As RCD’s 40th anniversary year comes to a close, I’m filled with gratitude and pride for what we’ve accomplished together. Over the past four decades, we’ve built a legacy of resilience and hope—creating and preserving more than 2,800 affordable rental homes for thousands of individuals and families across the Bay Area. Each home we’ve developed offers not just a place to live, but the foundation for new beginnings and brighter futures.

Thanks to the dedication of our staff, board members, partners, and supporters like you, 2024 was another year of remarkable progress. Together, we’re not just building homes, we’re shaping communities that will stand the test of time. I hope you will consider A link to: making a generous donation today to support RCD’s residents, community-serving programs, and our efforts to build more critically needed affordable homes.

Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve achieved this year:

• Expanded Our Pipeline: We have five affordable housing communities under construction, bringing 520 new apartments to Concord, Emeryville, Fremont, Oakland, and Ashland (unincorporated Alameda County) which will provide homes for nearly 1,000 people within the next two years.
• Welcomed New Residents: We celebrated the 192 residents moving into Sango Court in Milpitas earlier this year and are thrilled to welcome 218 residents to their new homes at the Maudelle Miller Shirek Community in Berkeley.

Our mission extends beyond bricks and mortar. At the heart of our work are stories like Randy’s— a lifelong Bay Area resident whose life was transformed by affordable housing. At age 67, after retiring from a career as a social worker, Randy faced the uncertainty of homelessness.

Everything changed when he moved into Ohlone Gardens eight years ago. Today, he enjoys his well-earned retirement, walking six miles every day on the Ohlone Greenway, enjoying friendships with neighbors, and cherishing the stability his home provides.

He deeply appreciates his home and its location, adding, “I’m pretty close to everything – including transportation. It’s a pretty nice area and I like it around here. I’ve watched a lot of the kids grow up in the building. They like me. And I have friends I hang out with here.”

Randy’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact of your support. He believes that more affordable housing communities are needed in the Bay Area, stating, “A lot of people just don’t have a job that allows them to pay the high rents out there. A lot of jobs don’t pay enough. Things are just too expensive. It’s sad that it’s as expensive as it is.”

We agree, and that is why RCD is diligently working to bring another seven projects in predevelopment forward to create homes for 1,600 more people – above and beyond those already under construction. In total, we are on track to add 1,500 more affordable homes in the next five years.

Your support makes this possible. Every donation fuels our mission to create vibrant housing communities and supportive services where everyone feels welcome. With your help, we can continue to grow our legacy and build a brighter future for the Bay Area.

Will you join us in creating more affordable homes today? A link to: Donate today and together, we can ensure more individuals and families have a foundation for a better tomorrow.

Sincerely, 

Dan Sawislak
Executive Director

P.S. With your donation, you are impacting the lives of people with disabilities, low-income singles, people who have experienced homelessness, seniors, children, and workers who earn far less than a living wage!