Telling Our Stories: The Housing Chronicles

Healthy Black Families Inc.
  • 5.0 (5)
  • POLITICS

Housing is a human right. The housing crisis is wreaking havoc nationally.  This podcast highlights how this is playing out specifically in Black Berkeley, California.  Healthy Black Families Inc chronicles the lived experience behind what people call "gentrification" and documents our endeavor for our "Right to Stay" & our "Right to Return". 

  1. 04/29/2025

    Episode 20: Thomas Berkeley Square Development: The Why Matters (Part II)

    Send us a text Alan Dones, a revered developer sits with us and tells a story that began fourteen years ago - and hasn't ended yet. His journey developing what is known as Thomas Berkeley Square, the principled and unwavering way he navigates obstacles, the grace with which he speaks truth to racist power, and the eager joy with which he looks at the future is a testament to the best parts of humanity. This is the second half of a two-part series. Support the show

    22 min

  2. 04/29/2025

    Episode 19: Thomas Berkeley Square Development: How it Happened (Part I)

    Send us a text Alan Dones, a revered developer sits with us and tells a story that began fourteen years ago - and hasn't ended yet. His journey developing what is known as Thomas Berkeley Square, the principled and unwavering way he navigates obstacles, the grace with which he speaks truth to racist power, and the eager joy with which he looks at the future is a testament to the best parts of humanity. This is Part I of a two-part series. Support the show

    48 min

  3. 04/29/2025

    Episode 18: Lessons and Ambitions: Berkeley Housing Preference Policy (Part III)

    Send us a text We return with this final segment (recorded at the same time as Episodes 16 and 17) which wraps up our three-part interview on Berkeley’s first Affordable Housing Preference Policy. City of Berkeley’s Community Development Project Coordinator Anna Cash, former Program Director of the Community Economic Justice Clinic at East Bay Community Law center, Jasmine Poyaoan and our very own Ayanna Davis former Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families discuss: What were some of the hardships during the organizing of this policy? What are some of the lessons we can pass on from those hardships? What are their hopes with how this Right to Stay, Right to Return takes root and becomes a tool for repairing harm. Connect with our guest(s):                                                                                                        Ayanna Davis - former Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families, Inc.  Website: https://healthyblackfam.org/e4bb Email:mamaayanna@healthyblackfam.org Phone: (510) 285-6689  Anna Cash - Community Development Project Coordinator at City of Berkeley Website: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/affordable-housing-berkeley/apply-affordable-housing-preferences Email:HousingPreferences@berkeley-ca.gov Phone: (510) 981-5304   Jaasmin Poyaoan - former Program Director of Community Economic Justice Clinic at East Bay Community Law Center and current Program Director of Economic Justice Program at Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (San Francisco)                                  Website: https://ebclc.org/ and https://lccrsf.org/ Email:jpoyaoan@lccrsf.org Phone: (209) 787-0093                 Relevant Links:  1. Applying for Berkeley Housing Preference Certificates: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/affordable-housing-berkeley/apply-affordable-housing-preferences   2. Doorway: The New Regional Bay Area Affordable Housing Portal: https://housingbayarea.mtc.ca.gov/  3. Finland’s Housing First https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/05/Taina-Finnish-Housing-First-Policy.pdf 4. Emergent Strategy: Organizing for Social Change (Adrianne Marie Brown’s Book Summary) – Forte Labs https://fortelabs.com/blog/emergent-strategy-organizing-for-social-justice/                                                                   Support the show

    51 min

  4. 02/06/2024

    Episode 17: Right to Stay, Right to Return - Berkeley Housing Preference Policy (Part II)

