OTU’s Mission

The Oakland Tenants Union is an organization of housing activists dedicated to protecting tenant rights and interests. OTU does this by working directly with tenants in their struggle with landlords, impacting legislation and public policy about housing, community education, and working with other organizations committed to furthering renters’ rights. The Oakland Tenants Union is open to anyone who shares our core values and who believes that tenants themselves have the primary responsibility to work on their own behalf.

Monthly Meetings

The Oakland Tenants Union meets regularly at 7:00 pm on the second Monday evening of each month. Our monthly meetings are held in the Community Room of the Madison Park Apartments, 100 – 9th Street (at Oak Street, across from the Lake Merritt BART Station). To enter, gently knock on the window of the room to the right of the main entrance to the building. At the meetings, first we focus on general issues affecting renters city-wide and then second we offer advice to renters regarding their individual concerns.

If you have an issue, a question, or need advice about a tenant/landlord issue, please call us at (510) 704-5276. Leave a message with your name and phone number and someone will get back to you.

Imagine what free City College could mean for building enrollment at our College and for the students­and would-be students­in our City.

This Tuesday our supervisors will vote on the initiative to make City College of San Francisco FREE to city residents and workers. They will also vote on the identified funding source, a small increase in the transfer tax on SF luxury buildings and mansions. You can help show them how much our community supports making CCSF free for San Franciscans. Join us! We are delivering petitions and letting supervisors know: this is important for our City and our College!

City Hall (meet on Polk St. steps)

• join our delegation to deliver petition signatures
• tell supes to vote YES: make CCSF free for San Franciscans
• supervisors will be voting on the initiative to make City College of San Francisco FREE for city residents and workers

Scheduled for the July 12th Berkeley city council meeting is a proposal to draft an ordinance for civilian oversight over surveillance technology used by law enforcement in city limits. Surveillance oversight would be steered by an open participatory privacy working-group. Surveillance technology includes drones, camera systems, license plate readers, facial recognition software, IMSI catchers (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), social media aggregator software, and much more. A privacy working-group would place limits on how technology is used, the vendors that law enforcement purchases from, and the types of data sharing agreements law enforcement enters into.

At the meeting, there will be be a comment period for the proposed surveillance oversight ordinance, during which members of the public can speak in favor of community control over police surveillance. Members of the public may stay #Anonymous if they so choose – there is no requirement to state your name.

(Be aware that the item is listed last on the schedule as Item #41. The city council meeting starts at 7:30PM, but the item may not be heard until around 9PM or later. But even though the item is listed last, it could be moved sooner in the schedule. Bring food and a book to read while waiting.)

Next INTRO TO SURJ meeting. Join us as we engage white people to work for racial justice.

Press Event and Rally

Front steps of City Hall, Frank Ogawa/Oscar Grant Plaza
Join the Twitter/Facebook/Call-in storm at 1:30-2:30pm! 

* Information for Twitter/Facebook/Call-in Storm: Thurs. July 14, 1:30-2:30p
#protectoaklandrenters
“Please support Kaplan’s Renter Protections Act as it will be introduced on July 19th without gutting or weakening the existing language!”
@DanKalb @Abel_Guillen @annieforoakland @LynetteGM @LibbySchaaf

• District 1/North Oakland- Kalb: 510 238-7001
• District 2/Eastlake/Chinatown/San Antonio/Trestle Glen/Crocker- Guillén: 510-238-7002
• District 3/West Oakland/Downtown/Adams Point- McElhaney: 510-238-7003
• District 4/Hills/Laurel/Dimond/Allendale- Campbell-Washington: 510-238-7004
• Mayor Libby Schaaf: 510-238-3141

Please Join us in a PEACEFUL-FAMILY FRIENDLY Vigil/Rally and March for our Brother Teodoro Valencia Jr..

