Uncategorized

OP-ED: Political Potpourri: Thoughts on Politics in Oakland

Published

12 years ago

February 27, 2014

Things are heating up in the Oakland mayor’s race. District 4 Councilwoman Libby Schaaf kicks off her campaign Saturday, March 1 at Penrose on Grand at 10 a.m.

Schaaf’s campaign is citing a new poll, completed by EMC Research, that shows Schaaf leading Quan 19-13 percent, with the other candidates trailing.

The biggest polled group, undecided, spells mayor’s trouble because after four years, she has not convinced the majority she should remain, however, Ms. Schaaf brings her results-oriented policies to this race.

Speaking of the mayor’s race, blood is in the water, as City auditor Courtney Ruby has splashed into the pool. There are now six viable candidates running, and you can expect more to appear.

Everyone has a puncher’s chance because of ranked choice voting.

For example, your next mayor could get 20 percent of the first-place votes, 25 percent of third-place votes and yes be your next Mayor with the majority of the second-place votes.

Ah, ranked choice voting, killing Oakland’s democracy one election at a time.

Kudos to Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney for asking the tough questions regarding Oakland economic development. She focused her sharp, Cal trained eyes on numerous questionable deals and asks the whys. Sniff the smell of accountability in Oakland.

Speaking of accountability, why is our current city manager constantly looking for a new job? The mayor justified her much ballyhooed hire as Oakland’s competent manager and paid her quite well for that reputation. Yet she spends so much time looking for another job.

Hey city, here’s a hint from the private sector: have a restriction clause in your employment agreement. If she wants to look for another job, there should be some type of financial punishment. Oakland should be repaid money, and she should resign immediately.

Look for a new job on your own dime. Better to have a committed Oakland manager than someone looking for her next job.

The BART gang keeps racking up more mistakes. After a year of record labor relations mismanagement, now the latest hit is maintenance. BART should focus on delivering quality service in clean, safe cars.

Is that really too much to ask for the high fares we pay?

The #1 BART hit is still its dysfunctional, ill-fitting police force. How many times do you see a Bart cop on a platform or a train? The force deals primarily with fare jumpers and car disturbances. Why are they not visible instead of spending so much time in autos?

A simple deployment solution: put a policeman on every Bart platform, station, and parking lot to make the system safer, and hopefully the police will be less inclined to use their deadly force.

Speaking of strikes, did you notice during the BART strike? Neither side mentioned quality customer service. Both Bart’s labor and management simply take the paying, riding public for granted.

Do not be surprised if the voters remember this next election.

Public service agencies and unions should be aware of voter backlash, like the harsh one in the 1970s that created Proposition 13, which is on the horizon. The public wants quality services for the taxes it pays. Instead, we are getting higher taxes and less service at lower quality. The “raise taxes” bubble will soon burst.

Oakland city services are a major issue in this mayor’s race. It will be interesting to see how all the candidates respond. Stay tuned.

Clinton Killian is an attorney in downtown Oakland at the law firm, Fried & Williams LLP, and a former public official. He can be reached at ckillian@postnewsgroup.com.

**UPDATE: This piece has been updated with a report from EMC provided by Schaaf’s Campaign which says she leads Mayor Jean Quan 19-13. It previously stated that Schaaf’s poll showed Quan receiving 18%, Schaaf 14%, and other candidates trailing.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Bryan Parker City of Oakland Courtney Ruby Jean Quan Joe Tuman Libby Schaff Oakland Oakland Mayoral Candidates

Up Next

Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project Unveiled

Don't Miss

The Beacon Deacon: Tribute to Zettie Miller

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Uncategorized

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

3 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

8 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

8 months ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.