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RockridgeNews

THE

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VOL 38   •   NO. 5   •   ISSUE  NO. 386   •   MAY 8, 2021                      CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

RCPC Election Results: New Faces Join Seasoned Veterans

— by Robin McDonnell, RCPC 2021 Election Officer

Michelle Boyd
Ashley Pandya
Ronnie Spitzer
Ken Rich
Matt Levy
Stuart Flashman
I

Chavez, 210 votes, Myrna Walton, 203
votes, Andrew Masalin, 184 votes, and
Jennifer McElrath, 171 votes.
New board member Ken Rich is
also a member of the RCPC Land
Use Committee and a professional
city planner. Ashley Pandya works
in construction technology and has
volunteer experience assisting low-
income communities with taxes and
emergency housing.
The new RCPC board met on April
19 and elected officers for 2021-22.
The board also adopted resolutions
thanking Andrew Masalin and Eric
Lombardo for their service to RCPC.
Congratulations to the new and
returning board members, and thank
you to all the candidtates in the 2021
RCPC Board Election. n
n mid-April, Rockridge residents cast
their ballots in the Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council’s Annual
Meeting/Election for seats on the board
of directors. Candidate statements
had appeared in the April Rockridge
News and online at rockridge.org.
The candidates presented their views
to the community in more detail at a
moderated Candidates Forum Webinar
on April 8.
Voters turned out to cast their bal-
lots on April 15 in the BART parking
lot at Shafter/Forest and continued
on April 17 in the Rockridge Library
parking lot. Full social distancing and
cleanliness protocols ensured a safe
voting experience.
Six candidates, four of them incum-
bents, were elected to full two-year
board terms. In all, 436 ballots were
cast for ten candidates in this con-
tested election. (Candidate and board
member Eric Lombardo withdrew
after the ballots were printed.) Five
ballots were provisional.
Incumbents Stuart Flashman (272
votes); Michelle Boyd, (242 votes); Matt
Levy, (237 votes); and Ronnie Spitzer,
(231 votes) retained their seats. Two
new members joined the board (see
profiles on next page): Ashley Pandya
(238 votes) and Ken Rich (228 votes).
The vote tallies for the rest of the 2021
candidates were: Diana Mitchell-
Rockridge Couple Pays
It Forward to Build
Racial Equity
— by Judith Doner Berne
“T
hey’re Rockridge royalty.” That’s
what a colleague said when I
mentioned that I was going to inter-
view John Bliss and Kim Thompson
for this column. But there is no regal
attitude to this activist couple. Rather,
more of us could emulate how they
direct their time, energy, and financial
resources toward making a big impact
on small pockets of need in Oakland
— particularly those of minority
youth. By targeting specific projects
like renovating a basketball court
or supporting a tutoring program,
John Bliss and Kim Thompson work
to support Oakland’s neediest.
Eyes on Rockridge
cont’d on page 8


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page 2
MAY 2021

MEET RCPC’S Two New Board Members
Ken Rich
first lived in
Rockridge in
the ’90s while
in graduate
school at Cal
before drift-
ing across the
bay to San Francisco where he lived
for 17 years. He never forgot how
much he loved Rockridge and found
himself coming here often, mostly on
weekends. He finally found a house
on Manila after searching on and off
for 10 years.
Ken is an independent consultant
who, until recently, served as Direc-
tor of Development for the City of
San Francisco where he negotiated
with developers to maximize afford-
able housing and other community
benefits. He has spent his career
working on city planning, housing,
and real estate issues in the public
sector, and brings these technical
skills to the board. More importantly,
he brings his expertise in implement-
ing well-developed communications
and consensus building.
Ken is in favor of building more
housing in Rockridge and believes
that while new condos or apartment
developments here will not be cheap
to buy or rent, they would be a lot less
expensive than single-family houses,
thus helping welcome a greater diver-
sity of people into the neighborhood.
“I’m not personally bothered by the
idea of a taller building at CCA or
BART, but I also don’t think they are
necessary for this neighborhood to do
its part on housing.”
This is Ken’s first time serving on a
nonprofit board, so he plans to learn
how it works and hopefully contrib-
ute to RCPC’s role as a conduit for a
broad cross-section of the neighbor-
hood — from renters to homeowners,
workers, businesses, and unhoused
people. He also feels, however, that
RCPC should embrace the fact that
the rest of the City and the region
also have a stake in what happens in
our neighborhood. n
After many
months of
searching for
a new home,
Ashley Pandya
and her hus-
band moved
here from San
Francisco in 2019. She loves how
Rockridge brings together an urban-
friendly lifestyle with a neighborhood
spirit where she can walk to the
playground with her toddler, hop on
BART, and grab a coffee — all while
running into neighbors who are also
on foot or bike.
During the week, Ashley leads
the user experience research team
in Autodesk’s construction division
where she helps build software to
increase quality and safety while
reducing costs on the job site.
Ashley sees the RCPC as a liaison
between our community and the
City of Oakland on matters con-
cerning our community’s health
and well-being (speed bumps, traffic
congestion, new developments), as
well as creating educational opportu-
nities for residents to learn about and
provide input into upcoming issues
and projects that affect us all (ADUs,
parklets, slow streets).
She wants to see more businesses
move to College Avenue and to see
Claremont Avenue become more
pedestrian and bike-friendly as a
way to attract more visitors to our
community. In her role on the RCPC
Board, she will ask, “How can we
thoughtfully and efficiently ensure
our community has a voice in deter-
mining the vision for Rockridge?”
and, “How can we facilitate putting
that into action?”
Ashley is open to the construction
of buildings seven stories or taller
at both CCA and the BART, and
supports ending exclusionary zoning.
She believes that increasing the
overall housing supply is the best way
to bring in more diversity, as long as
community concerns and consider-
ations are taken into account. n
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.
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
RCPC Board of Directors, 2021-22
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer................................................ Secretary
Ashley Pandya.............................. Assistant Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer...............................................Treasurer
Matt Levy......................................Assistant Treasurer
Michelle Boyd, David Garcia, Stuart Flashman,
Annette Floystrup, Kirk Peterson, Ken Rich
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
Display Advertising
Deadline for the June 2021 issue: May 20
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.
The Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, display ads, or classified ads.
Views expressed in published articles 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
MAY 2021

