Officials from the City of Alameda, Alameda Housing Authority, Alameda Home Team attend a groundbreaking ceremony for affordable housing apartments in Alameda. (Peter Hegarty/Staff) Peter Hegarty — staff

Mayor Trish Spencer first asked for silence.

Vanessa Cooper, executive director of the city’s Housing Authority, agreed.

“It’s truly somewhere where you can live and not have a car if you so choose,” Cooper said.

The 0.8-acre site is less than a block from the shops and restaurants on Park Street and it’s within walking distance of the Bridgeside Shopping Center near the Fruitvale Bridge.

When it’s finished, the project will provide housing of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. One of the 20 units will be for a resident manager.

Twelve apartments will have residents with Section 8 vouchers, and five will be reserved for homeless veterans who get Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers. Each will pay 30 percent of their income for rent.

The site also will have a children’s play area and community and laundry rooms. The architecture will aim to reflect the Victorian homes on nearby streets.

The down side? No Housing Authority waiting lists are currently open. Information about that, as well as rental applications,will be available on the agency’s website late next year.

Among those on hand for the groundbreaking were Vice Mayor Malia Vella and City Council members Jim Oddie and Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, as well as Helen Sause, president of Alameda Home Team.

Sause noted that Alameda is one of the few cities in the Bay Area that is building affordable housing.

“It’s generally a challenge to maintain the old and to just get enough to do that,” said Sause, an Alameda resident since 1964 and a former leader of the San Francisco City and County Redevelopment Agency.

Island High School, which used portables, departed the site in 2007. Since then, it has been vacant. The continuation school is now located at 500 Pacific Ave.

Funding for the project is coming from Enterprise Community Investment Inc., which has syndicated $7.5 million in low-income housing tax credit equity with investment partner Morgan Stanley.

Money also is coming from Measure A1, the $580 million affordable housing bond that Alameda County voters passed in November.

Construction started in July and should be wrapped up within a year or so, according to city officials.

“Let’s hope we are back here in less than 18 months,” Cooper said.

members Jim Oddie and Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, as well as Helen Sause, president of Alameda Home Team.

Sause noted that Alameda is one of the few cities in the Bay Area actually building affordable housing.

“It’s generally a challenge to maintain the old, and to get enough just to do that,” said Sause, a longtime Alameda resident and former member of the San Francisco City and County Redevelopment Agency.

Island High School, operating out of portables, left the site in 2007 and since then it has been vacant. The continuation school is now located at 500 Pacific Ave.

Funding for the project has come from Enterprise Community Investment Inc., which syndicated $7.5 million in low-income housing tax credit equity with investment partner Morgan Stanley.

Measure A1, a $580 million affordable housing bond that Alameda County voters approved in November, is also helping pay for the project.

Construction stated in July and should be wrapped up over the next year or so, according to city officials.

Then a ribbon-cutting is planned.

“Let’s hope we are all back here in less 18 months,” Cooper said.