Dear Wood Street Friends and Supporters,
Oakland, CA — The Wood Street Commons community is facing an ongoing struggle to ensure housing becomes a human right. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-1-24, cities now have greater authority to criminalize homelessness. However, we know that the solution to homelessness is housing, not criminalization.
A History of Injustice
Years ago, after the housing crash, the Oakland Police Department pushed hundreds of houseless folks down to Wood Street in West Oakland. With nowhere else to turn, residents banded together, forming a loving community based on mutual respect and belonging. This network proved essential for survival, keeping residents safe, healthy, and out of the criminal justice system. Our mottos “Homeless Helping Homeless” and “All or None” underscore our unwavering commitment to each other.
But as housing costs skyrocketed and gentrification tightened its grip, Wood Street faced increasing hostility. Basic services like sanitation, water, and electricity are consistently denied to houseless communities, further marginalizing residents. Finally, the ultimate injustice: forced displacement by the City of Oakland and the State of California.
Broken Promises and Empty Shelters
The City justified this act by promising “100% affordable” housing. However, the definition of “affordable” was a cruel joke – affordability is based on an area median income that exceeds $100,000! The displaced residents were pushed further into the shadows, some ending up in shelters or prisons, while others sadly lost their lives. The forced displacement resulted in more deaths than individuals becoming housed.
Here’s How You Can Help:
We can’t stand by while this tragedy unfolds. Oakland has over 5,000 documented people experiencing homelessness, which is an extreme undercount. Housing is a human right, not a privilege.
Demand Action! We’re sending letters to the City Attorney and Mayor demanding the North Gateway parcel of the old army base be used to build a community for poor and houseless folks. Public land should be used for public good, not exploited by private companies.
Make Your Voice Heard! Use the pre-written letter below that you can customize and send to the City Administrator and the Mayor. Please cc or bcc community@woodstreetcommons.org in your email.
Together, we can turn the tide. Let’s demand the City prioritize people over profits and build a future where housing is a right, not a privilege.
In Community,
Wood Street Commons
P.S. Follow @WoodStreetCommons on Instagram for updates on our latest events and campaigns
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Dear City Administrator Jestin Johnson and Mayor Sheng Thao,
I am an Oakland resident and supporter of the Wood Street Commons writing to urge your administration to take the necessary action to implement Councilmember Fife’s resolution to utilize the North Gateway parcel for permanent housing for poor, houseless, teachers, and students.
In light of the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision and Governor Newsom’s Executive order N-1-24, Oakland stands at a crossroads – will the Thao administration follow the lead of a Right-wing supreme court to criminalize people experiencing homelessness, or will you work with the Wood Street Commons and Councilmember Fife to implement real solutions that get people into permanent supportive housing?
We urge you to prioritize the well-being of our unhoused population by using the North Gateway parcel of the old army base to build a community designed by and for poor and houseless folks. This public land should serve the public good, not private interests.
We propose an alternative solution: relocate California Waste Solutions and CASS Recycling to the Howard Terminal to support the demands of the West Oakland community to move the companies. This industrial area offers a more suitable location that would not displace essential services for the unhoused.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to a positive response that prioritizes the needs of Oakland’s most vulnerable residents. Please let us know how we can support and defend your teams’ efforts to move this project forward as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
