Community

Bishop Bob Jackson is Making Affordable Housing happen

Published

10 years ago

January 1, 2017

Bishop Bob Jackson, pastor of Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ, has not given up hope on the Black community’s ability to come together with its own finances and resources to create affordable housing, businesses and jobs.
Bishop Jackson’s vision calls for an all-out effort by churches, community groups and businesses to initiate inspired self-help efforts which will attract additional funding to build on available land especially in the “Africa Town” section from 73rd Ave to the San Leandro border and from International Boulevard to MacArthur Boulevard.

He said Oakland is in the midst of a major gentrification tidal wave of high rents by greedy landlords that is “driving many Black families out of town.”

Citing the prophetic words of fellow pastor J.A. Smith Jr., of Allen Temple Baptist Church, “Within the next decade the Black population could dwindle down to 5 percent.”

“The Acts Full Gospel Development. Corporation will step into the breach and provide affordable housing for those who are stuck,” said Bishop Jackson. “We are not trying to make excessive profits. We want to make sure our people have an opportunity to stay in the city.”

He drew on the historic successes of some of the city’s other Black churches, including Allen Temple Baptist, Evergreen Baptist, Beth Eden Baptist, Taylor Memorial Methodist and Hayward’s Glad Tidings C.O.G.I.C, which have built housing through the years, saying we need to revive those solutions today.

“We must come together economically as Blacks to lead the way in helping to solve our own problems by acquiring the land to build mixed use housing for our seniors, low-income, veterans, formerly incarcerated and our church members,” he said.

“Let’s pool our monies, pledge our land and move out on faith.”

With the help of Councilmemeber Larry Reid and staff, Acts Full Gospel pledged its land valued at $1.3 million, which attracted a city match of $7.7 million, a Housing Authority commitment of $2.6 million, conventional financing of $1.9 million and Tax Credit Equity of $16.6 million.

“We can replicate this approach throughout Oakland on vacant city and county-owned parcels as well as on land owned by churches and other non-profits,” he said. “Let’s step out on faith and work together. Let’s pool our resources and make affordable housing happen.”

Bishop Jackson is already moving on all fronts through dozens of community-outreach programs. He mentioned how his “Men of Valor Program” helps the formerly incarcerated population with housing and employment skills.

“We are removing the stigma of the low-income label, which for some has long meant ‘drug-addicted and/or violence-prone,’” he said

“Some of these men are now accepting the responsibility of fatherhood by marrying the mother of their children.”
He said they are no longer deadbeats. His church’s ministry and chaplaincy at Alameda County Juvenile Hall are also having positive impacts on the youth.

Through his successful street ministry and evangelistic broadcasts, he says he feels the pressures to set a positive example for his congregation of more than 3,000.

“I welcome the pressure that’s on me to do my best to provide some housing and employment solutions for my members and the low-income residents of my community” said Bishop Jackson, the church’s pastor for the past 32 years.

The recent successful county A-1 Housing Bond and the city’s bond Measure KK for infrastructure improvements mean that additional sources of money for non-profit and faith-based HDC to build could be available.

“If other landlords and housing developers won’t accept Section 8 vouchers, then we must provide for our people,” he said.
Jackson plans to address the City Hall Jan. 4 public forum at 5 p.m., co-sponsored by the Post Salon and hosted by Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

He said he will encourage housing advocates and community activists to “carefully watch the money from those bond measures to make sure it doesn’t get redirected to other uses.”

“The low-income residents need a voice just like the downtown developers have. Let’s remove the stigma of being low-income,” he said.

Jackson, who founded the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, now headed by Rev. Charley Hames Jr. is inviting groups, churches and individuals to encourage and patronize Black entrepreneurship.

“Let them come and relocate in Africa Town,” he said.

There are already several churches with plans from four units and above that are looking to mobilize the community and their congregants and the community to build.

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Four Candidates, Including Incumbent Barbara Lee, Qualify for Oakland Mayor’s Race

POST NEWS GROUP — Four candidates, including incumbent Mayor Barbara Lee, filed their papers to run for office by last Friday’s deadline, and the City Clerk issued a list this week of those who are qualified to run.

Published

3 days ago

August 15, 2026

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View of downtown Oakland, California and City Hall. iStock photo.

