The City of Oakland has approved steps to constructing two affordable housing buildings at 101 East 12th Street in Merritt, by Downtown Oakland. The decision comes months after rejecting a mixed-income project co-sponsored by UrbanCore and the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. Now, EBALDC and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates are expected to develop the lot with 100% affordable housing.
Communicating with YIMBY, EBALDC’s Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development, Capri Roth, described the firm’s appreciation of the city council’s decision. Roth shared that The City’s decision last week preserved millions of dollars in subsidy for affordable housing and transportation infrastructure improvements, in which the State previously committed to the City of Oakland, AC Transit, BART, and EBALDC.”
Rejected Lakehouse development view of the midrise LakeHouse South, rendering by PYATOK
Roth went on to share how the firm’s collaboration with Oakland has shaped the project, explaining that “through continued collaboration with the City of Oakland and local community partners, we are implementing EBALDC’s vision of Oakland where everyone has a place to call home and have the resources to thrive. For example, as a result of ongoing community discussions, the project is also incorporating units designated for Transitional Aged Youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”
101 East 12th Street aerial view, image by Google Satellite
The 0.925-acre vacant lot is to be split into two parcels. Parcel 1 will be developed by EBALDC with 7 floors and 91 units of affordable housing.
Parcel 2 will be developed by SAHA in partnership with the East 12th Coalition. Within the resolution passed by the City Council, the document writes that the firm’s proposal “waas shaped by a deep community engagement process,” and that it has received “25 community group endorsements, hundreds of resident endorsements, and is the culmination of organizing, direct action, advocacy, legal analysis, and civic participation….”
Eve Stewart, VP of Real Estate Development of SAHA, expressed in the city press release, “we deeply appreciate the opportunity to be part of this grassroots effort and are excited to see a path forward for both EBALDC’s project as well as the People’s Proposal.”
East 12th Street People’s Proposal, an influential project guiding public sentiment for affordable housing at the vacant parcel, rendering by OS Architecture
Continuing on in the press release was a founding member of Eastlake United for Justice and the East 12th Street Coalition, Dunya Alwan. Alwan commented that “Eastlake United for Justice and the East 12th Street Coalition has been fighting to maximize affordable housing on the East 12th Street Remainder Parcel for 7 years. In our campaign Public Land for Public Good, we fought a market rate tower on the very site we are looking forward to building an updated version of our 100% community derived design, The Peoples Proposal.”
The next steps for Parcel 1 will involve submitting revised planning entitlements later this year, as Roth shares that EBALDC is working toward groundbreaking in 2023.
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On such a beautiful site, the architecture deserves to be heroic – the building will stand longer than we will…..crank up the design and make it a beautiful block – something to behold…..this proposal looks like anywhere.
I am curious how much is the cost per unit, where are the subsidies coming from, how much will be generated by property tax especially in comparison to the market rate project that was axed. Jus’ curious
If both developments have around 91 units, that means a net loss of 178 units of housing from the previous proposal.
I liked the original plan. Most affordable housing cuts corners on the architecture.
Hi I would like to apply and interested in low income housing I am a US citizen and I am a senior. I appreciate if you could help me. Thank you and God bless you.
I hope market rate renters and homeowners aren’t being asked to pay more in taxes to afford these 100% affordable housing projects. If not, then build away, but if the surrounding area is asking more in supplemental then I have issue. This needs to be net 0 on our taxes. That area is already a troubled part of the Lake, now housing folks at risk will amplify that concern
The current proposal is a huge loss for the entire area. Why build fewer units in an urban core?!? This makes no sense at all.