A $500,000 predevelopment loan from the Housing Trust will keep design, entitlement and financing work moving forward on First Community Housing‘s Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments in San Jose. Leigh Avenue has been on the drawing board for a decade, but stalled during the Great Recession and, later, the dissolution of redevelopment agencies across the state. Through it all, First Community Housing remained dedicated and kept the project inching forward, purchasing the property in 2011 and refinancing the loan at more favorable terms with a Supportive Housing Fund loan from the Housing Trust in 2015. Much progress has been made since then and, last month the project received a funding commitment from the City of San José. First Community Housing expects to break ground in fall of 2018.
The Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments in San Jose will include 64 apartments for primarily chronically homeless seniors.
The project is designed to provide comfort and independence to its elderly residents. Common areas will include a community lounge, computer lab, large outdoor courtyard, community gardens and a living roof. It is located a short walk from the Fruitdale light rail station, making it easy for the residents to use their free annual Eco Passes from the Santa Clara Valley Regional Transportation Authority.