Celebrating Legacy Court Groundbreaking in Richmond, Culminating 22 Years of Effort
December 18, 2024
In mid-December, we held the long-awaited official groundbreaking for Legacy Court in Richmond, a development that will provide affordable housing for 42 low-income households earning between 30% and 60% of the area’s median income.
Legacy Court is designed as all-electric and will incorporate energy-efficient appliances, as well as green elements designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the project. On-site amenities for residents will include a kitchen, laundry facilities, computer lab with high-speed internet and bike parking, along with common areas designed to facilitate socialization and a sense of community.
Programming for residents will include exercise, health and wellness programs, as well as art, educational and cultural activities. Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services will provide services to support residents in need of mental health services, including case management, peer support, mental health care, substance use services, and benefits counseling and advocacy.
“Eden Housing has been partnering with CHDC for more than 20 years and we are proud to work together to add an additional 42 safe, affordable housing options for families in Richmond,” said Eden Housing CEO Linda Mandolini. “This project further exemplifies our commitment to creating inclusive and sustainable communities where everyone can thrive. I am deeply thankful to our partners for their support; we couldn’t have this lasting impact on the Richmond community without them.”
As one of many speakers, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks shared a heartfelt story about the deeply personal reasons housing policy work is important to her. She recalled feeling self-conscious inviting friends over to the trailer where she lived as a child. However, as she pointed out, “I had access to a ladder,” which allowed her to continue her schooling.
“I do the work I do because I know what it’s like to be housing insecure…and it’s projects like this that give me so much hope about what the community is doing together to fix this issue that plagues families and people living on our streets,” she said as she pledged to continue working to secure more funding for housing projects just like Legacy Court.
At the groundbreaking, we were honored to be joined by a suite of supporters including Eduardo Martinez, City of Richmond Mayor; John M. Gioia, Contra Costa County Supervisor; Jesse Arreguin, California State Senator; Nancy Skinner, former member of the California State Senate; Buffy Wicks, Assemblymember; Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa; Lisa Hasegawa, Regional VP, Western Region, NeighborWorks; Maryam Tasnif-Abbasi, Brownfield Development Manager at Cap EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control; and CHDC and Eden Housing executives