Oakland fourplexes could help on housing
Oakland could take the first step this month in allowing fourplexes throughout the city, including in areas now designated for singlefamily homes.
Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan introduced a resolution Thursday that directs the city administration and planning department to study allowing fourplexes throughout the city. Kaplan also noted that the study should include antidisplacement protections.
The City Council will vote on the directive on March 16.
“This will allow more units of housing to be built in certain areas and will prioritize areas near resources and BART stations and thus, support access to jobs and transitoriented development as well,” Kaplan told The Chronicle in a text message.
The directive comes a week after Berkeley voted unanimously to end singlefamily zoning by the end of 2022. Berkeley is also considering allowing fourplexes in exclusive neighborhoods.
Oakland and Berkeley are the latest cities looking at generating more housing by opening up neighborhoods as the region struggles with high rents and increasing homelessness. Oakland’s homeless population soared from
2017 to 2019 — increasing by nearly 47% to 4,071 people. Sacramento recently voted to endorse the idea of fourplexes, and one San Francisco politician is pushing a similar plan. San Jose and South San Francisco are also considering the issue.
Laws that allow only singlefamily houses in certain areas hurt housing supply, worsen the housing crisis and perpetuate racial disparities, Kaplan wrote in a memo to the City Council.
“This is one piece of how we both remedy historical exclusions and increase housing availability to help solve our housing crisis,” Kaplan said.
Councilman Dan Kalb said prior to the pandemic that he was working with city staff to modify zoning in Rockridge — specifically increasing density along the College Avenue corridor and allowing fourplexes within a half mile of the Rockridge BART Station.
He said he supports Kaplan’s resolution for city staff to do an analysis and wants to ensure tenant protections.
“The idea is to get more units; the idea is not to displace people who are already living here,” Kalb said. “More density near BART stations, including Rockridge Station, makes sense. How we do it needs to be done thoughtfully and with community input.”