Situated a stone’s throw away from the upscale Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair shopping centers, the celebrated Agrihood Sustainable Community was promised to provide low-income and homeless older adults with a dignified place to live — complete with an 1.5-acre urban farm for residents to grow their own vegetables.
Less than two years after its grand opening at 76 N. Winchester Blvd. in Santa Clara, residents haven’t been allowed to plant seeds or tend to the garden. Multiple older adult residents say they’ve experienced respiratory issues resulting in hospitalizations. Room accommodations for those with disabilities have been ignored, and last year a fire broke out on the third floor caused by an e-bike battery exploding after charging, according to a fire incident report. The aftermath has resulted in health issues, and repairs have been delayed.
“It’s smoke and mirrors,” a resident who requested to use the name Sammy for privacy reasons told San José Spotlight…