A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE EAST BAY
Making Black Voices Heard
Common Sense Solutions for Our Community
BAA was formed to give a voice to the Black community in the East Bay, whose views have historically been underrepresented in politics and policy. While many past leaders have claimed to represent our community, their actions have not aligned with our community’s needs. BAA supports common sense ideas that improve public safety, homelessness, the small business ecosystem, affordable housing, and quality public education, among other issues central to the Black Community.
OUR VALUES
Safer Communities
Oakland is in the midst of a public safety crisis. We have one of the highest rates of violent crime in the entire US, with the black and brown communities particularly impacted. Murder is all too common, muggings happen in broad daylight, and one Oaklander in 30 had their car stolen last year. Black residents of Oakland have repeatedly asked for a greater police presence to curb the violence and restore Oakland to the vibrant city it once was.
Economic Development
Small businesses are the backbone of strong communities. Our high crime rates, terrible police response times and extremely low property and violent crime clearance rates have forced many businesses to shut their doors. These businesses provide crucial services in the Black community, they provide economic opportunity for Black entrepreneurs, and they offer vital employment for Black youth and other members of the community. We must support our small businesses to see them grow and thrive.
Homelessness
Oakland has seen the largest increase in homelessness in the entire bay area. Our city leadership’s failure to effectively enforced our existing laws meant to discourage a homeless presence on our streets has led to Oakland importing homeless from neighboring cities and from all over the state of California.
Affordable Housing
Compounding the homelessness problem is the housing affordability crisis that has impacted all of California. That said, there are many wounds that are self-inflicted. Oakland has made it extremely difficult to build new housing stock with restrictive zoning and overly burdensome rent control laws that discourage investment in our community. Oakland’s Black residents experience housing insecurity at far greater rates than that of the general population. BAA supports leaders and policies that will cut the red tape and allow developers to build the housing that our community so desperately needs.
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Better Public Schools
Oakland’s schools have largely failed our kids for decades. This is especially true in Black neighborhoods where only ~10% of students meet grade level standards for math and ~20% in reading by the end of high school. We support school leaders who will raise the bar on expectations for our Black children and provide them with the tools and support they need to be successful. We are leaving generations of children behind, and this is unacceptable.
NEWS
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