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Local Artists Recognized For Outstanding Community Impact

Published

10 years ago

September 21, 2015

The Alameda County Arts Commission is recognizing six local artists for their outstanding achievements and contributions impacting the arts community and residents of Alameda County.

Nominations for the Arts Leadership Awards Program were submitted by community members, and members of the Alameda County Arts Commission selected the six winners, representing the five districts of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

This year’s Arts Leadership Award Recipients are Bernice R. Bates, Sarah Crowell, Susan Dunn, Chris Johnson, Judy Lam, and Paul Ruma.

Bernice R. Bates of Oakland is the choir director of the East Oakland Senior Center Performing Arts Choir. The choir members range in age from 55-95 years of age. After 28 years of service, Bates retired from AT&T and returned to college to finish her second degree, which she had started over 40 years ago.

As a model example of her commitment to the arts and life-long learning, she graduated in June 2015 with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance as a Mezzo-Soprano from Cal State University East Bay in Hayward.

Sarah Crowell of Oakland, representing is currently artistic director for Destiny Arts Center, a nonprofit organization focused on providing dance, theater and martial arts programs with the mission to end isolation, prejudice and violence in the lives of young people.

She has worked at the organization for 25 years as a dancer teacher, workshop facilitator, program director and lead staff trainer. She served as the organization’s executive director from 2002-2007.

Additionally, Crowell co-founded the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company in 1993.

Susan Dunn of the City of Alameda is a community leader who devotes her time to supporting and providing arts and cultural community activities with a special emphasis on the City of Alameda.

In the past two years she held leadership positions with three arts organizations in the City of Alameda. She served as the staff historian for the Altarena Playhouse. During the theater company’s recent 75th anniversary, Dunn coordinated a major gala fundraiser and exhibition about the organization’s long history.

She served as the development director for the Virago Theatre which is an 11-year-old theater company. And, she is the founder, development director and a board member of Island City Opera founded in 2014.

Chris Johnson of Oakland is the founder of Question Bridge: Black Males, an organization that provides a forum for dialogue among Black men and new opportunities for understanding and healing. This project is the 2015 winner of the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award.

Johnson is a professor of photography at California College of the Arts, Oakland and San Francisco. From 1999 – 2005, he served as chair of the City of Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission, and from 1997 to 2000, he was director of the Mother Jones International Fund for Documentary Photography.

Judy Lam of Fremont is the founder and director of Virtuoso International Flute Ensemble in Fremont. She has directed various flute ensembles, chamber groups, choruses, and musicals, many of which featured her original ensemble arrangements for flutes, strings, and chorus.

For the past 7 years, through Virtuoso International Flute Ensemble, she has dedicated over 15 concerts to support and benefit over 10 local nonprofit organizations and numerous community events. She serves as a band consultant for the Advanced Elementary Band at Hopkins Junior High School in Fremont.

She also conducts free lessons for members of Fremont’s Friends of Children with Special Needs.

Paul Ruma of Union City is the founder and director of Mighty4 Arts Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving history, advancing artistry, and empowering youth through Hip Hop cultural arts.

Since 1998, he has had international impact in over 40 cities worldwide by providing education about Hip Hop culture through community-based events, classes, workshops, and documentary productions.

Ruma is an accomplished “B-Boy” dancer who led his group Rock Force Crew to the Battle of the Year world championship of Breakdancing in 1998 representing the USA taking first place and continues to receive numerous international awards.

Award recipients will be honored by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 10:45 a.m., at the Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak St. in Oakland.

Oakland Post

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Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

7 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

12 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.