119 Permanently Affordable Homes Break Ground in East Oakland: $135 Million Project Reserves 25% of Homes for Special-Needs Residents
The Residences at Liberation Park, an affordable housing development in East Oakland, in Alameda County, California, broke ground on November 3. Developers Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation (BCZ) and Eden Housing announced that the fully funded, $135 million project will bring 119 permanently affordable homes to East Oakland while advancing a broader community-led vision for housing, economic opportunity and cultural preservation.
Located at 2751 73rd Avenue, adjacent to Eastmont Mall and the Eastmont Transit Center, the six-story development will provide studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes for extremely low-, low- and very low-income households earning between 20% and 60% of the Alameda County area median income. Twenty-five percent of the homes will be reserved for special-needs populations identified through an extensive community engagement process, reinforcing the project's focus on housing needs identified directly by East Oakland residents.
BCZ CEO Carolyn Johnson said Liberation Park is about more than constructing buildings; it is about creating the conditions for the community to remain, grow and thrive in East Oakland, and that the residences represent what becomes possible when community vision is paired with strong development partners and meaningful investment, building not just housing but stability, opportunity and a future rooted in the people and culture that have shaped East Oakland for generations. Linda Mandolini, president and CEO of Eden Housing, said Eden is proud to partner with Black Cultural Zone to bring 119 high-quality affordable homes to East Oakland, and that projects of this scale require strong partnerships, collaboration and a shared commitment to the communities served.
The $135 million project is supported by a broad mix of public, philanthropic and private-sector partners, including the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Strategic Growth Council, Alameda County, the City of Oakland, the Oakland Housing Authority, Wells Fargo and the California Municipal Finance Authority. Wells Fargo provided an $82 million construction loan and invested $57 million in low-income housing tax credit equity, and contributed nearly $2 million for pre-development costs and neighborhood revitalization surrounding Liberation Park. Mayor Barbara Lee said every East Oaklander deserves a safe, affordable place to call home, and Congresswoman Lateefah Simon of California's 12th District said she has fought in Congress for federal funding for affordable housing and is excited for the groundbreaking and next steps.
The residences are one component of BCZ's larger Liberation Park vision, which seeks to establish a long-term cultural and economic anchor in East Oakland and help ensure longtime residents, artists, entrepreneurs and families can remain connected to the community. The broader plan includes a proposed 31,000-square-foot Market Hall & Cultural Hub with local food and retail vendor space, an outdoor courtyard, performance and community gathering areas, coworking and office space, and an outdoor roller-skating rink. Eden Housing is a Bay Area-based nonprofit organization with over 55 years of experience, and has developed more than 10,000 affordable homes since its inception.
(Source: Black Cultural Zone CDC and Eden Housing)
Source: Black Cultural Zone CDC and Eden Housing
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 项目旁的 Eastmont Transit Center（LocalWiki Contributors 摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons）
