Oakland is taking a significant step toward addressing its affordable housing crunch with a new development designed to benefit low-income seniors. The city has initiated construction on the Chinatown TOD Senior Housing project, promising 97 affordable homes strategically positioned over the Lake Merritt BART station, as per the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
This development is set to offer much-needed housing and provide easy access to essential services. Located in Oakland's vibrant Chinatown, near Lake Merritt, the aspiring residents will have a senior center, grocery store, pharmacy, library, park, and medical facilities, each within a half-mile walking distance. Ensuring that low-income seniors can easily navigate their daily lives, the Chinatown TOD Senior Housing project is aligning their needs with practical urban living solutions.
Targeting households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the Area Median Income, the project reserves 44 units as permanent supportive housing for seniors transitioning out of homelessness. This initiative is poised to serve as a model for integrating affordable senior living with public transit infrastructure.
The venture is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. It has secured over $24 million in funding from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program and an additional $6 million from the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program. These contributions, managed jointly by the California Strategic Growth Council, have been paramount in forging the project's path ahead.
