Alameda County Housing & Community Development Department

05/29/2026

Did you know that across Alameda County, parcels routed through the tax default process have sat unused for years, generating no tax revenue, no housing, and no neighborhood benefit?

With the expansion of the SHIFT Program's new Tax‑Defaulted Property track, $2 million will be put toward routing eligible parcels directly to qualified builders, who will develop small apartment buildings affordable to working families earning 60 to 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). These are the teachers, grocery clerks, home care workers, and childcare providers whose wages are too high to qualify for deeply subsidized housing and too low to afford market rents. Learn more about SHIFT at: www.achcd.org/shift.

05/28/2026

It's Affordable Housing Month and we were excited to celebrate the design of Ancora Place with the community last week!

Ancora Place offers 77 new affordable housing apartments for individuals and families earning between 15% and 60% of the area median income, with 16 units set aside for residents who were homeless and have a mental health diagnosis in Oakland. The Measure A1 Affordable Housing Bond provided $5,370,606 toward its creation.

The five-story, L-shaped building, with a distinctive undulating façade and ground floor murals by local artists, shelters an expansive courtyard populated with picnic and play areas, a community garden, and performance space. The courtyard adjoins the EastSide Arts Alliance, an arts and cultural organization, and is equipped for community gatherings. Developed by nonprofit Satellite Affordable Housing Associates, the property has earned GreenPoint Rated Platinum certification, fully incorporating passive and active environmental systems, including vertical sunshades and rooftop solar panels. Modular construction was also used for the framing and saved money.

05/27/2026

MORE GOOD NEWS! Alameda County Is experiencing a major drop in unsheltered homelessness, including among Families with Children and Unaccompanied Youth Under 25.

The number of unsheltered residents decreased by 18 percent from prior levels, with overall homelessness dropping by 13 percent, according to the 2026 Point in Time (PIT) Count results released this month by Alameda County. These results continue the trends that began with 11 percent unsheltered and 3 percent overall reductions in 2024 and mark the first time the County has seen a reduction of this magnitude. For more information on the 2026 PIT Count, visit: health.alamedacountyca.gov/dat.../point-in-time-count.

05/22/2026

NEW TOOL! Check out HCD's recently developed, unique interactive dashboard to help explain the root causes of our community's high homeless rate. The dashboard is available at our website at: www.achcd.org/reports/why-here-homelessness-in-alameda-county.

The simulator and dashboard allows users to see and understand how changes in the housing market and social conditions affect homelessness rates. You can adjust variables including median rent, rental vacancy, poverty, and indicators of social distress to see how outcomes shift across different scenarios.

The dashboard applies the analysis model developed by Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern in their 2022 book "Homelessness Is a Housing Problem" to current HUD Point-in-Time data for Alameda County and current American Community Survey (ACS) housing estimates to help shed light on what is happening in our communities. More about the book can be found at: homelessnesshousingproblem.com.

05/21/2026

In 2023, California opened nearly 20,000 new affordable homes to our community members. A stable home was foundational for those families, but the benefits didn’t stop there! These new homes also provided 342,000 jobs, reduced 931,000 Greenhouse Gas emissions annually, and saved $2 million through reduced childhood asthma ER visits alone. Affordable housing is proven to benefit all of us. Learn more: affordablehomes.calhousingpartnership.org or check out our website at: www.achcd.org.

05/20/2026

Did you know doctors have said that affordable housing is one of the most valuable treatments they wish they could prescribe? It’s no wonder. Studies show that individuals in supportive housing spend fewer days in hospitals and nursing homes and have fewer emergency room visits per year, to the tune of $6,000/person in savings each year. As Solomon, one senior who moved into supportive housing in the Bay Area shared, access to a stable, affordable home means “your whole body begins to heal.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhaXhpcUubU

27 likes. "How one senior's life was transformed by housing"

05/19/2026

🚨 THIS JUST IN: Alameda County Sees Major Drop in Unsheltered Homelessness with More People Accessing Shelter in the Unincorporated County.

Released 2026 Point-in-Time Count (PIT) data shows encouraging progress, with overall homelessness decreasing by 13% and unsheltered homelessness dropping by 18% countywide.

In the Unincorporated County, the total number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 10.5% (from 294 to 325). At the same time, the number of sheltered residents utilizing emergency shelter options increased significantly from 105 to 151. These numbers reflect expanded access to shelter, housing navigation, and supportive services in the Unincorporated County. As more resources become available, more people are able to access shelter in our community.

Together, we remain committed to compassionate, evidence-based solutions that move people indoors and closer to permanent housing. For more information on the 2026 PIT Count, visit: health.alamedacountyca.gov/data-and-reports/point-in-time-count.

05/18/2026

Measure W is doing great things in Alameda County.

Across Alameda County, Measure W is funding the construction of affordable and supportive housing. In Newark, the Thornton Avenue Family development will reserve 46 of its 59 units for families, including 13 units specifically for people experiencing homelessness.

Alameda County knows families are navigating real economic pressures, and Measure W is one of the ways the County is responding. Learn more about the Newark development and the 900+ supportive housing units Measure W will support: https://tinyurl.com/yanyybbc

05/15/2026

For our communities to work, all kinds of people need to be able to afford to live where they work. More affordable housing means stronger, thriving communities for all of us. This , we invite you to commit to supporting affordable housing solutions so we can continue to make progress for our Bay Area neighbors, like Levain.

71 likes, 2 comments. "Youth in the Bay are calling for housing justice"

05/14/2026

Newark’s Tenant Protection Ordinance is now in effect, and registration for the City’s Rental Registry is officially open.

Adopted by the City Council in January, the program is designed to support housing stability and reduce displacement in the community. Key components include:

• Eviction protections modeled after state law
• Relocation assistance for certain no-fault evictions
• Anti-harassment provisions
• Rent Review and Mediation Program
• Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) for qualifying households

What landlords need to do:
• Register residential rental unit(s) (https://www.housing.newarkca.gov/tenant-protections) with the City by July 1, 2026
• Provide tenants with a Notice of Tenant Rights by July 1, 2026
Registration and required materials are available on our Housing website (https://www.housing.newarkca.gov/tenant-protections)

Support for landlords and tenants:
The City has partnered with ECHO Housing, a HUD-certified counseling agency, to help landlords and tenants understand their rights and responsibilities. Counselors are available at (510) 581-9380 or [email protected].

One-time rental assistance is also available for qualifying Newark households facing a temporary financial setback, including help with back rent, security deposits, or first month’s rent.

The City is continuing to finalize educational materials, and additional information, including FAQs and program details, is available on the housing website. Questions may be directed to [email protected].