Oakland is facing a housing affordability crisis. We’ve already seen too many Bay Area communities become unaffordable for middle and low-income residents, and our most vulnerable residents suffer in unsafe and overcrowded conditions as well as in growing homeless encampments. That’s why we came together in 2016 to pass city and county measures that protect Oaklanders from being forced to move out of affordable housing as well as building more housing for our most vulnerable – including more transitional and permanent housing for the homeless.
As your Mayor, I have fought tirelessly to both increase the supply of new and affordable housing and protect Oaklanders from getting evicted or displaced from their homes. That’s why I launched the 17K/17K plan, which is on track to provide 17,000 new units of housing and protect 17,000 residents from displacement by 2024.
We’ll pull in regional partnerships to bring an end to homelessness. This includes preventing homelessness in the first place with emergency rental assistance, as well as building more permanent supportive and affordable housing for our lowest income residents. It also includes an effective and compassionate approach to street-level homelessness, including mobile outreach and sanitation services, opening a new Rapid Rehousing Center, as well as innovations like our Tuff Shed Shelter program.
I will also fight to protect our small Oakland-grown businesses, artists and non-profit organizations from displacement. As an Oakland native, I’m passionate about protecting what makes Oakland, Oakland.