Construction has started on an affordable housing community near Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
USA Properties Fund and The Pinyon Group are developing the 151-unit Mainline North, which is part of an effort to establish a transit-oriented and walkable neighborhood in Santa Clara. The apartment community will help meet that goal, being just a few blocks from a large grocery store, an elementary school, a park, and public transportation. Mainline North is also a few blocks east of the proposed City Place, a 9 million-square-foot project that will include shopping, offices, and housing.
“Mainline North is in an exciting, fast-changing area with so much to offer residents,” said Geoff Brown, president of USA Properties Fund. “It will fit the day-to-day needs of residents, whether they are young professionals starting their careers at one of the many companies in the area or retirees living on a fixed income.”
The development is part of a public-private partnership that includes Bank of America, California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the city of Santa Clara, Google, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Ensemble Real Estate Investments, and Related.
“Mainline North is an important component of the Tasman East Specific Plan, adopted in 2018, which will be a complete mixed-use neighborhood with parks, greenways, and a neighborhood shopping district,” said Santa Clara mayor Lisa M. Gillmor.
The city has more than 2,100 affordable units in development or completed since 2018, according to officials.
Mainline North will offer affordable studios to three-bedroom, two-bath apartments that fit the budget and space needs of a wide range of residents, from single-person households to families.
The apartments will be available to households earning 30% to 70% of the area median income (AMI), with rents starting from about $850 for a studio to $1,080 for a two-bedroom apartment for households that earn 30% of the AMI.
Residents will enjoy a community room with a kitchen, an arts and crafts flex room, a computer area with free Wi-Fi, and a rooftop courtyard on the fourth floor that includes outdoor seating, barbecue areas, and a pet wash station.
Apartments will feature energy-efficient appliances and light fixtures, ceiling fans, and low-flow faucets, showers, and toilets.
The $81.2 million project will be able to offer housing to residents with a wide range of incomes with the help of a CalHFA program.
“Building affordable housing in a high-cost area like Santa Clara truly takes a village, especially in this challenging financial climate,” said Tiena Johnson Hall, executive director of the agency. “I am proud CalHFA is part of the village and that the financing from our Mixed-Income Program can help create housing opportunities at Mainline North for 151 deserving families in this community.”
Other partners also praised the upcoming development.
“We’re excited that construction is moving forward with Mainline North, providing 151 housing units to the city of Santa Clara,” said Javier González, head of Google’s local government affairs and public policy in California. “As we remain focused on helping increase the Bay Area’s housing supply as quickly as possible, this is the type of progress we’re proud to support, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to work with organizations like Housing Trust Silicon Valley and USA Properties Fund that are doing incredible work to make this happen.”
The new development is coming at a time when renters are facing a significant shortage of affordable housing. In the San Jose and Santa Clara area, there are just 32 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter household, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s “The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes” report.
“We are thrilled to have provided early-stage financing for Mainline North, which will make more affordable housing accessible in the city of Santa Clara and allows us to continue our mission of creating safe, stable, and affordable housing solutions for our vulnerable neighbors and community members in Santa Clara County,” she Noni Ramos, CEO of Housing Trust Silicon Valley.
The project will have a far-reaching effect on the community and its residents, added Raquel González, Bank of America Silicon Valley president.
“Santa Clara and the Tasman East area are going through an exciting transformation, and we’re proud to provide financing for the Mainline North Apartments that will add more than 150 new, affordable housing units for working families of low-income,” she said. “This model of public-private partnership will have a transformative impact not just on the community, but also for the residents with the on-site services to help them gain financial strength. We have worked with USA Properties Fund on many projects over the years, and this one is ideally located near mass transit, major employers, and retail and public amenities.”