Published on Indy Bay News Wire...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/13/18632466.php


Assault on Oakland's homeless population continues

  By Lynda Carson -- December 13, 2009

  Oakland - It's cold and wet. Dawn breaks, and the screams of a howling cat in
the distance sounds like a child abandoned in the frigid cold of the night,
begging for attention.

  A raggedy looking homeless man recently near the entranceway of a Lucky store
in Oakland, is chased off by security a few evenings ago, barely a moment after
I had the pleasure of giving him a dollar, to buy something to eat.

  Winter is in full bloom in Northern California, and the assault on Oakland's
homeless population is unrelenting and colder than the governors latest budget
cuts, that have been slashing and shredding the safety net for California's
poor, it's elderly, children, students, chronically ill and disabled
communities.

  Across the nation, during December 2009 the latest report from the U.S.
Conference of Mayors reveals that nineteen cities reported a huge increase in
family homelessness due to a lack of affordable housing, home foreclosures and
high unemployment in various locations such as San Francisco, Sacramento,
Charleston, Nashville, Boston, Kansas City and Dallas, between October 2008 and
September of 2009.

  During the past year, newly created tent cities and major homeless encampments
have also risen in Charleston, Los Angeles, Nashville, Detroit, and Providence,
Rhode Island, as the size of older more established homeless encampments have
increased their populations in Seattle, Sacramento, Des Moines and Phoenix.

  Among other cities, homeless encampments also exist in Hawaii, New Orleans,
Tampa, Albuquerque, Pensacola, Ukiah, Portland, La Mesa, Philly, Colorado
Springs, Eureka, Las Vegas, Compton, CA., and throughout many other cities and
states across the nation.

  During the same period, hunger is reportedly on the rise and cities in need of
emergency food assistance during the past year included Boston, Chicago,
Charleston, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami,
Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, according to the December
mayors report.

  Locally, Operation Dignity estimates that around 1,064 people are residing in
homeless encampments throughout Oakland on any given night and according to City
officials, Oakland needs around 7,000 more affordable housing units to end
homelessness within Oakland's borders during the next fifteen years.

  The assault on the homeless population is so brutal that during March of 2009,
Caltrans released a statement declaring that it dedicates one week a month to
removing homeless encampments from the City of Oakland.

  For example, Caltrans reports that it cleared 420 homeless encampments from the
City of Oakland from July 1, 2008, through February 1, 2009, at a cost of
$84,000, and treats homeless encampments as being little more than blight in the
City of Oakland, and it's many diverse communities.

  In Berkeley many homeless people can be found at Peoples Park on a daily basis,
while Food Not Bombs serves them free food five days a week, and in recent years
the homeless population and their encampments face a continual brutal assault by
authorities, at the Albany bulb.

  With homeless populations on the rise in San Francisco, it's estimated that
theres 6,000 to 12,000 homeless people living on the streets on any given night,
and with a surge of homeless people and 3 major homeless encampments occurring
in Fresno for it's more than 2,000 residents needing housing during 2009,
attacks by the City are common occurrences against the homeless population. In
addition, in Memphis, Tennessee, it's reported that the cops have raided 17
homeless encampments during the past year.

  In Sacramento, the governor has assaulted and shut down several homeless
encampments during the past year, displacing many from their communities.

  In Asheville, North Carolina, around 550 homeless people are on the streets any
given night, with deaths in the community resulting from hate crime violence,
the lack of health care, and shortage of shelter during cold harsh weather.

  In response to the homeless crisis occurring nationwide, the National Health
Care for the Homeless Council reported that the average age of death for people
experiencing homelessness is around 50 years, compared to about 78 years for
non-homeless Americans.

  In Pontiac, Michigan, as recent as early December, Thomas J. McCloud Jr. and
Dontez Tillman, both 15, were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in
prison for brutally beating to death two homeless senior citizens (Wilford
"Frenchie" Hamilton and Lee Hoffmann Jr.), and a third suspect will soon stand
trial for the vicious homeless deaths that occurred in that community during
August of 2008.

  The fear of homelessness is pervasive throughout society and as a simple
reminder, as recent as December 10th, it was the anniversary of the death of
Mary Jesus who leapt to her death from the Oakland Tribune Tower on that fateful
day in 2004, after facing homelessness and eviction due to a major rent increase
being imposed on her by her landlords Mark Roemer, James Lewis and Dean Miller,
as was stated in copies of a suicide note she tossed to the crowd of hundreds of
traumatized bystanders below, who watched her leap to her death on December 10,
2004.

