Measure O: Affordable Housing Bond

About Measure O

Measure O provides $135 million of funding from bond revenue to pay for affordable housing projects. Berkeley voters passed Measure O in November 2018 with 77.5% approval. The original ballot question read:

Status

The City completed two of the planned four issuances of the Measure O bond, with the third issuance anticipated in 2025. Of the total $135 million, $109 million in Measure O funds has been allocated to affordable housing developments. These projects will create at least 1,000 new units and 44 shelter beds for low- and middle-income individuals, families, seniors, teachers, veterans, formerly unhoused people, and people with disabilities. The remaining Measure O funds will be used to support projects already in the City’s pipeline and development of new affordable housing at the Ashby BART sites. 

View Measure O projects

Progress on affordable housing projects

Affordable housing projects funded by Measure O are providing housing for low- and middle-income members of the Berkeley community.

Completed Projects

Five projects are complete, creating 240 new units of affordable housing and shelter space with 44 beds.

Jordan Court opened in North Berkeley in spring of 2022. This 35-unit project created affordable studio units for low-income seniors, with 12 set aside for formerly homeless seniors. (Measure O funding: $3.5 million) 

Berkeley Way opened in Downtown Berkeley in 2022, and includes three sub-projects that received over $13.8 million in Measure O funding: 

• The Hope Center homeless shelter has 32 beds for homeless individuals and 12 transitional beds for homeless veterans. (Measure O funding: $6.9 million)
• The Hope Center permanent supportive housing has 53 apartments for people with disabilities or other special needs who would benefit from support services. (Measure O funding: $6.7 million)
• The Berkeley Way Apartments has 89 units of affordable housing, consisting of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments. (Measure O funding: $179,000)

The Grinnell (formerly known as Blake Apartments) in West Berkeley was completed in June 2024 with 63 units of housing, consisting of studios and one- and two- bedroom apartments. (Measure O funding: $7.3 million)

Projects in Progress

Two additional projects are in progress (either under construction or in predevelopment with site acquisition completed) and will create 141 units of affordable housing:

• Maudelle Miller Shirek Community in South Berkeley will have 87 units of housing, consisting of studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. (Measure O funding: $12.9 million)
• 1740 San Pablo Ave in West Berkeley will have 54 affordable homes for families, including three units reserved for artist households. (Measure O funding: $7.5 million)

Projects in Predevelopment

Several projects have Measure O funding reserved where construction has not yet begun.

The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Workforce Housing Development in West Berkeley will have 110 apartments, with leasing preference for BUSD employees. Construction start is anticipated in 2025. (Measure O funding: $24.5 million)

City Council reserved $40 million in Measure O funding to support the development of affordable housing at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART (NBB) sites:

• Affordable housing at Ashby BART is still in the planning stages, but the selected nonprofit affordable housing developer(s) will have access to up to $20 million in Measure O.
• Affordable housing at North Berkeley BART will receive a $26.5 million City subsidy (including $20 million in Measure O) to develop three projects by three different nonprofit housing developers, selected by BART and the City:
  • BRIDGE Housing Phase 1 with 120 affordable homes
  • East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation’s (EBALDC) 60 affordable homes including family housing and permanent support housing units
  • BRIDGE Housing and Insight Housing collaboration on 85 apartments of permanent support housing

Additionally, Council approved funding reservations for the following projects that will likely include some Measure O funds. The final mix of funding sources will be determined prior to loan closing, based on available funding at that time.

• Supportive Housing in People’s Park
• St. Paul Terrace in South Berkeley
• Ephesian Legacy Court     

Management and oversight

The Department of Health, Housing, and Community Services manages Measure O funding. Funds are distributed through the Housing Trust Fund, which pools funds for affordable housing construction from a variety of sources and makes them available to developers through one single application process.

The Housing Advisory Commission and City Council review and approve projects that receive Measure O funding. Oversight was previously provided by the Measure O Bond Oversight Committee, which met ten times between April 2019 and March 2021.