Homeless Archives - Oakland Voices

Oakland closing homeless encampments, promising unhoused residents temporary shelter

October 12, 2024 Moamer Rafe

Oakland closing three homeless encampments and opening a temporary shelter.

Orange and white tent with letters asking, "Where do we go, Oakland?"

Mayor Thao gives order to remove all Oakland homeless encampments

October 7, 2024 Alma Collins Dumas

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao ordered the removal of all homeless encampments in the Town.

A Black woman wearing a beanie is holding back a smile.

One Oakland Woman’s Journey From the Streets to Being an Advocate for the Unsheltered

December 23, 2021 Debora Gordon

On any given night, over half a million Americans experience homelessness. A 2019 count indicated more than 4,000 unhoused residents live in Oakland. Resheemah White, also known to friends as “RoRo,” was one of them

Five African Americans stand and smile for camera.

Thanksgiving came early for unhoused East Oaklanders Thanks to Feed the Hood 19

November 26, 2021 Howard Dyckoff

Thanksgiving came early for unhoused East Oaklanders at more than 75 encampments with Feed the Hood 19 last weekend. More than 100 volunteers were involved with this effort as meals and personal care kits were

black and white image of tents set up in the early 1930s in Oakland, dubbed "Pipe City"

Pipe Dreams: Makeshift Living in Oakland is Nothing New

May 11, 2021 Kat Ferreira

Oakland Voices correspondent Kat Ferreira digs into the history of unhoused populations in Oakland, from Pipe City to the current encampments at the same location.

cellular image of novel coronavirus with the word Oakland above

One in five homeless students in Oakland not attending online class

October 22, 2020 Momo Chang

High rates of Oakland’s homeless, foster, and new immigrant students have dropped out from online learning.

Oakland Police arrest two unhoused outreach workers during COVID-19

April 27, 2020 Admin

Oakland Police arrest two homeless outreach workers at gunpoint in a case of mistaken identity. One man was arrested, cited, and released.

New Bay Area COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, Oakland schools closed, unemployment rises

April 2, 2020 Rasheed Shabazz

Oakland COVID-19 Update: New Shelter-in-place, Oakland schools closed, unemployment rises

An African American family (man, woman, and toddler) smile at the camera in a selfie photo.

Finding Hope, Resources During the Housing Crisis in the Bay Area

March 24, 2020 Aqueila M. Lewis-Ross

Editor’s Note: Aqueila M. Lewis-Ross is an Oakland Voices Alumna correspondent who participated in the 2015-2016 cohort. Lewis, who previously lived in Oakland for 12 years, has struggled with being unhoused and is not alone.

Living Victoriously: Community Advocates Help Bay Area Women Transform Their Lives

February 18, 2013 Katherine Brown

It is rare to encounter folks that have faced numerous adversities, yet never complain. They continue to hold their heads up high, dig in their heels, and keep pushing for a better outcome. It is