KMA is pleased to share the news that a City of Santa Ana project – The Crossroads at Washington – has been selected by the Orange County Section of the American Planning Association to receive an Award of Excellence in the category Opportunity and Empowerment.

The 86-unit affordable housing community targets extremely low-income families and persons experiencing homelessness. Built on a 2.29-acre site in the historic Logan neighborhood, the project opened in September 2024. The development is a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Ana and Orange County who jointly own the site, along with developer Related California, and non-profit A Community of Friends (ACOF).

The Crossroads at Washington includes a mix of units focusing on family and special needs tenants. ACOF will provide social services including health services, adult educational health and wellness, and skill building classes, while the Orange County Health Care Agency will provide individualized services for tenants with disabilities. Amenities include a computer room, community room with kitchen and lounge space, fitness center and pool, and an outdoor BBQ area.

KMA was the City of Santa Ana’s real estate advisor and helped structure the P3 transaction which involved a long-term ground lease of the jointly-owned site. The project was financed with a multitude of funding sources including 9% Tax Credits and funding provided by Orange County and the Orange County Housing Finance Trust. The City provided HOME Program funds and Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds, which were allocated to the City by HUD. In addition, both the Santa Ana Housing Authority and the Orange County Housing Authority provided Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers to the project.

KMA provided affordable housing and real estate advisory services to the City throughout the project’s development period, which included assisting with the negotiation of the ground lease terms, evaluation of the developer’s financial assistance request, and assistance with structuring the deal terms of the City’s financial assistance package. In addition, in accordance with HOME program requirements, KMA prepared a HOME Underwriting & Subsidy Layering Review for the project, which evaluated the project’s financial feasibility and assessed the Developer’s capacity to develop and operate the project.