Avena Bella by EAH Housing set to be LEED Certified

Developed in 2013 by EAH Housing, Avena Bella is an 80-unit affordable housing community in Turlock, CA. The property is located on the southern edge of the City of Turlock, adjacent to Cunningham Elementary School, and within half a mile of Lander Marketplace Shopping Center, Sam’s Food City, and existing bus stops.

Built with sustainability in mind, Avena Bella is slated to be LEED Gold Certified and GreenPoint Rated by Build It Green.

• Avena Bella incorporates solar power, energy-efficient heat pumps for heating and cooling, and a continuously running energy recovery ventilation system brings in fresh, filtered outside air.
• A storm water retention system captures all rainwater on site. With the exception of some fruit trees, the landscaping at Avena Bella features all California native plants.
• Residents have access to a community center, community garden, play area, technology lounge, swimming pool, and landscaped walkways between buildings.
• Avena Bella provides a place to call home for working families in Turlock and offers resource coordination services such as financial workshops, afterschool activities, and lifestyle enrichment classes.

More about LEED Certification:

The prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designation is an internationally recognized green building certification system which judges the overall environmental impact of a property by evaluating criteria such as energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions, and stewardship of natural resources. The LEED designation is considered to be one of the most stringent rating systems for green building. LEED criteria are set and evaluated publically by the United States Green Building Council, which consists of approximately 20,000 member organizations.
GreenPointed Rated

GreenPoint Rated is a program of Build It Green – a professional non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient buildings in California. A GreenPoint Rated building is graded on five categories—Energy Efficiency, Resource Conservation, Indoor Air Quality, Water Conservation and Community. GreenPoint Rated was launched in 2006. It was developed by a diverse set of residential building stakeholders including production builders, contractors, architects and designers, multifamily home developers, state and local government leaders and green building advocates.

Archway Commons Grand Opening

Archway Commons built by EAH Housing is a GreenPoint rated affordable housing community.

In February, nonprofit affordable housing developer EAH Housing welcomes supporters, partners, elected leaders, neighbors, and residents for the grand opening of Archway Commons. The GreenPoint Rated community offers 76 energy-efficient rental apartments, designed to be affordable for families earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income. Archway Commons is located at 1101 Carver Road, Modesto.

More than a decade ago, the City of Modesto zoned the location for multifamily housing development to serve as a catalyst for the surrounding area’s renewal. The groundbreaking for Archway Commons occurred in June of 2012.

“When you have an opportunity to improve your community, you have to take it,” said Mayor Garrad Marsh. “Archway Commons is a chance for low income families and seniors to stabilize their financial life, get ahead and, ultimately, achieve the American Dream.”

The property also received special commendations from the Offices of U.S. Representative Jeff Denham, State Senator Anthony Cannella, State Senator Cathleen Galgiani, and State Assemblymember Adam Gray.

“I see this community as part housing and part hope,” said Mary Murtagh, EAH Housing president and CEO. “For seniors living on a fixed income, this will give them a chance to spend less on housing and more on essentials like medicine or food. For families, this will serve as a fresh start and help them save and plan for the future.”

Archway Commons provides one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in garden-style buildings. All ground-level units are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. The apartments feature private decks/balconies, Energy Star appliances, and energy efficient windows.

Depending on household size and income, a one-bedroom apartment at Archway Commons rents for $532, two-bedroom for $330 to $609 and three-bedroom for $377 to $800.

Archway Commons features a central clubhouse and community center, swimming pool, tot lot, barbeque areas, resident garden area, open turf playing fields, bicycle storage rooms, and a computer learning center.

Development of Archway Commons would not have been possible without an award of 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The affordable rental community is also funded through the City of Modesto’s low and moderate income housing set-aside funds and HOME funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Additional development financing is provided by Chase Community Development Banking, and Hudson Housing Capital serves as the equity investor.

“Chase is proud to invest in the future of Modesto and continue our long-standing partnership with EAH Housing. Developing Archway Commons created jobs and housing, and brings together the community unlike anything else,” said Alice Carr, western regional manager for Chase Community Development Banking.

“Hudson Housing Capital is proud to partner with the talented and hardworking team at EAH Housing,” said Blake Davis, vice president of Hudson. “They continue to adapt in the face of complex challenges in affordable housing advocacy and finance. Without a doubt, our partnerships at Archway Commons and other properties improve countless lives.”

