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Portola Valley’s second multi-family affordable housing development is slowly progressing. On June 30, Ladera Community Church, at 3300 Alpine Road, received a 75% approval from church members to pass a resolution to move forward with negotiations with nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity plans to build and fund the development.
The negotiation process between the church and Habitat is just getting started and will not be finalized for 12 to 18 months, said Habitat’s Chief Executive Officer Maureen Sedonaen. The negotiation will involve conversations around maintaining the three sacred oak trees on the site and removing the land’s entitlement from the town.
The affordable housing site will build six units in an open field to the left of the church, aiming to provide housing for families that work in Portola Valley’s schools, the Ladera shopping center, The Sequoias and for those who have a long commute to work in town. The town’s first approved affordable housing project is Willow Commons, located at 4388 Alpine Road, and aims to address the housing shortage faced by people who need supported living options because of intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ladera Church’s negotiation team is made up of four members of the church who have backgrounds in business and law, according to Karen Turner, a member of the church’s Affordable Housing Task Force.
70 church members voted on the resolution with 53 voting yes, 12 voting no and five abstaining.
Turner expressed excitement about the resolution passing with “greater margins than needed,” but also said there are church members who are opposing the development.
The contention stems from the church’s Sharmila Montessori Preschool’s plans to reach their maximum enrollment rate of 60 students. Opposing church members are worried about how the housing development will affect the parking when enrollment increases.
Despite some opposing views, the majority of the congregation supports the housing, as well as the town of Portola Valley, according to Turner. The plans for the development have already been approved by the town and are pending approval by the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
“We’re looking to build a really sensible and thoughtful development that can go on this site. I think that for other churches, this is a really good model for how they might think about partnering with Habitat and other nonprofit housing developers,” said Sedonaen.
She looks forward to an affordable housing site being built in a town with nearby child care, a church community, and a resource rich environment for families to “plant roots” and live in Portola Valley for decades.
“We have been so blessed that we’ve had offers for help and I hope that continues,” said Turner. “We are really looking forward to providing homes to working class families.”
When the negotiation is finalized between Ladera Church and Habitat the agreement will be presented to the congregation. Two-thirds of the congregation needs to approve of the plan for it to go forward.
“We’re hoping that things can turn out favorably for the church and for the community but there is a long row to hoe,” said church moderator Mike Smith.
