The Los Angeles Post

California Invests $757 Million to Create Affordable Housing and Clean Transportation

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Investment will create more than 2,500 affordable homes, 150 zero-emissions buses, and over 50 miles of new bikeways
In total, projects will reduce 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to removing 178,000 gas-powered cars off California’s roads for one year
WHY IT MATTERS: As cities around the country wrestle with how to rebuild communities, California is moving forward with a vision for the state’s future, investing more than $750 million to create more affordable housing and clean transportation. Today’s announcement is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s call to make coordinated investments that advance the state’s housing and climate goals while attracting additional federal and private funds into our communities.
SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Newsom, along with the California Strategic Growth Council announced $757 million in funding to advance the building of affordable housing in jobs-rich, walkable neighborhoods. This investment will create more than 2,500 affordable homes, 150 new zero-emissions buses, over 50 miles of new bikeways, and improve miles of sidewalks in communities across the state. Once constructed, the projects will reduce 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking 178,000 gas-powered cars off California’s roads for one year.
What Governor Newsom said: “California is reimagining communities around the state to address the ways our cities are changing – adapting to climate change and confronting housing scarcity. These investments will help cut carbon pollution and build more affordable housing as we look forward to a clean energy future.”
“As we consider the billions in federal funding on the table, today’s investment not only provides safe and affordable housing and transportation options, but also attracts additional dollars that stimulate local economies and create jobs,” said Lynn von Koch-Liebert, Executive Director of the California Strategic Growth Council. “We would like to thank our partners, including our Council, the Governor, and HCD and CARB for their partnership in creating a proven model for climate-friendly homes and thriving communities.”
“We are working across state government to make life-long investments in people and places, and this latest round of awards does just that,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “With over $757 million in funding to over 16 communities, we are building stable and affordable places to live with access to jobs, transit, parks and places where veterans, older Californians and families with children can prosper.”
“I am proud of the cross-departmental collaboration to make these awards that will result in over 2,500 new climate-friendly affordable homes across the state,” said California Department of Housing & Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez. “These new homes will serve as a foundation of opportunity for the individuals and families living in them and will add more walking, biking, and transit infrastructure that will benefit the entire community.”
“California has been a leader in advancing cleaner transportation options, while also advancing solutions that make it easier for people to avoid the need for a car trip,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph. “The state’s investments in affordable, climate-friendly housing options and in zero-emissions, non-vehicle travel such as walking and biking are part of the path toward a clean air future for California.”
Today’s announcement is funded through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program. AHSC is a part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The program is a partnership between the California Strategic Growth Council, California Department of Housing and Community Development, and California Air Resources Board.
In the last round alone, AHSC-funded developments leveraged a total of $2.4 billion in additional local, state, federal, and private investments, catalyzing investment into climate-friendly communities.
This announcement will bring the total funding through AHSC to over $3 billion, making it the state’s largest funding source for affordable housing in California. Since its inception, the program has contributed to the development of 17,000 affordable homes and thousands of transportation improvement projects. Overall, these projects have reduced 5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking 11 million gas-powered cars off California’s roads for one year.
Learn more about the projects below and in the SGC Staff Report.
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Round 7 Awardees:
797 S. Almaden Ave
Awarded $29.4 Million, the San Jose-based project is led by Resources for Community Development. The project:
  • Includes 98 affordable homes.
  • Will transform a vacant corner lot while addressing local gentrification and displacement challenges.
  • Will support residents in accessing local social services, education and training, and youth enrichment programs.
  • Will support the City of San Jose’s Vision Zero Plan by constructing 12.5 miles of dedicated bus priority lanes, 12.9 miles of protected bicycle lanes, and various pedestrian enhancements.
440 Arden Way
Awarded $42.9 Million, the Sacramento-based project is led by BRIDGE Housing Corporation. The project:
  • Includes 124 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing an on-site childcare center, a resident services suite, a community room, access to playgrounds and community gardens, and more.
  • Will beautify residential alleys by providing shade trees, public art, and bike boulevards in partnership with the Dixieanne Neighborhood Clean & Green Alleys project.
  • Will improve existing local bus routes along congested corridors in North Sacramento in partnership with the Sacramento Regional Transit District.
