An 88-unit mixed-use development is bringing new affordable housing and health care services to Fresno, California.
Integrated Community Development (ICD), a for-profit housing developer, and nonprofit Corporation for Better Housing (CBH) announced the opening of The Link @ Blackstone following 20 months of construction.
The new community replaces industrial and automotive uses that were previously on the property. “From the beginning, we saw this project as a catalyst that would advance the goals of Fresno’s General Plan by developing new affordable housing in a neighborhood with access to transportation, jobs, retail, entertainment, schools and community services,” said ICD senior vice president Jake Lingo. “We’re very pleased to open the doors and welcome residents.”
The $39 million development includes 27 one-, 30 two-, and 31 three-bedroom unitsfor families earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income. In addition, The Link @ Blackstone features nearly 10,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. Clinica Sierra Vista will occupy and operate a 7,500-square-foot medical and dental clinic, and the city will be staffing a 2,000-square-foot senior center.
“The Link @ Blackstone represents another important step toward answering the pressing need for high quality affordable housing to serve the greater Fresno area,” said Lori Koester, executive director of CBH. “The fact that this development is opening with zero vacancies underscores that local and state support for initiatives like this is a smart community investment.”
The state is investing more than $3.5 million into nearby infrastructure, including improving sidewalks, installing new streetlights, and building more than two miles of bike paths to connect the area near Fresno City College to downtown through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program.
Financing includes 4% low-income housing tax credits through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and tax credit investor partner Alliant Capital; loans from the California Housing Finance Agency, the city of Fresno, and the city of Fresno Housing Successor Agency; an AHSC award administered by the California Strategic Growth Council and implemented by the Department of Housing and Community Development; and funding from the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District. Construction financing was provided by Pacific Western Bank.
The community is built to net zero standards, with solar arrays on the carport rooftops expected to generate enough renewable energy to offset the demand of the four-story community. The Link @ Blackstone will also be eligible for LEED Gold certification.
BLH Construction served as general contractor for the project, with YM Architects and Breen Engineering providing design and engineering services.
The community is managed by WinnResidential, the nation’s largest operator of affordable housing and the preferred manager for the CBH portfolio, which spans 75 properties in 38 California cities and towns.
