Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, citing the racist history of zoning laws, says Oakland should allow four-plexes across the city.
Author Archives: Natalie Orenstein
Natalie Orenstein covers housing and homelessness for The Oaklandside. She was previously on staff at Berkeleyside, where her extensive reporting on the legacy of school desegregation received recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists NorCal and the Education Writers Association. Natalie’s reporting has also appeared in The J Weekly, The San Francisco Chronicle and elsewhere, and she’s written about public policy for a number of research institutes and think tanks. Natalie grew up in Berkeley and has only left her beloved East Bay once, to attend Pomona College.
Posted inCity Hall & Policing
It’s decided: the Oakland Fire Department will run MACRO, a new non-police emergency response program
Should a city department run MACRO, or should it be outsourced to a nonprofit? After weeks of heated debate, the council moves ahead.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
How will homeless people get the COVID-19 vaccine in Alameda County?
The county has begun administering shots at shelters, ahead of the state’s schedule, but it’s a challenge to reach everyone living on the streets.
Posted inArts & Community
Meet the 13-year-old guerrilla swing-builder making Oakland parks more fun
Fighting quarantine boredom, Jack Carlisle decided to hang 50 homemade swings across the city, from Jack London Square to Dimond Park.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Renters and landlords can learn about their rights at these housing workshops
Free online sessions offered by Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Program cover rent increases, harassment, evictions, repairs, and more.
Posted inCity Hall & Policing
Why has this Eastlake lot sat empty for years?
UrbanCore says COVID-19 has thwarted its chances of starting construction on its 361-unit Lakehouse Commons apartment complex, which has drawn controversy for years.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
East Oakland homeless camp still standing, despite state orders
What happens at Union Point Park could shed light on Oakland’s practices under its new encampment policy.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
Oakland got millions in COVID-19 homeless funds. Now it’s running out
Oakland must use $44 million in emergency housing funds before it expires. City staff and activists say it wasn’t enough in the first place.
Posted inHealth & Environment
Help Oakland prevent—or better prepare for—the next disaster
Residents can fill out a 10-minute survey about fires, earthquakes, and extreme weather to help the city prevent and respond to crises.
Posted inHousing & Homelessness
West Oakland’s ‘Cat Man’ faces rare Ellis Act eviction
The Ellis Act is one of the few exceptions to Oakland’s eviction moratorium, and there’s concern that cases will increase in Oakland.