Wine Country town planning to build workforce housing at site of former school

The population of Yountville is only about 3,000 people. Another 2,000 people work there but can't afford to live there, so the city said it is planning to build affordable housing at the site of a former school.

It's called Yountville Commons, a whole new town center with housing for the so-called "missing middle" workers.

"Most of them are commuting in from Vallejo and Fairfield and beyond," said town manager Brad Raulston about the workers. "So, this is an issue we are trying to address."

t will be located adjacent to City Hall at the site of the old Yountville Elementary School, which closed in 2000 because there weren't enough children in the town to keep it open.

One of the school buildings has been turned into what they call the "War Room," with building designs covering the walls and a large 3D mockup of the overall project.  

"There'll be a lot of evolutions," said Mayor Margie Mohler. "So, when we did all of our entitlements, we really put in — We designed a Cadillac here. So, we'll see what we can afford. What the public wants."

Yountville Commons will include about 120 affordable homes inside a large new public park. That's because the entire funding for Phase One is being paid with money from the community. Ten years ago, the residents voted for Measure S, a new hotel tax to pay for workforce housing.  

So, Raulston said, when Yountville Commons is complete,d it will be owned by the people of Yountville.

"I think from Day One, the town has wanted to control the site because of how important it is to the community," he said. "It's the heart of Yountville.  Yountville is such a special place."

Instead of knocking down the old school buildings, they're putting them to use, offering a comfortable lounge for locals, and allowing a private gym operator to set up shop. And out at the baseball field, the old snack shack has been turned into a privately-run cafe. There are also a new dog park and a commercial garden.  

In the first year alone, the town has created five new public amenities. The mayor said it is fulfilling a dream she's had for a long time.

"It feels like a long time coming, but we're finally here," said Mohler. "I think everyone's going to benefit from that, not only the workers, but the rest of the population as well."

There are some in town who are worried about the fast pace of the project. At the council meeting, resident Robin Chambers said, "I urge the council to pause. Gather more information, gather community input, and secure independent review before voting this into the General Plan."

Others, like resident Vince Courtney, have voiced that completing the project would be a great achievement for the town.

"If we can pull this off, we're going to do something that is so special that they're going to talk about it in other areas of California," Courtney said. "Because nobody has really figured this out."

The mayor said the new housing may also change the demographics of the town as younger families move into the area. The current average age in Yountville is 68 years old. Mohler said she thinks the first new homes will be ready as soon as 2027.