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Alameda County

An Oakland Homeless Shelter Is Showing How a Housing and Healthcare First Approach Can Work

Hundreds of tents and abandoned vehicles now dot major streets and neighborhoods of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, this problem is expected to worsen as the housing market skyrockets and the cost of living becomes unattainable for most Americans.

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Oak Days shelter, once a Days Hotel, resides in the Hegenberger corridor of Oakland. It is used as a temporary home to 60 residents who have experienced chronic homelessness or are medically vulnerable. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.
Oak Days shelter, once a Days Hotel, resides in the Hegenberger corridor of Oakland. It is used as a temporary home to 60 residents who have experienced chronic homelessness or are medically vulnerable. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

Hundreds of tents and abandoned vehicles now dot major streets and neighborhoods of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, this problem is expected to worsen as the housing market skyrockets and the cost of living becomes unattainable for most Americans.

As one of California’s biggest public policy challenges, over the past four years, the state has allocated nearly $20 billion to housing and homelessness initiatives. Despite this substantial investment, the issue does not seem to be easing. Instead, the number of people without stable housing is surging.

A 2022 Point In Time (PIT) Count showed that there were 9,747 homeless individuals living on the streets in Alameda County, an almost 22% increase from the 2019 count of 8,022 homeless individuals. Many reports estimate that this number will rise once the 2024 data is released.

Amongst the many initiatives to end homelessness, the 2016 Senate Bill 1380 established California as a “housing first” state that would provide assistance, programs and funding to those experiencing homelessness. The bill recognized that the evidence-based model of prioritizing housing could end all types of homelessness and is the most effective approach to ending chronic homelessness.

In the years following the passage of the law, doctors, county officials and a community organization came together to create a first of its kind shelter to combat homelessness with housing and healthcare: the Oak Days shelter. Located in the Hegenberger corridor of Oakland, this facility, once a Days Hotel, now houses 60 individuals, some who are medically fragile.

As local counties navigated how to isolate people during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the state obtained federal funding to begin Project Roomkey, an initiative providing non-congregate shelter options, such as hotels and motels for people experiencing homelessness, to protect life and minimize strain on the healthcare system.

Dr. Alexis Chettiar, a medical director in Alameda County, witnessed firsthand how the coronavirus disease took over the lives of the most vulnerable populations who were too sick to remain stable unless they had hands-on supportive health care and permanent housing.

She also noticed a trend of medically vulnerable individuals with psychiatric illnesses or substance abuse issues being expelled from nursing homes, often ending up in encampments or unsheltered conditions.

This observation would inspire her, along with fellow medical director Catherine Hayes, to start Cardea Health, supported by county funding.

“What we really wanted to do was to be able to layer on the medical services to a permanent supportive housing environment so that people could age in place, they could stay there, no matter how their care needs change over time. They could stay there through the end of their life,” Chettiar said.

Cardea Health provides medical and personal care for almost 60 patients across two sites. One of these sites is an Old Comfort Inn that was also transformed into a shelter for those experiencing homelessness and chronic illnesses. The medical team assists with tasks such as injecting insulin, administering dialysis, helping patients use the restroom or get dressed.

Chettiar shared that she’s seen people as young as 40 years old with health-related issues mimicking that of an 80-year-old. Some individuals had untreated wounds that led to infections or chronic illnesses that went untreated for years, leading to immense suffering before they were able to receive medical attention.

The harsh conditions of living on the streets have exacerbated what could’ve been manageable situations, into a full-blown health crisis that ultimately put them on the priority list for Cardea’s health assistance.

UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative conducted a survey of 3,200 people to study who is experiencing homelessness, how they became homeless, what their experiences are and what is preventing them from exiting homelessness.

Data from those surveys showed that 45% of those experiencing homelessness reported poor or fair health and 60% reported having a chronic illness. Participants also reported that being homeless worsened their physical and mental health.

Of those experiencing health problems, 23% couldn’t access necessary healthcare in the prior six months. Additionally, 38% visited emergency departments without hospitalization and 21% reported a hospitalization for a physical health concern.

Chettiar stated that the work at Cardea is intended to reduce hospital visits for those living on the streets, providing essential care where it’s needed most.

The county announced in February that they obtained federal and state grants to transform Oak Days into permanent housing. 140 units will be available to those experiencing chronic homelessness, 60 of those units set aside specifically for those with medical needs.

