It’s a common refrain these days that there’s “no money” for essential services in El Cerrito, especially when it comes to our senior community. Yet, just this past January, the City made a substantial purchase, paying $1.5 million for the Life in Christ property on San Pablo Avenue. This site is located between the parking lot that previously housed bungalows/modules, which temporarily replaced the Open House Senior Center, and the El Cerrito Fire Department building.
What’s even more perplexing is that this centrally located property, with easy access via AC Transit, is sitting unused. Despite its size—5,698 square feet on a 20,000 square foot lot—the property remains idle, with no clear plan for its future.
The Life in Christ building is quite substantial, featuring a well-equipped kitchen, a cafeteria, an auditorium with a capacity for 225 people, two classrooms, and an office. Outside, there’s a paved and inviting courtyard, perfect for community gatherings. City staff have informed us that the building needs repairs, such as addressing holes in the floor under the carpeting. However, with some modifications and repairs, this space could potentially be transformed into a vibrant senior center.
Imagine a senior center operating five days a week in a space that large, centrally located, and fully equipped. It could serve as a hub for social, educational, and wellness activities for our older residents—something that our city sorely needs.
However, when we inquired about the intended use for this property, the answer we received was vague at best: a public safety complex. But with the city consistently pleading poverty, it’s hard to believe that this vision will come to fruition any time soon. The likely reality? The San Pablo Avenue property will sit idle for years, a missed opportunity for a community desperately in need of accessible services for its seniors.
This situation raises significant questions about the city’s priorities. There seems to be a recurring theme of financial resources being available—or not—depending on what the city deems important. While essential services, like a senior center, are delayed or dismissed due to “lack of funds,” significant amounts are spent on properties that may not be utilized effectively or efficiently for years, if ever.
The potential for this site is enormous, yet it appears destined to languish unused while our seniors continue to lack a dedicated space. This is not just a matter of resources but of prioritization. It’s high time the city reassessed its priorities and considered how this property could be used to better serve our community.
Let’s not allow this valuable asset to go to waste. The Life in Christ property represents a tangible opportunity to provide something of real value to the citizens of El Cerrito, particularly our seniors, who have contributed so much to the fabric of this city. If the city is truly strapped for cash, then it should at least ensure that its investments serve the immediate and pressing needs of its residents. The alternative is an empty building, a wasted opportunity, and a community that continues to wait for the services it deserves.
Let’s demand that this property be put to good use—for the benefit of all.
If you believe the Life in Christ property should be repurposed as a senior center, make your voice heard. Contact the city council, attend meetings, and share this message with your neighbors. Together, we can ensure that this property doesn’t sit idle and instead serves a valuable purpose for our community.
Write to the El Cerrito City Council to express your support for this cause. The City Clerk’s email address, which can forward your message to the council members, is cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. You can also reach the City Clerk’s office by phone at (510) 215-4305. The office is 10890 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530.
Let’s take action now to create a senior center that truly benefits our community.
#ElCerrito #SeniorCenter #CityPlanning #CommunityFirst
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 
There’s no need to take time and spend money to convert the church into a senior center, because El Cerrito already has a ready-to-go place where it could have a senior center. Keep in mind that we already have a few schedule senior activities at the Community Center, we just don’t have a senior drop-in space.
At Hana Gardens the city has a large ground floor space with a nice sign over it that says “Senior Center.” What could be better? All they need to do is unlock the doors, relocate some of the scheduled senior classes and activities to this space, and leave it open as a drop-in center during other hours. They would need to pay for some furniture and a person to staff the drop-in hours. Maybe also a coffee maker and a few cans of Folgers.
Note that the city has recently announced that there will be an hour or two of drop-in time for seniors at the Community Center in the Garden Room. I am not sure about how busy that room is, but they could probably provide more than a couple of hours a week of drop-in there. Tho the Hana Gardens Senior Center space seems better.
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