Low-Income Senior Housing Offers Tenants Adjusted Rent

A crowd of about 70 residents and city officials gathered yesterday to celebrate the opening of a housing development for low-income senior citizens in West Berkeley.

Margaret Breland Senior Homes, located on San Pablo Avenue near Dwight Way, were completed and available for about 30 senior citizens to occupy in November, said Dan Adams, project manager for Resources for Community Development.

The apartment building distinguishes itself from most other low-income housing units in the city by setting rent at 30 percent of the resident’s individual income, rather than fixing rent for all residents in the building, Adams said.

“This is especially important and attractive for low-income senior citizens, given rising rents and an intense housing market,” he said.

The apartments also offer a variety of health, nutrition and social services through a program created by one of the building’s developers, Resources for Community Development, said Chris Hess, the company’s director of resident services.

“We hope to get an exercise program in here and some computers,” said resident Kattye Giles, 62. “I’m in my own place now and I really enjoy it, but I feel like we can always learn new things and find something beneficial for all of us.”

Once a week, residents receive food bags provided by the Alameda County Community Food Bank, Hess said. Recently, a tenant council was created for residents to suggest ideas for new services and social activities.

Developers named the project after former Berkeley City Councilmember Margaret Breland, an advocate for affordable housing and a longtime resident of West Berkeley who died in April 2005.

The city of Berkeley and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development primarily funded the project, which began in 2001, Adams said.

Planners are developing programs such as a disaster planning program and health screening workshops to be launched in the spring, Hess said.

Developers will also work with two UC Berkeley student volunteer organizations, the Berkeley Project and the Cal Corps Public Service Center, on March 10 to get students to interact with the residents at the apartments, Hess said.

The building is a joint housing project between two Berkeley nonprofit, low-income housing developers—Resources for Community Development and Jubilee Restoration.

At the ceremony, city officials hailed the apartment building as a step toward creating affordable housing for all low-income residents.

“The creation of (the apartments) is an important step in providing opportunities for people with low income to live in Berkeley,” said Mayor Tom Bates. “Is it enough? Probably not. But it’s the right thing to do and we’re glad it’s here.”

Tags: