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Summer 2009
From the Executive Director
Last month we officially marked RCD’s 25 years of creating and preserving affordable housing. On June 11th we held the Grand Opening of Oxford Plaza, followed by our 25th Anniversary event at the David Brower Center. It was inspirational to enjoy the evening at the beautiful new Oxford/Brower property, and great fun to visit and celebrate with friends and supporters. Thanks to all of you who attended and sponsored these events! We are very fortunate at RCD to be in a business where we can combine our passion for constructing great housing with our mission to create and sustain environments where our residents can thrive and prosper. This e-newsletter highlights the breadth and quality of programming for residents at RCD sites. I’m excited about the all of the great activities at our properties and the positive difference they make for our residents! We have many things to celebrate at RCD but the future looks anything but easy as we work through the challenges to development in a down economy. All of your contributions — volunteering, financial support, keeping in touch to tell us what we are doing well or how we can improve — are very important as we continue on our path. Thanks for 25 years of support and for continuing to work with RCD to meet the needs of people who depend on affordable housing as we move into the months and years ahead.
Dan Sawislak, RCD Executive Director Housing Development News Construction is moving into the final phases on several of our projects. Fox Courts received a temporary occupancy permit and residents began moving in during April. It’s now over 80 percent occupied. If you’re in the neighborhood, of Telegraph and 19th Street, take a look at the ceramic tiles by local artist K. Ruby Blume. The four decorative tile designs represent different aspects of the nature and culture of Oakland You’ll also see two blank “canvases” on the east end of the building. Local muralists Eduardo Pineda and Joaquin Newman have worked with students from the Oakland School for the Arts on mural design for the walls. The murals will be installed this summer. Read the students' view of the project here. Shinsei Gardens in Alameda is also nearing completion with residency starting in August. Designed for sustainability, resource conservation, and energy savings, Shinsei Gardens is a candidate for the highest platinum rating from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Grants from StopWaste.org and the Home Depot Foundation have funded amenities that raised the project to the highest level. The buildings will include solar photovoltaic panels, linoleum, cork and ceramic tile flooring, water conserving fixtures and landscape designs, and hydronic radiant heating systems. In addition, the living spaces are designed for comfort and ease of use for all with features such as easy-to-reach electrical outlets, easy-to-operate doors and windows, and accessibility and adaptations for people with mobility concerns.
Preservation at The Arbors in Richmond also includes improved sustainability and energy saving. Half of the units have been completely rehabilitated using energy efficient fixtures, appliances, and windows, and healthy indoor materials and finishes. Resident Gloria Jones appreciates the difference. As she said, “It’s nice to have a lower unit since it’s harder for me to climb the stairs than when I moved here in 2003. With my own back yard it’s more private and I have both a washer and a dryer right here. It is really very nice and I’m comfor-table and enjoying my new apartment.” In other good news … Two of our properties received funding from the California Proposition 1C program: Ohlone Gardens received $2.8m and 720 E. 11th Street $1.6m ... Oxford Plaza is a winner, garnering an urban design award for the City of Berkeley from the Association of Bay Area Governments (see video here) ... Oxford Plaza is also a finalist in the urban design category for the Affordable Housing Finance Reader’s Choice Awards. If you subscribe, please vote between July 27 and August 31 ... Villa Vasconcellos took home a sustainable design award from Walnut Creek’s Action for Beauty Council. We’ve generated over 50,000 kwh of electricity there since we began monitoring, thus avoiding generation of over 62,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. Check out the latest statistics here.
The Youth Program has moved into summer with twice weekly program-ming at Bella Monte and Stanley Apartments. At Stanley, students are practicing computer skills, including research and typing. One week, each child researched a country using various search engines to look up characteristics about the region, e.g. climate, food, music. Another time they created a family tree, including two things about each family member, then printed and illustrated the pages to create a book. At Bella Monte, students have been baking — personal pizzas and bread were big hits. One of the students sent a message to say that she and her sister baked their bread at home and brought it over to their grandmother’s house to share. Our hands-on, inter-active summer program is building lasting memories of fun, friends, and family. At Lakeside Apartments we partnered with Guitars not Guns to provide guitars and eight weeks of lessons to kids as part of our youth programming. See their graduation ceremony as featured on KGO-TV. Youth programming continues through summer with a different theme each week and special art classes. Adults are involved in creating a community garden, knitting classes, bingo, English as a Second Language and GED preparation classes, and monthly meetings and discussions in Spanish of topics such as “Grandparents Who Take Care of Grandchildren.” We have a terrific group of volunteers from Monument Community Partners, including the Senior Action Team's Susan Lawson, who is an amazing asset to Lakeside families. La Clinica de la Raza's Katia Reyes has also formed strong relationships with the community and has the community room full during knitting and Sit and Be Fit classes.
Oxford Plaza's summer programming is also in full swing. At our first Community Garden meeting the group decided to meet weekly, with initial plans to invite the project’s Landscape Architect to discuss his vision for the rooftop garden, to research composting, seasonal veggies to plant, and herbs that will be ready by Ramadan later in the summer, and to start work in the garden by separating and re-planting the tomatoes. We also meet for Mother & Child Story time every Wednesday. The Oxford Kid’s Arts & Crafts Club meets weekly as well and the group’s first project resulted in a wonderful banner with a summer theme for the community room. We are thrilled to have so many residents engaged in the programs and offering their talents to the whole community. Fall will bring an opportunity to add an After School Homework Club and adult and kids computer classes. We recently took UC Berkeley’s Cal Corps staff on a tour and they are very interested in helping recruit student groups to facilitate. Two of our Berkeley senior housing sites added services this year to respond to increased challenges to remaining independent and in their own homes as some of our seniors face an increase in health related issues, which included decreased mobility, support at home after a hospital discharge, and the need for consistent wellness checks. We have a number of ongoing programs that are helping meet these needs. For example, students from UC Berkeley have started a Senior Companion Program where they meet individually with residents, join them for group activities, and act as translators to improve communication and resolve concerns. Catholic Charities provided a “Sit and Be Fit” exercise DVD so we can hold regular exercise classes. We’ve also brought in a range of speakers on health related topics to discuss using health insurance programs, life transitions, and preventive care and services. Enrollment in our food bag delivery programs is up by over 30% as our seniors struggle to purchase nutritious food. We know we’ve made a difference to some very wonderful people and we sincerely appreciate the support from the City of Berkeley Community Block Development Grant program for Mable Howard and Margaret Breland residents and the financial, in-kind, and volunteer support from the community that made it possible to respond quickly to the changing needs of our senior residents.
Ready to volunteer? See our website for information and contact us!
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© 2009
Resources for Community Development |
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