The City Council will take a final look Wednesday at how dense
it wants a development of affordable housing targeted at Morgan
Hill teachers to be.
The City Council will take a final look Wednesday at how dense it wants a development of affordable housing targeted at Morgan Hill teachers to be.
The joint project between the city and South County Housing is to be built on city-owned land on the northwest corner of Watsonville Road and Calle Sueno, just west of Monterey Road. It was designed to offer teachers a chance to own their own homes, countering the exodus of valued educators trained by the district who frequently leave for communities with lower housing prices.
Early in the project’s development the council asked for the most number of units on the site to maximize the benefit to teachers. That number – 12 – was objected to by neighbors of the site because of the high number of zoning and building code variances that would be required. The site is large enough for seven, based on city zoning regulations.
City staff has reviewed three plans proposed by South County Housing’s architect Jim Yee, with densities of 12, 11 and 10, and is recommending the lesser number, 10.
The 12-unit plan for townhouses and duets from 1,249 to 1,469 square-feet would cost $95-$98 per square-feet to build; they would cost $413,758 per unit with a net subsidy – from the city’s 20 percent affordable housing set-aside – of $77,091 each. Twelve units means less guest parking and common space; each townhouse would have a large rear patio.
With the 11-unit plan, the size range and cost per square-foot are the same as in the 12-unit plan. Each unit would cost $428,429 with a net subsidy of $95,247 each. Guest parking would need a variance but there is more common and rear yard space than with the denser plan.
The 10-unit plan is described as modified-attached homes, for which there is no need for the expensive insurance policies now required for attached condominiums as with the 11- and 12-unit versions. Under this plan, homes are larger, allows for more useable front yards and parking areas plus larger private side yards.
Cost to build per square-foot is $86 with area ranging from 1,483 to 1,542 square-feet; cost per unit is $421,097 with a $85,597 subsidy for each unit.
The 10-unit plan, the staff report prepared by Planner Terry Linder notes, requires fewer zoning variations, exceeds the on-site parking requirements and provides driveway areas in front of the majority of the units.
At the December 2003 meeting, Councilman Larry Carr asked whether a first- or second-year teacher in the Morgan Hill School District would be able to afford one of these units. South County Housing’s Director of Housing Development Jan Lindenthal assured him that they would.
Council will review the three plans and their costs and choose one. City staff and SCH will refine the chosen plan and return to the council on March 24 with final plans and contracts for adoption.
Responding to recent news that many experienced teachers already own their own homes, eliminating the need for this kind of dedicated housing, several of the district’s younger staff members are expected to speak at Wednesday’s meeting.
City Council meets 7 p.m. at City Hall, 17555 Peak Ave. Details: 779-7271.
