CLOVERDALE, Calif. – On Wednesday, May 28, residents of Kings Valley Senior Apartments
celebrated the renovation of the 99-unit affordable housing community. A
dinner and dance marked the end of construction rehabilitation.
Built
in 1973, Kings Valley addresses the needs of older adults living on a
fixed income. To ensure the property’s longevity and long-term
affordability, EAH Housing acquired and rehabilitated the 41-year old property as part of the EAH Housing Stewardship Program.
“Kings Valley addresses an important need for the City of Cloverdale
by providing housing opportunities to low-income seniors,” said
Cloverdale Mayor Carol Russell. “EAH Housing has a true sense of
commitment to quality affordable housing and understands what it takes
to nurture a thriving community.”
The revitalized property
received water- and energy-efficient upgrades as well as solar
photovoltaic panels that offset more than 50 percent of the property’s
common area energy usage. Other upgrades included new energy-efficient
heating and cooling systems, new countertops, and based on specific unit
need, cabinet and appliance replacements. Exterior siding on the
community building, apartment balcony decks and railings have also been
replaced.
"The renovation of Kings Valley presented the
opportunity for making the buildings more energy efficient, attractive
and comfortable for the residents,” said Paul Okamoto, Partner of
Okamoto Saijo Architecture. “These types of renovations are some of the
most sustainable building practices possible."
All units have been
painted and fitted with double-pane, low-E windows and sliding glass
doors. All bathrooms have been upgraded with low-flow toilets, new
sinks, low-flow faucets, new bathroom fans with humidistats and
energy-efficient lighting.
“It’s a privilege to know we are
preserving apartments with quality construction and making a
difference,” said Tom Dawson, CEO of Precision General Commercial
Contractors, Inc.
EAH Housing also remodeled five units to provide
full accessibility and added accessible paths of travel to parking, the
community building and common areas, and new access to community area
patios. As part of the rehabilitation work, seismic upgrades were made
to improve resistance to earthquakes.
“Citi Community Capital
supports the preservation of Kings Valley, a crucial asset that’s vital
to the Cloverdale community and an important resource for older adults,”
said Merle D. Malakoff, Director of Citi Community Capital. “We’re
committed to investing in the communities we serve and working with
respected nonprofits like EAH Housing.”
This $8.5 million rehab
effort is supported by a tax-exempt bonds loan from Citi Community
Capital, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, with equity provided by
Enterprise Community Investment, Sonoma County HOME funds and Affordable
Housing Program Funds awarded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San
Francisco.
“Access to quality housing can be a significant
challenge, especially in smaller communities. Kings Valley will provide
Cloverdale seniors a stable place to call home,” said Rich Gross, vice
president and Northern California market leader at Enterprise Community Partners,
ECI’s parent company. “Enterprise is proud to partner with EAH Housing
in this development and looks forward to future collaborations.”
Like
other EAH Housing communities, resource coordination services at Kings
Valley are based on the needs of the residents. Some services include
food assistance programs, health and wellness programs and
community-building groups.
“A growing senior population makes
preserving existing affordable housing more important than ever,” said
EAH Housing Vice President of Real Estate Management Dianna Ingle. “With
Kings Valley, we are providing a steady, dependable source of housing
in a fantastic community.”