Board Approves Historic $10 Property Sale for Affordable Housing in East Oakland

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors completed its first tax-defaulted property transfer in a decade, sending a vacant East Oakland lot to the Black Cultural Zone for $10 — and signaling that 10 more such conversions are coming. The board also introduced a firearms safe storage ordinance, endorsed an underground freight rail concept for the Port of Oakland, and paused to honor late Supervisor Scott Haggerty, whose fiscal discipline and transportation vision shaped the county for a quarter century.

• First tax-defaulted property transfer in 10 years sends a vacant East Oakland lot to the Black Cultural Zone CDC for $10, with 10 more properties in the pipeline
• Firearm safe storage ordinance passes first reading unanimously, requiring trigger locks or lock boxes in unincorporated residences
• Underground freight rail resolution adopted, backing CyberTran technology to cut I-880 truck traffic and create 5,000+ jobs
• Fairgrounds pavilion renamed for late Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who served 24 years and helped cut the county's projected deficit in half
• Russell City Redress Fund reaches $1.3M but the $950K administration agreement is delayed to Aug. 4 — even as two more elderly former residents die
• $5.2M eviction prevention contract renewed with Centro Legal de la Raza as filings remain at 150% of pre-pandemic levels
• 27,000 residents at risk of losing CalFresh due to federal recertification requirements, advocates warn

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A Decade of Bureaucratic Hurdles, Then a $10 Sale

The board unanimously approved selling a tax-defaulted property at 8215 MacArthur Blvd. in East Oakland to the Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation for $10 — the county's first Chapter 8 agreement sale in a decade.

Why it matters: The property, owned by a dissolved nonprofit, has been tax-delinquent for more than 30 years. Its appraised value is $900,000, but the redemption amount owed exceeds $1.7 million — a gap that satisfies AB 418's requirement for agreement sales. Ten additional properties in East and West Oakland are now in the pipeline under the same framework.

Where things stand: Treasurer Henry Levy described years of failed attempts to replicate the county's original Chapter 8 transfer. "I thought it was going to be super simple to keep doing this, to replicate this over time. Well, it hasn't. There's been innumerable road bumps," he said. Staff from his office detailed how AB 418, signed into law more recently, created a clearer legal pathway by establishing appraisal-versus-redemption-value criteria.

Supervisor Nate Miley, District 4, framed the vote as the start of a broader strategy. "This is really significant because we want to have other tax-defaulted properties being made available for affordable housing. This is a strategy we want to pursue," he said.

Supervisor Elisa Marquez, District 2, tied the action to the county's reparations work. "I do feel strongly that this work demonstrates how existing county authority can be used to advance goals consistent with the Alameda County Reparations Commission," she said.

Regina Davis of the Black Cultural Zone read a statement from CEO Carolyn Johnson describing the transfer as an act of "radical placemaking" — transforming a 30-year symbol of neglect into a community asset for Black residents.

Decisions: Passed 4-0 (For: Haubert, Tam, Marquez, Miley; Absent: Fortunato Bas).

What's next: The Treasurer-Tax Collector's office will continue processing the 10 additional properties already identified for potential Chapter 8 transfers across East and West Oakland.

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Firearm Safe Storage Ordinance Advances

The board unanimously introduced an ordinance requiring firearms in residences in unincorporated Alameda County to be stored with trigger locks or in lock boxes — filling a gap that 43 other California cities have already addressed.

Why it matters: Residents in unincorporated areas currently lack the city-level gun storage protections that urban neighbors enjoy. The ordinance targets child safety and suicide prevention.

Where things stand: Supervisor Nate Miley, the ordinance's author, emphasized that the measure is consistent with gun rights. "I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe people have the right to bear arms. I'm one of those people that owns guns, but I think it's important that guns be stored and locked safely and carefully," he said, adding that the sheriff's department supports the measure.

Shirley Lewandowski, a volunteer with Livermore Moms Demand Action, cited three specific incidents of children killed by unsecured firearms in California in 2024 and 2025. Ann Maturesi Everton, a Pleasanton resident, praised the ordinance for protecting unincorporated residents who cannot enact such measures on their own.

Decisions: First reading passed 5-0 (For: Haubert, Tam, Miley, Fortunato Bas, Marquez; Absent: none).

What's next: The ordinance will return for a second reading and final adoption at a future meeting.

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Underground Freight Rail: Port of Oakland's Moonshot?

The board adopted a resolution supporting CyberTran International's ultra-light rail transit system and Earth Grid's tunneling technology for moving freight from the Port of Oakland along the I-880 corridor and eventually to the Central Valley.

Why it matters: The resolution signals county backing for a technology that its proponents say could reduce truck congestion and pollution on I-880, create more than 5,000 union jobs, and vault the Port of Oakland past Southern California competitors.

Where things stand: Supervisor Miley made the boldest pitch: "It could even propel the Port of Oakland to become the number one port on the West Coast as opposed to the Port of Long Beach and L.A. — we could surpass them," he said. Dexter Visenov of CyberTran International described a partnership with UC Berkeley and manufacturing potential through Mannix. Eugene Nishinaga, retired from BART's research division, said the system could improve cost-benefit ratios by a factor of four.

Decisions: Passed 5-0.

What's next: Implementation depends on securing federal and state partnerships; the resolution is a formal expression of county support rather than a funding commitment.

