Opportunity Center Waitlist Application
Opportunity Center
The Opportunity Center is a housing site that offers 88 affordable apartments in the the heart of Silicon Valley. The Opportunity Center is located at 33 Encina Ave. in Palo Alto.
Information about rent, current maximum-income limits, and minimum-income limits can be found here.
Current Vacancies
Efficiency studio units with an occupancy of one-to-two household members are currently available. One-bedroom units for one-to-three household members and two-bedroom units for two-to-five household members are not currently available. Applicants for unavailable units will remain on the waitlist and will be contacted if and when those units become available.
Current Vacancies: Income Requirements for Applicants
*Efficiency studios rent is $700 per month.
*Minimum Income - Fixed income: $1,120 per month (or $13,400 per year)
*Minimum Income - Non-fixed income: $2,000 per month (or $24,000 per year)
*Maximum Income Limits - One person: $28,000 per year or Two persons: $32,000 per year
*Rental subsidies are accepted and the minimum income requirement would be waived. Maximum income limits would still apply.
There are also eligibility set-asides for these currently vacant units. The eligibility includes that the household is both a) experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, and b) disabled, as defined by the State MHP Supportive Housing Program regulatory agreement for the property. Households may still apply if they do not meet the eligibility standards of the current vacancies, but will remain on the list for a unit vacancy for which they do meet the eligibility standards.
Application Process: What to Expect
Applicants had a two-week period to apply to a lottery waitlist. Applications were accepted from 12:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, October 30, 2024 through 12:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Now that the waitlist period has closed, the applications will be randomly sorted by lottery and applicants will be contacted in lottery order. There is a local residency/employment preference. Preference for those on the waiting list will be given to applicants with at least six (6) months of verifiable local residency or employment - including those who live in, are working in, or who have been notified that they are hired to work in the cities of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
Applicants will be contacted in lottery order until current vacancies are filled. Once all units are filled, applicants will be contacted with an annual update or if there are new vacancies. When you are contacted by an occupancy specialist to begin processing your household’s application, prepare to complete more detailed paperwork and provide the required supporting documents. (These documents include but are not limited to pay stubs, SSA/SSI award letters, and other documents.). All information that was provided in the application will be verified and your eligibility will be confirmed. Your application will be removed from the waitlist if you have made any fraudulent statements.
Accommodations with the Application Process
Persons with disabilities who were unable to access the online application had an opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation at (510) 453-0589 or housinginfo@abodeservices.org; or TTY 7-1-1.
This request must have been made from 12:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, October 30, 2024 through 12:00 p.m. PST Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Now that the waitlist period has closed, any requests made after the expiration date and time will be disqualified.