WATSONVILLE, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (March 2023)—Hillcrest Residential Development, the 144-unit housing subdivision located just off Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville, has announced that for the first 10 homes sold, Hillcrest will be donating a $1,000 per home to local select local nonprofits including Second Harvest Food Bank.
Second Harvest Food Bank’s mission is to inspire and support Santa Cruz County to provide nourishment for all community members. The nonprofit strives to continually improve processes and protocols to support inclusive and equitable practices and decision making at all organization levels.
The Hillcrest development, situated on an 11-acre hilltop plateau overlooking Watsonville’s natural wetlands, is the first major residential project to break ground locally in 17 years.
Home prices will range from $850,000 to $1,100,000, with 29 homes available at below market rate (BMR) levels for qualified buyers eligible for the City of Watsonville’s Affordable Housing Program.
The developer, LANDCO Hillcrest LLC, will commence residential construction next month, with the first phase of homes set to be completed by the Summer of 2023.
“The Hillcrest project will deliver abundant and vitally important community benefits, including essential affordable housing stock, high-paying construction jobs, significant impact fees for local parks and schools, and recurring property tax revenues for both the City of Watsonville and Santa Cruz County”, said Mark Lester, LANDCO’s CEO. “We are proud to be leading this much-needed housing development.”
Each Hillcrest home will have three bedrooms and an attached two-car garage from an overall unit mix of 76 townhomes, 63 duplexes, and 5 detached single-family structures.
Individual buyers will select from a wide range of design details, including interior colors, materials, moldings, and trims. The Hillcrest project will be universally eco-friendly—offering electric vehicle charging connections, water conservation fixtures, EnergyStar appliances, LED lighting, solar panels, and other “sustainable” features.
Every home will have a private usable outdoor space through its own patio, yard, deck, or balcony. The subdivision’s common areas will be landscaped with a variety of native trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, ground covers, and vines. The neighborhood will include picnic, turf, play, and birdwatching areas, and a hiking trail encircling the wetlands.
The Watsonville area is one of the most desirable places in the U.S. to live and work according to the Wall Street Journal’s annual “Top Emerging Housing Markets in the U.S.,” published earlier this year. This index is based on a locality’s employment fundamentals, as well as its lifestyle amenities and options. The list also identifies housing markets that the WSJ determines are optimal for homeowners and other investors, based on projections for favorable price appreciation. Of the WSJ’s top 20 markets, Watsonville is ranked #2.
“Watsonville has experienced a significant influx of residential demand attributable to the tech boom and other prevailing economic and demographic trends. As the Bay Area becomes increasingly dense, discerning new homebuyers continue to look toward outlying communities like Watsonville for improved affordability, greater space, and better safety,” said Andy Ardila, Principal of the ACT Team at Compass, which is overseeing sales and marketing for the Hillcrest project.
The ACT Team will be opening up an off-site sales office for presales in the spring of 2023. For a detailed homes availability list and floor plan options, register online at https://hillcrestresidences.com/, or contact Andy Ardila by telephoning (415) 608-1003 or emailing [email protected].
Artistic renderings, and other depictions of the residence, community and other features are preliminary and for illustrative and conceptual purposes only.