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Temporary Victory For The Residents Of The California Hotel

by Lynda Carson (tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com)
The Residents Of The California Hotel Were Granted A Temporary Victory, In A Ruling That Continues To Allow Them To Remain In Their Housing At The Historic Hotel!


Temporary Victory For The Residents Of The California Hotel

By Lynda Carson July 30, 2008

Oakland -- At around 4:30 pm on July 30th, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Keller handed a victory to the residents of the historic California Hotel by granting them another 30 days before ruling on whether or not they may continue to reside in their housing.

A Temporary Restraining Order that went into effect a few weeks ago to stop the owners of the California Hotel from shutting off the gas, water and electricity will continue to remain in effect at least until August 27, when the next hearing will occur to decide the fate of the poor, elderly and disabled residents of the California Hotel.

Judge Keller will be taking in considerations of a receiver taking over to operate the California Hotel on behalf of the residents who refuse to be unlawfully bullied out of their housing by the nonprofit housing organization called Oakland Community Housing, Inc., and Oakland city officials who want to see the residents of the old historic hotel displaced from their housing. Theres currently around 72 residents living in the 150 room historic hotel.

The tenants of the California Hotel recently responded to threats of forced relocation by refusing to move after receiving a threatening notice on June 20 stating that the hotel they reside in may shut down after July 15. In further response to threats of having their gas, water and electricity turned off at the hotel, the tenants responded by filing a $2.5 million lawsuit against Oakland Community Housing, Inc., John Stewart Company, CaHon Associates, Charles Folwkes, Greg Hyson, and Laura Sanborn. The tenants are being represented by attorneys John Murcko of Oakland, and Stephen Perelson of Mill Valley, and in recent days Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch granted a Temporary Restraining Order to keep the owners of the California Hotel from turning off the gas, water and electricity.

In an attempt to frighten the tenants out of their housing at the California Hotel, on July 21 Oakland cops, the fire department and city building inspectors raided the hotel in a surprise unannounced visit to the California Hotel to conduct searches in numerous office rooms, and the rooms of the residents who have refused to move after being threatened with eviction and the shut off of their gas, water, and electricity recently.

According to eye witness accounts, the interior and exterior of the premises was searched from top to bottom, including the drawers inside numerous office rooms in the building, and the cops went searching floor to floor pounding on the doors of the residents, demanding entry into their homes at the old historic hotel.

"Everbody was scared, they just came busting in without any warning, and no-one knew they were coming here today," said California Hotel resident Otis Blacksheer. "I've lived here for two and a half years, and never saw anything like this before! The cops and inspectors went door to door to search peoples apartments, and even searched the drawers in the offices of the building. We do not know what the cops or inspectors were looking for, and I did not want to get to close to the cops in case they thought I was dangerous or something," said Blacksheer.

In addition to the above low-income tenants who are at risk of losing their housing at the California Hotel, documents reveal that over 500 residents of other OCHI properties in Oakland are also at risk of losing their housing due to the mismanagement of the non profit housing organization known as Oakland Community Housing, Inc. (OCHI), a member of the East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO).

This includes around 20 families at East Oakland's Drasnin Manor mixed use affordable housing development (2530 International BLVD), who also are in fear of their future and their housing since the property went into receivership last May, after Oakland Community Housing, Inc., (OCHI) defaulted on a $510,000 loan during the past year.

The John Stewart Company (JSC) also pulled out of the Marin Way housing complex on May 29, but may have stayed on for an extra month according to documents. The Marin Way housing complex is located at 2000 International BLVD, Oakland. A 20 unit property also owned by OCHI, with 18 families residing there.

On August 29, 2008 JSC plans to end their management contract at the Nueva Vista housing complex at; 3700 International BLVD. Nueva Vista has 30 family units, and currently has 24 families residing there.

Slim Jenkins housing complex (30 family units at 700 Willow) and the James Lee Court (26 family units at 690 15th St.) which are both also owned by OCHI, will have their management (JSC) end their management contract sometime during August of 2008.

At the San Antonio Terrace housing complex (23 family units) also owned by OCHI, JSC plans to terminate their management contract on September 30, 2008.

All the tenants at the above locations are at risk of losing their housing once JSC ends the contracts to manage those properties, and many more tenants are at risk of losing their housing at other property locations owned by OCHI, in Oakland.

On Wednesday July 23, the residents of the California Hotel at 3501 San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, celebrated their first week of resident control by dropping a large banner in front of the hotel that said, "We Will Not Be Moved." Just Cause Oakland is asking the community to come out and show their support of the tenants at the California Hotel.

The historic California Hotel was built in 1929 and became a well known Oakland location that catered to the African American community and many legendary performers such as Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Ike & Tina Turner, Fats Dominoe and many, many others. The hotel was taken over in 1986 by Oakland Community Housing, Inc., and remodeled after it was closed down in 1972. After a $9 million renovation of the hotel, it reopened during March of 1991. In the East Bay, the California Hotel was the only full service hotel that welcomed African Americans during the 1950s.

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