May is Affordable Housing Month, providing a great opportunity for the City of Fremont to show its commitment to affordable housing and to keep residents informed regarding the City’s efforts. Here are a few updates on some of the affordable housing projects that are currently in development.

One project of note is the St. Anton Communities project, Innovia [rendering below]. This 290-unit transit-oriented mixed-use affordable housing development will be located across the street from the new Warm Springs/South Fremont BART station, which is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2016.

The development itself will provide housing units, as well as retail space and a number of on-site amenities like active courtyards, social centers, a swimming pool, gathering areas, a tech center, and a bike repair facility. Not only that, but there will also be on-site free classes focused on workforce development, resume preparation, English as a second language, technology skill development, nutritional health and well-being, among others. The ground breaking is scheduled to take place in November 2016 and the development should be completed within two years.

A few other projects the City has in the works include:

  • Laguna Commons – a 65-unit affordable housing project with nearly half of the units reserved for military veterans has almost completed construction and is scheduled for occupancy at the end of May or early June this year.
  • Central Commons – a 30-unit Habitat for Humanity project for low-income home buyers is anticipated to break ground later this year or in early 2017.
  • Parc55 – a 93-unit affordable senior apartment project developed by the nonprofit Eden Housing that is set to begin construction in late 2016 or early 2017.
  • Stevenson Family Apartments – an 80-unit affordable housing project developed by the nonprofit MidPen Housing. Construction is planned for early 2017.

On top of these developments, the City of Fremont has taken on other strategies to increase affordable housing. Some of these strategies include:

  • Updated Affordable Housing Ordinance—In 2015, we updated our affordable housing ordinance to increase affordable housing funding and incentivize market rate developers to incorporate affordable housing into projects. And since the update, the City is proud to say that fees collected and onsite affordable housing production have both increased.
  • Grant Funding—Back in 2014, Fremont competed for and was awarded a $1.7 million grant from California’s Local Housing Trust Fund Program. The grant is being used to support development of the 80-unit Stevenson Family Apartments affordable housing project.
  • Shared Housing—Fremont recently partnered with HIP Housing, a San Mateo based nonprofit organization that creates homes for Bay Area residents. The home sharing program partners those who have spare bedrooms with those seeking a place to live, to create affordable housing and mutually beneficial options.

As we celebrate Affordable Housing Month, we’re pleased that we have great things happening onthe affordable housing front, with lots more to come in the future.