Grand Opening celebration for new affordable housing community in Oakland
Fully leased Cathedral Gardens, an EAH Housing community, celebrates completion
May 14, 2015

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the grand opening Quinton Dial Kids Jersey Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the grand opening

OAKLAND – Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf joins EAH Housing and Oakland Housing Authority for the Grand Opening celebration of Cathedral Gardens on May 14 at 12 pm. Developed by EAH Housing in partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority, Cathedral Gardens provides 100 units of affordable rental housing in one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

“The City of Oakland welcomes Cathedral Gardens, it’s a valuable addition to Uptown Oakland that strengthens the neighborhood and renews countless lives. Cathedral Gardens is a product of a public-private partnership that enhances the community and serves as an example of well-developed affordable rental housing built close to transit,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf.

Cathedral Gardens is a new, beautifully designed, affordable family rental housing community in the booming Uptown neighborhood of Oakland. Cathedral Rashard Robinson Jersey Gardens provides greatly needed affordable housing for families, seniors and people with disabilities.

Cathedral Gardens is located at 638 21st St., near major bus lines and within ¼ mile of the 19th Street Oakland BART station. The development is unique in that one of its three buildings is the restored former rectory originally built in 1916 to Rashard Robinson Authentic Jersey house staff of the Saint Francis de Sales Cathedral. In 1993 the cathedral was demolished after having suffered extensive damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The renovated rectory now provides housing for seven households.

Speakers at the Grand Opening include Mayor Libby Schaaf, City of Oakland; Oakland City Council President Lynette McElhaney; Eric Johnson, Executive Director, Oakland Housing Authority; Mary Murtagh, President and CEO, EAH Housing; Barney Deasy, President, Merritt Community Capital Corporation; Paul Carney, Vice President of Chase Community Development Banking and East Bay Housing Organizations Board Member Peggy Lee.

“Through authentic partnerships great things can be accomplished, and there is no better example of that than the work of EAH, the City of Oakland, and Oakland Housing Authority working together to create Cathedral Gardens.  This project respects and enhances Oakland by preserving and reusing the historic rectory building while adding much needed new affordable housing units into one of the Bay Area’s most creative and thriving neighborhoods,” stated Eric Johnson, Executive Director of the Oakland Housing Authority.

Additional honored guests include: Isabel Cortes, District Representative, Office of Senator Loni Hancock; Diego Gonzalez, Senior Field Representative, Office of Assemblymember Rob Bonta; Brett Badelle, Field Representative, Office of Assemblymember Tony Thurmond and Adam Simons, Chief of Staff, Office of Councilmember Annie Campbell Washington.

Article Source:
http://www.eahhousing.org/pages/detail/4479