Development
Javier Amaro is one of hundreds of people in Oakland who have started reusing “greywater”—or run-off water—in their homes. California’s laws recently changed to allow certain kinds of greywater reuse systems to be installed without requiring permits, so residents are increasingly conserving water from their showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines and more.
One of the City of Oakland’s goals is to become a model green city, according to its sustainability program. For the past year and a half, the city has been hashing out an Energy and Climate Action Plan (ECAP) to identify and prioritize what it can do to lower Oakland’s greenhouse gas emissions and reduce energy use.
A legion of small specialty food companies is moving into Oakland’s industrial spaces that have been left vacant by big food producers thanks to affordable rent, city support and a little help from local business nonprofits.
During the morning rush hour, commuters in cities across the East Bay climb into a stranger’s car. It’s part of casual carpooling, an informal ride-share system to save time and money while crossing the Bay Bridge. But a recent toll increase is causing turmoil in the casual carpool community.
After meeting resistance three years ago to a proposal for converting a lakeside parking garage into a 37-story apartment building, a local real estate developer is back with what he says is a greener, more innovative plan for the project.
In January, Jerry Brown will return to Sacramento as California’s governor. How did his eight years in Oakland influence his thinking about housing, arts, education and leadership, and can the criticism, praise and ambivalence he drew from Oakland residents shed light on what’s store for California?
On Wednesday, more than 300 people attended the Oakland Small Business Expo and Matchmaking Fair at the Asian Cultural Center located in Chinatown. The expo, co-sponsored by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and Pacific Gas Electric Company (PG&E), aimed to help connect small businesses to contract and procurement opportunities from utility companies and government agencies.
It was standing room only at City Hall Wednesday night as Oakland Athletics fans packed a planning commission meeting to cheer a proposal for a new baseball stadium near Jack London Square.
Over the past year, Alameda County residents have called in a rising number of complaints about opossums, skunks, raccoons and other small animals invading their backyards—all signs that human clashes with wildlife might be on the rise.