Best retirement housing design for Global Awards shortlisted
LOS ANGELES: The shortlist for the best retirement housing design has been declared.
Over 250 designs have been considered by the awards secretariat. One of the finalists in this category is shown above.
Chandler and Maricopa County have the opportunity to change the lives of senior residents for years to come by approving a new housing community that will complement the southern part of the city without disrupting the neighbors who live there.
Sonoran Landings, the latest Arizona project from affordable housing developer Dominium, could be home to hundreds of seniors at any given time with a stylish, comfortable, reasonably priced and secure housing environment.
Truth be told, Dominium’s original proposal offered even more hope. The company planned workforce housing along with its senior component. However, listening to neighbors who wanted less impact on the area, the company reduced its footprint and eliminated the workforce housing portion of the proposal.
It’s well-known that Arizona faces a shortage of all housing types – the state Department of Housing reports a shortage of about 270,000 homes just to accommodate our burgeoning population. Chandler is no different.
That’s why most clergy in the area and Valley Interfaith Project support projects like the one Dominium proposes here in Chandler. Our state is in dire need of affordable housing, especially for seniors. We have seen other Dominium projects that cater to seniors and offer affordable rents. They are tasteful and safe, with little impact to the community. Seniors drive less, use fewer municipal services and mostly enjoy the life within their community.
The company made numerous concessions to the neighbors to attempt to earn their support. It cut the number of units from more than 500 that included workforce housing for all ages down to about 270 units designated only for seniors. The revised plan also lowers the height of the buildings – from four stories to three. In addition, half the property will remain light industrial, just as the neighbors prefer.
All the housing would be set aside for seniors with a requirement that residents not earn more than about $37,000 a year – about 60 percent of the median income for Chandler for a single person. The development would be in the mold of Dominium’s Solstice of Mesa – the fantastic senior affordable development that has been a hit in that city.
Technically, the decision to approve the development sits with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors because the land is within a county island and not inside the city of Chandler. But the Chandler City Council and its mayor still maintain significant sway.
The Global Award winner will be announced in December in London. (Globals)