Voter-Approved Measures A and E Support New Affordable Housing Development in San José
Arcade, a 191-home community from Affirmed Housing and public partners, advances affordable housing
SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Affirmed Housing, in partnership with the City of San José and County of Santa Clara, has broken ground on Arcade, a 191-home affordable housing development. The project is supported in part by funding from voter-approved Measures A and E. Arcade is one of several ongoing efforts by local jurisdictions and housing developers to increase the availability of affordable housing in the region.
“As we know, the lack of permanent affordable housing is the number one driver of homelessness,” said Ali Gaylord, Affirmed Housing’s vice president in Northern California. “Not only will Arcade add critically needed housing, but it will also provide residents with tools and resources to help achieve stability and live seamlessly for the long term. Measure A and Measure E are the local catalysts that make Arcade possible.”
Located in the Cambrian neighborhood of San José, Arcade is designed to serve households earning between 30 and 70 percent of the area median income (AMI). The development will include 75 studios, 18 one-bedroom apartments, 48 two-bedroom apartments and 50 three-bedroom apartments. Of the total homes, 30 will be permanent supportive housing and receive project-based vouchers from the Santa Clara Housing Authority to support long-term affordability, 20 will be rapid rehousing homes, and 36 will be served by the County’s Homelessness Prevention System. Each household will also receive a VTA transit pass, providing access to employment, education and community resources.
Arcade’s amenities will include a community room, computer lab, food pantry, community garden, along with 134 parking spaces for cars and 191 bicycle parking spaces. Community Solutions, a nonprofit organization working to end homelessness, will provide on-site support services to help residents achieve housing stability and self-sufficiency.
“The City of San José is proud to partner with the County and Affirmed Housing to bring Arcade to life,” said Banu San, Department of Housing Deputy Director, City of San José. “Measure E allows us to invest directly in housing that changes lives, and projects like Arcade show what’s possible when local governments and developers work together to turn voter trust into tangible community impact.”
Measure E, approved by San José voters in 2020, established a Real Property Transfer Tax on high-value property transactions. Revenue generated by the tax is allocated to affordable housing production, preservation and homelessness prevention efforts. Funding may support a range of housing types and services for households with low and moderate incomes.
“This development is part of a broader story in San José sparked by the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond,” said Consuelo Hernandez, Depuy County Executive. “The County’s investment through the housing bond has helped unlock sites across the city, accelerated new construction, and made projects like this one possible.”
Measure A, approved by Santa Clara County voters in 2016, is a $950-million affordable housing bond that that supports the creation and preservation of housing for populations eligible under the program, including veterans, seniors, individuals with disabilities, foster youth, survivors of abuse and individuals experiencing homelessness or behavioral health challenges. Arcade is the second Affirmed Housing project with the County to break ground within a recent one-month period. Additional information on Measure A implementation is available through the County’s Housing Bond progress updates.
In addition to city and county contributions, funding for Arcade includes four percent federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity, as well as construction and permanent financing from Lument and Bank of America. Additional partners include HA Builder Group, Jett Landscape Architecture + Design, Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP, BKF Engineers, Bright Green Strategies, Redwood Energy and Murphy Burr Curry Inc. Service partners include Compass for Affordable Housing and Solari Enterprises.
About Affirmed Housing
Affirmed Housing is a leader in affordable, multifamily housing development, delivering safe, sustainable, high-quality communities for families, veterans, seniors and people experiencing homelessness. The company works with municipalities and private owners throughout California to promote housing stability and neighborhood well-being by leveraging deep expertise in public finance, low-income housing tax credits, and tax-exempt bond finance, as well as site selection, engineering, architecture, construction, relocation and marketing. Since 1992, Affirmed Housing has financed more than $3 billion in affordable and supportive development, with more than 6,000 apartment homes developed or under development in more than 75 communities. The company has offices in San Diego and San José. Visit: www.affirmedhousing.com.
About City of San José Housing Department
The City of San José Housing Department is a leader in the development of affordable housing. Its mission is to strengthen and to revitalize our community through housing and neighborhood investment. The Housing Department provides loans for the development of affordable housing and manages a portfolio of over 17,000 housing units with a total value that exceeds $700 million. Over the next five years, the City Council has a goal of creating 25,000 housing units, 10,000 of which will be affordable. The Housing Department has an operating budget of approximately $19 million and 112 employees. The Housing Department is committed to creating and supporting a diverse work environment with a staff that values inclusion.
About County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
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