In Progress: Farolito Senior Community

The groundbreaking for the Farolito Senior Community recently took place, bringing into focus Owner Sol Housing’s incredible community-building efforts. Albuquerque-based Sol Housing is a nonprofit organization specializing in the planning, design, construction, and management of award-winning, affordable communities. Jaynes is the General Contractor for this project, partnering with the architectural firm Dekker.

Groundbreaking at the Farolito Senior Community.

The 82-unit mixed-income community is being built on state land in partnership with the New Mexico State Land Office. Designed for seniors 55 and older, Farolito Senior Community sits across from another Sol Housing and Jaynes collaboration — Luminaria Senior Community. Luminaria Senior Community is a multi-award-winning facility. Sol Housing won the NAIOP Award of Excellence in the Senior / Assisted Living category and the CoStar Impact Award for Commercial Development of the Year.

From their press release on the Farolito Senior Community groundbreaking, Sol Housing mentions that Albuquerque,“… has designated the elderly as a priority for affordable housing development. Felipe Rael, executive director of Sol Housing explains, ‘It is an established fact that a significant number of our elderly are housing cost-burdened and losing housing stability.’”

The need for affordable senior housing is critical. Data shows that New Mexico has the 13th-highest percentage of people over 65 and is on track to be fourth in the U.S. by 2030.

The pet-friendly, 80,310-square-foot Farolito Senior Community features a dog wash, dog park, community room, and shared multi-purpose spaces. Joint funding for the Farolito Senior Community comes from the City of Albuquerque, Housing New Mexico, and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the NM Governor’s Office of Housing.

The New Mexico State Land Office (NMSLO) manages the land in trust. NMSLO has leased the land to Sol Housing, which will make improvements and develop the new affordable housing apartment homes on the site. 94% of the lease payments will support the New Mexico public education system, public universities, and hospitals. This is a true example of a community win-win.

Sol Housing and Jaynes

Jaynes has a deep relationship with Sol Housing. Krishna Reddy, Jaynes’ Executive Vice President of Project Development, mentions that “Sol Housing is a very valued Jaynes partner. Over the last five years, Farolito Senior Community is our third project together. We have a strong and collaborative relationship with them and are very proud to be a part of their mission in creating innovative and affordable housing communities.”

Another award-winning collaboration between Sol Housing and Jaynes was Hiland Plaza, New Mexico’s first affordable housing community designed specifically for the Deaf Community. It is one of only five communities like it in the nation. The LEED-H Platinum-certified and Energy-Star-rated facility, with 92 units, is tailored for low-income individuals and families who rely primarily on visual communication, such as American Sign Language (ASL). The architectural firm, Hartman+Majewski Design Group, designed the facility to meet the needs of the Deaf Community in New Mexico using Universal Design elements and with an eye toward Deaf-focused livability.

Please visit our Projects page for more information on Jaynes’ community-building efforts and capabilities