12 Apr Developers Propose Hundreds of Housing Units in Antioch With Little Focus on Affordability

“We keep building more houses, but yet we have all these people living on the street and I don’t think that six units is going to be enough for the amount of folk that can’t afford housing,” Nicole Arrington said Tuesday before Antioch City Council.  (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Nearly 600 new homes spread between two housing developments could be coming to Antioch, but only six and their accessory dwelling units are proposed to be affordable for low-income renters. Residents say there needs to be more.

Two developers — Richland Communities and DeNova Homes — proposed separate projects that would be located at the north and south of the city. Richland’s would add 435 homes near its other project that has almost 1,200 homes in property known as The Ranch. DeNova’s proposal asks to build 143 homes at the north end of the city, where six units and their attached dwelling units would be rented out to low-income tenants.

“I think what you’re hearing from people throughout the night is that there has not been enough housing for low-income, working families, and I think that’s where the frustration is honestly,” said council member Tamisha Torres-Walker.

That concern is something DeNova Homes tries to address by building affordable housing for low-income renters in California through its nonprofit, the Yellow Roof Foundation. The nonprofit has already built units across Contra Costa County, including six in Pittsburg and two in Clayton. The 12 units in Antioch would be developed by Yellow Roof and charged based on a resident’s income.

>>>Commentary: I’ve Watched Antioch Go Downhill as Prices Go Up

“We thought (this development) was a great opportunity for us to implement a Yellow Roof Foundation program here at our proposed project before you here this evening,” said Yellow Roof’s Trent Sanson, who sits on the board of directors and is DeNova’s executive vice president.

Sanson said the units in Pittsburg, which all house families with single mothers, cost $700 to $900 a month and are between 450 and 800 square feet because of the nonprofit’s model. One of the goals of the program, according to the nonprofit, is to make sure a renter doesn’t pay more than 30% of their income.

Residents and council members alike said they liked the proposed implementation of Yellow Roof’s affordable units but felt more could be done.

“I applaud you for the Yellow Roof. I think that’s great,” said Nicole Arrington. “Again, I think it’s the whole, we keep building more houses, but yet we have all these people living on the street and I don’t think that six units is going to be enough for the amount of folk that can’t afford housing.”

Antioch has cleared two homeless encampments in the past two months, including towing at least 80 RVs and campers. The most recent clearing, which happened only days ago, displaced at least 20 people.

>>>Read: Community Response Divided on Antioch’s Homeless Encampment Sweep

“Who needs these houses other than the people living on the street?” said Arrington.

Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson said she liked the project but would like to see more affordable units to be able to support it.

Richland’s project, which is called Rancho Meadows, is 17.1 acres and would be located north of East 18th Street.

Some residents and council members weren’t as supportive of the Richland development, citing concerns over affordability. Unlike DeNova’s proposal, Richland’s does not include any units for low-income residents, though it does say it will offer “a more affordable community,” according to Richland representative Kyle Masters. Masters did not provide the potential cost of one of the homes.

>>>Read: Antioch Renter Protections Need to Go Further, Advocates Say

Andrew Becker, who lives in Antioch and advocates for affordable housing and unhoused individuals, said he didn’t support this project because, like Richland’s Ranch development, there is no affordability component.

“I’m a bit frustrated (DeNova’s) project came after the other project,” said Becker. “(Richland representatives) dipped fast, so I wish they were here to see the Yellow Roof component.”

The 160-acre development would be located south of Kaiser’s Antioch Medical Center.