Bay Area

Low-income residents can apply for E-bike lottery

Low-income Berkeley residents – such as a family of four making less than $106,000 annually or an individual making less than $74,200 – can apply for a lottery to get an electric bike for long-term use as part of a city-funded program.

Published

1 year ago

February 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Residents 18 years or older can apply and be entered into a lottery for the e-bikes, which will be delivered from April through June.

Eligible individuals and households can apply by March 8 for new program, which will include maintenance, helmet, locks, and training for up to 50 households.

City of Berkeley

The 50 selected households – who can also qualify if they participate in SNAP, PG&E CARE, or Medicaid – would pay a $100 refundable deposit and get an electric bike, helmet, bicycle locks, lights, and training on safe riding.

Those households will also receive free check-ups and maintenance for at least a year from Waterside Workshops, a nonprofit partner with GRID Alternatives and the City of Berkeley as part of the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project.

Anyone in Berkeley can use electric bikes at a lower cost through shared bike and scooter companies. These tools also allow residents to tie into the city’s bike boulevards, a network of lower-traffic, calmed roads designed to enhance safety and convenience for those on scooters and bikes.

Eligible residents can apply online by March 8 to enter the e-bike lottery.

RESIDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM

Residents 18 years or older can apply and be entered into a lottery for the e-bikes, which will be delivered from April through June.

The program prioritizes applicants who earn less than 80% of the Area Median Income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The size of the household affects the income limit.

Households can also qualify by participating in a range of public programs such as:

Find more income eligibility information on the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project application.

Interested applicants can access computers at any of Berkeley’s public library branches. For application assistance, contact Waterside Workshops at (510) 644-2577, or visit in person at 84 Bolivar Drive Tuesday – Sunday, noon – 6:00 pm.

TURN CAR TRIPS INTO BIKE TRIPS

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are faster and more convenient than traditional non-electric bikes and are gaining popularity in our bike-friendly Bay Area climate. E-bikes can help:

provide a boost on hills, long commutes, and recreational rides
carry cargo, including young children, over long distances
save money on gas and public transportation when commuting
improve mental and physical health, as a form of exercise or recreation
reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel vehicles, the largest driver of climate change in Berkeley and beyond

Learn more about e-bikes at an upcoming webinar.

CLIMATE EQUITY PILOT SUPPORTS ACCESS TO CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AND BUILDING UPGRADES

The Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project is funded by the City of Berkeley’s Climate Equity Pilot Fund, a pool of money authorized by the City Council to provide benefits to – and elevate the voices of – low income and historically marginalized communities, the people most impacted by climate change.

As part of the E-Bike Equity Project funding, Waterside Workshops is also developing a new e-bike curriculum for its youth bicycle mechanics education program.

The City’s Climate Equity Pilot also funds electrification upgrades in buildings and access to resilience measures for income-qualified residents.

Use the online application (https://airtable.com/shrOwBiN588qJqrn3) to apply by March 8 for a chance to receive an e-bike to start your fun, healthy, and emission-free ride.

LINKS

Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project Online Application
E-Bike Webinars & Events (Ride & Drive Clean)
Electric Bicycle or Scooter Share (City of Berkeley)
Bike Boulevards (City of Berkeley)
Waterside Workshops
GRID Alternatives

Income Guidelines by Region (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development)

Keep up with City of Berkeley news via our news page, email, or on Twitter @cityofberkeley

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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

Published

1 day 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.

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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

5 days 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

7 days 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.”