Fetters Apartments, the affordable housing complex on Highway 12 in the Springs, is officially open. The $2.7 million project was originally going to host a grand opening ceremony in October, but that event was postponed when fires forced an evacuation of all 60 units.
“This is a very exciting and meaningful day,” said Susan Gorin, First District Supervisor, at the January 18 ribbon cutting. “We’re celebrating the realization of a longtime vision to transform an underutilized site into a vibrant community that provides much needed affordable housing for our county’s valued workforce.”
The project is the latest affordable housing community by MidPen Housing, whose president, Matthew O. Franklin, called it “a model for infill development at its best.”
“It’s a great example of what’s possible when civic, non-profit and business leaders work together in innovative ways,” he said.
Fetters provides 19 one-bedroom, 22 two-bedroom, and 19 three-bedroom apartment homes for low-income households earning up to 60% of Area Median Income, which is $52,860 for a four-person household.
Cutting the ribbon at the grand opening are, from left: Daniel Perl, Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Community Lending and Investment; Logan Pitts, Field Representative, Office of Senator Bill Dodd; Rebecca Hermosillo, Senior Field Representative, Office of Congressman Mike Thompson; Matthew O. Franklin, President, MidPen Housing; Margaret Van Vliet, Executive Director, Sonoma County Community Development Commission; Susan Gorin, Supervisor District 1, County of Sonoma; Marisa Soulier, Fetters Apartments Resident; Riley Weissenborn, Project Manager, MidPen Housing; Marco Vailetti, Vailetti Family Trust; Celestina Vailetti, Vailetti Family Trust; and Merle Malakoff, Director, Citi Community Capital.
In one of the nation’s’ most expensive housing markets, Fetters provides affordable workforce housing for families – many of whom work in the regions’ extensive service industry. As evidence of the need, Fetters received 669 applications in just two weeks during lease-up and 90 percent of those applicants either lived or worked in Sonoma County.
The property also features a community room, a computer lab, and an after school program classroom for youth. There is easy access to the new public bike trail, adjacent playground with ball fields and, once finished, community gardens.
Still in development is the adjacent Vailetti Plaza, a commercial center that will provide community residents with walking access to shopping and banking.
Expected to begin construction later this year, Phase 2 of the master development will include MidPen’s Celestina Gardens Apartments, an affordable housing community with 40 apartment homes for seniors.
“We’re honored to partner with the County of Sonoma on this visionary community,” said Franklin. “This kind of collaboration is more important than ever. We look forward to continuing to work alongside county leaders on innovative housing solutions.”
Financing for the nearly $27.5M development was provided through both public and private sources including the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, the Sonoma County Housing authority, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program, Wells Fargo Community Lending and Citi Community Capital.
“There’s an acute shortage of high-quality affordable housing in Sonoma County,” said Daniel Perl, a Community Lending executive at Wells Fargo. “We feel privileged to partner with MidPen Housing to help create 60 affordable homes that will benefit the community for years to come.”
Group photo: Sherry Tesler courtesy of MidPen Housing
No pictures of the apartments?.