March 2024

The childhood feeling of receiving a long-awaited present permeated the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fresno’s new affordable housing community, The Arthur at Blackstone.

The Arthur at Blackstone is a combination of adaptive reuse and new construction, providing 41 new affordable homes for families and transitional age youth from 18 to 24. Located where AJ’s Tuxedo Shop and the beloved Arthur’s Toys once stood, this new structure has taken on a formal look and the name of Arthur to pay respect to its predecessors.

A project of Fresno Housing, Arthur at Blackstone received more than $23 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development including $5.4 million from the No Place Like Home program, $1.8 million from the Infill Infrastructure Grant program, and more than $16 million from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Community program. The development serves individuals and families earning 30-60 percent of the Area Median Income. The development features a community meeting area, multipurpose rooms, laundry rooms, and fitness centers.

Monica Prinzing, the granddaughter of Arthur’s Toys owners Art and Grace Arthur, said her grandparents would have been proud of what has become of their store.

“Arthur’s Toys became synonymous with treasured memories,” said Prinzing. “The Arthur at Blackstone offers new hope, new possibilities for families and young people. I cannot think of a better way for my family legacy to transition to a new chapter that will nurture a healthy, vibrant community for generations to come.”

HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez joined housing and community leaders at the 2024 Housing California Conference.

HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez joined community and housing leaders at the 2024 Housing California Conference. More than 2,000 attendees gathered for workshops, plenary sessions, learning labs, and roundtables to discuss the challenges and innovative solutions to end homelessness, increase affordable housing, and advance housing justice.

Director Velasquez joined several panels in which he spoke on the progress California has made in addressing the housing crisis and the work HCD is doing every day to further the mission of ensuring all Californians have access to safe, affordable homes in sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant communities. He discussed the importance of equity, undoing the historic patterns of segregation, and HCD’s commitment to affirmatively furthering fair housing.

Other topics discussed at the conference included preserving affordable homes, sustaining supportive housing, affordable housing financing, and the importance of cross-sector and public-private partnerships in meeting housing and homelessness needs.

Watch the video below for some highlights from the conference.

The Fuentes family was looking for a better, safer home and they found it at newly opened Redwood Views in Windsor. Watch the video to learn more about the impact on families like this one through HCD-funded housing communities.

José Fuentes and his family enjoy watching the sunset off the balcony of their new home. Their new apartment is in Redwood Views, a new 100% affordable housing development in Windsor, CA. 

The Fuentes family has lived in Windsor for six years in a small apartment on the outskirts of town. One day at work he heard about Redwood Views. He filled out an application and was approved to move in.

“We were looking for something better for the family and we found this opportunity and here we are,” said José.

Partially funded by HCD's Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program, Redwood Views has 52 homes serving individuals and families earning 30-60% of the local area median income, with 40 of those units for income qualified families working in the agricultural sector.

A project of CRP Affordable Housing and Community Development, Redwood Views is located near transit, schools and essential amenities. Direct services will also be offered for residents, including recreational, social, educational, and job assistance and training.

José said he loves the location of the apartment complex, and his family is happy and doing better living there.

“Here everything is close - shopping, grocery stores - we have a lot of places within walking distance. I love it and so does my family,” José said. “They have their own living space. They feel safe and a lot more comfortable.”

Hear from José in the video below.
 

The City of Santa Cruz recently celebrated the adoption of a compliant 6th cycle housing element and reached out to thank the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for its efforts to help the City meet its planning goals, highlighting the proactive role HCD plays in providing technical assistance to jurisdictions working to effectively advance state housing law.

According to a letter from the City of Santa Cruz, HCD was instrumental in helping the City not only achieve an on-time certification, but create a stronger housing element that will benefit residents for years to come.

“Through its recently certified Housing Element, the City is delighted to continue its strong partnership with the state Department of Housing and Community Development in supporting the City's ongoing efforts to create thriving, accessible, and inclusive neighborhoods for its residents,” said Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley, adding, “The City of Santa Cruz stands as a beacon of excellence in housing policy and community development.”

