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New homes for low-income seniors open in Berkeley’s
trendy San Pablo corridor Event: Grand Opening Ceremony
for Margaret Breland Apartments January 29, 2007 – Berkeley, Calif. Berkeley’s newest housing development for low-income senior citizens, located in one of the city’s latest retail and restaurant hot spots, celebrates its grand opening Thursday, Feb. 8. Margaret Breland Apartments, at 2577 San Pablo Avenue near Dwight Way, provides 28 units for very low-income seniors in a beautifully designed and landscaped affordable housing project that emphasizes on-site services, activities and independence late into life. Components within each unit at Margaret Breland Apartments are designed so they can accommodate residents’ changing needs as they age. For example, modular sinks and cabinets can be lowered to accommodate a senior who goes from walking to a wheelchair later in life. “These design features are a great benefit to our residents, as they can remain in their apartments for many years as their situations change,” said Dan Sawislak, executive director of Berkeley-based Resources for Community Development (RCD), which developed the project jointly with Jubilee Restoration, another Berkeley-based non-profit housing developer. “Like so many Bay Area cities, Berkeley sorely needs affordable housing, especially for its very low-income seniors,” said Sawislak. “Margaret Breland Apartments, as our previous and future projects, greatly helps people with limited options.” RCD has developed more than 1,189 affordable housing units in the East Bay, including 427 units in Berkeley, since its founding in 1984. It expects to break ground later this year on Oxford Plaza, being built with the David Brower Center in downtown Berkeley, which will include 97 units of low-income housing. The Margaret Breland Apartments is RCD’s second development in Berkeley for very low-income seniors; its first was the Mable Howard Apartments at Sacramento and Alcatraz. The new complex is named after the late city councilmember and long-time West Berkeley resident and activist Margaret Breland, who died in 2005. “This is a wonderful way to honor her memory,” said Sawislak. “She was a big supporter of this project and affordable housing and a tremendous advocate for revitalization of the San Pablo corridor.” Many shops, restaurants, social services, and recreational facilities within walking distance of the complex, which is located within one of Berkeley’s designated commercial nodes. Major bus lines stop along San Pablo Avenue and connect riders to the nearby BART system. Courtyards and community spaces will encourage social interaction among residents and visitors. This layout provides both a sense of security and community by protecting the courtyard from the street and centralizing the space in a convenient and safe location for all tenants. RCD’s on-site social services focus on healthy living and help seniors to maintain their independence. This “aging-in-place” model supports healthy seniors as well as those with special needs, providing activities such as yoga, arts and crafts, financial management, nutrition classes, and referrals to outside social services as needed. Construction of Margaret Breland Apartments was completed in December 2006 and the building is fully occupied. Funding for this project was provided by the Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program, Citibank, the Housing and Urban Development 202 Program, and the City of Berkeley. About Resources for Community Development: About Jubilee Restoration:
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