Board approves 132-unit Eden Housing project on county land in Salinas

Monterey County supervisors on March 11 approved a development plan and long-term lease with Eden Housing Inc. for a 132-unit affordable rental housing project on county-owned land at 855 East Laurel Drive in Salinas. Staff described the project as two phases of four apartment buildings with two amenity buildings, 180 parking spaces, outdoor gathering areas, a playground, rain garden and raised garden beds.

The board also approved a lease-disposition and development agreement (LDDA), a regulatory agreement and declaration of restrictive covenants, and a ground lease substantially in the form presented by staff. The board authorized the director of Housing and Community Development to negotiate and execute final documents, including modifications required by lenders or security interest holders, and to execute the regulatory agreement and ground lease with a term of 99 years and $1-per-year rent, subject to county counsel review.

In staff presentations planners said the project will yield 132 affordable multifamily rental units, including an anticipated mix of 53 very-low-income, 49 low-income and 29 extremely-low-income units, plus two manager units. The project is eligible for an 80 percent density bonus and requested five concessions and incentives including reduced parking and landscaping requirements, reduced stall depth, and no four-bedroom units. Staff said the county will receive RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Allocation) credits for the development. County staff also reported coordination with the City of Salinas under an MOU executed in 2021.

Eden Housing representatives said the site will be enclosed by fencing with an access-controlled gate for resident security. Eden also said it has collaborated with the nearby Share Center and other county facilities and that unit allocations for users of the Share Center could be discussed as financing and unit mix are finalized. Eden estimated earliest groundbreaking for phase one as late 2026, contingent on securing state and tax-credit funding.

Several supervisors praised the project as a hard-won collaboration among the county, the City of Salinas, the developer and community partners. Supervisor Luis Alejo introduced the motion to approve; the board voted in favor and staff recorded the motion as carried.

Public commenters included a representative of the Carpenters Union who urged adoption of “responsible contractor” language into county contracting practices and encouragement for prevailing wage and apprenticeship protections; Eden said its LDDA requires prevailing wages for the project and that the developer would consider contractors with union labor where feasible. Other public speakers raised neighborhood concerns including parking and compatibility with transit; Eden and staff said the plan includes on-site parking management and that the developer will work with the county on funding and transportation remedies where needed.

Next steps are completing final financing, final plans, construction permitting and a construction contract and bond; staff said the regulatory agreement will require recorded deed restrictions guaranteeing long-term affordability (the regulatory agreement and ground-lease cover affordability for 55 years and income restrictions for 99 years per staff).