Balboa A
Awarded $45.7 Million, the San Francisco-based project is a partnership between BRIDGE Housing Corporation and the Mayor’s Office of Housing & Community Development of the City and County of San Francisco. The project:
  • Will transform underutilized parking lots into 159 affordable homes.
  • Support residents by providing a childcare center and creating a new local park.
  • Will upgrade biking, walking, and street improvements for neighborhood walkability.
Crenshaw Crossing
Awarded $49.9 Million, the South Los Angeles-based project is a partnership between La Cienega LOMOD, Inc. and the City of Los Angeles. The project:
  • Includes 176 affordable homes in the heart of South Los Angeles.
  • Will support residents by providing access to a yoga room, fitness center, and outdoor recreational spaces.
  • Will promote more biking, walking and public transit use by constructing nearly 10 miles of new bike lanes and repairing crosswalks and sidewalks.
Dakota
Awarded $48.7 Million, the San Joaquin Valley-based project is a partnership between UP Holdings California and RHCB Development. The project:
  • Includes 114 affordable homes for families and veterans.
  • Will support residents by providing wrap-around services through the Veterans Affairs Office, RH Community Builders, and the City Center.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and public transit use by constructing new bike lanes, new walkways, thirty-two new bus stop stations, and purchasing an electric bus and carpool vans.
Downtown Women’s Center Campus Expansion
Awarded $41.1 Million, the Los Angeles-based project is a partnership between GTM Holdings and the City of Los Angeles. The project:
  • Will transform an empty lot into 97 affordable homes and permanent supportive housing for victims of domestic violence and women experiencing homelessness.
  • The project will support residents through programming offered through the Downtown Women’s Center.
  • Together with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the project will establish 2,169 feet of continuous safe and accessible walkway and over two miles of bike lanes, connecting Downtown Los Angeles to Skid Row and the Arts District.
Eureka Scattered Sites Project
Awarded $30.1 Million, the Eureka-based project is a partnership between Linc Housing Corporation and the City of Eureka. The project:
  • Includes: 90 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing short- and long-term bicycle parking, services offices, a community room, laundry facilities, and a playground.
  • To improve connectivity between the project and Eureka’s downtown, the project includes the purchase of two battery-electric microtransit vehicles and charging infrastructure, as well as the development of the G Street Bicycle Boulevard and thousands of feet of new and repaired sidewalks.
HHH New Hampshire
Awarded $31 Million, the Los Angeles-based project is a partnership between BRIDGE Housing Corporation and the City of Los Angeles. The project:
  • Includes 93 affordable homes for those who have previously experienced homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.
  • Will support residents by providing a childcare center, community room, services hub, and laundry room.
  • Will promote more walking, biking, and public transit use by purchasing seven zero-emissions vehicles.
Kashia Windsor
Awarded $19.9 Million, the Windsor-based project is a partnership between the Burbank Housing Development Corporation, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria, Town of Windsor and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District. The project:
  • Includes 54 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents and the broader community by serving as the Kashia Tribal Headquarters, and include a public gallery for community education, outreach, and displays of Tribal arts and crafts.
  • The project will advance complete streets along Windsor’s Old Redwood Highway Corridor Enhancement Plan by purchasing one zero-electric vehicle bus, installing 1.4 miles of bike routes, and construct a new passenger rail station for the community’s SMART Train.
119 Lincoln Street
Awarded $33.5 million, the Santa Cruz-based project is a partnership between Eden Housing, Inc., For the Future Housing, Inc., and the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District. The project:
  • Includes 124 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing a modern public library, childcare facility, and a technology learning center, rooftop atrium, and onsite after school programs and wellness programs.
  • The project is near to a planned bus depot, which will improve and electrify bus service within the neighborhood in the future.
Meridian at Corona Station
Awarded $30.2 million, the Sonoma County-based project is a partnership between the City of Petaluma, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District, and Danco Communities, For Profit Corporation. The project:
  • Includes 130 affordable homes.
  • Will promote safe biking by providing bike safety workshops, bike repair workshops, walking school buses or other group walking activities, and Safe Routes to School.
  • Will promote safe biking and walking by constructing a new passenger train station and make other pedestrian and biking options.
