West Oakland BART Development Breaks Ground After Years of Delays
A 400-unit mixed-use development next to West Oakland BART station begins construction after years of community meetings and revisions to address affordability concerns.
The transit-oriented development will bring 400 housing units and ground-floor retail space to a site that has sat largely vacant since BART’s construction in the 1970s. About 120 of the units will be designated as affordable housing for families earning up to 80% of area median income.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” said Carmen Rodriguez, who has lived in the nearby Prescott neighborhood for 15 years. “We need housing that working families can actually afford, not just luxury condos.”
The project faced significant opposition when first proposed in 2019, with some longtime residents worried about displacement and others questioning whether the developer would follow through on affordable housing commitments. Community meetings stretched late into the night as neighbors voiced concerns about parking, traffic, and preserving the area’s character.
Developer Bay Area Housing Partners revised the project twice to address community feedback, increasing the affordable housing percentage from 15% to 30% and adding a community space that local organizations can use for meetings and events.
“We listened to what people told us,” said project manager David Chen. “This isn’t just about building housing — it’s about building community.”
The development sits on a 2.5-acre site directly across from the West Oakland BART station, part of a broader push to create more housing near transit lines. Similar projects are planned or under construction at other East Bay BART stations, including one at MacArthur station that broke ground last fall.
Construction is expected to take about 30 months, with the first residents moving in by late 2028. The project will also include improvements to nearby sidewalks and bike lanes, funded through a combination of developer fees and city transportation funds.
For Rodriguez and other neighbors who attended years of community meetings, the groundbreaking represents both progress and ongoing vigilance.
“We’ll keep watching to make sure they do what they promised,” she said. “Our community deserves that much.”