City of Riverside Awarded $27 Million for 150-Unit Affordable Housing Project
Published: 9/8/2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 8, 2023
Contact:
Phil Pitchford
Public Information Officer
951-826-5975
City of Riverside Awarded $27 Million for 150-Unit Affordable Housing Project
Mulberry Gardens Family Apartments was only project in Inland area to receive funding
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The City of Riverside and its partner, Eden Housing Inc., have successfully petitioned the State of California for more than $27 million in Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) funds to build the 150-unit Mulberry Gardens Family Apartments project.
The project received the second-highest score (88.33) among 21 applicants and was the only project in the Inland area to receive funding. The only project that scored higher was in Los Angeles and received a score of 88.66.
“Our state is in great need of affordable housing, so it is a testament to our staff’s efforts that this project was the only one in the Inland region to receive funding,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “Riverside competed on the statewide stage and came away a winner.”
Overall, more than $757 million in AHSC funds were dedicated to pay for 2,552 homes in 16 jurisdictions around California, in addition to walkways, bikeways, crosswalks, streetlights, trees, and bus stops.
The $27,974,220 designated for Riverside will fund the project near Mulberry and Holding streets in downtown Riverside, just west of Highway 91 at the old CalFire site, 2524 Mulberry Street.
Mulberry Gardens Family Apartments will consist of 24 units for families at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), 91 units for families at 50% of AMI, 32 units for families at 60% of AMI, and one manager unit.
“This project will provide safe and attractive housing for families who otherwise would struggle to find a place to live at market rates,” said Mayor Pro Tem Erin Edwards, who represents the ward in which the project is located. “It is encouraging to see our city making progress on providing much-needed housing units.”
The AHSC grants fund projects that connect housing to local transit to reduce localized greenhouse gas emissions. About $12.5 million of the local funding is set aside for the City to perform Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (STI) projects in the neighborhood around the new development.
These projects will include safe pedestrian access along Spruce Street, Mulberry Street, and surrounding streets through improvements such as concrete sidewalks, high visibility crosswalks, class III bikeways, LED flashing stop lights, radar speed feedback signs, and audible pedestrian signals.
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