Bay Area

$28.2 Million Grant for Oakland’s ‘Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors’ and ‘District 6 Matters’

Published

4 years ago

July 2, 2020

Kiki

On June 25th the California Strategic Growth Council voted to fund Oakland’s “Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighborhoods” proposal a grant of $28.2 million.

“Led by the community for the community, the . . . proposal envisions an East Oakland with healthy surroundings, safe and accessible transportation and thriving arts and culture that builds community wealth and ensures housing is a human right for existing East Oakland residents,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf.

“Thanks to the ambitious vision and leadership of East Oakland stakeholders and the generous support of the Strategic Growth Council, these projects provide an opportunity to harness the leadership and civic power that we’ve particularly seen displayed in the past few weeks, lift up those voices that have been stifled by historic and structural racism and enact lasting transformation. . .”

The community organizations will be directly funded. There are five projects in the “Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors” proposal:

1. 95th and International Housing, Health and Connectivity

This project is led by the Related Companies of California and Acts Community Development Corporation and will yield 55 units of affordable housing with 25% earmarked for the homeless and includes a community health clinic on-site.

2. San Leandro Creek Urban Greenway

A 1.2 mile trail connecting to the regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline Park.

3. Community Greening

Two thousand trees planted, some sourced from the Planting Justice nursery. Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation will partner with community organizations to provide training and paid internships for the tree planting.

4. Planting Justice Aquaponics Farm and Food Hub

Three-acre nursery will have the “largest/most productive urban aquaponics farm in the U.S.” as well as 27 living-wage jobs, a food hub, and have youth education, health/wellness, community development, and business incubation programming.

5. Higher Ground & Scraper Bike Team Bike Share and Youth Development

Bike safety and repair, and afterschool enrichment classes to youth. The Oakland Public Library and Oakland Public Works partner on “The Shed” at Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library.

The proposal builds on the work of East Oakland Neighborhood Initiative (EONI) which focuses on six neighborhoods: Melrose, Highland/Elmhurst, Sobrante Park, Brookfield Village/Columbia Gardens, Stonehurst, Coliseum/Rusdale/Lockwood/Havenscourt.

“Today, residents bring a wide range of backgrounds, skill sets and values creating a community poised and ready to restore [East Oakland] back to a place of peace and beauty. We have awakened, working together in an organized way ensuring revitalization for a healthier, safer, greener place to proudly call COMMUNITY!” said Resident Cynthia Arrington.

‘District 6 Matters’ from the Office of Councilmember Loren Taylor

Oakland 2020-2021 mid-cycle budget amendments were passed in partnership with the Council’s Equity Caucus which includes Councilmember Loren Taylor, Lynette Gibson-McElhaney, Larry Reid and Noel Gallo.

The budget amendments will deliver:

1. Improved educational outcomes

$7.7 million to build a public Wi-Fi network to bridge the digital divide and give Oakland youth access to the internet.

2. Wildfire prevention funding

3. Increased economic opportunities

$6 million to support small businesses in Oakland

$2 million for low-income areas in the flatlands of Dist. 6

$1 million for technical assistance for small businesses through organizations like the “Multicultural Chambers of Commerce” and the “East Oakland Entrepreneurship Forum”.

4. Greater Income security

$1 million for workforce development programs to 100 Oaklanders for new careers.

5. Evictions and Displacement prevention

$7 million for residential rent and mortgage relief to avoid displacement during COVID-19

6. Beautification and blight reduction

$500,000 to remove abandoned vehicles and illegal dumping

7. Transformed public safety system

Divested $14 million from the Oakland Police Dept., invested $1.3 million for standing up MACRO, an alternative to police response, for 911 calls related to mental health.

Added two additional police accountability investigators to “investigate police misconduct and hold police officers accountable.

“As a Black man born and raised in Oakland I am keenly aware of the history of OPD and am committed to transforming policing in this city so that my young Black kids will benefit. I am proud of the Equity Caucus for making $50 million of community investments that we know directly impact public safety. Our budget will keep our residents housed, our businesses open, our children learning, and our communities healthy and beautiful. These are all things that East Oakland needs and will transform lives and life trajectories of all Oaklanders. I strongly support the efforts already underway to stand up The Task Force for Transforming Public Safety that we funded in the Equity Caucus Budget that has a specific goal of reducing OPD’s General Fund allocation by 50%” said Councilmember Loren Taylor.

Councilmember Loren Taylor can be contacted via email at ltaylor@oaklandca.gov.

Kiki

Posts by Kiki

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 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

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”