The City of Brentwood confirmed Friday that a project that would add more than 100 homes along Lone Tree Way has been pulled from consideration and is now dead in the current form.
Eden Housing, or the Episcopal Diocese of California, would now have to submit a new application and proposal to move forward with any project on this land–thus resetting its application clock.
The Blue Bird Village was being proposed as an 8.684 acre development (Lone Tree at O’Hara) of mark-rate housing, first-time affordable homeownership housing, affordable rental housing, a community center, a child care center and a farm. The project would have included several three story building for part of the project
According to the project plan:
- Affordable Rental Housing: The Diocese will ground lease land to Eden Housing for the development of up to 100 units of rental housing for families with incomes which do not exceed 60% of the Area Median Income for Contra Costa County. A portion of the units will serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness
- Market-Rate Homeownership Housing: The project plan currently assumes 26 units of market-rate for-sale homes. The homes are detached single-family homes with 2-car garages and arranged in a motor-court style Once entitled, the market-rate homeownership component of the project will be sold to a homebuilder for development and sale to future homeowners
- Affordable Homeownership Housing: The project plan currently assumes 12 two-bedroom townhomes and 12 three-bedroom townhomes for affordable, first-time homeowner housing. These townhomes are designed as Below Market Rate homeownership opportunities for families earning between 80% and 120% of the Area Median Income for Contra Costa County. As designed, the affordable homeownership component may require subsidy from the City
of Brentwood to be financially feasible as BMR/affordable homeownership housing. - Jubilee Farm: 1.1 acres of the project will feature Jubilee Farm, a Farm Church ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of
- Community Center: The plan assumes a 5,500 square foot community center featuring a multi-purpose hall, meeting rooms, Diocese offices, and an outdoor plaza. The Center would be available for Diocese, Eden Housing, and neighborhood use.
- Child Care Center: Lastly, the plan includes a 5,000 square foot childcare center with approximately 5 classrooms serving 60 children in total.
Ellen Morris, Associate Director of Real Estate Development at Eden Housing sent a letter to Brentwood city staff asking them to remove the project from the city website as they will not be submitting an application at this time.
Assistant City Manger Darin Gale confirmed the decision and provided Eden Housing’s letter to the city.
Many residents in the city of Brentwood came out against the project for a variety of reasons from zoning, size of the project, location, local impact, lack of parking, to impacting on local neighborhood. Opponents of the project not only took to social media, but spoke during public forums, city council meetings and provided feedback on the project–they even created an online petition.
Eden Housing would now have to submit a new application and proposal to move forward with any project on this land.
According to the Letter by Ellen Morris, Associate Director of Real Estate Development at Eden Housing to the City of Brentwood:
Hi Erik,
Sorry we weren’t able to reach you over phone yesterday. We would like to let you know that Eden Housing, in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of California, will not be submitting an application for Blue Bird Village at this time. To avoid any confusion, we’d like to request that you remove the pre-application from the City’s website<https://www.brentwoodca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/5021/637842463551554508>.
As you know, Eden Housing has been part of the Brentwood community since we opened Brentwood Senior Commons in 2007. In Contra Costa County, we have developed and managed 14 properties totaling nearly 1,000 units. We strongly believe that the kind of high-quality, service-enriched housing that Eden builds meets the needs of Brentwood’s residents and neighbors. We hope to continue serving this community for years to come.
Despite our business decision not to file an application at this time, affordable housing in Brentwood remains very important to Eden Housing and the Diocese. For that reason, we will continue conversations with our partners and like-minded organizations so that we may continue to evaluate ways to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.
I’m going to be out through Thursday next week, but Donna Colombo from the Diocese and I are happy to talk with you further when I return next Friday, 5/20. I really appreciate the time and attention you and your staff put to the project – it has been a pleasure working with you.
Have a great weekend,
Ellen
It is unclear if the project will return in the future in the same form, redesigned or is going to be abandoned.
Project Details: Click here
Project Website: www.bluebirdvillagebrentwood.com
