New Affordable Housing for Low-Income Seniors

The Post Newspaper Group  May 17, 2013 - Written by Abhatt

Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) and Oakland Housing Initiatives welcomed visitors to the future site of Lakeside Senior Apartments during their groundbreaking event on Thursday May 16. Located one block from Lake Merritt, the site is set to become a 92-unit affordable housing complex for low-income seniors.
The groundbreaking event, part of East Bay Housing Organizations’ (EBHO) Affordable Housing Week, marked the beginning of construction on Lakeside Senior Apartments. Attendees and speakers included representatives from the offices of Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, State Senator Loni Hancock and State Assemblymember Rob Bonta, along with Oakland Housing Authority Executive Director Eric Johnson and Ted Dang, Oakland Housing Initiatives Board President.
“As we celebrate the groundbreaking of a much needed new senior housing development and the jobs it will bring to Oakland, it is against the backdrop of the massive and arbitrary federal funding cuts caused by Sequestration,” said Eric Johnson.
As a result of the congressional budget battles, caused by Sequestration, Oakland Housing Authority Executive Director Eric Johnson said his agency must cut services to over 800 families. He warned that homelessness could increase causing adverse impacts to schools, food banks and the city’s healthcare system.
The new community strives to reach the SAHA goal of creating a space for seniors to thrive within a community while maintaining the ability to live as independently as possible. Along with design features specifically tailored to accessibility for older adults, Lakeside will also be a Platinum LEED for Homes building featuring solar water heating, energy star appliances, rooftop community gardens, and low VOC building methods that improve indoor air quality.

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