""Oakley's story makes me wonder what else might be possible in the Bay Area, where stability feels impossible for many. Her story illuminates the cruelty of a system that punishes those who lose their housing. Years of homelessness, addiction and structural barriers made Oakley - the most determined unhoused person I've reported on - a long shot. She did nearly everything right - sobriety, training, work, service - and still needed luck and the kindness of strangers.""
""It was a pleasure to stay in touch and see those gifts develop," Schaaf said. "I'm grateful she stayed in touch with me. So often, as policymakers, we launch a program like Cabin Communities, we only get to evaluate its success with cold aggregated data or, sadly, not at all. To see intimately how Jenn was affected by the city's actions was a profound gift for me. And I got a friend in the bargain.""
Jenn Oakley endured more than a decade of homelessness, addiction, recovery, and rehabilitation before becoming a homeowner. She moved through cabin housing and took automotive tech classes at Chabot College while maintaining sobriety and steady work. Oakley balanced multiple jobs and nearly 80-hour workweeks to qualify for homeownership supports. On May 28, 2025, she purchased a one-bedroom waterfront condo in Emeryville through the First Home Emeryville program. Her path combined personal determination, training, social supports, program assistance, and acts of kindness to overcome structural barriers to stable housing.
Read at Kqed
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