Affordable housing development coming to Broadway

The County took the first step in converting an empty Broadway lot into 40 units of affordable housing this week by issuing a formal Request for Proposals to prospective developers.

The 1.93 parcel at the corner of Clay Street was purchased by the City in 2007. In 2012, when the California legislature dissolved redevelopment agencies, the property transferred to the Sonoma County Housing Authority as a “housing asset,” which means it must be used for affordable housing purposes.

Initial proposals from developers “who have demonstrated experience with successful, high-quality affordable housing projects” are due October 15.

There are no permanent structures on the site, but a portion of the property is leased to an advertising billboard company. The lease expires in early 2018, but can be terminated and the billboard removed when development begins.

What does “affordable” mean? A formula is used to qualify tenants, who can make between 30 to 80 percent of the area median income. The County has a stated priority for projects that include dedicated housing for those who are currently without homes.

At 20269 Broadway, the parcel sits across from Train Town and adjacent to, across Clay Street, the Lodge at Sonoma. It is zoned for development and there will be no commercial element to the plans. Still, the County calls for outreach to the neighborhood “to develop a final project that responds to any pertinent neighborhood concerns.”