Community Struggle at Pacific Renaissance Plaza:
A Discussion on Good Governance,
Affordable Housing, and
Redevelopment in Oakland

Wednesday, NOVEMBER 17, 2004
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Madison Park Apartments: 100 9th Street,
(close to Lake Merritt BART), Oakland [view map]

Food and refreshments will be served. Chinese Translation will be available.

Featured Panelists:

• Margaretta Lin, East Bay Community Law Center / Stop Chinatown Evictions Coalition (EBCLC / SCEC)
• Lynette Lee, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)
• Andy Nelsen, Urban Strategies Council
• TBA, former Pacific Renaissance Plaza tenant
• Diana Pei Wu, ChinJurnWorPing / Stop Chinatown Evictions Coalition (CJWP / SCEC)

Moderator: Mamie Chow-Wang, Movement Strategy Center

BACKGROUND

In April 2003, tenants in Oakland’s Pacific Renaissance Plaza (PRP) affordable housing units received evictions notices. Many of the building’s tenants in this Chinatown community were either elderly or disabled; forcing them to relocate was cruel. In several cases, evictions have led to sickness, severe depression or worse.

The ensuing struggle against the landlord by a coalition of PRP tenants and community organizations has unearthed a series of fraudulent activity committed by the landlord, including:

• Wrongful Eviction – No legal right to evict
• TWO MILLION DOLLARS – in rent overcharges
• SEVENTEEN MILLION DOLLARS – in unpaid debt — owed to the City of Oakland and taxpayers — YOU!

Tenants are still fighting for their RIGHT TO STAY.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE PICTURE?

YOU ARE INVITED to this forum on the ONGOING community struggle and legal battles surrounding PRP.
There will be a panel to speak on several issues, as well as opportunities for participants to share, in an interactive setting, their thoughts and concerns on various ongoing redevelopment projects in Oakland.

IMPORTANTLY, we want to look at the PRP struggle as a springboard for discussion about the intersection of GOOD GOVERNANCE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING and REDEVELOPMENT in our community:

• What constitutes a “good” redevelopment project?
• How can we in the community fight for these and increase the stock of affordable housing?
• How do we stop the cycle of “bad” redevelopment that has harmed our community?

Come hear announcements on significant
NEW developments in the campaign for justice for PRP tenants and Oakland’s taxpayers!

For more information, contact Eric Chang (eric @ericchang.net).

Stop Chinatown Evictions Coalition: Oakland Tenants Union/ChinJurnWorPing/East Bay Community Law Center/JustCauseOakland