Bay Area

Councilmember Carroll Fife’s Resolution OK’d to Study Feasibility of Housing 1,000 at North Gateway Parcel

The City Administration has previously suggested an estimate of two to four years before development could realistically begin. The report is intended to resolve these discrepancies and put on record a clear construction timeline. This development would still allow most of the site to be used ahead of CASS’s development plans which are expected to be shared in the June report.

Published

4 years ago

May 11, 2022

Oakland Post

The City Administration went on record for the first time saying that it has been reviewing CWS’s development plans and expects permits to be approved by the beginning of 2023. (Photo: Councilmember Carroll Fife)

Special to The Post

At the May 3 special meeting of the Oakland City Council, members approved a resolution introduced by Councilmember Carroll Fife directing the City Administrator to study the feasibility of establishing an emergency homeless intervention site to house 1,000 individuals at the North Gateway Parcel located at the former Oakland Army Base.

According to the resolution, the findings must be returned to the Council no later than the first Council meeting of June.

Over 40 constituents emailed the City Council in support of the resolution. Many shared being appalled at the state of homelessness in the City and urged the City Administrator to treat it as the emergency crisis that it is.

Several constituents called into the meeting including residents currently living near Custom Alloy Scrap Sales (CASS) and California Waste Solutions (CWS) who support the temporary use of the North Gateway Parcel until CASS and CWS is ready to begin development.

The City Administration went on record for the first time saying that it has been reviewing CWS’s development plans and expects permits to be approved by the beginning of 2023.

In response, District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife said, “It adds insult to injury that this parcel has been vacant for over a decade and it is only now that the public is being told that CWS will soon begin development.

“I look forward to reviewing the findings of the report, resolving some of the discrepancies that have been shared, and addressing how the site could still accommodate temporary housing ahead of and concurrent to this development. We need accommodations now.”

The June report is expected to be returned by the mid-cycle budget allocation, which will be a revealing moment indicating City of Oakland’s commitment to finding effective solutions to the homelessness crisis.

This report comes from the media relations office of Oakland City Councilwoman Carroll Fife.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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4 days ago

March 7, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.