Charities Housing plans affordable studios in Buena Vista

Charities Housing wants to build 80 to 90 affordable studio apartments on a 30,500-squarefoot lot it owns just off Meridian Avenue on Page Street in San Jose’s Buena Vista neighborhood.

The nonprofit, which has managed and operated more than 1,000 affordable housing units in Silicon Valley for nearly 25 years, hasn’t yet submitted renderings of the project.

But Kathy Robinson, Charities’ director of housing development, said in an interview that the buildings will vary in height, with some possibly up to five or six stories tall.

The charity presented its proposal at a recent Buena Vista Neighborhood Association meeting to hear from and establish a rapport with neighbors. Robinson said getting to know the residents and new District 6 Councilwoman Devora “Dev” Davis is important before doing anything else.

“We haven’t submitted anything yet; we thought we’d start some early outreach to the community first,” Robinson said.

The last time an affordable housing project was built in District 6 was almost 20 years ago, when the 110-unit Penzione Esperanza building went up at the corner of Bird and Columbia avenues. Because it’s been so long since then, Robinson said connecting with residents first is important to ensure the project succeeds.

“We haven’t built in that neighborhood in a while, and the council member is new,” she added. “It just seemed like a good idea to begin our community outreach with the neighborhood and with her, just so we could be a little better known and some some input early, so if there are some things we weren’t aware of, we could incorporate those early.”

Buena Vista Neighborhood Association president John Leyva said residents are concerned about the potential effects of overcrowding, such as the loss of some street parking spaces, but they appreciate Charities Housing approaching them first.

“I don’t want to sound too effervescent, but we’re real excited that they’re interested in putting a facility in the neighborhood,” Leyva said. “They’re being very thoughtful about how it would fit in. I haven’t had a lot (of developers) that really try to approach the neighborhood before they’re in the application pipeline.”

Parking could be increased from the proposed 0.65-to-1 spaces per tenant, Robinson said, and will be in a garage beneath the studios.

“We will be using some parking lifts, and as we try to add more parking, there is a good chance that some or all of the lifts will need to be below grade to avoid the building growing in height,” Robinson added.

Because many residents will likely be “at the lower end of the affordability range,” she said some units likely will be set aside for seniors, people with disabilities or those who are formerly homeless. Charities will seek about $40 million from a “patchwork of public subsidies and tax credits,” including Measure A funds, to pay for the building.

A follow-up meeting to discuss the proposal will be held in Milpitas at the Sobrato Reception Center, 507 Valley Way, on July 25 starting at 7 p.m. For more information visit charitieshousing.org or contact Kathy Robinson at 408-550-8311.