Goleta Is 2010 Planning Achievement Award Winner

The City of Goleta has been selected as the winner of the Planning Achievement Award: Hard-Won Victories Award for the Sumida Gardens project. The California Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) annually honors innovative plans and projects, distinguished APA members, and achievements of local APA California Sections. Sumida Gardens is a 200-unit multi-family redevelopment project that includes 34 affordable housing units located within the city’s Old Town Redevelopment Project Area.

“We are very pleased to receive this prestigious recognition from the APA for the Sumida Gardens project. It reflects a tremendous amount of collaboration and work that has resulted in a wonderful place to live,” said Vyto Adomaitis, director of redevelopment for the City of Goleta. He continued, “Even more impressive is that the leased rate for this project is nearly 99.5 percent, which is fantastic.”

The Sumida Gardens project was made possible by the support and commitment of the city council to the important revitalization, economic development, and affordable housing efforts of the city. The project, developed by the Towbes Group, was approved by the city council and redevelopment agency in November 2007 and completed in August 2009.

The award will be presented on Tuesday, November 2, at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad during the California APA’s annual conference.