"Look at West Oakland, for example. There are no grocery stores there." (Berkeley: hotel, homes)

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by jrb724

Back from the dead but not much has changed. Oakland's leadership is horrible and has been horrible for a long time. Remeber TGIF in Jack London Square. That place looked like it did a good business but then the port/city gave some sweetheart deal to a developer who kicked out all of the mid end chain restaurants like TGIF. Apparently the developer sold some pipe dream about changing it to a luxury destination which has never materialized. There's money to be made in Oakland but Oakland is in no position to thumb its nose at chain stores or other low/mid end businesses that bring in a lot of revenue through volume. Some sort of redevelopment could be done in West Oakland but it would have to be on a big enough scale to make an impact and in order to do that they would have to be willing to accept a big box store.

West Oakland has been anti-development for decades. Part of the problem is they actually LIKE the way things are now. Believable or not.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by DocGoldstein

West Oakland has been anti-development for decades. Part of the problem is they actually LIKE the way things are now. Believable or not.

True, even a member here said, don't come to WO and try to change us.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

True, even a member here said, don't come to WO and try to change us.

I suppose because they don't want to be forced out by the area turning into SoMa. It's just a matter of time though, and the development at the old army base might be the turning point.

[04kL4nD]

It's already happened. At least on my block anyway. Lots of hipsters walking their pits at 2 am, moms pushing strollers, and gutting/remodeling of houses. The difference is like night and day, but it's totally on a block to block basis. Most of the lower bottoms are still a mess and the border of Oakland/Emeryville along either Adeline/Market/San Pablo feel very unsafe to me.

I know some people in this thread want all of West Oakland to fail and remain a cesspool of crime, but the reality is that anywhere that's within a 10-15 walk to Uptown and BART is going to get gentrified.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

I suppose because they don't want to be forced out by the area turning into SoMa. It's just a matter of time though, and the development at the old army base might be the turning point.

I thought the majority of residences were owner occupied homes. Is that incorrect?

[LunaticVillage]

Where I grew up in the Lakeview district San Francisco is just like West Oakland. Just like West Oakland, the main businesses in Lakeview are liquor stores and corner stores with few real grocery stores. In recent years, a few markets have popped up in the district about the same time that the Black population began to rapidly decline in the area. It is no coincidence that many of the life-long Black residents of Lakeview are fat as all hell. Many of their physiques stand at as a stark contrast to the slim and trim White and Asian San Franciscans the city is known for. Rich White folks can afford to shop at Whole Foods, eat good expensive healthy food and have the money plus leisure time to go the gym four times a week. Block huggers in the hood sometimes literally never even leave the projects and post up all day eating unhealthy food from the corna sto' and drinking insane amounts of beer around the clock which feeds into obesity. Its not just like that in the Bay Area but in most if not all big cities in America.

http://stuffghettopeoplelike.wordpre...29/52-obesity/

[04kL4nD]

Most of the vagrant looking people I see in West Oakland are incredibly thin/disheveled looking. I assume it's because they're homeless or strung out on drugs. The hookers I see on West Grand/MacArthur aren't exactly healthy looking either. It makes me sad, but it really isn't any worse than what I see in SF or Berkeley and at least they either keep to themselves or smile and say hello to me instead of being hostile or crazy acting.

[DocGoldstein]

Why would they be hostile?

I spend my time with these people all the time. They aren't crazy and they aren't psychopaths.

A lot of them used to have full-time jobs, and live in a home just like you. There's a guy I know who actually used to own a home on 10th street. He's always at the church on 12th getting free Friday night dinner. Sometimes we serve Ramen, and water because that's all donations would support. He told me he used to work as a maintenance engineer for BART, but got caught by employee services with drugs in his blood and they let him go. He never killed anyone, or even got into a gang fight, he just made a stupid decision that cost him his job and reputation. With a mortgage and car payment, he fell behind, couldn't find replacement work, and eventually became homeless. Guy just wants a chance, but with the horrible economy, the only jobs he can find are seasonal and they won't hire him over people who actually have an address and work history without drug use.

One thing Oakland needs I've found is more emergency shelters and "rehabilitation" living arrangements. That's one thing I notice Los Angeles has over Oakland. They have more subsidized housing and programs to help people get back into the work force. In Oakland, most of the places I've volunteered at are more "band aid". Feed them now, send them off, type of deals.

[04kL4nD]

So why are many homeless people hostile in SF (TL/Mission) and Berkeley (Telegraph Ave) hostile then? What's their excuse?

I've never been harassed by any of the homeless in West Oakland or made felt unsafe. I have been threatened and spat at in both Berkeley and SF, and in places like DC and NYC.

Maybe it's because they see me walking around my neighborhood all the time, whereas others see me as an intruder or a tourist. But I'm not seeing this huge/widespread homeless problem in West Oakland people keep seeming to suggest. Are there a lot of poor, non-white people hanging out in front of their houses? Maybe. I guess that's absolutely terrifying to some people...

[DocGoldstein]

Well, maybe it's the way you act. I've spent time in Oakland, and S.F, and never have been spat or approached in a hostile manner by any homeless people. I'm an old Jewish white guy, mind you.

I have seen somewhat aggressive homeless in Berkeley, but it's mostly in their pan handling methods, not outright hostility.