Latest affordable housing developments in Napa County
Napa County, like the rest of the state, is in the midst of an affordable housing shortage, with home values and rents among some of the highest in the country.
But there are plans to address the issue at the local level that include building some 3,844 housing units countywide by 2031.
California has set a goal to build 2.5 million homes by 2030, including one million affordable units, to combat its housing shortage and affordability crisis. This goal aligns with a host of state housing initiatives, including the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation – the number of new homes each city and county is required to plan for.
Housing is generally considered “affordable” when occupants pay no more than 30% of their income for housing costs.
The term “affordable housing” usually refers to multi-family structures (i.e., apartments) built with federal or state assistance that cap rents according to family size and annual income. Income categories for affordable housing in California fall into six categories: acutely low, extremely low, very low, low, median and moderate.
Where a family ranks is based on the percentage of their income compared to the State or Area Median Income. According to the most recent figures from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, the State Median Income is $111,300. Therefore, a three-person household making $17,500 would be at 20% of the SMI and considered “acutely low income.” A three-person household making $40,068, according to the housing department, would be at 40% of the SMI and considered “low” income.
In Napa County, the Area Median Income is $129,600, the housing department reported on its website.
Here’s an overview of the current affordable housing landscape: recently completed projects, those currently under construction and projects awaiting approval.
American Canyon
American Canyon, the fastest-growing city in Napa County, ranks as the second-largest contributor to the region’s affordable housing stock. The city is working with developers to complete 373 affordable units by 2031, according to Community Development Director Brent Cooper.
Lemos Pointe Apartments: Located in the developing Watson Ranch neighborhood, 186 units have been completed this year. The apartments range from studios to three-bedroom units. All units are income-restricted and are only available to tenants earning no more than 60 percent of Napa County’s median income – about $82,000.
The Napa Cove Apartments: This project consists of 66 units, and the city recently issued occupancy permits for 48 of them. The remaining 18 units should be ready for tenants before the end of the year, according to Cooper. These apartments are also restricted to tenants that earn no more than 60% of the Napa County Area Median Income.
The Sun Square Mixed Use Project: There are 20 one-bedroom apartments planned for residents earning no more than 50 percent of the Napa County AMI. The project was approved last April and is awaiting building permits to begin construction. It is located at 425 Napa Junction Road.
The Crawford Way Multifamily Project: The developer of this multifamily project envisions construction of 100 two- and three-bedroom units. According to Cooper, the project is in review and may be scheduled for hearing in January. The developer is considering renting or selling the units.
Valley View Senior Apartments: The complex was completed in 2019 to serve seniors on restricted incomes and senior veterans with income levels between 30 and 60 percent of the AMI. Valley View consists of 70 one- and two-bedroom units.
City of Napa
Pipeline projects are continually evolving, said Ricky Caperton, Napa planning manager. The most recently approved initiatives are expected to add a total of 171 affordable homes.
Silverado Trail: A Napa hotel developer has proposed 40 units of ‘supportive housing,’ a type of affordable housing that provides social services to people experiencing homelessness. It will be located at 515 Silverado Trail. It was approved in December under Assembly Bill 2162, which streamlines the approval process for supportive housing projects by requiring them to be processed as “by-right” developments, exempting them from certain discretionary reviews if they meet specific criteria. The project hinges on the city’s approval to expand its number of hotel rooms, reflecting concerns about balancing housing needs and hospitality growth. A timeline for the project has yet to be finalized, according to Napa Housing Manager Stephanie Gaul, as developers working to build affordable housing rely on acquiring different funding sources.
Napa First United Methodist Church: Forty-six affordable workforce apartments will soon be available near the church. Construction is projected to start at the end of 2025. Building affordable housing at Napa’s First United Methodist Church marks the first project in Napa County under Senate Bill 4, a law designed to streamline affordable housing development on religious or “educational land.” Known as the “Yes in God’s Backyard” law, it was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023 and took effect in January.
Riversound project (formerly Napa Pipe): MidPen Housing is advancing the Riversound project, which aims to build 85 affordable units, with approval anticipated late this year or early next.
Yountville
There are currently 68 affordable housing rental units in the town of 3,300 people. They are deed restricted, Town Planning and Building Director Aaron Hecock said. There could also be naturally occurring affordable housing units that are not monitored by the town.
The Town’s recently adopted Housing Element lays out potential sites for meeting its Regional Housing Needs Allocation of 72 new units over the next eight years.
Oak + Vine: Of the 10 new single-family homes being built as part of this Yountville Cross Road project, only one will be maintained as a deed restricted affordable unit, Hecock said. That won’t likely be available for at least a year, he added, as construction on the project is not yet underway.
Yountville Commons (former Yountville Elementary School property): The town recently purchased the former school site and is in “the visioning phase of developing a plan for the approximately 6.8-acre site, which will certainly have an affordable housing component,” Hecock confirmed via email. Recently unveiled development options feature plans with anywhere from 50 affordable and workforce housing units to as many as 130. A decision will ultimately be made by the City Council sometime within the next year.
City of Calistoga
Calistoga has 287 units of regulated affordable housing, managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Napa, which helps farmworkers find safe and affordable housing, particularly those in the migrant seasonal category. Two affordable housing projects are under construction, and another was recently approved at this month’s council meeting.
Lincoln Avenue Apartments: The project consists of 77 affordable units. However, more than a year of construction delays have kept the apartments from opening to tenants as expected last November.
Silverado Terrace: This planned 50-unit apartment complex on Grant Street will include eight affordable units, according to Calistoga spokesperson and Fire Chief Jed Mitcham.
Cedar Street Apartments: Calistoga City Council members voted earlier this month to designate four Cedar Street apartments, owned by the Napa Valley Community Foundation, as affordable housing. This includes one unit for a family of four earning up to $155,000 – an attempt to address the “missing middle” housing market for those ineligible for traditional affordable housing yet unable to afford market rate prices. Under terms of the project approval, Burbank Housing will acquire the property from the Community Foundation.
St. Helena planners did not respond to messages requesting information about upcoming affordable housing projects.
Sponsored
Author
