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THE

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VOL 38   •   NO. 4   •   ISSUE  NO. 385   •   april 3, 2021                     CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

SAVE THE DATE
April 15: Annual
Board Meeting
& Election
Candidates’ Forum: April 8
announcements, and voting. All
voting will be by written ballot.
Residents are welcome to use their
own pens. Disposable pens will also
be provided.
Any person with principal res-
idence in the area of the City of
Oakland contained within RCPC
boundaries (see www.rockridge.org/
boundaries), and who is at least 18
years old, is eligible to vote in the
election. Voter identity and eligibil-
ity will be confirmed at the time of
voting by photo ID and proof of res-
idency. A current driver’s license or
California ID card can fulfill both
requirements if the listed address is
within the boundaries. A full list of
acceptable documents is available
at www.rockridge.org/elections.
Residents who cannot attend on
Thursday, April 15, will have an
additional opportunity to vote on
Saturday, April 17, between 4pm
and 7pm, in the Rockridge Library
parking lot at 5366 College Avenue.
All activities will be out-of-doors
and will follow the health protocols
described above. n
RCPC
Hear from RCPC Board candidates
and pose questions in a Candidates’
Forum, on Thursday, April 8, from
7-9pm, via Zoom (see Candidate
Statements on pages 3 & 4).
Register for the forum at http://
bit.ly/RCPC2021CF. A video of the
forum will be posted on YouTube at
bit.ly/RCPCYouTube. n
On Thursday, April 15, 2021,
from 7-9 pm, the Rockridge
Community Planning Council
(RCPC) will hold its Annual Meet-
ing, including the election of six (6)
candidates to fill seats on the Board
of Directors for terms ending in
2023. The meeting will take place at
the Rockridge BART parking lot by
the intersection of Forest Street and
Shafter Avenue, in an area that will
be cordoned off from cars. Candi-
date Statements can be found on
Pages 3 & 4 of this issue.
For the health of our community,
the meeting will be held out-of-
doors, with hygiene protocols
including physical distancing and
facemasks. Hand sanitizers will
be available in dispensers. For
safety and to avoid crowding, the
scheduled business will be limited
to the call-to-order, preliminary
A Little School That’s
Big on Community
by Skip Fogarty
Rockridge Home
Sales Rocket During
Pandemic
 by Judith Doner Berne
Holly Gold at her school’s College
Avenue location, founded in 2004.
Sixteen years ago, we were looking
for a preschool situation for our
daughter. That’s when we spotted a
sign in front of the College Avenue
Presbyterian Church. “Rockridge
Little School. Opening Soon. Taking
Applications.”
In the years since, owner Holly
Gold gradually expanded the oper-
ation to three campuses serving 100
families, but the pandemic forced her
to adapt and downsize.
“At first, we had no idea how long
Despite the Covid pandemic, or
maybe partly because of it, for
the first time in the nearly ten years
I have lived in Rockridge two houses
were up for sale at the same time on
my block in January. One was a 2,680-
square-foot house built on the grounds
of a teardown, with only the original
fireplace remaining.
The pandemic was a catalyst for
Bekah Cotter and Simeon Duong,
pictured with their dog Zoey, to
buy their first home. 
Eyes on Rockridge, see page 12
RLS, see page 14


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page 2
APRIL 2021

RCPC News:
Let’s Welcome Our
New Rockridge
Neighbors
The Rockridge News was founded March 1986
by Don Kinkead, and is published monthly (except
August).  It is sponsored by the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC), a nonprofit
public benefit organization founded to: preserve
and enhance the unique character of the Rockridge
neighborhood; promote the health, safety and
quality of life of its residents; furnish a forum for
community involvement; and provide leadership
and representation of neighborhood interests.
by Casey Farmer,
RCPC Co-Secretary
This past December, the City of
Oakland announced that it
had purchased Clifton Hall to utilize
as affordable, transitional housing. The
building, at the corner of Broadway
and Clifton, is a former dormitory
for the California College of the Arts.
Governor Newsom’s “Project Home-
key,” through California’s Department
of Housing and Community Develop-
ment, made funding for this possible.
At the announcement of this
housing partnership, Oakland City
Councilmember and Rockridge repre-
sentative Dan Kalb said “I’m thrilled
that dozens of our unhoused families
and seniors will have housing thanks
to the hard work of Oakland City Staff
and our nonprofit partners. There
continues to be a dire need for more
affordable housing, and I’m committed
to making that a top priority for North
Oakland and our entire city in 2021.”
The property will be home to two
types of housing units operated by
two very reputable providers. East
Oakland Community Project began
managing the transitional shelter for
20 families this past December.
Clifton Hall now provides affordable
housing for seniors and families.
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks ........................ Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis........................Assistant Editor & Ad Manager
Susan Montauk................................Business Manager
Judith Doner Berne.......................Eyes on Rockridge
Satellite Affordable Housing Asso-
ciates (SAHA) will operate 40 units
of permanent housing for senior
citizens who previously experienced
homelessness; they are scheduled
to move in later this spring. The
building’s ground floor will house the
offices of Family Front Door which
serves as the hub for the Coordinated
Entry System for homeless families in
Northern Alameda County.
The pandemic precludes hosting our
new neighbors with a proper block
party, so to welcome them, Rockridge
Community Planning Council invites
all interested neighbors to pitch in for
a welcome gift. At the suggestion of
SAHA management, RCPC will be
purchasing dishes and utensils for the
two shared kitchens in the building,
and will match all donations made,
up to $600, through our Community
Grants Program Fund.
To make a donation of any amount
on our GoFundMe Page, visit https://
bit.ly/2QlRhw0. n
RCPC Board of Directors, 2020-21
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer......................................... Co-Secretary
Michelle Boyd........................................ Co-Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer...............................................Treasurer
David Garcia, Stuart Flashman, Annette Floystrup,
Matt Levy, Eric Lombardo, Andrew Masalin, Kirk
Peterson
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Contacting The Rockridge News
Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News? Have questions
about newsletter distribution? Want to volunteer
to be a Rockridge News block captain? Want to
write a letter to the Editor?
Articles submitted for consideration should be
emailed to the editor. All submissions are limited
to 600 words max (300 words for letters), and
must include the author’s name, email address, and
city or neighborhood of residence.
All submissions are subject to editing for clarity
and brevity. To submit content, or for reprints of
an article, contact: editor@rockridge.org.
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send your
check for $20, payable to RCPC with “Rockridge
News” noted on the memo line.
Mail payment to:
RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Avenue,
PO Box 22504, Oakland, 94609
law office of
dave karlinsky
725 washington st., suite 313  oakland, ca 94607
(510) 788-5700    www.davekarlinskylaw.com
Display Advertising
Deadline for May 2021 issue: April 22
Advertising rates are $28/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. For display ads, call Jo Ellis
at 510-653-3210 (after noon), or email joellis1@
hotmail.com. Email Susan Montauk at smontauk@
gmail.com for information regarding classified ads.
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Views expressed in articles accepted for publication do
not necessarily reflect those of The Rockridge News,
its editor, or the board of directors of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council.


