Kamala Harris’s homes over the years have included numerous California pads, a Washington, DC, condo, and the official residence of the vice president. Of course, the California native now has her eye on a new pad: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Earlier this month, President Biden suspended his run for a second term and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the position. If the 49th veep ascends to the presidency, she’ll be shuttling her belongings from Number One Observatory Circle, the official vice presidential abode, straight to the White House.
A California native, Harris spent most of her early years in Berkeley but moved to Canada when she was a young teen. After graduating from Howard University in Washington, DC, Harris returned to California to attend law school and began her career there. She entered her term as vice president owning three properties, but quickly sold two of them once she was sworn in. She and her husband still own a mansion out in California. Below, we take a look at some of the places the presidential hopeful has called home.
Berkeley home
Although she was born in Oakland, California, most of Harris’s early childhood was spent in a nondescript duplex apartment located above a day care facility in an area of West Berkeley known as the flatlands (her parents met as graduate students at UC Berkeley). Reports state that efforts to landmark the duplex fell through because neighbors believed the attention and traffic coming into the area would disturb their way of life. During her early teen years, Harris relocated to Montreal when her mother accepted a research and teaching position. Harris lived there until she moved to Washington, DC, to attend Howard University.
Oakland apartment
It was back to her place of birth once Harris began her law career working as a prosecutor in Alameda County. Her Oakland apartment was a one-bedroom condo with floor-to-ceiling windows that provided views of Lake Merritt, a 155-acre lake in the center of Oakland. Harris reportedly paid $116,000 for the 1,125-square-foot aerie and sold it in 1998 once she began working at the district attorney’s office in San Francisco.
San Francisco apartment
Located in San Fran’s trendy SoMa neighborhood, Harris’s approximately 1,000-square-foot penthouse occupied two floors—with the bedroom, full bath, and walk-through closet located in the loft area and a double-height living space that included living, dining, and kitchen areas, plus a half bathroom and an alcove. In 2021, assured that she’d be spending most of her time in Washington, DC—at least for the foreseeable future—Harris said goodbye to her San Francisco loft less than one month after being sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States and just one week after putting the home on the market. In San Francisco’s tight housing market, the sale of Harris’s $799,000 condo was never destined to drag on for months. Not only was the sale swift, but it was also profitable, as she reportedly only paid $489,000 for the place back in 2004, almost doubling her investment.
Brentwood mansion
Vice President Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, still own a mansion in Brentwood, California, estimated by Zillow to be worth $5 million. Emhoff reportedly bought the manse in 2012, and Harris became co-owner once they tied the knot two years later. The four-bedroom home is where the couple lived before Harris took up her post at the White House.
Washington, DC, condo
When Harris became a US senator in 2017, she promptly bought a luxury condo in the Westlight building, which was completed only one year prior and is located in DC’s upscale West End neighborhood. Building amenities include a heated rooftop swimming pool, rooftop gardens, a high-tech gym, and a building concierge, while Harris’s unit boasted floor-to-ceiling windows, custom Italian cabinetry, and spa bathrooms with teak shower floors. Harris paid $1.775 million for the new digs. Six months after she and first gentleman Doug Emhoff moved into the official vice president’s house, she listed the condo for $1.995 million, ultimately selling it for $1.85 million.
Blair House
Due to scheduled renovations, Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff were unable to move into their official residence until April of 2021. During the interim, the couple was hosted by President Joe Biden at Blair House, the official president’s guesthouse. The grand dwelling features 14 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms, and it is a combination of four row houses that sit directly across the street from the White House. At a whopping 60,600 square feet, it’s even larger than the White House itself, which comes in at approximately 55,000 square feet. Another 19th-century abode, Blair House was built in 1824 for a surgeon general of the US Army and was bought by the US government in 1942. The grand domicile features three formal dining rooms, two large conference rooms, a beauty salon, a gym, two separate hot and cold kitchens, and a library that boasts more than 1,500 books. Blair House’s hallowed halls have graciously welcomed dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Thatcher, and even Vladimir Putin.
The official residence of the vice president of the United States
Ever since Walter Mondale took up residence there in 1977, every vice president of the United States has called the white 19th-century Queen Anne–style house at Number One Observatory Circle home during their tenure. Originally built for the superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory, the 1893 build sits on the grounds of the USNO in northwestern Washington, DC, 2.5 miles from the White House. Surrounded by lush landscaping and mature trees, the stately home’s gardens have been the backdrop to many Harris-hosted celebrations, including special holiday events for Diwali.
Inside, 33 rooms are spread across 9,000 square feet of living space. Public rooms used for entertaining are located on the first floor, and private quarters are situated upstairs. Before moving in, Harris called on AD100 designer Sheila Bridges to infuse the home with her personal style. “This was an opportunity to celebrate American design and crafts and small artisans,” Bridges told The Washington Post. “The house needed to reflect her California sensibilities and a more modern aesthetic…. I wanted it to have a modern feel and lots of interesting details reflecting the vice president’s cultural heritage from India and Africa.” Drawing from colors of a crape myrtle tree right outside the window, Bridges used pink wallpaper on the walls of the library, seen here in fashion designer Prabal Gurung’s visit for Diwali. The rest of the house features a neutral palette. Highlights of the home include features like round turret rooms, inglenook fireplaces, a wrap-around veranda, and even a heated pool.