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40 more units to help house low-income 62 and older
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Almond Court’s grand opening is April 6. - photo by Photo Contributed
Dropping housing prices are doing little to help financially strapped low-income seniors.

That’s why Manteca Mayor Willie Weatherford – a longtime advocate of subsidized senior housing –   is looking forward to the grand opening Monday, April 6, at noon of the 40-unit Almond Court senior housing complex.

The apartments at 2030 North Union Road are connected by a central pedestrian walkway to the adjoining 51-unit Almond Terrace that opened in 2004.

“There is a great need in Manteca for (subsidized) senior housing,” said Weatherford who has served for years on the Eskaton board that oversees the city’s original subsidized senior complex – Manteca Manor – on Eastwood Avenue off Northgate Drive in North Manteca.

The city through the Manteca Redevelopment Agency partnered with Eden Housing to build the two complexes on North Union Road. Additional subsidized senior housing is in the works behind Dribble’s Car Wash on North Main Street. Low-income housing for non-seniors is also moving forward on the northwest corner of Woodward Avenue and Airport Way.

“We have the money and there is a need so it makes sense,” Weatherford said.

Manteca is using part of the state mandated 20 percent set aside of RDA tax revenues to pay for its share of such housing complexes.

Amenities at Almond Court include a multi-purpose room, raised planters for use of the residents, and two large courtyards with one including a bocce court plus seating under redwood trees.

“There are a lot of seniors who are putting most of their income toward housing,” Weatherford said.

The North Union Road apartment complex caps the monthly rent for qualified tenants at 30 percent of their household income.

The maximum annual income limits for applicants as of February 2008 were as follows:

• one in household, $21,450.

• two in household, $24,500.

• three in the household, $27,600.

All residents must be 62 or older. There is no advantage for a person being handicapped in terms of the priority list.