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District 2 Neighborhood Wins: In Chinatown, Eastlake, Grand Lake & San Antonio

From the Office of Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas

Posted: August 6th, 2021 2:16 PM

Last Updated: November 16th, 2021 3:07 PM

Chinatown + Downtown

Chinatown Business Improvement District, Madison Park, Lincoln Square Park, Community Ambassadors & more

  • CP Bas' office advocated and secured funding in the FY 2019-21 budget to launch a Chinatown Business Improvement District feasibility study. In summer 2021, this new Chinatown Community Benefits District was created and will provide dedicated, ongoing resources to increase safety, clean streets and sidewalks, and marketing for the success of Chinatown businesses.

  • Authored funding to add a public toilet in Madison Park and to upgrade and repair Madison Park's irrigation system.

  • Authored funding to renovate and expand Lincoln Square Park and Recreation Center.

  • Authored funding to launch Chinatown Community Ambassadors with Family Bridges in Summer 2021 with support from Oakland Chinatown Coalition. The Program helps create a welcoming, caring and safe environment in Oakland Chinatown, and sustains neighborhood health and wellness by promoting community and relationship building; reducing violence; restoring feelings of security, especially for our seniors; and creating an integrated, coordinated model for public safety.

  • Secured funding for lighting improvements in Chinatown to support small businesses and public safety.

  • Secured funding to improve Asian Branch Library

  • Secured funding to improve Main Library Branch on 14th St.

  • Secured funding to support OMCA / Oakland Museum of California to expand the scope of their seismic retrofitting project to include water, energy, and ADA compliance.

  • Spearheaded efforts to support the launch of the Museum of Jazz and Art / MOJA at the Fire Alarm Building Site at 1310 Oak Street, to prioritize cultural equity and historic preservation, to be a beacon of light for artists, especially Black artists, a place to learn and dream for our students, and a new source of economic opportunity.

Eastlake

Public Land for Public Good at E. 12th Parcel, Compassionate Homeless Solutions, Lake Merritt

  • Launched Oakland's first Compassionate Tiny Home Village, Lakeview Village, on the city-owned parcel of public land at E. 12th and 2nd. Ave at Lake Merritt to transition up to 65 unhoused residents into dignified, supportive housing with wrap-around trauma-informed and harm reduction services.

  • Renovated and reopened Athol Tennis Courts after successfully transitioning all unsheltered residents previously living at the courts into supportive housing.

  • Secured funding in the FY 2019-21 city budget to launch feasibility study for a Business Improvement District for Eastlake + Little Saigon.

  • Secured funding to resurface the Tot Lot play surface at Bella Vista Park.

  • Coordinated with community + skate organizations, neighborhood advocates and city partners to bring safe upgrades to the skate ramps and ledges at Bella Vista Park.

  • Coordinated plans for Athol Tennis Courts' resurfacing while successfully and humanely transitioning its unhoused residents into upgraded, dignified living conditions that fit their unique circumstances such as accommodating pets, privacy, safety, medical/behavioral health care, and proximity to neighborhood resources and support networks.

  • Added speed bumps to the Lakeshore cul-de-sac to prevent speeding and sideshows.

  • Supported safe, inclusive, sustainable use of Lake Merritt to meet the needs of vendors, neighbors, and park users by establishing Lake operations (porta-potties, hand-washing stations, street closures, traffic/parking enforcement, additional trash containers and clean up) and a pilot Lake Merritt / Parks Ambassadors program.

  • Organized with neighbors around Franklin Elementary to secure speed bumps near the school to address traffic safety.

  • Partnered with Eastlake neighbors to push for equitable development that preserves our arts and culture and creates deeply affordable housing through the Kaiser Convention Center Redevelopment Project.

Grand Lake

Astro Park Bathrooms, Grand Lake Farmer's Market, Morcom Rose Garden, Business & Traffic Safety Improvements

  • Secured funding to renovate Astro Park / Lakeview Bathrooms.

  • Secured funding to improve Morcom Rose Garden and fund a full-time gardener.

  • Worked with the City, volunteers, Community Advisory Committee, Friends of Splash Pad Park, and Agricultural Institute of Marin / AIM to create a long-term agreement with Grand Lake Farmer's Market which hosts 95+ producers with priority given to Oakland-based businesses & producers of color.

  • Supported Grand Avenue Business Association and Lakeshore Business Improvement District to convene meetings to address public, customer and business safety, improving the safety of Walker Parking Lot, and coordinate Merchant Watch efforts.

  • Worked with Mandana Boulevard neighbors to discuss the area's traffic and pedestrian safety and advocating to bring additional safety striping such as bike lanes and crosswalks.

San Antonio

Revitalizing San Antonio Park + Rec Center, Community + Traffic Safety, Garfield Elementary Improvements

  • Funded the reopening of San Antonio Park Recreation Center with a Recreation Director and Rec Leader as well as critical park repairs including: lighting and bleachers repair around basketball courts, new soccer field and moveable bleachers, modular bathrooms, repair of tennis courts gates, and repair of surface roads. Re-opening will also build community-based partnerships by engaging community organizations in programming.

  • Organized with neighbors, OPD, Public Works and Transportation to conduct a Community Safety Walk in San Antonio along E. 15th using the CPTED / Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design frame to identify improvements in the built improvement (lighting, signage, windows, entrances, fencing, stairways, landscaping) to increase quality of life, connectedness, and safety.

  • Organized with neighbors and school staff to secure LED lighting, tree trimming, traffic safety improvements at Garfield Elementary.

  • Organized with neighbors and community / faith leaders to host a Harvest Festival on E. 15th to connect families, children and residents and improve safety in the neighborhood.

  • Secured rapid flashing beacons at the four points of the intersection of E. 12th and 13th Ave to improve traffic safety.