Valley Vista grand opening draws dozens in praise

More than 50 people attended a grand opening ceremony for Valley Vista on Wednesday afternoon, celebrating San Ramon’s first Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded low-income senior living project with words of praise and admiration.

“This is more than just a facility, it’s a home for the people who live in it and an answer to their prayers,” said Church on the Hill Pastor John Weaver. “It’s low income but it’s a beautiful place and we rejoice in this.”

Valley Vista was the brainchild of Church founder Bill Whitaker almost 30 years ago, and today his wife is one of 161 residents to occupy the 90,000 square foot property. Wednesday’s grand opening was the result of 17 months of construction at a price tag of nearly $18 million, much of which was paid for by HUD grants from 2007. Fifteen dignitaries spoke to the crowd, which was peppered with staff from co-developers Satellite Housing and American Baptist Homes of the West.

“You can tell a community by how it cares for their youth and their elderly,” said San Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson, who noted that the city put $5.5 million into the project. “Look at the knowledge of the seniors that are here, you are our jewels.”

Contra Costa County also put $2.9 million into Valley Vista, which had an 800-900 person long waiting list prior to opening. District 2 Supervisor Gayle Uilkema expressed her gratitude toward Valley Vista staff who, along with their colleagues in other facilities, support the county’s over 1 million seniors. Those seniors who live in Valley Vista will only have to pay 30 percent of their adjusted income.

“Often times many of our seniors cannot look forward to seniorhood because they are worried. Now they can live with dignity, they can live with grace, they can live with security of having a nice place to live,” she said.

To that end, two residents spoke of the excitement and general happiness that comes with being a Valley Vista resident. Susan Chandler, a long-time San Ramon resident and former school district employee, touted the blessings of living in a safe, multicultural community.

“We are an international family here. Not everyone speaks the language, but everyone speaks the smile,” Chandler said. “I am blessed.”

Resident Mae Hill echoed the sentiment, adding that she felt very safe and like she had “stepped off the Love Boat.” Nearly everyone who spoke said they were impressed with the Valley Vista’s location, gorgeous views and hotel-like character.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing when it came to constructing the 4-3/4 acre site — whose two buildings are energy efficient, feature low water use landscaping and have plans for a solar powered hot water heater — crews experienced a litany of delays on top of the decades it took to get the project started. Two months of rain postponed construction, as did a man-made watershed with endangered species and improper waste water runoff from another subdivision.

However, those in attendance focused on the positive and several speakers said they were happy to live in a community that honored mothers and fathers.

“Valley Vista is completely settled and it’s filled with residents that are giving life to this community,” said Ryan Chao, executive director for Satellite Housing.

After the ceremony and ribbon cutting, attendees enjoyed tours of the facilities as well as refreshments, wine and music in Valley Vista’s “bistro,” which boasts panoramic views of Mt. Diablo.

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