FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is eligible to live at 231 Grant?
​
You may be eligible for an apartment at 231 Grant if you meet the following requirements:
​
1) At least one member of your household is a current employee of Los Altos School District, Palo Alto Unified School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, Foothill De-Anza Community College District, or another participating school in San Mateo County. Please request the information and provide your contact information through the Contact link using the contact form on this website to request additional information on eligible schools.​
​
2) Your annual household income is between 60% and 140% of the Area Median Income for Santa Clara County. For a 1-person household, the income limit is between $76,140 and $177,660 for 2023. The income limit is greater for larger households Please refer to this chart to assess your household income in terms of Santa Clara County's Area Median Income.
​
How can I apply for housing at this development?
​
We are not yet accepting tenant applications for 231 Grant.
​
If you meet the eligibility requirements above and are interested in living at 231 Grant, we encourage you to provide your contact information using the contact form on this website to request to be added to the interest list. You will receive a confirmation email when you have been added to the interest list.
Individuals on the interest list will be notified as soon as tenant applications become available. Please note that joining the interest list does not confer priority in the application process.
​
Why are Mercy Housing California and Abode Communities pursuing this development?
​
In February 2019, the County of Santa Clara issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) “to create a high-quality educator workforce housing development at a central location in Palo Alto.” The County was seeking to support local school districts and their teachers and staff, whose incomes are generally not high enough to afford market-rate rental or sales prices. This housing development would assist the districts in their retention and recruitment efforts, as well as facilitate educators and staff living within the communities in which they work.
In keeping with their common mission to create stable, vibrant, healthy residential communities, Mercy Housing and Abode Communities responded to the RFP and were later selected by the County. Their partnership brings extensive experience in mixed-income, multi-family development and operations, and in the creation of school district supported educator workforce housing over their combined 90 years of real estate and community development efforts.
​
What is the planning process for this development?
​
The 231 Grant site is on County of Santa Clara-owned property but lies within the incorporated area of the City of Palo Alto. The County will serve as the lead agency for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and as the approval authority for the development. In addition to CEQA’s required public notice and comment procedures, the County plans to hold meetings in Palo Alto to respond to questions and seek community input. The County Board of Supervisors is responsible for making the required CEQA findings and granting final approval. If approved, the project plans will be reviewed by the county building official who will review the plans for compliance with state building codes and review and approve the various building permits.
​
To stay up to date on the next steps for the county process, sign up for emails on the county website at sccgov.org/231grant.​
​
Who is the construction team for this development?
​
Cahill Contractors will be the construction team for 231 Grant. Cahill Contractors have been building with quality and integrity for over 100 years. They specialize in residential, education, civic, healthcare, and commercial construction in the San Francisco Bay Area.
​
Cahill has served as General Contractor for dozens of affordable housing developments, including:
​
The Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Affordable workforce housing for theatre staff and performers
2009 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
​
Fillmore Park
Affordable housing and courtyard
1345 Turk Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
​
North Beach Place
Affordable housing and retail spaces
567 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
​
Rene Cazenave Apartments
Affordable housing and courtyard
25 Essex Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
​
Bayview Hill Gardens
Affordable housing and parking garage
1075 Le Conte Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124
Tassafaronga Village
Affordable housing with solar panels
930 84th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94621
​
Who is the architect for this development?
​
Van Meter Williams Pollack will be leading the design team for 231 Grant. VMWP is an award-winning architecture and urban design firm based in San Francisco, Denver, and Minneapolis. VMWP specializes in affordable housing, mixed-use and market-rate housing, master planning, and land use and zoning standards that help communities accommodate change.
VMWP takes a comprehensive and innovative design approach. We integrate client needs into sustainable design solutions that address climate resilience, and social and economic equity, to create beautiful, inspiring communities and places for people to live and thrive.
VMWP has served the Bay Area for over 30 years and has built over 3,000 affordable apartments. Recently completed housing developments in the Bay Area include:
Affordable veterans housing
1680 Mission Road, Colma, CA 94103
Affordable housing, reserved units for veterans who have experienced homelessness
1701 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040
Affordable senior housing
2626 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Fairfax, CA 94930
Affordable mixed-use senior housing with community services
10860 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Affordable housing
1101 Connecticut Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Mural at MacArthur BART Station
Affordable transit-oriented housing, mixed-use
3838 Turquoise Way, Oakland, CA 94609
​
Who will be the management agent for this residential community?
​
Mercy Housing Management Group (MHMG) will be the management agent for the property and is committed to providing quality property management services that reinforce the philosophy that all residents deserve respect, dignity, and a place to call home. Staffing ratios will be determined as plans are further developed.
Currently MHMG manages a total of 328 affordable housing developments nationwide, 148 properties in California, and 48 properties in San Francisco. Much of the San Francisco portfolio has been managed since the early 1990s. The average length of management per property across the San Francisco portfolio is over 13 years. MHMG manages 71 family properties (2739 units) throughout California.
​
​