Formal Application Filed for 165 Single-Family Homes on Former Holy Names University Campus in Oakland

A formal zoning worksheet has been filed for the redevelopment of the former Holy Names University Campus at 3500 Mountain Boulevard in Oakland, signaling the official start of the application process. Developers BH Properties and Tidewater Capital plan to transform the 58-acre site into a residential community, proposing 195 parcels, which include 165 residential lots for single-family homes. The project retains significant campus structures such as the chapel, bell tower, and performing arts center, alongside the historic McCrea Building.

This new submission follows an earlier filing under Senate Bill 330, which aimed to expedite the pivot to housing after efforts to attract a new educational institution were unsuccessful. The application asserts that residential use is permissible under the existing Institutional General Plan designation. While the plans detail 165 detached homes ranging from two to four bedrooms, the specific quantity of deed-restricted affordable units, required to be at least 5% for very low-income households under SB 330, remains unspecified. The practical implication for developers and planners in Oakland is the conversion of a large institutional site into a substantial housing development, navigating state density bonus laws and local zoning.