A West Oakland charter school is partnering with an affordable housing developer to combine academics and apartments by building a new $9.5 million school that will be finished in time for classes next fall.
Bridge Housing is building a new home for Vincent Academy elementary school at 2601 Chestnut Street near McClymonds High School. It will be across the street from Bridge's Chestnut Linden Court Apartments and in the vicinity of 700 other affordable housing units in the area.
Bridge spokeswoman Lyn Hikida said the developer hopes children living with families in those units will go to the new school.
School Head Kate Nicol said the idea is to combine the elementary school with nearby affordable housing so families don't have to drive out of the neighborhood every day to attend other schools.
"It's a new concept in community revitalization and from our perspective it makes so much sense to have the housing and schooling piece together," said Nicol, who added her school's current home on Union Street is way too small. "For the students I see coming here, it's really critical to have housing for them."
[For more of this story, written by Doug Oakley, go to http://www.insidebayarea.com/N...-school-with-housing]
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