Vision

“Traditional residential planning practices force Americans to own and rely on their cars, to consume electricity and natural gas at unsustainable levels, and to live in isolation and fear of break-ins. The design of community itself has to change, if Americans can ever break free of these limitations and embrace a better way of living…”

—David Jacobson, Bay Area Development Consultant

College Heights is designed to meet six complementary goals:

• Affordable housing: including units under the HUD guideline of 110% of median income
• Sustainability: green buildings, native landscaping, solar energy, and water conservation
• Mobility: more walking, less pavement and parking, reduced auto-dependency
• Health, safety, and security: walkways with no cars, quiet, clean air, defendable space
• Appealing design: attractive building facades, walkways, and landscaping
• Community: a secure, friendly community balancing privacy and neighborliness

The 29.6 acre former quarry site in the Hayward Hills has steeply-sloped open space, with about 18.6 acres of developable quarry floor. Within the developable area are a knoll on the west, descending slopes on the south, high ground in the middle, and a large flat area of granite quarry floor on the north and east. The current College Heights site plan proposes 732 energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly townhouses and condominiums with parks, trails, open space, a Village Center and Village Bus.