Gilroy
– Gilroy-based South County Housing is celebrating 25 years of
providing low-income families in four counties with affordable
housing.
Over its quarter-century history, the nonprofit organization has
changed the way local governments think about affordable housing.
More than 1,700 affordable units have been made available because
of South County Housing.
Gilroy – Gilroy-based South County Housing is celebrating 25 years of providing low-income families in four counties with affordable housing.
Over its quarter-century history, the nonprofit organization has changed the way local governments think about affordable housing. More than 1,700 affordable units have been made available because of South County Housing.
The organization’s original mission in 1979 was to provide more affordable housing to low-income farm workers and their families in southern Santa Clara County. It has since expanded to build affordable housing for seniors, the disabled, single-parent families and the homeless in Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
South County Housing also develops single-family homes through its mutual self-help construction program, where groups of 10 to 12 families build homes for themselves and other families under the organization’s administration and construction supervision.
Additionally, the organization provides a range of community resources including financial training and health information, as well as after-school programs for at-risk youth.
One South County Housing project of particular significance is the Los Arroyos community in Gilroy, a 373-unit development for families with mixed levels of income.
Another unique development, to be complete in late 2007, will transform the former cannery site in Gilroy, now a decrepit building at Fourth and Monterey streets, into a mix of apartments, condos, for-sale townhouses, commercial offices and businesses.
The organization also is working on a project in Morgan Hill that will construct affordable housing for teachers.
South County Housing will celebrate its milestone with an invitation-only Silver Anniversary celebration at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at Bonfante Gardens.
The gala will reunite the organization’s founders, supporters and families, with testimonies from those who have benefited directly from South County’s efforts.
A look at South County Housing’s most recent projects
Gilroy
Project name Year Housing Type Size
• Summer Hill 1999 single-family 20 self-built homes
40 affordable homes
• Los Arroyos 1999 mixed 52 family/senior units
44 self-built homes
134 affordable homes
Morgan Hill
• Jasmine Way 1989 single-family 16 self-built units
• Sunrise Meadows 1994 single-family 24 self-built units
Hollister
• Bridgevale 1999 single-family 42 self-built units
17 affordable units
• Riverview Estates 2002 single-family 28 self-built units
