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Families able to purchase homes through Hayward affordable housing project
Buying a three-bedroom home in the Bay Area for less than $200,000 might sound like a pipe dream to many people. But in Hayward, two lucky families will be able to purchase homes at that low price through an affordable housing lottery.
HAYWARD, Calif. - The City of Hayward says two lucky families will have an opportunity to buy a 3-bedroom home for under $200,000 through an affordable housing lottery system next month. The homes are designated for families who are low-income.
Three other affordable homes will be offered to middle-income families through the same lottery, allowing the winners to purchase 4-bedroom homes for about $463,000. The homes are part of a 50-house development along La Playa Drive across from the Southland Mall in Hayward.
"Ten percent of the units were required to be designated as affordable to comply with our affordable housing ordinance," said Christina Morales, the Manager of the City of Hayward Housing Division.
Morales says the project illustrates how affordable housing isn't just about helping people who are homeless. In Hayward, a family of four that earns just over $100,000 a year is considered low-income. You can look at the state income limits for 2023, here.
"People who are working with jobs contributing to the community still need affordable housing to stay in the communities," said Morales.
Nancy Perry is a Hayward resident who has an 11-year-old son and says it is difficult to purchase a home in the Bay Area.
"If you want to live comfortable in a nice home, you have to move out and then you have to commute to work and then most of the time you'll spend it on the freeway," Perry said.
"I would love to own my own house but I do not, because it's too much," said Patti Perkins of San Lorenzo.
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The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) was created in 2019 by state legislation to oversee affordable housing efforts in the 9-county Bay Area.
"We have a state-mandated housing regional needs assessment that calls for about 181,000 new affordable homes to be built by 2031," said Kate Hartley, the BAHFA Director.
Hartley says one area of concern is that the Bay Area has among the lowest rates of homeownership for people under 35 in the nation.
"If they provide proper neighborhood, proper affordable housing, then young people will come here," said Bimal Brahmbhatt, a Hayward resident.
The authority is considering a proposed regional housing bond for the November ballot that could raise $10-20 billion dollars for the Bay Area affordable housing construction.
"The total number of homes we're projecting we could build or preserve is up to 80,000 new homes," said Hartley.
The BAHFA plans to decide by June whether to put a bond measure on the November ballot.
The deadline for the Hayward La Playa Place affordable housing lottery is February 5th.
Check this link for details.