Meeting Time: June 30, 2021 at 4:00pm PDT
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Agenda Item

S.-2 21-0035 Approval by the Board of Education of a Long Term Ground Lease with Eagle Environmental Construction & Development (EECD) for Affordable and Workforce Housing at the Former Tilden Child Development Center, 4551 Steele Street, Oakland, CA, 94619-2743, a District surplus property.

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    Nick Palmquist over 2 years ago

    Do not give away public land for private profit. You are the trustees of a public school system and our public land. Once public property leaves the public system it is extremely difficult to return to public hands. This does not set us up for better future, in the near term or long term. Keep public lands in public hands!

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    Maureen Boyd over 2 years ago

    There are zero guarantees that the developer’s plans will result in affordable housing. This calls for thorough investigation of the individual and historic relationships of school board members to any individuals with a relationship with these employers. The length of lease, the excessively low price for no actual accountable deliverables in re: affordable housing reeks of a corrupt attempt by private individuals to make a killing on publicly held land.

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    Elissa Batiste over 2 years ago

    I am writing to support the approval of Eagle Environmental Construction in development of this affordable housing and workforce. It is much needed and long overdue!

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    Craig Gordon over 2 years ago

    As a teacher in OUSD since 1990, I urge you to vote NO on this lease of public property that will benefit private businesses and interests far more than it will help Oakland students. The 75-year leases of Tilden CDC and Edward Shands essentially give precious public resources away and paves the way for gentrification. Posting this item just 72 hours before the vote allows no community engagement on this vital decision. It's simply wrong to hand over these resources to developers who will make millions on these properties literally on the backs of young people in Oakland.

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    Kaitlin McDanielKeith over 2 years ago

    I strongly oppose these 75-year leases, which amount to a massive transfer of public property to a private developer. As a teacher in East Oakland, I would be *thrilled* to have more affordable housing options for my own family and the families of my students. However, this proposal does not actually guarantee that the units created will be affordable by any definition of the term. Why would a developer easily forgo the opportunity for greater profits if nothing in the contract specifies what is meant by 'affordable'? We can and must do better.

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    denise Holladay over 2 years ago

    This should not be being voted on at the last board meeting & a zoom meeting at that.
    There has been no community engagement.
    We would be giving the developers millions & only getting pennies on OUSD's dollar. Surely, we can find better options.

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    Caroline Kanner over 2 years ago

    I STRONGLY oppose this giveaway of public land. The school board's job is to support our students and families, and this proposal will do nothing but stuff the pockets of the developers while leaving the community you're supposed to serve out to dry, and contributing to the gentrification that's already pushing so many families out of the district.

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    David Peters over 2 years ago

    I am a 3rd generation Black homeowner in the Oakland flats. We must use public land for public good, to mitigate and address racial inequities that result from the legacies of redlining, segregation, and institutional and systemic racism, and this agreement models the way. These 2 lease agreements are with a Black developer, reserves 50% of the units for OUSD employees, and creates another hub for the Black Cultural Zone. Revenues to OUSD from these properties are a bonus to the social good created. Oakland is in a housing and dislocation crisis and we must take every opportunity to create new housing - especially housing for OUSD employees - and to build on the work of the Black Cultural Zone to create and hold space for Black folks. I urge the OUSD Board to stand with Black folks and support these leases.

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    Shula Bien over 2 years ago

    I am a teacher and renter in East Oakland struggling to buy a home in the community where I have lived and worked for many years. Nevertheless I am opposed to this deal which constitutes a giveaway of public land for private profit. This deal will undoubtedly fuel further gentrification of East Oakland and continued displacement of its working class and poor residents and will be harmful to the communities OUSD is supposed to be serving. We can and must do better.

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    Dale Baum over 2 years ago

    I am opposed to both the 75 year leases for Tilden CDC and Edward Shands. This would constitute a shameful giveaway of our city's valuable assets to private developers.

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    Nicole AustinThomas over 2 years ago

    As a homeowner and resident of the community, I deeply agree with development. But we need to be smart in those development decisions. A long-term, low-priced lease is not a smart decision. We are effectively giving away public land, leading to pennies on the dollar being reinvested in our school, students and community.

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    Isaac Pasternack over 2 years ago

    This amounts to a giveaway of public land! OUSD will barely make money on these leases, and the developer will make exponentially more. There has also been a lack of community engagement, and only 72 hours notice for residents to engage on this plan.

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    Valerie Winemiller over 2 years ago

    This is a giveaway of public property, during a pandemic, at the last board meeting of the year, via zoom.
    There has been no community engagement and the community only received 72 hours notice that these leases will be up for a final vote.
    These are projects initiated by the former school board.
    One property only received one bid and for the other property the board did not select the highest bidder.
    The developer will likely make hundreds of millions from these leases while OUSD will receive pennies on the dollar and the community will receive little to no benefit.

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    CC Lady over 2 years ago

    I live in east Oakland not far from the Tilden school project. I am a homeowner and have lived in east Oakland for 30 years. I strongly support Eagle Environmental to renovate this property. I live in the community, am a homeowner and don't like seeing all the abandoned properties. They are an eyesore and encourage dumping and graffiti. OUSD is closing other schools. Tilden hasn't been used for many years. We need housing more than we need abandoned buildings. We want our teachers, police, firefighters to live in our neighborhoods. So yes, I support Eagle Environmental upgrading Tilden school.

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    David Fowler over 2 years ago

    I’m proud to support this project. It is important that we continue to make improvements to our community by providing not only schools but housing when we have an opportunity.

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    Ingrid Hunt over 2 years ago

    As an Oakland homeowner for well over 35 years I find this proposal extremely beneficial to the city of Oakland. Driving around Oakland at times can seem like a war-zone with all the school buildings being closed and standing desolate. Eagle is proposing something supportive and long term that will give not just environmental benefits, yet workforce as well as housing benefits that will directly improve the city of Oakland.

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    Ann Wenzell over 2 years ago

    19 year Oakland resident, taxpayer, homeowner with an 8 year old student.

    STRONGLY oppose this absurd contract. OUSD desperately needs to make sound financial decisions for its students and community and reset the course that has led Oakland public schools into the disastrous situation they are now. Let's be wise and use public land for public good. No more giveaways that drive our assets into the pockets of the few and wealthy.

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    Michael Odom over 2 years ago

    Researched the Environmental Company. The Integrity and Leadership are outstanding. The City benefits greatly. Our youth receive an opportunity to learn trades and take responsibility for their City. A must for the City of Oakland.

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    Joy Sledge over 2 years ago

    I am an Oakland native, homeowner, parent of OUSD, and former OUSD educator who wants to see public land used for public good, not private interest. Please invest in the community.
    I oppose to the 75-year lease.

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    Mari Lopez over 2 years ago

    I write to you as an OUSD alumni, parent, and tax payer to voice my explicit opposition to OUSD longterm leases of Edward Shands and Tilden CDC. 75 years is a long time for this developer to make millions of dollars while paying very little.

    Oakland students need you to act in their best interest, and this is not it. The only one winning in this agreement is the developer. Mismanagement has gotten OUSD is dire situations before, do not sell our students short.

    The less than 72 hour public notice is dubious. If you vote to accept this lease, the value you place on that land says a lot about how you feel about our students. Do not undervalue the children of Oakland.

    OUSD cannot give away public land, and then turn around and ask taxpayers to support yet another ballot measure. Not a nickle more.

    You are charged with educating our leaders of tomorrow. There is only one right answer, protect OUSD assets on behalf of Oakland students. Value and invest in them.