Nine unhoused families waiting for the Phoenix Apartments in West Oakland to open now have long-term shelter. This follows months of delays. The opening date is still unclear.
Several families had signed leases and others paid deposits to move in last year. According to the Housing and Dignity Project, the move-in dates between June and October 2025 still haven’t come. The East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation developed the 100-unit affordable housing development. Adobe Services manages the 100% affordable complex, located at 821 Pine St..
Despite a ribbon cutting ceremony in November 2025, advocates said some matched households were not able to move in. Alameda County’s homelessness system lists them as permanently housed. This led them to become ineligible for some shelter and support services.
“Because I am marked as permanently housed in the county’s system, I have been declined services including shelter,” said Stephanie Kimble, a single mother of a high school student. She and her teenage daughter lived in a vehicle while they waited for their unit.
Kimble said she was originally scheduled to move into the building in June 2025. As of early February 2026, she had not received a new move-in date. She also postponed medical procedures due to the instability of her housing situation.
The Housing and Dignity Project, a coalition that includes The Village, Wood Street Commons and Oakland Revealed, rallied outside the apartments on Feb. 10. They called on the City of Oakland, Alameda County, the developers and property managers to clarify the building’s status and provide immediate housing assistance.
EBALDC, Abode Services and Alameda County Housing and Homelessness met with advocates and families the next day. The coalition said that Alameda County Director Jonathan Russell arranged long-term shelter placements for nine affected households. The families will remain in shelter until the Phoenix Apartments open.
“We are so grateful Mr. Russell worked a miracle in 24 hours,” said Needa Bee, executive director of The Village and a member of the Housing and Dignity Project. “We need more happily-ever-afters like this.”
There’s no open date for the Phoenix yet.
County officials are also working to secure safe parking for families who have been living in vehicles, according to the coalition.
The group believes up to 100 households were matched to units at the Phoenix Apartments. They seek confirmation that all families are accounted for and supported. .
The cause of the delay is still unclear. Advocates said they’ve been told different things at different times. First city inspections caused the delays. Then it was possible copperwiring theft at the site. But on-site security told them that there had been no break-ins.
EBALDC and Abode Services have not publicly explained the reason for the delay. EBALDC did not respond to requests from Oakland Voices seeking comment.
Advocates say this is an example of a larger systemic gap. The systems to coordinate housing services can lead to unintended consequences, they said. The Housing and Dignity project said this shows how move-in delays can leave people without access to shelter or services.
The families continue to wait in temporary housing with keys to permanent housing they hoped they’d already live in.
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