The City of Healdsburg closed yesterday on its purchase of the 721-723 Center Street property, taking another step to realize its commitment to make safe, affordable, and decent housing a top priority in Healdsburg.
"We have taken a number of steps toward our Council goal of increasing and retaining affordable housing in the community, such as working with affordable housing developers on the design and construction of 66 new affordable rental units, offering assistance to tenants at risk of displacement, and successfully passing a 2% Transient Occupancy Tax increase for the purpose of providing affordable housing services and programs," said Shaun McCaffery, Mayor. "Purchasing the Center Street property aligns perfectly with the City Council’s goal of developing and retaining affordable housing in our community."
The property is an approximately 20,000 square foot parcel which contains a total of eight multifamily units comprised of two bedrooms each. The units were constructed circa 1956 and are currently rented below market rate. All eight units are currently rented and occupied. The City’s purchase of the property preserves affordable units that would otherwise be at risk of conversion to market rate units or demolition.
The City has identified Burbank Housing, which currently manages approximately 200 affordable units in Healdsburg, to lead the rehabilitation, management and maintenance of the property on an on-going basis. Burbank Housing is a nonprofit dedicated to building quality affordable housing in the North Bay.
"We are impressed with the City’s commitment to preserve and protect much-needed affordable housing in Healdsburg," said Larry Florin, CEO of Burbank Housing. "Our nearly 40 years of experience across Sonoma County positions us to deliver development and management services that are both efficient and of the highest quality. We are honored to be partnering with the City on this project."
According to the agreement with the City, Burbank Housing will be the Property Management Agent and will be responsible for all resident services requirements, including day-to-day operations. For more information, contact the City Housing Department at 707-731-3316 or Burbank at 707.332.3781