May 13, 2014
Union City, CA — Key government and financial sector officials are part of the Los Robles Re-Opening event in Union City, following a major rehabilitation completed by nonprofit affordable housing developer EAH Housing. The 140-unit, GreenPoint Rated affordable rental community received numerous energy- and water-efficiency upgrades, including the installation of a new photovoltaic (PV) system. Los Robles is located at 32300 Almaden Boulevard.
“Los Robles is the type of community our city needs. It provides affordable housing opportunities for families, seniors and people with disabilities. We’re thankful for the work EAH Housing has completed and their dedication to pairing housing with quality resource coordination services to further improve lives,” Union City Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci said.
Other key speakers include Field Representative Aref Aziz from the Office of Senator Ellen Corbett; Phil Abraham, District Representative for Assemblymember Bill Quirk and Jake Brymner, Constituent Services Manager from the Office of Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Los Robles features two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom apartments, and rents range from $959 to $1,304 depending on household income and apartment size. New additions to apartments include many of the following: Energy Star appliances and lights, dual-pane windows, high-efficiency hot water heaters and additional insulation in buildings. Additional upgrades to the community include a new barbeque area, dog park, updated play areas, expanded computer lab, and a remodel of seven units to make them fully accessible.
“Renovation of the community and apartments focused on improving residents’ comfort and reducing both the residents’ and the property’s utility costs,” said Mary Murtagh, president and CEO of EAH Housing. “Our goal for this renovation was to improve Los Robles and extend the life of the property, so that residents can enjoy their apartments at their best.”
The newly installed PV system is designed to offset 75 to 80 percent of the energy use in the common areas. As a result of the energy and sustainability improvements, Build It Green certified Los Robles as a GreenPoint Rated property.
Rehabilitation of Los Robles would not have been possible without funding from Tax Exempt Private Activity Bonds and Low Income Housing Tax Credits, with U.S. Bank as the lender, and Hudson Housing Capital as the equity investor. The seller carried back a loan to facilitate the acquisition of the property. A grant from Stopwaste.org provided funding for Los Robles to obtain GreenPoint Rated certification.
“U.S. Bank is proud to continue our successful partnership with EAH Housing, known for their enduring commitment to the development, management and advocacy of affordable housing,” said John Chan, senior VP of U.S. Bank. “We’re proud to invest in opportunities that improve lives and enrich the surrounding community.”
EAH Housing is committed to the long-term sustainability of affordable housing communities, and is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge. The program is designed to enhance collaboration and problem solving on energy efficiency advancements in residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
“We’re interested in creating eco-friendly communities. More than half of the entire EAH Housing portfolio has been updated to make them more energy- and water-efficient. We’re always investigating how we can make a community greener,” Murtagh said.
EAH Housing also provides property management services for Los Robles. Like other EAH communities, Los Robles features resource coordination services. Residents have access to money management sessions, after school activities such as a homework club, computer learning classes and food programs.
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About EAH Housing
Established in 1968, EAH Housing is one of the oldest and most respected nonprofit developers and managers in the western United States. EAH has developed over 7,268 homes and manages 101 properties serving working families, students and seniors in 50 municipalities throughout California and Hawaii.
For more information visit www.eahhousing.org.
