An empty stretch of asphalt at 8301 MacArthur Boulevard on the Eastmont–Castlemont border may not look like much right now, but new building permits filed this week could turn it into an 88-unit modular apartment complex in East Oakland.
The five-story proposal leans heavily on affordable housing and mixes a large share of studios with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Plans also call for a 30-space covered garage, roughly 40 bicycle parking spots, open yard space and balconies for many of the units.
According to SF YIMBY, the filing is sponsored by V23 Investments and represents a modest size bump from earlier approvals for 82 units first reported in 2024. The new permits break the 88 apartments into 40 studios, 20 one-bedrooms, 19 two-bedrooms, eight three-bedrooms and one manager unit. Of those, 79 units are designated at very-low-income levels and eight at low-income levels.
Design, construction and public filings
The development is planned as modular construction, a method that can shorten how long it takes to build compared with traditional site-built projects. Renderings from the design team show balconies, insets and a colorful facade that are intended to break up and soften the building’s overall massing.
Public notices and application archives for projects like this one are posted in the City of Oakland planning files, where the proposal will move through plan review and a public comment period.
What it means for East Oakland
The MacArthur corridor has been busier on paper than its current streetscape suggests. Permit activity and designs for multiple affordable housing projects have started to cluster around the Eastmont Town Center area in recent months.
Reporting from SF YIMBY details other filings along MacArthur, underscoring a shift toward denser, transit-oriented housing in the neighborhood. The latest filing for 8301 MacArthur does not disclose project timelines or expected construction start dates.
Next steps
The permits now head into Oakland’s plan-check and permitting pipeline. Neighbors can review the documents through the city’s online permit center, and planning staff are expected to post decision notices when they are available.
If the project is approved, the modular approach could translate into a faster construction schedule than a typical ground-up build, although the developer has not released a specific timeline.
