Oakland residents, and business owners, are voicing concerns that the AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will lead to neighborhood displacement.
The BRT is a 9.7 mile public rapid transportation project that will run from Downtown Oakland to San Leandro BART. It will convert two of the four existing lanes on International into bus-only lanes, with mid-street passenger loading platforms. And construction will lead to a total loss of 500 parking spots along the corridor.
A recent memo from the Oakland interim city manager states the BRT will meet a four million dollar budget shortfall.
Two million will be cut from the Oakland Business Technical Assistance (TA) fund. Which was set up in 2014 as a way to support businesses along the corridor.
AC transit claims that only $500,000 out of the original 2.5 million dollars allocated will meet Federal Transportation Administration guidelines.
Also, two million will be withdrawn from the landscaping budget.
Members of the community are disheartened by the decision. In an interview with the post, Reverend Daniel Buford from Allen Temple Baptist Church, said “This project will kill small businesses; those shops cannot afford to lose a week worth of business, let alone a month. I think the construction process itself will starve some of them out. There should be financial mitigation or compensation for those businesses, because this project will fundamentally change the way they conduct operations.”
“This is a problem that requires the community to speak up about what’s at stake,” Buford maintained.
Andy Nelson, Deputy Director of Policy Initiatives at the East Bay Asian Youth Center, agrees with the latter sentiment.
Nelson went on to explain, “This is gentrification. If you push these local businesses out, then you open the door for upscale retail, and upscale residents- and the cycle will continue. So we want to protect these communities, and we want to have the opportunity to have immigrant groups and African-American owned businesses to have participation in the environment that will be created with the BRT.”
“We know anecdotally that businesses are already closing their doors and moving out of the San Antonio district,” Nelson continued. “The city pushes for the concept of development without displacement… well right now we are going through with the BRT, and we’re directly displacing businesses,” concluded Nelson
In response, Clarence Johnson, Media Affairs Manager for AC Transit, claimed the “report from the interim city manager is completely inaccurate.”
“AC transit has not reneged on any financial obligations, nor does it intend to. The money is there,” said Johnson.
“The issue here is what the money can be used for. By federal law, we cannot give money to private citizens or businesses. Certain businesses along that corridor are asking for money that it cannot be used for,” Johnson said.
Johnson continued, “What it can be used for is if the project disrupts their business in some kind of physical way. If their signage was blocked, we’d put up a new sign. Or if construction blocks their front door and people cannot access it, we could rebuild a front door, or move it. But we can’t use it to buy QuickBooks or new furniture. We also can’t relocate businesses. Those things aren’t covered in the Gift to Public Funds act.”
Two small parking lots are currently being constructed in the Fruitvale, and Elmhurst districts.
Other aspects of construction under way include a bypass at Derby and East 10th diverting traffic from International.
And multiple locations from Broadway all the way to San Leandro will require utility work before construction of passenger platforms can begin. This work will continue through October, when main street construction begins.
Originally Published 4/24/2015: PostNewsGroup.com