    Send us a text In this Part II of our three-part interview, we continue our conversation with Anna Cash (Community Development Project Coordinator at City of Berkeley, Jassmin Poyaoan former Program Director of the Community Economic Justice Clinic at East Bay Community Law center and current Program Director at Economic Justice Program at Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (San Francisco), and Ayanna Davis (Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families). We dive deeper into Berkley’s new Preference Policy. What is a policy? What might this new policy mean for those that were unfairly pushed out or are currently at risk of systematically being run out of Berkeley? Connect with our guest(s): Ayanna Davis  - Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families, Inc. Website: https://healthyblackfam.org/e4bb Email: mamaayanna@healthyblackfam.org Phone: (510) 285-6689 Anna Cash - Community  Development Project Coordinator at City of Berkeley Website: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/affordable-housing-berkeley/apply-affordable-housing-preferences Email:  HousingPreferences@berkeley-ca.gov Phone: (510) 981-5304 Jaasmin Poyaoan - former Program Director of  Community Economic Justice Clinic at East Bay Community Law Center and current Program Director of Economic Justice Program at Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (San Francisco) Website: https://ebclc.org/ and https://lccrsf.org/ Email:  jpoyaoan@lccrsf.org Phone: (209) 787-0093  Relevant Links: 1. Affordable Housing Rental Listings on Alameda County Housing Portal (for Maudelle Shirek Building applications click “see rentals”):  https://housing.acgov.org 2. Applying for Berkeley Housing Preference Certificates: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/affordable-housing-berkeley/apply-affordable-housing-preferences 3. What is a policy – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy 4. From Prop 209 to Prop 16: Historical, Legal, and Activist Perspectives on Affirmative Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRH7-g0Y1oI 5. Opinion: Turning Crisis Into Opportunity: Why Berkeley Need TOPA Now: https://baysfuture.org/opinion-turning-crisis-into-opportunity-why-berkeley-needs-topa-now/ 6. Housing Protection, Preserving, and Producing – Metropolitan Transportation Commission:https://mtc.ca.gov/funding/investment-strategies-commitments/housing-solutions/housing-protection-preservation-production Support the show

    32 min

  5. 02/06/2024

    Episode 16: Grassroots Organizing - Berkeley Housing Preference Policy (Part I)

    Send us a text In this Part I of a three-part series we are joined by City of Berkeley’s Anna Cash City of Berkeley’s Community Development Project Coordinator, Jassmin Poyaoan former Program Director of the Community Economic Justice Clinic at  East Bay Community Law Center and current Program Director at Economic Justice Program at Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (San Francisco), and Ayanna Davis Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families as we discuss the housing conditions in the Bay Area which forced the community to organize towards what is now the City of Berkeley’s first Housing Preference Policy - which went into effect January 1, 2024. Connect with our guest(s): Ayanna Davis  - Deputy Executive Director at Healthy Black Families, Inc. Website: https://healthyblackfam.org/e4bb Email: mamaayanna@healthyblackfam.org Phone: (510) 285-6689 Anna Cash - Community  Development Project Coordinator at City of Berkeley Website: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/affordable-housing-berkeley/apply-affordable-housing-preferences Email:  HousingPreferences@berkeley-ca.gov Phone: (510) 981-5304 Jaasmin Poyaoan - former Program Director of  Community Economic Justice Clinic at East Bay Community Law Center and current Program Director of Economic Justice Program at Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (San Francisco) Website: https://ebclc.org/ and https://lccrsf.org/ Email:  jpoyaoan@lccrsf.org Phone: (209) 787-0093  Relevant Links: 1. Roots, Race, and Place Report - Othering and Belonging: https://belonging.berkeley.edu/rootsraceplace 2. Affordable Housing Policy: https://berkeleyspeaks.org/affordable-housing-preference-policy-hpp/ 3. Black Exodus From Berkeley: https://dailycal-projects.netlify.app/2022-01-21-exodus 4. Is the Tech Boom Putting Pressure on Berkeley Rents? – Berkeleyside: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2014/07/03/is-the-tech-boom-putting-pressure-on-berkeley-rents 5. The Mental Health Consequences of the Global Housing Crisis – National Institutes of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9797748/#:~:text=These%20patients%20struggle%20with%20a,and%20depression%20for%20several%20reasons Support the show

    39 min

  6. 01/30/2024

    Episode 15: Looking Ahead - Friends of Adeline (Part III)