Rockridge Community Planning Council — Land Use Committee
RCPC
The May Land Use Committee meeting will be held on Monday, May 24, at 7:30pm,
via Zoom. The meeting is open to the public. Please check the RCPC Facebook page
the week before for details. Send an email to landuse@rockridge.org or call (510)
652-5373 to receive a web link or phone number to attend.

NCPC MEETING
The Greater Rockridge Neighbor-
hood Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC) will hold its regular
bimonthly meeting on Thursday,
June 10, at 7pm, on Zoom. Guest
speaker, Creighton Davis, chair
of Oakland’s Community Policing
Advisory Board (CPAB), will pres-
ent his vision for community-
oriented policing. Join us to discuss
crime and public safety issues in
your neighborhood.

RCPC Land Use Committee Update — May 2021

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use Committee Chair
There was discussion of TRC’s
“testing the water” for possible retail
tenants — namely a car dealership,
“big box” retail store, or drive-
through fast food restaurants. The
committee was undecided about
whether to oppose such businesses,
and the issue will be presented to the
Board of Directors. Residents with
opinions may express them via email
to landuse@rockridge.org.
The Land Use Committee held its monthly
meeting on April 26th via Zoom, with a
quorum of members present.
Rockridge Housing Study
The subcommittee working on eval-
uating the feasibility of incentives for
affordable housing has met once, but
scheduling problems have slowed its
progress. The hope is to have results to
report at the May Land Use Commit-
tee meeting. The committee discussed
what options should be analyzed.
The analysis will look at both smaller
changes (e.g., allowing subdivision of
existing houses into 2-4 units) and
building larger multifamily projects.
The Committee will begin present-
ing study results in the June Rockridge
News with an article explaining the
meaning and importance of land costs.
Current Housing Legislation Affecting
Rockridge; Future Upzoning near BART
There was preliminary discussion of
housing legislation that would affect
Rockridge, notably SB 9 (Atkins)
and SB10 (Wiener). Both bills would
increase housing density and have
stirred deep divisions within the state.
In addition, the City is apparently
considering upzoning areas around
the Rockridge BART, but it is unclear
if the zoning change would be limited
to the BART property. Further clarifi-
cation is being sought; an article will
follow in The Rockridge News. A video
will be posted on RCPC’s YouTube
channel. n
The Future of College Avenue Retail
The chair reported on further
progress. He talked to a local retail
consultant, who said that Rockridge is
in an excellent position to continue to
have a thriving retail district. We are
now trying to meet with the City’s retail
specialist in the economic development
department to get their opinions. Fur-
ther consultations are also planned.
Blight Conditions at the Broadway/
Pleasant Valley TRC Site
The committee discussed the con-
tinued blighted condition of the vacant
lot at Broadway and Pleasant Valley
(former site of Safeway and its parking
lot). The chair reviewed prior efforts
to goad the City or TRC (the master
tenant) to clean up the site. The Com-
mittee recommended that the board
work in concert with Piedmont Avenue
Neighborhood Improvement League
(PANIL) to approach the City and also
involve Councilmembers Kalb and
Kaplan in the effort.

To Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/99809678270?p-
wd=RG5ROU90WmZLNU9aT09u-
OHFZQ294Zz09
Meeting ID: 998 0967 8270
Passcode: 990756
The April 2021 minutes are now
available online at: https://tinyurl.
com/y7r5qmbz. You can also open
the document directly at this link:
https://tinyurl.com/26ak72wn.


