California has more LEED-certified multifamily properties than any other state, over 57,000 units worth, and the Bay Area has over 12,000 of these green apartments and condos, with three cities ranking in the top ten statewide. Just behind Los Angeles, San Francisco ranks #2 for the most LEED units, at 8,090, and San Jose is just two spots behind at #4 and 2,545 units. While Oakland hasn’t quite caught up to these levels, it still ranks in the top ten, at #8 with 1,648 units.
According to Multi-Housing News, “While LEED certification positively impacts the health and well-being of people, as well as the planet, it’s a valuable feature for investors, as it translates to faster lease-up rates and higher resale value.” Owners of LEED multifamily buildings are primarily real estate investment trusts; AvalonBay Communities, owner of the various Avalon, AVA, and eaves complexes in the Bay Area, and the Essex Property Trust, owner of over 80 Bay Area buildings, hold over 9,000 units between them.
The green housing trend really took off in 2008, jumping from 315 LEED-certified apartments and condos statewide in 2007 to 1,947 the next year. The numbers continued to grow through 2017, with a slight dip last year from 7,378 in 2017 to 6,185 in 2018. The developments still are mostly an urban trend, clustered in and around California’s major population centers, though the report only included communities with at least 50 residential units.
Source: Multi-Housing News
