- Friendship Christian Church and the Community Housing Development Corporation broke ground on 50 affordable senior homes at 1904 Adeline St., West Oakland.
- Homes are for households aged 62 and over earning at or below 50 per cent of the area median income.
- The mix is 15 studios, 34 one-bedroom units and one two-bedroom manager’s unit.
- Funders include the state tax credit committee, the City of Oakland, the Oakland Housing Authority and Citibank.
A West Oakland church has partnered with a nonprofit developer to build affordable homes for older residents. The Post News Group reported on the groundbreaking for Friendship Senior Housing.
The 50-unit development at 1904 Adeline St. is for senior households aged 62 and over earning at or below 50 per cent of the area median income. It will have 15 studios, 34 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom unit for a manager. Amenities include on-site parking, laundry, lifts, a community room with kitchen and a computer lab. Construction began in autumn 2023, and a ceremonial groundbreaking was held on June 6, 2024.
The project brings together the Community Housing Development Corporation, led by executive director Donald Gilmore, and Friendship Christian Church, founded and led by the Rev Gerald Agee. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Senator Nancy Skinner and Supervisor Keith Carson attended.
Funding sources include the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, the City of Oakland, the state Department of Housing and Community Development, the Oakland Housing Authority, Alameda County Health Care Services, Citibank and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. The Rev Agee said: “This project represents a partnership to provide affordable housing to seniors of the West Oakland community.”
Affordable housing projects in the United States often rely on many funders, each with its own rules. A church partner brings local trust and a clear mission, while an experienced developer handles the finance and construction. Jamaican churches thinking about senior housing should look for partners who know how to put together funding from government, banks and charities, and should plan for long-term management from the start. Older church members on fixed incomes are among those most likely to benefit from homes built for them close to their church community.
Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com
Visit our YouTube Community ↗