Neighborhood Services

City of Albany Neighborhood Services

The Neighborhood Services Division coordinates and implements strategic outreach and community engagement efforts to assist community members in navigating City and community services systems by facilitating access to information and services

Albany CARES

Albany CARES offers information, assistance, and referral services to help residents access available resources This includes information and assistance applying for local parcel tax exemptions and affordable housing, referrals to legal assistance agencies; medical, dental, and mental health programs; utility bill payment assistance; homecare programs; and much more For assistance, call 1(510) 559-4589 or by email at albanycares@albanyca.org.

Albany Project HOPE

Albany Project HOPE (Housing Opportunities Expanded) provides outreach, engagement, and housing navigation services to help people who are experiencing homelessness in Albany The goal of outreach focuses on engagement to encourage participation in services and housing resolution For assistance, call 1(510) 649-4965

Rent Review

The Rent Review Ordinance and associated rent review program became effective November 2, 2018 The ordinance regulates most residential rental units in Albany and provides a mediation process for qualifying rent increases Tenants and landlords can access program information at www albanyca org/rentreview or by calling 1(510) 524-9283.

Tax Exemption & Renter Rebate Program

Every year, eligible Albany residents can apply for parcel tax exemption and/or renter rebate for up to five City of Albany parcel taxes For assistance call 1(510) 559-4589 or by email at albanycares@albanyca.org.

Neighbors meeting to encourage safety awareness

Have a neighborhood concern or want to refresh on safety awareness tips? The Albany Police Department is available to attend neighborhood meetings to talk safety awareness and any other related concerns These meetings are intended to generate dialogue, provide information and strategies that encourage safety, and build understanding between neighbors The Neighborhood Services Division is available to help you facilitate your meeting For more information, contact the Neighborhood & Community Services Manager, Sid Schoenfeld, at 1(510) 559-4588 or by email at

sschoenfeld@albanyca.org.

New Food Assistance Program for low-income residents

Beginning February 4, 2022, groceries and essential items will be distributed on the 1st Friday of each month starting at 10am at the Albany Senior Center - 846 Masonic Ave Low Income Albany Residents of all ages who have been adversely affected by the COVID pandemic are eligible for this program Contact Annemarie Heineman at 1(510) 559-4589 or albanycares@albanyca.org to confirm eligibility and register

Examples of items include: FRESH FRUITS & VEGETABLES DAIRY PRODUCTS RICE & PASTA BREADS & CEREAL CANNED FOODS FROZEN MEATS PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS PAPER GOODS FIRST AID PRODUCTS PPE

Items are subject to change based on availability. This program is funded by the City of Albany’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds.

Dial 211 for information and referrals to health, housing, and human services in Alameda County. 211 is a free and confidential phone service, available 24/7 in over 170 languages.

CERT

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-evolving situation, the City of Albany and Albany CERT community are proud to provide Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) hybrid training to help prepare Albany to be as resilient as possible. The hybrid CERT model offers training that is partially online and inperson. The curriculum for the online course covers CERT basics, and also allows a resident to study at their own pace. Those that complete the online training will be offered the opportunity to take part in a two-day, in-person training course.