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Haggerty's Name Goes on the Pavilion He Loved

Every supervisor offered personal tributes before unanimously renaming the Amador Pavilion at the Alameda County Fairgrounds as the Scott Haggerty Amador Pavilion. Haggerty, who represented District 1 from 1996 to 2021, died recently.

Why it matters: Haggerty's portfolio touched nearly every major infrastructure and fiscal decision of the past two decades — Highway 84, the I-580 express lanes, the BART Warm Springs extension, Valley Link, and the creation of AVA Community Energy. His fiscal stewardship helped the county pay down long-term pension liabilities.

Where things stand: County Administrator Susan Muranishi read a detailed tribute covering Haggerty's roles as MTC vice chair, ACTC chair, and BAAQMD chair. Supervisor Miley recalled their partnership: "We considered him our transportation guru, our transportation czar. I mean, he lived and breathed transportation," he said.

Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, District 5, offered a pointed fiscal assessment: "Our deficit was about half of what it could have been because of the work that he and our county administrator have been doing to pay off our long-term liabilities," she said.

Supervisor Marquez highlighted AVA Community Energy's expansion. "Because of Supervisor Scott Haggerty's leadership, we have now expanded into San Joaquin County. And he was bold and courageous," she said.

Decisions: Passed 5-0. A celebration of life is scheduled for July 25 at the fairgrounds.

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Russell City: The Clock Is Ticking

Supervisor Lena Tam, District 3, contributed $100,000 from her Enhancing Vision 2036 discretionary funds to the Russell City Redress Fund, bringing the total to $1.3 million. But the larger item — a $950,000 fiscal sponsorship agreement with Philanthropic Ventures Foundation to actually administer redress payments — was pulled by Supervisor Marquez and pushed to Aug. 4.

Why it matters: The pool of living former Russell City residents, displaced when the unincorporated community was demolished decades ago, continues to shrink. Aisha Knowles, an Alameda County Board of Education trustee and Russell City descendant, delivered an urgent plea, noting that two elders had died in the previous two weeks.

What's next: The board will take up the $950,000 administration agreement on Aug. 4. The meeting was adjourned in memory of Jesse Mae Patterson Johnson (age 85) and Jose Cota (age 104), both former Russell City residents.

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$5.2M Eviction Prevention Program Renewed

The board approved extending Centro Legal de la Raza's Alameda County Housing Secure contract to $5.2 million as eviction filings remain at 150% of pre-pandemic levels and ARPA-funded housing programs wind down.

Why it matters: The program served more than 480 residents in its first six months, exceeding annual targets for legal consultations, Know Your Rights presentations, and Train the Trainer workshops. Over 70% of households served are at 0–30% of area median income — the county's most vulnerable renters.

Where things stand: David Hall of Centro Legal de la Raza reported the program's rapid impact. Carmen Hovel of the East Bay Community Law Center described how emergency financial assistance resolves crises before they reach court, benefiting tenants and landlords alike.

Supervisor Fortunato Bas requested demographic breakdowns: 47% of tenant legal service recipients are African American. "I think it's really important to have a sense that we're impacting those who are really the most housing insecure," she said.

Mobile home residents also spoke during public comment on a companion contract item. Lindsey Wright, a Del Rio mobile home park resident, and Tara Clancy of Castro Valley described harassment by park owners and called for a mobile home closure ordinance. Planning staff confirmed that ordinance is expected before the planning commission in August or September.

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27,000 Face CalFresh Loss as Federal Rules Tighten

Two public commenters warned the board that 27,000 Alameda County residents are at risk of losing CalFresh benefits due to burdensome federal recertification requirements, with nearly half being African American.

Why it matters: Darby Hatfield, a former Oakland Youth Commissioner, asked the board to fully staff the benefits hotline, expand food bank partnerships, and increase public outreach. Patrick Messick of the East Bay Broadband Consortium connected the crisis to digital access, noting that tens of thousands of households lack the affordable broadband needed to navigate online recertification.

Board President David Haubert asked staff about hotline capacity. The Social Services Agency confirmed the line is fully staffed, though wait times may occur during peak periods. Haubert also flagged a separate threat: "They are under attack by Senate Bill 1193, and for no good reason, in my opinion," he said of legislation targeting supervisors' discretionary funding for nonprofit grants.

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Minor Items

• Consent calendar (items 112–122) approved 4-0, covering board and commission appointments, contract extensions, and routine reports.
• Timothy P. Flanagan confirmed as county Chief Information Officer, effective Sept. 13, 2026 (4-0; Marquez absent).
• Salary ordinance amendments for ACMEA Sheriff's non-sworn management adopted 5-0 (second reading).
• Three-year labor agreement with ACMEA Sheriff's sworn units introduced for first reading, passed 5-0; sets wages and benefits through 2029.
• Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week proclaimed for July 19–25, with Chief Probation Officer Wendy Still accepting.
• "Love Letters to Our Bodies: Day of Renewal" proclaimed for July 17, supporting a cancer wellness summit for African American women.
• 100 Black Men of the Bay Area commended as national chapter of the year; Danny Williams accepted on behalf of the organization.
• Meeting adjourned in memory of former Supervisor Scott Haggerty, Russell City elders Jesse Mae Patterson Johnson and Jose Cota, and Planning Commission Chair Mark Crawford.