Resources for Community Development creates and preserves affordable housing for people with the fewest options, to build communities and enrich lives. Our vision is to transform the lives of low-income people through a continuum of sustainable housing opportunities, ranging from supportive housing to family rental housing to homeownership.

Description:
RCD has developed almost 1400 units of high quality housing for a diverse population at 31 housing locations in Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano Counties. We currently own and operate 1,147 of those units, providing beautiful homes and support services for more than 2,100 people. Our homes are located in transit oriented areas close to retail, schools, healthcare, and other services. RCD develops housing that improves the surrounding neighborhood and provides amenities that also enhance the quality of living for residents, for example, with green building features, rooftop gardens, community rooms, playgrounds, security systems, and adaptations for those with physical challenges. Once construction is complete, we work with the residents to engage them in building a strong neighborhood community through the Resident Services Program (RSP) plan for the project.

More than half of our units are designated for people with special needs, including the formerly homeless, people with mental and/or physical disabilities, and the elderly. For many of our residents, RCD services offer a combination of affordable rent and skill development through financial literacy counseling, computer training, academic tutoring and enrichment, and job search assistance. For others, it is affordable rent plus links to basic supports such as food banks, lifeline telephone service, or medical providers' services. Our goal is to create a “ladder of success” that individuals and families can use to stabilize their housing and move up to market rate housing or home ownership, making their affordable housing units available to others who are at risk and in need of service enriched housing.

History:
RCD was founded in 1984 by community members to promote affordable housing in Berkeley. Early housing developments in Berkeley included a 10-unit project for homeless veterans, a shelter for women and children, and rehabilitation of multi-family units. RCD began its first projects outside of Berkeley in 1992 and has continued to expand housing and services to cities throughout Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano Counties.

Contact people:

Liz Eckstein, Director Of Development, (phone), (email) Daniel Sawislak, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (510) 548-3502

Address:

2730 Telegraph Avenue Berkeley, CA 94705 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rcdhousing.org