New Construction Recently Completed
Brenkle Court, 8 ownership townhomes:
Completed in late 2022, Brenkle Court is comprised of eight townhomes for first-time homeowners with incomes between 40 and 90 percent of Napa County Area Median Income.
The project was completed utilizing the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Mutual Self-Help Homeownership Program. Each homebuyer committed to work 32 hours per week building the homes, in addition to their regular employment. This is an average of 4,000 hours per family group over 160 weekends, with the help of volunteers and skilled subcontractors.
Even with a US government shutdown, three fires, three harvests, the COVID pandemic, and global supply chain challenges, the project was finished on budget. The homeowners have formed a Homeowners’ Association to manage the property.
For more details about the project, click here.
New Construction in the Pipeline
Pope Street Workforce Housing, 10 rental units:
The 10-unit Pope Street workforce housing project is comprised of two properties, each in different stages of development, to be constructed in two phases.
Phase 1 (963 Pope Street) will consist of constructing 4 new units for low- and very low-income households, while the existing house has been preserved at moderate-income rent levels for 55 years.
Together they will function as one community and provide homes for a range of people who are vital to the local workforce in support of the St Helena area’s economy.
For more details, click here.
Fountain Street, 40 rental apartments (estimate):
This project is in the early design and planning stage for a 1.75-acre vacant property bounded by Main Street (Highway 29), Mills Lane, Dowdell Lane, and Fountain Street.
To be designed at a scale that fits well in St. Helena and the surrounding area, and at a gateway entrance to the town, the project is anticipated to yield approximately 40 apartments for people earning 60 percent and below of Area Median Income for Napa County.
Our Town St. Helena has partnered with Burbank Housing, a highly experienced affordable housing non-profit with successful projects throughout the North Bay and Napa.
More detailed information will be provided when it becomes available.
Preservation Completed
Christine Apartments on Hunt Avenue:
OTSH acquired Christine Apartments, 723 Hunt Avenue, at market rate in the summer of 2021. The City of St Helena received Community Development Block Grant funds from the State of California and partnered with OTSH to purchase the property.
In exchange, OTSH placed a 55-year deed restriction on the building, which requires rents not to exceed levels that are affordable to local workers and families for generations to come. Three long-term tenants and one new family are now assured that their rents will stay affordable, something that is a greater challenge as real estate prices continue to soar.
We are interested in purchasing additional local properties so that we can preserve housing that is affordable to those vital to our community.
Preservation in the Pipeline
Our Town St. Helena has been approached by a seller with 12 existing apartments in two side-by-side buildings. The seller has indicated a strong desire to preserve the rents at affordable levels for low- and moderate-income renters.
Our Town St. Helena is seeking a funding source(s) and partner(s) to help acquire the properties using a similar approach to Christine Apartments above. We will provide more details as we make progress and can disclose information.