Save Oakland's Public Housing

SAVE OAKLAND'S PUBLIC HOUSING

For Immediate Release: Contact # 510/763-1085

Public Housing Tenants Need Your Support!

February 17, 2007

Oakland, CA – On February 15, during a bizarre Press Conference, Oakland City Officials announced the filing of a lawsuit against the Oakland Housing Authority, accusing the authority of being a slumlord. While doing so they publicly portrayed Oakland’s public housing tenants as drug dealers, prostitutes and gang members who need to be run out of their housing.

Oakland Officials have once again tarnished themselves as prejudiced bigots, who love to demonize the poor in the name of promoting decent housing!

Profile Of Oakland’s Public Housing Tenants

(Public Housing Tenants Are Screened For Criminal Activity & Subject To One Strike Policy)

According to HUD’s Resident Characteristic Report for Oakland public housing tenants as of January 31, 2007. Average income of Oakland’s public housing family is $15,557 per year, and 41% are wage earners. It also says, 44% are families with children. Another 51% are disabled or pensioners. Theres no mention that any of them are drug dealers, gang members or prostitutes, as City Officials are claiming without offering any evidence to back up their outrageous statements. Theres no place in Oakland for the hatred being expressed against the poor, elderly and disabled, and City Officials shame us all with such comments!

HUD Budget Cuts Are At Root Of Problem

(Stop non profits who demand a minimum annual income from grabbing our public housing)

Since April 2004, the Bush Administration has cut hundreds of millions of dollars from public housing, and housing for the disabled and elderly. Oakland’s lawsuit does not offer more assistance to repair or replace Oakland’s older public housing units, but instead makes impossible demands that will only force low-income renters out of Oakland, and force the authority to sell off it’s properties to the so-called non profit housing organizations.

As an example, a search of the website for Berkeley's Affordable Housing Associates, reveals that they demand a minimum annual income of $8,400 for an individual to reside in their properties, unless they receive SSI or Social Security payments.

Many in the Cal Works program or General Assistance, do not have an income high enough to meet the minimum income requirements of the non profits, and remain homeless as a result.

In addition, public housing has a small number of residents who have no income at all, and these renters face the risk of losing their housing when non profit housing organizations take over public housing sites that Housing Authorities are forced to sell off because federal of budget cuts.

Contact City Officials

Tell Oakland’s Mayor and City Council members that they need to fully fund Oakland’s public housing program, so Oakland’s children, elderly and disabled community can live in safe low-income housing. Oakland officials must stop blaming the poor for the lack of funding in public housing. Save Oakland's public housing from being sold off to so-called non profit housing organizations!

Send an e-mail to Oakland's Mayor and City Council members to demand full funding for Oakland's public housing program!

OfficeOfTheMayor [at] oaklandnet.com, nnadel [at] oaklandnet.com, jrusso [at] oaklandnet.com, dbrooks [at] oaklandnet.com, Jquan [at] oaklandnet.com, changochang [at] oaklandnet.com, idelafuente [at] oaklandnet.com, lreid [at] oaklandnet.com, jbrunner [at] oaklandnet.com, pkernighan [at] oaklandnet.com, jrusso [at] oaklandcityattorney.com

For more info, send an e-mail to:
OaklandTenantNetwork [at] yahoogroups.com