Yolo County Partnership Awarded Grant for Affordable Housing Community

Woodland, CA (December 10, 2025): A Yolo County partnership has been awarded a $27,999,100 grant from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program to transform a 2.4-acre underutilized site in Woodland into a vibrant mid-rise affordable housing community with 73 units across a diverse mix of unit sizes. This transit-oriented development, currently referred to as Tupelo, represents a longstanding collaboration between the City of Woodland, Yolo County Housing, and Yolo Transportation District—alongside development partners Brinshore and Operative Office—to address critical housing needs while providing affordable and accessible transportation options.

The proposed housing project is all-electric, net-zero energy, and features thoughtful climate adaptation strategies to mitigate extreme heat risks. Located on Lemen Avenue near Yolano Drive, Tupelo is within walking distance to key destinations including the Woodland Public Library, Woodland City Hall, the Post Office, North Valley Indian Health’s Mobile Medical Clinic, YMCA Yolano Recreation Center, and Head Start of Yolo County’s childcare facility. Resident amenities will include a community room which can also serve as a place to cool down and clean air refuge during extreme weather events, secure bicycle storage, playground, and outdoor gathering areas. On-site services will focus on health education, financial literacy, and housing stability.

“This project truly represents the ‘Yolo Way,’ where partners step up to address needs collaboratively,” says Ian Evans, Executive Director of Yolo County Housing and President/CEO of New Hope CDC. “The City, YoloTD, our development partners, and multiple partners throughout the County all coming together to advance a fantastic project in such a deserving neighborhood that will bring additional affordable housing online and make walking, biking, and public transit not only safer, but more accessible is truly wonderful. The first housing in this community was built 75 years ago. We promised the community we would invest in this neighborhood and this is a great first step towards realizing that promise and preparing this community for the next 75 years.”

“A great project for the City of Woodland and Yolo County Housing as they celebrate their 75th anniversary. In time Tupelo will be transformative for YCH residents with improvements to greenspace, transportation opportunities, and a beautiful environment. So very proud to be a member of the team to bring this project to life,” says Rich Lansburgh, member of the Housing Authority board.

Transportation improvements funded under the grant include new electric buses and bus shelters in the vicinity. This will enhance public transit service for Yolo County, helping increase the frequency of Yolobus Routes 42A and 42B to 30 minutes all day between Woodland, Davis, West Sacramento, downtown Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport, and more. The project will provide residents with free membership to the Yolo Commute program, as well as unlimited transit passes for 15 years. Additionally, new sidewalks and bike lanes will provide safe paths throughout the neighborhood.

“Not only will this project help provide much needed affordable housing for so many deserving households and transform this neighborhood, it will assist the County in reaching its climate goals by helping purchase twelve zero emission buses for YoloTD, adding bike lanes and sidewalks, and providing free transit passes for the residents making alternative modes of transportation much more accessible for them,” says Mary Vixie-Sandy, Yolo County Housing Chair and Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair.

“This grant will enhance mobility for everyone who lives, works, and shops in central Woodland,” says Woodland City Councilmember and YoloTD Board Member Mayra Vega. “From making our streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists to providing new, state-of-the-art buses and bus shelters, I couldn’t be more thrilled for the transportation improvements this grant will support.” 

This project builds on the work of the Armfield/Lemen Neighborhood Framework Plan which began in 2022 thanks to a Regional Early Action Planning grant from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Robust community engagement including surveys and public workshops has shaped every aspect of the project to ensure that Tupelo addresses local priorities while advancing the neighborhood transformation envisioned by residents. The project also builds on the community engagement and contributions of valued local partners including the Yolo County Office of Sustainability and their work on the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), Davis Community Action Network’s Community Voices Series, and the Yolo County Office of Education’s Roadmap to the Future engagement. The partners are grateful to Northern California Construction Training and the Yolo County Workforce Innovation Board for their commitment to local workforce development strategies. Development is anticipated to begin as early as 2027. 

“Providing clean, affordable and well-maintained housing should be a goal of any healthy, responsible community,” says Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard. “The City of Woodland is proud to collaborate with Yolo Housing Authority and others to replace very old and tired public housing with brand new units. We are grateful for the substantial funding provided by this grant.”

This is the first time in ten years that a Yolo County jurisdiction has been awarded AHSC funding—and this round, two Yolo County projects are receiving awards, with the City of West Sacramento also among the awardees. The program began in 2015, and in that inaugural year the City of West Sacramento was awarded $6,730,888 for the West Gateway Place Affordable Housing Project.

The AHSC Program is administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and implemented by the Strategic Growth Council. The program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by funding projects that integrate affordable housing, sustainable public transit, and active transportation improvements. For more information visit the program website.