Uncategorized

OP-ED: Trump Spreads Hatred to Win Votes

Published

10 years ago

July 21, 2015

By Linda Olvera

The horrible tragedy of the San Francisco waterfront killing of Katherine Steinle by one undocumented immigrant is being politicized and manipulated by anti-immigrant organizations and racist politicians like Donald Trump.

The crimes of one or two undocumented immigrants may point to shortcomings of the criminal justice system that should be corrected. But we cannot allow these tragedies to be used by extremist people and organizations to promote their hate and racism by calling for more inhumane immigration policies for the undocumented.

Do we condemn all white people for the behaviors of white cops, or do we judge them individually and independently apart from their ethnicity and community?

Undocumented children and families are suffering enough. They have escaped the violence from their home countries. Many have been raped or have died along the way trying to reach the US in order to survive as human beings on this planet.

The vast majority of undocumented immigrants are law-abiding. Many work at hard jobs –“cheap labor” – as farmworkers, domestic help and in the restaurant and construction industries.

U.S. corporations and some business people make huge profits by not paying them equitably. Yet, it is precisely these employers who have become the worst enemy of the undocumented, pushing for harsher immigration policies.

Simply stated, the immigrant community is asking for no favored status, only the same fair and honest treatment entitled to all residents of the U.S., security for their families and communities and due process for all.

Undocumented immigrants do not fit Donald Trump’s image of felons who commit murder and sell drugs. Immigrants commit no more crimes than native-born Americans, according to Congressional Research Service (CRS).

Immigrants generally have a stronger incentive than native-born Americans to stay out of legal trouble, especially undocumented immigrants who are always at risk of deportation.

In addition, those who legally are in the U.S. or are pursuing legal status are required to pass a criminal background check.

Trump and anti-immigrant organizations are scapegoating undocumented immigrants for the criminal woes of this country.

Look at the roots of the illegal drug industry, and it is clear that is the demand generated by U.S. citizens that generates and maintains the international drug industry.

U.S. demand c generates supply, which leads to recruitment of drug traffickers from Brown & Black impoverished and jobless communities often employed in small-time, street-level positions.

Ironically, Trump, a so-called financial leader, ignores the economics of this global business but instead blames undocumented immigrants in order to feed his electoral campaign.

We have witnessed years and years of these racist lies. Trump is only the latest to exploit them for his personal advantage.

But as a result, many Americans believe that walls, borders and harsher immigration laws are what will save them from drugs and crime in America.

Undocumented Immigrants are not the cause of crime and drugs in America. America is the cause of crime and drugs in America.

Linda Olvera is an Oakland Latina advocate and activist.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Uncategorized

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

Published

6 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

11 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

11 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.