Bay Area Welcomes Two New Developments

It was a big day for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area today, with the opening of two notable developments.
In Berkeley, Resources for Community Development (RCD) celebrated the completion of Oxford Plaza, a 97-unit development for low-income families and individuals.
It is the signature project for the 25-year-old nonprofit organization, said Daniel Sawislak, RCD executive director.
Oxford Plaza is a green, transit-oriented community next to the new David Brower Center, an environmental complex that will be a hub for several nonprofit organizations. Brower was the Sierra Club's first executive director.
Mayor Tom Bates said he couldn't be happier with the outcome. "We've got 97 family units in Berkeley," he said. "That's a high accomplishment."
The project was financed with the help of low-income housing tax credits.

Arnett Watson Apartments
Across the bay in San Francisco, Community Housing Partnership (CHP) and Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. held a grand opening ceremony for the Arnett Watson Apartments.
The nine-story development is named after one of CHP's original residents and a tenant leader. Watson died in 2003, but her spirit carries on.
"She was on the street and never forgot that," said homeless advocate Paul Boden, who joined others in remembering Watson. He had no doubts that she would have responded to the tribute in her usual tough manner.
It would have been "what the hell are you doing?" Boden said.
Jeff Kositsky, CHP executive director, said he hoped the new residents would continue Watson's fight for the homeless.
The 83-unit project is the first new construction deal for CHP, which has a history of rehabilitating the area's single-room occupancy hotels into housing.
Arnett Watson Apartments was also funded with housing tax credits.