  Brutal deaths among the homeless are being reported across the nation, and as
recent as Dec. 8, 2009, a homeless woman in Hemet, CA., died from exposure due
to the cold during a storm. A homeless man was found dead at his encampment in
November along the Russian River. Other reports include a homeless man who died
in early December in his tent along the Guadalupe River in San Jose, after a
tree fell on him. Plus the 28 homeless deaths reported in Santa Barbara during
2009, in addition to 50 homeless people who died outdoor violent deaths in King
County, Washington, during 2008, along with another other 22 homeless victims
who died outdoors by June of 2009 in the same area, including 131 homeless
people who died on the streets of Minnesota during 2008, with the numbers
expected to be similar by the end of 2009.

  In closing, a recent vigil to honor 67 homeless men and woman who died on the
streets of San Jose during 2009, took place on December 9, with the following
names of the dead being provided by EHC Life Builders.

  Janell Alarid, Gregorio Alvarado-Rodriquez, Edward Atherton, Viola Bailey,
Ramon Barajas, Medina Bernardo, Ryan Buck, Nicandro Canseco, Ronald Ceglio,
Israel Chapa, Jose Cortez, Stephen Creal, Mary Lou DeRosa, Nung Duong, Michael
Eagan, David Escobar, Benjamin Espinoza, Kimo Fernandez, Neil Fitzpatrick,
Chareles Gadbery, Mark Gale, Norine Gallager, Henry Garcia, Heise Kimberly,
Daniel Hopkins, David Huang, Jeffrey Ivers, Martin Jensen, Colby Jervis, David
Johnson, Julia Jones, James Leary, Michael Leyden, Kenneth Loyola, Phillip
McLaughlin, Cheryl Ann Mendoza, Richard Michels, Bill Mix, Gaylen Mix, Lois
Moore, Bruce Morowski, Theodore Nelligan, Alfonso Nuno, Robin Oreglia, Russell
W. Paquette, Joseph Paul, Kathryn Powell, Vivian Riley, Rita Rodriquez, Anthony
Rodriquez, John Ryan, Kelly Smith, Deally Som, Barry Sterns, David Studt, Tom
Sullivan, William Teixeria, Allison M. Thomas, Gregory Thompson, George Tyson,
Debra Wakayama, Lindon West, Thomas
  White, Tommy Williams, Carl Wiseman, Jr., and Rickey Young.

  Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule@...

Published on Indy bay News Wire...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/10/18632185.php


[[[Activists have called the public to action to convince Senator Feinstein,
Senator Boxer and Congresswoman Barbara Lee to restore the public option in
healthcare reform, to stop greedy healthcare industry groups from ripping off
the public!]]]


Democrats kill public option choice in healthcare reform

by Lynda Carson -- December 10, 2009

  Oakland - In a huge set back to healthcare reform, Democrats killed off the
public option needed by the 40 million and more non insured Americans that will
be criminalized with huge fines, penalties and possible jail time if they fail
to comply with the mandatory health insurance proposals that may soon become the
law of the land.

  On Tuesday December 8, Democrats sided with the GOP, ruthless insurance
companies, greedy doctors, and pharmaceutical companies to scrap a
government-run health insurance option from sweeping health care legislation
being proposed in the House and Senate.

  The recent debates and proposals for healthcare coverage of Americans has
turned into an ultra right-wing ideological war against a women's right to
choose, single payer healthcare proposals, a government-run public option
insurance program, and imported low-cost pharmaceuticals from other countries.

  Enforcing mandatory health insurance with out achieving major cost savings for
the general welfare of the public will create more poverty and destitution,
among a generation of citizens being turned in to criminals and penalized for
not being able to afford health insurance coverage.

  As reported in a recent November letter by the Joint Committee on Taxation, the
health reform bill H.R. 3962 already passed by the House of Representatives will
criminalize citizens who fail to buy a $15,000 health insurance plan, and
threatens them with up to five years imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 for
those who fail to comply.

  In protest against the Democratic and Republican joint efforts to kill off the
public option needed to reign in the costs of exorbitant rip off insurance
policies currently being foisted upon the general public, on Dec. 8 "Move On" a
liberal grassroots organization, sponsored hundreds of vigils across the nation
to protest and send congress the message that Americans want a public option.

  Powerful Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman has made demands that the public
option be stripped from healthcare reform on behalf of the wealthiest insurance
companies that have corrupted and payed him off, and with other powerful
democrats joining in the chorus to kill off the public option, any meaningful
cost containment healthcare reform that would actually benefit the welfare of
the nation's public has been terminated, and dashed to bits for the foreseeable
future, and many years to come.

