Wiyot Housing

(Rendering for 6^th and L Street Project)

Below is a description of the Wiyot Housing Project. The City would like to hear your questions and comments.  Please use the discussion tool below to engage.

Project Description 

In July 2023, Eureka City Council chose the Wiyot Tribe’s Dishgamu Humboldt Community Land Trust (CLT) to develop two separate City-owned parking lots with affordable housing. One lot is located at the northwest corner of 6^th and L, adjacent to Eureka City Hall, and the other lot is located at the northwest corner of 5^th and D, adjacent to the vacant lot where the Lloyd building was recently demolished. 

The Wiyot Tribe’s initial conceptual plans propose 93 dwelling units total across the two sites:

• 6^th & L: The 6th and L Street project project, entitled Laqilh Hou Daqh (“Where the Elders Are”), will include 52 housing units designed to serve independent elders. The building will offer a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. A ground-floor community dining hall with a commercial kitchen will provide regular meal service to residents and will also be available for community events. The ground floor will also accommodate 20 dedicated City vehicle parking spaces in a separate garage accessed from the alley. To encourage social interaction among residents, the design includes an exterior community patio on the second floor. The proposed five-story building (shown above) features architectural elements inspired by traditional Wiyot village structures.
• 5^th & D: The 5^th and D Street project, entitled Gou'Wik Hou Daqh ("Where the Families Are"), will include 41 housing units designed to serve multigenerational and young families. The building will offer a mix of one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom units. In addition to the residential spaces, the development will include an on-site daycare center and various resident amenity spaces. The proposed five-story building incorporates architectural elements inspired by traditional Wiyot village structures.

See Q&A for information on what constitutes low and very-low income households.

How does the Wiyot Project help towards the City’s share of the region’s projected housing need?

How was this project initiated?

The City Council adopted the 2019-2027 Housing Element in December 2019, including Housing Element Implementation Measure IMP H-34 (Affordable Housing on City-owned Properties) which identifies 14 City-owned parcels at 8 separate sites to be put up for sale or lease to affordable housing developers with the goal of constructing at least 332 deed-restricted affordable housing units by 2028. On April 4, 2023, Council authorized release of the RFP for the 5^th & D and 6^th & L Sites, and awarded the Sites to the Wiyot Tribe on July 18, 2023.

What progress has been made on this project?

• Permitting: 
  • The 6^th and L Street project goes before the City’s Design Review Committee September 24, 2025. Having secured all necessary financing (see details below), the Wiyot Tribe/ Dishgamu Humboldt CLT will apply for building permits post-Design Review Approval, with construction anticipated to being in early 2026 and complete before the end of 2027. 
  • The 5^th and D Street project is still in the preliminary phase, having completed a pre-development review meeting with the City in 2025. The Wiyot Tribe/ Dishgamu Humboldt CLT intend to complete the project by the end of 2027. 
• Funding: 
  • The 6^th and L Street project became fully funded in the summer of 2025, after receiving two Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants (through FHLBank San Francisco in partnership with Redwood Capital Bank; and through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines in partnership with Umpqua Bank) as well as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. 
  • The 5^th and D Street project is still in the fundraising process. 
• Community Outreach: The Wiyot Tribe/ Dishgamu Humboldt CLT, their developer, Travois, and the City, held a community meeting on March 26, 2025 in City Council Chambers and via Zoom, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Wiyot Tribe/ Dishgamu Humboldt CLT and the City.