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Eastern Sierra Community Housing outlines Silver Peaks affordable housing plan, seeks state transit grant
Summary
Nonprofit Eastern Sierra Community Housing presented the Silver Peaks mixed‑use affordable housing concept for Bishop: about 60 rental apartments, 16 homeownership townhomes, transit investments and a child‑care site; major grant applications due May 28.
Eastern Sierra Community Housing (ESCH) updated the Inyo County Board of Supervisors April 29 on the Silver Peaks affordable housing project, a community‑led redevelopment planned for Spruce and MacGyver Streets in the city of Bishop that combines rental apartments, ownership townhomes and transit improvements.
“I'm here today to provide this update to explain the status of our Silver Peaks affordable housing project, what our role is in the project, and a little bit about some of the upcoming grant funding applications that we'll be working on,” said Patricia Robertson, executive director of Eastern Sierra Community Housing. Robertson said ESCH assumed the local nonprofit partner role in 2022 after the prior nonprofit closed its housing programs and that the ownership entity will be Silver Peaks Limited Partnership, a two‑LLC structure with ESCH and developer Visionary Home Builders controlling the respective LLCs.
Project concept and timeline: Robertson described an initial concept of roughly 60 rental apartments and 16 ownership townhomes on a site of just under three acres already zoned for high‑density residential in Bishop. The team intends to include a child‑care facility on site, enhanced transit infrastructure (a bus shelter, bike lanes, enhanced bus frequency and resident transit passes) and workforce development links with local education and career centers. If financing goes as planned, Robertson said, construction kickoff (groundbreaking) could begin in December 2026 with apartment lease‑up in 2028. The project team is balancing funding‑competitive unit counts with local homeownership needs; the townhomes would be deed‑restricted to maintain local ownership.
Planned financing and grants: Robertson said the project team is preparing a complex Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant application that is due May 28; that program ties housing funding to greenhouse‑gas reductions through transit and site planning. The team will also apply for federal/state low‑income housing tax credits and may pursue Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) loans or alternative grants if tax credits are unsuccessful. Robertson said Visionary Home Builders has previously been successful at AHSC applications in other communities, and ESCH is optimistic but acknowledged the competition and uncertainty inherent in tax‑credit awards.
Relationship to other local projects: Robertson said ESCH recently secured a roughly $5.0 million award to acquire and rehabilitate Valley Apartments on Clark Street in Bishop and that timing and relocation needs between Valley Apartments rehabilitation and Silver Peaks remain uncertain; she said the teams are exploring options but do not foresee timing lining up to use Silver Peaks units for relocation during Valley Apartments renovation. ESCH staff also said they are working to coordinate workforce development and anti‑displacement strategies with Owens Valley Career Development Center, Cerro Coso Community College, Head Start, and local child‑care and education partners to meet AHSC program requirements.
Public and board questions focused on grant competitiveness and local matching funds: Supervisors and public commenters asked how the county’s STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) funds or local transit match might be used to increase the AHSC application’s competitiveness. Robertson said additional local match and transit infrastructure points would boost the application but acknowledged county STIP resources are limited. She offered to confirm timing and specifics of any request for STIP match from ESTA and Visionary.
Why it matters: the Silver Peaks project targets workforce and lower‑income households and pairs housing production with transit and child‑care—components AHSC prioritizes for greenhouse‑gas reduction. County leaders told ESCH they will look for coordination opportunities but must weigh limited STIP and local funds against other priorities.
Ending note: Robertson said ESCH will continue community outreach (SCOG, Continuum of Care, community meeting in Bishop planned for May 12—date subject to scheduling) and invited county input on financing and infrastructure coordination. ESCH asked the board to consider supporting transit match requests if requested and to coordinate with county education and workforce partners to meet grant requirements.
