Mixed Income Housing

Attempting to address a serious housing shortage in the San Francisco (US) area, an innovative mixed-income apartment complex has gone up in nearby Santa Clara. The concept seeks to be a model for how to provide quality housing for all levels of income. There is also an ecological component, as it has its own 6,000 m2 organic farm managed by a professional urban farming company, which also welcomes help from the residents. This ‘Agrihood’ complex has a total of 361 apartments, of which 181 are priced below market rate, 165 are reserved for seniors or veterans at an even lower price, and 30 are expensive townhouses. 
The onsite farm is able to produce 10,000 kilos of food each year, and every week the freshly picked produce is sold to the residents at a deep discount. According to the designers of the project: “Our goal has been to provide the affordable housing that we urgently need in Santa Clara through a truly creative, community-driven process. Not only are we providing a unique living experience for our residents, but we’re also encouraging their health and wellness by incorporating the farm.”