Legacy Tower LLC, in partnership with BRJ Consulting, embarked on an ambitious 50-unit affordable housing project in Oakland, California that goes far beyond traditional housing development. This mixed-use project demonstrates how thoughtful technology integration can transform affordable housing into a catalyst for community empowerment and economic opportunity.
The development recognizes that in today’s digital economy, access to technology and digital literacy skills are fundamental to breaking cycles of poverty and creating pathways to prosperity. By embedding comprehensive IT infrastructure and educational resources directly into the housing complex, this project establishes a new model for community-centered development that addresses both immediate housing needs and long-term resident success.
The challenge
Traditional affordable housing projects often focus solely on providing shelter, missing opportunities to address the broader systemic barriers that residents face in achieving economic stability and upward mobility.
Legacy Tower LLC recognized that their 50-unit development could serve as more than just housing — it could become a community hub that tackles digital inequality head-on. In Oakland, where technology sector growth has created both opportunities and displacement pressures, ensuring that affordable housing residents have access to digital resources and skills training represents a critical equity intervention.
Key challenge: Build comprehensive IT infrastructure that supports residents, enables efficient property management, and aligns with local workforce development goals while maintaining low operating costs.
What we built
1. Digital literacy center
A dedicated digital literacy center with 40 managed endpoints, high-speed internet access and flexible classroom configurations to support a range of training programs.
2. Segmented network design
A wireless network with three distinct segments: resident Wi-Fi for personal use, a staff/administrative network for property management, and a dedicated IoT network for smart building systems. Segmentation keeps each group secure without sacrificing performance.
3. Mobile device management
Centralized MDM keeps every device updated, patched and consistently configured — significantly reducing maintenance overhead while maintaining high security standards.
4. Cloud-based property management
A cloud property management platform streamlines rent collection, maintenance requests and tenant communications, replacing paper-based processes.
5. Community partnership programs
Partnerships with local nonprofits deliver digital training covering resume writing, financial literacy and essential computer skills, keeping programming relevant to local workforce needs.
Resident impact
Secure online rent payments and maintenance requests improve resident satisfaction while reducing administrative workload for staff. Residents have 24/7 access to essential building services.
Beyond convenience, the digital literacy programming gives residents concrete pathways to economic advancement — skills training that directly addresses barriers to employment and financial stability.
“This project demonstrates how technology can be a tool for community empowerment rather than displacement, creating opportunities for residents to build skills and economic stability.”
A model for community-centered development
- Digital equity: Technology resources embedded in the housing itself address the digital divide at its source.
- Operational excellence: Cloud infrastructure and managed devices create low-maintenance systems property managers can run without specialized IT expertise.
- Partnership model: Working with local nonprofits keeps programming responsive to community needs and avoids duplicated services.
BRJ Consulting’s approach — combining secure network infrastructure, centralized device management, cloud-based property operations and community-focused digital literacy programming — creates a replicable model other affordable housing developers can adapt to their local contexts.