EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE A St. Helena landlord I know recently had an apartment for rent in town. It was a 2-bedroom, 1-bath, upstairs unit with one assigned parking space. The monthly rent is $1,850 and the landlord covers water and garbage. Here is a sampling of applicants who ultimately were Read more…
Developing affordable housing is more expensive and takes longer to build than market-rate homes. But why? Here are the major challenges Our Town St. Helena (OTSH) faces as we develop our Pope Street Workforce Housing project (10 units) and the Fountain Street project (approximately 40 units). Complex Financing When the Read more…
What do you do when you can’t find affordable housing near your job? You find the next best option. For 78 percent of the people working in St. Helena, that means commuting. Thirty percent of St. Helena’s workforce commutes from the city of Napa, about 38 miles round-trip. For almost Read more…
“Low income should not be confused with low quality,” Kevin says. “These homes are very well built.” He says he likes working with the families, and enjoys the everchanging work as the houses progress. “It was exciting to see the walls go up, the roofs go on, then the windows and now thefamilies are installing kitchen cabinets and flooring.”
Our purchase was made possible by a generous donation to OTSH from Jim and Stephanie Gamble. “It is essential that local families and organizations support the preservation of existing housing and the building new homes for our workforce,” said Jim Gamble. “We are happy to invest in OTSH’s project to help grow the well-being of our community.”
Hottest housing market? It’s not New York, San Francisco or LA. Sacramento has topped the list of the least affordable new home markets in the country. Sacramento’s median new construction home price is $650,000
As much as they may love the schools and the community, many families simply can’t afford to live here, and they leave. For Rob and Jordan, this is their home, the place they’re raising their kids. They’re committed to staying right here in St. Helena. But without affordable housing, St. Helena will continue to lose these young families who are an essential part of the culture.
Napa Sonoma ADU Center is a local nonprofit committed to making the ADU building process as turnkey as possible for its homeowner market. The Napa Sonoma ADU Center’s website is a comprehensive resource for anyone who’s entertaining thoughts of building an ADU. There’s a workbook and an ADU calculator. You can review sample floorplans, receive a free feasibility study and listen to webinars that discuss the economics and realities of building an ADU.
Working with a diverse workforce throughout his career, Justin is acutely aware of the struggle to find affordable housing. As an employer whose workforce faces housing challenges, Justin will bring a unique perspective to the OTSH Board.
For a 3D-printed house — constructed via robotics and light stone material, often in less than 24 hours — the cost ranges from $4,000-$115,000. Oakland, Calif.-based startup Mighty Buildings has 3D-printed around nine homes since 2017, but in 2021 they expect to build “at least 100 units, and likely many more,” said co-founder and Chief Sustainability Officer Sam Ruben.