Estrella Vista – EAH Housing Completes 87-Unit Affordable Housing Project in the East Bay
RENTV
October 9, 2020
Estrella Vista, a new affordable, transit-oriented, mixed-use, multifamily community in the East Bay, has been completed and is open to the public. The 87-unit project, developed by EAH Housing, will serve the needs of families, seniors, veterans and people with special needs.
Estrella Vista, located at 3706 San Pablo Ave at the border between Emeryville and Oakland, the project is the fruition of an innovative partnership between public and private organizations, such as the cities of Emeryville and Oakland, the County of Alameda, and Oakland Housing Authority, who collaborated to provide much-needed quality, affordable housing.
Estrella Vista offers studios, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, ranging in size from 569 sf to 1.6k sf. Rents range from $590-$2,002, which is at the 20-60% AMI (Area Median Income) level. Located less than one mile from the Oakland MacArthur BART station, the community is near several bus lines, hospitals, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and entertainment.
More than a dozen organizations contributed to the financing of Estrella Vista, including the City of Emeryville, City of Oakland, County of Alameda, Oakland Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the County of Alameda, California Community Reinvestment Corporation, California Department of Housing and Community Development, California Municipal Finance Authority, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC), California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC), Federal Home Loan Bank and Wells Fargo Bank providing both tax-exempt bond lending and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity.
Designed by KTGY Architecture + Planning and built by J.H. Fitzmaurice General Contractors, Estrella Vista features four main outdoor areas. A large, central courtyard offers play equipment for children, while the Zen Garden and Adult Overlook offer space for young adults and parents to retreat. The new residential community also provides an outdoor sky deck. Other community features include a community room, computer learning center, fitness center and on-site laundry facilities.
EAH Housing is committed to sustainability, and Estrella Vista implements environmentally friendly features such as photovoltaic solar panels, a solar water heating system, low-flow plumbing fixtures, energy-efficient appliances and lighting, water-efficient landscaping, and an emphasis on recycled materials. Additionally, Estrella Vista includes electric vehicle charging stations and a bicycle storage area.
Local artist Eric Powell incorporated public art in Estrella Vista’s design as part of the city development requirements. Powell’s sculpture, Polaris, floats like a star in space suspended above the third-floor courtyard. Polaris is the north star, or polestar, the guiding light for ancient navigators.
