Oakland Tax-Defaulted Properties Pilot

Hello Housing collaborated with three local developers to transform 26 vacant, tax-defaulted lots in Oakland into permanently affordable housing for low-and-moderate income residents. Twenty-four properties will be developed into single-family homes sold to low-and-moderate income homebuyers and two properties will be developed into multifamily affordable rental units housing approximately 14-19 low-income renters.

Construction on the first homes completed in 2019. In addition to 24 homes for affordable homeownership, the Pilot includes two rental properties, which are now in very early stages of design and planning.

Oakland Pilot Goals

In partnership with the City of Oakland and the Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office, Hello Housing worked for over two years to develop a novel process to acquire formerly blighted and tax-defaulted properties for affordable housing. The Project has multiple housing and community development goals:

  • Create new affordable housing units in the face of an escalating County-wide housing crisis.
  • Return abandoned properties to the tax rolls.
  • Curb excessive and continuous City clean-up costs associated with blight and illegal dumping on these lots.
  • Enhance the vitality of Oakland neighborhoods long impacted by blight and vacancy.

Learn more about the Oakland Pilot