This LEED Platinum–certified and affordable garden-style community in an eclectic urban infill location is a testament to how multiple organizations can come together to create a space that broadly revitalizes and uplifts the surrounding community.
A joint venture between the city of San Marcos, C&C Development, Hitzke Development, and Solutions for Change, Parkview is targeted to families of all sizes with household incomes of 30% to 60% of the area median income.
The nine contiguous, three-story buildings, which previously made up a dilapidated apartment community, were purchased with $11.6 million in funding from the city. The collaborating parties, along with FoundationForForm Architecture & Development, renovated the community and ensured that the most cost-effective green practices and materials were used, which resulted in efficiency levels that exceed California's Title 24 standards by more than 17.5%.
The multiple sustainable features include LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and low-E windows. To conserve water in a state that is suffering from a drought, tankless water heaters, drip system irrigation, low-flow plumbing fixtures and toilets, and moisture-sensing irrigation controls are all incorporated. Finally, the use of low-VOC paints and Green Label Plus carpeting add to the environmentally positive living environment for residents.
Two mixed-use commercial buildings that front onto the development's main street optimize visibility and foot traffic in the community and attract new business owners. The walkable, transit-oriented community is close to bus stops and other transit options, the California State University at San Marcos, a civic center, a library, a park, and San Marcos Elementary School. Also in the community are multiple tot-lots, open plazas, and roughly 70,000 square feet of open space.
Of the 84 units, 14 are funded by California's Mental Health Services Act to accommodate residents living with disabilities. Community services are provided through Solutions for Change, a Vista, Calif.–based nonprofit that aims to provide permanent solutions to homelessness and lifestyle issues commonly faced by low-income families. The organization's model, now known as the Solutions University, blends affordable housing, educational opportunities, employment training, and health-related offerings all within one cohesive, strategic partnership.
