Supply for demand

So much still to talk about regarding Wednesday’s events, but the Planning Board is important too in light of the rental housing crisis and housing crisis in general in Alameda.  Two housing projects are on the agenda to house populations that almost everyone will agree needs housing the most: seniors and families needing affordable housing.

This will be the second look at the old Island High property project that will bring 22 affordable housing units to the Wedge neighborhood near Park Street.  The applicant is the Housing Authority of Alameda so these should be permanently affordable housing units. If approved it will be interesting to see is this project gets appealed or called for review by the City Council.  The Planning Board will be making a determination on the design review and granting a density bonus for the project.

The second project is a bit different but definitely should be welcome considering our aging population.  A senior care facility is being proposed for Bay Farm near the ferry building.  From the staff report:

The facility would serve approximately 100 seniors with memory care needs or in assisted living facilities. The facility would be approximately 95,000 square feet in size, two stories in height, and include facilities for the care (feeding, bathing, personal hygiene, laundry, etc.) as well as social programs for the residents. Exhibit 2 includes a conceptual site and floor plan. The facility would also include a restaurant-style dining area, library, movie room, café, physical therapy and common living room for use by the residents. The facility would be fully staffed on a 24-hour, seven-day a week basis by approximately 53 full-time equivalent employees.

The facility would include a variety of living spaces for the inhabitants ranging from individual private rooms with bathroom facilities for single memory care residents to larger one- and two- bedroom units for senior couples in need of assisted living. The larger units would include private living, sleeping, and bathing areas, and a small food preparation space. The food storage and preparation area will include sink, counter, microwave, and refrigerator, but it will not include full private cooking facilities.

Because none of the living spaces include fixed cooking facilities (an oven), none of the private living areas are defined as “residential units” under the Uniform Building Code or the City of Alameda Municipal Code.

And

From a transportation point of view, the proposed use will generate relatively few peak hour automobile trips in Harbor Bay. Assisted living facilities generate few commute-hour or school related vehicular trips.  Most seniors in assisted living facilities do not drive, and staff shifts are spread out over a 24-hour period.   Based upon an analysis conducted for the 2013 approval of the Oakmont memory care and assisted living facility, the Harbor Bay facility is expected to generate approximately 10 AM trips and about 10 PM peak period automobile trips.   For comparison purposes, if the site were developed with 50,000 square feet of commercial office use as originally proposed, the site would generate approximately 75 to 80 AM and 75 to 80 PM peak hour trips.

It’s really the lack of fixed cooking facilities that makes the project viable and I have to say that I’m surprised — given the whole new trend of renting out bunk beds in San Francisco — that someone hasn’t snatched up the old Bachelors Enlisted Quarters at Alameda Point even as gross as it is now and turned it into one giant dorm for tech bros that are willing to drop $750 a month on a bunk bed.   A similar set up that is designed for folks in their twilight years could help house tons of single folks that may not need a whole one or two bedroom unit and could free up some much needed housing units via some sort of adult dorm.