Representatives of Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO) pose with City and County officials, and representatives of State Legislators to cut the ribbon and officially open the Rockview at Sunset Apartments.
March 13 was officially move-in day for Morro Bay’s newest low-income housing development, the Rockview at Sunset Apartment complex.
Located at the corner of Atascadero Road and Sunset Avenue, the three, 3-story buildings comprise a 35-unit apartment complex built by the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo. It’s the first project HASLO has done in Morro Bay and one of several developments the non-profit is currently working on countywide.
HASLO Executive Director Scott Collins was the emcee for the grand opening, which brought in City, County and State officials as well as executives form the lending institutions that made the $16 million project possible.
Collins opened the ceremony reading a statement, “HASLO acknowledges that Rockview at Sunset occupies the traditional land of the Salinan Tribe and the Yak Tit’u Tit’u Yak Tithini (YTT) Northern Chumash Tribe.”
Morro Bay Mayor Carla Wixom speaks at the grand opening of the Rockview at Sunset Apartments, the newest low-income housing development built in Morro Bay.
He also thanked the many entities that made it possible including: City of Morro Bay, SLO County, Morro Bay Apartments, LLC, National Equity Fund Inc., SLO Nonprofit Housing Corporation, Abbott/Reed, Inc., Arris Studio Architects, and Banc of California.
Mayor Carla Wixom, speaking on behalf of the City Council, said, the apartment complex means “a more inclusive, sustainable community.” She added, “The name sounds like ‘Morro Bay’ doesn’t it?”
Kristal Keith, a new tenant along with her children, of the Rockview at Sunset Apartments addressed the grand opening crowd.
SLO County provided a significant amount of money for the project, awarding Community Development Block Grants. The City also contributed a significant amount out of its Housing In-Lieu Fund.
Dist. 2 County Supervisor Bruce Gibson praised the project as speaking to the idea of community, and the idea that such affordable projects are a benefit to everyone. “The County simply supplied funding,” Gibson said, crediting others who did more work including the crew that built it.
The complex is a mix of one, two and 3-bedroom units that one must income qualify for. Long before it was completed, HASLO had a list of applicants with over 200 names on it. Collins noted that one of the concerns local residents had with the project was that the tenants would not be from Morro Bay. He was happy to report that 22 of the 35 units were filled by Morro Bay residents.
