When the great earthquake of 1906 shook San Francisco, there was one place that stood firm as a refuge for the people who lost their homes. Oakland, the largest city in Alameda County, has now become a bustling community that offers more than just a haven. Today, the Port of Oakland is the busiest in the Bay Area making it the region’s trading center. Busy shipyards and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry have caused many businesses and workers to set their sights on Oakland.

The boom in Oakland’s population has led to the burgeoning housing scene today. With neighborhoods continuing to develop, local multifamily contractors are an important part of the city’s growth. Our team has compiled a list of the ten best multifamily contractors in Oakland. They were picked because of their impressive list of accolades, services, and the quality of their work.

Lennar Multifamily Communities (LMC)

492 9th Street, Suite 300 Oakland, CA 94607

Building a great American community starts with creating wonderful living spaces. Since 2011, Lennar Multifamily Communities has been accomplishing this with their stunning high-rise, mid-rise, and garden apartments. Despite being a young firm, they have created over 70 communities across California and neighboring states. Under president Todd Farrell’s leadership, the firm is recognized as the country’s fourth-largest apartment developer. From inception to operation, LMC offers a wide array of services to ensure top quality in every living space they create.

The firm’s Multifamily Construction and Development services are ideal for those looking to make apartments that provide residents with the best living environment while enhancing the surrounding neighborhood. LMC also builds pet-friendly amenities for their animal-loving clients as well as smart homes that maximize sustainability, technology, and wi-fi connectivity to increase functionality. The company’s Investment and Property Management services provide apartment managers that can aid in their operations.

LMC has landed a spot in the National Multifamily Housing Council Top 50 from 2015 to the present. This prestigious group has even welcomed the firm into its ranks as a formal member. LMC builds have also raked in numerous awards and nominations.

Riaz Capital

2744 E 11th Street Oakland, CA 94601

Riaz Capital creates ideal living spaces for the Bay Area’s young professionals. When the region became one of California’s economic powerhouses, housing prices began to rise. The firm helps to alleviate this problem by developing affordable multifamily communities and taking into account the median salary of workers around the area. While they are budget-friendly, all Riaz Capital properties are also modern and functional. 

The firm is an integrated group of 60 operations and construction professionals and offers various services including construction, property development, and operation. From manufacturing facilities to parish schools, Riaz Capital is skilled at reinventing existing properties into world-class housing. 

Working together since 1977, the team is under the supervision of company namesake Riaz Taplin who is a second-generation real estate entrepreneur. He has a decade of experience in luxury homes and nearly two decades in workforce housing. Over the years Taplin has amassed over $500 million in real estate projects, aiming to reach the $1 billion mark in 2024. Knowing that his multifamily builds contribute to both the client and society, Riaz has joined numerous social-impact organizations including Oakland Promise, the Bay Area urban planning think tank SPUR, and the American India Foundation.

Brown Construction Incorporated

1465 Enterprise Boulevard West Sacramento, CA 95691

At Brown Construction Incorporated, the buildings are as solid as the company’s commitment to their community. While they offer contracting services for commercial, civil, and academic properties, their multifamily construction work has been the firm’s backbone since 1964. Brown Construction provides a wide array of delivery methods across the western United States for those looking to build or renovate their buildings. 

President Ron Brown currently leads the company after his father stepped down. With an educational background in construction management and decades of experience, Brown has expanded the firm’s repertoire of services. Brown, along with Executive Vice President Liz McCapes, oversees the firm’s multifamily projects. Both Brown and McCapes specialize in affordable, market-rate, senior, and student housing. 

As an extension of their service to the community, Brown Construction is dedicated to protecting the local environment. For more than two decades the company has been working with sustainable design and green building practices. Their eco-friendly efforts have led to them earning the praise of LEED, Build it Green, CALGreen Tier, and Net-Zero ratings. Their approach of going the extra mile has also been lauded by the AIA and PCBC.

Anton DevCo, Inc.

1676 N California Blvd, Suite 250, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Anton DevCo, Inc.’s portfolio proves that affordability and quality can co-exist. Having experience with clients of various socioeconomic backgrounds, this firm guarantees that affordable housing is indistinguishable from market-rate construction. Their signature contemporary stylings and environmentally conscious construction shine through in all of their builds.

Aside from construction, the company also offers development and property management services. Anton DevCo, Inc. strategically develops untapped plots of land in prime locations, taking into consideration the proximity to the area’s key amenities. 

The Anton DevCo, Inc. team has been enlisted to create over 10,000 apartment units across 60 communities, raking in over $2 billion in profits. Founder Steve Eggert has led the team through every project, using his background in real estate law and two decades of experience in construction.

Branagh Construction

750 Kevin CT. Oakland, CA 94621

For four generations, Branagh Construction has been delivering some of the most sought-after multifamily properties in the East Bay. Since 1917, the firm has not only been producing quality builds, but they have been establishing long-lasting partnerships with local subcontractors, clients, and city officials. These wonderful relationships are the secret to all of their phenomenal builds.

In the past century, Branagh Construction has constructed, rehabilitated, and renovated some of the most well-known communities in the region. They are even responsible for the first live-work condominium conversion in the Bay Area. Whether a project is affordable, market-rate, senior, or luxury housing, the firm can form the perfect team from their large pool of craftsmen. 

