A new petition on Change.org is calling for major changes to the proposed redevelopment of the Trader Joe’s site on College Avenue, urging the developer and the City of Oakland to pursue a mid-rise project that includes affordable and workforce housing while preserving the neighborhood grocery store.
Renderings from SCB Architects don't fully convey the overall height and mass of the tower complex. When compared to MacArthur Skylyne apartments, one of the proposed towers would be 6 stories taller.
Started by a Rockridge resident, the petition launched on May 30 currently has more than 600 signatures. It argues that while Oakland needs more housing, the current proposal fails to address the city’s affordability crisis and instead sets a troubling precedent for future development under California’s SB330 housing law.
The proposal would replace the existing Trader Joe’s with two luxury senior-living towers, rising 25 and 31 stories respectively. The development would include 371 independent living units, 18 assisted living units, and 26 memory care units, but no affordable housing.
The project also would eliminate the neighborhood’s Trader Joe’s, which opponents note employs more than 120 workers and was the first Trader Joe’s location in the country to unionize.
“Rockridge needs more diverse housing, but this is not the way to achieve affordability,” the petition states. “Because there is no requirement for affordable units, only the wealthy will be able to live there, doing absolutely nothing to make a dent in Oakland’s housing affordability crisis.”
The petition’s author, who requested to remain anonymous due to the contentious nature of the topic, said the effort was launched primarily to raise awareness after discovering many nearby residents were unaware of the proposal.
“I wrote the petition to create awareness of the project since even my local neighbors didn't know anything about it. Most are horrified by losing the beloved Trader Joe’s and by the sheer height and massing of these two buildings.”
Beyond the project’s scale, the petition raises concerns about SB330, the state law intended to streamline housing development. The author argues the legislation makes it easier for market-rate projects to move forward without requiring affordability, allowing developers to maximize profits while offering little relief for residents struggling with housing costs.
“My biggest concern is the precedent that this project—and by extension SB 330—will set for our neighborhood and so many others around the state. Even I might accept taller buildings if they included affordable housing units that address the real people who need housing—the homeless, the under-housed, and those whose housing costs are crushing them.”
The petitioner also questioned whether additional luxury senior housing is needed, pointing to vacancies at nearby Merrill Gardens. Instead, they argue, the neighborhood would benefit more from housing designed for low- and middle-income seniors.
Rather than opposing redevelopment altogether, the petition advocates for a smaller project that better fits the surrounding neighborhood while expanding housing opportunities for a broader range of residents.
Ultimately, it calls not only for changes to the proposal but also for reforms to SB330 itself. The author argues that increasing the number of housing units alone is insufficient if those homes remain out of reach for most Oakland residents.
