Healdsburg welcomed its newest address with a house party last Friday, one that included a guest list of enviable proportions: a U.S. congressman, a state assemblymember, all current members of the city council, plus representatives of the county supervisor and government agencies whose focus is housing.
The address is 111 Saw Mill Circle and the name of the building is The Randall. Forty-one new apartments were christened on Sept. 15 in a ceremony complete with speeches and a ribbon cutting, officially inaugurating Healdsburg’s newest and largest affordable-living complex.
The four-story building, which notably looms over the McDonald’s restaurant and parking lot on the corner of Healdsburg Avenue, is located right near the heart of downtown Healdsburg, making it suitable for walk-to-work local residents.
It is also “just steps away from the future Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) stop,” said Eden Housing of its latest affordable housing project and its first in Healdsburg. In fact, the new building is named not for a local notable or historic figure, but for longtime housing advocate and Eden board member Nick Randall, who is very much alive and attended the project’s grand opening as an oft-toasted guest.
Randall, a Sebastopol resident, is the former executive vice-president of DynEd International, an English-language learning software company. He also served on the Hayward City Council, in Alameda County, and is the immediate past chair of Eden Housing, which has developed affordable housing projects in 45 California cities since 1968.
By design, The Randall was the first component of the broader Mill District master development to be completed, opening to residents and fully occupied in July of this year. It includes a mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom homes with outdoor community space including a patio, barbecue and gardening area.
Among the locals in attendance was Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley, whose remarks took note of the city’s role in the development of the Randall. “This endeavor reflects our ongoing commitment to not just plan, but [to] act to address housing affordability. City staff has worked hand-in-hand with Eden Housing to ensure project delivery and today marks that significant milestone,” she said.
“Today, we are here to celebrate not just the opening of a housing complex, but a promise delivered. These 41 units are a part of the 476 units, if not more, we intend to build over the next eight years.”
“The development agreement required the affordable housing to be both built and open first, before the hotel or other market rate development,” Kelley said later.
Kelley specified the city’s role in the project. “The city convened planning and design workshops for the project, contributed funds from local tax dollars via our measure S fund and General Fund, and assisted with entitlements that allowed the developer to pursue successfully, receiving their low income housing tax credits… which ultimately led to the funding of the project.”
Also on hand at the Sept. 14 opening were Rep. Jared Huffman, State Assemblymember Jim Wood and Jenny Chamberlain, chief of staff for 4th District Supervisor James Gore. Officers of California Community Reinvestment Corporation, Generation Housing, Wells Fargo, Eden Housing and Replay Destinations, the Mill District developer, were also in attendance to inaugurate the apartments.
All 41 of the units are aimed at households earning between 30%-50% of the Sonoma County Area Median Income. “This is a critical step toward equitable housing, giving more people access to the advantages of living in Healdsburg,” Kelley said.
If Healdsburg really wants affordable housing, get rid of the zoning laws and abolish the minimum wage laws. But no. Instead we taxpayers have to pay for “affordable housing”.
Without the zoning laws there would be mobile home parks and cheap housing. Without the minimum wage laws, there would be jobs for the poor.
As for Kelley’s dream of “affordable housing”… what does that even mean? I’ve lived in shacks with no electricity or plumbing, but it was affordable for me.
The government created the problem of unaffordable housing with the zoning laws, and now the City Council is trying to fix a problem that it created, by using our tax dollars.
Let the free market work.
I would like to know what percentage of Healdsburg residents were able to meet the requirements of the application and are now living there. Does every applicant have a section 8 voucher?.
I know people who live here that were turned away from applying.
Anne: The City Council never gives us firm monetary numbers on anything.
PS: I’ve been to Savannah, Georgia many times. In the downtown historical district (which has been rebuilt and gentrified) you can see the homes of the rich. In the back of the homes was the carriage house. The slave quarters were on the second floor.
The Randall House looks a lot nicer than the old carriage houses of Savannah.
How much do the affordable units cost per month?
Valerie: Good question. Will the City Council or Randall House answer it?
I see that Mr. Randall is from Sebastopol. Did anyone use a Geiger Counter to see if he is really from a Nuclear Free Zone?
I am a 77 year old disabled woman that has been homeless for two years now. I was dumped at a motel 6 with my emotional support dog with very little money. This was done by my prominent brother for reasons not to be believed. His wife promised to take care of my dog until I could afford to be housed. Instead they gave my dog away! I have been living in homeless shelters from that time until now. It has been horrible! I am educated and never even tried drugs. In the shelter I am in now I saw a notice about your new apartments in Healdsburg. I would be over the moon to be able to move into one of your new apartments.
I was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County. I have always liked the Healdsburg area. If only I could make this happen. The question is how?