Oakland Planning Commission Approves High-Rise Apartment Near Lake Merritt Amid Discord

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Plans for a new luxury high-rise in the heart of the Oakland will move forward as the Planning Commission voted on Wednesday evening to allow the construction on a one-acre plot of public land near a BART station and Lake Merritt, despite dissent from neighborhood activists.

The Oakland Planning Commission voted 3-1 to let UrbanCore, the developer, build a 24-story tower just east of Lake Merritt with 298 apartments of which the average monthly rent would be about $3,100.

During the public comment section, dozens of people decried the project. They claim that the city has not required that they build affordable housing on the publicly-owned site and that an affordable housing builder should have been given a chance.

The Planning Commission says that the market-rate apartments would add supply to much-needed housing stock.

The City Council still must make the final approval over the development agreement, however. The Planning Commission gave a non-binding recommendation saying council stating they should negotiate new community benefits from UrbanCore and put $5.1 million toward affordable housing.