City Government

Community Leaders Seek to Save West Oakland Recycling Plant

Published

8 years ago

July 22, 2016

A number of Oakland’s poorest residents and their supporters showed up at this week’s City Council meeting, asking council members to intervene to save Alliance Metals in West Oakland, a recycling center that is the only source of income of hundreds of people.

Responding to complaints of neighbors, the city is closing down the business, located at 3426 Peralta St., effective Aug. 20.

According to a newsletter produced by City Attorney Barbara Parker, she takes credit for the closure, which will leave many of the company’s customers without income.

Many of the complaints have had to do with those who come to the center with shopping carts full of recycling.

“Approximately 400 families are going to be affected by the closing of this recycling center,” said Rev. Dr. Lawrence VanHook of Community Christian Church for Christ.

“Nobody has spoken to the people who are going to be affected by this closure,” he said.

Pastor Raymond Lankford of Healthy Oakland told council members he has been working to mediate the conflict.

“We are asking that this council consider working together as an Oakland community to address the plight of this community,” he said.

Rev. Dr. Jasper Lowery Jr. of Urojas Community Services said the city has to help “people who are being disenfranchised and can’t afford to stay in the city where they were born and raised when you take away (the business of the) recycling plant.”

Responding, Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney said she would work to mediate the issue.

City Attorney Parker, writing in a September 2015 email newsletter, discussed the closure of Alliance Metals.

“I am very pleased to announce that during our negotiations, Alliance agreed to give up its (city license) and close its doors by August 20, 2016. If the business remains open after that date, Alliance will owe the City $1,000 per day until it closes,” she wrote.

Citing the complaints of neighbors, Parker said, “Alliance accepts stolen metal, encouraging theft of fences, construction materials and other items in the area, and the thieves use the money they get from Alliance to buy drugs in the park across the street. Blight and trash have been constant problems.”

According to the newsletter, the center has gotten 42 citations for nuisance, 35 of which were for blocking (by walking) the public right of way.

Over 60 percent of walk-in customers, who have housing, will lose that housing, increasing Oakland’s homelessness by 200 to 300 people, according to an article by Rena Rickles from Street Spirit republished in the Post.

The recycling center had all the required permits to purchase recycled materials from walk-in customers carrying recyclables in shopping carts, Rickles wrote. The permit was first granted in 1995 and reviewed in 2009, and it sets out the conditions for the center to serve walk-in customers.

“The Oakland Planning Commission, in three successive hearings, after listening to the complaints of nuisance, blight, and illegal activities and personally visiting the recycling center, voted unanimously that the recycling center was not a nuisance,” Rickles said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Misgivings Over Mayor Schaaf’s Bond Measure

Don't Miss

Renter Protection Going to Oakland Voters in November

Oakland Post

Click to comment

City Government

San Pablo Appoints New Economic Development and Housing Manager

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo. Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Published

20 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Kieron Slaughter. Photo courtesy of the City of San Pablo

The Richmond Standard

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo.

Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Before that he was an associate planner in the City of Richmond’s Planning and Building Services Department from 2007-2015.

San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez lauded Slaughter’s extensive experience in economic development, housing and planning, saying he will add a “valuable perspective to the City Manager’s Office.”

Slaughter, a Berkeley resident, will start in his new role on Nov. 12, with a base annual salary of $164,928, according to the City of San Pablo.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

City Government

Aaron Osorio Rises Up Ranks to Become Richmond’s Fire Chief

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10. “I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.” Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Published

20 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio. Courtesy photo

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10.

“I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.”

Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Osorio is a San Francisco native who rose up the ranks in the Richmond Fire Department over the last 21 years before being elevated to chief.

He joined the department in 2002 and has served in multiple roles including firefighters, engineer, captain, battalion chief, training director and deputy fire chief. He said he truly loves working in this community.

While it isn’t common for a fire department to hire a chief that came up through its ranks, Osorio was credited by the city for serving Richmond well during uncommon times.

The city lauded him for developing internal policies and vaccination clinics during the initial COVID response, for supporting activation of the emergency operations center in response to a potential mudslide disaster in Seacliff last year, helping to draft mutual aid agreements and working to increase fire response capabilities for industrial incidents.

He’s also led departmental hiring and recruitment since 2018.

Osorio said it is an honor to be hired as chief and has big plans for the department moving forward. He said he wants to continue hiring and promoting for vacant positions, and also completing a strategic plan guiding the direction of the organization.

He also aims to replace and renovate a number of fire department facilities placed on the Capital Improvement Plan and create new ways to recruit that will enhance the diversity of the department.

Osorio said his experience within, and love for, the city of Richmond puts him in a good position to lead the department. He says he knows what is needed and also the challenges that are unique to the city.

“I look forward to utilizing that institutional knowledge to move the fire department forward in a positive direction and enhance the services we provide to the community,” the chief said.

Osorio holds a bachelor of science degree in Fire Administration and is also a California State Fire Marshal-certified chief officer, company officer, and state instructor.

He also holds numerous certifications in fire, rescue, hazardous material, and incident command.

The chief has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have two sons, Roman and Mateo.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

21 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.