(The rendering above was provided by: PYATOK Architecture + Urban Design)
VTA is creating the opportunity for more affordable housing in Santa Clara County, this time in the City of Campbell, built close to public transit and accessible to lower income families. Ninety apartments, including 2-and 3-bedroom units, will be built on under-utilized park and ride space at the Winchester light rail station. All the apartments will be affordable to families and individuals earning 60% of the Area Median Income or below.
The announcement was made during a news conference at VTA headquarters on Friday, February 2, 2024. This development is the fourth affordable housing development to be introduced through VTA’s Transit Oriented Development program in the last nine months.
VTA is leasing the property to developers Related California and PATH Ventures to build the housing. The County Office of Supportive Housing is also working with VTA using 2016 Measure A funds for the project.
“The experience that PATH Ventures has is invaluable so we can ensure that we are providing the right kind of housing to meet the needs of our community,” said VTA Board Chair and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez.
PATH Ventures is a division of PATH, a statewide organization which helps people find permanent housing and provides case management and other supportive services. “The housing and homelessness crises require us to act with urgency, innovate and use all public resources available to create more affordable housing,” said Joel John Roberts, PATH Ventures CEO.
The station is located in the City of Campbell, where VTA Vice Chair Sergio Lopez serves as Vice Mayor. “We’re proud to be one of the most pro-housing cities in the region, and this project is in line with our values: honoring our history while making sure Campbell is a community for everyone. Our residents’ strong support for this project is a testament not just to staff’s outreach and hard work, but also of our commitment to those values,” Lopez said.
Mayor Susan M. Landry said “Affordable housing is so desperately needed throughout the Bay Area. This is one of the first housing projects coming forward tht is identified in Campbell’s Housing element.”
Related is also a well-known developer throughout California. Their work will also enhance the amenities at the transit station to make it easier for multiple forms of mobility. “We look forward to working with our partners to not only create critically needed housing for some of the community’s most vulnerable residents but also provide transit station improvements,” said Ann Silverberg, CEO of Related California’s Northern California Affordable and Northwest Divisions.
Projects that are “transit-oriented” allow people to live and work near public transportation, which helps clear the air, ease traffic and add infrastructure investments to the community. The Winchester station is currently served by VTA’s Green Line and bus lines Express 101, 60, 37, and 27.
Construction on the housing development is slated to begin in 2025, with a move-in date estimated in 2027-2028.