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Sarah Ritten from Upholdings stops by to give us an update on the Northstar Courts affordable housing project in north Hanford nearing completion.
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Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode!
Sarah Ritten from Upholdings stops by to give us an update on the Northstar Courts affordable housing project in north Hanford nearing completion.
You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider
Thank you for supporting the show!
On this episode of the Hanford Insider, we'll hear from Sarah Ritten of Upholdings about the North Star Courts Project, rob will give us a quick community news and calendar update and I'll be back a little later to give you an update on all of the high school sports action. This is the Hanford Insider for Monday, january 29th.
Speaker 2:Welcome to this episode of the Hanford Insider. I'm your host, rob Bentley. Thanks for listening. In this week's community news, I'm sure the weather is going to be one of the big stories. Like last year, we're set for an atmospheric river event which will bring a lot of rain to our area later this week and into the weekend. If you find yourself in need of sandbags, they can be picked up at the City Corporation Yard at 900 South Tenth Avenue. You'll need to bring your own shovel, though. To report flooding, call 585-2550 during regular business hours and after 5 or on the weekend you can call 585-2540 and select option 1. Also making big news this week is the closure of railroad crossings at Lacy, 11th and 5th Streets. The crossings are currently closed due to BNSF Railroad Line repairs. The crossings are expected to be closed through Friday, february 2nd. The Hanford Chamber of Commerce has announced their 2024 Citizens of the Year. Bill Lynch received the Male Citizen of the Year Award, paula Lane was selected as the Female Citizen of the Year, sandy Beale received the Volunteer of the Year Award, kings County Special Olympics was selected as the Non-Profit of the Year and Driscoll's Appliance was awarded Business of the Year. Congratulations to all of the honorees. The Distinguished Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday March 21st. You can visit HanfordChambercom for tickets and information.
Speaker 2:The next Hanford City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday February 6th. Here are some things coming up on our community calendar. The 1776 Sons of Liberty will be hosting a debate featuring the candidates for Kings County Board of Supervisors, district 5, the 20th and 22nd Congressional Districts and the 33rd Assembly District. The event will be held at the Hanford High School Presentation Center on Thursday February 1st at 6 pm. The Kings County Art League will be holding a Valentine Market at the Fast Plaza at 312 West 7th Street on Saturday February 3rd from 10 am to 2 pm. A variety of arts and crafts will be on display by local artists. The event is free for all ages.
Speaker 2:The Hanford Helping Hands program is holding their next cleanup at the Hanford Civic Auditorium Park on Saturday, february 10th from 8 am until noon. They'll be laying sod and doing final cleanup from the Hanford Winter Wonderland to prepare the park for all of the spring activities. The Hanford Fox Theater is now selling tickets for the Journey in Peter Frampton Tribute Band's concert on February 17th. Good seats are still available at foxhanfordcom. The Children's Storybook Garden Museum will be holding a Mad Hatter Tea Party on Saturday, february 10th. Visit their website at childrenstorybookgardenorg.
Speaker 2:Hanford BMX is sponsoring a clinic with four-time world champion rider Olivia Armstrong on February 11th. Sign up at liviarmsstrongbmxcom. I'll be grabbing events as I see them on the Hanford Sentinel calendar and social media pages. If you have an event coming up and you'd like some help getting the word out, let's work together. Send your information to Hanford Insider at gmailcom. Illinois-based developer Upholdings, which has a local regional office in the Central Valley, has partnered with self-help enterprises to construct the North Star Courts, a 72-unit complex in North Hanford on North Star Drive between 11th Avenue and Aspen Street, adjacent to the River Oaks Apartment Complex. There's been a lot of information good and bad about the project out there. Regardless of how you feel about the project, it is nearing completion. So I thought it would be helpful to actually talk to Upholdings representatives about the project to get the most accurate information possible about the affordable housing project. I've invited Sarah Ritten from Upholdings to join me on the show to give us an update on the North Star Courts project. Welcome to the show, sarah.
Speaker 3:Sarah Ritten. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Sarah Ritten. Well, it's great to have you on the show, Sarah. Thanks for coming on. Before we get to the North Star Courts project specifically, can you tell us a little bit more about Upholdings?
Speaker 3:Sarah Ritten yeah, absolutely so. Upholdings has been gosh. We've been around for over two decades. We started in the Chicagoland area. We started supportive housing out there in the early 2000s. These tax credit projects just found the need was really apparent there and our principal founder, jessica Hofburzak, is a Fresno native and so about a decade ago pre-COVID she's working remotely moved back to Fresno and was still kind of working on the Midwest projects that we had and then just more recently I would say in the last few, five or six years realized that the need is very, very apparent in California as well. So we started to develop similar permanent supportive housing projects in California and so we've been doing tons of work in California since it's really surpassed our work in the Midwest and we found that the need is just really really apparent here and we hopefully won't be leaving anytime soon until the work is done.
