Urban Agriculture in West Oakland

1
Urban Agriculture in West Oakland

• Jennifer Weidner
• Owen Taylor
• Summer Gerbing
• Nina Haletky

Client Peoples Grocery
2
Outline
Introduction
Objectives
Methods
Background
Findings
Recommendations
3
Proposal

• Food System Plan for Oakland
• Make the case for Urban Agriculture

4
Objectives

• Document food security indicators
• Provide best practices research
• Assess Oaklands political climate
• Reveal West Oakland opportunities
• Make recommendations

5
Methods

• Literature Reviews
• Best Practices Research
• Mapping
• Interviews

6
Lack of Planning for Food

• Food as basic human need
• The role of planners

7
Food Insecurity in the U.S.

• Supermarket redlining
• Dependence on unsustainable food system

8
Food Security Model

• Food Access
• Systems Approach
• Urban Agriculture

9
Benefits of Urban Agriculture

• Alleviation of hunger, malnutrition and
  diet-related diseases
• Entrepreneurial development
• Job creation/ Job training
• Greening blight
• Violence prevention
• Nutrition education
• Environmental protection

10
Boston Food Project

• Childrens health
• Youth jobs and enrichment
• 2004 figures
• 15,262 lbs grown
• 3710 lbs donated to Boston shelters
• 20,101 sold

11
Greensgrow Farms

• Greening Blight
• Regional Agricultural Support
• Community Cohesion
• Nearly Self-Sustainable
• Grant Money for New Projects

12
Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project

• Jobs
• Training
• Rehabilitation
• Community Building
• 27 Homeless Workers
• 25 Income from Sales

13
Planning for Urban Agriculture
General or Comprehensive Plan

• Berkeley
• Specific policy encouraging gardens
• Funding element
• Inclusion of local food systems

14
Zoning for Community Gardens

• Boston
• Type of open space
• Ensures long term protection

Protected Open Space
City of Boston Parks Department
City of Boston Other Agency
Land Trust
15
Inter-agency Cooperation

• Seattle
• Inclusion in Comprehensive plan
• Long- term lease
• Department of Neighborhoods

16
Land Allocation

• Portland
• Inventory vacant lots
• Available to public

17
Water Allocation

• Austin
• Community Garden Facilitation and Fee Waver
  March, 1996

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Technical Support/ Resources Allocation

• New York City
• Green Thumb, Parks Department
• Technical Assistance
• Materials

19
Toxic/Hazardous Material Facilities Legend
Toxic Air Emissions
Hoover-Foster
Clawson
Hazardous Material Storage
High Risk Hazmat Storage
McClymonds
Superfund/Cal-EPA Cleanup Sites
Leaking Underground Tank
ERNS Spill Report Location
Oak Center
City Center
Acorn
Ralph Bunch
Prescott
Zoning Legend
Residential Zoning
Jack London
Industrial Zoning
Commercial Zoning
Medical Zoning
Schools
Parks
Source http//www.toxicspot.com/def_space

• 24,477 residents total

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West Oakland Demographics

• Poverty is a significant inhibitor of food
  security.
• 37 of residents are living in poverty.
• 36 of residents 25 years and older have not
  graduated high school.
• Median age is 28.

Racial Demographics
Other (NH/L)
Asian alone (NH/L)
4.7
Hispanic/Latino
9.3
15.6
White alone (NH/L)
6.7
63.7
Black/African American alone (NH/L)
NH/L Not Hispanic/Latino
Farfan-Ramirez, Unpublished Draft, 2001 2000
Census, SF3
Chart Created by Owen Taylor
21
West Oakland Diet Related Diseases
Balch, James 1997, Farfan-Ramirez, Lucrecia,
Unpublished Draft, 2001
Table by Jennifer Weidner
22
Liquor and Corner Stores
Supermarket
Liquor Stores
Highway
Households in Poverty
GIS Map Created By Summer Gerbing and Owen Taylor
23
Food Assistance

• An estimated 4,988 residents
• 32 emergency food sites
• Only 31 utilize the food stamp program

Farfan-Ramirez, Unpublished Draft, 2001
Alameda Food Bank Source foodsecurity.org
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Key Players

• Alameda County UC Extension
• West Oakland Food Collaborative
• Oakland Food Security Analyst
• Director of Sustainability

25
Recommendations

• Include multiple benefits when framing the issue
• Gain community support
• Build stronger collaborations with
• Food systems advocates
• Community advocates
• City agencies
• Advocate for
• Inclusion in General Plan and Zoning
• Inventory of available land
• Assessment and allocation of city resources