The City of Berkeley recently implemented a suite of housing preferences that prioritize particular households when they apply for affordable housing opportunities in the city. Rather than a preference policy focused on those who live or work in Berkeley - which does not result in equitable outcomes - the City prioritizes households with children and those who were impacted by BART construction, foreclosures, or eviction, historic redlining, or homelessness. With the complexity of implementing layers of housing preferences, the City turned to the Doorway Housing Portal, built on Bloom Housing, to develop a seamless digital application process including geo-based features that allow applicants and property managers to determine eligibility. The technology, in the hands of organizations like Healthy Black Families, will allow for better outreach to families eligible for the housing preferences to apply and gain housing in Berkeley. This panel will include speakers from the City of Berkeley, Healthy Black Families and Resources for Community Development (RCD) - with moderation from BAHFA/Doorway.