Speaker 2:So that brings us to Hanford. Can you tell us about the North Star course project?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so North Star gosh. I've been on this project since I started at Upholdings about three years ago, and it was kind of an idea even prior to that. But we were talking with Kings County. Actually, they kind of noticed that there was a need for this housing within Hanford, as there is really across the state, and so we thought Hanford itself as a city was a great place for this development to be built. You know, public transit, lots of options for groceries, just things our residents would really enjoy. And so we found the site and then really since then, we've just worked to kind of get the financing together and in it was August 2022.
Speaker 3:So about a year and a half ago we started construction on the North Star course project, which is one development. It'll be two buildings, 72 units total, and 71 of those units will be affordable to those making 60% of the area median income or less. And then there's one for what we call community manager on site as well. But it's, I think, a really cool building. It's done by the same architect who did our Butterfly Gardens project in Clovis and our Finca Serena project in Porterville, and so it's three stories. It has loads of amenities for our residents a big community room, which should have a really pretty cool mural that I'm really excited about as a computer lab for families who will be at the residence, because we have one, two and three bedrooms scattered throughout the site. We have laundry rooms on every floor. We have a playground in one of the three courtyards at the building, so it's a pretty modern family building that we're really excited about. I was just out there on Thursday last week and it's looking great, so I'm excited for when it's going to complete development.
Speaker 2:So then let's talk about the residents. We've heard different accounts about who is able to apply and live there. Can you tell us a little bit about the qualifications and who will be living there?
Speaker 3:Sure. So, like I mentioned, it's 72 units total one, two and three bedrooms. The one unit of the 71 is for a community builder is what we call it and so they're under our staff and really their job is to just build community amongst the residents but then also build bridges between the residents and the larger North Star community. And then the remaining 71 units are all affordable housing units. So again they're all available to folks making 60% of the area, median income or less. 33 of those units are set aside for farm workers, which is a requirement of one of our funding sources and that's a pretty broad designation. It could be people who are currently working in the agricultural business, people who did previously work in the agricultural business, people who have family who have in the past. So we'll have kind of that farm worker designation or a number of our units, about a third. And then 22 of the units are set aside for people previously experiencing homelessness, and so those units are kind of a separate process for getting into the project because they all flow through coordinated entry system which is run by the Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance, and so those are all referral units. Obviously, whatever Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance, it goes through their referral process.
Speaker 3:I guess one of the fears maybe that people have is that it's kind of just a free-for-all but it really flows through that process.
Speaker 3:If people can't live alone they won't be referred to this development because they got. You know, we're not really doing much hand-holding here, just kind of building bridges with the community. So those units will be, will work very closely with KHHA and have been for those. So then the remaining units, both the farm worker units and I think it's 16 units that are just kind of affordable housing units, are just open to anyone who meets the application criteria. So it would work like any other development, like you would apply for an apartment or I would apply for an apartment, everyone signs the exact same lease, including those no-place like home units, which is something we always stress. You know, if someone can't live alone and can't abide by the terms of the lease, they won't be a good fit-out North Star. So it's really just kind of a first-come, first-serve at that point. As long as people are applicable based on the requirements and are under the income limit, they can come and live at North Star.
Speaker 2:So the entire project is in a homeless shelter? I guess it's an actual lease agreement and by signing that lease they agreed to abide by the rules and if they don't live by the agreement, upholdings will find them another place to live. Do you have any information about the process and how that's handled?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, like I said, it's really similar to a lease that you or I would sign for an apartment. We have a lease that we use across the portfolio. It's the exact same for those no-place like home units as it is for just a regular unit that's 60% AMI, for instance. So everyone signs the same lease. If there are lease violations, people can be moved to another place. North Star just might not be a good home for them and that happens. But we have this community builder on site to hopefully be able to help people live at the apartment, get along with their neighbors and the neighboring community. And again, we also have services on site to kind of help people just assimilate into the project. So obviously we don't want people to not live at North Star but again, if it doesn't work out like, everyone signs the same lease and everyone has to abide by the same rules- so would this community builder also be facilitating engagement with the neighbors and the surrounding neighborhoods?
Speaker 2:They might have questions about something they see. I know it's early in the process so you're probably not ready to give out the information on that yet, but I'm assuming that's part of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and the community builder is actually separate from just a normal property manager, which we'll also have on site, the difference being the community builder literally lives at the project. They're there 24-7. It's their home and really their job is just to kind of again build those bridges with friends, and then the property manager would just function as a normal property manager at any other apartment complex. So they're the ones who kind of, if neighbors have concerns, go to the property manager and they'd be able to work with tenants or neighbors, whatever is needed. So they'll be there, you know, like the regular nine to five, and then the community builder can step in if things are happening after hours.
Speaker 2:So you talked about services that will be provided to residents at North Star. Do you have any information about what types of services that will be offered there?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we have services directly on site. In that community building that I mentioned there's a big space for a bunch of different services. We have small office spaces for small meetings and then one-on-one kind of communication with service providers. But Kings County will be on site providing services. Self-help enterprises who is our co-developer for the project and on the two previous projects I mentioned, butterfly and Finca they're also providing services and I mean it's a plethora.