  In another effort to save the public option, Health Care for America NOW, a
large coalition fighting for the public option has an online petition called,
"Say No To Joe," which says, "A public health insurance option that is
accountable to voters and Congress and available nationally from day one is
essential to lower health care costs and to keeping insurance companies honest.
Otherwise, the insurance companies win. Health reform cannot be held hostage by
Joe Lieberman. We the American people, reject this so-called compromise."

  Organized calls to action have also been on-going, asking Californians to call
Senator Boxer, Senator Feinstein, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee to demand that a
public option not be abandoned by the democratic party, and their allies.

  The $848 billion healthcare reform bill that has the public option eliminated
from it, is being supported by President Obama, Democratic Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid, Democratic Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, and other
lawmakers and industry groups with considerable influence on Capital Hill.

  Democrats hope that their sell-out on the public option question will keep the
healthcare legislation on track for a final passage, sometime before Christmas.

  Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule@...

Published on Indy Bay News Wire...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/11/20/18629418.php


Corrupt non profit developer (EBALDC) challenged for swindling the poor

  By Lynda Carson November 20, 2009

  Oakland - Corruption is rampant in Oakland's housing programs due to a lack of
over sight, greed, arrogance and the willful wrong doing of poverty pimps in the
housing programs, masquerading as Mother Theresa types, who make their living by
exploiting the poor.

  On the morning of Thursday November 19, around 25 employees from the property
management division of the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)
held a monthly meeting in the community meeting room in the basement of 829 E.
19th St. (Effie's House), a 21 unit residential building in east Oakland.

  Residents of 829 E. 19th St., were not invited to the non profit housing
developers monthly meeting in the so-called community meeting room, and were not
welcome to voice their complaints or concerns during the meeting.

  The meeting was chaired by Mary Hennessy, director of EBALDC's property
management division, and included property manager Karim Sultan, Danny Chen the
building manager of 829 E. 19th St., Robin Smith the building manager of the
Hugh Taylor House, and a host of other building managers from EBALDC's 17 or
more residential properties, scattered throughout Oakland.

  What was different about this property managers meeting, was that it was
disrupted by one of the low-income residents of 829 E. 19th St., who snook into
the meeting room and verbally challenged EBALDC's employees to explain why the
low-income residents of 829 E. 19th St., were being ripped off by excessive fees
in the form of general and administrative expenses ($10,580), plus another
$12,122 in management fees, including an additional $11,649 in professional
fees, on top of being charged $20,722 to cover the salaries and wages of
employees, while being charged an additional $9,009 to cover employee benefits,
on top of being charged an additional $60,458 for repairs and maintenance of 829
E. 19th St., during fiscal year 2007 - 2008.

  On behalf of the concerned residents at 829 E. 19th St., each of the property
and building managers from EBALDC who were at the meeting were served a copy of
a letter that included a list of the excessive fees and charges ripping off the
tenants, at 829 E. 19th St.

  The letter demands that Mary Hennessy and Karim Sultan of EBALDC must offer a
written explanation to the residents of 829 E. 19th St., that would offer some
transparency in regards to the excessive management charges the low-income
residents face, and further demands that Hennessy and Sultan should explain why
the low-income residents are being ripped off by tens of thousands of dollars
annually, through excessive fees and administrative expenses, for the 21 unit
building they reside in.

  EBALDC is an Oakland non profit housing organization that claims to offer
affordable housing, but in many instances charges more for rent on a monthly
basis for their rental units, than many for profit landlords charge for
comparable units in Oakland.

  According to public records in the form of a 990 tax form filed with the
Internal Revenue Service and dated as recent as 5/11/09, the low-income renters
were charged the above mentioned excessive fees the tenants are complaining
about, including a whole host of other fees and excessive charges making life
miserable for the low-income renters trapped into the never ending cycle of
poverty, due to the excessive fees and charges being foisted upon them by the
non profit housing developer known as EBALDC.

  The residents also demand that EBALDC must provide some details regarding the
distinction between general and administrative expenses being charged to tenants
($10,580), compared to management fees being charged ($12,122), or professional
fees being charged ($11,649), on top of the $29,000 in salaries and benefits the
tenants had to cover through their rents, during FY 2007-2008.

  In response to being challenged by the low-income residents of 829 E. 19th St.,
a huge roar of laughter erupted in the meeting room of EBALDC property managers,
after the unwanted building resident that just served them notice, was quickly
ushered from the room, ending the brief disruption of their monthly property
managers meeting.

