Should they win their special elections next month, Barbara Lee and Charlene Wang have some ideas for how to build more affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors in Oakland. To date, only San Francisco has seen such local housing be built for this population.
It was one policy matter the Bay Area Reporter asked the candidates in its questionnaire for those running on the April 15 ballot for mayor and the District 2 seat on the Oakland City Council. It includes the East Bay city’s neighborhoods centered around Lake Merritt as well as its Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.
The council seat is up for grabs due to the departure of Nikki Fortunato Bas following her election last November to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Wang, a lesbian who worked on homelessness issues in Boston and across Massachusetts, is one of six candidates running to serve out the remainder of Bas' term through 2026.
Lee, a former congressmember and longtime ally of the LGBTQ community, is seen as one of two top candidates in the mayoral race along with second-time contender Loren Taylor. In 2022, Taylor had lost to Sheng Thao, who was recalled as mayor on last year's November ballot amid a wide-ranging federal corruption probe into Alameda County politics that saw FBI agents raid her home last summer. (Thao has pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges.)
The winner will serve out Thao’s term through 2026. Because the city uses ranked-choice voting to determine which candidate receives more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner, both the mayoral and council contests will be decided next month.
In recent weeks Lee and Wang both picked up endorsements from the East Bay Times. The San Francisco Chronicle endorsed Wang, while the B.A.R. endorsed both Lee and Wang in its March 27 issue. (They were the only candidates in their respective races to turn in the B.A.R.’s candidate questionnaire.)
One question asked what their plans are to create more affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors. As the B.A.R. reported in November, a first-of-its-kind survey of California LGBTQ seniors found roughly one in eight respondents were worried about losing their current housing. Titled "Survey of LGBTQIA+ Older Adults in California: From Challenges to Resilience," 4,037 older LGBTQIA+ adults took part in it, with 65% being Northern California residents.
Affordable housing developer Mercy Housing teamed up with San Francisco-based LGBTQ senior services provider Openhouse to build 119-units of LGBTQ-welcoming affordable senior housing split between the buildings at 55 and 95 Laguna Street on the northeastern edge of the city’s LGBTQ Castro district. The agencies have plans to add a third building with 187-units of affordable housing aimed for LGBTQ seniors nearby at 1939 Market Street and is hopeful of receiving state funds later this year to kick-start construction.
Like San Francisco, Oakland has a sizable LGBTQ senior population. Yet, other than an ill-fated market-rate retirement project near the shores of Lake Merritt marketed to LGBTQ seniors, the city has yet to see any housing affordable and specifically designated as LGBTQ-affirming be built.
Lee told the B.A.R. that addressing the housing needs of Oakland citizens will be a top priority of her mayoral administration should she be elected.
“As mayor, I will accelerate housing production for all income levels and tackle the affordability crisis. I’ll fight for Oakland’s fair share of Measure W funding, which provides people experiencing homelessness with housing and services,” wrote Lee. “I will be a pro-housing Mayor, so anyone with a dream of owning a home in Oakland can make that dream a reality.”
Adopted by Alameda County voters in 2020, Measure W placed an additional 0.50% countywide sales tax to bring the rate up to 9.75%, with the additional revenues meant to be used for myriad services for the unhoused such as housing. Initially expected to raise $150 million per year, the tax is to expire in 2031.
Lee also said she would work to deliver housing for homeless LGBTQ youth in addition to seniors.
“LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness. We must prioritize LGBTQ+ youth and seniors in affordable housing programs and ensure that housing policies are inclusive,” wrote Lee. “We must also increase funding for LGBTQ+-led housing initiatives and transitional housing programs, and address disproportionate rates of LGBTQ+ homelessness with wraparound services that include healthcare, job training, and mental health support.”
To assist her mayoral administration in meeting the needs of Oakland’s LGBTQ community, Lee told the B.A.R. she would form an LGBTQ advisory body within the mayor’s office. She also pledged there would LGBTQ+ representation on the city’s various oversight bodies.
“As mayor, I am committed to ensuring that Oakland remains a safe, thriving, and inclusive city for all LGBTQ+ residents, and I will prioritize Black and Brown trans residents, LGBTQ+ youth, and elders who face housing, economic, and public safety challenges,” Lee told the B.A.R.
Wang told the B.A.R. that LGBTQ senior housing needs to be a priority for the city. And she added that local LGBTQ organizations focused on aging and senior services should be included in the planning of such projects so they reflect the community’s specific priorities for inclusivity and safety.
“Prioritizing dedicated affordable housing developments for LGBTQ seniors is essential to ensure these projects meet their unique needs, such as accessibility, proximity to LGBTQ-friendly services, and inclusive environments,” wrote Wang. “By removing height limits and providing permitting incentives, we can create conditions to support deeply affordable housing that could genuinely benefit LGBTQ seniors.”
Also “vital,” noted Wang, is incorporating “LGBTQ cultural competency into housing services by training housing providers, property managers, and service personnel to foster respectful and inclusive environments. LGBTQ seniors often experience discrimination or harassment; therefore, policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity must be strictly enforced across housing services, rental agreements, and support programs to protect seniors and ensure they receive fair treatment and necessary care.”
Additionally, Wang told the B.A.R. that comprehensive supportive services should be offered within affordable housing developments, “including mental health counseling, peer support, and health care access to address the emotional and physical health disparities many LGBTQ seniors face. To combat isolation, seniors must also have access to social programs, community centers, and culturally relevant activities. Partnering with groups like the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District can effectively connect seniors with supportive communities and essential social resources.”
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