More housing finds HOME in Bakersfield

Kern officials approved Tuesday the construction of Oregon Street Apartments, a 16-unit affordable apartment complex in east Bakersfield.

Lorelei Oviatt, the county’s Director of Planning and Natural Resources, said that while this approval was expected and procedural, it is the brick-by-brick additions like this that help Kern — and California — combat its continued housing deficit.

“This is the work it takes to solve our housing problem,” Oviatt said. “One project at a time.”

Construction for the 16 one-bedroom apartment complex, to be located at 3927 Oregon St., will cost $2.3 million. The sum is partially financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through its annual Home Investment Partnerships program, which is also coined as HOME.

Kern County is given grant funds on a yearly basis, decided in amount by the average income level of county residents. The rest of the money is loaned by the county to Golden Empire Affordable Housing, at no interest, as part of Kern’s strategy to incentivize affordable housing development.

“It’s not a large amount of money,” Oviatt said.

Kern spends the annual grant funds on various low-income housing projects, such as new building but also conversions of hotels and abandoned buildings.

With that comes criteria established by HUD that the complex and its new caretaker, Golden Empire Affordable Housing, will need to follow in its construction and maintenance.

And the complex’s deed is restricted for 99 years, meaning that GEAH cannot sell the building only for the new landlords to rent apartments at market rate.

Officials under Oviatt’s management will continue to inspect and monitor the building, but aren’t too worried for people’s safety.

“Golden Empire is an experienced partner in this,” Oviatt said.

HUD also determines who’s eligible to live in the building. Of the 16 apartments in the complex, five are designated for vulnerable populations, such as victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. Six other units are reserved based on households income — two for households at or below 50 percent of Bakersfield’s area median income and four for at or below 60 percent.

According to federal data, Bakersfield’s area median income at 60 percent is $32,760 for one person and $46,740 for a four-person household.

“Our median limits are actually very low,” Oviatt said, “which is exactly why stable housing is one of the most important things we need.”

GEAH, as is the case with other affordable housing landlords, will partner with various service providers to fill the spots. City and county shelters combined have more than 100 people currently on a waiting list for affordable housing, according to past reports. According to the U.S. census, 18 percent of Kern residents live in poverty.

“We won’t have any trouble getting it filled,” Oviatt said.

And although the rent is cheap, the quality is not. As is the price tag, a common complaint raised by officials and residents alike. Part of that, Oviatt said, is attributed to state and federal requirements tacked on with design and construction, but part of it is also that there is a need for the buildings to last.

“They need to be durable,” Oviatt said. “So we can continue to provide them to challenged populations. We don’t want substandard homes from the beginning. Not saying they are luxury apartments, but they need to be maintained over the many years we have to keep these programs running.”

“To the people renting them, this is their whole world,” Oviatt added. “They shouldn’t have to take a lower standard of living purely because of their income level.”