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Winter 2009
From the Executive Director
The Oxford story began in 2000, with a community planning process to determine future uses for a city-owned parking lot. Affordable housing was an early goal, and replacement parking, retail, and The David Brower Center were added to the mix. RCD won the opportunity to develop the housing portion in 2002. The development of the site became highly complex and difficult, with very significant design and financing challenges. It was a huge victory to break ground on the development in spring 2007. Many people worked very hard to bring Oxford Plaza and the David Brower Center to fruition, overcoming obstacles (and sleepless nights!) and finding creative solutions. At times the development hung in the balance, but because of the partnership and vision of all involved, we persevered, and we are proud to welcome 97 households to their new homes now. We will mark the opening of Oxford Plaza at our Grand Opening on June 11th, but I do want to thank Lihbin Shiao, our consultant Project Manager, who tirelessly pushed Oxford over the last three years to a successful start. Meanwhile, we continue to grapple with a very challenging economy, but are optimistic about our current and future developments. This year, we are on track to complete five new housing communities that will house 322 families and individuals. We will celebrate our 25th anniversary with a variety of events in 2009, starting with a symposium on the future of affordable housing at UC Berkeley on the evening of March 19 (see invitation below.) Thank you for all of your support of RCD, and for our mission of creating and preserving housing for those with the fewest options.
Housing Development News Environmental responsibility, a healthy indoor environment, and sustainability are core values in the design of our properties. Each property that features green building has built our expertise and our commitment to green building. Oxford Plaza is our greenest project to date - tour it and see at the grand opening on June 11.
Qualified residents were chosen by lottery and are being introduced to Kathy Treggiari, director of Resident Services, as they sign leases and pick up their keys. Resident Services will help them make a smooth transition to new homes and the community as Kathy and her team begin to implement programming based on the residents' needs. No doubt the rooftop deck with its raised garden beds and children’s play area will be featured in their plans! At Shinsei Gardens in the City of Alameda, we are on track to qualify for a LEED Platinum rating, meeting the highest level of sustainable building currently available. StopWaste.org (www.StopWaste.org) helped us target that rating during design with a focus on environmentally safer, more durable products and materials with recycled content, as well as construction methods that reduce and recycle construction waste. Photovoltaic solar panels are part of the design and will generate electricity for the common spaces. Indoors, there are many design choices that provide beautiful materials and positively impact the properties’ sustainability. The Home Depot Foundation recently awarded Shinsei Gardens a grant of $50,000 to upgrade to linoleum, which adds durable, natural flooring to the other sustainable flooring choices – recycled content carpet and ceramic tile. Indoor features that create a healthier and more comfortable environment for residents include: • Low or no-VOC paints; • Formaldehyde-free cabinets, counters, and insulation; • Double glazed windows; • Kitchen venting directly to the outdoors; • Energy Star appliances and lighting; and • Water conserving plumbing fixtures. In keeping with the Eichler-style architecture of its 1960’s design, extensive renovation at The Arbors in Richmond emphasizes the natural, open design of the original high beamed ceilings and windows facing courtyards and landscaped areas. New natural, sustainable bamboo and linoleum flooring and recycled-content carpet will enhance the original design. The renovations also increase accessibility and replace inefficient appliances and add water saving fixtures. New roofs are a highly reflective, white rubber-like membrane that helps keep interior temperatures comfortable in warm months. Solar Richmond (www.solarrichmond.org) is working with us to maximize the efficiency of the solar panels on the roof of the new community room. The Arbors shows how much green building can contribute to the livability of housing, giving new vitality to 50 year old apartments and bringing them gracefully into the 21st century.
We’ve set some very ambitious goals for our Resident Services Program this year to meet the challenge of a growing need for support services. Plans for resident services were part of the design for our new projects from the beginning. However, we have also had to plan for the effects of the economic downturn on already budget-challenged people who may face job loss, reductions in case management and health services, or higher costs of basic necessities. We are working to increase participation in Resident Services this year to ensure that families are aware of the full spectrum of services available to them, both onsite and in the community. It makes a difference when kids and their parents make the connection to our LISC Americorps Member Pera Gorson. She offers a mix of age appropriate activities each week as part of our Youth Program on Saturdays at Stanley International in Oakland and twice a week at Bella Monte Apartments in Bay Point. First up is to show homework for review and peer tutoring. Once completed, kids move on to activities that support literacy and cultural learning. In December the discussion centered on Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza and then the making of candles and the imagery of bringing light where there is darkness. There was also time to search for botanicals to put into personalized soaps to keep or give as gifts. In January kids engaged in spelling bees, reading stories to each other, making Valentines, painting, games, and cooking. With kids ages 3 to 17, part of the experience is the chance to do things together in a classroom like setting that reaches across age differences. We really appreciate the volunteers at both sites who come to each session ready to teach, guide, and have fun. Many thanks to Suzzie and Danny at Stanley International and Monica and Torry at Bella Monte for helping build this into a program that meets the needs of so many families!
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© 2009
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This month RCD celebrated a major milestone as the first residents moved into Oxford Plaza in downtown Berkeley. This was the culmination of nine years of work to bring affordable housing to downtown Berkeley.
Oxford Plaza is completing the transition from our Housing Development group to our Asset Management and Resident Services groups that began nine months ago and is now nearing completion. Responsible for oversight of the building once the doors open, Director of Asset Management Eric Knecht has teamed with Ezra Strange and Catrice Mosley of The John Stewart Company to market the property and manage residential leasing efforts. A tireless and capable team with eight combined years of experience working on the RCD portfolio, Ezra and Catrice have fielded over 3500 applications for these 97 beautiful units, creating a waiting list that is already quite long. 
