Sonrisa is the first project to break ground under Governor Newsom’s Executive Order (EO) N-06-19 for Affordable Housing Development, which prioritizes affordable housing development on excess State-owned property and the pursuit of sustainable, innovative, and cost-effective construction methods. For decades, California has failed to build enough homes for its growing population at all income levels, ranking 49th in the country in housing production per capita in 2016. For many of our community’s most marginalized and essential citizens, equitable housing is out of reach.
The 58 micro-studio units were designed as compact high-qualitative studio spaces efficiently providing a livable 267 SF. The project also provides ground floor shared common areas used for job training and employment services and a community commons deck and kitchen on the fifth floor. All 58 units are affordable at very low to low income levels (40% – 60% AMI) The 0.24-acre infill site is centrally located one block south of the State Capitol on an underutilized infill site with exceptional public transit accessibility, walkability, and proximity to jobs and services.
Mass Timber using CLT floor and roof decks and prefabricated wall panels were chosen as the primary construction method to improve the speed of construction and maintain a higher-quality living environment. The integrated design, supportive programming, and safe living environment provide sustainability to the residences.
