First Community Housing (FCH) developed Japantown Senior Apartments, a 75-unit housing development, constructed on a half- acre infill site in the Japantown neighborhood of San Jose. This highly sustainable building serves low-income seniors earning 30-50% of the area median income. Ten of the 75 units are set aside for the developmentally disabled. Supportive services for special needs tenants are available.

Award-winning architectural firm OJK Architecture and Planning designed Japantown Senior Apartments to enhance the existing Japantown neighborhood. The new building includes five stories of residential units over a first floor comprised of a residential lobby, manager’s office and enclosed parking. The residential units include 73 one-bedroom units of approximately 600 square feet each, one studio unit, and a two-bedroom manager’s unit. Each unit has a private balcony. Common spaces include a community room, lounge, and laundry facility as well as an outdoor exercise area, gathering area with raised garden beds.

Like all FCH buildings, this senior housing development incorporates a variety of green building features such as low-VOC finishes, energy efficient appliances, water conserving fixtures and landscaping. These features provide improved indoor air quality and lower utility bills for our tenants, and improved cash-flow for the development. The building is registered for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes Midrise program and LEED platinum certification.

FCH provides all tenants with a free VTA Eco Pass for unlimited transportation on all buses and light rail lines throughout the county. The program enables some seniors to get along without a car and save up to $700 annually on transit fares. The Eco Pass is critical benefit for developmentally disabled residents who do not drive.

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Building Amenities

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• On-site manager and maintenance staff

• Community room/lounge

• Computer lab and free wireless internet

• Laundry facility

• Outdoor exercise area

• Raised gardening beds

• Transit-oriented location

• Free annual transit pass

• Photovoltaic panel ready

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