AHA - Affordable Housing Associates


	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2004 Collaborating Housing Developers Announce Grand Opening of Oak Park Apartments Contacts: Joyceland Farrow, EBALDC, 510-287-5353 ext. 347 Sarah Friesema, AHA, 510-649-8500 ext. 26 September 23, 2004, Oakland, CA - Frustrated by poor living conditions in the Oak Park Apartments, including a leaky roof, sewage backups, and vermin infestations, tenants organized to sue their landlord in 1998. Several years of litigation eventually resulted in a financial settlement for resident families and a City of Oakland loan allowing two nonprofit housing developers to acquire, renovate, and manage the property. Barry Zigas, Senior Vice President, National Community Lending Center, Fannie Mae: "Oak Park is a great example of the commitment of two nonprofit housing developers, Affordable Housing Associates (AHA) and East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), in taking over a badly deteriorated building and turning it into clean, safe, and spacious housing for children and their families. Fannie Mae is committed to affordable housing and we salute AHA and EBALDC for their efforts." The two developers, EBALDC and AHA, proudly announce the completion of the two-phase renovation of the Oak Park Apartments in the Fruitvale/San Antonio District of Oakland. They invite supporters of Oak Park and affordable housing to join the grand opening celebration: Where: Oak Park Apartments, 2618 E. 16th Street, Oakland When: Thursday, September 30 Time: 12:30 pm lunch, 1:15 pm speakers What: Grand Opening of Oak Park Apartments Open to the public, carpooling encouraged. Speakers at the Grand Opening will include Barry Zigas, Senior Vice President, National Community Lending Center, Fannie Mae; Margaret Schrand, Vice President and Manager, Wells Fargo; Ignacio De La Fuente, Oakland City Councilmember and President; Lynette Jung Lee, Executive Director, EBALDC; Susan Friedland, Executive Director, AHA; and Russell Jeung, tenant organizer. Rose McNulty, Architect, Asian Neighborhood Design: "It was truly gratifying to turn this poorly maintained, overcrowded, former motel into a model project with large family units surrounding a landscaped courtyard with areas for both adults and children. Some of the amenities, like the community garden and the basketball court, came directly out of discussions at the start of the project with the tenants. AHA and EBALDC are to be commended for doing the project in phases, allowing the tenants who fought for the improvement of their environment to remain living there and to be the first tenants in the renovated units. JH Fitzmaurice was also a real partner, working to insure that we had top grade materials and finishes, like Anderson windows, linoleum flooring and solid surface countertops. This project surely will be a catalyst for change in the whole neighborhood." Residents have all moved into newly renovated, modern apartments that are almost completely unrecognizable from the derelict buildings they lived in under former management. Working with the developers to plan improvements to the buildings, residents decided to solve overcrowding by combining 52 small units into 35 larger apartments, including 16 three-bedroom units for families with many children. They also planned a new community building, a children’s play area, and a community garden. All of the units are affordable to families earning 25-60% of the area median income. Lynette June Lee, Executive Director, EBALDC: "The transformation of Oak Park has truly been a labor of love. It has been most gratifying to work with the tenants, organizers, the City of Oakland, Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente and his staff, Fannie Mae, our funders and lenders, to change this apartment complex from a health hazard to a practically new set of buildings with enough living space in each apartment for the many adults and children who live here. This is what community development is about!" Oak Park Apartments was developed as a joint�venture between EBALDC and AHA, in which EBALDC is the property manager and AHA managed the construction process. Asian Neighborhood Design was the architect and Oakland-based J.H. Fitzmaurice, Inc. the general contractor. Financing was provided by Apollo Housing Capital, Bank of the West, California Community Reinvestment Corporation, California Department of Housing and Community Development, City of Oakland, Fannie Mae, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and Wells Fargo. About EBALDC: After 29 years, EBALDC has moved beyond affordable housing to include home ownership programs for low-income families, neighborhood economic development programs, advocacy, and an Individual Development Account savings program. www.ebaldc.org *About AHA*: AHA has developed 500 affordable homes in the Bay Area since 1993, and currently has 400 more under development. AHA is committed to providing affordable, high-quality, and service-enriched housing that strengthens individuals, families and communities.