“It’s very hard for someone to be well if they don’t have a safe place to be and they don’t have a home. So I think the more that we start to think of housing as a health care need, the more successful we’re going to be,” Colleen Budenholzer, Alameda Housing Portfolio Manager, said.

Budenholzer manages sites like Oak Days through the county’s Office of Homeless Care and Coordination. She previously worked for the Coordinated Entry Program, which refers people to resources that assist them in ending their homelessness.

Budenholzer and former Housing Portfolio manager Mona Palacios acknowledged a direct connection to health and housing, saying that the healthcare outcomes and life expectancy rates are much different to that of the average person.

They explained that although some in the shelter who are not under care for the medically frail have transitioned out of Oak Days into other permanent housing, the majority of those under Cardea’s assistance are receiving end of life care to make the time they have left more comfortable.

The county hopes to create and fund programs that will assist with those who are not in such drastic needs, but for now, that is where their resources and focus lies.

In 2020, Alameda announced a new plan called Home Together 2026 to reduce homelessness and housing issues in the county. Researchers and officials estimated that it would take $2.6 billion and the building of over 24,000 units and subsidy slots to achieve their goals.

Palacios stated that although the plan is certainly a step in the right direction, the only thing that will truly help address homelessness is the decrease in the cost of living across the country.

“Housing is just too expensive for people whether it’s homeownership or rental. It’s going to continue to be a problem, not just in the Bay Area, not just California. It seems like a nationwide problem,” Palacios said.

Steve Good, president and CEO of Five Keys, told the Post that while housing-first is key, it is not the end all to help individuals once they’re able to receive those services. He believes more resources should go to address individuals’ complex needs that often stem from their unsheltered times.

“We still need more rooms, but we need a hell of a lot more money pumped into mental health and substance abuse issues. And we need to have better enforcement programs in place to get people off the streets so they’re not dying with needles in their arms or laying in their own feces,” Good said.

Five Keys is a nonprofit that focuses on workforce development, education, reentry and housing, and oversees the staff at Oak Days, who manage the site as it transitions into permanent housing. Staff works directly with the residents at the shelter to help them with their everyday needs, aside from what they require from Cardea Health.

Those involved at Oak Days acknowledged that solutions are far and few in between, citing systemic barriers that force and keep these individuals on the streets, such as lack of access to healthcare, racial barriers, lack of mental health resources, the housing crisis and more.

But despite the continuous struggle to bring more awareness to the issue, Oak Days is showing that empathy and prioritization from county organizations and departments can alleviate the stress on these vulnerable individuals.

Residents can be seen and heard boasting about the staff at the shelter, stating that without Cardea or Five Keys, they would still be on the streets or dead. Some residents have even gone on to finding jobs and leaving the shelter because of the support that was offered to them that allowed them to get back on their feet after years of suffering.

Chettiar reported that the shelter has seen an 80% reduction in use of hospitals, emergency rooms and emergency psychiatric services for people who are assisted by Cardea and Five Keys, which translates to about $8 million in medical and healthcare savings.

New sites, similar to Oak Days, are scheduled to open as soon as 2025. Cardea Health and Five Keys will be a part of assisting these future developments.

“We’ve got a long way to go but it’s been a huge improvement for so many people who really had had no options for a very long time,” Chettiar said.

Activism

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).

By Scott Horton

United States House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) will be a speaker at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 21.

The event will be held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 Tenth Street in Oakland, at 7 p.m.

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

The overarching goal of the lecture series is to provide speakers from diverse backgrounds a platform to offer their answers to Dr. King’s urgent question, which is also the title of Jeffries’ latest book: “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?”

In addition to Jeffries, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) will also speak.

“Certainly, now is a time for humanity, in general, and Americans in particular to honestly and genuinely answer Dr. King’s question,” said Dr. Roy D. Wilson, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Executive Producer of the lecture series.

“Dr. King teaches that time is neutral but not static. Like the water in a river, it arrives and then quickly moves on,” continued Wilson. “We must urgently create conditions for listening to many different answers to this vital question, and generate the development of unity of action among all those who struggle for a stronger democracy.”

In his book, Jeffries shares his experience of being unanimously elected by his colleagues as the first African American in history to ever hold the position of House Minority Leader.

In January 2023 in Washington, Jeffries made his first official speech as House Minority Leader. He affirmed Democratic values one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words and how he framed them as the alphabet caught the attention of Americans, and the speech was later turned into a book, The ABCs of Democracy, bringing Congressman Jeffries rousing speech to vivid, colorful life, including illustrations by Shaniya Carrington. The speech and book are inspiring and urgent as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a country with equal opportunities for all. Jeffries paints a road map for a brighter American future and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

Before his colleagues unanimously elected him Minority Leader in 2022, Jeffries previously served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as an Impeachment Manager during the first Senate trial of the 45th President of the United States.

Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church and he is a product of New York City’s public school system, graduating from Midwood High School. Jefferies went on to Binghamton University (BA), Georgetown University (master’s in public policy) and New York University (JD).

He served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Admission is free for the Feb. 21 Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series featuring Congressman Jeffries. Please reserve seats by calling the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center at (510) 434-3988.

Signed copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

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Alameda County

After Years of Working Remotely, Oakland Requires All City Employees to Return to Office by April 7

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week. These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

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Oakland City Hall. File photo.
Oakland City Hall. File photo.

By Post Staff

The City Oakland is requiring all employees to return to the office, thereby ending the telecommuting policy established during the pandemic that has left some City Hall departments understaffed.

City Administrator Jestin Johnson recently told city unions that he is ending Oakland’s telecommuting program. The new policy will require employees to come to work at least four days a week.

These new regulations go into effect on Feb. 18 for non-union department heads, assistant and deputy directors, managers, and supervisors. All other employees must be back at work by April 7.

The administration may still grant the right to work remotely on a case-by-case basis.

In his memo to city unions, Johnson said former President Joe Biden had declared an end to the pandemic in September 2022, and that since then, “We have collectively moved into newer, safer health conditions.”

Johnson said “multiple departments” already have all their staff back in the office or workplace.

The City’s COVID-era policy, enacted in September 2021, was designed to reduce the spread of the debilitating and potentially fatal virus.

Many cities and companies across the country are now ending their pandemic-related remote work policies. Locally, mayoral candidate Loren Taylor in a press conference made the policy a central issue in his campaign for mayor.

City Hall reopened for in-person meetings two years ago, and the city’s decision to end remote work occurred before Taylor’s press conference.

At an endorsement meeting last Saturday of the John George Democratic Club, mayoral candidate Barbara Lee said she agreed that city workers should return to the job.

At the same time, she said, the city should allow employees time to readjust their lives, which were disrupted by the pandemic, and should recognize individual needs, taking care to maintain staff morale.

The John George club endorsed Lee for Mayor and Charlene Wang for City Council representative for District 2. The club also voted to take no position on the sales tax measure that will be on the April 15 ballot.

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Alameda County

Mayor Jenkins Leads All-Star Community Cleanup

“Oakland is putting its best foot forward in anticipation of the thousands of fans that will be celebrating the NBA All-Star Games,” said Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “As the City continues to double down on blight and beautification in East Oakland, we also know community partnerships like this are essential for the sustained health of Oakland’s communities. I am incredibly grateful for the community for reaching out to my office to help put together these events and I look forward to continuing this work long after the All-Star games are done.”

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Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins Community Clean-Up.
Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins Community Clean-Up.

By Post Staff

Mayor Kevin Jenkins, in partnership with the City of Oakland, PG&E, Tip Top Shape, Wiseguys Motorcycle Club, The Dragons Motorcycle Club, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), CEO, and Prayerline Ministries, hosted two community cleanup events in preparation for the NBA All-Star festivities.

The cleanups focus on beautifying the Coliseum and Hegenberger neighborhoods.

“Oakland is putting its best foot forward in anticipation of the thousands of fans that will be celebrating the NBA All-Star Games,” said Oakland Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “As the City continues to double down on blight and beautification in East Oakland, we also know community partnerships like this are essential for the sustained health of Oakland’s communities. I am incredibly grateful for the community for reaching out to my office to help put together these events and I look forward to continuing this work long after the All-Star games are done.”

“I’m excited to partner with the Office of the Mayor and incredible community and corporate partners like PG&E, Tip Top Shape, Wiseguys Motorcycle Club, The Dragons Motorcycle Club, AASEG, CEO, and Prayerline Ministries for this much-needed cleanup ahead of the NBA All-Star Games,” said Samantha Wise, founder and executive director of the Community Enrichment Organization (CEO). “As we come together to adopt and beautify the Coliseum Corridor, we’re not just preparing for an event—we’re showing pride in our community. After all, it’s important to clean your house before welcoming guests, and that’s exactly what we intend to do. If this initiative is successful, we can keep it going and expand to other areas of Oakland, making a lasting impact beyond the All-Star weekend.”

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