Bay Area

‘Tenant Opportunity to Purchase’ Ordinance Proposed by Councilmember Nikki Bas

Published

5 years ago

February 8, 2020

Nikki Fortunato Bas (left) spoke at a news conference on Jan. 20 with Dominique Walker (right) in front of Oakland City Hall regarding Moms 4 Housing purchasing the Wedgewood owned home the homeless moms had occupied as an act of civil disobedience. Photo by Michelle Snider.

Inspired by Moms 4 Housing mothers, District 2, Oakland councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas introduced the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) at the City Council’s rules and legislation committee meeting on Jan. 30.

Standing with Dominique Walker and Tolani King of Moms 4 Housing in front of city hall along with other supporters, Bas said she is assuring the ordinance is scheduled to be heard by Oakland’s Community Economic Development Committee on Feb. 25.

According to Bas, the proposed ordinance would protect Oakland residents by allowing them a first right to purchase available homes, incentivizing the transfer of property ownership to tenants, community land trusts, or nonprofit affordable housing developers. Bas said the ordinance will relieve displacement, gentrification, and reduce homelessness.

“It was the brave action of Moms 4 Housing that has shown the entire Bay Area, the entire nation, even the world, that housing is a human right,” Bas said. “Housing is not a commodity to be bought and sold. Moms 4 Housing revealed that corporate speculators have bought up housing all across the country so that more of it is held for-profit and not accessible to people who need homes while homelessness is growing across the country. Homelessness has increased by 47% in the last two years.”

According to Bas, TOPA programs have been adopted in other cities nationally including Washington, DC where the law has been in place for 20 years.

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

5 days ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

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Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of November 6 – 12, 2024

Published

1 week ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.