Bay Area

Is a Billionaire Serving Unhoused Oakland Residents Eviction Notices?

Published

5 years ago

January 9, 2020

Game Changer LLC has erected a fence and served eviction papers to nine unhoused Oakland residents. The fence pictured to the left surrounds the broken down RV that serves as Natasha Noel’s home, who is a long term Oakland resident. Photo by Zack Haber.

In mid-December, Game Changer LLC, delivered eviction notices to and erected a fence around nine unhoused residents who live on a tract of land west of Wood Street in West Oakland in an effort to force them to leave property the company owns but has left unused since its purchase.

Game Changer appears to be owned by Fred Craves, who owns or has owned two other corporations worth over a billion dollars each. Some of the nine unhoused residents have lived on the land for over eight years. The company has recently hired a security guard to keep watch over the area.

“With regard to the eviction suit, well over 90% of the campers who were on the private property left without the need for legal action,” said Pat Smith of Smith LLP, a firm representing Game Changer. “Almost all of them are looking forward to improved conditions that will result from the Safe Parking Center.”

Smith’s statement refers to a proposed city plan to convert the site temporarily into a city-run safe parking site for unhoused residents who live in vehicles. While city documents show plans for a new West Oakland safe parking site that had originally been set to open in November 2019, an email from October 2019 to The Oakland Post from Oakland Assistant City Administrator Joe DeVries, said that “the owner would need to clean [the site] thoroughly first before it could be developed into such use.”

If such a site were opened and were similar to other city-run safe parking sites, it wouldn’t be available to most of the nine residents still staying on Game Changer’s land. So far, the city run safe parking sites have only been available to those living in vehicles. Several of the residents on the land don’t live in vehicles, but in self-made homes or tents. Other city-run safe parking sites haven’t allowed oversized vehicles or vehicles that are inoperable. Several of the residents on the land live in large buses and one lives in a broken down RV. Other city-run safe parking sites also have limited resident stays to six months.

On Nov. 5 and 6, 2019, the City of Oakland and the Oakland Police Department cleared abandoned vehicles and asked residents on the site to leave. While it’s difficult to say how many were on the site at the time, most residents estimated the population at around 100. Most residents did leave when asked and many who left moved either to the curbside of Wood Street or onto bordering land owned by Caltrans. But some residents, with the support of a protest staged by more than three dozen Oaklanders, decided to stay on Game Changer’s land. Those who remained are now the ones both fenced in and subject to legal action by Game Changer.

“The owner of the property has entered into a lease with the City of Oakland to enable the city to operate the property as a safe parking center,” said Smith in a Jan. 3 email to The Oakland Post, confirming Game Changer’s plans to let the city use its site. “The initial term of the lease is 18 months from commencement of operations. Rent is one dollar per year.”

Neither Game Changer’s lawyers nor the City of Oakland have yet mentioned who the owner of the company is. But a search into California’s Secretary of State’s online service for information on LLCs shows that Frederick B. Craves, who also goes by Fred Craves, registered Game Changer LLC in June 2012.

While the company’s jurisdiction is listed as “Delaware,” its mailing address is listed in downtown San Francisco. Game Changer’s listed mailing address is the same as Bay City Capital LLC, which Craves registered in 1997 and whose website describes it as “a life science investment firm” that has over $1.3 billion in capital commitments.

In 2009, Forbes reported that Craves funded a firm called Reliant Pharmaceuticals, which he sold to a company called GlaxoSmithKline for $1.7 billion in cash in 2007.

The Oakland Post contacted Bay City Capital and spoke with Craves’ assistant, who said she would pass our inquiry onto Craves. At press time, Craves had not commented and it remains unclear what his intentions are for the site after the 18-month lease is up.

Zack Haber

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Activism

Post News Group to Host Second Town Hall on Racism, Hate Crimes

The mission of CRD is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations (businesses) and from hate violence and human trafficking in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Unruh Civil Rights Act, Disabled Persons Act, and Ralph Civil Rights Act. The employment anti-discrimination provisions of the FEHA apply to public and private employers, labor organizations and employment agencies. “Housing providers” includes public and private owners, real estate agents and brokers, banks, mortgage companies, and financial institutions.

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2024

Oakland Post

By Oakland Post Staff

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 5-6:30 p.m. PT, Post News Group Global Features Journalist Carla Thomas will host a second Virtual Town Hall on Racism.

Guests will include community builders Trevor Parham of Oakstop and Shawn Granberry of Hip Hop TV.

“There’s been an uptick of blatant racist acts going on in the community and it’s important for communities to have a forum, an outlet, and to be educated on the California Vs. Hate initiative that has resources available for victims and witnesses,” said Thomas. People like Trevor Parham and Shawn Granberry have found a multitude of ways to strengthen, heal, and protect the community through their entrepreneurial networks, special events, and mentoring.”

While community leaders step up, the state has added extra support with the CA vs. Hate, initiative, a non-emergency hate incident and hate crime reporting system to support individuals and communities targeted for hate.

“We are committed to making California a safer and inclusive place for all,” said James Williams, Jr. of the California Civil Rights Department.

In partnership with organizations across the state, the network is designed to support and protect diverse and underserved communities.

“Through CA vs. Hate, we support individuals and communities targeted for hate, identify options for next steps after an act of hate, and connect people with culturally competent resources and care coordination services,” said Williams.

“It’s important to report these incidents in order for us to use the data to enhance prevention and response services,” said Williams.

Funded by the California State Legislature, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) received funding and authorization from the State Legislature to establish the non-emergency, CA vs. Hate Resource Line and Network to support individuals and communities targeted for hate.

