Affordable housing builder can’t find affordable office in Petaluma

Mary Stompe is taking PEP Housing out of Petaluma, but she is not taking Petaluma out of PEP Housing.

The executive director of the nonprofit affordable housing builder founded 41 years ago as Petaluma Ecumenical Properties, Stompe is moving the organization to Santa Rosa in November. But she hopes to one day return to PEP’s roots.

“It’s sad for us to be leaving, but we needed somewhere to go,” said Stopme, who has been a the helm for 15 years. “It’s at least a temporary situation for us. We’re going with the flow and hope to be back in Petaluma.”

The current PEP Housing office on Petaluma Boulevard South will be torn down soon, pending a city demolition permit. In its place, PEP is building a 54-unit senior and veteran housing project with views of the Petaluma River.

PEP originally wanted to build a new office below the senior apartments, but couldn’t find enough parking so was forced to look elsewhere for office space.

“We looked for three years for an office in Petaluma and just couldn’t find anything,” Stompe said. “Rents are very high.”

When the North Bay fires hit the region in 2017, PEP wanted to play a role in rehousing fire victims, Stompe said. The organization bought the Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa.

PEP’s plans for the 2.8-acre site include a complete remodel of the 20,000-square-foot main building and event center with 26 studio apartments for seniors. The large dining room will be converted into an event hall adjacent to the existing kitchen, which will remain.

The site is adjacent to PEP’s Acacia Lane Senior Apartments, a 44-unit senior housing complex that opened eight years ago.

As a side bonus, the center has office space large enough to accommodate most of PEP’s 48 staff members. PEP will keep an office on Clegg Court in Petaluma for maintenance workers to service the 13 properties with 450 units in the city, Stompe said.

The organization still needs to raise $2.5 million of the $7.6 million total cost for the project that will be known as the Linda Tunis Senior Apartments after the mother of a PEP Housing employee who lost her life in the Tubbs fire in the Journey’s End mobile home park.

Jessica Tunis, who is the property manager of Acacia Lane Senior Apartments, was helping evacuate her residents on the night of the fires and wasn’t aware of how close the fire was near her mother’s home until it was too late.

Kaiser Permanente has donated $1 million toward the housing project, and PEP has received $50,000 from the Rotary District 5130 and $250,000 from the Bethlehem Foundation.

To help raise the rest of the money, PEP is throwing a masquerade ball on Sept. 28 at its new building at 600 Acacia Lane in Santa Rosa. The event will feature dinner and drinks, entertainment and auctions. Guests can check out the building and see PEP’s plans for the project.

Tickets are $65, on sale online through Eventbrite or by calling 762-2336, and also can be purchased at the door.

“It will be a good time,” Stompe said.

If the funding comes in, PEP could break ground on both the Santa Rosa and Petaluma projects at the beginning of next year.

“It’s going to be very busy for us,” Stompe said.

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)