GONZALES — A new affordable housing project from CHISPA is getting ready for construction in Gonzales and is asking the community for input tonight, Sept. 26, or Thursday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. at the Gonzales City Chambers.
CHISPA is planning to develop 40 affordable apartments and a residents’ center at Gablian Court and Fifth Street. The location is right across from Gonzales High School and next to Fairview Middle School, and is the former site of the Housing Authority duplexes, which have since moved to Fanoe Road.
“CHISPA builds affordable housing,” said Dana Cleary, director of real estate development. “We’re a nonprofit developer, and we have another property that we built in Gonzales about 10 years ago.”
Each apartment is anticipated to have two or three bedrooms. A laundry room, computer room with an internet connection and a community room for after-school programs and other activities will be located in the residents’ center. As for parking, there is 100 parking spots included in the CHISPA affordable apartment plan.
The building is also expected to be energy efficient, drawing power generated by solar panels. The housing project is expected to begin construction in late 2019 or early 2020.
The site also is a future planning destination for a new library with 40 parking spaces.
“This parcel was owned by the City and they asked us if we would consider building affordable housing,” Cleary said. “They wanted some housing downtown where people could live and walk places.”