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page 3
APRIL 2021

Election 2021: RCPC Board Candidates
Matt Levy
Claremont Ave
Greetings! My cat
Buffy and I are
seeking to retain
my board seat to
continue serving our
fabulous Rockridge
community. My
spouse and I have
two fur babies
and have been
fortunate to call Rockridge home since
2018. When not tripping over fake mice,
I’m RCPC’s Transportation Chair, managing
our Safeway settlement agreement to
fund traffic mitigation projects. By day, I
am a data scientist and project manager,
running First Place for Youth’s Evaluation
& Learning department. There, I drive a
culture of data and impact that informs
organizational strategy and innovation.
At RCPC, I seek to apply that same skillset
to benefit our community. I served on
the three-member committee organizing
RCPC’s first-ever pandemic election and am
spearheading our transportation efforts,
from speed humps to repaving to informing
Rockridge about ongoing OakDOT projects.
I’m seeking your vote to continue serving
you in the two years ahead. Thank you.
Michelle Boyd
Dana Street
Stuart Flashman
Ocean View
I am running for
re-election to the
RC P C  B o a r d  t o
continue to help
Rockridge grow and
thrive. My family has
rented on Dana St for
six years, and I am
proud to bring a renter’s perspective to the
board. We live on an incredible block and
count many of our neighbors as close friends.
I now serve as RCPC’s Co-Secretary and work
with the executive committee to streamline
board processes and ensure our activities
remain accessible to working parents like
myself. I have also helped lead community
events, including co-running our recent
ADU Town Hall and planning an upcoming
celebration of new bike lanes on College.
There are important conversations we need
to have as a community around housing,
change, and inclusivity, and tensions we
need to balance as we consider the future
of our neighborhood in unprecedented
times. I’d be honored to continue
to serve Rockridge for another term.
My wife and I have
raised our family
here since 1992. I’ve
also spent 30 years
as a solo attorney
doing environmental
and land use law.
I was appointed to
the RCPC Board in
2007, ran in three elections, termed out
in 2014, and was elected again in 2017
and 2019. I’ve chaired RCPC’s Land Use
Committee since 2008. I ask one more term
to complete two important tasks. One is the
Rockridge Housing Study. Most Rockridge
residents would agree that Rockridge
needs more affordable housing. We need a
few more months investigating incentives
to affordable housing before presenting
the final report. The other is a hard look
at College Avenue’s zoning. That zoning,
designed by Rockridge residents, has served
us well for almost 50 years. However, times
have changed. Should the zoning change
too? If so, how? That study has just begun,
but should be completed within two years.
Eric Lombardo
Lawton Ave
Andrew Masalin
63rd Street
Candidate Statements
continued on next page
It is a privilege to
serve my neighbor-
hood as an RCPC
board member and
community advocate
since I lucked into
m o v i n g  a c r o s s
Oakland to Rockridge three years ago. I
am a nonprofit fundraiser by trade, and
my partner and I rent half of a duplex on
Lawton. As young renters, we appreciate
the neighborhood for all its present charms
and benefits, while also being thoughtful
about the future so that the neighborhood is
affordable, welcoming, and easily accessible.
I want to co-create solutions that add more
homes across price-levels to ensure our
community, schools, parks, and businesses
can thrive for years to come. I currently serve
as the RCPC Parks Chair and, in this capacity,
I host service events and build relationships
with the City and stakeholders to ensure our
parks are resilient spaces for kids and adults
to have positive nature-based experiences. I
also helped run the previous RCPC election
and bolster our board’s internal capacity to
function at a high level for our community.
I would be honored to serve in these
roles, and new roles, for another term.
I joined the RCPC
b o a r d  i n  2 017
because I wanted
to make an impact
in the community.
I’m excited about
the opportunity to
continue to do so. My
relationship with Rockridge started back in
2005 when my wife and I had one of our very
first dates on College Ave. We fell in love with
Rockridge…and each other. Ten years later,
we bought our first house in Rockridge and
are proud parents of an OUSD student. That
has deepened our love and commitment to
Rockridge. As a parent, I care deeply about
the community my children grow up in. My
goal as a member of the RCPC board is to
continue to help keep Rockridge thriving
socially and economically. I want to ensure
that College Avenue remains the vibrant,
local, and transit-oriented center that it is
today. I also want to make sure that all of the
residential houses remain diverse and able
to keep communities safe. I’m committed
to preserving the long-term health and
prosperity of this community we call home.
RCPC CandidateS’ Forum:
Thursday, April 8, at 7pm
(Go to http://bit.ly/RCPC2021CF)
BUYING?
SELLING?
LET ME HELP YOU!
Anne D. Brandon, Realtor
510.682.6644 | 510.339.9290
Anne@TheHighlandPartners.com
DRE# 01877719
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk


