A 25-acre, 472-unit housing transit-oriented development in South Hayward was approved by the Hayward City Council Tuesday night. But despite evidence the city is in the grips of an affordable housing crisis, the project includes just 48 units of affordable… Read More ›
affordable housing
With Bitcoin booming, Bryan Parker’s idea of using it to uplift Oakland isn’t looking so crazy
Former Oakland mayoral candidate Bryan Parker says the city missed an opportunity with Bitcoin for reason greater than finances. OAKLANDAs Oakland voters headed to the polls during the November 2014 mayoral election, the cost of a single Bitcoin was roughly… Read More ›
In a bind, Hayward tables long-standing plan for city to boot Bunker Hill tenants from homes
HAYWARD CITY COUNCILFor a Hayward City Council that has voiced strong support over the past few months for helping stave off its burgeoning affordable housing crisis, the optics of evicting up to 40 families from their homes put city officials… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | MAR 23-29 | BERKELEY may prohibit use of city funds for sugary drinks; HAYWARD spends big $$ for mobile police vehicle; and more
THE WEEK OF MARCH 23-29 –BERKELEY– Regular council meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 27, 6 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–COKE IS NOT IT– Four years ago, Berkeley voters overwhelmingly approved a tax on sugary drinks sales. Now the Berkeley City Council may go further with an… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | MAR 16-22 | Housing discussions in SAN LEANDRO, HAYWARD; Revenues up in ALAMEDA
THE WEEK OF MARCH 16-22 –ALAMEDA– Regular council meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 20, 7 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–UPTICK IN REVENUES– “The proposed budget amendments to the FY 2017-18 Budget will increase General Fund revenue by $7 million, to $99 million, and will increase… Read More ›
Spouse of Alameda’s elected city auditor says housing at Alameda Point will bring low-income cars
A rendering for a portion of Phase 1 of the Site A plan at Alameda Point. ALAMEDA CITY COUNCILWhen the Alameda City Council revisits an 800-unit housing and commercial development at Alameda Point tonight, known as “Site A,” the spouse… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | FEB 23-MAR 1 | SAN LEANDRO runs red light cameras; teachers workforce housing in FREMONT; HAYWARD looks at downtown parking
THE WEEK OF FEB. 23-MAR. 1 –OAKLAND– Regular council committee meetings, Tuesday, Feb. 27, start at 9:30 a.m.➤Finance & Management Committee, 9:30 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–CANNABIS BIZ TAX POLICY– The committee will received a cannabis business tax policy paper, first requested… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | FEB 2-8 | ALAMEDA COUNTY 1/2-cent sales tax measure for child care coming this June; ALAMEDA PD wants 13 license-plate readers
THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2-8. –ALAMEDA COUNTY– Regular council meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 10:30 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] –BALLOT MEASURE FOR CHILDREN– The Board of Supervisor will approve placement on the June ballot of a countywide half-cent sales tax measure to fund child… Read More ›
Assembly candidate Dan Kalb wants to bring back redevelopment agencies
Dan Kalb, standing, is one of nine Democrats running in the AD15 race this June. ELECTION 2018f–15TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT–Nearly seven years ago, the dissolution of redevelopment agencies in California significantly changed the ways local governments approved and built capital improvement… Read More ›
Rep. Barbara Lee, agreeing with Trump, says she supports reinstituting federal earmarks
Rep. Barbara Lee also said Saturday that she will support any resolution to impeach Trump. 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTAt a town hall event that Rep. Barbara Lee‘s office termed a teach-in for the “GOP tax scam bill” Saturday morning in Oakland,… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | JAN 5-11 | Oakland library parcel tax on the horizon? No ICE, baby!; San Leandro allocates A1 funding for 62 affordable housing units
THE WEEK OF JANUARY 5-11 –OAKLAND– Regular council committee meetings, Tuesday, Jan. 9, start at 9 a.m. ➤Finance & Management Committee, 9 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–LIBRARY PARCEL TAX POLL– Budget cuts last year significantly hampered Oakland’s public library system. Unsurprisingly, reduced… Read More ›
Bereft of housing, Alameda City Council sinks 589-unit housing development for now
The Alameda City Council put on hold Tuesday a proposed 589-unit Encinal Terminals project on the Northern Waterfront. ALAMEDA CITY COUNCILIn a city that has long resisted meeting minimum state standards for the creation of new housing, the Alameda Council Tuesday… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | NOV 24-30 | OAKLAND probes ICE raid, remembers Ghost Ship; HAYWARD adopts ‘The Commitment’; BERKELEY examines Measure GG
THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 24-30 –OAKLAND– Special council meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–OPD/ICE PROBE– A likely volatile discussion of the events surrounding the Aug. 16 ICE raid in West Oakland returns to the council agenda after… Read More ›
After begrudgingly offering 6 affordable units for Hayward project, exec brags about lengthy Italian vacation
KB Home executive Ray Panek, left, missed the Oct. 3 Hayward meeting that resulted in the council slamming its project due to a lack of affordable housing. HAYWARD CITY COUNCILA month ago, the Hayward City Council appeared to have stomped its… Read More ›
ALCO begins process of issuing $580 million Measure A1 affordable housing bonds
