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A throng of anxious residents and two city councilmembers turned out Wednesday to meet the new owners, operators and remodellers of Berkeley’s long-troubled Harriet Tubman Terrace Apartments. 

They emerged from the meeting with significant concessions, especially a promise that no resident would have to pay anything during the days they’d be moved out of their apartments during renovations. 

Poorly maintained and long-plagued by drug, crime and accountability problems, the 91-unit senior housing complex at 2781 Adeline St. hasn’t officially changed hands, though residents learned that final approval by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected soon. 

Unlike most affordable senior housing in the city, Tubman is owned by a for-profit company. The outgoing owner, Los Angeles-based Century Pacific Housing Partnership, is selling to another for-profit, New Jersey-based Michaels Development. 

Though the sale isn’t final, pending approval by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), city officials scheduled the Wednesday meeting out of concerns that tenants of the affordable housing complex hadn’t been properly informed of the potential impacts of the sale. 

“They sent out two letters at our insistence, and we didn’t consider either one to be adequate,” said City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who attended the session along with his recently elected colleague, Max Anderson. 

“There have been enormous worries and concerns among tenants that the change of ownership could mean that they could no longer afford the units. Their letters didn’t address the issue of affordability,” Worthington said after the meeting. 

Following the meeting, Residents and Tenants Council President Barry C. Gardner Jr. said he was pleased with most of what he heard, but wanted a second meeting to address residents’ security concerns. 

Speakers included officials from Michaels; Interstate Realty Management, the firm which will manage repairs and finances at the Adeline Street facility; a vice president of Icon Builders, which will conduct sorely needed repairs; and the executive director of Pacific Housing Inc., the non-profit firm that will provide education, training, recreation and other services for residents. 

“We know you have lots of concerns,” Bill Scheidig, MIchaels’ vice president of construction, told the 80 or so residents gathered in Tubman’s multipurpose room. “We thought it in your best interests to call you together and let you know what’s going to occur. We’ll be doing rehabilitation and remodeling early this year.” 

When one resident asked Scheidig if Michaels would retain the same on-site staff, his affirmative response drew applause from the audience.  

Residents expressed delight again when he assured them that their rents wouldn’t be going up, though subsidies might increase for his firm. 

One of the happiest bits of news for many residents was the announcement that Harriet Tubman Terrace would continue as affordable housing for the next 55 years, ensuring guaranteed housing for as long as current residents are alive. But the promised improvements also ranked high on their lists.  

Carin Schmidt, vice president and senior project manager for Icon, said her crews would be installing new kitchens in all the units, including floors and hardware, installing new toilets and shower valves as well as linoleum and fresh paint in all the bathrooms, putting in new windows, screens and patio doors and adding new smoke detectors and sensors in all units that will turn on entry hall lights when the door is opened. 

Other improvements will include adding two new boilers to improve the facility’s often ailing steam heating system, upgrading elevators, replacing the roof, renovating the entryway and repairing broken sidewalks and walkways. 

Under state and federal housing fund allocation statutes, a non-profit must be the managing partner of any subsidized housing project owned by a for-profit company. In the new Tubman Terrace ownbership structure, Sacramento-based Pacific Housing Inc. is the non-profit minority owner and managing partner. 

Cynthia Brooks, the tenant services manager, promised that residents would have a full range of programs, including table games, bingo, a regular game night and other activities based on a survey of resident interests. 

“We’re here to make that happen, and we anticipate we will begin our services in the summer,” she said. 

Scheidig, a property manager for 25 years, said construction would take from six to nine months. “We want to be completely done this year, and we’ll be doing 12 apartments a week. Residents will need to be out of their apartments for two days while working is going on.” 

“We’re all happy to see the renovation, but I’m concerned about the adequacy of the relocation allowance,” said Anderson, who was elected to the City Council in November. “I’m anxious that the changes be as smooth as possible, and I’m concerned with the people and their needs while all this is happening.” 

“There is a $200 allowance management will provide on the day of each move,” Scheidig said. “We will help relocating them for those two days if needed. We will select a hotel, but if they want to go and stay with friends, they’ll still get the money.” 

“People also need transportation, too,” said a resident. 

“I really want to hear a commitment from you that none of these residents will incur any expenses,” said Anderson. “The expenses this lady alluded to are real expenses. I don’t know of any hotel in Berkeley that rents rooms under $100 a night, and I want to make sure no one incurs any expenses.” 

“We can commit to that,” said Chuck Durnin, vice president of Interstate Realty Management. 

“Good,” said Anderson to the residents’ applause. 

Following the meeting, Anderson and Worthington expressed qualified satisfaction. 

“It’s an important step to have renovations for these seniors who have wanted them for a long time,” Anderson said. “I was also pleased at the significant commitment they made that tenants won’t suffer any out-of-pocket expenses—and my office is available to advocate for them if they have any problems.” 

“I want to see their promises in writing,” Worthington said. “We’ll write up a letter saying what we understand they said, and we’ll ask them to confirm it in writing to the residents, especially the agreement to cover expenses in case some residents have to be out of their apartments for a third night.” 

Residents and Tenants Council President Gardner said he was pleased at the outcome of Wednesday’s session, but cautioned than much remains to be done. 

A former HUD investigator, Gardner said safety concerns remain a big issue, especially problems with drug dealers who some residents invite into the building. 

“I have good relations with the police, and we had a narcotics raid here in June where four people were arrested, and that’s a bigger problem than all of the physical stuff with the building,” he said. “We have transients coming in through the front door, and I advise tenants not to talk to them because they’re dangerous. That’s the key thing now.” 

During the meeting, Michaels officials outlined plans to redo the entrance and lobby, but Gardner said additional steps are needed to ensure tenants safety. 

Gardner said the physical problems were real, due mainly to cheap construction methods. “They used aluminum wiring instead of copper, and the pipes are poor quality and can’t carry enough steam pressure to reach all the units adequately. 

“But we have these people coming in most nights, and that’s a far bigger problem.” 

Gardner liked what he heard about the new management. 

“The last time I saw any official from Gateway Properties of Fresno, the old management company, was back in April or May.” 

Chabad of San Francisco, an Orthodox Jewish congregation, had been listed as the previous tenant service provider, but Gardner said he hadn’t seen anyone from the group in years. Chabad did not return calls for this article. 

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