County of Santa Clara Approves $31.5 Million for More Affordable Housing, Including For-Sale Homes
The latest projects will add 242 apartments, plus 14 townhomes in the first homeownership project greenlit under the County’s $950 million affordable housing bond
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. — The County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors signed off on $31.5 million for a trio of housing projects on Tuesday, as the County continues to make progress on its goal of creating 4,800 affordable units to ease the region’s housing crunch, particularly for low-income community members.
The projects will result in 36 housing units in San José (of which 14 are new for-sale townhomes) and 220 housing units Milpitas. Funding for the projects includes $21.3 million from the $950 million Measure A Affordable Housing Bond approved by county voters in 2016.
“Santa Clara County voters made it happen in 2016 when they passed the $950 million affordable housing bond to help our fellow community members who struggle to pay for housing,” said County of Santa Clara Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who helped spearhead Measure A. “We will continue to make substantial progress in building permanent affordable housing and give our families and children the housing security they need.”
Among the developments the Board approved is Jackson Avenue Townhomes, the first affordable homeownership project to be funded under Measure A, which until now has supported multifamily rental housing. The project, which will be developed by Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley, will include 14 townhomes with solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.
Artist's rendering of Jackson Avenue Townhomes, courtesy of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley and Geoffrey Holton & Associates | GHA.
Jackson Avenue Townhomes will provide homeownership opportunities to residents with a range of income levels. Of the 14 units:
- Five are for households that make up to 50% of the area median income (AMI)
- Seven are for households that make up to 80% of AMI
- Two are for households that make up to 120% of AMI
The County is contributing $4 million in Measure A funds to the project, which is also supported by $2.2 million from the City of San José, $1.2 million from the State of California’s CalHome program and $833,290 from Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley.
“Jackson Avenue Townhomes is the first project of its kind under Measure A,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D. “We’re excited to provide residents who would otherwise struggle to afford a home the equity and sustainability of homeownership, and we will continue our efforts to ease the county’s housing affordability crisis.”
The other projects the Board approved are the Mil on Main in Milpitas and the Pavilion Inn in San José, which will create a total of 242 affordable housing units.
The Mil on Main will include 22 rapid rehousing (RRH) units to help homeless working families and individuals regain permanent housing and 20 units for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It will also include:
- 11 units for households up to 30% AMI
- 79 units for households up to 50% AMI
- 85 units for households up to 60% AMI
- One manager’s unit
The Pavilion Inn will consist of 21 units of permanent supportive housing for transition age youth (ages 18 to 25) with special needs, plus a manager’s unit, and 21 units of transitional housing for people in the same age range.
“We’re thrilled to continue to advance the work of implementing the voter-approved 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond to bring much needed affordable housing to community members in need,” said Consuelo Hernandez, Director of the County’s Office of Supportive Housing. “Today, thanks to great partnerships with cities and the development community, we presented the first homeownership project under Measure A, which highlights the growing body of work the County is leading in closing the wealth gap.”
The County is now five years into a 10-year plan to implement the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond and has committed $812.7 million to affordable housing projects, which account for 86% of the targeted 4,800 affordable housing units. Of the 44 housing projects the Board has approved, 12 are already in operation, providing 1,186 housing units to 2,508 people.
In particular, the County has made significant progress on its goals for supportive housing, which includes on-site services for the area’s most vulnerable residents. The County is 95% of the way toward its goal of creating 1,702 permanent supportive housing units.
Partnerships with organizations like Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley are essential to achieving the County’s housing goals and improving quality of life for thousands of individuals, families and children.
“Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley is proud to work with the County of Santa Clara to improve the lives of South Bay residents. This funding is critical to getting shovels in the ground and building 14 affordable, sustainable homes on Jackson Avenue,” said Rob Simonds, Director of Housing Development for Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley. “In partnership with the County, Habitat will make homeownership possible for 14 families who have been priced out of the market. The prospect of homeownership brings opportunities for improved health, financial stability, educational outcomes, and the ability to build generational wealth.”
ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
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Media contact: Quan Vu / Aaron Kinney, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]
Posted: Nov. 1, 2022