DO WE NEED (MORE) REDEVELOPMENT IN OAKLAND?

Mark Your Calendars!!

The City of Oakland’s Redevelopment Agency and Councilperson Jane Brunner want to add 800 acres of North Oakland to an existing redevelopment area. Most of Oakland is ALREADY under redevelopment. The area to be added--the southern Berkeley border to MacAuthur Blvd., Telegraph Ave to the Emeryville border--is genetrifying like crazy with housing prices ranging from $500,000--$800,000 and private capital launching trendy restaurants, shops and condos.

The purpose of the expansion is clearly NOT the alleviation of blight, but to capture the $385 million + in tax increment money that would otherwise go to the General Fund. The General Fund, meanwhile, is further depleted as most of Oakland is already IN redevelopment. Thus, Oakland voters are continually asked to generously support parcel taxes and bond measures for the police, fire, libraries, capital improvements, and other basic services the General Fund should provide for.

Come and find out where the $385 million goes.

Discuss what is to be done about redevelopment uses and abuses at this
Neighborhood Preservation (NP) Forum with Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby of Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform (MORR), Jane Powell, Oakland-based author/preservationist, Pamela Drake, President, MGO Democratic Club, and others. John Revelli of Revelli Tires, a family owned business since 1946, will attend. He and Tony Fung of AutoHouse were evicted from their businesses in downtown Oakland to make way for Mayor Jerry Brown’s legacy “10K” (10,000 new residents downtown) Forest City Project. This project will empty out the Downtown redevelopment coffers of at least $65 million. Ship builder Charles Webber, of the 5th Ave. Point neighborhood who
successfully sued to avoid being added to the Oak to 9th Ave. redevelopment area, will also speak.

WHERE: Omni Ballroom, 4799 Shattuck Ave., the North Oakland landmark,
built in the Spanish Colonial-style as the Ligure Social Club in 1934.

WHEN: Sun. Aug. 28, 1:00. Free admission. Light refreshments. Please
call ahead to reserve space.

Event info: Bob Brokl/Al Crofts (510)655-3841 or broklcrofts@earthlink.net