Teo was known and loved by many people. Teo was charming, caring and a loving person with a beautiful smile. He was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend. On March 11, 2016 Teo was wrongfully killed by the Newark Police Department. He was shot intentionally in the back with an AR-15 Assult Rifle by a single police officer.

Our family’s goals are to bring justice for Teo, as well as truth and light to the darkness that the police have been using to mislead and opress our community.

Our demands for this event include the following:

1.) Get Justice for Teo. This includes a retraction and public apology from the Newark Police Department; as well as exposing the officer, prosecuting and firing him.
2.) De-militarize the Newark Police Department. This includes the removal of AR-15 Assault Rifles and similar combat weapons; as well as training the police to do their job with minimum use of force.

We welcome everyone and anyone who has a heart and cares about their community, family, and friends. We do not want this injustice to happen to anyone else. “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” -1 John 3:18

Additional Details:
– We will be meeting on the sidewalk, and we ask that you park your car on the street or in the shopping center to the left of 7-11- not in the St. Edwards Church or KFC Parking Lots.
– We will update you with details as we receive them

It’s all hands on deck here at the Ella Baker Center and we need your help!

Join us at the Ella Baker Center’s monthly member meeting this Thursday, July 14th to learn about what we do and get involved in our organizing efforts.

We will be planning for Night Out for Safety and Liberation, an event on August 2nd where we will redefine what safety means for us in Oakland. We will also be organizing around the campaign to Stop Urban Shield in Alameda County.

RSVP on Facebook.

Vegetarian dinner will be provided and the building is wheelchair accessible. We ask that this meeting be a fragrance free zone for accessibility.

Israel’s ongoing military occupation of Palestinian territory and its repeated invasions of the Gaza strip have triggered a fierce backlash against Israeli policies virtually everywhere in the world — except the United States. The Occupation of the American Mind takes an eye-opening look at this critical exception, zeroing in on pro-Israel public relations efforts within the U.S. Roger Waters, the narrator, is an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, and composer. He is best known as the bass player, co-lead vocalist, lyricist, and principal songwriter in the rock band Pink Floyd. Over the last few years, he has emerged as a prominent advocate for Palestinian human rights.
Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Ctee as part of our Conscientious Projector series for the 99%.

BREAKING VIDEO: #BlackLivesMatter movement has called for a #DayOfSolidarity alongside #Anonymous https://t.co/z5la1aJDJm #CallToAction

— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonnMessage) July 10, 2016

N A T I O N W I D E C A L L T O A C T I O N === J U L Y 1 5 2 0 1 6

Phoenix: 5:00PM (EASTLAKE PARK, 1549 E Jefferson St , Phoenix, AZ 85034)
Tuscon: 5:00PM (CATALINA PARK, 900 N 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85705)
Little Rock: 6:00PM (OUTSIDE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr., Little Rock, AR 72201)
San Francisco: 4:00PM (CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, 355 Mcallister St, San Francisco, California 94102)
Oakland: 4:00PM (FRANK OGAWA PLAZA, 1 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612)
Los Angeles: 4:00PM (LEIMERT PLAZA PARK, 4395 Leimert Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008)
Denver: 5:00PM (CIVIC CENTER PARK, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, Colorado 80204)
Washington DC: 7:00PM (OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500)
Atlanta: 7:00PM (OLD DECATUR COURTHOUSE, 101 E Court Sq, Decatur, GA 30030)
Tampa: 7:00PM (OUTSIDE HILLSBOROUGH COURTHOUSE, 800 E Twiggs St, Tampa, FL)
Orlando: 7:00PM (LAKE EOLA PARK, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801)
Miami: 7:00PM (GWEN CHERRY PARK, NW 71 St., Miami, Florida, 33147)
Chicago: 6:00PM (RICHARD J DALEY CENTER, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, Illinois 60602)
Des Moines: 6:00PM (IOWA STATE CAPITOL, 1007 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50319)
New Orleans: 6:00PM (LAFAYETTE SQUARE, New Orleans, LA 70130)
Baltimore: 7:00PM (201 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202)
Boston: 7:00PM (MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 01233)
Detroit: 7:00PM (Campus Martius Park, Detroit, Michigan 48226)
Lansing: 7:00PM (STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, Capitol Avenue at Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933)
Ann Arbor: 7:00PM (THE DIAG, Burns Park, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Minneapolis: 6:00PM (MINNEAPOLIS URBAN LEAGUE, 2100 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411
St. Louis: 6:00PM (GATEWAY ARCH, St. Louis 63102)
Carson City: 4:00PM (NEVADA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, 101 N Carson St, Carson City, Nevada 89701)
Manhattan, NY: 7:00PM (TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan, NY, 10036)
Newark: 7:00PM (NEWARK CITY HALL, 920 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102)
Durham: 7:00PM (200 E. Main St. Durham, North Carolina)
Columbus: 7:00PM (GOODALE PARK, Columbus, Ohio 43215)
Cleveland: 7:00PM (CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, 325 Superior Ave E, Cleveland, Ohio 44114)
Portland: 4:00PM (PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97204)
Philadelphia: 7:00PM (LOVE PARK, 1599 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102)
Pittsburgh: 7:00PM (PITTSBURGH CITY-COUNTY BUILDING, 414 Grant St, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219)
Nashville: 6:00PM (801 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203 Estes Kefauver Federal Building)
Memphis: 6:00PM (Health Sciences Park Memphis, TN)
Austin: 6:00PM (TEXAS STATE CAPITOL, Outside South Gate-11th and Congress Ave.)
Salt Lake City: 5:00PM (SALT LAKE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 4600 S Redwood Rd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84123)
Seattle: 4:00PM (QUEEN ANNE BAPTIST CHURCH, 2011 1st Ave N, Seattle, Washington 98109)
Milwaukee: 5:00PM (DINEEN PARK, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Facebook event page

A teachers strike that began on May 15 has grown into a widespread rebellion in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. 14 compañeros have been killed by the state, including 12 in a massacre on June 19.

Join us in San Francisco to mark two months since the strike began as we march in defiance of state repression and in solidarity with our compañerxs on the barricades in Oaxaca.

To our compañerxs, teachers, mothers, fathers and children of the Oaxacan community, here and there, though we are miles apart, we fight with you.

Because here and there we fight against the same monster called capitalism. Because here and there, freedom, health care, and housing must be for all.

We march with love for our sisters and brothers who have been murdered and who will always be remembered, who walk alongside us in this struggle. We in the Bay Area, in solidarity with the Oaxacan community, say no more repression, no more deaths. We are ready to stand together. If they attack one of our communities there, we will respond here.

Help us kickoff the Oakland vs. Big Soda Campaign on Saturday, July 16th!

Hear from speakers about how the sugary drink tax will benefit you and the Oakland community. Learn how to talk about the tax and inform the community about the lies Big Soda is telling. After, we’ll head out into the community and make sure Oakland knows the truth about Big Soda and the soda tax. Light snacks will be served.

RSVP at this link.

International Conference Against Privatization

The effort to destroy unions and working conditions is directly connected to privatization and deregulation. In nearly every country of the world, public workers are under attack through outsourcing and deregulation. This educational conference will look at privatization in Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Another key part of international policy that is being pushed through the US-controlled IMF and World Bank are trade agreements such as NAFTA, CAFTA, and the TPP. This conference will look at the history of so-called “Free Trade” agreements and how this has lowered working conditions and also brought about the destruction of health and safety conditions and the privatization of healthcare, housing, education, and all public services.

Another focus of this conference will be the relationship of privatization to corruption on a global level. The crisis in Brazil and other countries are examples of how privatization has led to a growing corruption crisis.
Speakers from around the world will connect the dots and explain how unions have organized locally, nationally and internationally to defend working people.

