City Government

Opinion: Redevelopment of Henry J. Kaiser Center Must Not Ignore Community Voices

Published

5 years ago

June 14, 2019

The Henry J. Kaiser (HJK) Convention Center redevelopment proposal is being fast-tracked by the city despite significant community concerns—including lack of affordability, an operational model developed without significant community input, exclusion of communities of color from required public input processes, and undefined local access.

A coalition of community stakeholders led by the Black Arts Movement Business District (BAMBD) Community Development Corporation has filed an appeal to the granting of a Major Conditional Use permit, citing violations of the Request For Proposals, but the City continues to attempt to advance the project prior to the appeal being heard.

The HJK site is one of Oakland’s last remaining public assets, as well as a historical cultural institution. Granting a 99-year lease with insufficient community benefits and insufficient access for local artists will only reinforce existing inequities and lead to more displacement of artists of color— missing a major opportunity to implement and align equity-focused strategies and recommendations developed by the Mayor’s Task Force on Artists and Workspaces, the Cultural Plan, and the Downtown Specific Plan Preliminary Draft.

The task force surveyed more than 900 artists and found that 49 percent had experienced displacement from their homes or workspaces, and most were at risk of displacement due to rising rents. In its report, it concluded “this data suggests that now is the time to establish more robust policies to support artists in Oakland, before displacement worsens.”

That was in 2016; displacement has, in fact, worsened. The City’s 2018 Downtown Disparity analysis states “most of greater downtown Oakland is experiencing ongoing gentrification and displacement,“ while its 2018 Equity Indicators report assigned Oakland a score of 33 out of 100—a failing grade.

In 2019, income inequality, homelessness, and lack of affordable housing have all reached crisis levels. There should be an urgent need for Oakland to implement equity across city departments, as specifically mandated by Oakland’s Municipal Code, which states, “The City of Oakland will intentionally integrate, on a citywide basis, the principle of ‘fair and just’ in all the city does in order to achieve equitable opportunities for all people and communities.”

The best argument for reframing the HJK redevelopment around equity principles can be found in the city’s own language. The task force report calls for “Incentiviz(ing) private developers to provide permanently or long-term affordable artist spaces in mixed-use developments,” while the HJK RFP notes, “The city is eager to see as many community benefits as possible derived from the project.”

The Lake Merritt Station Area Plan calls for “community development that is equitable, sustainable, and healthy” and maintains that “(community) benefits must clearly be reflective of the community’s needs and desires.” The Cultural Plan establishes a framework of “Cultural Equity”; and the Downtown Plan identifies community benefit agreements as a vehicle for equitable development.

The HJK site redevelopment must align with these policy guidelines for equity. It must not contribute to further displacement of EastLake, Chinatown and BAMBD businesses, residents, artists, art organizations, and nonprofits. It must reflect a community engagement process which does not exclude neighborhood stakeholders and artists of color.

The City Council has the authority to insist that the highest possible level of community benefit be derived from the HJK site. It also has an obligation to redress historical inequities by creating pathways to social equity, economic sustainability and cultural preservation for communities of color — as stipulated in section 2.29.170 of Oakland’s Municipal Code. The current Council must uphold this credo and ensure that equity isn’t just lip service, but tangible and intersectional policy to mitigate displacement and income gaps.

Eric Arnold is the co-director of BAMBD CDC and a former equity consultant for the City of Oakland’s Downtown Specific Plan.

Eric Arnold

Posts by Eric Arnold

Up Next

Reparations For Unjust Enrichment

Don't Miss

Rhonda Craft appointed inspector general for CA Department of Transportation

Eric Arnold

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of November 27 – December 3, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 27 – December 3, 2024, 2024

Published

4 days ago

November 30, 2024

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

California Black Media

California Department of Aging Offers Free Resources for Family Caregivers in November

In honor of National Family Caregivers Month this November, the California Department of Aging (CDA) is spotlighting a range of free resources to support caregivers of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Through its extensive network of Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), the state provides essential tools to help caregivers manage their responsibilities while prioritizing their own health and well-being.

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

“Caregiving is a great act of love, and this month — and every day — we uplift California’s caregivers as the under-recognized backbone of our families and communities,” said Susan DeMarois, director of the CDA. DeMarois emphasized the need for caregivers to access available support to better balance their roles without compromising their own health.

California is home to more than 4.5 million unpaid family caregivers, who contribute an estimated $81 billion annually in economic value through their care. Most caregivers are women who balance work, family, and caregiving responsibilities, often at the cost of their physical and emotional health. Given California’s aging population, the demand for caregiver support is rapidly growing, underscoring the importance of these free resources.

Thousands of caregivers accessed these services in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, benefiting from tools like professional care management and respite support. The Aging in California Resource Guide, available in six languages, offers additional information on caregiver support.

Caregivers can learn more about available resources by visiting the CDA website at aging.ca.gov and connecting with local CRCs or AAAs to discover personalized services to support them in their caregiving journey.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Elections 2024: Sec. of State Weber Explains Results, Ballot Counting Process

Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber hosted a webinar on Nov. 14 to update Californians on the ballot counting process for the 2024 General Election. California is home to the largest voting base in the nation with 22.5 million registered voters. According to the Secretary of State Office (SOS), about 70% of the state’s voters participated in the November Election. So far, 15.2 million votes have been counted, processed and verified. There are still roughly 0.8 million votes to go through the process.

Published

1 week ago

November 25, 2024

Oakland Post

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. File Photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber hosted a webinar on Nov. 14 to update Californians on the ballot counting process for the 2024 General Election.

California is home to the largest voting base in the nation with 22.5 million registered voters. According to the Secretary of State Office (SOS), about 70% of the state’s voters participated in the November Election. So far, 15.2 million votes have been counted, processed and verified. There are still roughly 0.8 million votes to go through the process.

Because California allows voters more time and opportunities to vote than most states, it typically takes longer to finalize the results.

Historically, it has taken the state the longest to finalize election results. Almost half of the uncalled house races this year come from California. As of Nov 14, the closest race is in the 45^thCongressional District House race between Michelle Steel and Derek Tran. The two candidates are only separated by 58 votes with 93% of all votes counted.

“California basically makes sure that every vote counts,” said Weber. “We will receive our first actual count from all of the 58 counties on Dec. 6. After that, we have at least one week, which is until Dec. 13, when we will actually certify the state results. Then that becomes the official results for the election.”

If a recount is triggered in the 45^th district, official results may take longer than the expected deadline.

The part of the ballot counting process that tends to prolong the official results involves verifying signatures and making sure individuals who obtained provisional ballots the day of the election are all eligible to vote, Weber said.

The SOS goes as far as finding individuals who neglected to sign their ballots so they can complete the process.

“The reason we do this is we respect every vote that comes in. California’s election process is designed with a core commitment to recognizing and basically accurately counting each and every eligible vote that comes into our office,” added Weber. “This approach involves a series of rigorous checks and safeguards, including Signature verification machine audits and manual accounts.”

While technology has helped expedite the counting process in some areas, as the voter base continues to grow in the state, additional manual support is needed. For example, vote my mail ballots have to be opened and counted by hand. By Oct. 18, 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots were already submitted.

Voting over the internet is prohibited by California Law. This eliminates all possibilities of cyber tampering or electronic voter fraud.

The SOS office also does a hand count of one percent of all ballots before Dec. 13. This is done to verify the fact there is a correlation between the hand counts and what the machines are counting.

“Some people ask the question: ‘Why do we have to be so accurate?’

We do our best to make sure that every Californian who is registered legally registered to vote will have their vote counted,” Weber emphasized.