City Government

Oakland Housing Is in “State of Emergency,” Say Housing Activists

Published

9 years ago

November 20, 2015

A number of housing rights activists are calling on the City Council to declare a housing “state of emergency” – to temporarily freeze rents and place a moratorium on all evictions – while the council passes laws to slow down the displacement of Oakland families, seniors and other long term residents.

“Everyone acknowledges there is housing crisis, but the City Councilmembers don’t do anything,” said James Vann, a member of the Oakland Tenants Union and a veteran housing rights activist.

“They need to declare an affordable housing state of emergency, and they need to declare a moratorium on evictions and enact a rent freeze,” he said.

Vann says a temporarily eviction moratorium and rent freeze are legal if the council passes a state of emergency, though such a decision would require support of 75 percent of councilmembers.

He pointed out that these emergency declarations were passed recently by the city council in the City of Alameda.

Civil attorney Dan Siegel, a leader of the Oakland Alliance, supports declaring a state of emergency to allow the council to freeze rents and place a moratorium on evictions.

“You could start out by banning all evictions, and then perhaps empower the rent board to make exceptions to allow property owners to tell their side of story (at a hearing),” he said.

Siegel also called on the mayor to work with other cities to repeal state laws that restrict the right to pass strong rent control measures.

“I would love to see Mayor Schaaf meet with mayors of other major cities to develop a common point of view and put pressure on the legislature,” he said.

Margaretta Lin, formerly a city staffer who spent several years working to produce a comprehensive Housing Equity Roadmap, spoke to the Post about some of the major steps in the roadmap that the mayor and City Council could take to slow down displacement.

One proposal is to pass a condo conversion law, which would close a loophole allowing the conversions of buildings with two-to-four units.

“At present 29,000 units are at risk. They are not protected by the law right now,” she said.

The city also has to do more to stop evictions, she said.

“We have a lot of holes in city’s laws to protect tenants,” said Lin. “We don’t have consistent relocation requirements, and no department in the city is set up to enforce the laws the city already has.”

The City Attorney’s Office could do, but it would need more funding, she said.

James Vann said a strong rent control ordinance is on the council agenda, but, “We don’t know if the City Council will have the guts to pass it,” he said.

Under the present rent adjustment law, which was written by landlords, tenants must know their rights and have to file a petition with the board, Vann continued.

“All the onus on the tenants,” he said. “The landlords can do anything they want, and it becomes legal if the tenants do not file a petition complaining about it.”

Oakland has 405,000 people living in 92,000 households. Sixty percent are renters.

Less than one half of one percent of tenants file a petition in a year, said Vann.

Vann said the Oakland Tenants Union has already submitted a rent control proposal to the Mayor’s Housing Cabinet. If the cabinet rejects or does not act on the proposal by February, the tenant group is going to begin an initiative campaign to put rent control on the November ballot.

Vann also proposed fees that landlords would have to pay to evict tenants.

“I think there ought to be a cost to evict a tenant,” he said. “It should be something that would discourage landlords, perhaps the costs of relocation and first month’s rent.”

Lin said that the city must do something to stop ongoing foreclosures, especially the loss of homes by low-come residents and elders on fixed incomes.

According to Lin, there is an existing plan, which has yet to be implemented, to sell distressed properties to a national nonprofit that would keep people in their homes.

This would replace the existing practice where the homes are sold in bulk to hedge funds and banks like Wells Fargo.

The city needs to pass a bond to create “homeowner preservation fund,” she said.

“It costs only $50,000 to a keep homeowner in the home, but it costs $500,000 to build a new housing unit,” she said. “We need an infusion a lot of money, not just for affordable housing but a fund to keep homeowners and tenants in their homes.”

*This article is the first is a series in which the Post is interviewing some of the local leaders who are frontline fighters against gentrification – for affordable housing, decent paying jobs and protected status for churches and artists.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

17 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

Published

19 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”