  Apparently, these poverty pimps thought that it was hilarious and fun to be
challenged by the lowly poor they pretend to serve, who have deep concerns about
being ripped off by those masquerading as affordable housing advocates in
EBALDC.

  Later, during a discussion with EBALDC's chief financial officer who just got
back from a lengthy vacation in China, Don Piyathaisere stated; "All the fees
and excessive charges the tenants face at 829 E. 19th St., are perfectly legal,
and EBALDC charges accordingly to cover the expenses for the property, and it's
employees managing the 21 unit residential building."

  Corruption In Oakland's Housing Programs

  During March of 2009, in spite of the objections of low-income residents at 829
E. 19th St., the City of Oakland loaned EBALDC $1.25 million to renovate 829 E.
19th St., and EBALDC is currently seeking further additional loans, and plans to
do around $3 million in renovations at 829 E. 19th St.

  Being forced ever deeper into poverty as a direct result of the huge loans
being made to EBALDC, the low-income residents of 829 E. 19th St., are already
seeing their monthly rents skyrocket by hundreds of dollars extra per month
since last March. With only 21 units in the building, the low-income tenants
have so-far been saddled with around an additional $60,000 in debt per unit, to
pay off the $1.25 million loan, on top of what they have already been paying in
excessive fees and charges per month.

  The rent for one tenant shot up from $535 per month, to around $870 per month
since last March, and others in the building have also had huge rent increases
skyrocketing from around $700 per month, to $1,000 per month in rent,
threatening the low-income renters with homelessness as a result.

  Nearly nine months after EBALDC got their $1.25 million loan from the City of
Oakland, renovations have still not began at 829 E. 19th St. Meanwhile, the
low-income residents are saddled with the huge debt and are being forced to pay
off the loan made to EBALDC, through the huge rent increases they have been
facing recently.

  During last March, when members of the community expressed deep concern and
spoke out against the huge loans being granted to local non profit housing
developers such as EBALDC, Affordable Housing Associates and Resources for
Community Development, that have saddled Oakland's poor with over $10 million in
debt that they cannot afford to pay, a petition with over 500 signatures was
delivered to Oakland's City Council, demanding more over sight into the way
EBALDC and the other non profits operate in Oakland, which was totally ignored
by the council members.

  EBALDC A Non Profit - Money Making Machine

  During 2003, EBALDC's assets were listed at a mere $23,876,277, and since then
their assets have skyrocketed to around $77,492,652 in 2008, showing that a
hefty profit can be made by a non profit organization, even during hard times
for all the poor, elderly and disabled people, being saddled with debt and
exploited in EBALDC properties.

  At last count, EBALDC has around 86 highly payed employees, including 6 of them
alone who pull in well over $450,000 a year in salaries and benefits, plus
vacation time and healthcare, by sticking it to the low-income residents being
exploited throughout EBALDC's vast residential empire.

  Lynette Lee, Executive Director of EBALDC pulls in $87,265 in salary, plus
$3,055 in employee benefits, totaling over $90,000 a year.

  Don Piyathaisere, Chief Financial Officer, pulls in $91,138 in salary, plus
$2,236 in employee benefits, totaling over $93,000 a year.

  La Netha Oliver, Director of Human Resources, pulls in $68,547 in salary, plus
$1,227 in employee benefits, totaling over $69,000 a year.

  Carlos Castellanos, Director of Real Estate Development, pulls in $71,865 in
salary, plus $2,415 in employee benefits, totaling over $74,000 a year.

  Mary Lucero-Dorst, Director of Asset Management, pulls in $63,054 in salary,
plus $2,201 in employee benefits, totaling over $65,000 per year.

  Charise Fong, Director of Economic Development, pulls in $69,751 in salary,
plus $2,099 in employee benefits, totaling over $71,000 a year.

  EBALDC building managers Danny Chen and Robin Smith, make their profit and ill
gotten gains by enabling EBALDC to violate California state law that requires a
resident manager to be in charge of each of the properties they manage,
including Effie's House and the Hugh Taylor House, in east Oakland.

  Mr Chen and Ms Smith, have both hi-jacked jobs that rightfully should have gone
to residents of Effie's House, and the Hugh Taylor House, and offer nothing
short of total contempt for the resident manager laws of California, being part
of the corrupt Oakland housing programs, that lack proper oversight, and exploit
the poor throughout Oakland.

  The low-income residents of 829 E. 19th St., are waiting for a reply from
EBALDC in regards to why they are being ripped off with excessive fees and
charges, despite being laughed at by EBALDC staff for complaining about the
drastic situation.

  Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule@...