Developers and project staff presented plans and answered neighborhood questions Tuesday at a public meeting for Nevin Plaza Phase 2, a proposed five-story, 76-unit senior affordable housing project adjacent to Nevin Plaza Phase 1 in Richmond.

The presentation, led by Neil Saxby, an affordable housing development consultant working with EAH Housing, and Denise Wind, vice president of real estate development at EAH Housing, described a building designed for seniors with 19 studios and 56 one-bedroom units, a shared 38-space podium parking structure, on-site property management and community spaces, and a preliminary timeline tied to state funding rounds.

The project matters locally because it would add new affordable senior housing on a half-acre parcel immediately adjacent to an existing renovated property, use the state'authorised SB 35 streamlined review for 100% affordable projects, and require construction staging that will affect current parking and nearby businesses.

Saxby said the parcel is "immediately adjacent to Nevin Plaza Phase 1" and described Phase 2 as "a new construction project" that is currently in early design and city entitlement stages. He said the team plans to submit under Senate Bill 35 in August, after which the city has 60 days to review a complete application that conforms with the city's design standards. "Very best case," Saxby said, construction could begin "early 2027," but he added that the team frequently must apply for competitive state funding in multiple rounds and that each unsuccessful round typically delays the project by about a year.

Wind, identifying EAH Housing as the developer and a long-term owner/operator, said the design envisions a five-story building because that height "is a kind of sweet spot" for balancing unit yield and construction cost. The building would have four residential floors above a podium with parking and a courtyard that "faces Nevin Plaza Phase 1," she said. Wind said unit sizes are currently designed as approximately 412 square feet for studios and 530'590 square feet for one-bedroom units; the team described the project as primarily serving seniors with a portion designated as permanent supportive housing or for other special needs.

On affordability and rents, the team explained the proposed income targeting and gave examples tied to Contra Costa County AMI. Saxby said eligibility at 30 percent of area median income for a one-bedroom is $38,370 (2025), and that a studio at 30 percent AMI would be about $33,570. He said illustrative monthly rents discussed at the meeting included about $774 for a studio and about $1,120 for a one-bedroom at certain AMI targets.

Parking, construction staging and neighborhood impacts drew substantial questions from residents. Saxby said the podium will include 38 parking spaces to be shared with Nevin Plaza Phase 1; property management has said those spaces will be first allocated to Nevin 1 residents, with remaining spaces allocated to Nevin 2 residents "on a first come, first serve" basis as units lease up. Saxby acknowledged there will be a period "until the parking structure is completed" when some existing surface parking will be unavailable because construction will occur on part of the current lot.

Residents raised concerns about where displaced parking would be located during construction, potential staging of heavy equipment in narrow adjacent areas, pest issues and tunnels that were reported during earlier construction activity, and impacts on small businesses along the corridor. One resident asked whether staging would use the parking lot and whether businesses would receive protection from pests; Saxby said the team and partners "will do what is necessary to try and limit the nuisance during construction" but noted that specifics are still under development and constrained by project financing.

Security and property management also drew questions. Erica Evans, the resident manager for Nevin Plaza 1, asked about timing and whether Nevin 1 residents would need to apply separately; Saxby confirmed the Phase 2 project would have a separate application process and waiting list. Residents asked for improved security and regular patrols; the team said Nevin Plaza 2 is expected to include "clear eyes on the entrance," a property management office at the entrance, monitoring cameras and key-fob access to limit entry.

Technical amenities were discussed at a conceptual level: Saxby said air conditioning would be considered on a unit-by-unit basis depending on solar exposure and design needs and that the project would "likely" include EV charging stations. On construction length, the team estimated an 18- to 24-month build time after groundbreaking for a 76-unit building.

Wind emphasized that EAH Housing is a long-term owner and manager, noting the organization's development and management work across California and Hawaii. Saxby and Wind asked for community feedback as part of the SB 35 public-process requirements and directed residents to a project web page and an email contact for follow-up questions.

The meeting closed with the project team reiterating the schedule: a planned SB 35 submission (team said August), a 60-day city review window for a complete application, and a best-case earliest construction start of early 2027, contingent on assembling competitive state funding.

Questions and public comments at the meeting focused on parking allocation during and after construction, construction staging and pest mitigation, security measures and monitoring, the separate application and waiting-list process for Phase 2, and the timing uncertainty tied to competitive funding rounds.