Redwood City affordable housing unveiled: 119-unit deed-restricted apartment complex will house residents at Broadway and Chestnut Street

Of the 120 units, one of which is the property manager’s, 17 are studios, 67 are one-bedrooms, 24 are two-bedrooms and 12 are three-bedrooms.

Affordable units with more than one bedroom are hard to come by and expensive to develop; the two-bedroom and three-bedroom units are reserved for residents earning 80% of the area median income, while the smaller units are available for those earning as low as 30%. 

The maximum a household of four can earn annually to qualify for the 30% area median income units is $58,750; for a family of four to qualify for the 80% units, the maximum is $156,650. 

The affordable development is highly regarded for its functionality for families in particular.

“This moment is especially meaningful to me because I know this area like the back of my hand,” Redwood City Mayor Elmer Martinez Saballos said. “This isn’t an abstract project to me.” 

Over the years, “too many families” have left Redwood City because they can’t afford to stay, Martinez Saballos said. 

“This is a part of Redwood City I know, a part of Redwood City I care deeply about and a part of Redwood City where stable affordable housing can make a real difference for our families,” Martinez Saballos said. 

In addition to the housing, the Millton apartment complex includes a learning and resource center with a computer lab, a community room with billiards and lounge space, a 24-hour gym and outdoor courtyards. Residents will have assigned garage parking and there’s bicycle storage to prompt multimodal transportation. 

The apartment complex is the first ground-up affordable development led by The Sobrato Organization as part of its Housing Security Initiative, which aims to address housing instability through its philanthropic, capital and real estate sectors. 

“The Housing Security Initiative represents a commitment to doing this work differently and for the long term,” Sobrato Organization CEO Tony Mestres said. 

Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, senior vice president at Sobrato Philanthropies, said partnerships with Redwood City, San Mateo County and housing advocacy groups informed the design and intention of the development. Developers were asked to think about those impacted, “not just about the units and the square footage.”

“They challenged us to consider the families who are working here but are struggling to remain to stay here, the parents raising young children, the essential workers and the longtime community members who want to stay rooted in Redwood City but can’t make ends meet to make that happen,” Llanes-Fontanilla said. 

Residents will be connected to vital services and network resources from nonprofits and organizations to support their needs, 

“Housing stability requires more than just housing,” Llanes-Fontanilla said. 

The Millton apartments is just one phase of a larger 11-acre project undertaken by developers at the site. 

To be delivered later this year is a 10,000-square-foot child care center that will serve up to 100 kids. The partner provider is slated to be announced in coming weeks, Chase Lyman, co-chief real estate officer for The Sobrato Organization, said. 

There will be another 398 market-rate units developed later this year, right next door in a project called the Coalton. This will yield a total of 518 units for rent in Redwood City. 

Street-activated retail spaces will amass 10,000 square feet on Broadway. There is also 4.5 acres of undeveloped space reserved for future commercial spaces, which will be delivered “when the market allows us to,” Lyman said. 

It was Lyman’s first day on the job in 2013 when he first heard talks about Broadway Plaza, the site of the Millton apartments. 

“It took 12 1/2 years to get to this point, so we got to do better,” Lyman said. “But today’s a really good day.”

Understanding the amount of time, funding and policy that must go into housing developments, said San Mateo County Supervisor Lisa Gauthier, whose district represents Redwood City. 

The demand for affordable housing is significant in Redwood City. Many of the applicants currently on the lengthy waitlist for the Millton apartments are Redwood City residents or employees. 

Growing up in the district, and now living with her daughter and grandson, Gauthier said developments like the Millton apartments allow families to thrive where they’ve always called home. 

“This is my community and when families are able to stay rooted where they live, work and grow, it all starts with having access to stable, affordable housing,” Gauthier said.