MENU
SEARCHVTA announced a long-term ground lease agreement with Charities Housing, which will build 45 townhomes on property next to VTA’s Branham Light Rail Station.
San Jose, Calif.’s Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is taking a pioneering role in affordable housing in Silicon Valley, creating homeownership for extremely low-income residents of Santa Clara County.
VTA announced a long-term ground lease agreement with Charities Housing, which will build 45 townhomes on property next to VTA’s Branham Light Rail Station.
While most affordable and low-income housing being built in the San Francisco Bay Area is rental property, the development going up next to VTA’s Branham Light Rail Station will be townhomes for sale.
About a quarter of the units will be designated for extremely low-income residents, earning 30% of the median income in Santa Clara County, or less. This is the first such housing development VTA has included in its broad portfolio of Transit-Oriented Development.
VTA announced the agreement to lease the property to Charities Housing at a press conference.
“At VTA, we are proud to be on the cutting edge of this opportunity, and we hope this is just the beginning, with other projects and developers following suit,” said VTA GM/CEO Carolyn Gonot.
The Branham homeownership project is one of several new housing projects benefiting from a cooperative agreement between VTA and the Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing, which manages funds from the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond.
“This project is a good example of VTA’s role as a leader in solving problems in our community,” said VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez. “Hopefully we are paving the way for future innovations in affordable housing solutions.”
The homes at Branham station will prioritize affordability, fostering an opportunity for owners to build equity in their own homes.
Anticipating that some of the homes will be sold again in future years, the affordable Area Median Income levels will be guaranteed in perpetuity through recorded deed restrictions administered by the Office of Supportive Housing.
The Branham townhome project recently received a generous grant from Destination Home, a public-private partnership that has funded thousands of affordable homes throughout Santa Clara County.
In addition, because VTA qualified for a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Priority Sites designation in 2023, the Branham homeownership project has also earned a grant from MTC.
Through partnerships with nonprofits, private developers, and public sector agencies, VTA’s TOD program allows developers to lease under-utilized VTA properties near transit. This initiative aims to provide much-needed housing while increasing system ridership and farebox revenues.
The plan represents an increase of just 1.9% over the current year, and includes investments in new buses, more full-length fare gates, and other enhancements for customers.
Read More →
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Read More →
In Part 1, Blandon shares his journey from the U.S. Marines to a leadership role in public transit, along with insights on mentorship and professional growth within the industry.
Read More →
The revamped Buyer’s Guide will reach METRO’s audience of more than 17,000 print and digital subscribers, providing suppliers with year-round visibility in front of transit agency leaders, motorcoach operators, and industry decision-makers across North America.
Read More →
Funded through the 2025 Investment Plan, the new R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus is expected to begin service in September, more than three months ahead of schedule.
Read More →
In addition to new projects, progress continues on a multiyear effort to upgrade track, electrical, and signal systems on the Metra Electric Line to accommodate the expansion of service on the South Shore Line.
Read More →
Behind every sold-out game is a transit playbook built on data, partnerships, and precision timing to move thousands of fans. Here’s how agencies make it work.
Read More →
The Maryland Transit Administration is advancing the nearly $1.4 billion Light Rail Modernization Program, which modernizes the Baltimore Central Light Rail Line from Hunt Valley to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport with new, low-floor vehicles and upgrades to all light rail stations, systems, and maintenance facilities.
Read More →
Created with local artist Dante Lewis, the new “On the Move” audio identity aims to unify messaging and deepen the rider experience across agency platforms.
Read More →
Essential strategies to strengthen your business before entering a private equity transaction.
Read More →
