City Government

Residents Ask: Where Are the Community Benefits on Port Railway Project?

Published

11 years ago

February 6, 2015

The future of Oakland as a conduit for global commerce took a big step forward recently when the Port of Oakland and Union Pacific Railroad started construction on a project to link the ongoing development at the old Oakland Army Base to the railroad’s main line.

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But community activists are asking if Oakland residents are going to be part of this commercial future and if they are going to have a say in this public investment.

They want the port to sit down with them to negotiate the benefits and the impact of this project. They say the port had a few meetings with them and then stopped meeting.

“They’ve presented nothing to us –they have not given us any idea of the level of community benefits they are considering,” said Margaret Gordon of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project and OaklandWorks Alliance.

“We’ve given them proposals, and they have not responded to us,” Gordon said. Port officials only met with local residents three times to discuss community benefits, the last time right before the election, she said.

In addition, she said, the port never explained the development plan to the community.

As of Wednesday of this week, the port has sent a message offering to schedule a meeting in February to talk with community members.

“The Port of Oakland has never sat down and said what benefits represent their commitment to the people of Oakland,” said Brian Beveridge of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project and OaklandWorks.

“My question is: Why does the port continue to demand unilateral control over the community benefit discussion with West Oakland residents? What are they so afraid of?” Asked Beveridge.

In response to community complaints, the port is saying it will restart community benefits meetings after it picks a developer for the port side of the Army Base development project.

The $25 million project is financed by the Port of Oakland and the California Transportation Commission’s Trade Corridors Improvement Fund. It’s part of a $100 million port effort to significantly expand Oakland rail capacity.

A 7,400-foot lead track and the reconfiguration of adjacent tracks should be completed in October. Once finished, the port will be better positioned to receive bulk rail shipments at the former army base from Union Pacific and BNSF railroads.

The port and City of Oakland expect to transform Trans-Pacific supply chains at the 360-acre former army base logistics center. Located on the Port’s Outer Harbor, it would include warehousing, trans-load facilities and a dry-bulk cargo terminal.

“Connecting the Oakland Army Base to the national rail network is a milestone for us,” said Chris Chan, the port’s engineering director. “To be successful, we must have good rail access.”

Bulk shipments of commodities such as Midwest grain and beef could be delivered to Oakland by rail, trans-loaded into containers at the port, and then exported via Asia-bound container vessels.

According to Amy Tharpe, the port’s Director of Social Responsibility, the Port of Oakland is interested in meeting with community members who will be impacted by the Army Base project.

“The Port of Oakland is committed to developing a community benefits package for the redevelopment of the Port’s portion of the former Oakland Army Base,” said Tharpe.

“To ensure this we have to hear from the people in our community who will be impacted by the project and could benefit from it,” she said. “We’ve held several meetings that began last year with multiple key stakeholders from more than ten community groups.”

“Once a development partner is selected,” she continued, “the Port will schedule more community meetings to create a specific community benefits agreement.”

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Life Expectancy in Marin City, a Black Community, Is 15-17 Years Less than the Rest of Marin County

“Marin City residents have been fighting for years just to stay here. Residents live with the fear of being forced out, public housing torn down and rebuilt for the wealthy. Due to ongoing issues continually being ignored, residents feel they must be empowered to make their own decisions for the future survival and protection of their community,” said Terrie Green, a lifelong resident and executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR).

Published

3 days ago

February 3, 2026

Oakland Post

Marin City community leaders (l.-r.): Terrie Green, executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience (MCCR); Wambua Musyoki, Stanford University; Khamil Callahan, Santa Rosa Junior College; Serenity Allen, Xavier University; and Chinaka Green, MCCR associate director.

By Ken Epstein

People may be aware of the existence of Marin City and know a little about its history as a center of U.S. resistance to fascism in the World War II. But fewer know of the community’s ongoing struggles to survive potential displacement while facing severe toxic health and environmental conditions on a daily basis.

These conditions cause chronic disease and premature death, dramatically shown in the sharp difference in life expectancy between Black and white people living in households only a few miles apart.

A historically African American enclave, Marin City, occupies a 0.5-square mile area between Mill Valley and Sausalito with its own freeway exit near the Golden Gate Bridge. In contrast, the rest of Marin County rates among the healthiest, wealthiest, and most environmentally friendly counties in the country. However, it is one of the least racially equitable counties in California, with Black residents being the most impacted, according to the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization,.

The community owes its continued existence to the World War II generation that came to the Bay Area from the South to work in the shipyards and to the resiliency of its residents. Despite often facing discriminatory practices, such as redlining and a segregated school district, Marin City residents have continually created a strong community rich in culture, spirituality, and community values.

The current statistics are brutal. At present, Marin City residents face more than a 17-year difference in life expectancy compared to neighboring cities and towns. Contributing to these conditions are a lack of investment in public housing and infrastructure: unsafe drinking water, air pollution caused by proximity to the U.S. 101 freeway, unsanitary stormwater drainage that produces mold and mildew, as well as old and broken lead pipes and sewage in homes.

As an unincorporated community, Marin City residents must rely primarily on the elected Marin County Board of Supervisors, Department of Public Works, Transportation Authority of Marin and Caltrans for the decisions and investments that impact their lives.

MCCR’s focus is on environmental justice. Its purpose is to empower and advocate for individuals to embrace sustainable living, envision a future free of environmental harm and collectively work towards a better Marin City. MCCR’s motto is “Forever Marin City.”

MCCR has created a unique team of Marin City Youth Environmentalists who have studied and researched environmental issues impacting the health of the community.

Serenity Allen is an MCCR Youth Coordinator/Young Environmentalist studying to be a medical social worker at Xavier University. She has been working in the community for six years. “I strongly believe that where you live should not determine how long you are able to live,” she said.

Allen referred to the work done by former Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis, who stated that Marin City has a 17-year life expectancy difference between residents of Marin City (77 years) and more affluent areas like Ross (94 years).

“The research shows this gap is heavily correlated with race and socioeconomic status. Sausalito, which is not even two miles outside of Marin City, has a life expectancy of 92 years,” Allen said.

“Many elements contribute to this gap,” she said. “A major factor may be the 12 acres of toxic flood waters that pour down off the highway into low-lying Marin City.

In addition, “We do not have a barrier wall protecting us along our highway; the rest of Marin County has 16 barrier walls to protect from noise and air pollution. Marin City has been fighting for a barrier wall since 2008,” she said.

Octavien Green, an MCCR high school environmentalist, spoke about the impact of the absence of recreational facilities on health and wellness, particularly for youth.

“Lack of investment in our recreational facilities means we have fewer spaces and opportunities for physical activity, which contribute to serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, weak bones and low energy, especially for kids. We are presently involved in an ongoing struggle just to rebuild a sports ball field for the community that’s been unusable for the last 15 years.”

“Marin City is the center of Black culture for all of Marin County,” said Green. “Historically, though, the county has not invested in the community, and you see it in the life expectancy, the highest chronic disease and disability rates and eight times the amount of asthma. In the last six weeks, we’ve had three young people in their 40s and 50s die from heart attacks. This is alarming and must be addressed.”

Looking toward next steps, she said, “The way forward is through incorporation,” which would mean that Marin City would have its own elected leadership to find solutions that determine the future of the community.

This is the first in a series of articles on Marin City, examining conditions in the community and interviewing both community members and public officials.