Long-awaited senior housing project set to break ground in South Stockton
A long-vacant lot in South Stockton is set to become a new affordable housing complex for seniors, with construction on the Fairview Terrace project expected to begin as soon as this month.
The development, planned for 2222 South Airport Way, will be a 76-unit, all-electric facility featuring one- and two-bedroom units and studios. Plans also include a community kitchen, outdoor recreation space, urban agriculture, and electric vehicle charging, according to the California Energy Commission.
City leaders say the project addresses a growing need. In Stockton, about 64% of the city's roughly 20,000 senior renter households are considered housing-cost burdened.
"To be able to have a place that they can call home that is affordable for them, that meets their needs, there's nothing better than that," Mayor Christina Fugazi said.
Fugazi said her office frequently hears from seniors struggling to make ends meet, including some who run out of food early in the month as housing costs continue to rise.
The project has been in development for nearly two decades. The city first began working on it in 2008 and sold the land to a developer for $1 in 2018. It has since grown into a $43 million project, with the City Council recently approving $2.8 million to help move it forward.
"It's been a long time coming," Fugazi said.
Advocates say the need for affordable senior housing is widespread across California, where many older adults live on fixed incomes that have not kept pace with rising costs.
"Affordable senior housing is so important," said Meghan Rose with LeadingAge California. "In many cases, it's the only way older adults can live in a place they can afford, that's safe, that's clean, and that gives them the ability to live independently."
Rose added that a growing number of older adults are facing housing instability, with many experiencing homelessness for the first time later in life.
For Stockton resident John Saldivar, who is retired and on a fixed income, the project is a welcome development. He lives at the Oak Park Senior Center.
"They're all struggling," Saldivar said of fellow seniors, before later adding that "this is a good thing."
In addition to housing, the project is expected to include space for a local nonprofit, Stocktonians Taking Action to Neutralize Drugs, to provide services in the neighborhood.
City leaders and advocates say Fairview Terrace could help more seniors remain in the communities they've long called home while easing financial pressure in retirement.
