IRVINE, CA—The goal in making affordable housing not look “affordable” is most definitely to rise above the expectations of what many think of housing for those in need, KTGY Architecture + Planning principal David Obitz tells GlobeSt.com. In addition, shopping market-rate developments to get ideas and to see if they can incorporate those same elements on a more cost-efficient scale in their affordable communities is helpful to developers, Liane Takano, SVP of Related California, tells us.

KTGY designed the first affordable-housing communities—which were recently completed—for low-income families in Irvine's master-planned community of Great Park Neighborhoods. The two communities, Luminaira at Parasol Park, developed by RCC Charitable, and Espaira at Parasol Park, developed by New Ethic, are no longer accepting applications from prospective tenants. The projects are the results of a collaborative effort between FivePoint Holdings LLC, Related California, Riverside Charitable Corp. and El Toro Housing Initiative Collaboration. FivePoint's partnership, Heritage Fields LLC, is the master developer of Great Park Neighborhoods.

Luminaira, located at 1158 Hamal, and and Espaira, located at 2117 Hamal here, offer a total of 166 affordable apartment homes for low-income families. Each also has a 4,000-square-foot leasing and social-services center with kitchen, media room, computer center, mailroom and play area, as well as its own amenities such as pool, spa, barbecue and picnic pavilion and dog run.