Santa Inez Apartments
Low-Income Housing, High-Income Opponents
When Willow Partners ran into trouble trying to build low income housing for large families in a very high-income Silicon Valley neighborhood, they turned to GCA to gain land use approvals and secure a $3.23 million loan from the City.
GCA Strategies organized more than 400 prospective tenants to apply for residency and advocate for the project. Church leaders and civil rights groups endorsed the project, and we enlisted the local Chamber of Commerce, regional employers, unions, political party activists and local newspapers in an unusual coalition to support affordable housing for working families. Meanwhile, community outreach based on psychosocial research succeeded in defusing hostility from some angry neighbors while minimizing opposition from others.
The results: Faced with support from hundreds of residents, the San Mateo Planning Commission and City Council rejected opposition from nearby homeowner associations, approved the 42-unit multifamily housing project, and issued the low-interest housing loan needed to make the project financial feasible.
GCA projects are successful projects. Check out Willow Partners: Santa Inez Apartments.