Moms 4 Housing protesters arrested at Alameda County Supervisors meeting
Oakland councilmember talks about seceding from Alameda County
COUNTY NEWS
TENANTS’ PROTECTION ORDINANCES
—CHAMBER CHAOS—Three people affiliated with Moms 4 Housing, the housing activist group that shined a light in 2020 on corporations hoarding available housing units inOakland, were arrested on Tuesday evening inside the Alameda County Board of Supervisors chambers.
—The protesters interrupted Tuesday’s board meeting shortly before 3 p.m. The county supervisors recessed the meeting and returned to closed session for two hours. When they resumed the meeting, the protesters again interrupted the proceedings.
—“This meeting is shut down,” a protester announced from the lectern used by public commenters. Supervisor Nate Miley adjourned the meeting to Feb. 7.
—They had planned on occupying the board’s chambers for 60 hours to represent the roughly 60,000 renters in unincorporated Alameda County that are without meaningful tenants’ protections.
—“We are taking this action because Alameda County is already suffering from an overwhelming homelessness crisis, and if these tenant protections are not put in place before the COVID moratorium is lifted, that crisis is going to get exponentially worse,” said Dominique Walker, a member of Moms 4 Housing and a Berkeley Rent Board commissioner.
—“I would do it again,” Walker said, in a statement on Wednesday. “If this is what it takes for folks to stay housed, then this is what it takes.”
—On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors delayed for a second time this month a second and final reading of three tenants’ protection ordinances approved last December. That discussion and possible vote is now set for Feb. 28.
—Of the three protesters, just one was detained and taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. The others were cited and released. The individual was reportedly detained because she was not carrying any identification.
—TAM’S TURN—A separate group of housing activists turned their attention on Monday to Supervisor Lena Tam in an effort to gain a commitment from the new District 3 representative to vote in favor of renters’ protection ordinances.
—The groups headed to Tam’s district office in San Lorenzo, but she’s apparently wasn’t there. Instead, they spoke with Tam via cellphone. The conversation was captured in video posted below.
—“You have campaigned on being the second coming of Wilma Chan. This was her legacy, an activist told Tam. District 3 Supervisor Chan tragically died in November 2021.
—Tam’s response was similar to those she offered on the subject during her campaign last fall, and it did not appease the activists.
—“I am committed to protecting families, and I will do it in my way and only with an understanding—a very good understanding—of how current protections work and how it will help Alameda County residents, particularly in the unincorporated areas,” Tam said.
—ANOTHER PROTEST TONIGHT—Housing activists have organized an event this evening at the San Lorenzo Library, 5 p.m., to urge Supervisors Tam and Nate Miley to support the tenants’ protection ordinances.
CITY NEWS
OAKLAND
—OAK FLAG REBELLION—Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife was in an insurrectionist kind of mood at Tuesday’s Oakland City Council Life Enrichment Committee meeting.
—During a discussion on the city accepting $140,000 in emergency short-term winter relief funding from Alameda County, Fife became unnerved by an assertion that county leaders might not accept changes she was seeking in the name of good governance.
—“Maybe we need to secede from Alameda County so Oakland is its own city and county,” Fife said. “That’s a whole other conversation.”
—She added later, “This is a stress test for our relationship with the county.”
—The comments were made in response to Councilmember Noel Gallo offering an opinion that if Oakland did not acquiesce to the county’s offering they might later sidestep the city and offer funding directly to non-profits.
—In essence, Fife was arguing with a straw man. It’s unclear, but not likely, that Alameda County officials have made any assertions about the item that was before the committee.
CONGRESS
HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE
—FRIENDS & ENEMIES—Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made good on his promise last fall to boot Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff from the House Intelligence Committee.
—McCarthy made the formal announcement on Tuesday. McCarthy has long argued that Swalwell, due to his involvement with a Chinese spy who infiltrated his capitol office, along with the content of an undisclosed FBI assessment, should not have access to the highly-sensitive intelligence often disclosed at the committee.
—The rationale for Schiff is less clear. However, both Schiff and Swalwell have long been vociferous critics of President Trump.
—Both congressmembers voiced strong criticism of McCarthy’s move. Both used the opportunity to use the controversy as a vehicle for fundraising.
—In a sign that Swalwell’s interest in running for the U.S. Senate is very low, he teamed up with Schiff for a joint fundraising email to supporters through Schiff’s campaign committee.