Bay Area
A Summer of Reckoning for the Unhoused: The Work Before Us in Oakland
The summer of 2024 promises to be a season of reckoning for both the City of Oakland and Alameda County. The ever-present threat of gun violence, high rates of burglary, robbery and car break-ins, the lack of accessible mental health care, the scourge of sex trafficking, and the imperative need for affordable housing needs to be reckoned with. The Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) is committed to working with the faith community, service providers, advocates, businesses, and city and county officials to address the reckoning before us.

OPINION
By Pastor Kenneth Chambers
Special to The Post
The summer of 2024 promises to be a season of reckoning for both the City of Oakland and Alameda County. The ever-present threat of gun violence, high rates of burglary, robbery and car break-ins, the lack of accessible mental health care, the scourge of sex trafficking, and the imperative need for affordable housing needs to be reckoned with.
The Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) is committed to working with the faith community, service providers, advocates, businesses, and city and county officials to address the reckoning before us.
The need for emergency housing is apparent. The number of unhoused people in our city and county is both staggering and heartbreaking with a 9% increase in Oakland’s unhoused community since 2022, according to a recent report from EveryOne Home.
ICAC provides emergency housing in Oakland with a safe car park and tiny homes for people living in their cars. ICAC is also planning to develop a transitional housing village at West Side Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland with 25 trailers available to house individuals and families that are currently unhoused.
West Side MBC, at 732 Willow Street in West Oakland, is looking to partner with other congregations across Alameda County that are interested in developing transitional housing with trailers on their properties.
“There is a need for more action and funding from the state, and city and county officials to provide solutions to the homelessness crisis in Alameda County,” said Rev. Ken Chambers, Sr., pastor of West Side MBC and president of ICAC. “We want to provide unhoused people with stable, transitional housing where they can feel safe and give them some hope. But we can’t do it alone. Working together works.”
“How much more can we take?” asks Dr. Kenneth Anderson, pastor of Williams Chapel Baptist Church. “Public safety is my No. 1 focus and the need for more affordable housing for all people in Oakland. Too many people are homeless, sleeping in their cars and deserve a safe place to sleep.”
Tree of Life Empowerment Pastor Phyllis Scott also supports the proposed collaboration. “As the president of the Oakland community chaplain program, we stand in agreement and in total support of the mission. And the great reckoning that needs to take place and the belief that ICAC is the organization that can see that happen. All for the shalom of the city,” she says.
On Thursday, July 11 from 1:00-2:30 p.m., community members are invited to join ICAC at Williams Chapel Baptist Church, 1410 10th Ave. in Oakland, to reckon with the unfolding crises before us. We believe having “all hands on deck” can move our communities in the necessary direction towards solutions.
For more information or questions, visit www.interfaithac.org.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Activism
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
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