Dangerous Ideas

The issue of low-income housing at Pacific Renaissance Plaza in Oakland Chinatown may be nearing a close. PacRen has been put up for sale and the bids are coming in. And it’s not just affordable housing that’s on the line any longer, it’s also the commercial property as well. PacRen is a prominent fixture in Chinatown, and upcoming decisions by the City of Oakland will determine how much affordable housing will remain in the complex, and also the type of merchants that will be housed there. This could turn into a really positive thing – imagine a place where individuals and families with low incomes can afford to live in Chinatown, living in a plaza that includes locally owned shops true to the character of today’s Chinatown. Of couse, it could turn out differently, too, with affordable units being reduced or eliminated, and local merchants being pushed out, a story that’s repeated in so many communities these days.

Please take a moment to ask Oakland city council members to help preserve the character of Oakland Chinatown. Here’s an action alert from the SCEC:

STOP CHINATOWN EVICTIONS COMMITTEE —————————————-

(Asian Pacific Environmental Network, CJWP, Just Cause Oakland, Oakland Tenants Union)

COMMUNITY ACTION ALERT: OAKLAND CHINATOWN AFFORDABLE HOUSING HANGS IN THE BALANCE

ACTION NEEDED: Contact Oakland City Councilmembers and Mayor Dellums to Request that No Council Decision be Made at the February 20, 2007 Closed Session that Would Result in the Sale of ANY of the Pacific Renaissance Affordable Housing Units.

City Contact Information:

• Mayor Ron Dellums, 238-3141, officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 1: Jane Brunner, 238-7001, jbrunner@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 2: Pat Kernighan, 238-7002, pkernighan@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 3: Nancy Nadel, 238-7003, nnadel@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 4: Jean Quan, 238-7004, jquan@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 5: Ignacio De la Fuente, 238-7005, idelafuente@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 6: Desley Brooks, 238-7006, dbrooks@oaklandnet.com
• Dist. 7: Larry Reid, 238-7007, lreid@oaklandnet.com
• At large: Henry Chang, 238-7008, cityochang@aol.com

Please call and email the Mayor and councilpeople today. The message is simple: In their closed session on the 20th, only approve bids that will preserve ALL 50 of the affordable housing units at Pacific Renaissance.

COMMUNITY STRUGGLE BACKGROUND: Four years after the Oakland Chinatown and housing rights communities have been fighting to preserve the Pacific Renaissance affordable housing units, and three decades after Chinatown activists worked to secure these same units, we are close to securing permanent affordable housing for Chinatown’s low-income and elderly residents. Some of the key aspects of the struggle include the following:

• In the 70’s and 80’s, Chinatown activists worked to secure the Pacific Renaissance 50 affordable housing units in response to the devastation of thousands of affordable units in Chinatown due to City redevelopment efforts. The City of Oakland provided over $30 million in public subsidies to the Pacific Renaissance developers, including a $7 million loan for the affordable housing.
• In April 2003, the Pacific Renaissance developers attempted to evict all 50 families, mainly low-income, immigrant elders. The Oakland progressive community organized in support of these tenants. Community groups and tenants filed a lawsuit against the developers and compelled the City of Oakland to sue the developers for defrauding the City and tenants that resulted in the loss of the City’s $7 million loan and the 50 affordable housing units.
• In May 2006, on the eve of trial, the parties entered into a tentative settlement agreement that would result in the preservation of the Pacific Renaissance affordable housing units. The settlement provided for the City to purchase the commercial property, affordable housing, and parking spaces for $40 million. The City could then sell the commercial property and parking spaces to another buyer for a higher price. The City has been working to find a buyer for the property and set a deadline of January 31, 2007 for all bids.
• The community has made clear, again and again over the years, its support for retention of all 50 affordable apartments at Pacific Renaissance. They are central to meeting the housing needs of low-income residents as well as to the vitality and character of Chinatown.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: City Council Decision at the February 20th Closed Session Could Result in the Sale of Some of the Affordable Housing Units

• The City is trying to recoup its costs of the lawsuit by selling off some of the affordable housing units. We need to make sure our elected officials know that the housing rights and Chinatown communities do not want any of the units to be sold.
• Creative options exist to help close any money gaps that the City has including renegotiating the sales price of the Pacific Renaissance property, allowing a nonprofit housing developer to purchase the affordable units, and deferring the City’s attorneys fees. The City must get back into negotiations with the Community and Tenant Plaintiffs to work out a solution.
• This is a closed-door meeting with no public comment. We need to make our voices heard NOW to impact the decision on Tuesday.

Please call and email the Mayor and councilpeople today.

The message is simple: In their closed session on the 20th, only approve bids that will preserve ALL 50 of the affordable housing units at Pacific Renaissance.

Thank you for your crucial support.

For More Information Contact: Just Cause Oakland, 763-5877; victory@justcauseoakland.org

For more info on the web, http://www.cjwp.org/stopevictions.html