OAKLAND — A proposal to build well over 100 homes in the Oakland hills at a shuttered university site has stoked fears of fires, along with concerns about an erosion of educational opportunities in the area.
BH Properties has proposed the development of 165 single-family residences at the Holy Names University site in Oakland, according to preliminary plans on file with city officials.
The proposal, however, has raised caution flags.
Why? The development site is in a moderate high fire hazard zone and is directly adjacent to a severe high fire hazard zone, according to an official map posted by the state forestry and fire protection department (CAL Fire).
“That area is in a high-fire zone, and it is not zoned for housing,” Oakland City Councilmember Carolyn Fife said in a recent interview with this news organization. “It would be very disappointing if the developer attempts to pursue housing there.”
Kristen Caven, a resident of the area, also expressed concerns about plans by BH Properties to develop housing on the site.
“All the Oakland Hills communities have fire concerns,” Caven said in an interview with this news organization.
Yet housing is precisely what Los Angeles-based BH Properties envisions for the site. The housing development also contrasts sharply with what the real estate firm touted in 2023 when it paid $65 million for the property.
“We are excited to announce this long-term investment in the Oakland community,” Jim Brooks, president of BH Properties, said in 2023 regarding the company’s property deal. “We expect it to continue to be an asset to the community and its students for years to come.”
Instead of an education hub, BH Properties intends to pursue low-density housing for the 58.6-acre campus, at 3500 Mountain Blvd. in the Oakland hills.
Even though the company wants to develop housing on the site, BH Properties says that it still sees educational uses for the property.
“Despite the changes in demand from potential educational users, our goal continues to be re-imagining the property as an educational campus,” BH Properties states in comments the real estate firm’s representative emailed to this news organization. “We will continue to encourage and consider all educational inquiries for the foreseeable future.”
It also noted, however, that an education hub could take a significant amount of time to develop.
“Recognizing the time required to evaluate alternative uses, the recent filing of plans for a potential residential use, as one consideration, would provide greater end-user opportunities and would help satisfy the East Bay’s ongoing need for housing at all levels,” the company stated.
BH Properties is using provisions of SB 330 to seek a streamlined review process from Oakland city planners, the development proposal shows.
The project would bulldoze 14 structures on the Holy Names University site.
“The existing chapel, bell tower, and performing arts center are to be preserved and incorporated into the new community proposed by the project,” BH Properties stated in its proposal.
The proposal’s lack of specific plans for educational uses has also raised concerns in Oakland.
“Some sort of educational use is needed there,” Councilmember Fife said. “I know there was talk about some sort of film education center.”
Oakland officials point to the merger in 2022 of Mills College into Northeastern University as another example of a loss of higher-education opportunities in the East Bay’s largest city. The deal rescued Mills College but ended its historic role as an all-women’s school.
“I’m very concerned about the loss of education in Oakland,” Caven said. “This was a real arts and cultural community, and now our liberal arts colleges are gone.”
Caven said community members had continued to hope that Holy Names University would continue as an education hub.
“I’m very disappointed that the land developers and real estate people always seem to get their way now,” Caven said.
Some wonder whether Oakland is becoming a kind of education desert with a dearth of four-year colleges within its city limits.
“I just want to continue to help Oakland and East Bay students,” Fife said.