EBHO's Advocacy Campaigns

EBHO organizes and advocates for strong land use and housing policies, including campaigns for inclusionary zoning, housing trust funds, SRO preservation, supportive housing, tenancy and rental housing protections, transit-oriented development, and municipal commitments to affordable housing development. Currently EBHO’s two lead campaigns are advancing the cause of affordable housing in Oakland and Concord.


Winning Support for Affordable Housing in Oakland:

Oakland’s affordable housing needs are severe with overcrowding, sub-standard housing conditions, and unaffordable housing costs. Oakland renters (60% of Oakland’s households) have a median income of $35-$40,000. Yet, dominant real estate interests are continuing to push for market rate housing, luxury condos, and higher rates of homeownership unaffordable to Oakland renters. As a result, Oakland’s low-income and working class neighborhoods, often historic ethnic and cultural centers, face extreme gentrification and displacement pressures.

Working to change this political tide, EBHO has engaged its members to develop a comprehensive affordable housing policy agenda and to press the City Council and the Mayor to take progressive leadership to address Oakland’s critical housing needs and strengthen the City’s affordable housing programs.

EBHO is also a lead convener of the Oakland People’s Housing Coalition, a newly emerging coalition of community, housing, interfaith, tenant, and labor organizations. The coalition has created a critical opportunity for unified action around affordable housing policy solutions, such as inclusionary zoning, increasing funds for affordable housing development, and strengthening the condo conversion ordinance, to prevent displacement to meet the needs of low-income communities and communities of color.


Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) Campaign for affordable housing, equitable development, and environmental preservation:

Contra Costa County is facing a momentous opportunity with the base conversion of the CNWS. The City of Concord is planning for the future reuse of the site which is one of the largest remaining developable areas in the entire region. This 5,000-plus acre area represents multiple possibilities to address the need, hopes, and concerns of Concord residents and the surrounding area, including providing a significant amount of affordable housing. The CNWS could become a model for sustainable ecological and economic development; smart growth, and healthy, diverse and integrated communities.

EBHO’s Concord campaign membership committee works to coordinate and take action to influence the broader political and community planning process for affordable and supportive housing. EBHO also initiated and spearheads a broad based coalition of environment, labor, interfaith, social service, and housing groups to forward a campaign for affordable housing, equitable development, and environmental preservation. Rather than estate homes and luxury corporate development, EBHO and the coalition, Community Coalition for a Sustainable Concord, forwards a vision of affordable and sustainable development.

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To learn more about the above campaigns and how you can get involved in supporting EBHO’s efforts, please review the articles in this section of the website.