Public Policy
This week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced adjustments in funding for low-income housing subsidies that will reduce federal funding for Section 8 vouchers in Oakland.
While the East Bay Municipal Utility District is suffering the worst drought since its founding in 1923, its 1.3 million users face no danger of going dry anytime soon. That was the message from EBMUD board members and operations staff at their Tuesday public meeting. Infrastructure investments, conservation, and transfers–buying water from the Sacramento River–together mean the East Bay is weathering this Stage 4 drought better than most of California. According to the state’s own data, the EBMUD staff are…
Activists are promoting Mobile Justice CA, an app created by the ACLU of California which enables users to record and report police actions in their community.
While most Californians support the End of Life Options Act that Governor Jerry Brown signed into effect today, there was a notable disparity in the opinions of the African American demographic.
Undocumented children under the age of 18 may soon qualify for full Medi-Cal coverage if Governor Jerry Brown signs Senate Bill 4 before the October 11 deadline.
State representatives report back from Sacramento on their 2015 achievements. The key topics of conversation were education, healthcare and the state budget.
The California State Bar’s Public Law Section has named Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker the 2015 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year (PLOY). The award is named after retired the California Supreme Court justice, and honors members of the State Bar who have demonstrated at least a five-year commitment to public law and have achieved exceptional accomplishments in the practice of public law. “It’s the highest recognition that I could receive, because it’s from your peers who know your…
East Bay residents are joining with demonstrators across the state to protest against what advocates call “solitary confinement” on the 23rd of each month. The first joint protest was on held in downtown Oakland on March 23, and demonstrators will continue to meet monthly. The date was chosen “to signify the 23 hours a day that these men spend in these tiny cages when they’re subject to solitary confinement” said Laura Magnani, program director at Healing Justice, and the director at…
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…