Affordable housing project in Oakland breaks ground after years of delays

A consortium of elected officials, financiers and real estate developers broke ground Tuesday in Oakland on a long-awaited affordable housing development near Lake Merritt — celebrating the project as one of the first to take advantage of a local bond measure meant to help the city meet its housing needs.

The six-story, 91-unit development, which will be 100% below market rate, is set to be built on a city-owned lot at East 12th Street and 1st Avenue on the southeast side of the lake. The official launch of the project comes after a decade of protests, political tussles and even the exit of an original developer.