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Fraud at EBALDC’s housing projects to raise more grant making funding

by Lynda Carson (tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com )
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in California, charities and certain other nonprofit organizations may conduct raffles as fund raising events or charitable purposes in the state, provided that 90 percent of the gross receipts of the raffle go to charitable or beneficial purposes.

Fraud at EBALDC’s housing projects to raise more grant making funding

By Lynda Carson - December 23, 2014

Oakland — A so-called raffle / drawing is allegedly going to take place in early February 2015. It involves affordable housing projects owned by the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), in an effort to hoodwink the tenants out of some personal information that may be used by grant makers to pull in more funding for the 501c3 charity nonprofit housing developer. EBALDC is one of Oakland’s largest nonprofit housing developers.

Last week I reported that the low-income residents in EBALDC’s housing projects were served a three page survey packet of personal questions. They were directed to fill out the survey and submit the information to management or to post the information on line with Survey Monkey Inc. The tenants were told they may win a $100 Visa gift card in a raffle after they submit the survey packet.

The tenants were not advised that it was voluntary to fill out the three page survey packet. Additionally, the nonprofit wants the tenants to add their name to the survey packet. It is not anonymous. Management is claiming that no individual survey results or individual details are disclosed to anyone. The tenants are expected to pretend that the gossipy building managers are not going to read what is mentioned in the surveys once they are submitted.

Additionally, thanks to Edward Snowden we know that there are no secrets online with government snoops grabbing everything possible, and other hackers are dominating the headlines on a daily basis.

The nonprofit housing developer is profiling the tenants, and as an example of some of the questions the tenants are being asked: How many times a week do you exercise for 20 minutes or more, or eat fruit and vegetables? In the past year have you seen a violent act or drug related activity in your community? Do you feel safe in your neighborhood or building you reside in? What do you feel is the best response to violence or drug use in your community? How many neighbors do you say hello to on a daily basis? In the past year have you been in danger of losing your housing? Do you know who you can turn to in an emergency? Do you feel connected to your neighbors? Do you think your neighborhood is a healthy place to live? In general how satisfied do you feel about your life?

In a world where people are accused of being a snitch if they accuse their neighbors of wrongdoing, and tenants are being 5150d if they mention they feel suicidal over the holidays at times its best to keep your thoughts to yourself.

The three page survey packet tenants are directed to fill out and submit closely resembles a packet of recertification papers the tenants have to fill out annually to verify their status and income, or face eviction if they fail to do so.

As stated, the tenants were advised that for completing and submitting the survey their names would be entered into a raffle to win a $100 Visa gift card. However, EBALDC failed to provide any tickets for the raffle. Furthermore, EBALDC did not tell the tenants when they should stop submitting the completed surveys or when the raffle would occur. Nor did EBALDC provide a name or contact number to reach someone for further information. The tenants were only advised that the winner of the $100 Visa gift card would be contacted in the mail.

After tracking down a woman named Amber Lamason who is deeply involved in the mysterious raffle, in a Dec. 17 article which I sent a copy of to numerous EBALDC staff I pointed out the following. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in California, charities and certain other nonprofit organizations may conduct raffles as fund raising events or charitable purposes in the state, provided that 90 percent of the gross receipts of the raffle go to charitable or beneficial purposes. Additionally, public records with the DOJ revealed that EBALDC’s raffle registration status expired on 4/25/2011. Before writing my story Lamason declined to answer most of my questions and stated that she would provide answers on Dec. 16 to myself and the residents in their buildings at the same time, which she did not.


EBALDC Now Claims Its A Drawing, Not A Raffle


On December 22, the residents including myself in around 1,600 households at 15 affordable housing projects were served another notice from EBALDC regarding the survey and mysterious raffle. Now they are claiming the survey is optional to complete. Additionally, Resident Services Supervisor, Amber Lamason identified herself as being involved in the venture, and she stated that the raffle is now being called a drawing. She also claims that the drawing would take place in early February 2015. “The winner will receive the $100 Visa gift card in the mail,” she claims.

However, in a repeat performance EBALDC / Lamason did not provide any tickets for the drawing as they are now calling it, meant to hoodwink the tenants out of personal information that grant makers may use to raise more funding for EBALDC’s purposes. Nor did she state when tenants should stop submitting any surveys. Additionally, the timing of the December 22 notice coincided with the same day that Lamason took off for the holidays from EBALDC, and she is not available to answer any questions. Nor did she reply to my call.

Regardless of EBALDC’s / Lamason’s attempt to convince the tenants into believing that they are getting involved in a drawing instead of a raffle when they submit the completed survey, in California most opportunity drawings are actually raffles which are regulated under CA State law (Penal Code section 320.5 and related regulations).