Since 1969, California has required that all cities and counties adequately plan to meet the housing needs of community members at all income levels. They submit these plans, known as housing elements, to HCD roughly every eight years to maintain compliance with state law. HCD provides technical assistance including guidance, workshops, and training to help jurisdictions submit compliant housing elements and implement prohousing policies.

In addition to achieving housing element compliance, Santa Cruz earned the Prohousing Designation in August 2023 for their efforts to reduce barriers to housing development and meet State housing goals. The designation – reserved for communities that are willing to cut through red tape, reduce construction and development costs, and create housing policies with a growth mindset – comes with funding incentives and additional resources to help speed housing production. Most recently, the City earned a $3.6 million Homekey Award from HCD for Freedom House, an 11-unit project that will provide interim housing for transition-aged youth (18-24) experiencing homelessness.

“2023 was a banner year for housing in the City of Santa Cruz,” said Lee Butler, City of Santa Cruz Director of Planning and Community Development. “We met our 5th Cycle RHNA targets in every income category, received HCD’s prestigious Prohousing Designation, and certified our 6th Cycle Housing Element on time. Our new Housing Element represents a renewed commitment in our ongoing efforts to foster affordable housing, address diverse housing needs, and affirmatively further fair housing, and we look forward to working with our Council, community, development partners, and HCD over the next eight years to achieve the Housing Element goals.”

State and local officials and community members recently gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of Colibri Commons, a new affordable housing complex in East Palo Alto. A joint project of EPACANDO and MidPen Housing, Colibri Commons will provide 136 units for individuals and families, in addition to a community room, outdoor recreation areas and an after-school learning center for resident children. The development is being built on long-time vacant city-owned land and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

Colibri Commons is supported through nearly $20 million in funding from the Department of Community Development’s (HCD) Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program. AHSC is a partnership between HCD, the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and 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.

Devany and her boyfriend Pablo received a special gift on Valentine’s Day – they were able to move into their new home.

“It is like falling in love all over again,” said Devany. “We never had a home of our own. This is our first.” 

Devany, Pablo, and their children moved into Imagine Village II on February 13. After sleeping on couches and enduring budget challenges, she said they finally found a place to call home.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to create a space where our family can thrive,” said Devany at the grand opening celebration less than two weeks after moving in. 

Imagine Village II is a new supportive affordable housing community in Lancaster. Funded by more than $5.4 million from the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Supportive Housing Multi-Family Housing Program (SHMHP), Imagine Village II provides 80 homes for individuals and families, many of whom have experienced homelessness. In all, SHMHP has provided funds for the construction or rehabilitation of 667 homes.  

A project of Abbey Road and Penny Lane Centers, Imagine Village II is located near transit, schools, health facilities and businesses and provides its residents with on-site services including primary health and mental health care, education, and employment assistance.  

“(Imagine Village) has given us a peace that we have never had,” said Pablo. “We are able to focus on other things like schooling, and we can work on our careers. Because of the opportunities of this building, we are able to execute those life goals that we have.”

Another resident, Vincent, said he also feels blessed with his new home at Imagine Village II. Several years ago, Vincent lost him apartment after an accident broke both his legs and shattered his ankle.

“I was run over in a parking lot and ended up in a hospital for four months,” said Vincent. “After I was discharged, I had no place to go.”

Vincent spent months living in motels and shelters while he persevered daily to find a permanent home. A stroke that placed him in a wheelchair also presented the additional challenge of finding an accessible living space. Finally, he found a home at Imagine Village II that he says is spacious and allows him to access counters and cabinets and maneuver well with his wheelchair. 

“All those struggles I went through to get here is way behind me now. I am starting new,” said Vincent. “I have an apartment and I don’t have to worry about being outside and being cold. It is a relief.”

View the video below to hear from Devany, Pablo and Vincent.