City Wins $2 Million Grant
The City of East Palo Alto and East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO) received a $2 Million CalHome award from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
The City and EPACANDO’s application was one of four statewide applicants to receive a CalHome award in the new project category of accessory dwelling unit/junior accessory dwelling unit (ADU/JADU) rehabilitation and construction. CalHome is a program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that supports acquisition, rehabilitation, repair, and construction activities through issuance of deferred-payment loans to low-income homeowners.
CalHome will enable the City, EPACANDO, and its partners to provide loans of up to $100,000 for ADU/JADU construction, reconstruction, repair, or rehabilitation to households at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Together, they will aim to assist 20 or more East Palo Alto households by providing an important source of gap funding for their ADU/JADU projects.
City staff worked closely with EPACANDO and other members of the Second Unit Working Group and Second Unit and Anti-Displacement Task Force to develop the CalHome proposal. The CalHome partnership will build on other ADU/JADU initiatives, including a contract with EPACANDO and City Systems to streamline the City’s ADU/JADU permitting process and create tools and templates for interested homeowners. The three key elements of these initiatives: individualized outreach, streamlining, and gap funding are essential to enabling homeowners to build ADUs/JADUs and to creating more affordable rental opportunities in East Palo Alto.
The full list of CalHome awards, ranging from $545,000 to $5,000,000, can be found here at this link.
Contact Information
1960 Tate Street
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Ph: 650-853-3189
Email: planning@cityofepa.org
Counter Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9:00am - 3:45pm (Closed 12:00pm - 1:00pm) Wednesday and Friday virtually and by appointment only
Counter staff will be available virtually and by appointment only on Wednesday and Fridays. Staff can be reached at any time and appointments can be made by emailing staff at planning@cityofepa.org or via this link. Planning staff will continue to respond to emails by the following day or the following Monday for inquiries received on Friday.
In the case of more urgent issues or questions tied directly to an existing project, please contact the project planner or call the mainline (650-853-3189) to be routed to the project planner. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
Note: Please drop off all payments/checks attached with relevant application forms in addition to emailing us a copy. Application forms must be attached. Checks without forms attached will not be processed.
All payment for projects will be required to be paid by a check made out to "City of East Palo Alto"
This check will be attached to the planning permit application form and dropped off at a no-contact Drop Box at the address listed above.