The Rockridge News Archive

Project

Rockridge Housing Study

Search
2mentions
2019first mention
2020last mention
proposedfinal signal

Summary

The January RCPC Land Use Committee meeting agenda includes an update on the Rockridge Housing Study alongside discussion of revised SB 50 (Wiener/Skinner), a state bill that would mandate transit-area upzoning. A '2020 Vision' community column notes that BART previously proposed high-rise rental units around the Rockridge station in the early 1970s before residents successfully lobbied for new pedestrian-oriented zoning, framing current development debates in historical context.

residentialneutrallowproposed

Rockridge neighborhood broadly

Aliases

Rockridge Housing Study

Timeline

2019_12

Rockridge Housing Study

RCPC's housing consultant Darin Smith presented preliminary results of a feasibility analysis to Oakland City staff and the Mayor's office. Results indicate that rezoning residential Rockridge areas for 4-5 story multifamily buildings would be unlikely to trigger new projects because land costs make even market-rate projects financially infeasible. However, larger commercial parcels may offer opportunities for residential development with the right incentives. Study results are expected at the RCPC Annual Meeting in April.

neutralproposedlow
2020_01

Rockridge Housing Study

The January RCPC Land Use Committee meeting agenda includes an update on the Rockridge Housing Study alongside discussion of revised SB 50 (Wiener/Skinner), a state bill that would mandate transit-area upzoning. A '2020 Vision' community column notes that BART previously proposed high-rise rental units around the Rockridge station in the early 1970s before residents successfully lobbied for new pedestrian-oriented zoning, framing current development debates in historical context.

neutralproposedlow

Quotes

“Those results indicate that rezoning residential areas of Rockridge to allow 4-5 story multifamily buildings would be unlikely to trigger any new projects because land costs are already so high that even market-rate projects wouldn't pencil out, making even entirely market-rate projects infeasible or unattractive to developers.”2019_12 - RCPC Land Use Committee Update, December 2019
“In the early 1970s, BART and the City began eying homes around the Rockridge station for replacement by high-rise rental units. Outraged residents lobbied successfully for new zoning that would create a 'pedestrian-friendly' shopping district that could revitalize the area and retain the mystique of the area's Craftsman homes.”2020_01 - Don Kinkead, Rockridge News Founder, '2020 Vision for Rockridge in the Next Decade'