Practicing ArchitectureAwards

2010 AIA/HUD Secretary’s Award Recipient

Category 1: Excellence in Affordable Housing Design

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Notes of Interest

This project proposed to create a “place” in a disconnected, somewhat forgotten section of the city. Historically a pomegranate orchard, the 4.7 acres of land had become a series of abandoned and neglected parcels compromised by a floodplain and unusable by the city or community. The developer facilitated a land swap between the city and a private owner to preserve the continuity of the open green space to the south of the development and to enable the building of dense, resource-rich urban housing near the roadway.

A new urban district, this affordable neighborhood fronts a newly created main walking street, or paseo, that connects the arterial roadway to the area’s adjacent park. At its midpoint, the paseo widens into a public plaza that holds the main entries to the two residential districts. Lined at ground level with active uses, the paseo bustles with activity of entry stoops and retail-style social services, including a community room, Native American library, social worker spaces, gym, pool, playground and daycare center. The property is 100% handicapped- and wheelchair-accessible, and the pool features an automatic lift.

The bold color palette has proved extremely popular with residents and the community, who consider the project a signature addition to the neighborhood. The lively colors and configurations of this project have transformed the area by inspiring absentee landlords to improve adjacent properties.

The project begins to fill a real need in the community: At its opening, 3,100 applications were received for the 218 rental units. There are units reserved for

single-parent households, formerly homeless tenants, and victims of domestic violence. Additionally, the development features high density for a mainly suburban area: 44 units per acre. It exceeds Title 24, California’s already strict energy-efficiency standards, by 15%. Energy use is very low, reducing the utility costs borne by low-income residents.