SANTA CRUZ—Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) and Dientes Community Dental Care on March 6 announced a $1 million dollar investment from Sutter Health into the construction and operation of a mixed-use affordable housing project in Live Oak.
The project at 1500 Capitola Road includes a 20,000-square-foot medical clinic to be run by SCCH and an 11,000-square-foot dental clinic to be run by Dientes on the future site of the 57-unit development.
“Five years ago there were no medical offices in Live Oak. A community of our size needs good access to medical and dental services and housing that is affordable to all families,” Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold said. “This new development will help everyone in the community from small children to families to seniors.”
The project–the first of its kind in Santa Cruz County–comes from MidPen Housing, a nonprofit developer that owns and operates 13 affordable housing communities in the county. It will provide health services to 10,000 patients annually alongside the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
It will also create more than 60 new jobs.
The Supervisors unanimously approved the project last November.
The $1 million will be doled out over five years to help fund the construction and operation of both clinics. SCCH will receive $160,000 and Dientes will receive $40,000 each year through 2023.
“Projects like this one can transform communities. This initiative will bring affordable healthcare and housing to the heart of Live Oak – providing a lifeline to families, adults and seniors,” said SCCH CEO Leslie Conner. “We hope the early funding we’ve secured will be a catalyst for more donations in the coming weeks and months.”
Dientes and SCCH will break ground on their clinic in 2020 and open in 2021. MidPen will break ground on the housing component in 2021 and open in 2022.
Renderings, photos and information about the project are available 1500capitolaroad.org.
