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Housing and Home Repair

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Call 510.845.4106 and leave your contact info to volunteer.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASSOCIATES
920 Grayson St. (at 8th), 94710
Provides cost-effective production and maintenance of rental or ownership housing for lower income households, production of affordable housing for those with special needs and provision of educational and training opportunities for property development and management for lower income households. Serves the entire community, but targets those whose income is at or below 60% of Alameda County median income. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: Ali Kashani, 649-8500. FAX: 538-3094 [6/95]

BERKELEY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER
3130 Shattuck Ave. (at Woolsey), 94705
Provides free legal services in the community and clinical experience to law students. Landlord-tenant problems, eviction defense, lockouts, affirmative habitability lawsuits, welfare benefits (AFDC, GA, foodstamps, Unemployment Insurance Benefits). Tenant clinic workshops, AIDS Law Project (SSI, Social Security, estate planning, debtor relief to persons with AIDS or HIV only). Homeless Outreach Project (advice on government benefits, housing assistance and other social service programs). Affiliated with Boalt Law School, UC Berkeley. Eligible: Berkeley or Oakland low-income residents. Cost: Client must be income eligible; services are free (call first). Wheelchair accessible. Languages: Spanish. Contact: 548-4040 FAX: 548-2566 [6/95]

BERKELEY TENANTS UNION
2022 Blake St. Room B, (at Shattuck), 94704
Membership and mutual aid association of tenants helping each other to gain more control of their housing situation. Meetings of members determine general priorities, coordinate events and share information, building organizing, electoral work. Wheelchair accessible. Publishes newsletter. Note: This is NOT a tenants rights counseling organization, though referrals for counseling and representation are made. Contact: 548-1867. Hours: Sat 9:30-11:30 [11/95]

BLACK PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
1624 Chestnut St. (at Cedar), 94702
Concerned about overall housing policy and specifically public housing, down zoning, anti-conversion ordinances and rent control, as they impact the black community. Education, information, advocacy. Open to all who own income property or a private residence in the Bay Area. Cost: $125 annual membership for income property owners; $25 for private residence. Not wheelchair accessible. General membership meeting third Wednesday, at 6:30 pm, at South Berkeley YMCA, 2901 California. Contact: 527-5336; Jim Smith, President, 527-7129 [5/95]

BUILDING EDUCATION CENTER
812 Page St. (6th. St.), 94710
Nonprofit educational organization offering how-to classes for home buyers, do-it-yourselfers and others interested in building, remodeling and maintaining a house. Open to all. Cost: Varies; call for information. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: 525-7610. FAX: 525-0855. Hours: M-F 10-3 [6/94]

CHRISTMAS IN APRIL: SAFE HOME PROJECT
2530 San Pablo Ave. Suite A (at Dwight Way), 94702
Organizes one-day home rehabilitation and home accident prevention programs for low-income and disabled home owners. Thirty or more homes and community facilities are repaired on the last Saturday of April each year. Skilled house captains supervise more than 1,000 volunteers. Applications available in August; for priority consideration, in office by November 1. Affiliated with the Albany-Berkeley Interdependent Elders Network. Eligible: Albany or Berkeley residents, age 55 or over. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: 644-8980. FAX: 644-6213. Hours: M-F 10-6 [7/95]

CRITICAL FAMILY NEEDS/HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, Alameda County Social Services Agency, c/o BOSS
2100 MLK Jr. Way, (at Addison), 94704
Administers funds from San Francisco Chronicle/Examiner Season of Sharing. Helps needy people pay rent or helps homeless move into housing, provides security deposit or last month’s rent (client must have one month’s rent). Those eligible can use service once only. Housing advocacy and case management. Eligible: Alameda County residents through appropriate community agencies; call for information. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: 848-3467. Hours: MWF 9-4 TuTh 9-2 Office. M-F 9-11:30 Drop-in information and referrals [2/95]

ECHO/PROJECT SHARE
3102 Telegraph Ave. (at Prince), 94705
Expands affordable housing opportunities by promoting shared living. Counseling, monthly workshop for people considering home sharing or group living, a referral and matching service, follow-up and mediation. Must make appointment for services. Eligible: Berkeley or Oakland residents, employed or attending school, 18 years or older. Cost: Free to eligible clients.Wheelchair accessible. Contact: Barbara Cappa or Frances Belvin, 845-9030. Hours: M,W-F 10-2 [9/94]

HOUSING RIGHTS, INC.
3354 Adeline St. (at Alcatraz), 94703
Legal counseling and assistance; advocacy and public education on issues of housing affordability, housing discrimination and child discrimination cases, information and referral to all other housing related community and government agencies, shared housing listings for families with children, litigation fund for fair housing cases and mediation in discrimination disputes. Eligible: Information and referral available to anyone; fair housing services available to Berkeley or Oakland residents only. Cost: Free. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: 658-8766 or 658-6623. FAX: 658-5535. Hours (client intake): M-F 10-2 [6/95]

TENANT ACTION PROJECT (TAP)
2022 Blake St. Room A (at Shattuck), 94704
Counseling, referrals, education to housing tenants regarding their rights, tenant-landlord laws, rent increases and overcharges, evictions, leases, repair problems, return of security deposits, discrimination. Meetings: tenants rights classTuesday evening, at 7:30pm, followed by individual counseling. Eligible: Anyone, especially Berkeley tenants. Cost: Free. Wheelchair accessible. Languages: Spanish. Contact: Hank Henson, 843-6601. Hours: TuThF 11-3 [5/94]

TOOL LENDING LIBRARY, Berkeley Public Library
1901 Russell St. (at MLK Jr. Way), 94703
Service of Berkeley Public Library. Loans hand and power tools. No automotive or gasoline-powered tools. Tool loans, instruction in use of tools, helpful advice. Berkeley residents or Berkeley property owners ONLY,, with valid Berkeley Public Library card, identification (California driver’s license, etc.) and proof of current address. Three-day loan period for most items. Overdue fines vary depending on tool. Cost: Free. Wheelchair accessible. Contact: Pete McElligott, 644-6101 (Answering machine does not take messages). Hours: Tu-W 12-7:30 Th 1-5:30 F-Sat 10-5:30 [4/95]

URBAN ORE BUILDING MATERIALS EXCHANGE
1333 6th. St. (at Gilman) Entrance on Gilman 94710
For-profit marketplace for reusable building materials, including doors, windows, lumber, bricks, tile, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, lighting, low-cost or no-cost disposal of unwanted building parts, source of hard-to-find construction materials, buy, sell and trade; sales tax collected on all transactions. Open to all. Wheelchair accessible. Languages: Spanish. Contact: Claudio Osornio, Site Manager, 559-4460. FAX: 528-1540. Hours: M-S 8:30-5 [11/95]