the 100 block of Avenida Calafia, next to the San Clemente Inn. There will be 24-hour care and an assisted-living unit, providing independent living as well as end-of-life care.
Gamburd said he was inspired by his mother, who immigrated to the U.S. from Russia and Israel, to enter the assisted-living industry.
“In 1991, my mom, who is a nurse, came to the United States and took care of an old lady,” Gamburd said. “Because she has experience in the geriatric work, she said if I can take care of one lady, why can’t I take care of six ladies?”
In California, one home can hold up to six people at one time who are not dependents of the title holder.
“At that time, while I was in school, my father got very ill, and I kind of started to help her, and I started to fall in love with this field,” Gamburd said, adding that Raya’s has added six retirement-living facilities in California.
Monica Westphaln, the COO of Raya’s, was working for a competitor in 2011 when Gamburd decided to try to join forces with her.
“She kind of opened my eyes and showed me how much better it would be to build in a larger community,” Gamburd said. “Eventually, we landed on (San Clemente). We hired an architect from San Clemente.”
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!