Citrus Heights Planning Commission to hear plan for new homes on Sayonara Drive

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights Planning Commission is scheduled to hear plans on Tuesday for a new housing development on Sayonara Drive.

A public hearing is scheduled to take place during the Aug. 27 Planning Commission meeting regarding the Sayonara Housing Project. The project plans include the construction of 26 new single-family affordable housing units, which will be a mixture of two to five-bedroom units, ranging in size between 971 square feet and over 1,500 square feet, according to a city staff report.

The units are proposed to be two-story, and the city says a “mix of complimentary colors and materials” are planned in order to “provide visual interest along the street.” Homes would be built on both sides of Sayonara Drive, on 12 vacant parcels that would be subdivided into 26 individual lots, ranging from 3,600 to about 4,700 square feet in size.

Homes will be sold to persons and families of qualifying lower incomes, ranging from 50 percent of the area median income to a maximum of 80 percent of the area median income, the staff report says.

If approved, the project is expected to be phased over a three-year period, with infrastructure anticipated to begin in the fall of 2024, according to the staff report. Construction of homes could begin as early as April 2025.

The city previously announced in a press release in March that Representative Ami Bera secured more than $2 million in funding for Citrus Heights-based development projects, including just over $1 million for the Sayonara Housing Development Project.

Sayonara Drove has had a sordid history over the years. The city said the area has received a high number of police service calls, and many of the housing units were in disrepair and considered uninhabitable.

To facilitate improvements, the city’s former Redevelopment Agency over time purchased a total of 15 blighted properties along Sayonara Drive, totaling 64 units. Existing units were demolished and have remained vacant lots.

In 2020, the city began discussions with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, a nonprofit organization known for providing affordable ownership housing. After several meetings, the city and Habitat for Humanity discussed a partnership with the goal of bringing new housing back to Sayonara Drive.

The City Council then entered into a memorandum of understanding with Habitat for Humanity in a 5-0 vote where the city agreed to sell 12 vacant lots to the organization for $1 each. If development plans are approved, Habitat for Humanity will manage the new construction of the 26 single-family units over a three-year timeframe and provide long-term oversight of the properties, city documents indicate.

Those wishing to speak during the public hearing can do so in person during the next Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. Comments in person are limited to three minutes. Comments may also be submitted online via email to planning@citrusheights.net. Each written comment will be read aloud by the secretary.

City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.