It is hard to believe we are approaching fall with harvest nearly complete, the grape leaves turning to beautiful reds and golds, holiday decorations already on the shelves, and elections just weeks away. It has been a fruitful year for Our Town St Helena, yet we have much to do between now and early 2027.

So far in 2026, we celebrated the completion of the 10-unit Gamble Grove development with our partner, Napa Valley Community Housing. We have made significant progress on the rehabilitation of the 12-unit Monte Vista apartments, which we purchased at the end of 2025. With these two properties OTSH nearly quadrupled its portfolio, so in response we are developing an asset management program.

Now we are hyper focused on Fountain Street, an approved 40-unit apartment community slated for the vacant land across from St. Helena High School which is being donated by the Joseph Phelps Family. In partnership with Burbank Housing’s development arm, OTSH is working with a group of volunteers to raise private donations to fill the financing gap for the project, with a goal of raising $10 million. To date we have received donations and pledges totaling $5.77 million! It is amazing how generous our community is, and we can’t wait to celebrate the opening of this exciting development with the community, hopefully in 2028.

We are in the process of recruiting new board members for 2027. If you have an interest in serving or would like to learn more about the board, please email me at polly@pollyogden.com; Executive Director Jennifer La Liberte at jennifer@ourtownsthelena.org; or call (707) 302-5111 and leave a message and someone will return your call. I can tell you from my experience that OTSH is a small but impactful organization, and our community benefits greatly from the work we are doing!



Our current focus is on completing Fountain Street, our most ambitious development yet. Fountain Street will provide 40 affordable rental homes on a 1.75-acre vacant property bounded by Main Street (Highway 29), Mills Lane, Dowdell Lane, and Fountain Street. Fountain Street is an investment in the long-term vitality of our community.

The community will feature:

• Mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments
• Approximately 49,932 square feet of residential space
• Community hub with indoor and outdoor gathering spaces
• Central play area
• Solar panels
• Low water-use fixtures
• Water-efficient landscaping
• Bicycle storage
• Public art opportunity

If you wish to support this effort, please consider making a gift or a pledge for a future gift in 2027-28. For more details, you can respond to this email or call Jennifer at (707) 302-5111.

Fountain Street Rendering viewed from current Fountain Court looking westerly

In December 2025, OTSH acquired and deed restricted 12 apartments at 1347 and 1357 Monte Vista Avenue. The purchase was financed by Bay Area Housing and Finance Agency and Poppy Bank. A condition of the financing was that OTSH would make certain improvements to the properties that were identified through a ‘property needs assessment’ and we are happy to report that much progress has been made.

Items that have been completed include sewer lateral replacements; repairs to exterior stairs, landings and rails; laundry room upgrades including new doors, flooring, paint, and lighting; and exterior stucco repair. Next the two apartment buildings will be painted, followed by roof replacement and new gutters. Some other electrical and plumbing, landscaping, and asphalt improvements are included as well.

Altogether these repairs and upgrades will ensure quality homes for the 41 residents for decades to come.

Monte Vista Progress

Feature: Board Treasurer Michael Collins

The People Behind the Work

Michael Collins brings his experience in multifamily real estate development to his work with OTSH and the effort to expand workforce housing in St Helena.

When Michael looks at what’s ahead for OTSH, he sees opportunities to expand the organization’s portfolio and serve more people in the community.

“In St. Helena, there are a number of apartment complexes and single-family homes that are really attractive opportunities for OTSH to acquire and make part of our portfolio to better serve our community,” he said.



OTSH would like to highlight two propositions on the upcoming November ballot that, if approved, would have a positive impact on Californians’ ability to purchase or rent a home. Below are brief descriptions from the Official Voter Information Guide, and for more information on fiscal impact, supporters and opponents, click on the links.

Prop 1: Authorizes Bonds for Housing Affordability Programs

Summary: This proposition authorizes $11.25 billion in state general obligation bonds for housing affordability programs, including multifamily rental housing, mortgages for veterans, supportive housing, preservation of existing affordable housing, and downpayment assistance.



Prop 37: Creates Loan Program for Middle-Income Buyers of Qualified New Homes

Summary: This proposition was put on the ballot by petition signatures. It

authorizes $25 billion in bonds to offer eligible buyers fixed-rate mortgages for up to 17% of a home’s purchase price of a newly constructed home priced below about $1.5 million. Borrowers must be California residents, occupy the home, meet income limits, and pay atleast 3% down. Bonds are repaid by mortgage payments, not the state, thus a zero taxpayer cost.