ALAMEDA COUNTYThe serious lack of affordable housing in the East Bay was clearly apparent to voters in Alameda County last year with approval of Measure A1, a $580 million general obligation bond to help foster new ownership of affordable housing… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | NOV 6-9 | Housing dominates City Halls across the East Bay; ALAMEDA COUNTY begins issuing housing bonds; ALAMEDA pot ordinance
THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 6-9 –SAN LEANDRO– Regular council meeting, NoV. 6, 7 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]–CITY-OWNED REAL ESTATE DEAL– Town Hall Square, the roughly 1.5 acres plot of undeveloped land bounded by East 14th, Hays, Davis Streets in Downtown… Read More ›
Hayward officials voice strong support for affordable housing; state concern over rising rents
HAYWARD CITY COUNCILA week after Hayward elected officials roundly turned away a developer’s bid to build a slew of market-rate housing units on Mission Boulevard, councilmembers continued to voice a newfound pledge for more affordable housing in a city currently… Read More ›
Oakland City Council had little interest in questioning Elaine Brown’s non-profit, except her top rival Desley Brooks
Elaine Brown, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson and Oakland Councilmember Desley Brooks in an undated photo. OAKLAND CITY COUNCILApparently, Oakland Councilmember Desley Brooks and former Black Panther and Oakland activist Elaine Brown have no limits on being in the same… Read More ›
Supervisor Keith Carson knew about conflict of interest when giving $710k in county funds to employee, former Black Panther Elaine Brown’s non-profit
Supervisor Keith Carson ALAMEDA COUNTY GRAND JURYAlameda County Supervisor Keith Carson violated the county’s conflict of interests rules when he hired former Black Panther leader Elaine Carson to his staff and allocated $710,000 in funding to the housing non-profit she… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA | June 16-22 | OAKLAND public bank study, SAN LEANDRO tackles tenant relocation fees, Mega town hall
THE WEEK OF JUNE 16-22It’s so early in the process of whether Oakland and more likely a consortium of East Bay cities go into the banking and lending business that we’ve heard a peep from Big Bank. Richmond and Berkeley… Read More ›
Hayward City Council approves massive market rate-only downtown housing project
HAYWARD CITY COUNCILLincoln Landing, a 476-unit market-rate housing development with 80,500 square feet of retail space was unanimously approved Tuesday night by the Hayward City Council. The 11-acre project replaces the long-vacant Mervyn’s building on Foothill Boulevard includes the demolition… Read More ›
EBC AGENDA — April 21-27 — HAYWARD to approve 476-unit housing project – New ALAMEDA COUNTY treasurer? — OAKLAND public bank — Congressional TOWN HALLS
THE WEEK OF APRIL 21-27When Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector Donald White decided to hang ’em up last year, the news seemed plausible. White had served the county for three decades, so retirement was obvious. However, his decision to retire during… Read More ›
Alameda Point’s 800-unit residential, mixed-use project faces financial setback
A 2015 rendering of Alameda Point’s “Site A” featuring Seaplane Lagoon. ALAMEDAThe develpers of the Alameda Point parcel known as “Site A” failed to complete a financing plan for the project before a deadline last week, due to growing construction… Read More ›
How Trump is already wreaking havoc on affordable housing in the East Bay
FOR MANY IN THE EAST BAY, the early days of Donald Trump’s presidency have been at worst, an all-out assault on American democracy. At minimum, a excruciating daily mockery of common decency. But the reality television show most in the… Read More ›
San Leandro gifts $800,000 loan for child care center
SAN LEANDROAccess to affordable child care has been on San Leandro’s radar for years. On Monday, the San Leandro City Council backed it up with approval of an $800,000 loan for a 4,850 square foot child care center and adjacent… Read More ›
Hayward City Council approves 240-unit downtown housing development
A partial rendering of the 240-unit Maple & Main housing development approved by the Hayward City Council Tuesday night. HAYWARDMaple & Main, a 240-unit housing development in North Hayward, which city leaders hope will help kickstart improvement in the downtown… Read More ›
Survey: Hayward residents are concerned about housing, jobs
A city survey found 75 percent of residents have a positive image of their city. HAYWARD CITY COUNCILHayward residents consistently voiced concern over the overall lack of affordable housing and job creation in the city, according to a city survey… Read More ›
FREMONT MAYOR PREVIEW: Councilmember mounts a mayoral challenge to the status quo
Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison is facing a challenge from first-term Councilmember Lily Mei. MEET THE CANDIDATESFremont Mayor BILL HARRISON was elected four years ago in a tough three-way race with Republican Steve Cho and his then-City Council colleague Anu Natarajan…. Read More ›
Three ex-San Leandro mayors clash: Cassidy calls himself city’s best mayor; Santos says, ‘He’s full of sh*t!’
Clockwise: Former San Leandro Mayors Stephen Cassidy, Tony Santos and Shelia Young. SAN LEANDRO | Former San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy believes he’s one of the most effective leaders the city has ever had. “I was most progressive mayor San… Read More ›
Alameda County set to place affordable housing bond on the November ballot
Alameda County Supervisors Scott Haggerty and Richard Valle. ALCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS | During a meeting earlier this year, Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty was nearly in tears. The lack of affordable housing that has created so much fear in… Read More ›