Housing

Oakland’s City Council took steps Wednesday night to address the city’s current housing problem by unanimously approving the “Housing Action Plan and Policy Framework” set out in the “Oakland Housing Equity Roadmap.” The policy seeks to prevent the displacement of long-time residents, build new affordable housing, and improve housing habitability and tenant health while maintaining affordability.

The fate of this seemingly forgettable public parcel has been the latest skirmish on the frontlines of gentrification.

The agencies claim the motel is a center for human trafficking and other criminal activity.

The building is the result of collaboration between the West Oakland public charter elementary school and BRIDGE Housing, a non-profit housing developer

In the corner of the Ethiopian Community Center in Oakland sits a young lawyer, waiting for his clients to arrive. It’s past lunchtime, and the delicious aroma of Ethiopian food still lingers in the air. With a gust of wind, the door swings open and in walks a client, seeking Tadios Belay’s help. And so starts his day. “We provide free immigration services and legal representation for African immigrants,” said Belay, the founder of the Horn of Africa Human Rights…

The Oakland housing market has gotten so high-priced that some residents have decided to think creatively and chosen a shipping container as their home.

“What is happening in there?” This is the question that Aubrey Vora, who has an unusual job title in a brand-new Oakland communal living setup, hopes people will ask as they walk by “The Canopy,” a tall building with barred windows four blocks from the Lake Merritt BART station. Vora has been designated one of two “House Catalysts” for The Canopy, meaning that she will help steer the house culture and select its 7-10 new residents, who will move in…