City and Nonprofits Battle Tenants at Oakland’s California HotelRandy Shawbyline‚ Jul. 16‚ 2008As this is written, over 75 longterm tenants at Oakland’s 150-room California Hotel face imminent eviction, as their landlord seeks to close the building to conduct major renovations. But the landlord is not Skyline Realty or another real estate speculator: rather, it is a nonprofit housing organization whose eviction plans are strongly backed by Oakland city officials and the city’s housing non-profits. This growing conflict between tenants who should have the right to stay in their homes, and the city’s belief that the hotel’s longterm future depends on their displacement and a major renovation, is not likely to end well. |