Antioch Planning Commission approves 183-unit affordable senior apartment complex on Hillcrest Avenue
No council approval required, no parking required but 136 spaces included; had to approve “Soviet-style” design due to state law-required waivers, concessions
Units will be offered at 30%, 50% and 60% of Area Median Income
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting on April 1, 2026, the Antioch Planning Commission, on a vote of 6-0, with Vice Chair Cortney Jones absent, approved the 183-unit affordable Wildflower Senior Apartments. Planned for the southeast corner of Wildflower Drive and Hillcrest Avenue, the complex will consist of 113 one-bedroom units of 559 square feet and 70 two-bedroom units of 771 square feet. It will include a parking lot, walkways and dog park on a vacant 3.77-acre parcel.
The Planning Commissioners who voted in favor of the project are Chair Seth Webber and Commissioners Don Aguilar, Jennifer Perez, Kevin Riley, William Spijker and Ramesh Suman.
The developer, Cypress Equity Investments of Brentwood in Los Angeles, according to the City staff report for the agenda item, number 7-1, the senior citizen housing project will be built on four levels. It will provide 145 residential units at 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), 19 at 50 percent of the AMI, and 19 at 30 percent of the AMI. Therefore, the proposed project would be eligible for a density bonus under the State Density Bonus Law of up to 80 percent. The applicant is utilizing the bonus to increase the density from 35 dwelling units per acre to 48.54 dwelling units per acre.
Qualifies for State Density Bonus, Transit Proximity Height Increase
The proposed project “designates 100 percent of base units (132 units total) as affordable to low-income households to obtain a density bonus of 51 additional units as well as waivers from certain development standards, in accordance with State Density Bonus Law.”
Plus, since the project is located within a half-mile of a major transit stop, specifically, the Antioch BART Station, the applicant received a height increase of up to three additional stories, or 33 feet.
City Required to Agree to Developer’s Waiver, Concession Requests
According to City staff, the Commission had to agree to other concessions requested by the developer. “As detailed in the State Density Bonus Law portion of the staff report, the applicant is allowed waivers and concessions for the project’s architecture.” The developer requested 12 waivers and five concessions. That included more simple elevations than are required in the citywide Multi-Family Residential Objective Design Standards.
The staff report continues, “The proposed architecture of the building is contemporary. The project uses earth-tone colors: crystal white, titanium gray and muted orange. The color combination provides soft variation and transition along the building facade. The project proposes a varied parapet topped by cornices, large windows, and detailed landscaping. The project design complies with the applicable Multi-family Residential Objective Design Standards.”
However, the developer claimed, “Inclusion of the decorative elements would require added carpentry and labor, may trigger custom fabrication or waterproofing details. Strict compliance with this standard would require additional architectural detail for the density bonus project, rendering the development financially infeasible.”
That’s why it will look like a housing project straight out of the former Soviet Union. (This reporter’s opinion.)
Finally, because the project complies with existing zoning, approval by the City Council is not required, as is the case for all multi-family projects in Antioch.
Amenities
The project does include some amenities for the residents. “The central courtyard is comprised of seating areas with tables, fire pits, BBQ facilities, succulent gardens, and pedestrian pathways to seamlessly connect the complex and provide the amenities required in the Multi-Family Objective Design Standards for common open space areas. The enclosed dog park includes a water fountain, hose, benches and waste station.”
No Parking Required But 136 Spaces Included
Also, according to the staff report, “Because the proposed development is a 100 percent affordable multifamily senior housing project, within half a mile of a major transit stop, there is no parking requirement. However, the applicant is proposing to provide 136 parking spaces, which equates to about .74 stalls per unit. Senior Housing projects generally have less parking due to utilizing public transit and services such as paratransit.”
Affordable Housing Agreement with City
The project will include an Affordable Housing Agreement with the City. According to the City staff report, “the applicant shall enter into an agreement with the City to ensure the continued affordability of all affordable units. Prior to receiving a building permit, such agreement shall be recorded as a covenant against the property.”
See Project Plans and Site Photos. To watch developer’s presentation and commission discussion and vote, see 57:00 mark of meeting video.
the attachments to this post:
Wildflower Sr Apts Location Map
Wildflower Sr Apts Site Plan
Wildflower Sr Apts rendering crop
Wildflower Sr Apts Aerial map
