Community

New Study: Racism Drives Black Homelessness

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — Structural racism, discrimination, and unconscious bias drive an overrepresentation of Blacks experiencing homelessness.

Published

5 years ago

March 3, 2019

Oakland Post

By Charlene Muhammad

Structural racism, discrimination, and unconscious bias drive an overrepresentation of Blacks experiencing homelessness, according to a new report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

“Report and Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness” was commissioned by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

“We all know that the local data shows that in Los Angeles County, 1 out of every 10 residents are African American, and yet, 1 out of every 3 homeless persons are African American,” said Ridley-Thomas.

According to the report, it is an over-representation consistent demographically across the United States.

“The stark disparities that are the product of vicious and entrenched structural discrimination in all of its forms in our society: the justice system, our schools, our safety net, our workplaces and our halls of power,” he said.

He spoke to more than 100 L.A. County leaders homeless advocates, and activists who gathered for launch of the report at the California African American Museum on February 25.

Researchers found that discrimination in housing, employment, criminal justice, and child welfare policies have led to disproportionate numbers in Black homelessness. Lasting change requires a dismantling of institutions barriers across agencies and mainstream systems, they found.

The document cites 2017 Homeless Count estimates, which indicate that over 53 percent of Blacks experiencing homelessness were between the ages of 25 and 54. Individuals age 55 and older comprised 26 percent of the total population.

The report indicates, “The mounting affordable housing crisis across the state, especially in the Los Angeles region, paired with persistently low, stagnant, and declining wages, exacerbates homelessness and particularly for Black people.”

In addition, it went on, the plight of homelessness is made more complex and challenging by its link to incarceration. Embedding care and empathy in outreach and case management services, as well as policy and program design will effect change, according to researchers.

“While we make up only nine percent of the population, we make up nearly 40 percent of the homeless population, so giving some focus to what solutions could be to help people exit homelessness was paramount to this work,” said Jacqueline Waggoner, LAHSA Commissioner and chair of its 67-member Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness.

She, along with Kelli Bernard, Chair, LAHSA Commission, and Peter Lynn, LAHSA Executive Director, extended sincere thanks to partners and community members, particularly individuals with lived experience of homelessness, for contributing to the study.

Sixty-seven recommendations out of the nine-month study include improving data collection, analysis and collaborative research to better understand and track issues affecting Blacks experiencing homelessness; and, advance racial equitable policies, programs, and funding across institutions.

After invocation by civil rights leader Reverend Cecil “Chip” Murray, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. City Council Members Curren Priceand Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Reba Stevens, an Ad Hoc Committee member and advocate who has experienced homelessness, and Glenn Harris, president, Race Forward, which advocates for racial justice, also gave opening remarks.

Following the launch and a brief press availability, advocates and stakeholders held a symposium to highlight the data and next steps.

Price called the day exciting because of the call for action with documented proof of what’s needed to eradicate homelessness. He shared a personal testimony of how homelessness had touched his own family and many others in the same way.

Harris-Dawson, explained that the new study is follow up to a 2016 report on homelessness in South L.A., compiled by his office. He urged leaders and advocates to follow up to the data gathered in the new study with a scientific approach.

He used his time to sound a sobering note, saying it’s not the first time people have seen such a study or passed recommendations.

“We’ll go all the way, all the way, all the way back to the end of the Civil War. There as a recommendation about 40 acres and a mule, and we didn’t quite get that done,” said Harris-Dawson. He noted other landmark reports, bills and recommendations through the Civil Rights era to the early 90s that produced little change.

“…We should be here and rightfully celebrate this report and celebrate the work that is done and all that we’ve accomplished, but we must all hold our fee to the fire and this time, we get it done, and we get it done in the right way,” said Harris-Dawson.

This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

21 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

22 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

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Community

Opening Soon: Vibe Bistro Is Richmond’s New Hub for Coffee, Cuisine, Community and Culture

Vibe Bistro, located at 1503 MacDonald Ave., Suite B, Richmond, CA, is announcing its grand opening week, May 21-26, 2024. The café will be a hub where people can come together to enjoy coffee, cuisine, community, and culture, according to the establishment’s owner, Free Brown.

Published

22 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Vibe Bistro Logo

By Y’Anad Burrell

Vibe Bistro, located at 1503 MacDonald Ave., Suite B, Richmond, CA, is announcing its grand opening week, May 21-26, 2024.

The café will be a hub where people can come together to enjoy coffee, cuisine, community, and culture, according to the establishment’s owner, Free Brown.

“Vibe Bistro is Richmond’s neighborhood haven for soulful coffee, delicious food, and vibrant experiences. Vibe Bistro is not just a coffee shop; it’s a place where ‘coffee meets community” says Brown.

It occupies the space formerly known as the Richmond Food Hall, which was also the former location of OakStop Richmond.

During the grand opening week, folks are invited to join in celebrating the spirit of community. From Tuesday, May 21, Vibe Bistro will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, serving specialty coffees, convenient grab-n-go options, and delicious breakfast and lunch selections.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23, from noon to 2 p.m., followed by surprise festivities that the owners say you will need to experience in-person to fully enjoy.

Vibe Bistro’s art exhibition opens May 23, through Sunday, May 26. It features a special artist talk led by renowned curator Jowhari Trahan, a story on glass, and a mural unveiling by Richmond’s own Nakari Syon.

Additionally, the community is invited to immerse themselves in artistic expression throughout the week with art and craft classes.

Get ready for ‘Feature Fridays’ at Vibe Bistro, where they will showcase the culinary creations of local food businesses. This initiative is not just about food, it’s about fostering a spirit of collaboration and community.

All local businesses are invited to be part of this exciting journey, says Brown.

For more information, visit www.VibeBistro.com, sign up for the newsletter to stay connected, and follow all social media platforms at @TheVibeBistro.