Now happening! In a press release last December (2020), Eden Housing celebrated the groundbreaking of Light Tree Apartments’ renovation project., excerpted here:
Light Tree Apartments has long been a 94-apartment family community in East Palo Alto, originally constructed in 1966. In 2020, Eden Housing entered into a joint-venture partnership with EPACANDO and obtained the financing necessary to redevelop the property. Upon completion, the renovated Light Tree Apartments will nearly double the number of affordable homes that exist on the site today, providing 185 affordable homes to low-income families, people with disabilities, formerly homeless individuals, and former foster youth.
“These ninety-four affordable homes have been a part of the East Palo Alto community for fifty years already, and now there are ninety-one more to come; remaining for another fifty years and beyond,” said Duane Bay, Executive Director of EPACANDO. “The name Light Tree is appropriately evocative of rootedness and hope.”
… With vacant land becoming increasingly rare in densely populated cities throughout the Peninsula, the redevelopment of Light Tree Apartments is a pioneering project that was conceived in a conscious effort to develop new ways of adding low-income housing units to existing affordability restricted sites.’
The project has two parts and financing structures:
- The Light Tree Two New Construction project will demolish 37 existing townhomes and build 128 new affordable homes in their place
- The Light Tree Three Rehabilitation project will substantially renovate 57 existing homes.
“In East Palo Alto, we are deeply committed to making housing affordable for our families, our young people, our seniors, and all who call our city home,” said Mayor Regina Wallace-Jones. “Light Tree was an ambitious project and a testament to the strength of partnership between the City, Eden Housing, EPACANDO, and our community. We are thrilled that this project to preserve and expand the number of affordable units in East Palo Alto is now underway.”
“It is through a robust community partnership with the City of East Palo Alto and EPACANDO that Eden Housing is able to renovate and reinvest in Light Tree,” said Linda Mandolini, President of Eden Housing. “In doing so, we’re demonstrating to neighbors that we’re partners in the community for the long haul, committed to preserving affordable homes.”
Full text of press release