The California Hotel in Oakland, a historic landmark known for its Spanish colonial revival design and ties to Black music, is home to 135 low-income residents who often wish to leave. Although the hotel underwent a $43 million renovation aimed at aiding vulnerable residents, many tenants express dissatisfaction with their living conditions. Their experiences highlight the limitations of subsidized housing despite the building's historical importance, as evident in quotes from residents and legal advocates advocating for a better living environment.
Every tenant I've talked to wants desperately to leave the property, said Hannah Flanery, a staff attorney at the Berkeley-based East Bay Community Law Center who works at the hotel representing tenants in eviction proceedings.
I don't have any place else to go, but I wish I could move somewhere else, said Earl Fleming, 84, who lives in a small studio apartment he describes as a box.
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