Project Name

:

Ohlone Gardens

Location:

6431 - 6495 Portola Drive, El Cerrito

Project Sponsor:

Ohlone Gardens LP, an affiliate of Resources for Community Development

Status:

Open and fully occupied

Description

In 2014-15, Resources for Community Development (RCD) built Ohlone Gardens, a 4-story, mixed-use project located one block east of San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito’s Midtown area. Ohlone Gardens is a new construction project including 57 units of family rental housing available at affordable levels and 3,189 square feet of ground floor commercial space. City participation in this project included a Housing Fund loan of $3.5 million.

Download the Ohlone Gardens fact sheet.

Ohlone Gardens Pre-Application Period Now Closed

The tenant application and selection process for Ohlone Gardens is administered by RCD and their property management agent. RCD held a pre-application open period for prospective residents from February 10 through March 10, 2015. The pre-application period is now closed. If you are interested in becoming a resident of this new development, you may obtain more information regarding the waitlist process by contacting RCD, at https://rcdhousing.org/.

Background

The City’s former Redevelopment Agency began working with Resources for Community Development in 2008 in response to RCD’s proposal to acquire and develop the property as multifamily affordable housing. In June 2009, the former El Cerrito Redevelopment Agency entered into a loan agreement with RCD to provide $3.5 million of Redevelopment Housing Set-Aside funds for site acquisition and predevelopment activities.

In addition to the Housing Set-Aside Funds, RCD assembled approximately $24 million in public and private sources to finance this project.

The City's Planning & Building Division completed the planning application review and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review process in August 2009. On October 14, 2009, the Design Review Board held a public hearing and approved the project application. These are required of all development applications. The entitlement and environmental review process includes meetings with the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board.

To view the approved project plans, visit www.el-cerrito.org/DocumentCenter/View/3464.

Construction began in spring 2014 and was completed in the summer of 2015.