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page 4
APRIL 2021

Candidate Statements
continued from previous page
Diana Mitchell-
Chavez
Shafter Ave
Ashley Pandya
Benvenue
After many months
of looking for a
home in Rockridge,
my husband and
I bought our first
home on Benvenue
in late 2019, just a
few months before
the birth of our son
and the onset of
the pandemic. On
our many walks through the neighborhood,
we’ve been inspired by the creative ways
in which our neighbors show support
for frontline workers, teachers, and local
restaurants. As we move towards resuming
regular life, I believe we can reinvigorate
our community through increased housing,
public green space, and local business
growth. I work in construction technology
and have bounced between the private and
nonprofit sectors throughout my career.
In recent years, I’ve volunteered as a tax
assistant for low-income communities and
as a design advisor for emergency housing
assistance programs. I look forward to
fusing my private sector experience with
my appreciation for the complexities of
public policy design on the RCPC board.
Jennifer
McElrath
Rockridge Blvd
Rockridge has been
my home since 1979
and I love it. It’s a
neighborhood of
diversity, energy,
and acceptance.
I’m originally from
Connecticut and was
fortunate to be able to use my degrees
in Fine Arts from NYU and Journalism
from Columbia to work in Marketing for
Cosmopolitan Magazine. I came from New
York to California to open, staff, and manage
offices in both L.A. and San Francisco. Later,
while working as P.A. to a senior partner
at Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, I used
my computer degree from Berkeley to
participate in the design and building of
some of San Francisco’s great buildings.
I have a long history of volunteerism
(Glide, Salvation Army) and want to use it
effectively to help Rockridge continue to
be a place where “everyone wants to live.”
M y  i m m e d i a te
family has lived in
Rockridge since
2001, though the
family has roots in
Oakland dating from
the 1850s, a time in
which they were pillars of the community.
I plan to come full circle by continuing to
contribute to the greater good of Rockridge
and Oakland. Besides previous volunteer
commitments to education and the
neighborhood, for the past two years, I have
actively led projects for Upper Broadway
Advocates to find the balance and style of
growth that will remake College Avenue as
a destination and continue Rockridge as a
distinguishable and desirable place to call
“Home.” My career as a business executive
and entrepreneur, with success across
functions, enables me to deeply evaluate and
act on short and long-term, multi-variable,
multi-constituent projects, such as those
facing Rockridge. Enough of the hearsay and
unsupported mantras — Rockridge needs
facts and a strong community presence in
RCPC to influence Oakland officials…NOW.
Ronnie Spitzer
Kales Ave
I’m a physicist,
w h o  m o v e d
t o  R o c k r i d g e
in 1993 for its
walkability and
wonderful sense
of community.
I’ve worked in
industry and national research labs across
the Bay Area, and lecture at UC Berkeley.
Since my first term on the RCPC Board in
1994, I’ve been elected numerous times.
Rockridge is a wonderful neighborhood
that can be even better. I believe the RCPC
needs to balance change with maintaining
and improving the characteristics of
the neighborhood that attracted us to
live here. Everyone’s voice needs to be
heard, for success. During my RCPC board
terms, I have interfaced with the city, the
community, and Caltrans on numerous
Rockridge development projects and
transportation improvements. My activities
have included: RCPC Treasurer and past
Chair; past Transportation Committee
Chair; Fourth Bore Coalition Vice-Chair;
Halloween Parade organizer; and Kitchen
Tour Co-Chair. I hope to continue my service
for the neighborhood for another term.
Myrna Walton
Rockridge Blvd
Ken Rich
Manila Ave
Rockridge was my
first home when I
came to California
in the 1960s. I
returned in 2018
to live in an ADU
next to my family.
I love it here. As
former Director of HR Information Systems
at UC’s Office of the President, I defined
issues, researched all possible solutions,
and advocated the best outcomes. The
most important questions are, “who
benefits?” and “what are the unintended
consequences?” My volunteer work included
several terms as President of the California
Shakespeare Theater as we overcame
daunting environmental, political and
financial challenges to survive and grow.
The amphitheater we built serves the entire
Bay Area. Currently, I volunteer with Upper
Broadway Advocates on North Oakland’s
land use opportunities and assist formerly
unhoused residents at Clifton Hall. I endorse
human-scale, well-designed, seven-story
buildings, minimum 20 percent affordable
units and a public park at the CCA site, and
revitalization efforts for College Avenue.
I lived previously
i n  R o c k r i d g e
and loved the
neighborhood
so much I was
thrilled to move
back here in 2019
to a beautiful bungalow on Manila Avenue.
The main reason I moved back to Rockridge
is that it’s the most “neighborhoody”
neighborhood I’ve lived in, and how better to
get involved and give back than running for
RCPC Board? I have 24 years of professional
experience with real estate and city planning
issues. I truly believe Rockridge needs to
add housing and do its part, and I’m very
confident we can do this in a way that
makes the neighborhood even better.
Our beloved College Avenue needs more
nearby residents to keep the businesses
afloat, especially after Covid, which has
challenged many of our neighborhood
shops and restaurants. On housing and
other topics, I look forward to bringing
my reasonableness, negotiation skills, and
passion as an urbanist to this amazing place.
Hear the candidates on Thursday,
April 8, at 7pm:
Go to http://bit.ly/RCPC2021CF


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APRIL 2021

Rockridge Community Planning Council — Land Use Committee
RCPC
The April Land Use Committee meeting will be held on Monday, April 26, at
7:30pm, via Zoom. Please check the RCPC Facebook page the week before for details.
The meeting is open to the public. Send an email to landuse@rockridge.org or call
(510) 652-5373 to receive a web link or phone number to attend.

guidelines for the area. These would
apply even if the current project is
not built.
The Future of College Ave. Retail
The chair commented briefly on
progress in talking to leaders in other
neighborhood business districts in
Oakland. The results thus far indicate
optimism that local businesses will
recover from the pandemic-induced
slump. District leaders were generally
opposed to loosening zoning for
neighborhood commercial (CN-1)
districts. Further consultations are
planned.

RCPC Land Use Committee Update —
April 2021

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use Committee Chair
much as 20 percent, while building
costs have held steady, making the
project unfinanceable, at least for
the moment. Nevertheless, project
plans for the largest of the three
current options still include ten
percent moderate-income units.
(The remaining 90 percent would
be market rate.) Rather than adopt a
historic area-zoning overlay, as orig-
inally proposed, the plans now call
for establishing permanent design
The Land Use Committee held its March
meeting on March 22nd via Zoom, with
a quorum of members present.
Frosted Glass Storefronts
At the request of some College
Avenue businesses, the committee
discussed a recent trend, especially
among exercise studios, to block
storefront windows with frosted
glass so that passers-by wouldn’t see
the activity inside. Some committee
members felt this detracted from
CCA Oakland Campus Redevelopment
Project
Marc Babsin of the Emerald Fund,
along with John Clawson of Equity
Community Builders, presented an
update on the plans for redeveloping
the California College of the Art’s
(CCA) Oakland campus, located
along the east side of Broadway just
north of Shops at the Ridge.
Babsin said that plans for the proj-
ect have not changed significantly
from the last presentation to the
community, in the Fall of 2020. He
emphasized that the developers intend
to build a maximum height of eight
stories (90 feet). Although a presenta-
tion to the Design Review Committee
included a 190-foot tower “variant,”
the developer later decided to remove
it from the application (and EIR) “in
the interest of working together [with
the community] collaboratively.”
Questions were once again raised
about the project’s proposed parking
ratio — one parking space for every
two units. Some expressed concern
about excess cars spilling out onto
neighborhood on-street spaces. Babsin
said that instituting residential permit
parking, with project residents ineli-
gible for permits, could address that
concern. Babsin said, however, that he
felt the parking would be adequate,
given the project’s urban setting.
While the project has not changed,
Babsin said that economic conditions
are even more unfavorable now
than they were last fall. Housing
and office prices have dropped by as
Land Use, see next page


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page 6
APRIL 2021

Damaged Sidewalk? In Oakland, Homeowners
Must Take Charge

Land Use, from previous page
the attractiveness of the commercial
district, as it made the storefronts
uninteresting to passing pedestrians.
Other members felt that since exercise
studios attracted people to the area, it
was worth any loss in visual interest.
A motion was made recommending
that the Board of Directors write to
the Planning Department to express
concern that allowing opaque store-
fronts ran counter to the purpose of
CN-1 zoning. The committee voted
5-3 (committee members Farmer,
Garcia, and Mehta voting no) to
approve the recommendation. n
by Michael Rosen
Wlawsuits. Meanwhile, thousands of
sidewalk repair tickets remained out-
standing. According to Russo, passing
some of the responsibility of sidewalk
maintenance to Oakland homeowners
would lead to safer streets, especially
for residents with disabilities, and a
more walkable city.
There is cause to believe the ordi-
nance will succeed in one sense. In
the 2019 report, Russo referred to
a 2011 City ordinance that made it
mandatory to repair one’s sewer lat-
erals upon the transfer of title. After
the ordinance was passed, applica-
tions for sewer lateral repair permits
skyrocketed.
“Adjacent property owners are often
in the best position to quickly identify
and address potentially dangerous
sidewalk conditions,” Russo wrote.
“Without the ordinance, abutting
property owners have little incentive
to maintain sidewalks or to report or
eliminate tripping hazards.” (Low-
income homeowners, who may find it
difficult to carry out sidewalk repairs,
can seek assistance from the City, if
they are already enrolled in another
means-tested program.)
What makes Oakland’s ordinance
unique is an indemnity provision,
which would give the City the right
to sue the adjoining property owner
to recoup the cost of any damages
assessed to the City. This provision
could relieve the City of Oakland from
“tort liability for any sidewalk inju-
ries,” as Jonathan Varnica, a premises
liability expert for the San Francisco
law firm Vogl, Meredith and Burke,
wrote in 2019.
“In a nutshell, Oakland goes beyond
just creating a duty for adjacent land-
owners in which the City would share
liability,” Varnica told this writer. “It
tries to shift all liability off of the City.”
But whether Oakland’s indemnity
clause will be upheld by the courts, or
be found to conflict with general State
law, remains to be seen. n
ander down a given Rockridge
street, and chances are you’ll
see a chunk of misaligned concrete, a
deep divot, or an entire paving stone
jutting upward from one of the neigh-
borhood’s sidewalks. These hazards
litter the pedestrian routes from Colby
to Claremont and beyond; and in
most cases, filing a repair ticket won’t
get you very far. In Oakland, unless
the damage was caused by an official
City street tree, the responsibility for
maintaining and repairing sidewalks
is up to adjoining property owners.
This has been the rule since July
2019, when the Oakland City Council
passed a new sidewalk ordinance.
Before the recent ordinance, prop-
erty owners in Oakland had a general
duty under State law to maintain
the safety of sidewalks adjoining
their property, but unless they were
actively negligent, they were not liable
for injuries caused to pedestrians by
unsafe conditions. Any liability was
borne by the City, as the owner of the
sidewalk. Oakland’s 2019 ordinance
makes the new rule crystal clear: if
someone trips on a hazardous stretch
of sidewalk, is injured, and then sues,
the adjoining property owner can be
held at least partly liable.
Ever since a State appeals court
ruled in 2004, in the case of Gonzales
v. San Jose, that a city ordinance can
shift liability in trip-and-fall cases to
adjoining property owners, Califor-
nia municipalities have gotten busy
limiting their exposure. According
to Oakland’s Department of Trans-
portation (OakDOT), at least 20
cities in the state have enacted such
ordinances, including our neighbors
in Berkeley and San Francisco.
Oakland joined this club a little
less than two years ago. In his report
to the City Council at the time,
OakDOT director Ryan Russo out-
lined the logic of the move. In 2018
alone, the City paid out more than
$1.1 million as a result of trip-and-fall
http://oaklandlibrary.org


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APRIL 2021

Oscar-Nominated Crip Camp Gets Rave
Reviews from Rockridge Neighbors
Rdecades later by mutual friend and
Crip Camp star, Judy Heumann, who
invited them over for a pot-luck dinner
in Berkeley in 1982. A year later they
got married and moved to Rockridge
where they raised their son, David.
The film premiered at Sundance last
year (see Rockridge News, May 2020)
where it won the Audience Award.
It was released on Netflix shortly
thereafter. It has now been nominated
for an Oscar for Best Documentary
Feature...tune in on April 25. n
ockridge residents Neil and Denise
Jacobson (pictured above at Sun-
dance) are stars in an Oscar-nom-
inated documentary, Crip Camp.
The film traces the disability rights
movement during the late 1960s with
a focus on Camp Jened in upstate
New York, a camp for disabled kids
that both Neil and Denise attended in
their youth.
But that wasn’t the first time they
met. They first met at a Saturday
recreation program for people with
disabilities in Manhattan when Neil
was just 8 years old. They met again
at Camp Jened, and were reunited

Rockridge News readers loved
it so much that they sent the
following responses:
A huge congratulations to Denise and
Neil for the wonderful film! There’s
a new “Virtual Crip Camp” webinar
series that builds on the energy, ambi-
tion, and knowledge from Camp Jened,
and features disability rights activists.
I attended the first one, and it was
terrific.
Sarah Anne Minkin
Denise, you and Neil should be
extremely proud. I’m proud to have
heroes like you as my neighbors. I had
never heard this story before and I was
deeply moved by it. That’s the America
I want to remember and hope to see
again.
Ron Rowell
I am so thrilled to live so close to movie
stars! I think Neil and Denise should
charge for autographs. And when you
see this great documentary, you will
find that Neil has the best line in the
show. Seriously, this work is excellent
and tells an important story. Really
enjoyed it in so many ways.
Thomas Vitek

