Property Description

Ruby Street Apartments is a 72-unit development at 22447 Ruby Street in Castro Valley (unincorporated Alameda County). The development is a mix of studio, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units that will be affordable to households earning 20% to 60% of the area median income. One 2-bedroom unit is reserved for an on-site community manager.

The site was acquired from Caltrans in partnership with the Housing Authority of the County of Alameda (HACA) using the Surplus Lands Act, a state law that requires public agencies to offer their surplus lands to public agencies and their partners to create housing for low-income Californians.

The project is four stories with two surface parking lots. Ruby Street Apartments is designed to foster community both on and off-site. The project will benefit from a community room at the ground floor, a large residential courtyard with play structures and community gardens, and meeting spaces and private offices for resident services. The development will also have direct access to the proposed San Lorenzo Creekway, a portion of which will be constructed concurrent with the development. The Creekway is an Active Transportation Corridor for walking and biking, which will connect communities in San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Ashland, Cherryland, Hayward and Castro Valley as it runs from the Bay to Cull Canyon Regional Rec Area.

Fifteen of the units will be set aside for individuals and families experiencing homelessness that are earning no more than 20% of the area median income. An additional 15 units will be for veterans through the VASH voucher program and another 10 units will be for people with disabilities through the Mainstream voucher project. The remaining units do not have a specific set aside for any specific subpopulation and will be available to individuals and families making up to 60% of the area median income.

There are numerous grocery stores, restaurants, social services, parks, and employment opportunities near the property. The site is close to both downtown Hayward and Castro Valley, and has easy access to job centers across the Bay Area with proximity to two BART stations and a bus line that connects to San Leandro, Bay Fair, and Hayward.

The 6.28-acre site is divided into three parcels, of which approximately 3-acres will be developed into affordable rental housing and the San Lorenzo Creekway. The other parcels include another approximately 3-acre parcel that contains the San Lorenzo Creek and a Caltrans conservation easement, and a 0.34-acre parcel that Eden donated to the Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD) for the creation of a small park or trailhead.

Property Details

Number of Units

72 Units

Unit Features

  • ADA Accessibility
  • Appliances
  • Blinds
  • Cable Ready
  • Carpet and Vinyl Flooring
  • Central heat and air conditioning
  • Dining area/room
  • Disability (wheelchair) access
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric cooktop stove and range
  • Energy Star rated appliances
  • Full-size refrigerator
  • Fully adaptable for people with disabilities
  • Garbage disposal
  • High efficiency light fixtures and appliances
  • Large Windows
  • Parking Spot (one per unit)
  • Pet friendly
  • Refrigerator and Range
  • Security system
  • Trash and recycle chutes

Amenities

  • Bicycle Storage
  • Community Center
  • Community Gardens
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
  • Key Fob Security
  • Laundry Room
  • Playground

Green Features

  • Designed to achieve GreenPoint Platinum rating.
  • Drought resistant landscaping thereby reducing the water needed for irrigation.
  • Efficient water fixtures throughout the building.
  • Equipped with Energy Star rated appliances.
  • Includes heat pump heating and cooling, and centralized heat pump water heating.
  • Includes indoor storage for bicycles.

Development Details

Architect

Pyatok Architects

General Contractor

James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corp.

Financial Partners

National Equity Fund (NEF); Silicon Valley Bank; The County of Alameda; CA Department of Housing and Community Development (No place Like Home Program, Federal Housing Trust Fund Program via the Housing for a Healthy California Program); Regional Center of the East Bay; Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco