The California Hotel, a historic landmark in Oakland, is home to 135 low-income tenants who express discontent with their living conditions despite the building's rich history and renovations. Famous for hosting prominent Black musicians, the hotel's legacy contrasts sharply with the tenants' current reality. Many, like 84-year-old Earl Fleming, feel trapped in inadequate living spaces. A 2014 renovation aimed to provide a supportive environment for vulnerable residents, yet dissatisfaction remains high, raising concerns about the nonprofit's management and the quality of life for tenants.
Nor does the hotel's listing on the National Register of Historic Places, or its more impressive features, like the inlaid California golden bears that mark each step of a stairwell and the jade-green ceiling in the lobby.
After its $43 million renovation in 2014, the California Hotel was designed to keep some of the East Bay's most vulnerable residents off the streets with close monitoring by case managers and support staff.
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