An Anecdote from Denise
I wanted to share a little tidbit regarding the title. I had a meeting with
the filmmakers very early on at the Rockridge Café. When we were ban-
tering back and forth about a title, off-the-cuff, I threw out “Crip Camp.”
It seemed to stick. A few weeks later, I voiced some reservations, but
everyone felt it was a way to take back a piece of a derogatory word and
turn it into power by owning it! Stay well all. n

Denise can also be seen on YouTube
with a panel of activists:
“Crip Camp, President Barack Obama
Moderates A Conversation
on Disability Rights.”
NCPC MEETING
The Greater Rockridge
NCPC will hold its next meet-
ing on Thursday, April 8, at
7pm, via Zoom (click here for
link). Visit https://rockridgencpc.
com for additional details.
The February 2021 minutes
are available on the NCPC web-
site, at this link: https://tinyurl.
com/y7r5qmbz
Neighbors are encouraged to
attend and participate.


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APRIL 2021

Repaving College Avenue: Phase Two Begins

After some delays to other work on
the project, the current start
date for the pavement slurry seal from
Shafter to Alcatraz has now been con-
firmed for April 26. The work should
take several weeks, which includes a
week of preparation prior (including
temporarily removing parklets) and
a week of finish work that includes
reinstalling parklets and painting the
traffic striping on the pavement. In the
meantime, this corner will be open for
pedestrian use, with safety barricades
around incomplete sidewalks
Work at the corners of Shafter and
College has also begun. The sidewalk,
curb and gutter work will take 2-3
weeks to complete. The contractor will
distribute 72-hour notices to nearby
businesses prior to start of work. n
All-Door Boarding on AC Transit
Aoptions should continue to board at
the front. It is anticipated that all-door
boarding will provide an optimal
riding experience by providing faster
boarding due to shorter lines; faster
service to final destinations; and better
social distancing with less crowding at
stop areas. For more information, visit:
www.actransit.org. n
C Transit is excited to announce
the roll-out of a six-month, all-
door boarding pilot program on
lines 6 and 51B (Rockridge BART to
Berkeley Marina). As of last month,
Clipper® cardholders are welcome
to use rear doors and pay fares by
tagging upon boarding. Riders using
cash, paper pass, or mobile payment
Oakland Prohibits Combustion Engine-
Powered Leaf Blowers and String Trimmers
Cconcern for Oakland residents.
The Oakland City Council unan-
imously adopted an ordinance in
October 2020 prohibiting any person,
gardening business, or owner or
tenant of property from operating
any combustion engine-powered
leaf blowers or string trimmers in
Oakland in either public or private
settings. The City is urging users to
replace combustion engine-powered
tools with zero-emitting electric and/
or non-motorized alternatives. Pen-
alties will be imposed starting this
month. n
ombustion engine-powered leaf
blowers and string trimmers are
those powered by an internal com-
bustion or rotary engine fueled by
gasoline, alcohol, or other volatile
liquid. These devices pose significant
health hazards to equipment operators
and Oakland residents, including
the discharge of particulate matter,
carbon monoxide, unburned fuel, and
ozone depletion.
They also contribute to climate
change by emitting carbon dioxide,
a greenhouse gas, and generate sig-
nificant noise pollution, a paramount


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page 9
APRIL 2021

Oakland Schools Spring Back, Slowly
by Sam Davis, OUSD Vice President and Director, District 1
Ithe final two months of the school
year should not be seen as predictive
of what will happen in the coming
fall session, just as the first attempts
at distance learning a year ago looked
nothing like the structure that online
learning has evolved into for this year.
As your new school board director,
I am learning every day and making
my share of mistakes as I go, but
working as hard as I can to learn
about the issues, make good decisions,
and communicate with the public
about these issues.
I urge everyone to approach the
process of returning to in-person
instruction with patience, cooper-
ation, good humor, and grace. Our
children are watching and learning
from how we adults handle this
crisis, including resolving our strong
disagreements, managing setbacks,
and embracing new experiences. Let’s
work together to make this successful
and safe for everybody. n

In Memoriam
Rich Yurman
(Jan 1937 – Dec 2020)
am very glad the Oakland Unified
School District (OUSD) and the
Oakland Education Association
(OEA) were able to reach an agree-
ment that will give the majority of
students the option to be back in
classrooms this spring.
As a result, in-person instruction
has begun as of March 30 for our
most vulnerable students (such as
English language learners, unhoused
students, and foster youth) and all
students in grades TK through 2nd
grade who wish to attend. There will
also be an option to remain in dis-
tance learning for those families that
chose to do so.
On April 19, all students in grades
3 through 6 will also have the option
to come back for in-person learning.
There are still a lot of details to work
out, so unfortunately the number of
hours of in-person instruction will
likely be limited at first.
However, what we accomplish over
by Claudine Jones
Rich grew up in Manhattan and
Queens and was delighted to make
his home far from those environs.
After graduating MIT and Boston U.,
and leaving the East, teaching creative
writing and algebra, he lived in Seattle,
Honolulu, and for many years San
Francisco and finally retired to Rock-
ridge. When asked the typical question,
“so what do you do?” he answered,
“I’m a poet.” Many of his poems are
firmly rooted in the New York of his
childhood, living with his parents and
grandparents in Forest Hills. He leaves
behind his partner Claudine, loving
family, friends, and the Rockridge
News crew who miss him greatly.
Who Will Be the Next Rockridge News
Marshal or Block Captain?

by Susan Montauk, Rockridge News Business Manager
M
Many thanks to Coley Florance’s
teenage boys who have been delivering
the paper for the past several years.
They are both soon off to college, and
Coley and her spouse will be splitting
their time between Oakland and
Utah. They hope someone from the
5400-5500 block of Lawton, or nearby,
will take their place as Block Captain.
The 10A/Block Captain Route: The
route goes from the apartment build-
ing at 5530 College, south to corner
of Lawton, up to 5540 Lawton, across
the street to 5541 Lawton, every house
back down Lawton to College, and
around the corner and south down the
street to 5488 College (currently, Hello
Vintage clothing shop). Call (510) 547-
3855 or email Susan at smontauk@
gmail.com to volunteer. n

The Beauty Part
Chicken feet
What the butcher
should have thrown
away
like feathers and
the heads with beaks
Nails, yellow bumpy skin
and gristle
a little fat
My grandmother
boiled them
neatly sucked on the toes
‘Don’t be foolish
Try one’
she offered
‘It’s the beauty part’

any of you know Jo and Ken
Ellis, our stalwart volunteers
who have opened their home the
first Friday of each month for the
last couple of decades to the volun-
teers who come to bundle and box
the newsletters. If you live in their
neighborhood, between Colby and
Hillegass, you may also be aware that
they have been the Marshals who
have delivered bundles to their local
Block Captains for a long time.
The time has come for them to
pass the torch on to another civ-
ic-minded volunteer. That may be
you. The Marshals pick up the box at
the bundling venue on the weekend
of publication and deliver them to
ten houses in the Colby/Hillegass
neighborhood.


