HAYWARD, Calif: Nov. 16, 2021: The project partnership of Lowney Architecture, a multidisciplinary architecture and planning firm, Cahill Contractors and Allied Housing, the supportive housing development entity of Abode Services, announces the groundbreaking milestone of the Depot Community Apartments, a new, affordable and permanent supportive housing development with on-site services to help people experiencing homelessness live more independent lives. Upon completion, Depot Community Apartments will be the first new all-electric development in the City of Hayward.
“Our task is not only to develop this permanent supportive housing project but also to build an inclusive community and to work in close collaboration with our stakeholders to maintain ongoing stewardship of that community – one that strives to serve all individuals,” said Macy Leung, Senior Project Manager with Allied Housing. “We are excited to deliver affordable homes in a neighborhood that offers access to transit and amenities, and we are deliberately designing this residence to be a space of progress, hope, and wellness – a place where those who used to be homeless can find security and support in a welcoming, inclusive community and can build a solid foundation from which they can reach their potential.”
Situated on a three-acre lot in the Mt. Eden neighborhood, the Depot Community Apartments development leverages a “Housing First” approach to boosting the overall health, safety, and welfare of its residents and the broader region. The project will deliver 124 studio apartments for households earning 20 – 60% of the area median income (AMI), with almost half of the units reserved for individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as a one-bedroom manager’s unit for the onsite property manager. The complex will also house office space for property management and case management, where Abode will provide a variety of specialized, on-site services that offer residents more stability and help them acclimate back into society.
“Depot Community Apartments is designed to respond to several of our most critical issues – housing availability, homelessness, and sustainability,” said Lowney Senior Project Manager Katrine Wong. “This development takes a holistic approach and applies meaningful solutions that will have real impact for its occupants. Lowney is proud to be a partner in bringing this project to fruition and designing it as a beneficial resource for both residents and the broader community.”
Units range from 290-308 square feet and provide a private bathroom, kitchen, and living room/sleeping area. Residents have access to common laundry facilities, a community room equipped with computers, bike storage, and private lockers. Additional amenities include an outdoor courtyard, a basketball half-court, BBQ area, community garden, and a dog park. Landscaping will provide screening for increased privacy, and art, commissioned by local artists, will reflect the Hayward community. The design puts special focus on the shared amenities and spaces to build community and support self-stabilization. The project is slated to be GreenPoint Rated Gold.
Also situated on the three-acre site is the Cronin House, an existing, separate transitional care facility owned and operated by Horizon Services, Inc., a nonprofit social service organization and prior owner of the property. In a landmark deal, Abode Services purchased the site from Horizon for $3.5 million, with the condition that Horizon can continue to operate on the location. To obtain land use approvals, the project team utilized SB-35 and AB-1763, which streamline the approval process and give affordable housing developers more leverage to advance projects. Funding for Depot Community Apartments comes from the City of Hayward, County of Alameda, the Bay’s Future Fund, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Capital Impact Partners, Merritt Community Capital Corporation, Chase, and the State of California HCD.
“Abode Services is so very proud to move Depot Community Apartments toward completion because we believe everyone should have a home, and our mission is to end homelessness,” said Louis Chicoine, Abode Services’ chief executive officer. “We appreciate all those who have joined the effort to create this community starting with the City of Hayward and including investors Alameda County and Merritt Community Capital Corporation.”
“CSH congratulates Allied Housing and Abode Services on this exciting groundbreaking. In collaboration with Capital Impact Partners, CSH provided $7.2 million from the Bay’s Future Fund for a pre-development and acquisition loan to bring a pipeline of critically-needed affordable apartments to Hayward,” said Brigitt Jandreau, Chief Lending Officer at CSH. “With more than half of the 125 affordable homes slated to house people who have experienced homelessness and have complex care needs, Depot Community Apartments will provide them with the services and supports needed to thrive in this vibrant community.”
“Merritt is proud that our organization’s largest investment in more than three decades of providing capital to California’s affordable housing developers is for a project with such a significant impact,” said Ari Beliak, President and CEO of Merritt Community Capital Corporation. “Residents of Depot Community Apartments will benefit from Abode Services’ deep experience working with low-income, unhoused people in Alameda County and throughout the Bay Area as part of a mission to end homelessness. We are dedicated to working with mission-aligned developers, like Allied Housing, to make the most challenging affordable housing projects possible.”
“We’re proud to support the development of Depot Community Apartments, which promise to bring much needed, affordable and permanent supportive housing to the Hayward community,” said James Vossoughi, Vice President, Community Development Banking, Chase. “With the pervasive need for affordable housing, we’re committed to continuing to work with industry leaders, like Abode Services, to help close the gap by supporting the creation of safe and stable places for people to live.”
About Abode Services
Established in 1989, Abode Services’ mission is to end homelessness. Abode offers programs in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Napa counties that combine housing and services to assist homeless families and individuals in establishing stability and independence. Abode has provided homes to 9,697 adults and children since 2010. Established in 1989, Abode has provided homes to 11,824 adults and children since 2010. Last year, Abode assisted 9,173 people and ensured that on any given night 3,965 people slept in a home rather than on the street. To learn more, visit www.abodeservices.org.
