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New Affordable Residential Development Transforms Former Naval Air Station Land from Brownfield to Green Shinsei Gardens Apartments Groundbreaking Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Event: Groundbreaking Ceremony for Shinsei Gardens Apartments July 11, 2008 – Berkeley, Calif. –Resources for Community Development (RCD) will break ground on Shinsei Gardens Apartments on Wednesday, July 16 in a brief ceremony from 9:00 – 10:30 am. Embedded in an expansive new residential development on land that was part of the former Alameda Naval Air Station, Shinsei Gardens will provide 39 new affordable homes to formerly homeless veterans and their families with 12 units designated for special needs families with physical disabilities. In addition to providing much needed affordable housing to the City of Alameda, Shinsei Gardens Apartments is also expected to earn a LEED Gold Certification, a national standard of excellence in green building. The East Bay continues to be ranked as one the least affordable metropolitan areas in the nation. This year it ranked at 24th (Source: NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index). Wage earners in families earning minimum wage would have to work an astounding 119 hours per week just to afford a market rate two bedroom apartment with a rent of $1,239 per month. (National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach Report) Shinsei Gardens will provide permanent deeply affordable housing for low-income families with incomes between 20% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or between $17,220 and $31,660 annually for a family of four. This translates to rents ranging from approximately $314 to $1069 per month for a two bedroom unit. Twelve of the 39 units or 30% will be reserved for special needs residents with physical disabilities. Shinsei Gardens will provide six 1-bedroom apartments, eighteen 2-bedroom apartments, twelve 3-bedroom apartments and three 4-bedroom apartments. The property will have full-time on-site property management and resident services for special needs residents will be provided by Operation Dignity. A resident services coordinator will also bring additional family and youth services to the property. Other amenities will include a community room, , teen room, and green design throughout and resident parking spaces. Shinsei Gardens Apartments was created as part of the City of Alameda’s plan to convert and develop the former Alameda Naval Air Station (NAS) and Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) into a new and thriving residential community. The City selected RCD to develop and construct two affordable housing developments, Shinsei Gardens and The Breakers at Bayport (completed in 2006) and Catellus Development to master develop Bayport Homes, the large for-sale single family home division. Together, Shinsei Gardens and The Breakers at Bayport Apartments and Townhouses will contribute 102 units of affordable housing to the City of Alameda. The Bayport Homes residential subdivision is comprised of 485 market-rate single family homes. Green building features will include photo voltaics, sustainable flooring products and counter tops, drought-tolerant landscaping, water conserving plumbing fixtures and irrigation, energy star appliances and lighting, formaldehyde-free cabinets and insulation, humidity controlled bath fans, hydronic radiant heating, on-site storm water management and 75% waste diversion during construction. The development hopes to achieve a LEED Gold certification upon completion. Shinsei Gardens, on Wilver “Willie” Stargell Avenue (formerly Tinker Avenue) is well served by AC Transit which provides bus service across the island as well as to San Francisco, Oakland and the Fruitvale and MacArthur BART stations. Business and other amenities are in close proximity to the site and already cater to current residents in the surrounding area. Shinsei Gardens is within a quarter mile of a new elementary school (Ruby Bridges Elementary School) and a new four-acre Park. A number of social service facilities are also nearby including Esperanza Community Center (which offers Head Start classes), the Alameda Even Start-Family Literacy Program, the Woodstock Child Development Center and the Woodchip Family Resource Center.. Financing for Shinsei Gardens includes City of Alameda (Community Improvement Commission and Housing Authority), County of Alameda, California Department of Housing and Community Development, Citibank, National Equity Fund, StopWaste.org. Total costs are projected at $18 million. Construction is scheduled to be completed in July, 2009. About Resources for Community Development:
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