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page 10
APRIL 2021

Rockridge Community Planning Council
2020 Financial Statement
RCPC General Fund
Income
Contributions
$740
Rockridge News
$39,140
Kitchen Tour
$1,300
Interest Income
$11
Merchandise Sales
$0
Total Income
$41,191
Expenses
Rockridge News
$34,402
Contractors
$8,544
Insurance, Permits, Sales Tax
$1,447
Misc Administrative & Program Expenses
$2,420
Events
$686
Total Expenses
$47,499
Net Receipts (RCPC)
-$6,309
BALANCE SHEET
Assets
RCPC  Assets, Savings/Checking
$88,395
Locksley Gardens Assets, Checking
$746
Total Assets
$89,141
Equity & Liability
KF Community Improvements Prgm
$5,618
Legal Fund Reserve
$55,000
Equity
$34,832
Net Income
-$6,309
Total Equity & Liability
$89,141

New Eateries Open on
College Avenue
Foodie alert — College Avenue
welcomes newcomers to the block.
Casa Barotti spizzacheria opened in
the former Extreme Pizza space at
3204 College near Alcatraz, serving
up a selection of pizza-based snacks
and drinks. Namastey Patio opened
in the former La Boulangerie loca-
tion at 5500 College. They serve
standard Indian fare and have a dog-
friendly, outdoor dining space. The
former location of Cream, 6300 Col-
lege, will soon be home to pressed
juicery. Lastly, the former Dreyer’s
ice cream shop will soon be home to
Boba Guys milk tea. n
Peralta Elementary
Online Auction
The annual community event,
hosted by the Peralta Parents
Teachers Group (PPTG), will be held
online on Saturday, April 17, from 3:45
to 5:30pm. The Virtual Auction &
Magic Show is open to the public and
is free to attend with registration.
For more information and to con-
tribute auction items, visit https://
www.peraltaschool.org/auction. n


THE

page 11
APRIL 2021

Look Out New York, NYT Says The Best Bagels
Are Right Here
I

Rockridge
Dining Guide
f you haven’t been following
Boichick Bagels on Instagram,
you may have missed how the
recent New York Times article
impacted the little Rockridge
shop. Once the story broke, cus-
tomers came from more than 30
miles away to wait well over an
hour to learn for themselves if
what the article stated is true…
that the best bagels are in
California. Owner Emily Winston
has received a flood of national
attention, saying, “It’s like the
Bagel Judgment of Paris.” Get in
line early, they stay open until
they sell out. n
Contact these local restaurants
for pickup and delivery — and ask
about outdoor dining options.
A16
A Coté
Ain’t Normal Cafe
Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers
Becky’s Chinese Restaurant
Beer Baron
Belotti Ristorante
Cactus Taqueria
Casa Barotti
Cole Coffee
Crepevine
Enoteca Molinari
Filippo’s
Flavors of India
Great Wall Chinese
High Peaks Kitchen
Holy Basil Pho
Hudson Bay Cafe
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
Khana Peena
Kitchen Story
La Farine
Marica
Millennium
Mitama
Momo Ramen
Namastey Patio
Noodle Theory
Oliveto Restaurant
Philz Coffee
Ramen Shop
RareTea
Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop
Rikyu Japanese Restaurant
Rockridge Cafe
Smitten Ice Cream
Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
Southie’s
Sukho Thai
The Burrito Shop
The Chocolate Dragon
The Golden Squirrel
Uzen
Wood Tavern
Yimm
Zachary’s Chicago Pizza
DANIEL STEA
DRE # 01452156
510.843.6400
5947 KEITH
3 BED/2 BATH/1,432 SF
Call for details!
JUST LISTED !
OVERSIZED LOT OF 4,480 SF


THE
page 12
APRIL 2021

young but well-compensated buyers
who may or may not have children,
middle-aged and single parents, as
well as downsizers. The rock-bottom
mortgage rates, as well as the passage
of Prop 19, give further impetus to
both buyers and sellers.
Prop 19, which took full
effect as of April 1, may
have encouraged some
sellers. It allows anyone 55 years or
older, or those with severe disabilities,
to transfer their tax assessment to
another home up to three times over
their lifetime, up from the previous
one-time only. The tax assessments
can now be transferred to more expen-
sive homes, subject to certain limits.
Broker Dan Stea said he has listed
more houses this year than in any
of the prior four years. A significant
percentage of those who purchased his
listings “are moving up from within
the neighborhood.” They had been
renting or had a smaller house. Now
working from home, they want more
space. As for the sellers, several of his
clients have been transferred out of
the country – to France, Switzerland,
Shanghai, Australia. And three sep-
arate families headed to Denver. The
ability to work from home “offers a lot
more options,” he said.
For the bungalow Stea listed on my
block, he had eight offers within the
standard 14-day bidding period.
Eyes on Rockridge, from front page
listings. Now I have seven. “There
is just loads of demand.” March, she
said, is usually the beginning of the
equivalent of retailers’ holiday sales —
the high point of the house-hunting
season. The weather warms and par-
ents who want children in
new schools in time for
fall begin looking.
“But Covid has
changed people’s relationship to
their houses, their jobs,” Lilley
said. With so many people working
from home, a trend that may well
carry over into non-pandemic time,
there is a need for more home office
space. People are assessing “how
many places can you partition off
in a house?” And, at least for the
present, that includes children who
are distance learning.
It’s not just a suburban family
profile, she said. Rockridge attracts
The other, a 1,094-square foot
Craftsman bungalow, was left by its
long-time owners in the hands of the
real estate agent to update. Within
two weeks of being on the market,
“Sale Pending” signs were posted in
front of both houses, selling for well
over their asking prices.
Rockridge home sales data from
January 1 through March 17 saw the
average sales price shoot up 18 percent
to $2.07 million compared with the
same period a year ago, according to
the Oakland-Berkeley Association of
Realtors. (A house that recently sold
for $5.5 million was not included so as
not to skew the average).
“Every agent I know is doing a
full sprint right now,” Realtor Maxi
Lilley said in mid-February. “Last
year in early March (right before the
first Covid-19 shutdown) I had three
Eyes on Rockridge, see next page
ZϬϭϮϲϱϴϳϯͮϬϭϳϵϴϲϱϴ
Competition Drives Price in March
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
3/1/2021
4
1

