It takes all kinds

During the study session, the potential cost of these senior apartments came up. No specific projections were given (although not explicitly stated, I believe the units are to be for-rent and not for-sale), but given that the average unit size is to be around 1,200 square feet, with two bedrooms, they won’t be cheap. It was made clear that pricing will be at market rates — the Health and Safety Code prohibits any kind of rent controls on continuing care facilities for the elderly — so the city’s on-site affordable housing requirements don’t apply. Thus, assuming this building is actually built, many of the city’s over-55s may have to give it a pass.

Fortunately, one development needn’t satisfy everyone. One possible alternative might be an apartment in the building planned for 112 Vera Ave., where site clearing has already taken place. That project will be a much shorter — but still relatively tall for the neighborhood — apartment building that’ll extend three stories above what zoning would normally allow thanks to the fact that all of the project’s 178 apartments (other than two manager’s units) are to be affordable: 70 at the low income level, 75 at the very low income level and 31 at the extremely low income level. At seven stories it will be two stories higher than the below-market-rate Villa Montgomery, which stands directly across Vera Avenue. And of course, it will be significantly taller than the single family homes immediately adjacent to the site.

The 112 Vera Ave. building is not a senior housing project, although seniors who qualify based on their income could certainly apply to live there. Note, however, that there will be no form of managed care or memory care in the building. Also note that the unit sizes will be small: 153 of the building’s 178 apartments are to be one-bedroom units, with the remainder being studios. So this building also won’t be for those looking for more space. Finally, the proposed Marshall Street project will have some amount of on-site parking (although not enough for every resident to own a car), whereas the project at 112 Vera Ave. will have none at all for the building’s residents. And given that parking already is tight along Vera Avenue, the building is best for those without cars. But the rents will be low (relative to what is normally charged for the area) and that requires trade-offs like these.

Another option will soon lie across Redwood City’s northern border, in San Carlos. In that city, work is well underway on Cherry Street Commons, a 33-unit affordable (at the moderate, low and extremely low income levels) apartment building being constructed on Cherry Street just steps from Laurel Street and its many shops and restaurants. The new five-story Mediterranean-style building will contain apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms, arranged around a courtyard with a small play area where residents can enjoy the outdoors with some degree of privacy (there will also be a rooftop deck). Unlike Redwood City’s Vera Street project, this building will include an internal parking garage with 21 EV-ready parking spaces, plus room for 20 bicycles and eight scooters. The building will also include shared laundry facilities and will have a community room with a kitchen and a “flex space.”

Downtown San Carlos isn’t known for having many buildings of height, so at five stories this will be one of the tallest. And while 33 units isn’t a great many, their varying sizes will provide households of all sizes with conveniently located affordable housing: in addition to being right downtown, the San Carlos Caltrain station is just two or three blocks away.

Housing comes in all shapes and sizes. I am excited to see such a range of choices in new housing, both for those simply trying to find an affordable option that meets their needs as well as for those who might want or need to downsize at some point.