Breaking Ground on a Brighter Future for Veterans in Antioch

Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments is one of the first projects in the state to provide permanent, affordable housing for veterans with assistance from the HCD Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program.

October 17, 2016  – Antioch, CA. On Thursday, October 20, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) will break ground on Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments in Antioch -  85 affordable homes for veterans, seniors, and people with special needs. 33 units will be set-aside for veterans, 12 of which will be formerly chronically homeless.  

Set to open in early 2018, Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments will include 84 one-bedroom homes and an onsite manager’s unit.  Amenities will include a community room with kitchen, an activity room with five computer stations, and an exercise room.  The community room will open to the central garden, which will include a meandering path, several seating areas, and wheelchair accessible vegetable planters in a sunny spot.

Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments provides a solution to a growing need for affordable housing for California’s veterans, and is part of Contra Costa County’s Zero:2016 campaign to end veteran homelessness.  According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, California is home to nearly 1.8 million veterans, the largest veteran population in the nation. Nearly 15,000 California veterans experience homelessness on a given night, representing nearly 26 percent of the nation’s homeless veterans.

Antioch Mayor, Wade Harper understands the needs of veterans, “I am person who was raised by a veteran.  I have spoken with homeless veterans on the street and I believe no veteran should ever be homeless.  We have to do everything in our power to support those who defend and protect us, past present and future.  Thank you for providing a place for our most vulnerable citizens, our seniors.”

According to SAHA Executive Director Susan Friedland, “SAHA is proud to partner with Contra Costa County and the City of Antioch to address veteran homelessness in our state. Tabora Gardens will not only provide the high quality, affordable housing veterans deserve, but the access to programs and serves tailored to meet their specific needs.  This combination of housing and services has been proven to help break the cycle of homelessness.”

SAHA will provide a range of services to help residents thrive including a full-time Resident Services Coordinator, community programs and twice weekly van transportation to recreational, medical and shopping destinations including the VA Outpatient Clinic in Martinez.  Veterans at Tabora Gardens will be supported by specialized on-site case management through SHELTER, Inc., a nonprofit organization working to prevent and end homelessness with veterans and other low-income people since 1986.

To qualify for housing at Tabora Gardens, new residents will need an income at or below 50% of the area median, and will need to be at least 55 years of age.

Ten percent of the units will be fully handicap accessible (twice the legal UFAS requirement,) and the remainder adaptable.  The building will include a comprehensive array of sustainable building features including a cool roof, thick insulation, Energy STAR rated appliances, heat pump HVAC and solar hot water heating that reduces the amount of fuel needed to heat water by about 50%. Living rooms have ceiling fans to reduce the need to run the air conditioning in summer, and heat in winter. The building exceeds Title 24 State energy code by 22% due to the collective impact of these and other features.

Funding comes from the City of Antioch, Contra Costa County, Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa, HCD Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program, HCD Multifamily Housing Program, Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc., California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Wells Fargo Bank, HUD 811 Project Rental Assistance, Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

"Projects like Tabora Gardens are vital to ensuring that vulnerable members of our community, including many veterans, receive the services and support they need to stabilize their lives. We are proud to be a part of it," said Lavonna Martin, Contra Costa Health Services' Director of Health, Housing and Homeless Services.

Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments is designed by Pyatok Architects and built by Sunseri Construction, Inc.