Sacramento breaks ground on project to transform underutilized state land into affordable housing community

Rendering of the Monarch housing development

“Monarch will ensure a safe haven for hundreds of Sacramentans whose access to secure housing is especially needed,” said Government Operations Agency Secretary Nick Maduros. “A stable home and proximity to amenities will allow Monarch’s residents to thrive and contribute to the renaissance taking place in this area of downtown.”

Monarch will include 3,428 square feet of retail space, 264 secured bicycle parking spaces, and 33 vehicle parking spots.

“Projects like Monarch are helping to breathe new life into city centers,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “It is extremely gratifying to help make the Governor’s vision for state lands a reality, as properties that are not needed for a government purpose can advance the greater good of making affordable housing available in high-resource areas that connect Californians to opportunity and community.” 

Monarch received $10 million in funding from HCD’s Local Government Matching Grant program to match the $3.3 million in funding from the City of Sacramento, waived impact fees from the City and County of Sacramento, and an $8 million gap loan from CADA, one of the site’s developers. Another $4 million was contributed by the California Housing Finance Agency through its Mixed-Income Program. The community is expected to welcome residents in the Spring of 2027.

“This is yet another significant partnership between DGS and CADA to create an affordable housing project here in Sacramento under the Governor’s Executive Order,” said DGS Director Ana M. Lasso. “It is so inspiring to see excess state-owned property repurposed to create living spaces that strengthen the local community here in the capital city.”

Since Governor Newsom launched the Excess Sites Program through his executive order, 32 housing development projects have been awarded totaling 4,300 homes in various phases of development. This pipeline includes 234 homes that are already constructed and occupied with another 424 homes currently under construction. 

In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order calling on HCD and DGS to address the state’s affordable housing crisis by identifying underutilized state-owned sites for the development of affordable housing, taking into account factors such as proximity to job centers, amenities, and public transit. The order has since been utilized to create hundreds of affordable homes, including: