David Schmalz here. This morning, I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Seagrove Apartments in Seaside, a 106-unit development on upper Broadway Avenue that was approved in 2019.
The weather was chilly and overcast, a stark contrast to the glossy brochure being given out at the event, the cover of which was subtitled “Embrace the coastal lifestyle” while the inside featured a mix of interior shots of the apartments and photos of sunny beaches and blue waters that, with the exception of a token Big Sur shot, did not appear local.
In one photo, two female surfers—or models, I should say—walk toward the water holding their surfboards and, notably, are not wearing wetsuits. Splashed atop the page next to them was the tagline: “Your everyday oasis.”
Seaside Economic Development Director Jose Bazua kicked off the event with some brief remarks thanking all those who worked to make it happen. “Seagrove has transformed the skyline and streetscape of this central corridor, bringing bold, modern architecture along with a commitment to sustainability,” Bazua said. “With EV charging stations and energy-efficient appliances throughout the property, the development reflects a forward-thinking approach to environmentally responsible living in Seaside.”
Mayor Ian Oglesby called it a “proud day” for Seaside, noting that the 2.85-acre project site—which had sat mostly vacant for decades—had long been underused. “Far too many generations have passed by this spot and wondered what could be,” he said.
And speaking to the price point of the available units—one-bedroom apartments are currently starting at $3,796 per month—he added, “we should not let perfect housing be the enemy of the good.”
While that’s true, at this rate, it will take a lot of market-rate housing to build our way out of the shortage for it to matter to most working people.
Oglesby said the benefits of Seagrove are “real, lasting benefits,” and “is not just about housing, it’s about the revitalization of an entire area…This is more than a new housing project, it is a new heartbeat of our city.”
Mike Avila, whose Avila Construction is building Seagrove, spoke next, and said in his 60-plus years of living in the area, he’d “never seen Seaside look so good.”
Then Seaside High’s drumline played a celebratory tune (they were excellent), dignitaries gathered and the ribbon was cut.
I was hoping and expecting to get a tour of some finished apartments, but was told by a Seaside staffer that it was “an ownership decision” to only allow City Councilmembers and some staff see a first-floor, one-bedroom apartment just next to where the ceremony was held.
I don’t know if it’s because Squid recently noted the high price points in a column in the Weekly, but I noticed today that those prices are no longer listed on Seagrove’s website, and have been replaced with “call for pricing.” (Bazua tells me 48 of the units have been leased so far. Construction is expected to be completed in late May.)
I was also told by Seaside staff there will be tours offered to the public this evening from 5-7pm (at 1105 Broadway Ave.). If you happen to drop by, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
(3) comments
I realize the wording is technically correct, but for the record, Seagrove’s lowest-priced one-bedrooms are $3,016/month https://imgur.com/aRWtDDL
Lame marketing and boilerplate quotes aside, once again this amounts to little more than complaining about pricing instead of providing insight or nuance to a problem that demands ample amounts of both.
Without repeating too much of my rant from yesterday, here’s my attempt:
This project brings 106 much needed rental homes, the largest addition to the region in decades, in a city that’s actually stepping up to address the housing crisis while most neighboring towns try their best to avoid doing the legal minimum. It will put hundreds more people in walking distance to downtown Seaside, very likely helping it finally reach the critical mass it’s long needed. Of those units, 16 are deed restricted affordable units that will directly provide relief to the households that need it the most. It generated millions in impact fees and will provide six figures in property taxes every year to fund local services.
Yes, prices are high, but that’s a symptom of the crisis, not the cause. If, as some suspect, there aren’t people willing to rent at these prices, they will drop. They already offer six weeks free rent, perhaps more concessions are coming. As the buildings age they become less desirable and will command lower prices, this is how a healthy housing market is maintained. Compare this to most of the housing created regionally in the last 40 years, large single family homes occupying outsized portions of land that have little chance of ever being within reach to working class households.
Like most businesses, developers have a fiduciary responsibility to their investors. Expecting them to leave money on the table for the greater good would be no different than your bank donating money from your savings account because a charity could put it to better use.
And before anyone brings it up, Affordable housing isn’t going to save us. In 2023, California had $3.5 billion in entitled projects that had to fight over just $576 million in state funding. https://calmatters.org/housing/2023/12/affordable-housing-california-2/ In the end, it’s a zero sum game. Absent a complete redistribution of wealth there will never be enough funding to make a substantial difference to the market as a whole.
Could this project have been better? Absolutely! But it's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, and this is a product of reality, not the world as we wish it were. Seaside recently adopted an aspirational General Plan, and as they work on the corresponding zoning ordinance, I hope they create a framework that allows future projects to more closely reflect the community’s needs.
This is a crisis generations in the making. It won’t be solved in one project or even in one decade. It’s going to take a whole lot of hard work, political courage, and most of all, compromise.
I really do not care that affordable units were not built or that these are not accessible to low-income. I'd rather there be no low-income housing on the coast. There should not be, instead there should be mass deportations. Less illegals, more housing :D Anyways, my biggest qualm with new construction it is always so ugly. Literally an eyesore disgusting buildings.
Not sure who these apartments are being built for, but certainly not affordable. If you go by the old standard of 1/4 of your income for your rent, you'd have to make close to $14.000.00 per month in wages to afford an apartment. Hopefully there will be an effort to build hundreds of low income units. :)
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