Housing
As rents and home prices continue to skyrocket across California, a major ballot fight is brewing between tenants and the real estate industry over the state rent control law Costa Hawkins. Watch the video to learn more.
In late April, in a formerly empty lot at the corner of Northgate Avenue and 27th Street in Oakland, the city installed 20 sheds that will house up to 40 people who are currently living on the street. This area, being referred to by the city as the “Northgate Cabins,” is supposed to serve as the first step toward transitional, and eventually permanent, housing for homeless folks who live in nearby encampments. According to officials in the City Administrator’s Office,…
On Monday afternoon, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who represents California’s 13thDistrict, which includes Oakland, stood in front of a stage at the Barbara Lee Science and Allied Health Center at Merritt College in Oakland. She was speaking at a media briefing with three other members of Congress who belong to the Congressional Black Caucus(CBC) Diversity Task Force, which she co-chairs. “We here not only to discuss the lack of equity and inclusion, but also the broader impact that the tech sector…
Last year in June, East Bay-resident Dieudonné Brou graduated from UCLA in African American studies. During his commencement speech, he revealed himself as formerly incarcerated. Even though higher education offers a chance to break the cycle of recidivism, barriers like financial difficulties and social stigma are high for formerly incarcerated people.
Next time you drive through a massive pothole in Oakland, remember to dial 311. On Monday, the city announced the launch of OAK 311, a new service that facilitates communication between Oakland residents and the city’s various maintenance crews in charge of city services. In a press release sent Monday, Mayor Libby Schaaf said that one of her highest priorities is to make Oakland a “responsive and transparent government.” Now, residents calling from within Oakland can simply dial 311 to…
On the corner of 23rd Avenue and International Boulevard in East Oakland, there’s a colorful mural painted on the side of a building with the phrase “CULTURE IS A WEAPON” written in bold letters. In the center of the mural is an image of a raised fist in front of flames, surrounded by portraits of Black Panther party members, musicians, farmworkers and indigenous people. While the mural is surrounded by fences on all sides, its size and color make it…
In early April, members of The Village finally moved their first residents into what will serve as their home until next fall. The activist-led group has been working since mid-January to build houses for the homeless in Oakland’s San Antonio neighborhood. Barbara Verduzco, 65, now lives in the dark brown plywood-paneled home with her partner Charlie Griffin. The small space, 10 by 12 feet in all, fits a queen-sized bed, a large armoire, and a small chair and table. But…
Every sunny weekend since mid-January, volunteers have been building houses for the unsheltered residents of a local homeless encampment called The Village. Despite construction being pushed back due to rain, they are almost ready to move their first resident into a home. The Village is an activist-led group that’s been working to provide transitional housing to the homeless by building tiny homes on a plot of land at East 12th Street and 23rd Avenue, under a highway overpass in Oakland….
A number of community groups spoke at Tuesday’s Oakland City Council meeting in support of a resolution calling on the federal government to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to immigrants, and to create a path to permanent residency for those protected by the program that was recently eliminated by the Trump administration. TPS provides temporary residency to immigrants from countries affected by war or natural disasters. Oakland community members spoke largely in favor of residency protections for Haitian and El…