Additionally, the State of California further stipulates that nonprofit organizations can hold an opportunity drawing if all the following are true. 1) It involves a general and indiscriminate distributing of the tickets. 2) The tickets given away have the same winning opportunities as the tickets for which a donation is given. 3) The scheme does not require any of the participants to pay for a chance to win and the fact is clearly advertised.

It appears that it is not legal for a nonprofit organization to have a drawing or a raffle when tickets have not been distributed beforehand. In this case Lamason did not provide any tickets at all for the so-called drawing, which is precisely what occurred when she did not provide any tickets for the so-called raffle. No tickets distributed.

According to her bio online with Linked In, Amber Lamason claims that she has an MPA (Masters of Public Administration) from the University of San Francisco, and has been with EBALDC since Oct. 2012 as a Resident Services Supervisor.


EBALDC One Of Oakland’s Largest Nonprofit Housing Developers


According to their website, as a nonprofit organization EBALDC incorporated in 1971 and is proud of it’s humble beginnings when a handful of college students and community people got together to preserve a deteriorated warehouse located downtown Oakland. From the beginning the nonprofit developer has been involved in one gentrification scheme after another involving residential rental housing, condominiums, and commercial floor space to enrich itself.

Public records reveal that EBALDC’s assets grew from $23,876,277 in 2002, to a whopping $77,492,652 in 2008. EBALDC’s gross receipts were listed at $10,323,010 during 2013, and after subtracting their liabilities from their assets EBALDC reported they had a fund balance of $23.3 million.

Oakland is being gentrified at an incredible rate placing tens of thousands of low-income renters at risk of displacement due to rapidly rising high rents, greedy landlords, and thousands of people moving to Oakland after being displaced from San Francisco as a result of the tech industry.

As shrewd investors, the 501c3 charity nonprofit housing developer has been quietly buying up and banking properties along the San Pablo corridor near Brush Street and West Grand Avenue while the market prices were low. With rents rising 20 percent during the past year Oakland still needs to keep a few poor people around to do all the hard work. EBALDC is stepping up to the plate to provide what is basically being called workforce housing along the San Pablo corridor according to Executive Director, Joshua Simon, in a recent November article. According to Simon, in its 39-year history EBALDC has added 2,046 housing units to Oakland and the East Bay, and 150 more are on the way with the projects along the San Pablo corridor.

Additionally, along the San Pablo corridor in recent years EBALDC was able to get its hands on the California Hotel after Oakland Community Housing Organization (OCHI) went bust. OCHI, a nonprofit housing developer, the John Stewart Company (a nonprofit), and the City of Oakland desperately tried to evict all of the tenants in the California Hotel while threatening to cut off their water and electricity. At the time the plan was to displace all the tenants from the historic building so it could later be used to generate much higher revenues, and according to public records EBALDC was lined up to take control of the building after all the tenants were displaced from their housing. Despite a furious successful battle in the courts involving the Eviction Defense Center and prolific attorney John Murcko to save the long-time residents from eviction, EBALDC still managed get control of and purchase the historic hotel at a later date.

Another fantastic deal that got much attention during 2004 was when the nonprofit housing developer (EBALDC) was able to get its hands on Preservation Park in a sweetheart political deal for under $7 million in cash, even though it was valued at being worth over $11 million at the time. Preservation Park is a collection of 16 small historic victorian buildings located in one square block located downtown Oakland, near City Hall.

In the deal involving EBALDC, the City of Oakland and the billionaires of Forest City Enterprises, EBALDC got its hands on Preservation Park when it bought the property from the City for under $7 million in cash when the City needed an extra partner after it became apparent that around $60 million in so-called affordable housing funds was not enough money to build around one thousand expensive luxury condos for the wealthy, in the Up Town Project. The Uptown Project resulted in the displacement of hundreds of poor people from their housing in the area, including many small businesses.

In another sweetheart deal to enrich itself, during 2002 the 501c3 charity nonprofit housing developer (EBALDC) partnered with the Oakland Housing Authority and some out of state billionaires of Related California in a gentrification scheme to demolish and replace the occupied 178 public housing units at the Coliseum Gardens Public Housing Project.

Out of 178 families displaced by the massive privatized Hope Vl project that has been renamed Lion Creek Crossings, during October of 2006 Twima Early of Related confirmed that out of 178 families displaced from their housing by the project, only 4 families managed to move back into the new housing development.

Regarding the so-called drawing or raffle EBALDC presently failed to provide tickets for Resident Services Supervisor, Amber Lamason, took off just in time for the holidays before anyone could ask any questions.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com


Note: Lynda Carson is a long-time resident in one of EBALDC’s properties.


Click on link below for related article…

Oakland nonprofit bribes tenants to give up private information

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/12/17/18765712.php

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