Housing Programs

Housing Programs Overview
The mission of the Housing Program is to foster the creation of high-quality affordable housing at all income levels and for a variety of needs. The Housing staff administers housing policy and programs, and offers information about affordable housing opportunities in the City of El Cerrito.
 

 

 
In August 2017, the City Council adopted the City’s first Affordable Housing Strategy. The Strategy identified four policy pillars, with associated strategies, action items and timelines to proactively achieve the City’s affordable housing goals to protect, produce and preserve housing. Click here to view a summary of the policies identified in the Strategy.

Learn more about community housing resources:
  • Look up resources for finding affordable housing in El Cerrito.
  • Find help with housing issues such as foreclosure or tenant/landlord counseling.
  • Find housing-related City documents.
  • Contact us with another housing-related question

Affordable HOUSING NEWS


Attention: COVID-19 Resources for Homeowners/renters - Click Here

CA COVID‐19 Rent Relief Available to Income Eligible Households


Rent Relief
The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program will help income-eligible El Cerrito tenants and landlords with unpaid rent and utilities incurred between April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides funding to support the State program established through the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act. If you have experienced a financial hardship due to COVID‐19, have past due rent or utilities, and have a household income that is not more than 80% of the area median income (as shown below), you may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the State of California. Both landlords and tenants can verify eligibility and apply for assistance by visiting HousingIsKey.com, or by calling 833‐430‐2122.

Median Income Limits

Events: Workshops and Webinars



FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER WORKSHOPS: March 27th and April 3, 2021 from 10AM – 3PM
ECHO Housing is hosting a series of first-time homebuyer education courses. These workshops will help you determine if you are ready for homeownership, how to select a lender, shop for a home and how to be a successful homeowner. Click here to register or visit www.echofairhousing.org. Click here to view the flyer for this workshop.

On October 15, 2020, ECHO Housing held a live webinar presentation for tenants and landlords of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties about tenant protections. To access this presentation, click here. For information about ECHO Housing, please visit www.echofairhousing.org.

Affordable Housing Wait list OpportunitieS



EBALDC is announcing its opening of our 2021 Annual Marketing List (AML) from Thursday 4/1/21 @ 12 PM – Thursday 4/15/21 @ 12 PM, PST.
The 2021 AML is an online pre-application that allows households to apply to one or more EBALDC property, using one pre-application. EBALDC will lease its vacant Below Market Rate Affordable Housing (BMR) units from 16 properties with the pre-applications from the 2021 AML. Income and other restrictions apply. Housing Choice Vouchers accepted.

Beginning 4/1/21, 12 PM through 4/15/21, 12 PM (PST), complete the online application.

For more information about the 2021 AML, see the 2021 AML Information Flyer, the 2021 AML FAQ, visit our website http://ebaldc.org/how-to-apply/, or call the Information Hotline, 510-606-1857..

April 2021 Affordable Housing Opportunities – All Bay Area Counties (Courtesy of Openhouse)

To learn about future affordable housing opportunities, please subscribe to our Community Development e-Newsletter here.

TENANT PROTECTIONS: CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PROGRAM
On May 15, 2018, the City Council adopted an Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance as identified in the 2017 Affordable Housing Strategy. The Ordinance is effective June 14, 2018 and applies to new development that does not already have completed applications by the effective date. Inclusionary zoning requires new market-rate residential projects to set aside between 10% - 12% of its units for low to moderate-income households or the option of paying an in-lieu fee to the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In-lieu fees are earmarked for future affordable housing development opportunities.

Please contact Aissia Ashoori, Affordable Housing Analyst, at 510.215.4361 for more information.

Developer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)