Oakland Planning and Development

What Oakland Planning and Development does

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) is a 501(c)(3) community development corporation founded in 1980 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that has served the Oakland neighborhood for over 45 years. It is a Registered Community Organization with the City of Pittsburgh, giving it formal standing in zoning, planning, and budget processes. Its core business is direct housing delivery and community organizing rather than software or technology products. The operating portfolio consists of 100 affordable rental apartments across four properties — Parkview Manor (HUD Section 8, 15 units for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities), Oakland Affordable Living at Allequippa Place and 2520 Wadsworth, 141 Robinson Street (29 units), and Pacelli House (6 units) — supplemented by a Community Land Trust that sells affordably-priced single-family and rowhouse homes to income-qualified owner-occupants (transactions have ranged from $152,000 for Edith Place rowhouses to $275,000 for 3101 Niagara). Additional programs include Home Repair Assistance, a Financial Opportunity Center that disbursed over $9,000 in COVID-era rent relief, Design Development Review for community input on development proposals, and resource services covering student renters, food access, and public safety.

The revenue model is a hybrid typical of mission-driven CDCs. Recurring rental income is generated from the 100-unit portfolio on a monthly, income-based billing cadence. Transaction revenue comes from one-off CLT home sales. Grants and donations, including annual appeals and United Way/SECA workplace giving campaigns, fund operations and programs. A newer and potentially growing revenue lever is inclusionary zoning, under which five private developers (Walnut Capital, Paramount, Trinitas, Hudson, Subtext) are delivering over 100 new affordable rental units in Oakland alongside 1,011 market-rate units; the Mosaic, an 80-unit LIHTC senior building by Presbyterian Senior Care, adds to the affordable pipeline. The go-to-market motion is community-led: monthly Let's Talk meetings, neighborhood association facilitation (SONG, West Oakland Block Club, Oakcliffe), Adopt-a-Block cleanups (300+ volunteers, 154 bags of litter between September 2023 and April 2024), Garbage Olympics, and direct partnerships with the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Carlow, Chatham, and Point Park universities. Andrea Boykowycz became OPDC's sixth permanent Executive Director on March 12, 2024, after serving as Interim Director since December 2022, and the organization is operating under a 2025-2030 Strategic Plan that formalizes Housing Strategy, Community Connections, and Organizational Operations as its three pillars.

Name

Oakland Planning and Development

Legal name

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation

Website

https://opdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation is a 45-year-old Pittsburgh-based 501(c)(3) community development corporation that owns and manages 100 affordable rental apartments, sells homes through a Community Land Trust, and runs community organizing programs exclusively for the Oakland neighborhood.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable/Subsidized Independent Living (HUD/LIHTC) Communities (HLADAAAB)

Keywords

• Affordable rental housing
• Community development
• Homeownership programs
• Neighborhood planning
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Affordable Rental Housing Property Management: OPDC owns and manages a portfolio of 100 apartments in South and West Oakland. Revenue is generated through monthly rental payments from tenants at properties including Parkview Manor (HUD Section 8, 15 units for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities), Oakland Affordable Living (Allequippa Place and 2520 Wadsworth Street), 141 Robinson Street (29 units), and Pacelli House (6 units). Tenants pay monthly rent which includes various utilities depending on the property.
2. Homes for Sale / Homeownership Programs: OPDC sells affordable homes to income-qualified owner-occupants through the Oakland Community Land Trust (CLT) program. Properties include rowhouses at Edith Place ($152,000), single-family homes like 246 Dunseith ($193,475), 3534 Frazier ($250,000), and 3101 Niagara ($275,000). Revenue from home sales supports organizational operations.
3. Grants and Donations: OPDC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that receives funding through grants and donations. The organization runs annual appeals and accepts donations to support affordable housing programs, community development initiatives, and neighborhood quality improvements. Donors can contribute through the website or workplace giving campaigns (United Way #300, State Employee Combined Appeal #4601-0069).
4. Development Impact Fees and Inclusionary Zoning: Through advocacy for inclusionary zoning, OPDC helps facilitate the creation of affordable units in new developments. New projects like Walnut Capital's 159-unit development, Paramount's 19-unit building, Trinitas's 326-unit development, and Hudson's 208 units are expected to deliver over 100 new affordable rental units to Oakland, potentially generating fees or tax credit benefits for the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OPDC owns and manages a portfolio of 100 affordable rental apartments in South and West Oakland through properties including Parkview Manor (HUD Section 8, 15 units for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities), Oakland Affordable Living (Allequippa Place and 2520 Wadsworth Street), 141 Robinson Street (29 units), and Pacelli House (6 units). The organization also sells affordably-priced homes to income-qualified owner-occupants through the Oakland Community Land Trust and delivers community planning, Design Development Review, Home Repair Assistance, and Neighborhood Quality Programs for Oakland, Pittsburgh residents.