Endorsed by Transport Workers Solidarity committee, United Public Workers For Action (UPWA.info)

This fall, Kayla Moore’s family will go to court to hold Berkeley and the BPD accountable for Kayla’s death in 2013.

Want to lend a hand in advance of this important fight? Come to our art-making party on Saturday, July 16th to create art that honors Kayla’s life.

We’ll be making posters, banners and other outreach materials. There will be a variety of ways to lend a hand; no need to have so-called creative talent. We’ll also have food to share.

Drop by between 11:30am and 4pm – and invite your friends!

Panel discussion by the KPFA Community Advisory Board.

Food, documentary screenings, music, art and sculpture unveiling.

Join neighbors for an afternoon block party honoring Berkeley civil rights leader William Byron Rumford.

This free public event will feature music, food, film screenings, kids’ activities and festivities aimed at building community by celebrating the life and legacy of Mr. Rumford, a key player in the Civil Rights movement in California.

Mr. Rumford (1908-1986) was the first African American elected to a state public office in Northern California. Among other achievements as a California Assembly member
, he authored groundbreaking legislation which banned discrimination in employment (1959) and housing (1963). These laws helped to pave the way for similar federal legislation. In addition to his public service at the state level, Rumford played an integral role in the South Berkeley community where he lived for 50 years. He owned and operated a pharmacy at 2960 Sacramento Street from 1942 until 1981 which now houses a clinic named in his honor.

#SF STAND UP #SayHerName #SFPD pic.twitter.com/IK9pVNDHsH

— Sylvia R (@achillesgirl) July 16, 2016

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 4 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway near the steps of City Hall. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 4:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland.  On every last Sunday we meet a little earlier at 3 PM to have a community potluck to which all are welcome.

OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for over four years! Our General Assembly is a participatory gathering of Oakland community members and beyond, where everyone who shows up is treated equally . Our Assembly and the process we have collectively cultivated strives to reach agreement while building community.

At the GA committees, caucuses, and loosely associated groups whose representatives come voluntarily report on past and future actions, with discussion. We encourage everyone participating in the Occupy Oakland GA to be part of at least one associated group, but it is by no means a requirement. If you like, just come and hear all the organizing being done! Occupy Oakland encourages political activity that is decentralized and welcomes diverse voices and actions into the movement.

General Assembly Standard Agenda

1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Reports from Committees, Caucuses, & Independent Organizations
3. Announcements
4. (Optional) Discussion Topic

Occupy Oakland activities and contact info for some Bay Area Groups with past or present Occupy Oakland members.

Occupy Oakland Web Committee: (web@occupyoakland.org)
Strike Debt Bay Area : strikedebtbayarea.tumblr.com
Berkeley Post Office Defenders:http://berkeleypostofficedefenders.wordpress.com/
Alan Blueford Center 4 Justice:https://www.facebook.com/ABC4JUSTICE
Oakland Privacy Working Group:https://oaklandprivacy.wordpress.com
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity: prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/
Bay Area AntiRepression: antirepression@occupyoakland.org
Biblioteca Popular: http://tinyurl.com/mdlzshy
Interfaith Tent: www.facebook.com/InterfaithTent
Port Truckers Solidarity: oaklandporttruckers.wordpress.com
Bay Area Intifada: bayareaintifada.wordpress.com
Transport Workers Solidarity: www.transportworkers.org
Fresh Juice Party (aka Chalkupy) freshjuiceparty.com/chalkupy-gallery
Sudo Room: https://sudoroom.org
Omni Collective: https://omnicommons.org/
First They Came for the Homeless: https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-they-came-for-the-homeless/253882908111999
Sunflower Alliance: http://www.sunflower-alliance.org/
Bay Area Public School: http://thepublicschool.org/bay-area

San Francisco based groups:
Occupy Bay Area United: www.obau.org
Occupy Forum: (see OBAU above)
San Francisco Projection Department: http://tinyurl.com/kpvb3rv