California subway system displaced thousands of residents in one city; Housing project to rectify it

The Chinatown Senior TOD complex is the first phase of a larger project that will eventually deliver approximately 460 additional homes.Photo byHowie MapsononUnsplash

The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) and East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 97-unit senior housing development near the Lake Merritt BART station. The Chinatown Senior Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) project, expected to open by summer 2026, will reserve 44 apartments for formerly homeless individuals.

BAHFA provided a $3 million loan for the development through its Priority Sites Pilot Program, helping address Oakland's affordable housing crisis. The project marks the first phase of a larger development that will include 460 new homes, retail spaces, and public amenities.

The Chinatown Senior TOD complex is the first phase of a larger project that will eventually deliver approximately 460 additional homes, retail spaces, public amenities, and a childcare facility on BART-owned land.