From left are District 3 Councilmember Dawnte Early, Craig Shields, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero, Yolo County Housing director Ian Evans, David Brint, Brinshore Development, Michael den Hartog, Operative Office Cory Banister, R4 Capital representative, District 1 Supervisor Oscar Villegas and Lori Banales, Alta California Regional Center’s executive director. Photo by Abbey Wicks

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – On a sunny January morning, the City of West Sacramento and Yolo County officials broke ground on the 37-unit affordable housing project, River Grove Apartments, located at 641 5th Street, West Sacramento.

Representatives from Yolo County Housing, the City of West Sacramento, Hope New Community Development Corporation, Brinshore Development and Operative Office gathered at the site on Jan. 8 for a groundbreaking ceremony.

Four units in the River Grove Apartments project will support qualifying Veterans through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program in West Sacramento. An additional 18 units will serve individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, who will be referred through the Alta California Regional Center.

“This will ensure housing is paired with support people need to thrive,” said Dawnte Early, Yolo County District 1 supervisor.

West Sacramento’s latest affordable housing project required collaboration between numerous city, county and state offices to acquire the necessary funding. Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony emphasized the power of the “Yolo Way,” which describes the collaborative and problem-solving attitudes between organizations and partners, such as when there was last-minute gap funding for the River Grove Apartments project. 

The initial funding that kicked off the project came from the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Infill Infrastructure Grant Program.

According to Craig Shields, chief of the climate investment sector at the Department of Housing and Community Development, the grant program funded site preparation and utility upgrades, along with walking and biking improvements that will contribute to a thriving community.

Oscar Villegas, Yolo County District 1 supervisor, expressed gratitude to the City of West Sacramento for pushing forward on an affordable housing project in one of the most cherished areas in the region.

“…you’re walking distance to the State Capitol, you’re walking distance to professional baseball, professional basketball, an emerging riverfront walkway that just offers so much and more to come,” said Villegas. “This is a prime location. It is pretty sweet to think about affordable housing being placed in this community, in this location.”

A rendering of the project shows what the River Grove Apartments will look like from 5th Street in West Sacramento once completed. Photo courtesy of City of West Sacramento

According to Villegas, the mission of the county is to provide safety net services for residents in the community including behavioral health services and Medi-Cal. However, unhoused residents often have a much harder time accessing those services. Villegas stressed the importance of collaboration between the county and city to make housing projects like these possible, so more residents can afford a place to call home. 

All 36 units in the building (with one unit housing a live-in building manager) will be supported by project-based vouchers from Yolo County Housing for at least the next twenty years, ensuring long term affordability and stability for residents.

“This is truly a dream come true,” said Martha Guerrero, West Sacramento’s mayor. “As a licensed social worker, I know how important it is to have these projects come to fruition in our cities.”

The development side of the project began with West Sacramento-based Operative Office.

“Operative Office is a small firm, but we are made much mightier by our partnerships with the organizations represented here today,” said Emily Ware, director of development, who expressed gratitude for the city officials who worked swiftly to make the project come together.

Chicago-based development Brinshore was another key collaborator for the project. Brinshore is the 16th largest affordable housing developer in the United States, according to the firm.

“This project is near and dear to our hearts,” said David Brint, principal and co-founder of Brinshore Development.

As a firm, Brinshore is especially dedicated to creating special needs housing opportunities from the Midwest to California. Brinshore previously worked on The Huddle on 5th Street Apartments in West Sacramento, which were completed in October 2024.

Additional financial partners on the project include R4 Capital and Citizens Business Bank. The construction project itself is led by Sunseri Construction, Inc. and is expected to take approximately 16 months to complete.

To learn more about affordable housing in West Sacramento, visit: www.cityofwestsacramento.org/government/departments/economic-development-and-housing/housing/afforda....