HISTORY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY

 The Housing Authority of the City of Alameda was created by City Council Resolution No. 2507 on August 8, 1940.  The Authority was created to meet the housing need produced by the opening of Alameda Naval Air Station (NAS) earlier that year.

The first housing complex, the 200-unit Woodstock Defense Housing Project just across the street from NAS, was built in less than four months.  During World War II, Alameda's population grew rapidly, rising from 35,000 to 90,000.  The newcomers came to work at war-related construction jobs at Bethlehem, United Engineering, General Engineering & Dry Dock, Pacific Bridge, etc.  To meet the housing need, the Housing Authority built more than 4,800 housing units during the war years, all on land leased by the U. S. government.  Most of the buildings were built as temporary housing only; the lifetime of these buildings was only a few years.  It was believed that they would be torn down at the end of the war when all the workers went "home."

Rather than return "home," however, workers stayed.  Service personnel and veterans also returned to Alameda.  The housing need actually increased.  By March 1946, there were 885 families on a waiting list for housing.  Year after year, plans for demolition were postponed.  During the 1950s, however, several complexes were demolished or purchased by the residents (i.e., Woodstock).  By 1960, the number of housing units was reduced to 1,500.

During the 1960s, planned demolitions brought controversy.  On June 20, 1966, the NAACP organized a camp-in at Franklin Park to protest imminent evictions.  One hundred people occupied the Gold Coast park for several days.  As a result, Mayor Godfrey agreed to halt evictions, to tidy up enough of the remaining units to house the tenants decently, and to resign if he failed.  In 1968, these units were demolished, but the families were found housing in other complexes smoothing the transition.

CURRENT HOUSING STOCK

With the 1970s, a new era began for the Housing Authority.  Between 1971 and 1973, Esperanza, a 120-unit family complex was built.  It is the Housing Authority's only "public housing" complex.

In 1975, the Park-Otis complex with 65 units, now called Anne B. Diament Senior Plaza, was completed.  Also in 1975, the Modulars, 40 pre-fabricated concrete units moved from Sacramento, were installed in their current location.  In 1976, the AUSD Homes were moved onto Housing Authority property to house 13 families.  These three complexes make up the Housing Authority-Owned Section 8 Program.  On August 5, 1997, the Board of Commissioners renamed the Modulars and AUSD Homes.  The Modulars and two single family homes and the triplex that were part of AUSD Homes that are next to the Modulars, were renamed The Rosefield Village.  The remaining AUSD Homes, located next to Parrot Village and the Community Garden, were renamed Parrot Gardens.

Parrot Village was completed in 1981; its 50 units replacing an old complex of 100 units. Except for Woodstock, these 100 units were the last of the war-time housing.  The completion of the 43-unit Eagle Village in 1983 helped to ease the housing shortage. 

In 1990, Independence Plaza was completed.  This 186-unit senior complex was innovative for its time.  It combines market rate units and subsidized units.  An additional operating subsidy comes from local tax increment dollars, rather than HUD.

In 1996, the Housing Authority acquired Stanford House, a four-unit family complex,  Lincoln/Willow, a five-unit seniors complex, and seven Condominiums, also for seniors, which are scattered throughout Alameda.

In 1998, China Clipper Plaza, a 26-unit apartment complex was acquired.  It was named in honor of the Pan American Airways China Clipper service.  The first trans-Pacific flight left from Alameda to the Philippines in 1935.

The Housing Authority acquired land in 1998 and built three homeownership units on Regent Street.  Former Section 8, public housing and other subsidized housing customers were able to purchase these units.  In 1994, the Housing Authority acquired property located on Santa Clara Avenue. Three homeownership units were built on this property and sold in 2001 to former low-income tenants and Housing Authority customers. 

OTHER PROPERTY MANAGED

The Housing Authority entered into a management agreement with the Filipino-American Community Services Agency (FACSA), a non-profit agency, to manage two complexes.  The FACSA Sherman Street complex has nine units and the FACSA Lincoln Avenue complex has four units.

OTHER MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Over the years, the Housing Authority has applied for and received from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), funding for its Section 8 Program.  Through this program, the private housing market is made more available to low-income families in need.  Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers assist about 1,600 families in finding decent and safe housing in this community.

The Housing Authority also helps to administer the Section 8 Program at the privately owned 40-unit complex called Playa Del Alameda.  Under an arrangement made with the Housing Authority in 1999, this complex will remain affordable for an additional 20 years.