Ode to Oakland - Part 2

Wow. My “Ode to Oakland” post really resonated with a lot of you. I can’t say I’m surprised. Actually, it’s really sad that so many of you feel my pain – that Oakland has done this to so many of us. I don’t how you all stumbled onto my post, but I really appreciate everyone’s stories and support. Your stories resonated with me too. There were some great points made in the comments, and I’d like to respond to and expand upon some of them.

“I've never been treated so poorly by an organization and a City department in my whole life.”

This from Matt, who wanted access to the driveway of a city funded retirement so he could paint the side of his house. Come on Oakland, this is that habit of sabotaging anything good that happens to you I’m talking about. Someone wants to make improvements on his house, which improves the city. What’s your problem Oakland?

"Have seen so many young couples leave Oakland and move on to towns that 'didn't eat their own.'"

Len, you hit the nail on the head there. Your comment almost made me cry. Yes, I do feel like Oakland has tried to eat me alive and drive me out, yet I was its most ardent supporter and defender. Fool me once, Oakland, shame on me. Fool me twice, I’m outta here.

“Younger folks than us will have to pick up the ball, we wish them all the best.”

Anonymous, your note was so sweet you did make me cry. Sounds like you guys landed in a great town and I hope we will too. And I totally understand what you mean about feeling jumpy – Oakland has made me that way too. Before my husband was robbed at gunpoint (see the $40 Potato), my neighbor across the street was car jacked in front of her own house. She had gone out to the car for something and a group of kids with guns demanded her keys and took off in her car. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to leave my front door without looking both ways, just to make sure it’s safe. It’s really no way to live. Even though I’m only in my late 20s, I swear I’m too old for this crap. I hear you sister: Folks younger than me will have to pick up the ball.

“… a big city, and especially corrupt, rotten, overpaid city of Oakland with its gang and drug generational thug families, is NOT a place I will stay permanently.”

I know it’s not politically correct to talk about generational thug families because it implies we’re talking about a specific racial group, but really, here in the city of Oakland thugs come in all colors and sizes so it’s not like we’re picking on one group or another. With that said, Brell, I’ve never heard it put quite like this, but your idea of Generational Thug Families holding the city hostage seems to fit. Case in point: the Bey family. It’s amazing to think how deeply in bed they were (and still are) with the city and OPD. Yusuf Bey IV has been recorded on tape talking about how the City Council was afraid of him and that an OPD detective was basically in his back pocket. What? All this, and BART almost gave $1.1 million in city contracts to a member of the Bey family. Seriously?

“Oakland doesn't care about its Middle Class, only about City Workers & wealth transfer. It believes there are only rich & poor, nothing in between, and acts accordingly (witness tapping property taxes for everything).”

So true! I was FLOORED when I found out that homeowners in the City of Alameda actually pay less taxes than we do here in Oakland, because they don’t have a million assessments on top of the county percentage. Yet the schools are good in Alameda. The cops come when you call. The streets aren’t full of potholes. It’s a very stupid policy to dump on your middle class, because we are the backbone of any community. The rich in Oakland can give a damn about its public schools because their kids go to Head Royce. They can give a damn about cops and crime because they lock themselves up in the hills behind iron gates and security systems. They can give a damn about potholes because their cars have great suspension, unlike the buckets some of us drive.

“Soon as we can, we're going to move on… all of us are considering moving after going through the latest crime wave, and with the politicians all but ignoring us.”

I can’t blame you for wanting to leave. Do you live in the Laurel? I’m in Allendale, right below the Laurel. This latest crime wave in Oakland was also our final shove out the door. I was walking my dog past my neighbor’s house recently and saw him putting bars on his windows. So sad…. especially since because the previous owner taken down the bars a few years ago to much applause from everyone in the neighborhood. But my new neighbor was broken into and the robbers came through a window, and he saw no other option but to put up bars. Sucks. We told him to put up a gate and get a dog, but he wasn't interested.

So in my one-block radius within the past 2.5 months, a woman was carjacked in front of her house, my husband was robbed at gunpoint around the corner from our house, and my neighbor’s home was broken into. And that’s just the people we know! It’s not like I’m a social butterfly around here (see my previous note about looking both ways before walking out my own front door). Yet the City Council’s big thing right now is building a new stadium for the As in Jack London Square. Priorities?

“If Oakland is to become better, we must stay to help make it work.”

I hear you, Steve from Glenview. And if I lived in the Glenview, I might be able to hang on a little longer, but I live in the Allendale, and I can’t take anymore. Like a previous commenter said, younger folks than me will have to pick up the ball, and I wish them all the best. I truly do. In fact, I’ll rent them my house for a song.

“Remember the good times to your new friends in the ‘sticks’.”

Amen! I will try my best.