OAKLAND — An affordable housing development with dozens of residences could sprout on the site of the fatal Ghost Ship fire catastrophe that took place nearly eight years ago in Oakland, city planning documents show.
The Unity Council, which describes itself as a nonprofit “Social Equity Development Corporation,” is eyeing a possible 58-unit project at the corner of International Boulevard and 31st Avenue in East Oakland, municipal public records show.
Acting through an affiliate, The Unity Council bought the site in May 2023, paying $2.56 million for the fire-wrecked property, Alameda County real estate documents show. The affiliate bought three parcels with addresses of 3073 International Blvd., 1315 31st Ave. and 1305 31st Ave.
At the time of the purchase, Local Initiatives Support Corp. provided $4.5 million in financing to the Unity Council affiliate to help the community organization complete its acquisition, county records show.
Now, the Unity Council has filed a preliminary proposal to seek Oakland’s approval for the development of a five-story affordable housing project on the site, which is in the city’s Fruitvale district.
The nonprofit organization, which officially is known as the Spanish Speaking Unity Council, is using provisions of Senate Bill 330 to pursue a streamlined approval process for the development.
The Unity Council’s current development proposal envisions a 100% affordable housing project. Some units would be set aside for low-income residents and some would be set aside for very-low-income residents, city documents show.
The potential time frame for construction on the project wasn’t immediately known with the city review process still in the very early stages.
In 2016, a fire broke out in a warehouse known as the Ghost Ship during a music concert – the building had been illegally converted into an artists colony with living spaces. The blaze, which killed 36 people, was the deadliest fire in Oakland’s history.
The fire triggered a criminal prosecution and settlements of lawsuits brought by a victim who survived and the families of those killed. The city of Oakland agreed to a $33-million settlement of a civil lawsuit and PG&E settled a separate civil lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.
The fire-damaged Ghost House structure on 31st Avenue was demolished with no fanfare in May 2023, according to the Unity Council.