Metro at Florence
Awarded $30.8 million, the project is a partnership between Meta Development and the County of Los Angeles. The project:
  • Will catalyze the transformation of the unincorporated Florence-Firestone community by creating 158 new affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing onsite supportive services spaces, laundry facilities, and outdoor recreational spaces.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by constructing a new bicycle boulevard by purchasing nine new zero emission buses.
Metrowalk Phase 2
Awarded $42.9 million, the Richmond-based project is a partnership between Pacific West Communities and the City of Richmond. The project:
  • Includes 150 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing an office space, computer room, and exercise room.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by making BART station improvement and improving existing bikeway and sidewalks, as well as complete the Richmond Wellness Trail that connects the Richmond BART Station to the ferry at the waterfront.
Mulberry Gardens Family Apartments
Awarded $27.9 Million, the Riverside-based project is a partnership between Eden Housing and the City of Riverside. The project:
  • Includes 150 affordable homes near downtown Riverside.
  • Will support residents by providing outdoor recreational areas included a tot lot, bocce ball court, fitness area, and outdoor eating areas.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit by constructing new sidewalk, bike lanes, bus shelters, crosswalks, and street trees, and purchasing 42 zero-emissions CalVans.
Riverwalk Phase I
Awarded $41.1 Million, the San Diego-based project is led by the Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation. The project:
  • Includes 190 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing a large outdoor courtyard with play area and a community room with features such as computer stations, a kitchen, and space for workshops, classes, community events and social activities.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit by constructing a new Trolley Station at the center of the project area, establishing a connection directly to the MTS green line the Fashion Valley Transit Center, and install new bike lanes and pedestrian paths, as well as bus shelters and street lighting infrastructure.
Seventh Street Village
Awarded $33 Million, the Modesto-based project is led by Visionary Home Builders of California. The project:
  • Includes 79 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing a business center, Head Start Day Care area, and community center which will double as a cooling center to keep residents safe during extreme heat.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit by constructing bike lanes and sidewalks, planting tree canopies, and provide support to new commuter rail to the Silicon Valley and Sacramento.
Smith Avenue Apartments
Awarded $25 Million, the Leemore-based project is a partnership between Pacific West Communities, Inc., the City of Leemore, and the Kings County Area Public Transit Agency. The project:
  • Includes 108 affordable homes.
  • Will support residents by providing an on-site community center, laundry facility, playground, dog park, and pool, as well as health and wellness, financial literacy, home-buyer education, parenting, GED preparation, and smoking cessation classes.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit by purchasing eight mini buses that will be used to operate and expand the region’s micro-transit service.
3900 Thornton
Awarded $45.8 Million, the Fremont-based project is led by Resources for Community Development. The project:
  • Will catalyze the transformation of an underutilized vacant lot into 128 affordable homes.
  • Includes sustainable building including native, drought-tolerant vegetation, cool roof surface, and water conservation measures.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by constructing a new separated bikeway and make significant upgrades to the area’s local transit hub.
Transbay 2
Awarded $41 Million, the San Francisco-based project is led by Mercy Housing California and the San Francisco City and County Mayors Office of Housing and Community Development. The project:
  • Will create 184 affordable homes with permanent supportive housing.
  • Homes promote intergenerational living and programming to instill a sense of community cohesion.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by purchasing two new BART cars and developing a new two-way protected bikeway.
850 Turk Street
Awarded $31.9 Million, the San Francisco-based project is led by MidPen Housing and the San Francisco City and County Mayors Office of Housing and Community Development. The project:
  • Will create 92 affordable homes with resident amenities including bike storage room, outdoor spaces, and play structures.
  • Includes afterschool programs and adult education classes for residents.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by upgrading protections to existing protected bicycle facilities, improving crosswalks, and restricting private vehicles from using the streets.
306 E. Washington (Peak Plaza Apartments)
Awarded $34.5 Million, this Los Angeles-based project is led by the Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (HCHC) and the City of Los Angeles. The project:
  • Will create 98 affordable homes for residents of Downtown Los Angeles.
  • Complements the City of LA’s Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan (SELACP), which encourages responsible development emphasized the rich cultural and architectural history and its diverse and empowered population.
  • Will promote more biking, walking, and transit use by creating an east-west bikeway, reconstructing sidewalks, and improve efficiency along two crucial bus lanes.