SHE Breaks Ground on Annadale Commons – An Affordable Rental Community in SW Fresno

SHE Breaks Ground on Annadale Commons – An Affordable Rental Community in SW Fresno

Posted on April 24, 2019

Fresno, CA— On Friday, April 12th, Self-Help Enterprises held a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of their 40-unit senior affordable rental community located on the North side of East Annadale Avenue, West of Elm Avenue, and adjacent to the Clinica Sierra Vista health clinic.

Made possible by key partnerships with the Housing Successor to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno, the City of Fresno, and Wells Fargo Bank—Annadale Commons is an infill multifamily senior housing development that will provide permanent housing for low-income people ages 62 and older in southwest Fresno. Annadale Commons includes one- and two-bedroom single-story units with a centrally located community building containing an exercise room and computer lab. The community room also includes a hearing aid loop, a wireless system allowing presentations to go directly into connected hearing devices, ensuring residents experiencing hearing loss enjoy the same services as other residents.

“Annadale Commons fills a critical need for quality senior housing offering both on-site and nearby services and amenities, said Marlene Murphy, Executive Director of the Housing Successor to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno. “Working together, Self-Help Enterprises, Fresno Housing Successor, City of Fresno and private sector partners effectively combined resources to bring a very attractive asset and investment to the community. We are excited to break ground!”

“This housing development will improve the quality of life of West Fresno residents,” said Council Vice President Miguel Arias. “It is a great example of how public and private collaboration can address the needs of our community.”

“With our growing senior population, projects like Annadale Commons become an essential part of the health and well-being of our aging community,” said Tom Collishaw, CEO of Self-Help Enterprises. “Annadale Commons will offer critical services that will ensure residents remain active and engaged in their community.”

Self-Help Enterprises is partnering with Clinica Sierra Vista to provide on-site medical services. In addition, Self-Help Enterprises will provide a robust program of on-site resident services, including exercise, nutrition and health education, financial planning and literacy, ESL, computer classes, and other services based on the needs of the residents. The project will also include a gazebo and open green space. Annadale Commons is highly energy efficient and transit-friendly with sustainable features including solar PV. The project’s solar panel system will offset the power used in the common area, residential loads, and community center, making Annadale Commons 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.

Monthly net rents, ranging from $336 to $806, are determined based on unit size and resident income. These below market monthly rents means that Self-Help Enterprises is providing an affordable housing opportunity to local residents. Annadale Commons is the first affordable rental community built by Self-Help Enterprises in the city of Fresno, and is among 32 affordable apartment rental communities owned by Self-Help Enterprises serving 1,458 families throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Annadale Commons is Self-Help Enterprises first rental project that will be provided exclusively for senior residents.

Funding for this project is provided by the Housing Successor to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno, City of Fresno HOME, Wells Fargo Bank, low-income housing tax credits with Wells Fargo as the investor, and a sponsor loan from Self-Help Enterprises.  The project will be implemented in conjunction with a non-motorized transit project funded through the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) program, which will allow SHE to install sidewalks and bike lanes on Annadale from Elm to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The improvements will improve walking/biking in the area and connect residential homes with the schools, Mary Ella Brown Center, Clinica Sierra Vista and other community services.

Construction for Annadale Commons is expected to be completed by April 1, 2020. Self-Help Enterprises’ (SHE) contracts with AWI Management Corporation to manage our rental communities and typically they begin their leasing process approximately 4 months prior to completion of project. This means they will put out a public notice announcing applications are available January 2020. Applications are taken in a first-come first-serve basis. Inquiries and interested residents can call 559-651-1000 to be placed on an interest list, and then they will be notified when AWI starts accepting applications. While AWI will do some outreach, SHE will help in reaching out to local senior residents through our partners, local neighborhood organizations and churches. All If all goes as planned, residents should be moving into apartments sometime mid-April.

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