Building Affordable Housing for Paradise: The Cypress Apartments Project
After the devastating Camp Fire that destroyed much of Paradise, including nearly 14,000 housing units, the community has faced an unprecedented housing crisis. Affordable housing, once abundant through mobile home parks and naturally affordable family homes, has not returned at the same scale or price. The cost of rebuilding has skyrocketed, with many homes costing around $400,000 to reconstruct, making it unaffordable for many former residents and low-income families.
To address these challenges, the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP Housing), in partnership with Mercy Housing and Zen Development Consultants, is proposing the Cypress Apartments project — a multi-family affordable housing development designed to support Paradise’s recovery by providing quality, affordable homes for seniors and families.
About CHIP Housing and the Partnership
CHIP Housing has been a community fixture for 50 years, originally founded in Chico in 1973 to rehabilitate homes. They have expanded their services across Butte and surrounding counties, building over 2,000 single-family homes and managing nearly 1,000 apartment units to date. Mercy Housing is a large, experienced nonprofit affordable housing developer with a strong presence in California, known for securing affordable insurance and delivering quality projects. Zen Development Consultants, with local knowledge and persistence, identified suitable land for this project in Paradise.
Together, this partnership brings local commitment, expertise, and strong development capacity to the Cypress Apartments project.
The Need for Affordable Housing in Paradise
Before the Camp Fire, much of Paradise’s affordable housing was in mobile home parks and naturally affordable family homes. Unfortunately, many mobile home parks are not being rebuilt, or are rebuilt at higher prices, pushing affordable housing out of reach for many residents. Demand for affordable units is high; after reopening applications at Paradise Community Village, CHIP received over 250 applications in just two weeks, more than half from fire survivors.
Affordable housing targets households earning up to 80% of the area median income (AMI), with most tenants earning between 30% and 60% of AMI. These include workers in service, retail, healthcare, and other essential low-wage jobs, as well as seniors living on fixed incomes like Social Security or disability.
Project Overview: Cypress Apartments
- Location: Cypress Lane, off Park Avenue, north of Flagstaff.
- Units: 140 total — 70 senior apartments (62+ years) and 70 family apartments.
- Design: Thoughtfully planned to complement existing homes with significant on-site amenities, including courtyards, playgrounds, community gardens, and a dog park.
- Phasing: Phase One includes family apartments and the community center; Phase Two includes senior housing.
- Parking: 236 parking spaces provided, exceeding the requirement of 1.5-2 spaces per unit, to prevent neighborhood overflow.
- Septic System: Engineered, modern septic systems carefully designed to avoid environmental impact, with separate leech fields for senior and family housing.
- Fire Safety: Buildings will be constructed following Insurance Industry Building Standards (IHBS) with defensible space landscaping. Two evacuation points will be maintained, with gated emergency access controlled by on-site staff and fire departments.
- Public Transportation: Plans to collaborate with local transit (B-Line) to improve bus stops and accessibility.
Addressing Community Concerns
Density and Neighborhood Impact: The proposed density is lower than the previous uses on the site, which included a skilled nursing facility with 136 beds and two mobile home parks with over 200 units. The new development will have fewer residents than what existed before the fire.
Traffic and Evacuation: While concerns about traffic congestion during emergencies are valid, studies and town planning indicate that with fewer residents overall and road improvements, evacuation routes are sufficient. The project includes two emergency gates and ongoing collaboration with fire safety councils for evacuation planning.
Septic System and Drainage: The project uses an advanced engineered septic system similar to those successfully operating in other CHIP properties. Regular maintenance contracts will ensure no odors or failures, and drainage plans will be finalized with town engineers to prevent flooding and environmental issues.
Property Management and Community Integration: Cypress Apartments will have a strong on-site management team, including live-in resident managers, maintenance staff, and a resident services coordinator. House rules and community standards will foster a respectful and safe neighborhood environment.
Landscaping and Fire Mitigation: Landscaping will comply with fire safety standards, maintaining defensible space around buildings. Native species will be encouraged, and invasive plants will be controlled to protect local ecosystems.
Funding and Affordability
The project is funded through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), ensuring strict regulatory compliance. This funding mix guarantees that:
- Rents remain affordable for low-income families and seniors.
- The senior apartments remain reserved for those aged 62 and older.
- Camp Fire survivors have a preference on waitlists, giving them priority access to housing.
- The property is monitored regularly to maintain compliance with affordability requirements for at least 55 years.
Community Benefits and Services
- The development includes community programming such as financial education, parenting classes, senior activities, and nutrition workshops.
- It supports local employment by housing workers in essential service jobs.
- The project contributes to Paradise’s recovery by rebuilding affordable housing stock and stabilizing the community.
Looking Forward
The Cypress Apartments project represents a significant step toward rebuilding Paradise with affordable, safe, and thoughtfully designed housing. While challenges remain — such as ensuring adequate emergency access and managing traffic — the development team and town officials are committed to listening to community feedback and addressing concerns through planning and regulations.
Residents are encouraged to participate in upcoming Planning Commission meetings, where the project will be reviewed, and public comments welcomed.
Conclusion
Affordable housing is essential for Paradise’s future. The Cypress Apartments project is designed to meet this need with quality, affordable homes for seniors and families, incorporating lessons learned from the fire to enhance safety and livability. With strong local and nonprofit partnerships, careful planning, and community engagement, this project aims to be a cornerstone of Paradise’s ongoing recovery and growth.
For more details and updates, visit CHIP Housing’s website.
This blog post summarizes key points from the Cypress Apartments community informational meeting, reflecting the concerns, plans, and commitments shared by CHIP Housing and partners.