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by Jacob Fowler, United Front Against Displacement
On Saturday, Feb. 13, at 12 p.m., residents at Cypress Village held a rally in front of the Oakland Housing Authority’s office on the corner of Union and 10th. The purpose of rallying was to present a plan created by residents and signed by nearly 100 people living in the housing project.
The residents are demanding an end to harassment, all rent hikes and evictions. Residents are also calling for the Housing Authority to take maintenance and safety issues seriously. These issues have been neglected for years and have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oakland Housing Authority has demonstrated a pattern of harassment while failing to carry out its responsibilities to tenants. This is evident in the serious maintenance issues at the project, rampant favoritism, harassment by the OHA police and general unresponsiveness. Residents are concerned about how the project is being run and are working together to make positive changes by working together.
This rally happened at the same time that residents in the Sunnydale project in San Francisco held a rally of their own at the SF Housing Authority’s headquarters. Tenants in both of these housing projects understand the need to address these attacks on public housing by coming together and standing in solidarity with their neighbors.
Look out for more actions happening weekly from public housing tenants and the United Front Against Displacement.
Jacob Fowler is a member of the United Front Against Displacement. Reach UFAD by phone 805-266-1722 and email wewontgo@riseup.net.
