The Oakland City Council's support for a large homeless shelter in Chinatown has been withdrawn due to local opposition. Cardea Health was set to operate the site at the former Courtyard Marriott, converting it into 150 shelter beds. Chinatown business leaders lobbied against the proposal citing concerns over institutional racism and its placement near vulnerable populations. The city now has a limited timeframe to identify an alternative shelter site, reflecting ongoing tensions and challenges surrounding homelessness solutions in the area, particularly post-COVID-19.
"To be frank, this is a perfect example of institutional racism," Wang said in an interview about the nixed hotel-to-housing proposal. "You're placing a shelter right beside this vulnerable population."
Cardea Health CEO Dr. Alexis Chettiar said the converted Courtyard Marriott site would have been equipped with 24/7 security, with no cost to the city budget. She estimated the city would save $1 million on police and fire response to homeless encampments.
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