Chamber Hosts Conversations on Supporting Oakland’s Unsheltered Population

The issues contributing to homelessness are as complex as the solutions needed to address this growing crisis –  and we know this is the number one issue for Oaklanders.

What we also know is no one person, organization, or elected body can solve this independent of others. This crisis impacts our entire community and we need to  come together, find what is working and what isn’t and focus our collective efforts. 

In late May the  Chamber held a series of conversations  on  homelessness– offering participants with a broader understanding of how our city and county leaders are working collaboratively to support Oakland’s unsheltered population. Given the complexity and impacts of the issue, we  separated the conversation into two programs to have an opportunity for a deeper and more honest discussion.    

The first of the two-part program focused on encampments and alternative housing options for temporary relief. This discussion centered on how government agencies, community groups, and businesses are joining together to create next steps priorities. The goal for the second conversation  focused on an acknowledgment and history of discriminatory housing policies,  how those policies have been perpetuated over time, and current local and regional initiatives that seek to create equitable action steps to reduce homelessness.

The Chamber will continue to shine a light on this issue, convene our community to stay informed, provide opportunities for engagement and advocate for policies that address the root causes of this crisis while listening to what our unsheltered neighbors need to support their path to secure permanent housing.

 Both sessions can be found here: