Danville Debates Funding for 44-Unit Affordable Housing Site

Danville's Town Council is scheduled to weigh funding options Tuesday morning for the 44-unit affordable apartment project, including whether to dip into the town's $2.1 million housing fund to address unexpected cost increases tied to construction and utility connection fees. The study session begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Danville Town Offices at 500 La Gonda Way, and it centers on a project slated for the old Borel property along Camino Ramon. A final vote is expected at a future meeting. The apartment complex, to be built by Armony Development next to the Orchard's 124-unit market-rate townhome development, is meant to deliver 44 units of low- and very-low-income housing on a site along Camino Ramon. According to Danville San Ramon, the council has two options on the table: contribute money from the town's housing fund without attaching new income restrictions, or set money aside to help offset increased charges from the town's lighting and landscaping assessment district, which was staff's original proposal. The tension traces back to April 2026, when councilmembers indicated a preference to explore committing town money in exchange for restricting one or two of the apartments to the very-low-income level, the outlet reports. Armony Development rejected that proposal. Writer Robert Ewing, in the same report, noted that the overall number of low- and very-low-income units on the site is already set and cannot be altered regardless of how the funding question is resolved. The apartment project sits on part of a 17-acre parcel that operated as a walnut orchard owned by the Borel family beginning in 1923, according to San Francisco YIMBY. The land sat vacant for nearly 15 years after Armand Borel's death in 2009. In March 2024, builder Trumark Homes acquired seven acres of the property from the East Bay Regional Park District for $32 million to construct the 124 market-rate townhomes now known as the Orchard, per Patch. The park district retained the remaining 10 acres to create an agricultural learning park, using proceeds from the land sale to clear debt and fund public access improvements. The Danville Planning Commission approved the site plan for the broader multi-family development in January 2024 by a 6-1 vote, following more than two years of planning and entitlement. Danville's $2.1 million housing fund is intended to support the creation or rehabilitation of affordable housing units. The stakes are heightened by California's housing requirements. Falling short on state-mandated targets risks state intervention, giving the council added incentive to see affordable projects like this one reach completion. Those state requirements shape the town's housing decisions. Armony Development, led by CEO Lauren Alexander, is identified by the Sebastopol Times as a subsidiary of The Pacific Companies. If the council reaches consensus on a preferred funding direction Tuesday, the matter will be placed on a future meeting agenda for a final vote. The same study session includes several unrelated items. The council will discuss recruitment for the town's Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission, plan for the mayor's installation and community service awards ceremony, and consider setting aside money to offset an increased assessment charged to the town's lighting and landscaping assessment district. Councilmembers are also expected to adjourn into closed session to discuss salary negotiations with the city attorney. The Borel funding debate concerns a multi-family project in Danville. Separately, the East Bay Regional Park District retained the remaining 10 acres as an agricultural learning park, ensuring the public open space tied to the site has its own dedicated use.