Affordable Project is Now Also Green

ESCONDIDO, CA—Affirmed Housing Group has completed upgrades to Sonoma Court, a 61-unit affordable-housing development here, bringing it to virtually net-zero energy efficiency. The property, located at 508 E. Mission Ave. here, offers sustainable and affordable apartments to more than 60 individuals and families in the North County San Diego market.

GlobeSt.com has learned that the project cost for the property was $13 million or $215,000 per door. This includes acquisition, relocation, construction, soft costs and fees. Hard or construction cost was $78,000 per door, or roughly $4.8 million.

Sonoma Court consists of a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units offered to individuals and families earning 35% to 60% of San Diego County's area median income. Constructed in 1978 and later purchased and renovated by AHG in the late 1990s, the firm began new renovations in the spring of 2014, including a new pool area, renovated tot lot, remodeled landscaping, new stucco and paint, reconstructed stairs, renovated laundry facility with new washers and dryers, renovated community building and a new fob-access entry system. In addition, the apartment interiors were refurbished with redesigned kitchens, new flooring, counters, cabinets, bathtubs, toilets, central air units and doors.

On the sustainability front, the property now includes a solar photovoltaic system, central boiler system, highly efficient heat pumps, Energy Star appliances, dual-pane windows and a new roof with a high solar reflective index, making it less costly to cool. Project partners include architect Rodriguez Associates Architects & Planners, general contractor HA Builders, civil engineer Masson & Associates Inc. and landscape architect Darsano Design Associates.

According to James Silverwood, president of AHG, “One of Affirmed's core values is sustainability. We think it is important to apply our values not only in the homes we build from the ground up, but also to acquired and long-held properties in our portfolio, such as Sonoma Court. With the renovations we just completed, we expect that residents of Sonoma Court will start seeing utility bills in the range of $3 to $5 per month.”