California Construction News staff writer
The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) has awarded $80.5 million to five affordable housing projects aimed at developing 583 new affordable rental homes throughout the city. The funding is part of the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) and will support developments targeting low-income and homeless residents.
The five projects were selected from a competitive pool of 24 applicants, with funding amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million. The following developments received funding:
- Mandela Station Affordable: 238 affordable units, including 60 for homeless or special needs residents. Award: $15 million, plus a previously awarded $18 million. Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC). Location: 1451 7th St.
- Liberation Park Residences: 118 affordable units, including 30 for homeless or special needs residents. Award: $28 million. Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone. Location: 7101 Foothill Blvd.
- 34th & San Pablo: 59 affordable units, including 30 for homeless or special needs residents. Award: $7 million. Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC). Location: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.
- The Eliza: 96 affordable units, including 20 for homeless or special needs residents. Award: $20 million. Developer: Mercy Housing California. Location: 2125 Telegraph Ave.
- 3135 San Pablo: 72 affordable units, including 36 for homeless or special needs residents. Award: $10.5 million. Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center. Location: 3515 San Pablo Ave.
“These awards will allow us to break ground on hundreds of deeply affordable housing units and drive forward the construction of significant investments in East Oakland,” Mayor Kevin Jenkins said. “I want to thank our incredible staff, community partners, and Oakland voters for helping us invest in affordable housing and preventing homelessness.”
The $80.5 million is primarily funded by Measure U, the 2022 Oakland housing and infrastructure bond. The total amount requested by the 24 applicants exceeded $420 million, illustrating the ongoing demand for affordable housing in the city. The unawarded projects will form a pipeline of potential developments to move forward once additional funding becomes available.
The awarded projects will now seek additional funding from state and private sources, including Tax Exempt Bonds and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Oakland HCD’s accelerated review process aligns with state funding timelines, enabling projects to apply for state funding rounds beginning in January 2025 and to apply for the State’s Homekey+ program in February 2025.
This year’s NOFA includes a set-aside in partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA), reserving up to $15 million for projects in which OHA has substantial investment or ownership. Mandela Station Affordable is one of the developments awarded funding under this partnership, which reflects a collaboration between the City and OHA to increase housing accessibility.
“The five awarded projects, and eventually the pipeline projects, will bring us closer to serving Oakland’s homeless and low-income families and addressing the city’s housing crisis,” said Emily Weinstein, Oakland’s Director of Housing and Community Development.
The New Construction NOFA is part of Oakland HCD’s ongoing effort to address homelessness and housing affordability, with $237.8 million awarded to affordable housing developments since 2019. The department continues to focus on protecting Oakland residents from displacement, preserving existing affordable housing, and producing new deeply affordable housing units.
As of 2024, Oakland has 1,542 units of affordable housing under construction, with 55 percent (829 units) dedicated to people exiting homelessness. The city continues to leverage state and federal funds to maximize the impact of local investments in addressing the housing crisis.