After one of the main needs of San Mateo County residents is housing, Board of Supervisors Chairman Warren Slocum, along with local dignitaries, last week celebrated the opening of an apartment complex that attempts to address that challenge.
Colibri Commons, at 965 Weeks St. in East Palo Alto, includes 136 new apartments that will serve a wide range of the community's housing needs, with floor plans up to four bedrooms.
According to the information, rents will be below market rates for all units in a development led by EPACANDO and MidPen Housing, two local nonprofit housing developers.
“These larger apartments offered at affordable prices address a priority for the county and will help us stem the exodus of working families,” Slocum said.
Rentals will be targeted to people earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income, which is currently about $39,000 for a single-person household to about $147,180 depending on family size. Qualified tenants will expect to pay up to 30 percent of their gross monthly income in rent.
The complex will be built on city-owned Weeks Street, not far from University Avenue and Bay Road. The project is funded in part by a combination of private, local, state and federal sources including a $13 million loan from the county's Measure K local sales tax and an additional $10 million in funding guaranteed by the Department of Transportation. County housing.
The complex is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
“Colibri Commons illustrates the power of vision, perseverance and community collaboration,” said Matthew O. Franklin, president and CEO of MidPen Housing. ?Reaching today's milestone took many years, collective will, and a near-record number of funders. We applaud San Mateo County leaders for their incredible commitment to affordable housing and are excited to work with all partners to bring new homes and opportunities to East Palo Alto.”
More than just a roof over your head, resident services at Colibri Commons will include after-school and summer programs for youth, health and wellness programs, and, for tenants with functional needs, assistance in maintaining independence, among other amenities.
"Colibri Commons represents our best work, but our work is far from over," Slocum stressed. “Let's leverage these strong partnerships and creative financing strategies to create many more affordable housing opportunities for people in communities throughout San Mateo County.”
While tenant applications are not being accepted yet, anyone interested in knowing when applications will be accepted can fill out an online form.
Colibri Commons will have 136 apartments, 8 in the form of studios, 19 with one bedroom, 75 with two bedrooms, 27 with three bedrooms, and 7 with four bedrooms.
In addition, it will have 222 parking spaces, and will offer services such as job preparation, exercise and nutrition classes, case management, and adult education services.
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