Public Land for Public Good: E. 12th Parcel
Launch of Lakeview Tiny Home Community at Lake Merritt
I'm grateful to share that in November of 2021, after a year of advocacy and planning, we opened a tiny home community at Lake Merritt to upgrade the living conditions of our unsheltered neighbors living around the Lake and Eastlake neighborhoods as the winter and rains arrive.
Using a vacant, city-owned parcel of land for public good, we're incorporating feedback from our unhoused community.
The Lakeview Tiny Home Community is first-of-its-kind in Oakland because it improves upon the city's current emergency shelter offerings with:
- Single occupancy, rather than rooming with a stranger
- Electricity, in-unit heat, insulated walls
- Potable water, flushable toilets and showers
- Ample on-site storage
- A Community Council of Lakeview residents and nearby neighbors to problem solve and build community through beautification projects, murals, gardening.
VIDEO TOUR: Watch a quick recorded tour of the site from our Open House event!
The site offers compassionate, individualized care for 65 unsheltered residents in 3 main areas:
- health + wellbeing (physical, mental behavioral health, substance abuse services)
- economic stability (job training, credit repair, public benefits advocacy)
- housing status (housing navigation, criminal record clearance, advocacy with landlords)
Unhoused residents living at the E. 12th parcel have been given priority, first-placement into Lakeview and the majority will join the program.
In the News
ABC 7, Oakland opens new tiny home village near Lake Merritt for the city's unhoused
KTVU 2, Oakland to provide tiny-home shelters in vacant lot ahead of winter weather, heat included
KRON 4, Housing the homeless: Tiny home village opens near Lake Merritt
East Bay Times, Oakland unveils new, upgraded tiny homes for homeless Lake Merritt residents
SF Chronicle, Oakland is embracing tiny home villages for the unhoused with one opening this month. Here's why
The Oaklandside, Tiny-home shelter to open on a contentious Eastlake development site: Dozens of people will soon get access to heating and privacy through the temporary program
Oakland North, Union Point on the Rise soon to be Oakland’s first co-governed cabin community
Thank you to the committed community and city partners who worked with my office over the last year to make Lakeview Village possible: Housing Consortium of the East Bay, Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods, Pyatok Architects, Beautification Council and our City of Oakland Team — City Administrator's Office, Human Services Department, Economic & Workforce Development Department, Public Works Department, Mayor's Office and others.
“This intervention offers a moment of hope in the City of Oakland's continued pursuit to address the needs of the many unhoused residents on Oakland's streets,” said LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator. “The Lakeside Village Community project serves as but one of the key steps and strategies that channel support for unhoused residents into supportive housing, and we are thrilled to add this innovative solution to the array of supportive projects serving our unhoused residents.”
“Our team of Housing Navigators and support staff look forward to building strong, trusting relationships with the residents soon moving into Lakeview Village,” said Kevin Cockerham, Program Site Manager of Lakeview Village with Housing Consortium of the East Bay. “We are prepared to deliver holistic services that aim to honor each person’s experiences and needs, while creating an environment of safety, peace, health, and stabilization for all residents to move towards permanent housing.”