Groundbreaking Held For Silicon Valley Affordable Housing Community

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- State and local officials gathered Monday morning in Mountain View to celebrate the groundbreaking for the construction of an affordable housing complex for the area's low-income veterans and households.

Eagle Park Apartments, a 67-unit apartment community being developed by Palo Alto Housing, is located at 1701 W. El Camino in the center of Silicon Valley, within walking distance of groceries, pharmacies, restaurants and public transit.

Among those on hand for Monday's groundbreaking ceremony Santa Clara County Board Supervisor Joseph Simitian, State Housing and Community Development Director Ben Metcalf, the California Department of Veterans Affairs, Mountain View Mayor Ken Rosenberg, as well as other local leaders.

"It was in June last year where we, as a city, stepped up and invested $8 million in development funds for this Palo Alto Housing Corporation project because it is bringing 67 new affordable homes with easy access to mass transit," said Mayor Rosenberg. "This project is a great example of how both cooperation and smart development can make our city more accessible by increasing our overall supply of affordable housing and making a great place for our veterans to come home to."

The architecturally innovative building will house low-income veterans and others earning up to 60 percent of the Santa Clara County Area Median Income (AMI). The unit mix consists of 62 studios at approximately 400 square feet and five one-bedroom apartment homes at nearly 600 square feet.

In addition to the $8 million from the city of Mountain View, financing for the $33-million development is being provided by the County of Santa Clara, U.S. Bancorp, State Department of Housing and Community Development, Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program, California Housing Finance Agency, California Department of Veterans Affairs and Google.

"Google is honored to help support the amazing work that Palo Alto Housing is doing," said Adrian Schurr, Bay Area Program Manager for Google.org. "PAH is an amazing leader in the community and we're excited to see the success of their initiatives."

Palo Alto Housing’s property management division will provide onsite property management. PAH’s resident services division will partner with a network of service providers including the VA Palo Alto and Abode Services to provide supportive services to residents. Services will be designed to ensure housing stability, promote health and wellness, and encourage social integration. Palo Alto Housing’s mission is to create stronger, more diverse communities by providing and maintaining high-quality, affordable housing where individuals and families thrive, according to a news release.

“Palo Alto Housing commends the City of Mountain View for making affordable housing a strategic priority,” said Candice Gonzalez, CEO of Palo Alto Housing. “We truly appreciate the collaboration between our public and private partners. In the middle of Silicon Valley, in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country, we are proud to honor our veterans and workforce with high-quality, affordable housing in an amenities-rich neighborhood.”

The residential apartment community building on approximately one-half acre will be GreenPoint Rated through the inclusion of the following green design features: solar thermal system, energy-efficient HVAC, energy-efficient lighting and water-conserving fixtures, according to the news release.

Onsite amenities will include roof decks for socializing, a community room with a computer lab, community kitchen and elevator access on every floor. Van Meter Williams Pollack is the Architect. Branagh Inc. is the General Contractor.

The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2018.

Those interested in housing at Eagle Park Apartments may call Palo Alto Housing at 650-321-9709 and request to be added to the interest list.

Image via Palo Alto Housing