Activism

City Blocks Development Saying it Does Not Fit Oakland’s General Zoning Plan

The community-wide demand to save HNU is growing stronger and more organized. A new coalition, “Reclaim Holy Names,” was scheduled to hold an online town hall meeting “to hear from HNU students, faculty alumni, as well as elected leaders about the impact of the school’s closure – and what needs to happen to stop the HNU Board or Trustees from doing more harm to the HNU community.”

Published

3 years ago

April 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Aerial shot of Holy Names University campus. File photo.

By Ken Epstein

Prospects are looking better for saving the Holy Names University campus as a center for higher education in Oakland.

At one point, it seemed highly likely that HNU’s leaders would sell the nearly 60-acre campus to a developer of high-end residential housing when the university closes in May. They clearly stated their goal was to earn top dollar for the property.

The HNU Board of Trustees told the public they had reached out to other post-secondary institutions but found no interest in coming to Oakland. They also said that they were saddled with $50 million debt, and their creditor was aggressively forcing them into the sale.

Now, however, several educational institutions have come forward with proposals to establish programs at the site; HNU’s creditor says it is committed to work with Oakland to help save the property as a home for higher education; and students, faculty, community, and city leaders are mobilizing to save the campus.

Additionally, HNU’s plan for exclusive housing in the Oakland Hills has hit a roadblock with the City of Oakland, when city staff recently told the university that the city’s general plan allowed for educational institutions, not residential development at the site, especially considering the fire danger in the hills, the Oakland Post learned this week.

According to a letter from the city, the HNU property is not zoned for residential development.

“Given the ‘Institutional’ General Plan designation, single-family and multifamily housing projects would not be allowed at the Campus Property unless the City Council approved a General Plan Amendment for the Campus Property to remove the ‘Institutional’ designation in favor of a General Plan designation permitting a housing project,” the letter said.

There also appears to be significant interest in developing institutional uses for the site. Several educational institutions have expressed interest in creating “a comprehensive education campus,” at HNU, including:

Undergraduate programs run by Lincoln University in partnership with HBCUs;
Graduate and credential programs for teachers run by Alder GSE in partnership with HBCUs;
Raskob School for neurodiverse students operated by Alameda County Office of Education;
Yu Ming Charter School, which operates a PK-8, Mandarin bilingual immersion school;
•East Bay Innovation Academy, a project-based middle and secondary charter school.

Creating opportunities for those who want to retain educational opportunities in Oakland, HNU’s creditor, Preston Hollow Community Capital (PHCC), says it is strongly committed to exploring ways to preserve the campus rather than foreclosing on the property.

In a letter, dated April 18, 2023, to Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, PHCC, wrote:

“From the outset of HNU’s announcement that it would cease operations at the end of the Spring 2023 semester, PHCC has consistently maintained its position that transferring the campus to an educational user represented the ‘highest and best’ recovery scenario for HNU, that PHCC was willing to help facilitate a successful marketing and sales process targeted exclusively at educational users (colleges, universities, charter schools, etc.), and that it is not PHCC’s goal to take title to the property through foreclosure unless forced to do so.”

“PHCC has always been willing to temporarily postpone and/or forbear from enforcing its contractual foreclosure remedies with respect to the HNU campus to the extent HNU was able to produce a contract with one or more financially viable educational institutions interested in acquiring the subject property,” the letter said.

Further, the community-wide demand to save HNU is growing stronger and more organized.

A new coalition, “Reclaim Holy Names,” was scheduled to hold an online town hall meeting Thursday evening “to hear from HNU students, faculty alumni, as well as elected leaders about the impact of the school’s closure – and what needs to happen to stop the HNU Board or Trustees from doing more harm to the HNU community.”

Those involved in the “reclaim” town hall included SEIU 1021, Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, City Councilmember Carroll Fife, and members of the HNU community.

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Activism

OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

1 week ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

3 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.