Frequently Asked Questions
Will Cottage Glen provide homes for the average family in Calistoga?
Cottage Glen will provide the first moderate-income housing in Calistoga in almost 15 years. At least six of the homes will be reserved for families with incomes in the $61,500-$95,500 range (for a family of four), which is 80-120% of the county median income as of 2008 (this income range will adjust at the time of sale). back to questions
Who will be eligible to buy a home in Cottage Glen?
Three or four homes will be market-priced (expected to be in the low $600,000s) and will be available to any homebuyer. The balance of the homes will be available to homebuyers who:
- Meet income limits (generally under $61,500 for the houses allocated to low-income buyers, and $61,500 to $95,500 for moderate-income buyers)
- Have good credit
- Are first-time homeowners, although this condition may be waived in some cases
- Are citizens or legal residents
- Are willing to work up to 500 hours in the self-help program
Current residents and employees in Calistoga are expected to receive a preference if a lottery is conducted to determine eligible buyers (subject to the city adopting a local housing preference policy). back to questions
Will Cottage Glen bring a lot of new people to Calistoga?
We expect the vast majority of Cottage Glen homebuyers to be families who already live or work in Calistoga. Over 85% of the homebuyers at Saratoga Manor II (completed in 2005) either lived or worked here before they purchased a home. Calistoga expects to implement a "local preference" ordinance well before Cottage Glen is available. That ordinance will give significant preferences to those who already live or work here, especially city and school district employees. back to questions
Will factory-built homes in Cottage Glen be attractive?
Cottage Glen is designed by an award-winning architect who is known nationally for his traditional home designs and livable "pocket neighborhoods." Ross Chapin Architects has arranged with a factory homebuilder, Details, to build several of their home plans here in California. Please visit their websites for examples of typical home designs similar to the custom plans being designed for Cottage Glen. When completed, the homes in Cottage Glen will be indistinguishable from site-built homes, will be higher quality construction, and will add to our rural small town character and charm. back to questions
When will Cottage Glen be available?
Home sales are expected to start in mid-to-late 2009, with the first homes available in early to mid-2010. back to questions
What will be involved in the “self-help” program?
Homeowners of the affordable houses will be required to work as a team to help build some components of Cottage Glen. Since the houses themselves will be factory-built, the homeowner's contribution will be mostly aimed at constructing foundations, garages (and possibly porches), landscaping and painting. Due to the relatively limited homeowner help required, only about 500 hours of work per family will be needed, compared to 1,500 hours that was required for Saratoga Manor II. Extended family members and friends may assist with the self-help work, and in some cases volunteers will be provided to help the families with their obligation. All work will be supervised by experienced self-help construction experts. back to questions
back to top
How can we afford to buy a house worth $500,000 or more?
Most of the financing costs for Cottage Glen homes will be subsidized with low-interest (or no-interest in some cases) mortgage payments so that monthly housing costs do not exceed 30-35% of household income. Depending on the financing method used, resale prices may be controlled, or equity-sharing may be used to ensure the continued affordability of homes in Cottage Glen. back to questions
Will we need a big down payment?
Homebuyers will receive a down-payment credit for their self-help work. In most cases, only closing costs will be required in cash, currently estimated to be $5,000-$7,000. back to questions
Will we need to worry about our mortgage cost adjusting upwards?
All interest payments will be fixed, with no exposure to variable-rate mortgage increases. back to questions
Won’t Cottage Glen strain our Growth Management System?
The site for Cottage Glen has already been approved for sufficient Growth Management System allocations for the planned neighborhood by the City Council (in the fall of 2007). We expect to request a modification of the approved allocation to reflect current plans. Many allocations granted in prior years to other proposales have remained unused, and it is virtually certain the city will have available some allocations for new proposals when they review the program status in the fall of 2008. back to questions
How does the density of Cottage Glen compare with other neighborhoods?
