Eden Housing, the City of Watsonville and South County Housing celebrated the reopening of two affordable housing communities, Tierra Linda and Pajaro Court, following major renovations.
The properties provide a combined 28 affordable rental homes.
Built in 1994, Tierra Linda is at 490 Beck St., while Pajaro Court is at 170 Pennsylvania Drive.
Renovations included improvements to building exteriors, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, mechanical and electrical systems, windows and lighting.
The work also included new or upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, with new appliances and fixtures, cabinets, countertops and flooring.
“Housing that is so hard to replace and keeping housing in good condition is something that’s really, really difficult to do,” said Eden Housing CEO Linda Mandolini. “We were privileged to be asked by South County Housing when they had to wind down operations after the great recession to take over their portfolio in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. We feel like it’s so expensive to replace housing like this so we’re really grateful to the city of Watsonville.”
Watsonville City Manager Tamara Vides emphasized the importance of preserving existing affordable housing.
“It’s really great to be here to celebrate the grand opening of Tierra Linda Apartments. Housing remains one of our biggest challenges locally and statewide and that is why the city of Watsonville is committed to creating more housing opportunities while preserving those affordable housing units that we already have and that is why a project like Tierra Linda is so incredibly important.”
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez also emphasized the need to preserve affordable housing.
“Affordable housing is essential to the stability of our families and the strength of our community,” Hernandez said. “We need to keep investing in affordable homes, preserving the housing that we already have and renovation projects like this one help us ensure that families have quality homes that they can afford.”
Speaking on behalf of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Verania Vizcarra-Sanchez said affordable housing has been a cornerstone of Lofgren’s career and that progress requires collaboration.
Vizcarra-Sanchez presented a certificate of recognition. Representatives of state Sen. John Laird and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas also spoke.
Monthly rents range from $1,228 for a two-bedroom unit to $3,129 for a three-bedroom unit.
