The City of Oakland was set to sell the 12th Street remainder parcel to Urban Core (a private developer), who would build a tower of market rate condos along the shores of Lake Merritt. The people, however, were not having it. In a city that is experiencing a swell of housing prices, market rate condos are not affordable to neighborhood residents, largely working class people of color, many of whom are tenants and at high risk of being pushed out by gentrifying forces. Furthermore, the sale was illegal, as residential development of public land sold requires at least %15 affordable housing.
People pushed back, and pushed back hard. Eastlake United for Justice, the East 12th Coalition, and Public Advocates were among the organizations that forced the city to halt the sale of the property. In response to a call for alternative proposals, the E 12th St Coalition brought together 200 residents to put together a “People’s Proposal”.
The resulting document reads, “Over 30 plans and elevations were drawn and annotated by WishList participants. It was all documented and analyzed by the design team. Spatial distribution studies for housing, community, and commercial spaces and for open and green spaces were generated from participant drawings. The resulting massing diagram reflects participants preferences for a building that is similar to the massing of housing along the east bank of Lake Merritt, pictured above. The WishList drawings are consistent with written and verbal feedback prioritizing the following: 1. community control, 2. affordability and accessibility, and 3. flexibility for different uses in building spaces”
SOURCES:
The E. 12th WishList: A People’s Proposal PDF
Eastlake neighbors submit design ideas to transform Oakland’s vacant East 12th Street lot | OaklandNorth