Former health clinic site to become affordable housing

135-unit complex in Richmond would rise on land previously zoned for public use

Eden Housing’s Kevin Leichner and a rendering of 100 38th Street in Richmond (Getty, Eden Housing)
Eden Housing’s Kevin Leichner and a rendering of 100 38th Street in Richmond (Getty, Eden Housing)

Local developers will soon turn a long empty health clinic into a mixed-use, 135-unit affordable housing complex in Richmond.

Eden Housing, based in Hayward, and Community Housing Development, based in the city, have won approval to build the five-story complex at 100 38th Street, the East Bay Times reported.

They will redevelop a vacant two-story commercial building that once housed the West County Health Center, now located in San Pablo.

Plans call for a beige-and-gray apartment complex with large vertical windows on a 2.8-acre site owned by Contra Costa County, with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. A rendering includes a childrens’ playground.

The affordable apartments will include 59 units set aside for local households earning between 20 and 40 percent of area income and 76 units for families earning less than $85,000 a year. Section 8 vouchers will be accepted for at least 26 units.

Richmond residents would be given first dibs on the affordable apartments, city officials said.

The Richmond City Council voted to amend the city’s general plan to allow the mixed-use building on land previously zoned only for public and educational uses, such as health clinics and libraries.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

Plans include a 4,500-square-foot YMCA Learning Center to support 80 poor youth with mental health services.

When completed, the complex would bring the number of affordable homes in the East Bay city to 3,923 units.

The apartment building would be located near the Contra Costa County courthouse and the RYSE Youth Center, a 1.3-mile walk to the El Cerrito BART Station.

Late last month, Eden Housing paid $31 million for a 120-unit affordable housing complex in Azusa, outside Los Angeles.

Eden Housing has developed 10,000 affordable homes in its 50-year history, according to its website. Last month, it was selected by San Diego County to negotiate the development of 120 affordable units near San Diego State University.

— Dana Bartholomew

Read more