Bell Street Gardens

We’re excited to invite you to the Grand Opening of A link to: Bell Street Gardens in Fremont! This transformative community represents RCD’s largest development to date, with 126 deeply affordable homes created through thoughtful, adaptive reuse. What was once a motel has been reimagined into a vibrant community that honors the site’s history while building for the future.

The project consists of 79 renovated and 47 newly constructed apartments, demonstrating the power of creative approaches to development. The gardens that give the community its name provide green space for residents to gather, children to play, and families to connect with nature right outside their doors.

Wednesday, July 23
Bell Street Gardens
Fremont, CA

A link to: Register to Attend

Maudelle Miller Shirek Community

A link to: Maudelle Miller Shirek Community in Berkeley celebrated its grand opening on May 28, with Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii and California Strategic Growth Council Executive Director Erin Curtis joining more than 140 attendees. The vibrant mixed-use development features 87 new affordable apartments and a ground-floor commercial space, located directly across from the Ashby BART Station. All 87 apartments have been leased up and the building is now 100% occupied.

The community is named in honor of the eight-term Berkeley City Councilmember and civil rights activist who championed the rights of older adults and low-income residents. The site was formerly home to the Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union, where Ms. Shirek worked for many years before her tenure on the City Council. The Credit Union’s decision to sell the site to RCD was rooted in a shared commitment to resisting displacement and preserving the South Berkeley community. Nearly 10,000 people applied for the 87 apartments, demonstrating the critical need for affordable housing in Berkeley.

“It brings me great joy to know that this beautiful, sustainable building is providing more Berkeleyans with an affordable place to call home, right here in the heart of South Berkeley,” says Mayor Adena Ishii. “It’s a perfect tribute to former Councilmember Shirek, who served as a powerful voice and advocate for so many in this community.”

“Maudelle’s family thanks RCD, the Cooperative Credit Union, and the Berkeley community for creating a testament to the vision and values of our dear sister, aunt, and friend,” says Ron Bridgeforth, Ms. Shirek’s nephew. “The Maudelle Miller Shirek Community stands like a powerful beacon shining her fierce and relentless commitment to the people of Berkeley and the world.”

The development includes approximately 1,992 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, now leased to the South Berkeley-based nonprofit A link to: Healthy Black Families, strengthening local connections and support systems for residents and the broader community. Twelve residents are transitioning out of homelessness, many of whom were already living in Berkeley.

Rick Judd Commons

A link to: Rick Judd Commons in Concord celebrated its Grand Opening on June 4, with Concord Mayor Carlyn Obringer and California Strategic Growth Council Deputy Director Amar Cid joining more than 100 attendees. This five-story development offers 62 new affordable apartments conveniently located near the Concord BART Station and made history as the first newly constructed affordable housing development to open in Concord in over 20 years. Thanks to the joint effort of RCD staff and the John Stewart Company, Rick Judd Commons is now 100% occupied. 

The community is named in honor of Richard Allan Judd, a long-standing member of RCD’s Board of Directors from 2004 until his passing in 2021. Rick’s career, as an activist and attorney, was dedicated to the expansion of affordable housing and the protection of tenant rights.

“Rick brought his sharp intellect, moral clarity, and deep compassion to every challenge he faced. He cared deeply about Concord’s Monument Community neighborhood, and we’re honored to be able to celebrate Rick and his great legacy in this meaningful way,” says Eric Knecht, Chief Financial Officer of RCD and longtime friend of Rick.

“The City’s first dollars in allowed us to access other funding streams,” notes Dan Sawislak, RCD’s Executive Director. “This project wouldn’t have been possible without Concord’s willingness to be an early and committed partner in addressing the community’s housing needs.”

The development includes thirteen apartments specifically reserved for formerly homeless households through the No Place Like Home (NPLH) program, with A link to: Contra Costa Behavioral Health who is partnering with RCD to provide onsite support services. Community amenities include a landscaped courtyard, a large outdoor terrace, a multipurpose community room with a full kitchen, and 75 parking spaces.