Construction on an affordable apartment building for seniors in Mid-City Santa Monica could start by December 2019.
EAH Housing, Inc., a non-profit developer, is planning to build a four-story building with 40 affordable one-bedroom units at 1445 and 1453 10th Street by February 2020. Seniors with incomes at 60 percent or less of the city's median income will be able to apply for a unit. The Santa Monica architecture firm DE Architects will design the proposed development, which will feature a large courtyard with seating, a community garden and activities rooms.
The site is across the street from Kaiser Permanente and near UCLA Medical Center, as well as numerous bus routes and the Expo Line. It is made up of two adjoining lots, one of which is a parking lot for a car dealership and the other a single-family home that was most recently used as an office, said Steven Spielberg, EAH Housing's director of new business development for Southern California.
EAH Housing acquired the property in September for $5,250,000. The City of Santa Monica provided the developer with a $6,585,000 loan to cover acquisition, predevelopment and demolition costs of existing structures on the property. The company is the first new affordable developer to work with the City in several years.
“The City of Santa Monica … is supporting EAH Housing because it has an outstanding reputation of developing and operating quality affordable housing,” said Barbara Collins, the City’s housing manager. “In addition to building a sustainable affordable housing property, they will also offer a variety of services to help Santa Monica senior residents improve their wellbeing and age in place with dignity.”
There are several affordable apartment buildings for seniors in Santa Monica, including a 39-unit apartment The Community Corporation of Santa Monica is planning to construct at 1820 14th Street. The City is also providing housing subsidies for 26 longtime, low-income seniors in rent-controlled apartments through a pilot program it launched in November 2017 in response to reports that many seniors were forgoing basic necessities like food to pay rent.
“Santa Monica is one of the most progressive, proactive cities in the U.S. when it comes to affordable housing,” said Welton Jordan, vice president of real estate development at EAH Housing. “Santa Monica realizes that California is facing an immense housing crisis and has developed policies that will eventually help alleviate it on a local level.”
Community members can discuss the proposed development at a meeting on Nov. 14 at the Ken Edwards Center, located at 1527 4th Street.
This article was updated Nov. 7 at 10:18 a.m.
madeleine@smdp.com