Although Cottage Glen will have slightly more homes per acre than adjacent subdivisions (an estimated 10-20% higher density than Maggie Avenue, for example), the difference will hardly be noticeable since the homes will be smaller, streets will be narrower, and many garages will be located at the rear. With a more modern "clustered" site design, the Cottage Glen neighborhood will actually provide more open space for neighborhood enjoyment.
Cottage Glen, at 5.3 homes per acre, is at the low end of the range of 4-10 homes per acre prescribed by the General Plan. Cottage Glen will not be a "high density" neighborhood. Examples of medium density are Saratoga Manor (estimated 10 homes per acre), La Pradera Apartments (12 per acre), and Palisades Apartments (22 per acre). Calistoga's zoning ordinance permits up to 43 apartments per acre, but a project at this density has never been considered practical or desirable. High density development would be well above these levels, and will never be appropriate in Calistoga. back to questions
Won’t there be an impact on nearby home values from Cottage Glen?
According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, no study in California has ever shown that affordable housing developments reduce property values. Cottage Glen will be a mixed-income development, which is even less likely to affect neighborhood values. Calistoga, like many other highly desirable places to live, already has a very eclectic mix of housing styles and values that are very compatible together.
Neighborhoods with a large component of self-help homeowners are well known for their pride of ownership. back to questions
back to top
Will Cottage Glen pay its fair share of our water and sewer costs?
All new housing built in Calistoga must "buy in" with impact fees to our existing water and sewer systems in order to pay their fair share of costs. While the affordable component of Cottage Glen will receive a modest discount provided by city ordinance, the average total permit and impact fees are estimated to be more than $30,000 per home, about $20,000 of which will go to water and sewer impact fees. back to questions
Does Calistoga have the money to help finance Cottage Glen?
Calistoga currently has almost $800,000 in funds already set aside in two funds especially earmarked for housing support. Recently approved developments are slated to add another $1,200,000 to these housing funds over the next few years, and more such developments are in the pipeline. There are also state and federal grants available for this purpose, such as the $500,000 Community Development Block Grant the city received that repaid almost all of its initial financing for Saratoga Manor II.
back to questions
How does Cottage Glen fit in with Calistoga’s housing plans?
Cottage Glen will make a significant contribution to Calistoga's housing needs. It will help fulfill several of the goals in our General Plan by providing housing for all income segments while still maintaining our rural small-town character and appearance. Cottage Glen does not conflict with any of our well-established planning objectives, and is expected to also comply with the new Urban Design Plan when it is eventually adopted. back to questions
Is someone going to make a lot of money from Cottage Glen?
Calistoga Affordable Housing is a non-profit company. Its board and volunteers serve without pay. back to questions
What will be the effect on traffic of the new homes in Cottage Glen?
A traffic study will be completed by a qualified traffic engineer to determine the traffic impact and recommend any needed mitigations. Traffic impacts are expected to be modest, with virtually no increase on Michael Way, and slight increases on Maggie Avenue and Grant Street. back to questions
How will the drainage problem in this area be resolved?
Neighbors should expect drainage in the area to improve. Engineering studies will be conducted to confirm the best solution to well-known drainage issues common in the northwest quadrant of Calistoga. Cottage Glen will improve the existing drainage, either by substantial on-site retention facilities, or by improving the off-site drainage capacity, most likely with a larger drain line across the fairgrounds. Depending on the solution, funds from Measure A (a voter-approved county flood control measure) may be available to help with the costs of these improvements. back to questions
How will Cottage Glen impact the environment?
Cottage Glen will be a leading example of environmentally conscious living. With smaller homes designed for high energy efficiency, native plant landscaping, minimal impervious surfaces, and many other cutting edge design features, Cottage Glen's impact on nature is expected to be far less than our existing neighborhoods.
Only very preliminary studies have taken place, but there are no existing environmental issues known of that cannot be readily mitigated. Appropriate environmental reviews will be completed by the city staff and consultants to confirm that Cottage Glen will not only comply with all environmental laws, but exceed standard requirements. back to questions
back to top