SV@Home joined partners in supporting the preservation of Skeels Apartments, a deeply affordable SRO community in downtown Morgan Hill. Here’s why this small but critical project matters.

On April 1, the Morgan Hill City Council considered an item to preserve Skeels Apartments, a deeply affordable housing property in downtown Morgan Hill. SV@Home attended in support of staff’s recommendation to extend an existing loan and approve funding for needed capital improvements. This action is critical, not only to maintain safe, stable homes for current residents, but to ensure that deeply affordable housing is not lost in a market where it is increasingly difficult to replace.

Skeels Apartments, operated by Eden Housing, provides 13 single-room occupancy (SRO) units serving very low-income residents, many of whom are on fixed incomes. Located in the heart of downtown, the property offers residents access to jobs, transit, and essential services, while also supporting a local small business on-site. As an aging building with limited revenue, Skeels cannot support necessary repairs without public investment, making this reinvestment both timely and essential to preserving long-term housing stability.

Preserving homes like Skeels is one of the most cost-effective strategies available to address the housing crisis. It protects prior public investment, avoids significantly higher replacement costs, and ensures that residents remain housed in their communities. Following deliberation, Council unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to extend the loan and allocate $800,000 in funding for capital improvements, securing these homes for years to come.

Learn more about how preservation efforts like Skeels Apartments play a critical role in maintaining housing stability and supporting our most vulnerable communities.