John Branagh, the company’s current president, grew up working in the family business. Before inheriting the position, John delved into project engineering and managing in Texas. Today, John wields two decades worth of experience as he oversees the company.

Holland Partner Group

1970 Broadway #300 Oakland, CA 94612

Holland Partner Group is a fully integrated real estate development company with over 750 professionals across five business units. Each unit is dedicated to providing a specific service for the firm including development, construction, redevelopment, property management, and investment. With a large team, Holland Partner Group can cater to a client’s unique multifamily construction needs.

A premier developer of local urban infill, Holland Partner Group’s development arm selects key locations that are perfect for a multifamily community. After the development team’s planning, they partner with the construction and operations teams to handle the work from design to closeout. If a project requires a spruce up or expansion, the redevelopment team offers both indoor and outdoor renovation.

Photo by Steven J. Magner

Aside from creating great facilities, Holland Partner Group’s residential team also provides communities with the staff they need for quality service. The firm currently operates 55 communities today. For multifamily properties with untapped potential, the group’s investment arm finances and manages these properties to maximize their profits.

Under the leadership of Clyde Holland, the company has directed over 50,000 units and has earned over $20 billion in transactional value since 2001. He specializes in urban planning and design, winning awards from the Multi-Family Executive, National Multi-family Housing Council, and Urban Land Institute.

Dettaglio Construction, Inc.

1716 N. Main Street, Suite 200 Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Italian for “detail,” Dettaglio Construction Inc. (DCI) guarantees that excellence is delivered down to the last detail. From design to the final product, this company takes a meticulous approach to ensure that every feature of their multifamily communities are done to perfection. The team provides the greater Bay Area a wide array of services for different phases of the construction process.

DCI’s programming, pre-lease, and pre-construction services lay the groundwork for every project by providing a detailed construction plan. The firm is willing to accommodate any client’s specifications, with General Contracting, Design-Build, and CM at Risk serving as their main delivery methods. Even after DCI completes a project, their closeout warranty is in place to reassure clients that any potential repair needed will be performed.

President and founder Todd DiMartino is a seasoned real estate mogul with two successful construction companies. Before DCI, DiMartino founded Skyline Construction Inc. which gained over $250 million in sales under his guidance. He would then later create DCI using his expertise in project management. DiMartino’s success stems from his exposure to various aspects of residential construction from his past experiences working with national and regional developers.

Bjork Construction Company Inc.

330 2nd Street, #204 Oakland CA 94607

Exceeding their clients’ expectations for two generations, Bjork Construction Company (BCC) builds trust through their award-winning contractor work. BCC is a premier woman-owned company whose sustainable building efforts have been recognized by the Alameda County Green Business Program and CA Bay Area Green Business Awards. 

Since 1988, BCC has built and renovated thousands of multifamily communities across Northern California. The firm primarily offers general contracting and design-build services for residential and commercial properties. They also offer carpentry subcontracting with a knack for trellises, decks, benches, siding, timber elements, and wooden landscape features. 

President Jean Bjork is known for her expertise and love for the community. Aside from leading BCC, she is also the co-founder of BIG Oakland which is a coworking space for the city’s construction industry. Jean is also the President of Community Rehabilitation Partners, a development company that works with local governments to create affordable housing.

Cahill Contractors 

1111 Broadway Suite 1340 Oakland, CA 94607

Cahill Contractors’ excellent work has allowed them to be in business for over 110 years. With Kathryn Cahill Thompson now assuming the position of president, the firm has delivered quality construction for four generations. Many of the residential, commercial, and institutional buildings seen around the Bay Area today were built by the Cahill Contractors’ team. 

Handling construction needs from conceptualization to closeout, Cahill Contractors employ BIM to create 3D models that guide the building process. The firm performs their own concrete, framing, and carpentry to ensure that every detail is customized for a project. They are also accredited by LEED for their incorporation of green building materials and techniques into their projects.

With a wide range of multifamily projects in their portfolio, Cahill Contractors can create affordable, market-rate, senior, and assisted living communities. While the team can deliver any facility a client may require, they are particularly skilled at community, religious, and athletic facilities.

D+H Construction

2107 Kearney Street El Cerrito, CA 94530

Since 1981, D+H Construction has worked with NPH Northern California to create affordable and market-rate housing that is indistinguishable from the expensive counterparts. Their commitment to the communities they build has led to many repeat clients. The company is also devoted to improving their business practices, an approach that SHRM, CalChamber, and Culture of Care have recognized. 

From design to warranty work, D+H Construction handles every aspect of the building or renovating process. Aside from building market-rate and affordable housing, the team also constructs assisted living and senior communities. They are accredited by the USGBC for their use of eco-friendly contractor services. The crew’s quality builds earned them a seat in guilds such as AIA, EBHO, and Marin Builders Association. 

D+H Construction is also well-versed in rehabilitating facilities. Their occupied rehabilitation is a non-intrusive process that allows for the necessary renovations to be performed without interrupting current residents. The company’s historical rehabilitation is geared towards properties of cultural significance, employing techniques that restore and increase the longevity of a building without changing the fundamental stylings.

With 21 years of experience, fourth-generation builder Marshall Snow personally oversees all of D+H Construction’s projects. Snow has been involved in the business for most of his life, has hands-on experience with all of the firm’s services, and has worked with many of the company’s current partners.