The Depot Community Apartments will bring 125 new affordable studio apartments and a manager’s unit to the Mt. Eden neighborhood in Hayward, CA. The development sits on a 3 acre site shared with the Cronin House, an existing separate transitional care facility.

Aimed to promote the overall health, safety, and welfare of its residents, this project will provide permanent supportive housing for households earning below 60% of the area median income, with a portion of the units earmarked for affordable housing at a rate as low as 20% of the area median income. About half of the apartments will be set aside for a special needs target population, including persons experiencing homelessness.

Designed as an L-shaped building with a three-story wing along with the northern property and a four-story wing along the western property line, there is a focus on shared amenities for community building such as a basketball court, BBQ area, courtyard, community garden, and dog park. To meet this population’s needs for both stability and acclimating back into society, Abode will provide on-site services such as case management and services coordination.

Each unit, ranging between 281-296 sf, provides a private bathroom, kitchen, and living room/sleeping area. The common laundry facilities, computer area, storage locker for each unit, and bike shelter are also accessible and available to residents. Additional landscaping will provide screening for increased privacy, and art commissioned by local artists will decorate the building – adding vibrancy and bridging the project with the community. This project is the city’s first all-electric new development and is slated to be GreenPoint Rated Gold.

By providing service-rich housing, the Depot Community Apartments play a critical role in addressing the challenges of homelessness and the severe lack of affordable housing throughout the city. This project utilized SB-35 and AB-1763 to obtain land use approvals in March 2020. Ground-breaking construction is expected for November 2021.