Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) creates inclusive communities through quality, affordable housing for people with developmental disabilities or other special needs. HCEB fulfills this mission by developing, owning, and operating affordable housing; partnering with other nonprofit housing developers; securing set-aside units within nonprofit and for-profit managed housing complexes; rehabilitating single-family homes and duplexes to meet the needs of low-income persons through the Northern California Legacy Homes program; and owning and managing licensed group homes via the Bay Area Housing Plan.
History
HCEB is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1996. It was created by dedicated volunteers representing Supported Living and Independent Living service providers, Regional Center of the East Bay, Area Board 5 staff, family members and a housing consultant as a result of the desire to address the shortage of affordable housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities.
In 1997, HCEB formed it first Board of Directors, and in the early years board members and associates worked on a volunteer basis with a housing consultant to secure set-aside units and 300 Section 8 vouchers. HCEB also carried out significant outreach/ education work and advocated for two federal Housing & Urban Development (HUD) 811 projects that focus on housing for people with disabilities, one each in Berkeley and Livermore. Since 2001, when HCEB hired its first Executive Director, HCEB has advocated for over 40 affordable, accessible set-aside units throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. These units are deed-restricted and set aside for residents with disabilities. By setting aside units, people with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to live in an integrated community-setting in an affordable apartment. HCEB also provides tenant liaison services for individuals in these set-aside units, thus ensuring their success in independent housing.
HCEB evolved its capacities significantly with hiring of additional staff in 2003 and the completion of Lincoln Oaks Apartments in 2006, an 11-unit affordable housing developmental for low-income people with developmental disabilities. HCEB co-developed Lincoln Oaks Apartments with Satellite Housing (now Satellite Affordable Housing Associates), and currently owns and manages the property. The development of Lincoln Oaks was funded through numerous federal, state and local housing finance programs. Another significant milestone was reached in 2008 when HCEB assumed ownership and operation of 15 renovated single-family homes as part of the Bay Area Housing Plan (BAHP). The homes are located in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and they permanently house up to 60 individuals with developmental disabilities who have left Agnew Developmental Center as part of its permanent closure. Together, Lincoln Oaks Apartments and BAHP gave HCEB the capacity and experience to focus on developing, owning, operating and providing housing services for small-scale projects for special needs populations.
Another significant milestone for HCEB was in 2008 when the City of Emeryville accepted HCEB’s proposal to rehabilitate, own and operate Magnolia Terrace, a multi-unit apartment building owned by the City of Emeryville Redevelopment Agency that had been stripped to framing and re-located. Magnolia Terrace is the first project solely developed by HCEB, and construction was completed in July 2011. Magnolia Terrace has received green building certification from GreenPoint Rated and won numerous art and green building grants and awards.
In 2009, HCEB was approached by numerous jurisdictions to assist in creating housing for other special needs populations, based on the success of HCEB’s small-scale, scattered site development & property management model. This lead to the acquisition and rehabilitation of four single-family homes in Alameda County that were vacant, foreclosed and creating blight in the neighborhood as part of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). The Ashland NSP homes now provide 14 formerly homeless adults with serious mental illness with permanent shared housing and dedicated supportive services, provided by Bay Area Community Services (BACS).
Most recently, HCEB has been co-developing two properties with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (formally Satellite Housing), Jack Capon Villa in Alameda and Third Avenue Apartments in Walnut Creek. Jack Capon Villa is a 19-unit apartment community for adults with developmental disabilities, and is scheduled to begin construction in January 2013. Third Avenue Apartments is in development, with an anticipated construction start of December 2013.
Additionally, in 2011 HCEB expanded its housing outreach and support services based on the successful collaboration with BACS and Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. Oakland Project Connect and the North County programs are partnerships with BACS and Alameda County BHCS to provide homeless individuals with serious mental illness the opportunity to get off the streets using supportive services and temporary or permanent housing. Since July 2011, HCEB has engaged 70 homeless adults or seniors, and 58 have left the streets and moved into temporary or permanent housing or have been approved for permanent housing and currently transitioning. Through the OPC and North County programs, HCEB has established and maintained relationships with more than 20 new landlords willing to work with the organization on housing our clients.
Contributors / Sponsors
A list of our contributors can be found on our Newsletters page. Select and view HCEB’s newsletters from the past several years.
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Creative and Technical Support provided by Jeremy Roberts, Intern