Soledad council authorizes affordable housing agreement with school district for workforce housing at 500 Monterey Street

The Soledad City Council on Oct. 23 approved an affordable-housing agreement with Soledad Unified School District for a workforce housing project located at 500 Monterey Street.

Staff described a multi-year partnership with the district that traces to Measure N bond proceeds and parcel transfers. The city is under escrow to transfer three lots to the district to develop workforce housing; staff said escrow should close in the coming weeks and taxing entities have approved the sale. As part of the agreement the district will provide two very-low-income units and one moderate-income unit as deed-restricted affordable housing. Staff said the density-bonus approval extended the required affordability term from 45 years to 55 years.

Beatriz Trujillo and city staff outlined financial considerations: sale proceeds are estimated at about $97,000 and the district is contributing nearly $29,000 toward the city’s affordable-housing efforts. The agreement includes monitoring and a marketing/lottery process the district will run; staff said the city will create a monitoring program and the project will be overseen, in part, by an independent housing board to ensure compliance with affordability terms.

Superintendent Randy (Soledad Unified School District) called the step “a milestone” and said the housing is intended to help recruit and retain teachers and classified staff. The council approved Resolution 6,165 by voice vote (recorded as carried 4–0 with one excused absence).

Next steps: staff and the district will complete escrow, finalize the lot merger and proceed with plan reviews and permitting; construction timing depends on those approvals.