Celebrating Success: ECRG Grants Lead to Much-Needed Housing in Bay Area and Beyond

The Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program, administered by California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), has been instrumental in transforming Bay Area brownfield sites into assets that promote economic growth and provide affordable housing. Brownfields—properties hindered by potential contamination—have long posed challenges to urban development. Through targeted funding and strategic partnerships, the ECRG program is turning these obstacles into opportunities for community enhancement (full map of sites here!).

Brownfield redevelopment is inherently complex and time-consuming, involving extensive environmental assessments, regulatory approvals, and community engagement. However, the ECRG program’s structured support has enabled many projects to progress from planning to construction stages. The Center for Creative Land Recycling supported DTSC in the creation and implementation of the grant program, as well as with extensive outreach to grant-eligible organizations including affordable housing developers.

Initiated as part of the Cleanup In Vulnerable Communities Initiative (CVCI) under Senate Bill 158 in 2021, $270 million was allocated to the ECRG program to expedite the assessment, investigation, and cleanup of contaminated properties, with a focus on disadvantaged communities. In the first round of ECRG funding, approximately $70 million was dedicated to housing site investigations and cleanups, with plans to develop over 7,700 housing units (roughly 4,500 of which is affordable housing) across California. This substantial increase in affordable housing stock helps alleviate the region’s housing crisis and supports a more inclusive economy. A second round of funding provided an additional $60 million to achieve these goals. Future funding depends on the California Governor and Legislature allocating funds to this innovative grant program.

For instance, the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) received grants for multiple projects in Oakland. One notable project at 2201 Brush Street, known as Ms. Margaret Gordon’s Westport, involves transforming a site previously used for parking into a mixed-use development featuring 59 affordable housing units and community services. The property was previously owned by a private developer who planned to build market rate housing. Environmental assessments revealed contamination and the site was sold to EBALDC. After learning about the ECRG program from CCLR, EBALDC applied for and received an $830,000 site-specific cleanup grant. Thanks to the ECRG program, the site was remediated and will soon be home to 59 families with low incomes. CCLR and DTSC also helped the process by facilitating permit approval discussions with the Air Quality Management District for the building’s Sub-Slab Depressurization System (SSDS).

Resources for Community Development (RCD) secured funding for projects in Emeryville, Hayward, and Fremont. The Emeryville project, known as the Nellie Hannon Gateway, is set to provide 90 units of affordable housing alongside a community food center. Prior to redevelopment, volunteers and employees of the Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP), neighboring businesses, and the more than 300 families who came to the food bank daily were potentially exposed to lead and PCE above screening level criteria. After learning about the ECRG program from CCLR, RCD applied for and received a $575,000 site-specific cleanup grant. Because this was one of the first projects in Round 1 to start construction, CCLR helped the project staff navigate the processes and requirements for the new ECRG program to keep things running smoothly.

“We are fortunate that DTSC made ECRG funds available to projects like Nellie Hannon Gateway, to support the development of urban infill sites and to protect the well-being of our communities,” said Jake Rosen of RCD. The development is on budget and expects to welcome its first tenants in September 2025.

By converting previously unusable lands into productive spaces, these projects are attracting investments, creating jobs, and expanding the tax base, as well as addressing affordable housing needs. The two projects highlighted above are among a number of affordable housing projects made possible by the ECRG program that have broken ground in the Bay Area and beyond. Find photos of additional projects below. The success of the ECRG program is a testament to effective collaboration among state agencies, non-profit organizations, and local communities.

Beyond the Bay: