As Affordable Housing Month (AHM) comes to a close, we would like to celebrate the multiple achievements in the affordable housing development space. In San Jose alone, three projects marked their grand openings this month, two of which were celebrated as part of SV@Home’s AHM partner events. Today, we spotlight these two remarkable projects: Kifer Senior Apartments and Arya.

Kifer Senior Apartments

• On Wednesday, May 8th, Kifer Senior Apartments celebrated its grand opening at 3333 Kifer Road in Santa Clara with the City’s elected leaders and staff in attendance and SV@Home’s Executive Director, Regina Celestin Williams, as the emcee of the event. Developed by Abode, the project offers 79  affordable and supportive housing units for residents earning 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including 30 studios, 45 one-bedroom units, 4 two-bedroom units, and an additional 1 two-bedroom unit for an on-site manager. Dedicated to serving chronically homeless, low-income, and veteran senior households, 54 units are reserved for individuals experiencing homelessness, including 46 for chronically homeless seniors and 8 for homeless senior veterans. The six-story building on a half-acre property features ADA mobility compliance in about half of the units and has utilities paid for by the owner.

Arya

• On Thursday, May 23rd, Arya celebrated its grand opening alongside SV@Home staff and San Jose elected officials. Developed by Satellite Affordable Housing Associates and located at 500 Almaden Boulevard in San José, CA, Arya offers 87 affordable residential units to households with incomes at 30-60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including 19 studios, 54 one-bedroom units, and 14 two-bedroom units. The building features a terrace garden with seating, a children’s play area, and a community room. Arya serves as a vibrant hub of creativity and community, featuring an Artist Workshop and an Art Gallery with local art from Local Color. Conveniently situated at the corner of Almaden Boulevard and Balbach Street, Arya is well-connected by several bus lines, a nearby light rail station on San Carlos, and is a ten-minute bike ride from the Caltrain-serviced Diridon Station.

These grand openings are a direct result of local and regional investments through initiatives such as Santa Clara County’s Measure A and San Jose’s Measure E. In particular, San Jose’s Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) cycles have shown the potential for rapid progression in affordable housing projects when the city commits to early support and investment. Of the 11 projects funded in the 2021 NOFA cycle, 7 are already under construction, totaling 638 affordable units or 1,143 beds for our community.

While we celebrate these successes, we must not become complacent. In the 2023 NOFA cycle, 13 shovel-ready projects in San Jose did not receive funding due to budget constraints. If funded, these projects could provide up to 2,435 new beds for San Jose residents. The primary obstacle to timely affordable housing development is not construction or occupancy—it’s securing the necessary financing.

Now, more than ever, preserving existing funding for affordable housing is crucial and advocating for new funding sources, such as the upcoming Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) bond. This will allow us to quickly fund projects in our development pipeline and provide safe, affordable housing for our unhoused and vulnerable community members. This is essential if we are to continue creating equitable housing communities such as Kifer & Arya.