Update: We are thrilled to share that the Santa Clara City Council approved the Civic Center Multifamily Housing Project, bringing much-needed homes to the region!
Greenbelt Alliance was excited to officially endorse the Civic Center Multifamily Housing Project by Charities Housing in Santa Clara. The Civic Center development will bring affordable housing to Santa Clara, which is in dire need of more homes that are accessible to low and moderate-income families.
According to the Santa Clara County Housing Need Report, 100,000 families in Santa Clara can only afford fewer than 34,000 homes in the county. The Civic Center Multifamily Housing Project will help alleviate this problem by creating 108 new homes that are 100% affordable and available within the lower end of the affordability range.
The development will also include important community amenities such as 17,000 sq ft. of outdoor open space including a courtyard, a children’s play space, and on-site landscaping.
Transit and Mobility
Given its very close proximity to public transportation, shops, supermarkets, medical resources, schools, and other amenities, this project offers an important opportunity for low-income families to live in an affordable and walkable community close to jobs and the services and amenities they need. The site is also adjacent to a semi-public space for people to walk around and take a break from their workspaces.
In terms of sustainability features, the site building is all-electric with solar panels to offset common areas as well as water-saving faucets, drought-tolerant plants, efficient building systems, and sustainable flooring and finishes.
According to GreenTRIP—a free online tool created by TransForm that models traffic and greenhouse gas impacts of residential projects in California—the Civic Center Multifamily Housing Development Project will result in:
56% less driving or 17.88 miles per year compared to the Santa Clara County average.
56% less impact or 9.18 fewer CO2 per year compared to the Santa Clara County average.
26% less parking used or 0.3 fewer parking spaces used compared to the Santa Clara County average.
Greenbelt Alliance enthusiastically endorsed the Civic Center Multifamily Housing Development Project because it meets our goals of smart growth. This new development is needed in Santa Clara and the Bay Area, where rents are among the highest in the country. The Civic Center Multifamily Housing Project would provide homes that are affordable to a wide range of people who need them most.
Greenbelt Alliance’s Climate SMART—Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-Oriented— Development Endorsement Program goals call for fully protecting the Bay Area’s greenbelt, directing growth within existing communities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and accomplishing both in a way that equitably benefits all Bay Area residents. Our Endorsement Program provides support for projects that advance the right kind of development in the right places. By promoting climate SMART development, we can create thriving, resilient neighborhoods with ready access to transit and housing choices for all of the Bay Area’s people. Find out more about our Endorsement Program here. Feel free to contact our team for more information and support.
Header Photo: Charities Housing
