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CONCORD — Carlton Senior Living, which plans to expand its Concord housing complex, recently bought from the city a vacant lot that sits behind the Park & Shop shopping center.

The Concord-based firm agreed to pay the city $380,000 — the full appraised fair market value — for a 9,600-square-foot parcel at the corner of Sutter and Harrison streets. The property is adjacent to Carlton’s 152-unit independent living apartment building at 1700 Broadway.

Carlton owns 11 senior housing communities in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Davis, San Leandro, San Jose, Fremont, Sacramento and Elk Grove. The Concord complex is the only one without a memory care or assisted living component, said Todd Kemerly, senior vice president of sales and marketing.

Combining the city’s parcel with a second property Carlton plans to buy at 2051 Harrison St., will provide space for the company to build approximately 30 units for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

“The intent is to be able to provide care for our residents in the future should their health care needs change,” Kemerly said.

Carlton also is considering adding assisted living units to the Concord facility, according to Kemerly.

“We have existing residents now who are utilizing care from home care providers and need additional assistance,” he said.

The Concord property is zoned high-density residential, and both it and the Harrison Street parcel are housing opportunity sites, according to the city.

“We need senior housing, especially assisted living senior housing, I know that well,” Councilman Ron Leone said during the council’s discussion of the property sale. “My mom lives in senior assisted housing in Concord and I know the need is there.”

Oakmont Senior Living opened an upscale 76-unit assisted living facility on Civic Court near Waterworld last year. But in the Bay Area, where rents continue to climb, there is a growing need for affordable senior housing.

Carlton’s Concord building includes 31 apartments that have below-market rent due to a deed restriction established by the former redevelopment agency.

“I know a lot of the residents of Carlton that have been there a while, some of them do need memory care,” Mayor Laura Hoffmeister said.

“So for them to expand into this very needed housing type for our community is welcome and I think it’s a good use of the properties.”