Housing as Health Care: New Oakland Housing Authority Pilot Program Helps Pediatric Families Secure Stable Housing

April 21, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Supported by Alameda Alliance for Health and delivered in partnership with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, Oakland, pilot connects housing stability to pediatric health outcomes

OAKLAND, CA – The Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) has launched Building Bridges: Hospital to Home (H2H), an innovative pilot program that recognizes stable housing as critical to children’s health. The program is supported by a $1.37 million funding award from Alameda Alliance for Health and delivered in partnership with Oakland Affordable Housing Preservation Initiatives (OAHPI) and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.

Today’s announcement celebrates the enrollment of the first two families into the program.

The program provides 50 two- and three-bedroom apartments in Oakland at a deeply affordable rent of $250 per month for up to five years, along with comprehensive wraparound services to support the families’ health and long-term stability. OHA is subsidizing the housing units and administering the program.

H2H serves families with children who are being or were treated in the Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU or PICU) at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; are insured through Alameda Alliance Medi-Cal; live in Alameda County; and are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

“This program is rooted in compassion for families navigating one of the most difficult moments in their lives,” said Patricia Wells, Executive Director of the Oakland Housing Authority. “When a child is facing a serious medical crisis, stable housing becomes part of the care families need to heal and move forward. By connecting families to housing and coordinated support, we’re helping create the stability and dignity every child and parent deserves, along with a pathway to long-term economic independence.”

Mayor Barbara Lee praised the collaborative effort and the program’s focus on prevention and family stability.

“In Oakland, we know that housing stability and family wellbeing are deeply connected—especially when a child is facing a medical crisis,” said Mayor Barbara Lee. “Building Bridges: Hospital to Home compliments the City’s long-standing partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority, including initiatives like the Building Bridges and Oakland PATH Rehousing Initiative that have already supported approximately 180 households. Delivered through community-based partners, with the City providing supportive services and OHA ensuring long-term housing stability, this work reflects more than a decade of collaboration to help families move from instability to security with dignity and care.”

How the Program Works
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland social workers refer families to housing units near the hospital that have been set aside so families can stay close to their children during medical treatment. Families must meet the program’s referral criteria, including being an Alameda Alliance Medi-Cal member residing in Alameda County, experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and having a child admitted to the Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU and PICU). OHA  determines eligibility through its intake process.

“At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, our mission to care for our patients, their caregivers, and their loved ones extends beyond our walls,” said Nicholas Holmes, MD, President of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. “Safe, stable housing has an enormous impact on children — supporting how quickly they recover from injury and illness, as well as their long-term health outcomes. Through this partnership, we’re building on our long-standing commitment to the health of Oakland and the East Bay, and our continued investment in this community.”

In addition to affordable housing, participating families receive wraparound services, including two years of utility assistance and two annual $800 stipends to help cover basic needs such as clothing and personal items, as well as two annual community events. Families also may have the opportunity to enroll in OHA’s Family Self‑Sufficiency (FSS) program to support long‑term economic independence.

Cross-Sector Partnership to Improve Health Outcomes
The program is funded through Alameda Alliance for Health’s Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP). In addition to HHIP’s $1.37 million award, OHA will contribute up to $5.4 million in Moving to Work (MTW) rental assistance over the life of the program to offset housing costs, with participating families contributing up to $250 per month toward rent. 

“Housing stability is a fundamental determinant of physical and mental health,” said Alameda Alliance for Health CEO Matthew Woodruff. “We are proud to support this critical pilot program, where Oakland families will have access to a safe place to live, which will ultimately lead to healthier outcomes for our entire community.”

Advancing Long-Term Stability
The pilot program aligns with OHA’s mission to promote civic involvement and economic self-sufficiency among residents while expanding affordable housing options in Oakland. The program seeks to address disparities in housing and healthcare access among low-income families in Alameda County. 

OHA and OAHPI hope to sustain and expand the program beyond the pilot to include unhoused families with children experiencing long-term hospitalizations. For more information about the Building Bridges: Hospital to Home program, email Engage@oakha.org with the email subject H2H.

About the Oakland Housing Authority​
Founded in 1938, the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) is the largest provider of affordable housing in the City of Oakland, serving more than 18,000 households. OHA’s mission is to assure the availability of quality housing for low-income residents, promote civic engagement and economic self-sufficiency, and expand affordable housing opportunities throughout Oakland. Through partnerships with community organizations, health providers, and local agencies, OHA works to strengthen neighborhoods, support resident stability, and expand opportunities for Oakland families. Learn more at www.oakha.org.

About Alameda Alliance for Health
Alameda Alliance for Health (Alliance) is a local, public, not-for-profit managed care health plan committed to making high-quality health care services accessible and affordable to Alameda County residents. Established in 1996, the Alliance was created by and for Alameda County residents. The Alliance Board of Governors, leadership staff, and provider network reflect the county’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The Alliance provides health care coverage to nearly 400,000 children and adults with limited resources through our National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accredited Alliance Group Care and Alliance Medi-Cal programs. Learn more at www.alamedaalliance.org.

About UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals are among the nation’s leading pediatric specialty hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report 2025-26 rankings. Their expertise covers virtually all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, pulmonology, diabetes, and endocrinology, as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The two campuses in San Francisco and Oakland are known for basic and clinical research, and for translating research into interventions for treating and preventing pediatric disease. They are part of UCSF Health, whose adult hospital ranks among the top medical centers nationwide and serves as the teaching hospital for the University of California, San Francisco, a national leader in biomedical research and graduate-level health/sciences education. Visit www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org.