Housing & Community Development Department awards $63.5M

Oakland, CA – The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2025 Pipeline Additional Funding Awards.  Five permanently affordable housing developments received City additional funding awards out of an existing pipeline of 23 projects, with additional award amounts ranging from $8.2 million to $18.7 million per development.  

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded as part of this announcement: 

"Oakland is delivering on our commitment to build affordable homes for working families and our most vulnerable neighbors," said Mayor Barbara Lee. "This $63.5 million investment will create 325 new homes, including nearly 100 units for Oaklanders experiencing homelessness. Thanks to the voters who passed Measure U, we're making measurable progress on housing affordability while directly addressing our homelessness crisis. These projects represent exactly the kind of thoughtful, community-centered development Oakland needs and deserves." 

The today's awards are in addition to the $80.5 million announcement from January 2025 under the City’s 2024-205 New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). In total, the department has awarded $144 million this year. City funding for these awards is largely made up of Measure U, the Oakland voter-approved 2022 housing and infrastructure bond measure.  

"Measure U allows us to invest in new affordable homes and meet the need of so many Oaklanders, with a particular emphasis on serving Oakland’s most low and extremely low-income residents and reducing homelessness,” said Emily Weinstein, Director of Oakland’s Department of Housing and Community Development. “We now have more affordable housing underway than ever before. Oakland HCD is proud to play a role in making this possible.” 

This announcement comes directly after the City of Oakland successfully priced a total of $334 million of General Obligation Bonds. The bond funds provide access to capital dollars that will be used by City departments to deliver paved roads, restore public facilities, and invest in affordable housing. 

City of Oakland’s investments are often the first of many that fund a project; once developers receive a commitment from Oakland HCD, they leverage it to secure other funds, typically at a leverage rate of 1 to 7.  Oakland HCD’s accelerated application review and award process allows for the City’s allocations to operate in rapid succession with State and County funding timelines.  Awarded projects are simultaneously applying for County Measure W funds and will be seeking funding at the State level through Tax Exempt Bond and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit applications as early as February 2026. 

The 2024-2025 New Construction NOFA is the first to include a unique set-aside in partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) to provide both capital and operating subsidies to awardees including up to $15 million for capital investments in developments in which OHA has substantial investment or ownership, and up to $10 million in operating, predevelopment, project-based vouchers, or other operating assistance to projects selected through the City of Oakland’s competitive process. 

About the New Construction Notice of Funding Availability (NC NOFA) 

The NC NOFA is a long-existing program of over two decades and is the primary avenue by which Oakland HCD distributes funding for new affordable housing. NC NOFA applications must meet minimum threshold standards to become eligible for funding, including the engagement of community constituents, commitment to serving Extremely Low-Income (ELI) residents, developer, and property management experience, and more. 

Oakland HCD has awarded $289,400,039 to affordable housing developments through its New Construction NOFA from 2023 to present.  Currently, the new construction pipeline has 486 affordable units under construction, and another 693 affordable units are projected to start construction between December 2025 and June 2026.  

In 2025, the City of Oakland provided funding commitments to 904 new units of affordable housing under construction, of which 265 were for people exiting homelessness. The City of Oakland leverages funds from the State and Federal governments to maximize the impact of local dollars whenever possible.   

About Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department  

Homelessness and housing affordability are top priorities for Oakland residents. To address these challenges, the City implements a multi-pronged approach. The Housing and Community Development Department is addressing housing affordability issues through its “3P” framework: Protect Oaklanders from displacement; Preserve the existing affordable housing stock; and Produce new, deeply affordable housing units. Oakland HCD also aims to prevent homelessness for vulnerable residents through partnerships with and grants to community service organizations. Read more about Oakland HCD and its current priorities in the 2023-2027 Strategic Action Plan.