Activism

First Time Homebuyer Education Workshop

ECHO Housing will conduct an online Homebuyer Education Workshop that will help you determine if you are ready for homeownership, how to select a lender and shop for a home, all about closing costs, and how to be a successful homeowner.

Published

3 years ago

November 14, 2022

Oakland Post

You must attend the ECHO Housing workshop and a counseling session to be eligible to receive a HUD certificate. One-to-one counseling is available for workshop attendees.

Alameda County Briefs

By Melissa Male

ECHO Housing will conduct a Homebuyer Education Workshop for tenants living in Alameda, Contra Costa, or Monterey Counties, or working in Pleasanton or San Leandro.

This online workshop will help you determine if you are ready for homeownership, how to select a lender and shop for a home, all about closing costs, and how to be a successful homeowner. You must attend this workshop and a counseling session to be eligible to receive a HUD certificate. One-to-one counseling is available for workshop attendees.

It will be held online on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The deadline to submit the registration form is 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2022. REGISTER HERE

Demystifying the Dept. of Justice

The Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) at the California Department of Justice invites you to join its next Demystifying the DOJ quarterly series.

Experts from the CA Department of Justice (DOJ) will share insight on the DOJ’s role in consumer protections. In light of the holiday season, this presentation will share tips on how consumers can protect themselves from scams, fraud, and other consumer-related issues.

Additionally, there will be a presentation by the DOJ’s Registry of Charitable Trusts about their role in protecting and advising donors and charities year-round. It will be held online on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. REGISTER HERE

Earthquake Brace and Bolt Workshop in Berkeley

At this Berkeley Ready workshop, you’ll get information about the Earthquake Brace & Bolt rebates, earthquake risk, and permitting seismic retrofits, with plenty of time to answer your questions.

Homeowners who live in select ZIP Codes (including Berkeley zip codes), with homes that have certain characteristics, may be eligible for a grant of up to $3,000 to help pay for a seismic retrofit of their house.

Low-income homeowners, as funding permits, may qualify for a supplemental grant, which is additional funding over and above the Earthquake Brace & Bolt $3,000 grant. The workshop speakers include:

Mark Grissom, California Earthquake Authority, will speak about the Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program’s rebates of up to $3,000 and earthquake risk as well as myths and tips about earthquake insurance.
David Lopez, Assistant Building Official for the City of Berkeley, will answer questions about permitting seismic retrofits.

The online event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Property owners must register online or by calling (877) 232-4300 between Oct. 18 and Nov. 29, 2022. Please direct any questions to the Office of Emergency Services at (510) 981-5506.

United Against Hate Week Film Screening

Attend a documentary film on Pittsburgh’s powerful community response to hate in the aftermath of the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Through the voices of survivors, family members, diverse Pittsburgh residents and leaders, “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life” shows unity in a moment of crisis, the resilience of a vibrant city, and a community working together to understand what it means to be “stronger than hate.” The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life” will be shown on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at UC Theatre, 2036 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704.

Melissa Male is a staff member at the Office of Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Gov. Newsom Won’t Support Mandatory Kindergarten

Don't Miss

Candidates Against School Closures Poised to Win School Board Elections

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

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

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

Published

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

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

2 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.