Activism

Mayor and City Staff Plan to Destroy Self-Made Homes, Advocates Raise Funds to Provide Tents

Published

6 years ago

September 5, 2019

A man who asked not to be identified and lives beneath the BART tracks between 81st and 85th Avenues in East Oakland begins to dismantle his self-made small home. The city plans to destroy all remaining homes in the area on Sept 11. Photo by Zack Haber.

On Sept 11, the Oakland Public Works Department plans to destroy about 20 small homes that residents who can’t afford sanctioned housing have built and currently live in.

“It’s gonna be terrible,” said Manuel Cruz, an Oakland resident of 30 years who’s lived in his small home with his wife, Gail, for about a year and a half. “Our homes give us protection, shelter, and help to keep us away from the wind and the rats.”

The residents won’t have to move and will be allowed to stay in tents. But they claim living in tents will be more dangerous and less comfortable for them. Many of their current homes have locks and some residents expressed concern that if they’re forced to live in tents, it will be impossible to secure their belongings from theft. They’ll have to stay near their belongings all the time or risk losing them.

City workers had originally planned on demolishing the homes, which sit beneath the BART tracks between 81st and 85th Avenues, on Aug 26, but after advocates for the small home residents called and wrote letters expressing anger and dismay, the city administration agreed to delay the destruction for two weeks.

The city administration and representatives for Mayor Libby Schaaf claim the homes are fire code violations. They’re especially concerned that since the homes sit directly beneath the BART tracks, a fire could also harm those that use the transportation system.

“The location adds significantly to safety concerns for the homeless and for the BART system riders,” said Assistant City Administrator Joe DeVries.

Jeffrey Burris, who grew up in the Bay Area and has lived along 81st and 85th Avenues for about six months, agrees that the homes he and others live in are unsafe, but thinks living in a tent would be even more dangerous.

“A tent will burn faster than wood,” he said. “I’ve seen that first hand.”

DeVries disagrees and thinks tents are a safer option.

“These structures are full-on fire fuel,” said DeVries, “wooden pallets and plywood…burn at high temperatures for long periods of time.”

He also pointed out that since the homes aren’t built to code with any fire-resistant sheet rock, it would be easy to get trapped inside during a fire while it’s relatively easy to escape from a tent that’s aflame.

The small home residents have additional safety concerns outside of fire and theft. They’ve experienced or witnessed several violent attacks from those who live outside of the area. Some worry that living in a tent would make them a more easy target.

Candice Elder, the founder and director of The East Oakland Collective, is aware of the danger the homes pose but also thinks they don’t need to be destroyed. She tried to work with the city to find a safer location for the homes and to transport them there.

“The city was definitely dead set on destroying the homes,” said Elder. “There was no budging or negotiating with the city about that.”

Justin Berton, the Director of Communications for Mayor Libby Schaaf’s administration, says the city is hopeful that the residents will dismantle their own homes but has confirmed there will be no further extensions and that the City plans to remove any remaining self-made homes on Sept 11.

Elder described the two-week delay as a “hard compromise,” but thinks it will help the residents of the small homes as it’s allowed her time to set up a gofundme fundraiser that plans to provide large, flame retardant tents, heavy tarps, as well as moving, packing and fire safety supplies and devices.

“The fundraiser is going well but we do need more supporters,” she said. “We are up against a deadline.”

Readers can donate online by visiting gofundme.com/f/eastoaklandtentdrive.

Zack Haber

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Activism

OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

1 week ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.