Construction Underway For Lake Merritt BART Affordable Housing, Oakland – San Francisco YIMBY
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Construction is actively underway on the first building of the Lake Merritt BART Transit-Oriented Development in downtown Oakland. Crews are nearly topping out an eight-story affordable senior housing complex with 97 units built directly above and beside the Lake Merritt BART station, designed to serve low-income seniors, including 44 units for those at risk of homelessness. The project, led by the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation in partnership with Strada Investment Group, includes ground-floor commercial space and on-site community amenities like a rooftop garden and community rooms. This housing building is just the first phase of a larger, multi-building plan that ultimately envisions 557 homes (233 affordable) along with commercial and office space next to transit.
Why it matters
This development activates under-utilized BART-owned land with much-needed housing right where transit access is best, aligning with regional goals to build homes near jobs and public infrastructure. Filling a gap in affordable options for seniors, especially those at risk of homelessness, helps address housing shortages and supports community stability. More broadly, advancing this transit-oriented project can catalyze further mixed-income housing and commercial space in downtown Oakland, strengthen the local economy, and reduce car dependence by connecting residents directly to Bay Area transit.