    Send us a text In this part III (and final) segment of our interview with Friends of Adeline, we speak with Ms. Ritchie Smith, Willie Phillips, and Chris Schildt about their perspective of the initiative known as Equity for Black Berkeley, its funding and thoughts on solidarity. Contact Guests: Phone (510) 338-7843 Emailfriendsofadeline@gmail.com  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofAdeline/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/foaberkeley/ Website https://www.friendsofadeline.org/about/ Relevant Links: Equity for Black Berkeley - Healthy Black Families https://healthyblackfam.org/e4bb Tulsa Massacre Survivor Speaks Out - Good Morning America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN0n03FsmXg Survivors of Tulsa Massacre Are Appealing a Judges Decision to Dismiss Their Case for Reparations - CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/us/tulsa-race-massacre-survivors-appeal-judge-dismissal-lawsuit/index.html Harriet Tubman Terraces Residents Face Horrendous Violations In Their Homes - Friends of Adeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWB1FrIZ1rE A Tale of Two Cities - Alta: https://www.altaonline.com/culture/a38403159/black-repertory-ishmael-reed/ Support the show

    28 min

  7. 01/30/2024

    Episode 14: The Heavy Lift of Organizing - Friends of Adeline (Part II)

    Send us a text In this Part II of our three-part interview with key members of Friends of Adeline - a local South Berkeley organization, we continue our conversation with Ms. Ritchie Smith, Willie Phillips, Mari Mendonca, and Chris Schildt. How is the endeavor towards equity situated in the current American culture and its systems? Who do we organize - and how? Contact Guests: Phone (510) 338-7843 Emailfriendsofadeline@gmail.com  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofAdeline/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/foaberkeley/ Website https://www.friendsofadeline.org/about/ Relevant Links: Redlining: The History of Berkeley's Segregated Neighborhoods - California Housing Partnership: https://chpc.net/news/redlining-the-history-of-berkeleys-segregated-neighborhoods/ Racism In Urban Planning - Forward Pinellas: https://forwardpinellas.org/transportation-disadvantaged/racism-in-urban-planning/ Planning Citizens Commit to Change On Racial Inequities: Planet Citizen: https://www.planetizen.com/news/2021/10/114955-planning-directors-commit-change-racial-inequities TOPA - Partnership for the Bay's Future: https://baysfuture.org/opinion-turning-crisis-into-opportunity-why-berkeley-needs-topa-now/ California Fair Political Practices Commission (Ethics training of public officials): https://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/public-officials-and-employees-rules-/ethics-training.html Charles Austin: 'President of Berkeley" Dies at 77 - Berkeleyside: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2017/06/26/charles-austin-president-south-berkeley-dies-77 As the Word Burns, Organizers Are Burning Out - The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/organizer-burnout/ Breaking Isolation: Self Care and Community Care Tools for Our People -  The Audre Lorde Project: https://alp.org/breaking-isolation-self-care-and-community-care-tools-our-people Support the show

    45 min

  8. 01/09/2024

    Episode 13: I AM - Friends of Adeline (Part I)

    Send us a text In this Part I of a three-part interview, we meet some key members of Friends of Adeline - Ms. Ritchie Smith, Willie Phillips, Mari Mendonca, and Chris Schildt. These four neighbors that call South Berkeley home tell us who they are and how they (along with other neighbors) came to be the mighty Friends of Adeline. Contact Guests: Phone (510) 338-7843 Emailfriendsofadeline@gmail.com  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofAdeline/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/foaberkeley/ Website https://www.friendsofadeline.org/about/ Relevant Links: Adeline Corridor Plan: https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/our-work/adopted-plans/adeline-corridor-specific-plan Second Great Migration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Great_Migration_(African_American) Japanese American Life During Internment: https://www.nps.gov/articles/japanese-american-internment-archeology.htm Theodore ’Ted’ Ohashi – Cal Basketball Player, YMCA Coach: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Theodore-Ted-Ohashi-Cal-basketball-player-2466955.php Sewage in Berkeley’s Creeks: https://www.bpfp.org/affiliate-groups/F5C/SewageInCreeks.htm Land Acknowledgement Recognizing Berkeley as the Ancestral, Unceded Home of the Ohlone People (City of Berkeley): https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022-10-11%20Item%2019%20Land%20Acknowledgement%20Recognizing%20Berkeley.pdf Support the show

    41 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Housing is a human right. The housing crisis is wreaking havoc nationally.  This podcast highlights how this is playing out specifically in Black Berkeley, California.  Healthy Black Families Inc chronicles the lived experience behind what people call "gentrification" and documents our endeavor for our "Right to Stay" & our "Right to Return". 

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