Last updated: April 2024
Many Noticias Watsonville listeners have asked about affordable housing availability around Watsonville. Noticias Watsonville has created a resource page of waitlists for affordable housing in Watsonville. This list is not exhaustive.
Have a question about affordable housing or waitlists? Send Noticias Watsonville reporter Fidel M. Soto a message in English or Spanish on WhatsApp: https://wa.me/18312066981. Email questions to [email protected].
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Assistance signing up for waitlists
La Manzana Community Resources is a resource center in downtown Watsonville. Its staff can help with applications for affordable housing waitlists, including translation and form filling in English.
- 521 Main St., Suite Y, Watsonville.
- (831) 724-2997.
- Hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Who is eligible for affordable housing?
Each affordable housing project has different eligibility requirements that include maximum household income and often additional requirements.
Income limits are set by the state each year. Income limits are based on the total household income before taxes. The area median income for Santa Cruz County for 2023 and income thresholds are shown below:
| Household size | 1 person | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Area median income (AMI) | $92,950 | $106,250 | $119,500 | $132,800 | $143,400 | $154,050 | $164,650 | $175,300 |
| 60% of AMI | $55,770 | $63,750 | $71,700 | $79,680 | $86,040 | $92,430 | $98,790 | $105,180 |
| 50% of AMI | $46,475 | $53,125 | $59,750 | $66,400 | $71,700 | $77,025 | $82,325 | $87,650 |
| 40% of AMI | $37,180 | $42,500 | $47,800 | $53,120 | $57,360 | $61,620 | $65,860 | $70,120 |
| 30% of AMI | $27,885 | $31,875 | $35,850 | $39,840 | $43,020 | $46,215 | $49,395 | $52,590 |
For example, if you live with your spouse, one child and your parents, your household has five people. If the combined income of your household of five people was $80,000 before taxes, your household made less than 60% of the area median income for Santa Cruz County ($86,040) and you could be eligible to apply for housing.
Many affordable housing units have additional eligibility requirements. Units could be reserved for people who are:
- Seniors.
- Farmworkers.
- Disabled.
- Veterans.
- Homeless or formerly homeless.
- Current residents of the city or county.
Some affordable housing projects only accept people referred by a partner organization or from the county housing authority’s waitlist.
Open waitlists in Watsonville
Applying for a housing waitlist is not a guarantee for housing. It can often take years to be offered housing from a waitlist.
The following waitlists are not for open housing units, but for potential future openings from MidPen Housing.
Jardines del Valle
76 Murphy Road, north of Aromas.
- Property: The 18-unit property includes two two-bedrooms, 12 three-bedrooms and four four-bedroom homes.
- Eligibility: Households who earn 30% to 60% of area median income. MidPen requires an identification card but not necessarily a Social Security number.
- Waitlist application: To apply for the waitlist, email [email protected] or call 831-763-1844 to request an application. Waitlist applications are also at 76 Murphy Road.
- Application help: Applications are only available in English. For application help, contact La Manzana Community Resources at 521 Main St., Suite Y, Watsonville or 831-724-2997.
San Andreas
295 San Andreas Road, near Pajaro Dunes
- Property: The 42-unit property includes two one-bedroom, four two-bedroom, 24 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom homes.
- Eligibility: Farmworker families earning up to 50% of area median income. A farmworker family is a household with at least one person who derives his or her income from agricultural employment. A farmworker family also could include a person who derived a substantial portion of their income from agricultural work prior to retirement or disability. MidPen requires an identification card but not necessarily a Social Security number.
- Waitlist application: To apply for the waitlist, email [email protected] and request an application. There are also applications at 295 San Andreas Road on Tuesdays and Thursdays during regular business hours.
- Application help: Applications are only available in English. For application help, contact La Manzana Community Resources at 521 Main St., Suite Y, Watsonville or 831-724-2997.
Via del Mar
124 W. Beach St., Watsonville.
- Property: The 40-unit property includes 13 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom homes.
- Eligibility: Farmworker families earning up to 60% of area median income. A farmworker family is a household with at least one person who derives his or her income from agricultural employment. A farmworker family also could include a person who derived a substantial portion of their income from agricultural work prior to retirement or disability. MidPen requires an identification card but not necessarily a Social Security number.
- Waitlist application: To apply for the waitlist, fill out the application on MidPen’s website.
- Application help: Applications are only available in English. For application help, contact La Manzana Community Resources at 521 Main St., Suite Y, Watsonville or 831-724-2997.
Interest lists for housing under construction
Two MidPen Housing projects are expected to finish construction this year. The waitlists are not yet open, but interested residents can sign up to receive an email or text message when the waitlists open.
Sparrow Terrace, a 72-unit housing project at 141 Miles Lane in Watsonville, is expected to finish construction in summer 2024. (MidPen Housing)
Sparrow Terrace
141 Miles Lane, Watsonville.
- Property: 72 units including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.
- Eligibility: Households earning 30% to 60% of the area median income. 35 units will be reserved for farmworker families and 6 units will be reserved for formerly homeless people.
- Waitlist: Sign up to be notified of an open waitlist. (The form is in English).
- Read Santa Cruz Local’s overview of the project.
- Read more about the project on MidPen’s website (English only).
Cienega Heights
1515 Brewington Ave., Watsonville.
- Property: 80 units including one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.
- Eligibility: Households earning 30% to 60% of the area median income.
- Units: 39 units will be reserved for farmworker families.
- Waitlist: Sign up to be notified of an open waitlist. (The form is in English).
- Read more about the project on MidPen’s website (English only).
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