Oakland, CA – The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today. Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of twenty-four applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.
The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:
Mandela Station Affordable
- 238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
- Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
- Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
- City Council District: 3
- Address: 1451 7th St.
Liberation Park Residences
- 118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
- Award: $28 million
- Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
- City Council District: 6
- Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.
34th & San Pablo
- 59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
- Award: $7 million
- Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
- City Council District: 3
- Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.
The Eliza
- 96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
- Award: $20 million
- Developer: Mercy Housing California
- City Council District: 3
- Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.
3135 San Pablo
- 72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
- Award: $10.5 million
- Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
- City Council District: 3
- Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.
“I want to thank our incredible staff, community partners, and Oakland voters for helping us invest in deeply affordable housing and preventing homelessness — a top priority for me as your Mayor and District 6 Councilmember,” stated Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “These awards will allow us to break ground on hundreds of deeply affordable housing units and drive forward the construction of the Liberation Park Market Hall, Cultural Hub, and Residences in our Black Cultural Zone, delivering a significant investment to East Oakland.”
The total amount requested from all 24 applicants was $420 million, over five times the total available. City funding sources for the $80.5 million NOFA is largely made up of Measure U, the Oakland voter-approved 2022 housing and infrastructure bond measure. The nineteen unawarded projects form a refreshed project pipeline, or the list of developments that could move forward when additional funding becomes available. City of Oakland’s investments are often the first of many that fund a project; once developers receive a commitment from Oakland HCD, they leverage it to secure other funds, typically at a rate of 1 to 7. Oakland HCD’s accelerated application review and award process allows for the City allocations to operate in rapid succession with State funding timelines. Awarded projects will be seeking funding at the State Level through Tax Exempt Bond and Low Income Housing Tax Credit applications in January 2025, and can apply for the State’s Homekey+ round as soon as February this year.
“Investments into deeply affordable housing are the core of our work,” said Emily Weinstein, Oakland's Director of Housing and Community Development. The five awarded projects, and eventually the pipeline projects, will bring us closer to serving Oakland’s homeless and low -income families and combating the city’s housing crisis.”
The 2024-2025 New Construction NOFA is the first to include a unique set-aside in partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) to provide both capital and operating subsidies to awardees. Up to $15 million of the total funding pool was set-aside for developments in which OHA has substantial investment or ownership. Mandela Station Affordable was awarded funding under this set-aside. Additionally, OHA will invest up to $10 million in operating, predevelopment, project-based vouchers, or other operating assistance to projects selected through the City of Oakland’s competitive process. This partnership reflects a critical commitment from both the City and the Oakland Housing Authority to jointly improve housing accessibility.
About the New Construction Notice of Funding Availability (NC NOFA)
The NC NOFA is a long-existing program of over two decades and is the primary avenue by which Oakland HCD distributes funding for new affordable housing. NC NOFA applications must meet minimum threshold standards to become eligible for funding, including the engagement of community constituents, commitment to serving Extremely Low-Income (ELI) residents, developer, and property management experience, and more.
Oakland HCD has awarded $237,794,000 to affordable housing developments through its New Construction NOFA from 2019 to present.
About Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department
Homelessness and housing affordability are top priorities for Oakland residents. To address these challenges, the City implements a multi-pronged approach. The Housing and Community Development Department is addressing housing affordability issues through its “3P” framework: Protect Oaklanders from displacement; Preserve the existing affordable housing stock; and Produce new, deeply affordable housing units. Oakland HCD also aims to prevent homelessness for vulnerable residents through partnerships with and grants to community service organizations. Read more about Oakland HCD and its current priorities in the 2023-2027 Strategic Action Plan.
In 2024, the City of Oakland supported 1,542 units of affordable housing under construction, of which 55% (829) were for people exiting homelessness. The City of Oakland leverages funds from the State and Federal governments to maximize the impact of local dollars whenever possible.
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