Affordable housing developer Affirmed Housing has begun construction on RISE, a 195-unit affordable community located next to the Berryessa/North San Jose BART Station. The project is being advanced in partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and other community collaborators, creating a transit-oriented development intended to serve low-income residents and individuals transitioning out of homelessness.
The RISE development is designed as a 10-story, sustainability-minded residential complex, emphasizing proximity to regional transit as a central feature. Its immediate adjacency to the BART station is intended to help connect future residents with transportation options that provide access to employment centers, services, and other opportunities across the region. The project reflects an effort to align affordable housing production with major transit infrastructure.
Affirmed Housing president Jimmy Silverwood characterized the groundbreaking as an example of what coordinated public-private partnerships can produce. He noted that by working alongside like-minded partners, the team is advancing a transit-oriented community that addresses a pressing need for affordable housing while also reinforcing connections to jobs and essential services. Silverwood added that the collaboration is contributing to a more sustainable and accessible future for the Berryessa community.
The site for RISE is being developed on land leased from VTA, illustrating the role that public agency-controlled real estate can play in supporting new housing supply. By making the land available under a lease structure, VTA is participating in a model that allows transit agencies to integrate residential projects into their station areas while retaining long-term control of key parcels.
RISE is also notable for its capital stack, as it is the first project in Santa Clara County to secure funding from the Bay Area Housing Innovation Fund. This first-of-its-kind financing source was launched in 2024 by Apple, The Sobrato Organization, Destination: Home, and the Housing Accelerator Fund. The fund is intended to support new approaches to housing production, and its backing of RISE highlights how mission-driven capital providers are engaging with transit-oriented affordable housing in established employment corridors.
As construction moves forward, the project is positioned to add deeply needed affordable units in a transit-served location, combining public land, private development expertise, and specialized regional housing capital. The collaboration among Affirmed Housing, VTA, and community partners underscores the growing emphasis on coupling affordability goals with transit access in high-demand West Coast markets.
