Atchison Village, Richmond, California
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Atchison Village Defense Housing Project, Cal. 4171-x
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| Location | Roughly bounded by W. Macdonald Ave, W. Ohio St, First St, and Garrard Blvd, Richmond, California |
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| Coordinates | 37°56′01″N 122°22′18″W / 37.93361°N 122.37167°WCoordinates: 37°56′01″N 122°22′18″W / 37.93361°N 122.37167°W |
| Area | 30.2 acres (12.2 ha) |
| Architect | John Carl Warnecke; Andrew T. Hass |
| Architectural style | Mid-twentieth century |
| NRHP Reference # | 03000473 |
| Added to NRHP | May 30, 2003 |
Atchison Village is a community in Richmond, California which was originally built as housing for defense workers from the Kaiser Shipyards. It lies at an elevation of 13 feet (4 m). Constructed by the Richmond Housing Authority in 1941 as Richmond's first public defense housing project, it is the only project funded by the Lanham Community Facilities Act that still exists in Richmond and one of the few in the nation not destroyed after the war. It is one of 20 public housing projects built in Richmond before and during World War II. The village was sold by the government to its residents for $1,512,00.00 February 28th, 1957, (Quit Claim Deed CCC Recorder; liber 2939 page 339) remaining mutual housing to this day under the name of the Atchison Village Mutual Homes Corporation.
Currently, the village is valued at approximately $17 million as of January 2007. It is covered under Proposition 13 as a single unsold parcel, thus limiting tax increases to 2%.
Atchison Village includes 450 apartments of five styles in 97 one-story buildings and 65 two-story buildings. Every unit has ground level access both front and back and fenceable backyards. Each unit has a dedicated parking space and there is ample on-street parking near each unit on the public streets.
As of May 2012, units cost from $30,000 to $70,000. They are relatively unaffected by the housing bubble or foreclosures, since share certificates cannot be liened. The low prices may be due to the fact that title to the property is not transferred, but only the occupancy or use rights in the dwelling, making it difficult to take out a loan to buy a Right to Perpetual Use. However, the Atchison Village Credit Union may lend a significant sum against the purchase if the buyer has a co-signer with real property in California.
A maintenance fee, currently averaging ~$400 monthly, covers taxes, insurance, reserve funding, structural maintenance, water and sorted waste collection from curbside individual rolling plastic containers.
The grounds are landscaped, including a large park and separate soccer and baseball fields with bleachers. There is also a small children's playground, completely upgraded with modern Big Toys and soft ground. All streets have sidewalks and street lighting and are patrolled by the Richmond Police Department. There is a large laundromat and small supermarket adjacent, at First Street and Macdonald.
Point Richmond is within walking distance and has two small supermarkets, a post office, bank, public pool, fire station and library. Closer in the other direction downtown are a medical center/hospital, main P.O., and strip shopping center with major drugstore and supermarket. The entire neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.
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