408 60Th St                             $799,000
          $799,000
 31
$1,140,000
3/2/2021
2
2

6413 Hillegass Ave              $1,595,000
       $1,595,000
  5
$2,200,000
3/3/2021
2
2
         5340 Broadway Ter                $595,000
           $595,000
 14
   $691,000
3/8/2021
2
1

5208 Desmond Street         $1,098,000
        $1,098,000
  3
$1,345,000
3/12/2021
4
2.5
         6429 Regent St                     $2,950,000
        $2,950,000
 13
$3,200,000
3/15/2021
3
2

397 61st St                            $1,395,000
        $1,395,000
  8
$1,667,000
Homes sold in March closed 21.5% over the asking price on average.
^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjŝŶŐŝŶZŽĐŬƌŝĚŐĞͮϱϭϬ͘ϰϱϵ͘ϰϯϯϴͮDŽƚůĞLJdĞĂŵ͘ĐŽŵ
tĂŶƚƚŚĞŚŝŐŚĞƐƚƉŽƐƐŝďůĞƉƌŝĐĞ͍ĂůůƵƐĂŶĚǁĞǁŝůůƐŚŽǁLJŽƵŚŽǁǁĞǁŝůůŐĞƚŝƚ͊
ŽŵƉĂƐƐŝƐĂƌĞĂůĞƐƚĂƚĞďƌŽŬĞƌůŝĐĞŶƐĞĚďLJƚŚĞ^ƚĂƚĞŽĨĂůŝĨŽƌŶŝĂĂŶĚĂďŝĚĞƐďLJƋƵĂů,ŽƵƐŝŶŐKƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJůĂǁƐ͘>ŝĐĞŶƐĞEƵŵďĞƌϬϭϴϲϲϳϳϭ͘ůůŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚŚĞƌĞŝŶŝƐŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚĨŽƌŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶĂů
ƉƵƌƉŽƐĞƐŽŶůLJĂŶĚŝƐĐŽŵƉŝůĞĚĨƌŽŵƐŽƵƌĐĞƐĚĞĞŵĞĚƌĞůŝĂďůĞďƵƚŚĂƐŶŽƚďĞĞŶǀĞƌŝĨŝĞĚ͘ŚĂŶŐĞƐŝŶƉƌŝĐĞ͕ĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶ͕ƐĂůĞŽƌǁŝƚŚĚƌĂǁĂůŵĂLJďĞŵĂĚĞǁŝƚŚŽƵƚŶŽƚŝĐĞ͘EŽƐƚĂƚĞŵĞŶƚŝƐŵĂĚĞĂƐƚŽĂĐĐƵƌĂĐLJŽĨ
ĂŶLJĚĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ͘ůůŵĞĂƐƵƌĞŵĞŶƚƐĂŶĚƐƋƵĂƌĞĨŽŽƚĂŐĞĂƌĞĂƉƉƌŽdžŝŵĂƚĞ͘


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page 13
APRIL 2021

Eyes on Rockridge, from previous page
Rockridge, even if access to BART and
the casual carpool, at least temporar-
ily, “have lost their shine,” said broker
Ron Kriss of Lawton Associates.
Pre-Covid, houses were mostly
staged to show the third bedroom as
a children’s room, Kriss said. “Now
that third bedroom is set as an office.
Wherever there’s a nook or cranny,
they’re showing a desk. I even put in
monitors and keyboards.
“Low-interest rates (a 15-year
fixed mortgage is currently below
2 percent) have created their own
hyperactivity. Sellers can afford
to charge more for their property.
Sellers are fueled by prices and now
prices are crazy high.” And what he
terms “the 3 D’s” — death, divorce,
dis-employment — continue to prime
the real estate pump.
“What if one of us gets Covid?” was
the reason Norm and Norma Bedford
decided to sell the house they had
lived in for 40 years and move back to
Whidby Island, Washington, where
they had raised their children. “We
felt we needed to be near family,” she
said a few months after moving.
Norma retired years ago from
nursing, and Norm more recently
retired as a professor at Saint Mary’s
College of California. “If anything,
we would have stayed in California,”
she said. Although thankful that they
are back in a familiar setting, they
miss what Rockridge allowed them
even during the pandemic: “Seeing
people walk by.” n
But essentially gone are the “love
letters” designed to woo the seller
with an emotional plea. The real
estate industry now frowns on that,
he said, thinking that it can be seen
as discriminatory.
A desire for more space, “wonder-
fully low” interest rates, and access
to their workplaces is what drew
Bekah Cotter and Simeon Duong to
buy their newly constructed house
in Rockridge. During the lockdown,
Duong moved into the Castro Valley
apartment Cotter shared with three
of her fellow nurses. “My home office
situation was 4 or 5 feet from the
bed,” the Pinterest product manager
said, which became somewhat old.
“We were spending so much time at
home,” Cotter added.
Duong called house hunting during
the pandemic “a very interesting
experience.” At one point, they were
among 24 buyers vying for one
property. Already familiar with the
area, Cotter graduated from U.C.
Berkeley and is a neonatal intensive
care nurse at Alta Bates Summit in
Berkeley. Duong used to house sit “for
colleagues who live on Shafter.”
“This neighborhood has the right
intersection of convenient commut-
ing, walk-to commerce, and great
restaurants,” Duong said. Plus, “I
really like the people.”
For buyers, such as Cotter and
Duong, “this walking thing” con-
tinues to be a huge selling point for
Experience * Knowledge * Performance
With Over 300 Real Estate Transactions
Coming this spring in Rockridge:
-5BD 3BA home w/au-pair, views, garage, level out to yard, 3 blks to College Ave.
-4BD 3BA Tudor home, garage, level in, sweet yard, 3 blocks to College Ave
-3BD 2BA major remodel, single level, det. garage, yard 1/2 block to College Ave.
-2BD 2BA condo w/balcony, open plan, few blocks to College Ave
Available now - Berkeley border:
-3BD 1BA remod home w/1BD 1BA in-law + detached 3 income units 2045Emerson.com @ $1,995,000
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April Awareness  > Celebrate Diversity, Jazz & Poetry Appreciation, Couple Appreciation, Nat'l Garden month
HAPPY SPRING!!
Perry Riani, Senior Associate
2016 Realtor of the Year
1900 Mountain Blvd Oakland, CA 94611
1625 Shattuck Ave Berkeley, CA 94709
C: 510.813.3799  Perry.Riani@Compass.com
License # 01402540


