Connecting across Countries | We're in the NYTimes!! | We're Hiring! | Upcoming Events

Esther's Orbit Room and the Barn continue to serve as EB PREC's base of cultural operations - highlighting the significance of how community-owned spaces offer a stable foothold from which we can rebuild our future.

We had the pleasure of hosting members of the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts at the Barn on 7th Street. We shared space and discussed our model with a beautiful group of people hailing from historic initiatives such as Hogan's Alley Society and the Vancity Community Investment Bank. You can learn more about CNCLT and their members here: https://www.communityland.ca/about-us/

Celebrating Esther's Roots

EB PREC was also honored to host historical, cultural, and community visionaries this month at Esther's Orbit Room in West Oakland. Our guests included Bishop Lee Ashford from the West Coast Blues Society, Singer Mechelle Lachaux, Producer Paul Tillman Smith, Mr. Ronnie Stewart, Mr. Lee Ashford, Mr. Tom Bowden, and Prescott Council Member Marcus Johnson.

Stories were exchanged about our guests' connections to Esther's and the broader 7th Street neighborhood in West Oakland (a fun highlight: Mrs. Lachaux got her start at Esther's, performing when she was 13 years old). Together, we meditated on how to honor Esther's legacy as EB PREC works to move the historic blues club into its next chapter.

We are grateful to be in community with elders who have experienced the cultural significance of Esther's and the 7th Street Corridor first-hand, and will continue to engage as part of our emphasis on community-led development.

Planting Seeds and Getting into the Weeds on 7th Street

Next Wednesday, May 29th. Our Executive Director, Noni Session, will be partnering with LISC Bay Area, CLTRE, and JPMorgan Chase for a funders briefing hosted by the Northern California Grantmakers.

Join us for "Rooted and Rising: Reparative Economic Development", to learn about our approach to inclusive economic repair, commercial corridor re-activation, and cultural revival efforts to build and preserve economic prosperity for Black and other people of color residents in our region. We’ll discuss the history and initiatives our communities are leading and how philanthropy can partner to support reparative economic development that honors and sustains these thriving legacies.

This briefing is intended to offer a more in-depth, technical discussion than a traditional panel and shed light on how we're working to reignite the 7th Street Corridor.

PREClication in the Press!

We're proud to share that our work was featured in the New York Times for the second time. This article is especially meaningful because it showcases a number of projects across the country that have been influenced by EB PREC's model that was developed right here in Oakland by the Sustainable Economies Law Center and the People of Color Sustainable Housing Network. Check out this excerpt:

"Commongrounds is the latest and largest example of what developers of similar projects across the United States call “community-owned cooperative real estate.” The strategy was developed a decade ago by a nonprofit legal group and a nonprofit neighborhood group in Oakland, Calif., and has been refined by legal and development groups in Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., and other cities."

We lovingly refer to the phenomenon of new cooperative real estate projects popping up as "PREClication" and are excited to see fresh approaches to our PREC model popping up across the country. This article is an important reminder that the impact of our cooperative vision goes beyond the East Bay and we're eager to study and learn from our siblings in the cooperative real estate movement!

Give the piece a read and let us know what you think! If you're interested in reading some of our previous coverage, be sure to check out our website's press page!

READ THE ARTICLE

We're hiring!

Passionate about housing justice? Curious about being part of a worker-run organization? We're looking for new staff members to help us transform the housing system in the East Bay & beyond. Please help us spread the word! Share these jobs with your network or anyone who you think might be a good fit for the three positions below:

• The Real Estate & Finance Analyst will support our staff and membership by providing the financial & technical tools and know-how to analyze, finance, and acquire real estate assets within the EB PREC model. They will work closely with our Real Estate and Finance teams, as well as groups of EB PREC members working toward property acquisitions. In collaboration with other staff, they will help analyze and troubleshoot projects for financial feasibility, work through scenarios with stakeholders, develop project concepts and prepare projects for acquisition, conduct site visits and assess physical conditions, identify and acquire financing, engage with sellers and realtors in the acquisition process, and manage assets in our portfolio. They will also support the Executive team with organization-wide financial planning and fund management.
   
• We are also seeking a proactive and innovative Property Management Specialist to join our team and help establish effective property management systems for our growing portfolio. In addition to excellent property management skills and deep relevant experience, the ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of cooperative principles, excellent organizational skills, and a passion for affordable housing and community development. This is a part time position with a contract through the end of December 2024, with potential for extension or expansion of this position as our cooperative grows.
   
• Interested in becoming an Administrative Assistant? As an Administrative Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting our dynamic team with a variety of real estate-related and financial administrative tasks. This position is ideal for someone who is organized, proactive, and interested in real estate and non-profit management.

Please click here for the full job description, including hours, compensation, benefits and more!