When sufficient financing becomes available, a Phase II development will add an additional 74 units adjacent to this site, allowing EAH Housing to serve even more families in Modesto.

EAH Housing is also providing property management services to Archway Commons. In addition, there is an after-school tutoring program, job search assistance program, and computer lab assistance. A Neighborhood Watch program will soon launch along with financial and nutritional classes.

Established in 1968, EAH Housing is one of the oldest and most respected nonprofit developers and managers in the western United States. EAH has developed more than 7,268 homes and manages 108 properties serving working families, students and seniors in 50 municipalities throughout California and Hawaii.

EAH Housing's Avena Bella apartments provides safe housing for low-income families

Avena Bella affordable housing by EAH Housing

It was less than one year ago that Nicole Esparza and her four daughters were living in a cramped one bedroom apartment when a man attempted to break into their home.
“We were sacrificing because we couldn’t make it economically,” explained Esparaza, who stayed in the confined conditions to be near her grandfather.
Barricading herself and her children inside for protection from the intruder until the sheriff’s department arrived, her family’s subsequent safety was not enough to assuage her fears of the attacker returning.
“There was no way we could stay there,” said Esparza who promptly sought out another place to live.
Fortunately for Esparza, Turlock’s newest affordable housing complex, Avena Bella, was still accepting applications. Esparza frantically gathered the necessary paperwork and within a week had applied for one of the three bedroom apartments, submitting her application just weeks before the deadline in December. On Christmas Day Esparza told her four girls they would be moving, drastically changing their circumstances and their futures.
While Avena Bella’s main purpose is to offer quality housing for low-income families, the complex also offers a host of activities and services including a pool, playground, computer lab, homework club, and scholarship program. Upon moving into the new community, Esparza’s eldest daughter Sierra Ceja submitted an essay for a scholarship competition and won. She was awarded $2,500 to further her education and is now a student at Modesto Junior College.
“She was determined,” recalled Esparza. “She told me that we were going to make the most of this change and she did.”
Esparza’s daughter is not the only one to benefit from the family’s change in housing as Esparza has been able to save more money due to the affordable rates at Avena Bella, thus allowing her to work one job instead of two. In turn Esparza has focused on her career in cosmetology and was promoted at her new salon after only two weeks of employment.
“I am able to just have my career again,” said Esparza, noting that with one job she is able to spend more time with her daughters.
Avena Bella has also allowed Esparza to save money and thus rebuild economically in a variety of ways.  She no longer spends as much money on gas as her 11-year-old daughter Angelina Esparza attends Cunningham Elementary which is just a stone’s throw from Avena Bella. The housing complex’s freeway accessibility, as well as proximity to the nearby shopping center on Lander Avenue has also proved helpful.
The location of Avena Bella was no accident and was strategically chosen, according to Turlock’s Assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development and Housing Maryn Pitt.
“You can walk to buy groceries and there is a nearby bus transit line. These are all things that you have to look at when developing a project of this nature,” explained Pitt.
December will mark the one year anniversary of the completion of the West Linwood Avenue housing complex, which is managed by EAH Housing, a nonprofit corporation that specializes in affordable housing. While 242 occupants currently call Avena Bella home, more than 300 people are on the waiting list. Residents looking to live at Avena Bell must sign a year-long lease and meet income limitations as determined by the number of family members and necessary apartment size.
Noting that crime has not been a problem at Avena Bella, Pitt also stated that residents undergo a background check prior to being approved which, according to Esparza, has contributed to her newfound sense of safety for herself and her girls.
“This is not the tenement housing in New York,” said Pitt, noting the granite counter tops and quality furnishings of the apartments. “It is our belief that affordable housing should bring the area up, not down.”
“The girls are still on edge at times but the atmosphere is so much better,” said Esparza.
The City of Turlock is considering expanding Avena Bella in future years to include 60 additional units slated to be developed on the parcel of land adjacent to Highway 99.  However, with the dissolution of the redevelopment agencies, the expansion may take longer than desired.
In the meantime, families like the Esparza’s are already renewing their leases at the affordable housing complex allowing them to not only continue to live in a safe community, but also create a better life.
“Affordable housing is much more than just walls and windows. It’s a gateway towards upward mobility; it’s a stepping stone towards the American Dream. It’s a hand up,” said EAH Housing Vice President of Real Estate Management Dianna Ingle.
Original story:
http://www.turlockjournal.com/section/14/article/27521/