A community discussion around homeless solutions.

As many of you know and can see, Oakland has been facing skyrocketing rates of homelessness, with the counts in our community increasing dramatically in recent years.  We now have around 3,000 people unhoused in our community, and it is vital that we take significant action to expand solutions, and the funding for them, in our community.  This situation is causing widespread suffering, as people are living in difficult situations in underpasses and sidewalks, often without access to water, bathrooms, and more.  This endangers the entire community, both those with and without homes, and creates a potential for expanding blight and spread of disease.

Please join us  for a community discussion around homeless solutions.

We will hear about a range of solutions, including use of “tiny homes” and shipping container conversion homes, tenant assistance and rapid rehousing, partnering with faith-based organizations and other community groups, and encouraging effective use of vacant properties.

This includes a proposal to pass a Ballot Measure to tax vacant properties, and dedicate the revenue to homeless solutions. By taxing vacant properties, this will help encourage people to put those properties back into use, thus, increasing the housing supply.  Yhe money raised by the Measure would create a dedicated funding stream to support real homeless solutions, by ensuring they have a funding source that doesn’t have to be fought over each year. Funding would include sanitation and services, rapid rehousing, alternative housing structure solutions, navigation centers, and more.

See a recent article in The Nation describing inspiring local actions in various cities, which includes discussion of our proposed vacant property tax:
https://www.thenation.com/article/progressive-change-is-rocking-one-of-the-most-unlikely-places-in-philadelphia-the-das-office/

Also, you can read a submitted report for the Vacant Property Tax, and attached additional articles about the vacant property taxes in other cities, online at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D4ROx9q8MqLECdZA8B3KDU9Lg9Upc81Q/view

In addition, legislation is being brought forward to encourage and authorize the use of innovative solutions, including small homes and RVs, to be allowed on church lots and in partnership with other groups.  A few months ago, during the north bay fires, some nearby communities lost thousands of housing units in one night.  As a result, they quickly passed laws allowing use of innovative, rapid, and low-cost housing solutions, including RVs and trailers.  While our housing crisis was not primarily caused by fire, it is no less of a crisis.  We too should be embracing a range of strategies to help.

Seethe title/request for homeless Alternatives/tiny homes on community lots here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qv3_qA4ssY1bLCt76IbEfIyHetmzZmJZ/view