Part 2 - Where in Albany could Hundreds of New Housing Units Fit?

The first reaction from most Albany residents who hear that the City must have a State-approved plan that shows where zoning and regulations permit construction of more housing in Albany is, “Where?”

The usual answer is, where something else is now.  Albany’s plan, the draft Housing Element for 2007 – 2014, lists the former structures replaced during the last several years with 251 housing units. They include a former mortuary at 727 San Pablo Ave (25 units); a gas station and small retail store at Portland Ave and San Pablo Ave (12 units); an auto dealership and service center in the 900 block of San Pablo Ave (25 units); a former motel at 1155 San Pablo Ave (16); old barracks in University Village (173 units).  In built-out areas like Albany, most new housing opportunities are in zones with a minimum density of 20 housing units per acre.  Albany’s small lot sizes mean these structures must be multi-unit residential buildings that go up to achieve optimal density. 

Which addresses could become Multi-Unit Housing?

The Housing Element identifies 15 possible sites for future multi-housing-unit buildings. Nine are on San Pablo Ave (SPA), which is zoned for “mixed use”, meaning buildings must have commercial on the ground floor facing the street, and may have residential elsewhere.  Other sites are on Solano Ave, also a “mixed use” street, or in an “R-3” zone, where large multi-unit residential structures are permitted.  Two of these sites are currently vacant, and the remaining 13 are deemed “underutilized”.  A realistic estimate of total housing units from these 15 sites is 322, 175 of which are UC’s proposed senior housing at 1130 Monroe St.  The 147 housing units at addresses other than 1130 Monroe have the potential to serve low income households.  The 15 addresses include:

   Underutilized R-3 Sites

 1. 404-408 Cornell

2. 412-416 Stannage

3. 425 Evelyn

4. 707-711 Adams

   Currently Vacant Mixed Use Sites

 5. 1130 San Pablo

6. 1245 Solano

   Underutilized Mixed Use Sites

 7. 1451 Solano

8. 934 San Pablo

9. 1061-63 San Pablo

10. 433 San Pablo

11. 611 San Pablo

12. 665 San Pablo

13. 805 San Pablo

14. 1089 San Pablo

15. 398-400 San Pablo

Single Family Sites and Second Units

According to City records, only 9 vacant single-family-zoned (R-1) lots were located recently, most on steep sites on Hillside Ave.  Only 9 “second units” were built with permits since 2007.  Second units may be located in R-1, and Albany is also considering allowing second units in the R-2 zone.

*The first part in this series is here: http://albany.patch.com/groups/diverse-housing-in-albany/p/rhna--what-is-albanys-share-of-new-housing

Sources for the second blog include the Albany Housing element draft http://albany2035.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Housing-Element_10-09-13-PZ.pdf, and Albany’s zoning map http://www.albanyca.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=2889

Upcoming blogs in this series are:

Part 3 - What are Constraints to new Housing?

Part 4 - How are Albany Schools affected by New Housing?