One of the most consequential residential developments for the future of Los Gatos is approaching another milestone.
Steve Buster, the senior vp of development for Grosvenor Property Americas, tells the Los Gatan the company has submitted final documents for the mixed-use housing project and is preparing for a public hearing—possibly by the end of the year.
“After all of that work, we’re just really excited to be at the point where we can now move forward to the Planning Commission,” he said. “It’s exciting to be at the next step.”
The muted tones of the modern luxury townhouses in Phase 1 have been a frequent political lightning rod at Town Hall, with critics contending that what was built strayed from the original vision—or at least what they’d hoped to see.
However, the portion of the project developed as affordable senior housing by Eden Housing has proved to be more popular.
And the North 40 was at the center—in many instances—of creating the contentious new Housing Element, which the Town was unable to complete until more than a year after the deadline.
The Town’s website shows the North 40 invoked the Builder’s Remedy law created to bring municipalities like Los Gatos in line for not abiding by Housing Element submission rules. Buster says, in the end, the developer didn’t need to go in this direction (though it’s taking advantage of SB330 provisions).
‘We’re helping the Town implement a certified Housing Element, and we did it without going down the Builder’s Remedy route’
—Steve Buster, senior vp of development for Grosvenor Property Americas
“We think it just sets all of the rules up front for everybody to follow,” he said of SB330. “It’s just a really good way of being totally open.”
For Phase 2, Grosvenor donated nearly two acres of land to affordable housing developer Eden Housing to construct 68 low-income apartments.
Linda Mandolini, president and CEO of Eden Housing, likes to call their portion of the project “workforce” housing.
“Our families work,” she said, of these apartments (one will be a manager’s unit). “It’s affordable to folks who make below 60% of the area median income.”
But these won’t be the only affordable homes in the new neighborhood.
There’s also 23 additional affordable rentals to be built by Grosvenor, as part of a 255-unit multi-family rental building
Plus, 127 market rate townhomes are also featured in the plans.
Phase 2’s “final” form features slightly more housing than while in pre-application stage (where 437 total units, including 348 market rate units and 88 “low income” units were proposed).
“It provides a really nice, diverse mix of housing,” Buster said. “It’s been a great process with the Town.”
Buster adds that Grosvenor is pleased Phase 2 will allow Los Gatos to knock off a good chunk of the housing it’s required by the Department of Housing and Community Development to facilitate.
“We’re helping the Town implement a certified Housing Element, and we did it without going down the Builder’s Remedy route,” he said.
Mandolini says it’s been great to get to work on multiple phases of a large housing project with the same team.
“We’re excited about being able to bring more than one type of affordable housing to the location,” she said.
A key aspect of the site design is the two-acre meadow.
Buster says that while Phase 1 gets good marks from their buyers for being walkable, North 40 residents don’t yet have a large, central open space.
“They need a big park,” he said. “It’s great for the public, for the neighborhood, too.”
