HCD recently celebrated a major milestone for the California Housing Accelerator Program, as the Black Panther Apartments became the first Accelerator-funded project to celebrate its grand opening. The Black Panther brings 78 supportive affordable homes for low-income residents to the City of Oakland.

The project, led by former Black Panther chair Elaine Brown and developed by McCormack Baron Salazar, brings much-needed housing and retail space to the West Oakland neighborhood with the goal of revitalizing a once-thriving community.

The Black Panther is supported with more than $65 million in HCD funding, including from the Multifamily Housing Program, Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, Transit Oriented Development Program, and the Housing Accelerator Program. HCD’s Accelerator program helps build housing faster by providing gap funding for shovel-ready projects, like The Black Panther, to jumpstart construction and get them over the finish line.

The mixed-use, transit-oriented development is located near the West Oakland BART Station. In addition to supportive services, on-site amenities include indoor and outdoor community space, a laundry room, and an urban farm. The complex also features sustainable design including roof solar panels and solar shading devices on windows.