Learn about two affordable housing buildings opening in Berkeley

Visit and learn about two affordable housing projects built in partnership with City funds and coordination.

These projects, known as Berkeley Way and Jordan Court, reflect one strategy to address the region’s affordable housing crisis: creating complexes in which every unit is affordable.

Each had different paths. Jordan Court involved a partnership with a private entity, a local church. Berkeley Way is the most complex affordable housing project the City has ever undertaken. The affordable housing at Berkeley Way is one of many needs being addressed on this former City parking lot, which will include a homeless shelter, mental health support and job training.

The events are organized by East Bay Housing Organizations as part of a larger effort to increase understanding of the cost and impact of building affordable housing, the need for which is only growing.  

Jordan Court Grand Opening on Thursday, May 5

The 35-unit Jordan Court community was conceived of by All Souls Episcopal Parish, which sought to transform an under-used portion of their land to create a vibrant community for low-income seniors.

This new affordable development serves households with incomes between 20 to 60 percent of the area median income, and includes 12 units designated for formerly homeless households with mental illness. The City provided $6 million in local development subsidy through its Housing Trust Fund program. 

Learn more about the Jordan Court project.

Berkeley Way tour on Wednesday, May 11

The City will co-host a site tour of Berkeley Way, along with Berkeley Food & Housing Project, BRIDGE Housing, NIBBI Brothers General Contractors, and Leddy Maytum Stacey Architects.

This project uses land converted from a former City parking lot. The City also provided $27 million in loans through the Housing Trust Fund program, using Measure O bond funds, general funds generated pursuant to Measure U1, and other local sources.

Berkeley Way is comprised of three projects:  Berkeley Way Apartments, the Hope Center Permanent Supportive Housing, and the Hope Center Temporary Housing. BRIDGE Housing’s Berkeley Way Apartments will include 89 units for households earning 50 to 60 percent of the area median income.

The adjoining "Hope Center," which will be run by the Berkeley Food and Housing Project, will include 53 permanent supportive housing apartments, a 32-bed homeless shelter, 12 transitional beds for homeless veterans, a community kitchen, and wraparound services for mental health, substance abuse, job training, and social activities. Hope Center vacancies will be filled on a referral basis through the coordinated entry system used in Berkeley and Alameda County.

City coordination of this effort was led by the City's Housing and Community Services Division, a part of the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services.

Additional City Affordable Housing Strategies

In addition to managing the City's Housing Trust Fund Program, the Housing and Community Services Division uses several other strategies to expand affordable housing opportunities, such as:

• implementing inclusionary requirements for new market rate ownership and rental projects
• connecting affordable housing developers to grant funding
• creating new leases of City land

While the City does not own or operate any housing, we have resources to help you find affordable housing in Berkeley. Learn more about Berkeley affordable housing resources.

Come out for these events and learn more about efforts to house those struggling to find housing in a region with skyrocketing costs.

Links

• Jordan Court project
• Berkeley Way Housing
• East Bay Housing Organization’s event website
• Berkeley affordable housing resources