Speaker 3:So we have services for families, like summer programming just to get the kids outside and having fun over the summer, educational classes both for students but also adults, like financial literacy, home ownership classes For some residents. You know we have case management. Kings County is great with kind of building bridges off-site to things like mental health care, physical health care, even just getting people acquainted with the transportation system in Hanford. So we have really just a plethora of different services to offer. And the nice thing that we felt really welcomed in Hanford is just the number of outside organizations who have reached out and want to help with North Star, connect with us, meet our residents once they start moving in. So KCIO has been a great partner, proteus for our farm worker families. So we're lucky to have both services on site and then places off-site where residents can also go for really whatever they need.
Speaker 2:So are you already taking applications? Then what's the timeline?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we're leasing up right now Our property manager. I talked to him last week. He just had his first round of interviews to just talk through that application process, make sure that people who are applying again meet those requirements. So we'll be doing that over the next few months and then, if all goes well weather-wise, if power comes in when we're hoping it should, we're hoping the first residents move in in early April. So it's really right around the corner. At this point we're kind of in the final leg.
Speaker 2:Well, that's some great information, Sarah. Thank you so much. You've certainly answered a lot of questions that I know a lot of people in the community have been wondering about, and it's great to have you on the show to be able to explain some of these things that will be happening, and I would like to encourage everyone to share this interview with their friends and neighbors and maybe even take a trip over to Clovis or Porterville to see the other projects. Sarah, where are those projects located?
Speaker 3:Sure, so I'm really familiar with Butterfly. That was another project that I was on at our Clovis project. That's 784 West Holland. That address is, I seared into my brain. The Finca Serena one, I believe in Porterville is at 358. I'd have to look up the address but I know it's in Porterville. I can't remember the exact address. But obviously you know Butterfly is close to or close enough. But we do have kind of videos on our website of both Butterfly and Finca if people can't make the trip that just kind of show what the developments look like, kind of pre and post construction, and talk to some of the residents at the developments. So people can get a feel for sort of both what the project looks like and then kind of who the residents will be. And I think I mentioned this previously. But it's the same architect and general contractor on all three projects. So it'll look pretty similar to what you see at Butterfly or Finca Serena, but I think North Star will look the coolest personally. So I'm excited.
Speaker 2:And what is the website for upholdings?
Speaker 3:Yeah, if you just go to upholdingsnet, that'll kind of show you our projects and then those you know that have been gosh under operations in the Chicagoland area for over a decade.
Speaker 2:Well, sarah, thank you so much for coming on the show. It's been very enlightening and we look forward to having you on the show again soon.
Speaker 3:Thanks, yeah, I'm excited. Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2:And now it's time for Hanford Insider Sports with Eric Bentley.
Speaker 1:In Girls Basketball, sierra Pacific went a perfect 3-0 this week, picking up a non-league victory versus Raghetti before dominating league foes Hanford West and Kerman, both of those victories coming by 40 or more points. The Golden Bears remain undefeated in Tri-County Kings Canyon League play with a 5-0 record. The bullpups were also in action three times, as they were able to pick up a 59-37 win over LeMour before dropping a close game to Dainuba and then suffering their first WIL loss to LD Amante. Hanford High is still in a good position in league play with a 5-1 WIL record. When Hanford West split a pair of games this week the loss versus Sierra Pacific and the win, a 47-25 triumph over Exeter.
Speaker 1:In Boys Basketball action, the highlight was a crosstown showdown between Hanford West and Sierra Pacific, which saw the Huskies come away with a thrilling 79-78 win. Hanford West also picked up a win over Kerman to improve to 4-1 in league action. After dropping the heartbreaker to Hanford West, sierra Pacific was unable to bounce back, faltering to Selma in their other game this week. The Golden Bears are the lone Hanford Boys team, that's over 500 at 13-10 overall, but fall to 3-3 in Tri-County Kings Canyon action. Hanford High is also 3-3 in league play, though, in the WIL, after splitting their pair of games with a narrow victory over LeMour and a loss to Dainuba, out of the soccer field, where all of the boys teams are looking to find some positives in what has been a challenging season, hanford West was the lone team to pick up a result this past week, with a nothing-nothing draw coming against Exeter.
Speaker 1:The Hanford High girls continue to achieve success, though, picking up a 3-0 win over Dainuba in their only action this week. The bullpups improved to 10-5 and 4 overall and 4-1 in WIL action. Sierra Pacific picked up a 4-0 win over Selma before battling Hanford West to a 2-2 draw. As for the Huskies, after the draw with the Golden Bears they dropped their other match to Kingsburg. As always, we'd love to hear about any local sports action that you'd like us to cover, so feel free to send us an email to HanfordInsider at gmailcom. I'm Eric Bentley and this has been your Hanford Insider Sports Report.
Speaker 2:Well, that's all the time we have for this week's episode. If you enjoyed the show, I'd like to ask you to leave a review on your podcast player or on our website. It helps me with the growth of the show. If you'd like to join the Hanford Insider email list, stop by our website at HanfordInsidercom to sign up for updates. I also need your help getting the word out about the show by liking and sharing on social media or just telling a friend For more information about the show. You can find this podcast on Facebook, instagram, threads X and YouTube at Hanford Insider. If you have a show idea, be sure to email me at HanfordInsider at gmailcom and I'll get going on it. Thanks for listening. Have a great week.