Advancing Affordable Housing in Cupertino
Project Overview
Mary Avenue Villas is a 40-unit, 100% affordable housing community in Cupertino, California, developed by Charities Housing in partnership with the Cupertino Rotary and Housing Choices Coalition. Situated on a 0.79-acre long, narrow lot adjacent to Highway 85 and Mary Avenue Dog Park, the project features (2) two-story, wood-framed buildings, each equipped with its own elevator.
An at-grade parking lot will be centrally located between the buildings. The development will offer a diverse unit mix, including studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments to accommodate various household needs and targeted population.
Income Requirements
Area Median Income (AMI) is a measure used to determine eligibility for affordable housing programs. It represents the midpoint of household incomes in a specific area. Affordable housing programs set income limits based on AMI to ensure homes are accessible to those in need.
At Mary Avenue Villas, all households must meet specific income requirements to qualify for a unit. The development includes units designated for households earning up to 30% of the AMI and 50% of the AMI. The chart below outlines the maximum income limits based on household size and AMI level in Santa Clara County.
Environmental Commitment
Our development, located near Highway 85, is built to exceed HUD’s sound and air quality standards. It prioritizes resident comfort and reduces environmental impact with energy-efficient, all-electric appliances. Rooftop solar panels will be installed to supply clean electricity to further our commitment to green living.
A soil investigation was completed by Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI) to evaluate any potential impacts from the site’s former agricultural use and nearby freeway. PSI collected soil samples across the subject property and analyzed them for heavy metals and pesticides. Only lead (in only one soil sample) was found to be above the residential environmental screening level. The very limited area of lead impact at the subject property will be excavated prior to building construction. Based on the soil results and removal of the lead-impacted soil, the soil at the subject property will be below environmental screening levels at the time of building construction, and therefore from a soils suitability perspective, the development is suitable for residential development.
To read the full report, click HERE.
For the city’s third party peer review of the study, click HERE.