By Mark Aaronson, RCPC Board Member, and Jana Good, RCPC Board Chair
If you've been following the news, you know that quite a few senior housing developments have been proposed in the Bay Area, several of them in Rockridge. In response, RCPC has been working proactively to engage with the developers and the community on these projects.
For the two most notable projects, 6230 Claremont A venue and the T rader Joe's site, RCPC reached out early to connect with the developers and engage in discussions as the projects got underway . W e've also formed liaison groups, composed of RCPC board members, neighbors most immediately affected by the proposed project, and community residents with relevant expertise. These liaison groups serve as a critical conduit between the community and the project developers.
Given the passage of recent California state housing bills, such as SB330 and SB79, that substantially constrain Oakland political and legal decision-making, RCPC's objectives for most major development proposals will be to identify and present neighborhood concerns and ideas to improve project design and reduce environmental impacts. W e will also seek community-wide benefits, such as pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and public open space.
In most cases, RCPC will not take a formal position on a project until we're near the end of the City of Oakland's land use review process.
An example of the value of this approach has been the project at 6230 Claremont. In summer 2025, Ellis P artners and Spirit Living Group, the developers of the senior housing project proposed for the former Red Cross site at 6230 Claremont, met with the RCPC board to explain their project.
RCPC then established a consultation committee consisting of RCPC board members, neighborhood residents with expertise in senior and affordable housing, and adjacent neighbors most impacted by the proposed project to meet with the developers.
The last meeting took place on August 13. The developers presented changes to their first-floor plans, including moving utility and other building equipment away from abutting neighbors on the east side of the property , and confirmed that the City of Oakland has indicated its likely approval to have trash pickups, service deliveries, and move-ins and move-outs off Claremont.
The developers also proposed, for further discussion, changes in building design on the east side. A next step is a meeting between the developers and the steering committee of Rockridge Neighbors for Sensible Housing (RNSH), which is led by neighbors most immediately impacted by the project. Oakland's Planning Director is not expected to make a project decision until this coming November .
From our experience, if agreement is reached with the developer , this type of consultation group, which has been important in the planning stages, can also be critical in mitigating issues that will invariably arise during the construction phase.
For the Trader Joe's project, RCPC is currently forming a liaison group to meet further with Align and with Sequoia Living, its nonprofit, tax-exempt partner , which would own and operate the f acility if it is built. This RCPC liaison group will consist of board members and individuals associated with active neighborhood groups, namely Upper Broadway Advocates, Chabot Village, and RNSH. As of this writing, RCPC is finalizing the designation of an additional member who resides on Oak Grove or Miles.