By Post Staff

The four mayoral candidates who will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot are:

Brenda Grisham. A business owner in East Oakland and public safety advocate, Grisham led the successful recall campaign against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. As part of her platform, she pledges to work with local, state, and federal partners to secure stricter gun control measures and investments in community violence intervention programs.

Barbara Lee. A former congressional representative and state Assembly member, Lee was elected by voters in a special election last year for a two-year term. Now running for a four-year term, she points out that her administration achieved major successes in addressing some of the city’s major challenges, including balancing the city budget, dramatically reducing crime, and making significant inroads into homelessness and illegal dumping.

Mindy Pechenuk. An educator and activist, Pechenuk is a registered Republican and supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, who has been described by observers as a conspiracy theorist and cult leader. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor in last year’s special election and for the at-large council seat in 2024. She seeks to end Oakland’s police commission and MACRO and invest in more police while launching a new local war on drugs.

Julius Robinson. While little information is available so far about Robinson, he was quoted in a KTVU story about Thao’s recall, stating that people in Oakland want to come together as a community but lack infrastructure and leadership.

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Black History

Oakland Observes Black August with Block Parties, Film Showings, Workshops

POST NEWS GROUP — Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

Published

3 days ago

August 15, 2026

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George Jackson wrote two books: “Soledad Brother,” and “Blood in My Eye” before her was killed in an attempt to escape prison on Aug. 21, 1971.

By Jana Lang, Propel Youth Reporter

Study. Train. Fast. Fight.

These are the four tenets of Black August, a month dedicated to commemorating the sacrifices of political prisoners and Black revolutionaries in the struggle for Black liberation.

Observers are urged to study the history of the Black struggle for freedom, train their bodies for health and self-defense, fast to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, and fight ongoing oppression alongside their communities and local political organizations.

Beginning in 1979 in San Quentin State Prison, the Black Guerrilla Family called for the remembrance of political prisoner George Jackson and his brother Jonathan Jackson who were assassinated in the early 1970s. George Jackson was considered a political prisoner in that it was the anti-Black justice system that led to his incarceration for armed robbery with a sentence of one year-to-life in 1960.

While in prison, George befriended fellow prisoner W.L. Nolen, who introduced him to the works of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Frantz Fanon. This radicalization coupled with his experiences of violence while imprisoned led to him writing and publishing two books, “Soledad Brother” (1970), and “Blood in my Eye” (1972). In January of 1970, George and two other prisoners were charged with murdering a corrections officer at Soledad State Prison in Monterey County.

On Aug. 7, 1970, Jonathan Jackson burst into a Marin County courtroom armed with a shotgun to demand the freedom of the Soledad Brothers. He, along with the inmates he freed, was shot and killed while driving away. This involved one of the Black Panther Party’s most notable associates, Angela Davis, because the shotgun was registered in her name. She was later acquitted of charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder in 1972.

On Aug. 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by a corrections officer after attempting to escape and free other inmates. As a result, there were uprisings and protests within prisons all over the country that year, calling forth resistance against racial oppression and mass incarceration.

Since its outset, Black August has evolved across the country, taking many forms to honor this history and embody the four tenets.

In Oakland, the upcoming Black August Experience, hosted by Youth Alive! and the East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the legacy of Black August. Activities include free food and drinks, a kids’ activity zone, interactive workshops, live cooking and boxing demonstrations, and more.

Happening on Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. at the EOBA Patio, Carolyn Flynn, director of administration at EOBA, said the event, in its second year, will be an opportunity to engage with people in person through food, shared space, and education.

“We do regular classes in education, and those are ongoing programs that we offer, but we wanted to have [an opportunity] for our neighbors to utilize this space.” Combined with Youth Alive’s work in community violence prevention and youth leadership, this event surely aims to bring the Oakland community together to capture what Black August means today.

Here are additional Black August events happening in Oakland:

Forum and Community Discussion hosted by the Oakland Liberation Center, 1499 Fruitvale Ave., Aug. 14, 7 p.m.

“George Jackson/San Quentin” Screening hosted by Nostalgic for Nothing Cinema at Moments Co-Op, 410 13th St., Aug. 16, doors at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. (Masks required and scent-free)

Commemorating the Struggle, Building the Altar for Liberation: Black August at Bandung Books, 2269 International Blvd., Aug. 23rd, 1-5 p.m.

Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.