Bayview Heights

Eureka, California

Bayview Heights offers a permanent home and supportive environment for formerly unhoused people and veterans in Eureka, California. The Veterans Resource Centers of America and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services worked together to establish this innovative dual care facility.

Using Housing First principles, this facility provides 50 affordable one-bedroom units: 25 for at-risk veterans and 25 for those at-risk for homelessness. The design tries to mitigate the environmental triggers for PTSD. Special attention was given to common areas, corridors, thresholds, and outdoor space to reduce friction among residents and build a sense of community and camaraderie. Residents have direct access to social services on the ground floor, as well as a manager who lives on-site.

Occupying half a city block in downtown Eureka, this three-story supportive housing facility improves links between the historic center of Eureka, the waterfront, and the commercial district. The massing of the building is scaled to traditional Eureka urban buildings. Two 25-unit housing blocks are joined by a bridging element that contains the common facilities and a controlled entry. A sheltered south-facing courtyard provides garden and recreational space, while a rooftop terrace offers views of Humbolt Bay.

The design-build project team, led by Danco Communities, pursued green building strategies, including energy-efficient HVAC systems, a high-performance envelope, and rooftop PV that provides on-site power generation to achieve net-zero energy.