Staff Writer
After being stuck in limbo for the past several years, a project to build a new affordable-housing community in Signal Hill is, to some degree, finally getting off the ground.
The Signal Hill Housing Authority, which is composed entirely of the five city councilmembers, voted unanimously (5-0) during its July 15 meeting to select Los Angeles-based Meta Housing as the project’s developer that will work with Long Beach-based architecture firm Studio One Eleven.
The housing authority chose Meta Housing, which has completed three award-winning Long Beach projects, including the new 200-unit Long Beach Senior Arts Colony at Anaheim Street and Long Beach Boulevard. Meta Housing emerged as the frontrunner out of eight developers that submitted bids after the City released a request for qualifications (RFQ) late last year.
After selecting four final developers— two of which eventually dropped out— the City’s housing subcommittee, which includes Signal Hill Councilmembers Michael Noll and Tina Hansen, chose Meta Housing as the final preferred developer.
“Meta Housing was chosen based upon their design concept, which includes generous open space, a community room and a high-quality housing project,” states a staff report. “In addition, the financial pro forma was superior over the others and includes a large contingency to address any issues that come up during development of the project.”
The project, which has been in the works for six years, calls for building 72 units on a 1.61-acre property at the corner of Gundry Avenue and Hill Street. The affordable-housing community would be located on two sites— 1500 E. Hill St. and 2170 Gundry Ave.— the latter of which includes a metal Quonset hut that would be demolished.
The property, which the City is donating to the developer, was previously owned by the now defunct Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency and was transferred to the City’s housing authority after the State eliminated redevelopment. However, the State’s decision to abolish redevelopment and take away affordable-housing funds to fix the state budget has partly held up the project.
In particular, the State took away $2.6 million in set-aside, property-tax increment funds that were once allocated for financing the project, according to city officials.
Still, a city staff report states that Meta Housing has a “high success rate in obtaining tax credits,” which is considered “an essential element in financing the project.”
The staff report also notes that Meta Housing holds projects long-term, which is seen as a benefit to the community. Meta Housing’s management company, Solaris Enterprises, Inc., has an “excellent track record of thoroughly screening tenants for the housing units and providing social services for the residents.”
Meta Housing also plans to hold neighborhood meetings with adjacent residents, Signal Hill Elementary School and property owners to receive input on the project.
Vice President of Meta Housing Chris Maffris gave a presentation on the developer’s plans at the housing authority meeting this week. He said the company hopes to put together a project that would “exceed” the City’s most recent affordable-housing projects, Las Brisas 1 and Las Brisas 11, which were both developed by Adobe Communities. The new community will be the City’s sixth affordable-housing project.
Michael Bohn, principal for Studio One Eleven, said he foresees a project that would “raise the value of the community,” adding that it would be designed as a “quality affordable-housing village,” utilizing green-building aspects.
Bohn added that the property is “ideal” for affordable housing because of its close proximity to the municipal library, parks and other city facilities, adding that it would provide greater safety for the community as a whole once completed.
“It really is a good place,” he said. “It’s not isolated.”
Other amenities that Studio One Eleven has planned for the project include outside barbecues, a “flexible” green field and community gardens. Bohn said buildings would be one to four stories tall, with a main community room that would include computer labs and classrooms for residents.
Maffris said the community would include one-, two- and three-bedroom units that would range in rent from $800 to $1,200 per month. However, Scott Charney, director of community development, confirmed by phone that rents would be determined by a sliding scale based on income and household size. Maffris said potential residents would be required to have a job, adding that there would be no Section 8 housing.
Despite some alleged concerns from some residents that building the low-income housing complex would attract criminal activity next to Signal Hill Elementary School, Maffris assured that the project would make the area safer.
“I think this is actually going to secure the area,” he said. “There will be less people with criminal records than in any other in the area.”
Councilmember Hansen echoed that sentiment, adding that she’s excited to see the new affordable-housing project moving forward.
“There’s a perception out there that if you’re lower-income then you have to be a criminal,” she said. “Every human deserves the right to live in a place that’s safe! I think this is a wonderful project.”
City staff notes that the next round of tax credits to apply for will be in March 2015 and construction is expected to start by December 2015. Maffris said he expects the entire project to be completed in 14 to 16 months, with full occupancy expected by May 2017.
