Danco — a developer that’s been building and managing successful low-income housing projects for 36 years

The Danco Group, the proposed developer of the North Mesa Street project, says it develops, builds and manages high-quality living and workspaces that add function and value to the community.
According to the Danco Group’s website, “Community is at the heart of everything we do. We deliver the best in development, construction and property management to ensure we can all be proud of the place we call home. Committed to honoring our promise with the highest quality of work and service, we seek opportunities that will help elevate our communities and lift our residents higher. Our in-house real estate development team, Danco Communities, specializes in affordable housing. Whether it’s for seniors, veterans or low-income families, our goal is to utilize tax credits and government funds to provide rental properties for people who make between 30 and 80 percent of their Area Median Income. These properties will help meet state-mandated housing requirements and contribute to a healthier local economy.
Here are a couple of proposed Danco Group projects in the works
Moorpark — Vendra Gardens
The proposed development, Vendra Gardens, will be a new construction project consisting of approximately 200 units at the corner of Casey Road and Moorpark Avenue. The project is located just outside the Downtown Specific Plan … The surrounding areas are comprised of single- and multi-family residential neighborhoods, parks, open space, natural habitat buffers, an elementary school, light rail transit corridor/station and neighborhood-serving commercial areas. Immediate adjacencies include the Walnut Canyon School to the west, Moorpark City Hall to the east, Moorpark City Library to the southeast, and the United States Postal Service to the south. The immediate southern portion of the site area will be given back as city-owned land. The 200-unit project proposes 80 one-bedroom/one-bathroom units, 68 two-bedroom/ two-bathroom units, and 52 three-bedroom/two-bathroom units, as well as a 2,500 square foot leasing building and a 2,500 square foot amenity building. Two of the three-bedroom units will be manager’s units.
The overall site and building configuration have been designed with a unique focus on the civic importance of spontaneous public interactions and the safety and security of residents and their guests, by focusing on the layout of community amenities and clear lines of site, thus emphasizing, and celebrating the utilitarian components of Universal Design and holistic access provisions of the Fair Housing Act and California Title 24. The planning professionals exploring the limits of comprehensive planning have incorporated these mandates through programming of specific requirements that reinforce the developer’s Vision and Goals of a contemporary tax credit development:
- Attractive and dignified living opportunities for all community residents;
- Independent living with neighbors in a secure, welcoming community;
- Physical separation of public to private spaces and uses, maximizing appropriate use of space;
- Vibrant landscaping, and impromptu public spaces that encourage resident interactions;
- Contemporary building exteriors that are reflective of local vernacular and massing; and
- Sustainability is integrated into the structure and resident interiors in a classic color pallet.
The project includes three primary design components: affordable Workforce/Family Housing, resident support services within the community building and physical exercise opportunities not only within the limits of the site development.
San Jose — Madrone Place
This project will be a new approximately 191,000 square foot, 154‐unit affordable housing project on 1.21 acres in San Jose. The site contains an existing one-story wood-framed storage/utility building that will be demolished prior to the start of construction. The project is proposed to be 100 percent affordable housing with 1/3 extremely low income, 1/3 very low income and 1/3 low-income units. The facility includes 50 studio units, 25 one-bedroom units, 39 two-bedroom units and 40 three-bedroom units. One of the three-bedroom units will be an on-site manager’s unit. Common areas on the ground floor at Sunol Street will include a main entry lobby, a multipurpose room that can be used for meetings or as a maker’s space, a manager’s office, a service provider office and office for additional staff, two counseling rooms, a bike parking room, a mail area and a package storage room. A flex space or fitness room and a secondary entry and lobby area are located on West San Carlos Street. Common laundry facilities will be located on each residential floor as well as elevators, stairs, and other circulation spaces. The common laundry rooms on each floor will contain super‐efficient commercial grade washers and dryers, with fully accessible controls and maneuvering clearances. Having common laundry facilities instead of in‐unit laundry has been proven to save significant amounts of water and energy, as well as provide opportunities for unstructured positive social interaction. The building will include features for increasing safety and security, including a full fire sprinkler system, automatic fire alarm system with remote monitoring and two-way communication, security system with video surveillance, an onsite security officer and an onsite manager who can provide immediate initial assistance.
Project goal and vision
- A sense of safety, security, and community.
- Partnership with service providers, both government and non‐government organizations.
- Community focused, with a variety of gathering spaces and social activities.
- State of the art and environmentally responsible, advanced green building, water efficient.
- Efficient, and healthy indoor living environments.
- Beautiful and inspiring, a place that is not an end to itself, but a new beginning of opportunity.