WOODLAND, Calif. — The Woodland City Council voted 5-0 on July 15 to approve a $1.5 million loan commitment to the Yolo County Housing Authority (YCH) to support construction of the Tupelo Family Apartments, a 73‑unit affordable development on Lehman Avenue.

Community Development Director Erica Baumgartner said the Tupelo project — entitled earlier this year — will include 72 income‑restricted one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units and one manager unit across six three‑story buildings. "About half of the units may serve as replacement units for families living in other YCH properties; the remaining units will add new affordable inventory and count toward Woodland’s RHNA," Baumgartner said.

The project is estimated at about $52 million. YCH and its partners have applied for $28 million from the state Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, split roughly between on‑site housing construction and sustainable transportation infrastructure. Catherine Apicella, the city’s community development civic fellow, said AHSC funds would be paired with Yolo Transportation District investments to increase bus service and add electric vehicle and bus‑charging infrastructure.

The loan terms the Council approved are a 55‑year residual receipts loan with 3% simple interest — a structure the housing analyst Franklin Swee said helps the project compete for tax credits and other state funding. "The type of loan, both the terms and affordability period, benefits scoring criteria for state programs and tax credit financing," Swee told the Council. He added the city’s per‑unit contribution is approximately $20,800, which he said compares favorably to recent local awards.

Ian Evans, executive director of Yolo County Housing, said the Tupelo phase is intended as a first step in a multi‑phase neighborhood repositioning that could ultimately yield 350–450 total units on YCH land in the Lehman/Armfield area. He said the development team will seek tax credits in 2026 and, if funding is secured, hopes to begin construction by late 2026 or early 2027.

Why it matters: the city’s commitment is intended to leverage state, federal and private capital for a broader community revitalization effort and to reduce the risk that YCH’s larger Choice Neighborhoods implementation application will lack local match. Council members emphasized the project’s potential to provide modern, transit‑oriented affordable housing near services such as Head Start and the YMCA.

Outcome: The resolution authorizing the loan and related actions passed 5‑0. Staff said the loan, AHSC application outcomes and potential Sutter Health funding will determine the next financial steps.