For Immediate Release
Contact: Grover Wehman-Brown, East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), 510-663-3830, grover@ebho.org.
November 20, 2019: Impact Fees into Affordable Housing Now
The City of Oakland must prioritize releasing Impact Fees to build affordable homes now.
Oakland, CA– On November 21st, EBHO members, residents of Oakland, and community advocates will gather at Frank Ogawa Plaza to show support for Oakland City Staff and present our demands for Impact Fees to the City Administrator’s office.
Last night thousands of Oakland residents slept on the street, in vehicles, and in overcrowded conditions because for decades the leaders of this region prioritized market rate developers and landlords over the urgent need to protect and build affordable homes for everyday people in Oakland. Oakland has already met 115% of its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirement for total units, but less than 8% has been affordable and 92% has been above-moderate income high end market-rate units. Impact fees were implemented to increase the number of affordable units in Oakland, yet the city doesn’t have an accurate count of how many fees have been collected. Where is the money? We need to build affordable housing now.
We are here to show support for city staff in Housing and Community Development, who are working with too few resources. We are here offering our support to staff because it is not an option to fail at this task.
- We call on the City Administrator to re-prioritize the work of city staff to get the Impact Fees numbers now. The city must treat accounting for the numbers of impact fees that should have been collected, collecting them, and disbursing Impact Fees as the emergency it is.
- We call on the City to quickly hire the staff needed to count and release the Impact Fees and build affordable housing now.
- We demand the city administrator give staff authority to award and execute agreements to projects approved by the City Council so Impact Fees can be used to build affordable housing now.
Homelessness is not inevitable; housing all the people in Oakland requires a re-shuffling of priorities. Failing to quickly disburse impact fees is not an option. Too many lives are at stake.
“It is shameful that the city cannot explain how it is in the middle of an unprecedented building boom yet we have so little money to show for it.” Jeff Levin, EBHO Policy Director
“We need for you to illustrate to us that you value the lives of all who live in Oakland.” EBHO Board member Stevie Dawson at Oakland’s October CED Meeting.
WHAT: Impact Fees into Affordable Housing Now Action
WHERE:
Oakland Department of Housing and Community Development
250 Frank H Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA
WHEN: November 21st, 2019
- 10:45 am – Gather
- 11:00 am – Head to Housing and Community Development offices to deliver muffins, express our support
- 11:20 am – Walk/roll to City Hall where representatives from EBHO, ACCE, and SEIU will give brief statements and deliver our demands to the City Administrator, Sabrina Landreth.
WHO: East Bay Housing Organizations
FACEBOOK: @Eastbayhousingorganizations
Twitter: @EBHO_Housing
VISUALS:
If you missed the action but would like to communicate your concern about Impact Fees to the City Administrator, you may do so here: https://ebho.salsalabs.org/impactfeesnow