History:

In 1952 a nursery closed after 26 years of operation, and the two-acre plot of land was converted into a truck dismantling and recycling yard. The land has been idle since the auto salvage yard closed in 1996.

In 2002, Habitat for Humanity East Bay (HEB) purchased the property, designated a brownfield, with assistance from the City of Oakland and the Center for Creative Land Recycling. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines Brownfields as “abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities or sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination." Habitat East Bay partnered with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to transform a previous toxic auto salvage yard into a healthy neighborhood on which to build 26 environmentally-sustainable homes for deserving low-income families. The DTSC awarded Habitat East Bay $425,000 as a low-interest loan to finance the investigation. The DTSC worked closely with Habitat East Bay to approve a cleanup plan in just over six months.

Two and a half years later with the help of TechLaw consultants to remediate the construction site, we were ready to begin building. Habitat East Bay began construction of 26 single-family homes on the property. In May 2006, the first of six homes were built in two weeks following a ground-breaking and “Builder’s Blitz” by partners KB Homes and Pulte Homes. Eight additional homes were framed from foundations to roofs in just four days during the 2007 Earth Day Build-A-Thon. All 26 homes will be complete in spring of 2008.

Read more about how TechLaw helped remediate the construction site and offset their carbon output to do it.

Project Description:

The 1.92 acres Edes Avenue development will contain 26 new homes, just a half mile from our 40-home development on 105th Avenue, in the Sobrante Park Neighborhood of East Oakland. The buildings will be two-story wood frame construction homes, similar to other HEB developments. The total cost of the development is projected to be $7 million. Read more DTSC’s “Brownfield Revitalization" Success Story.

House Sponsorship Opportunities:

House sponsorship opportunities are available at this site. Adopt-a-House Sponsors are critical Habitat partners, making a significant commitment to affordable housing in the East Bay, and demonstrating true civic leadership in the community. Sponsorship levels range from $25,000 - $100,000. For more information, contact Daryl Lee, 510-251-6304 ext. 306 or click here.