CRD began in 1959 with the creation of the Fair Employment Practices Commission to implement California’s first state-wide protections against discrimination in the workplace. In 1980, the 1959 Fair Employment Practices Act, and the 1963 Rumford Fair Housing Act were combined and rebranded FEHA. The Fair Employment Practices Commission became a department-level agency named the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) to enforce that law.

In July 2022, DFEH’s name changed to CRD to more accurately reflect the Department’s powers and duties, which include enforcement of laws prohibiting hate violence, human trafficking, discrimination in business establishments, and discrimination in government-funded programs and activities, among others.

For more information visit the PostNewsGroup.com and CAvsHATE.ORG.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Delta Sigma Theta Alumnae Chapters Host World AIDS Day Event

With members from Berkeley Bay Area, Oakland East Bay (OEB) and Hayward Tri-City chapters present, the event opened with Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid sharing data and legislation that has passed to address the safety, health, and well-being of Black women in the state of California. Attendees were able to learn directly from expert guest speakers, including Shimere Harrington from ViiV Healthcare, Barbara Green-Ajufo, an epidemiologist from UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), and Dot Theodore, director of the HIV Care Program Division of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Alameda County.

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2024

Oakland Post

Petrina A. Perteet, Takija Gardner and Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid at the World AIDS Day event on Dec. 1. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

By Don-Neva E. Johnson and Petrina Alexander Perteet
Special to The Post

The International Awareness and Involvement (IA&I) committees of East Bay chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. proudly hosted a successful World AIDS Day event on Dec.1, bringing together community members, healthcare professionals, and advocates to raise awareness and support the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Attendees were able to learn directly from expert guest speakers, including Shimere Harrington from ViiV Healthcare, Barbara Green-Ajufo, an epidemiologist from UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), and Dot Theodore, director of the HIV Care Program Division of Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Alameda County.

The speakers provided valuable insights into the current state of HIV/AIDS, advancements in treatment, and the importance of prevention and support.

L-R Petrina A. Perteet, Dr. Natalie Wilson, Don-Neva Johnson, Tracy Diop, Sonji Walker and Takija Gardner were part of the World AIDS Day event. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

“The outcome of this day is more than what we could have hoped for, and we are deeply grateful for the participation of our distinguished speakers and the support of our sponsors,” said Don-Neva Johnson and Tracy Diop, IA&I committee chairs for Berkeley Bay Area and Hayward Tri-City.

“Their contributions helped us create an informative and empowering event for our community,” said event organizer Dr. Natalie Wilson, associate professor of UCSF School of Nursing and IA&I committee chair.

Held at the Samuel Merritt Health Education Center at 400 Hawthorne Ave. in Oakland, the event was made possible by the generous support of sponsors ViiV healthcare, Gilead Sciences, and Good Health WINs. Attendees received gift bags and had the opportunity to engage with educational tables from Gilead, participate in a Q&A session with speakers led by Wilson.

Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated is an organization of college-educated women committed to the development of its members and offer public service with a primary focus on the Black community. We are dedicated to empowering our communities through education, advocacy, and support around the world.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Self-eSTEM Empowers BIPOC Women, Girls in Science, Math

In January 2025, Self-eSTEM will launch digital and generative AI programming, which provides digital literacy and AI literacy training through an entrepreneurial project-based activity. This programming will be a hybrid (i.e. in-person and online). Additionally, thanks to a grant from Comcast, in spring 2025, the organization will have a co-ed series for middle and high school students.

Published

3 days ago

December 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Adamaka Ajaelo. Courtesy photo.

By Y’Anad Burrell
Special to The Post

In a world where technology plays an increasingly central role in all aspects of life, the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education cannot be overstated. Recognizing the significance of STEM for the future, focusing on young women and girls is a critical step in achieving gender equality and empowering the next generation.

Self-eSTEM, an Oakland-based non-profit organization, was founded by Adamaka Ajaelo, an Oakland native who had a successful corporate career with several Bay Area technology and non-tech companies. Ajaelo boldly decided to step away from these companies to give 100% of her time and talent to the non-profit organization she started in 2014 in the belief that she can change the game in innovation and future STEM leaders.

Over the course of a decade, Ajaelo has provided futurist tech programming to more than 2,000 BIPOC women and girls. The organization has an Early STEM Immersion Program for ages 7-17, Emerging Leaders Workshops for ages 18-25 and volunteer network opportunities for ages 25 and up.

While the organization’s programs center on innovation and technology, participants also gain other valuable skills critical for self-development as they prepare for a workforce future. “Self-eSTEM encourages young women to expand on teamwork, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The organization allows young women to enter STEM careers and pathways,” said Trinity Taylor, a seventh-year innovator.

“Our journey over the last decade is a testament to the power of community and opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds as we continue to break barriers and spark dreams,” said Ajaelo.

“By encouraging girls to explore STEM fields from a young age, we foster their intellectual growth and equip them with the tools needed to thrive in a competitive global economy,” Ajaelo says.

Empowering young girls through STEM education is also a key driver of innovation and progress. When young women and girls are encouraged to pursue careers in STEM, they bring unique perspectives and problem-solving approaches to the table, leading to more diverse and inclusive solutions. This diversity is crucial for driving creativity and pushing boundaries in scientific and technological advancements.

Self-eSTEM has fundraising opportunities year-round, but year-end giving is one of the most critical times to support the program. Visit www.selfestem.org to donate to the organization, as your generosity and support will propel programming support for today’s innovators.

You will also find more details about Self-eSTEM’s programs on their website and social channels @selfestemorg