Guardian Village Groundbreaking in Reedley!

Guardian Village Groundbreaking in Reedley!

Posted on May 1, 2023

Construction is officially underway for Guardian Village, SHE’s new affordable housing community in Reedley! On April 27th, partners and community supporters joined SHE at a groundbreaking ceremony. 

“Guardian Village will bring much needed affordable housing to Reedley that will help individuals and families in need with safe, high quality affordable housing,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises. “We are proud to work together with so many partners to provide opportunities to so many for generations to come.” 

Guardian Village will offer 48 one, two, and three-bedroom affordable apartments for residents earning between 15 and 60 percent of Area Median Income in Fresno County. More than 30% of the new homes will be available for farmworkers and their families struggling with housing insecurity and homelessness. The community will feature garden style apartments as well as on-site recreational and open space. 

“California now has nearly 5,000 new affordable homes in the pipeline thanks to the Governor’s vision to develop climate-friendly housing on state excess sites,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “These unique projects are leveraging state, local, and developer partnerships to maximize public benefit, and in Reedley connecting low-income residents and farmworker families to the heart of the community and its resources.” 

Located at 601 East 11th St., Guardian Village is being developed on a State excess site made available through Executive Order N-06-19 adopted by Governor Gavin Newsom to identify and prioritize excess state-owned property and aggressively pursue sustainable, innovative, cost-effective housing projects. 

“This new community will provide many residents of Reedley, particularly farmworkers, with new housing opportunities with onsite supportive services,” said Mayor Anita Betancourt.  “Guardian Village fills a critical affordability void in the region and opens the door for greater opportunities.” 

The rental community will also be conveniently located to medical services, grocery and retail stores, public schools, transportation, places of worship, bank services and parks. Additional amenities at Guardian Village will include a community center containing an enclosed kitchen, common laundry room, maintenance, and storage areas.  The outside common area will include picnic tables and barbeque areas, as well as a playground for children of all ages. The community will include 100% solar PV to off-set common area and resident loads, and water conservation efficiency measures.   

The new community is expected to be completed in Summer 2024! 

Many public and private financial and community partners have come together to make Guardian Village possible: UnitedHealth Group, the largest private investor, is providing $14.4 million in equity through a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) partnership with Enterprise Housing Credits Investments, part of an initiative to connect people in need to housing and support services to help them live healthier lives. The State of California, through the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), is providing more than $6 million in loans and grants. The state, through HCD and the Department of General Services (DGS), is also providing a 99-year lease to SHE for the two-acre parcel for the development, valued at $700,000. The County of Fresno is providing over $2.5 million in HOME and PLHA funds, with the remaining sources from local and other private entities. Self-Help Enterprises is the developer with California Housing Partnership Corporation as development consultant. The general contractor is Quiring General, and the property manager will be AWI Management Corporation.  The architect is Mogavero Architects.