Product overview

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) is a community development organization that offers a portfolio of housing and community services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Affordable Rental Housing (100 apartments across multiple properties including Parkview Manor, Oakland Affordable Living, 141 Robinson Street, and Pacelli House), Homes for Sale through the Community Land Trust program, Design Development Review services, Neighborhood Quality Programs including Adopt-a-Block and community meetings, and Home Repair Assistance. Resource services include Student Renter Resources, Food Resources maps, and Public Safety information. These services are delivered through their website, in-person programs, and community events rather than through a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Rental Housing OPDC-owned and operated portfolio of 100 income-restricted rental apartments across five properties in South and West Oakland: Parkview Manor (15 HUD Section 8 units for seniors 62+ and people with disabilities), Oakland Affordable Living (Allequippa Place and 2520 Wadsworth Street), 141 Robinson Street (29 units), and Pacelli House (6 units). Tenants pay income-based monthly rent which includes utilities depending on the property, with waitlists managed by Property Manager Camille Dixon.
• Homes for Sale Affordable single-family homes and rowhouses sold to income-qualified owner-occupants in Oakland at below-market prices. Examples include 246 Dunseith, 3534 Frazier, 3101 Niagara, and the Edith Rowhouses, with homes delivered through the Oakland Community Land Trust to preserve long-term affordability.
• Oakland Community Land Trust (CLT) The Oakland Community Land Trust is a permanently affordable homeownership program that removes homes from speculative market appreciation by retaining the land in trust while selling the improved home to income-qualified owner-occupants. Includes financial coaching and budget preparation support so buyers can qualify for mortgages.
• Design Development Review Community-driven review process in which OPDC communicates development proposals to the public, hosts public meetings, and channels community input into neighborhood investment decisions in Oakland. As a Registered Community Organization, OPDC uses this process to influence zoning, capital budget, and design outcomes.
• Neighborhood Quality Programs Community advocacy and organizing programs that improve Oakland's quality of life, including Adopt-a-Block (volunteer cleanup with 17 designated routes, engaging 300+ volunteers who collected 154 bags of litter between September 2023 and April 2024), Garbage Olympics, monthly Let's Talk community meetings, and facilitation of neighborhood associations including the South Oakland Neighborhood Group, West Oakland Block Club, and Oakcliffe Community Organization.
• Home Repair Assistance Programs Financial and technical assistance programs that help low-income homeowners in Oakland complete critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, and energy-efficient upgrades, helping long-term residents maintain their homes in the face of rising costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 apartments owned and managed across South and West Oakland
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Lawrenceville UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization that partnered with OPDC to file an amicus brief in support of the City of Pittsburgh against a legal challenge to Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. Both organizations are community development corporations working on housing affordability issues.
• Bloomfield Development CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization that co-filed amicus brief with OPDC supporting inclusionary zoning in Pittsburgh.
• Polish Hill Civic AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhood civic organization that partnered with OPDC on the amicus brief supporting inclusionary zoning.
• Hill District Consensus GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization that co-filed amicus brief with OPDC supporting inclusionary zoning.
• Fair Housing Partnership of Greater PittsburghminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing advocacy organization that partnered with OPDC on the amicus brief supporting inclusionary zoning.
• Walnut CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate developer building a 159-unit development at McKee at Louisa in Oakland. Project is subject to inclusionary zoning requirements and will contribute affordable units to Oakland's housing stock.
• ParamountminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper converting 3339 Ward into a 19-unit residential building in Oakland under inclusionary zoning requirements.
• TrinitasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper planning a 326-unit development on Halket Street in Oakland, subject to inclusionary zoning.
• HudsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper moving forward with two new developments on Melwood above Baum totaling 208 units in Oakland.
• Presbyterian Senior Care / The MosaicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior care organization completing The Mosaic, an 80-unit LGBTQ-friendly low-income housing tax credit building for people over 62 at Forbes and Craft. This project contributes affordable senior housing to Oakland near transit and amenities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: A national nonprofit that invests in affordable housing, community development financial institutions, and place-based revitalization. Enterprise's model of combining housing development, policy advocacy, and community engagement parallels OPDC's integrated approach at much larger scale.
• NeighborWorks America: A national network of 240+ affordable housing and community development nonprofits. OPDC's Community Land Trust and affordable rental work align with NeighborWorks' core mission of creating affordable housing opportunities in urban neighborhoods, providing a national-scale comparable.

Direct peers

• Hill District Consensus Group: A Pittsburgh CDC serving the Hill District that partnered with OPDC on the inclusionary zoning amicus brief. It operates affordable housing and community development programs in a single neighborhood under the same CDC model.
• East Liberty Development Inc. (ELDI): A Pittsburgh CDC focused on East Liberty that has driven major mixed-income redevelopment including affordable housing components. It is comparable to OPDC in operating model (neighborhood CDC, affordable housing, community planning) and serves as a model for how a neighborhood CDC can scale development impact over time.
• Bloomfield Development Corporation: A neighborhood-focused CDC serving Bloomfield and Garfield in Pittsburgh. It co-filed the amicus brief with OPDC supporting inclusionary zoning, operates affordable housing, and pursues community planning initiatives — making it a structurally comparable peer with a near-identical operating model in an adjacent neighborhood.
• Lawrenceville United: Another Pittsburgh-based community development corporation focused on a single neighborhood (Lawrenceville). It directly partnered with OPDC on the amicus brief defending Pittsburgh's Inclusionary Zoning ordinance, and both organizations share the CDC model of organizing, advocacy, and affordable housing development at the neighborhood level.
• ACTION-Housing: A Pittsburgh-based nonprofit affordable housing developer and advocate represented on OPDC's board. It develops and manages affordable and supportive housing across Southwestern PA using LIHTC, HUD, and state funding — directly comparable to OPDC's affordable rental portfolio and homeownership programs.

Others

• Bridgeway Capital: A Pittsburgh-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) represented on OPDC's board. While not a direct operating peer, Bridgeway provides financing for affordable housing and community development projects that complement OPDC's work, and the close relationship makes it a relevant ecosystem counterpart.

Regional players

• South Side Local Development Company: A Pittsburgh South Side CDC that operates affordable housing, commercial real estate, and community programs in its neighborhood. It mirrors OPDC's structure and functions but is geographically distinct within the same city.
• Polish Hill Civic Association: A small Pittsburgh neighborhood civic association that partnered with OPDC on the inclusionary zoning amicus brief. It operates at a smaller scale but pursues similar community development and housing affordability goals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OPDC.org
• Xx.com/OaklandPlanning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oakland Planning and Development