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page 14
APRIL 2021

RLS, from front page
came to see there were other ways
to make a significant community
impact outside of the nonprofit
field.” (The program is now known
as LeaderSpring.)
Her eureka moment was the real-
ization that she wanted to run her
own preschool. So she set out to find
a suitable facility and got a tip that
space was available in the beautiful
College Avenue church complex
designed by Julia Morgan. “It was
an empty room when we first saw
it,” she remembers, “but I saw the
potential.” In 2012, she took out a
Small Business Administration loan
to purchase what was previously the
Rainbow School on Taft.
Just as COVID restrictions hit,
Gold was finishing another ambi-
tious renovation project on a third
site. Adjacent to the Taft campus, the
new property fronts on Broadway
and it used to house the Musically
Minded Academy. “It’s such a great
space that I wanted to share it with
our whole community. I envisioned
a gathering place for our neighbor-
hood. I’d run the school in the back
of the property to help fund it.”
Gold refurbished the main space
to include a kitchen, lounge areas,
and meeting space. It has a distinctly
modern, clubby feel. “Someday, we
can host art shows, community
meetings, receptions…we’ll see.”
To keep her vision alive while the
community space sits idle, Gold
created the Kindergarten Club to
serve kids who were homeschooling.
There are about a dozen kids and
two teachers on site.
“This last year has been really
tough,” she says. “One of the hard
parts is not being able to be with the
kids. I can’t read them stories or give
them hugs. I need to stay around the
edges for now. I do find hope in our
kids. We’ve seen so many of them
grow up and it’s a thrill to hear of
their accomplishments and successes.
Rockridge is such a special place and
I like to think we’re part of that.”
the stay-at-home order would last or
how we’d operate upon returning,”
Gold recalls. “Some families were
very supportive and wanted to help us
keep our teachers on payroll. Others
wanted Zoom instruction which we
weren’t prepared for. Everyone was
stressed and scrambling to make
alternate arrangements.”
But Gold has persevered. Pres-
ently, Rockridge Little School (RLS)
teaches about 50 kids, roughly half
of the pre-COVID enrollment. The
school’s over-arching philosophy is
that kids learn by doing. “We encour-
age kids to investigate, create and
discover,” Gold says. “We draw from
different approaches — Montessori,
Reggio-Emilia, Waldorf — we don’t
adhere rigidly to any single system.”
Before she opened RLS, Gold
worked in nonprofit management
and in the daycare field — “before
they called it preschool,” she jokes.
She also worked with homeless kids
at the Larkin Street Youth Center
in San Francisco and later served as
executive director of Big Brothers,
Big Sisters.
“I always loved working with kids,
but in my administrative roles I
wasn’t really close enough to them,”
she recounts. “I knew I needed a
change.” Looking for support in her
career transition, Gold was awarded
a Eureka Fellowship for community
leaders looking to expand their
impact. Through this program, “I
Visit www.rockridgelittleschool.
com to learn more. Got a tip for Skip?
Email editor@rockridge.org. n


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page 15
APRIL 2021

RNClassifieds
UPWARD CELL PHONE REPAIR
Thank you for the warm welcome into
the neighborhood. Is your screen cracked?
Do you want to replace a non-functioning
part of your phone? Upward is here to
help. 5319 College Ave. 510/499-9700.
taneg@sbcglobal.net
List your 36-word message here for only
$22 (phone number counts as one word).
Make check payable to RCPC, and write
“Rockridge News Classified Ad” in the
memo line.
Mail to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave.,
PO Box 22504, Oakland, 94609-20131.
The deadline for the May 2021 issue is
April 22 – available on May 8. For more
information, email Susan Montauk at
smontauk@gmail.com.
Excellent House Cleaning 
Many years of experience in North
Oakland and Piedmont. Large or small
jobs. Free estimates. Rockridge references.
Please call or text Flor at 510/ 485-4735. n
Electrical Remodels & Repairs
Do you really need a power upgrade?
I can give you advice. I’ve been doing
electrical work in Oakland and Berkeley
for over 35 years. Sutorik & Company.
www.sutorikandco.com. Lic#397149
510/655-3677
Chabot Canyon Raquet Club
Your neighborhood Tennis Club is
accepting new membership applications.
Six new, lighted tennis courts. 7040
Chabot Road, Oakland. 510/652-6060
www.chabotcanyon.org
Get Coaching. Get Results.
•Want to exponentially grow your
business? •Ready to fast-track your
corporate job? •Considering starting
a new career venture? Schedule a
complimentary session now. Call 800/322-
5610 or visit DaisukiCoaching.com.
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Install, sand/refinish, repair, re-coat
existing. Large jobs or small. Twenty-plus
years in Piedmont Ave/Rockridge. Bruce
Williams Woodfloors. Please call or text
Bruce at 510/652-8121. www.blwfloors.
com.
Handyman for Hire
Multifaceted and well experienced.
Hauling and towing available. No job
too small. Reasonably priced. Lee Self.
707/223-1298-call and text.
House for Rent at 438 61 St in
Rockridge
Large 3- bedroom can be used as
4-bedroom. Close to BART, shopping and
more. $3,500 first/$3,500 last /$1,500
security. Please call Melissa 408/685-3550
Open 4/01/2021 from 4pm to 6pm.


Please support local
Rockridge Merchants
(including Real Estate Brokers)
COMING SOON
ROCKRIDGE
STAY SAFE
AND WELL
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
(c) 510-612-2547
RonKriss@JPS.net
DRE# 00784235
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
160+ Successful Sales in Rockridge
www.LawtonAssoc.com

THE
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE
5850 Romany Rd | Rockridge
$1,795,000 | 5850Romany.com
www.ClaudiaMillsRealEstateTeam.com
Claudia Mills
510.350.6419
c.mills@ggsir.com
Lic.#01881682
Each Franchise Is Independently Owned And Operated.