Construction Begins on Palm Terrace Apartments

Construction Begins on Palm Terrace Apartments

Posted on October 11, 2017

Construction crews have begun preparing the site for a new 50-unit affordable apartment rental community on the southeast corner of Hermosa Street and Westwood Avenue in Lindsay. The rental project, known as Palm Terrace, is being built by Self-Help Enterprises and is projected to be complete by fall 2018.

Palm Terrace is a highly energy efficient and transit-friendly project. Sustainable features include solar PV, graywater recycling system, water conservation measures, and a vanpool program in partnership with the California Vanpool Authority that will transport residents from Palm Terrace and the surrounding community to and from work. The project’s solar PV system will offset the power used in the common area, residential loads, and community center, making Palm Terrace a grid neutral Zero Net Energy project. This will result in reduced utility bills for residents and the property, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

“I am extremely pleased with the partnership the City of Lindsay has with Self-Help Enterprises. Together we are developing an attractive, affordable, and highly-energy efficient apartment complex for our residents in conjunction with a traffic-calming roundabout to enhance pedestrian safety for our youth attending a nearby school.  With a project like this, everybody wins,” said Bill Zigler, Lindsay City Manager.

In addition to securing $4.4 million of Cap and Trade Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) funding for the housing project, Self-Help Enterprises secured $1.4 million in grant funding for the City of Lindsay to construct a roundabout, sidewalks, and bike lanes at the intersection of Westwood Avenue and Hermosa Street. The roundabout will calm traffic and improve the safety for students accessing Jefferson Elementary School, located north of the site. This intersection is a documented safety concern in the community, and the improvements will promote non-motorized transit to access the school, shopping center and bus stop, which are all located within a quarter mile of the site.

”As a result of receiving Cap-and-Trade funding from the Strategic Growth Council, we are able to partner with the City of Lindsay to address a major safety concern at the intersection of Westwood and Hermosa,” said Tom Collishaw, President/Chief Executive Officer of Self-Help Enterprises.  “This project will provide high-quality affordable housing, while creating a safe environment for families to walk and bike to school and other essential services.”

Lindsay is a community with many families working in the fields and packing plants. Many of these families currently live in overcrowded conditions and in substandard housing, not earning enough to afford market-rate housing. Palm Terrace will supply much-needed affordable housing to these hardworking families.

“Palm Terrace will provide its residents and the city of Lindsay with energy-efficient affordable housing, safer streets for bicycles and pedestrians, and access to clean and shared transportation options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Randall Winston, Executive Director of the Strategic Growth Council. “This development is an excellent example of the local innovation that the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program strives to support.”

More than just a roof over the head, Palm Terrace will include one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with a community building, laundry facility, playground, community garden, and open space for residents. The community building will include a computer lab, which will be available to adults and children for schoolwork and educational activities. Resident service programs will also be offered to enhance the everyday lives and futures of the residents. These programs include financial fitness classes, computer literacy classes, nutrition classes, English as a second language (ESL) classes, and adult fitness classes. The combination of affordable housing and high-quality resident services enhances the lives of the residents and provides a healthy and positive living environment.

 

Monthly net rents, ranging from $310 to $720, are determined based on unit size and income. By offering low monthly rents to working families at or below 50% of Area Median Income, Self-Help Enterprises is providing an affordable housing opportunity that will serve the needs of these families.

Palm Terrace is financed through a combination of AHSC program funds, Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) funding, low-income housing tax credits, and Affordable Housing Program (AHP) funds through the San Francisco Federal Home Loan Bank, sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. The AHSC program is administered through a partnership between the Strategic Growth Council and the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) and is funded by Cap-and-Trade proceeds. Construction loan financing is provided by JP Morgan Chase. Tax credit equity is being provided by the National Equity Fund, with Morgan Stanley as the primary investor.

“Thanks to the leadership of the Legislature and Governor, California’s Cap-and-Trade program has been extended to the year 2030, meaning more developments like Palm Terrace will receive vital funding from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program,” said Ben Metcalf, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “In addition to facilitating affordable housing, our funding will create greatly needed sidewalks and bike paths, so residents can safely walk and bike, drive less, and reduce greenhouse gases in communities like Lindsay and beyond.”

Palm Terrace is the first affordable rental community built by Self-Help Enterprises in the city of Lindsay. In addition to the construction of Palm Terrace, the second phase of the project will include a 54-unit affordable apartment rental expected to be completed in the fall of 2019. The project will include Energy-star appliances, a playground, community room, computer lab, and resident services.

Founded in 1965, Self-Help Enterprises is a nonprofit corporation committed to developing, improving, and preserving housing for low-income families in eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley. Best known for its self-help housing program, Self-Help Enterprises has helped 6,200 families build their own homes, with 100 of those homes in Lindsay. For over 40 years, Self-Help Enterprises has also developed rental housing, primarily in underserved communities such as Lindsay. Once completed, Palm Terrace will be among 30 affordable apartment rental communities serving 1,441 families throughout the San Joaquin Valley.