Menlo Park – Construction is underway at Oak Gardens, a development that will provide permanent housing and support services to military veterans experiencing homelessness and their families.
Community members, elected officials, veterans advocates and business leaders joined a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 26 on the campus of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System campus in Menlo Park.
Oak Gardens will feature 62 homes for veterans, including formerly homeless veterans, and their families in a development led by nonprofit developer MidPen Housing. Located on a 2.1-acre site, the building will nestle among large heritage trees with multiple gardens that will offer a variety of outdoor community spaces.
Oak Gardens is made possible through a program that allows the VA to lease out underutilized VA land for the purpose of developing supportive housing for veterans.
“One of the hardest impediments we face to build housing is the land,” San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “That you're willing to share it and lease it is an incredible thing.”
Mueller, whose District 3 includes Menlo Park, said the need for affordable housing is acute. “Everyone needs housing. Every family needs housing. While their service to our country might make it easier for people to understand that, everyone has a place in our society and needs a place to sleep,” he said.
Oak Gardens will provide residents with easy access to vital VA medical and support staff, on-site case management services, a large community room and kitchen, as well as resident services and activities. The property also features amenities like a community garden, dog run, walking path and meditation circle. The site also has easy access to local shops, grocery, restaurants and schools.
“We’re honored to collaborate with the VA on Oak Gardens, a significant opportunity to provide affordable homes and comprehensive services to veterans in need,” said Matthew O. Franklin, president and CEO of MidPen Housing. “We applaud the City of Menlo Park, San Mateo County, and all of our partners for their commitment to permanent supportive housing, a proven solution to address homelessness.”
“Our county is very fortunate to have the Palo Alto VA Health System located in our region,” said Ed Kiryczun, San Mateo County’s veterans services manager. “Having access to 100 percent permanent supportive housing can make a tremendous difference in the lives of these veterans. Our office has seen time and again veterans who receive this level of support and care go on to live full and productive lives as members of our community.”
“Through enhanced use leases, the VA leverages underutilized properties to serve veterans in powerful ways,” said Jean Gurga, director of VA Palo Alto Health Care System. “Oak Gardens is a prime example of how these partnerships create vibrant communities, directly aligning with our mission to enhance the lives of veterans with essential housing and support services.”
Financing for Oak Gardens is being provided through public and private sources including the County of San Mateo, which provided $1,407,792 from the local Measure K half-cent sales tax, City of Menlo Park, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, National Equity Fund, Inc. (NEF), California Department of Housing and Community Development, First Citizens Bank, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.