The St. Vincent de Paul shelter—which has served unhoused residents throughout the pandemic—was no match for the ruthlessly contagious omicron variant.
Category: Housing & Homelessness
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After a pandemic pause, Oakland ramped up homeless camp closures again. Why?
The city’s reasons for shutting down encampments aren’t always clear to those who are directly impacted. We reviewed two years of data to identify patterns.
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How should Oakland tackle the housing crisis in 2022?
We asked community members and leaders to tell us their New Year’s housing and homelessness resolutions. Here’s what they said.
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A year of protest, policymaking, and new ideas for using limited land
In 2021, Oaklanders debated what should be built in the city to ease the housing and homelessness crises, and how to use scarce land.
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A pledge to ‘give meaning to every homeless death’ at Alameda County memorial
According to a forthcoming report, more than 800 unhoused people died in the county over a three-year period, significantly higher than previous estimates.
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City Council sets stage for new supportive housing, RV park in 2022
During a marathon meeting, Oakland officials approved a new RV site, Homekey housing applications, and ADU rules, but money is still tight.
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Oakland and Alameda County reach agreement on lead-paint money
The city would get 60% of the $24 million lawsuit settlement under a deal headed for final approval this week.
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2 years into a rent strike, Fruitvale tenants say they have a deal to buy their building
The renters were dressed up and ready to march to their landlords’ house in Alameda this week—then they got some hopeful news.
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Mayor asks more Oakland landlords to rent to Section 8 tenants
Oakland recently received 500 new Housing Choice Vouchers, but tenants who receive them often struggle to find a property they can rent.
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Major West Oakland housing development remains in limbo
The city must decide whether to move forward on the ‘Golden West’ project that would add over 200 housing units next to the BART station, or press pause to conduct an environmental review.
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Oakland Home Histories: The little building on Webster that’s lasted
The Mentone Arms Apartments have survived a century of transformation, ambition, upheaval, and neglect in downtown Oakland.
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Oakland and Alameda County won money to fight lead poisoning. They still haven’t spent it
The city and county are tussling over who should get what portion of a lead paint lawsuit settlement, and how it should be used.
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Curbsteading: One West Oakland resident’s reflections on living outdoors
Mavin Carter Griffin, founder of the Wood Street People’s Collective, says we’re thinking about “homelessness” in all the wrong ways.
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New program will help 200 Oakland tenants pay rent for 18 months
Mayor Libby Schaaf’s “shallow subsidy” pilot, funded by philanthropy, is intended to prevent homelessness.
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‘Hella Town’ explores Oakland’s divided history through the lens of its built environment
From malls to shipyards to housing in the hills, Mitchell Schwarzer’s book is a sweeping history of development and power.
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With a second COVID-19 winter coming, will unhoused people have more options for staying warm?
Some traditional homeless shelters are staying closed or at reduced capacity. Others are trying something new.
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Tiny-home shelter to open on a contentious Eastlake development site
Dozens of people will soon get access to heating and privacy through the temporary program. What happens next is less clear.
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Alameda County gears up for major homeless count
Canceled last year for COVID-19 safety concerns, this year’s Point-in-Time assessment “counts more” than any before it, organizers say.
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Rent control for RVs? Policy could extend protections to nontraditional tenants
The rent control policy is part of a package of laws that could make it easier to build, and live in, new types of housing in Oakland.
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Nonprofit run by homeless people says it was unfairly taxed for trying to build housing
Oakland’s vacant property tax is meant to encourage housing on empty lots. Is there a loophole that does the opposite?