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page 4
MAY 2021

The Question of Affordable Housing
and $156,600 for a four-person
household. In other words, not one
single unit of affordable housing
would be made available to low-
income renters, as defined by HUD.
— by Annette Floystrup
May is Affordable Housing Month.
The phrase “affordable housing”
has become a component of every
project and proposal for new housing,
but what does the term mean? How
do we define affordable? Can afford-
able housing be built in Rockridge?
According to the National Low
Income Housing Coalition, housing
is affordable if it costs no more than
30 percent of one’s income. Renters
who pay more than this are consid-
ered “cost-burdened”; those who pay
more than 50 percent are “severely
cost-burdened.” In Oakland, 59 per-
cent of residents are renters; with the
median income of these households
around $40,000, more than half of
them qualify as very low income.
However, due to the high cost of Bay
Area housing, even households that
bring in as much as six figures can be
designated as “low income,” accord-
ing to income limits set by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). That designa-
tion applies to those earning incomes
at or below 80 percent of Area Median
Income (AMI). In Oakland, 80 per-
cent of AMI is very high — $73,100
for a single person and $104,400 for a
four-person household.
households face the highest housing
cost burden, with 63 percent devot-
ing more than 30 percent of their
income to housing (according to the
PolicyLink National Equity Atlas).
Overall, 59 percent of households
of color are housing-cost-burdened,
compared to 42 percent of white
households. Between 2000 and 2010,
Oakland lost 34,000 African Amer-
ican residents (a 24 percent decline).
This included 10,000 OUSD students.
Lack of affordable housing fuels the
fire of Oakland’s ongoing and dra-
matic exodus of African American
and other POC households.
Oakland Knows How
Oakland knows how to build excel-
lent affordable housing by partnering
with local nonprofit organizations.
The Oakland Housing Authority
partnered with the East Bay Asian
Local Development Corporation
(EBALDC) to build Lion Creek
Crossings, a planned neighborhood
only one block from the Coliseum
BART Station. There are 567 afford-
able homes for families and seniors.
The family-friendly project
includes 1- to 5-bedroom units
designed for larger and multi-
generational families, plus 128 units
specially adapted for seniors. There is
a 5.7-acre park with a restored creek,
as well as playgrounds throughout
the complex, plus a central open
space at the park.
The City also recently purchased
the Clifton Hall Dorm through the
State’s Project Homekey, providing
deeply affordable long-term and
short-term housing for Oakland fam-
ilies — and directly impacting the
lives of more than 100 families.
Just last month, the Oakland
Housing Authority, in partnership
with nonprofit MidPen Housing,
opened two new affordable housing
communities in Brooklyn Basin on
the Oakland waterfront. Vista Estero
and Paseo Estero provide 211 deeply
affordable rental apartments for
seniors and families. This affordable
housing is reserved for families
earning just 60 percent of the Area
Median Income (AMI).
The City of Oakland pro-
vides financing to developers to
increase and preserve affordable
housing in Oakland. This housing is
aimed at households with incomes
of 40 to 80 percent of AMI. One
source of this funding is the City
of Oakland’s Affordable Housing,
Jobs/Housing, Transportation and
Capital Improvements Impact Fees.
Is It Really Affordable?
The need for genuinely affordable
housing in Oakland is very high,
but are proposed developments in
Rockridge going to meet these afford-
ability standards? The cost of land in
Rockridge means that the answer is,
generally, no. One of the more recent
proposals for the multistory tower
at the California College of the Arts
property would consist of approx-
imately 462 residential units, 10
percent of which would be affordable.
That sounds good until you realize
that here, affordable is defined to
mean “moderate-income” households,
with eligibility defined as 120 percent
of median income. For 2020, that is
$109,600 for a one-person household,
Housing Cost Burdens Have Stark
Racial Impacts
In Oakland, African American
Affordable Housing, see next page


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page 5
MAY 2021

From Laptop
to Doorstep —
Delivering a Kid’s
Take on the News
Affordable Housing, from previous page
Since the program began in 2016,
the City has collected about $20
million in fees for use in affordable
projects. Several projects have been
funded, but currently only one is
under construction; it will yield 57
units and is due to finish in May.
The City of Berkeley has just part-
nered with BART to build hundreds
of new affordable homes at the Ashby
and North Berkeley BART parking
lots, committing $53 million to
make the project at least 35 percent
affordable —  a total of about 570
affordable units. Similar possibilities
exist here in Oakland, including sites
such as the Rockridge BART station.
by Skip Fogarty
It wasn’t until we got a tip that we
learned the neighbor on the other
side of our backyard fence, Mia
Gousman, a fifth-grader at Hillcrest
School, was running a hyper-local
news operation.
“We saw an article in the New York
Times about how kids could make
their own newspaper,” Mia says. “It
was in the At Home section, which
used to be the Travel section. It was
changed to At Home this year — for
obvious reasons.”
Stuck at home with distance
learning this past year, Mia decided
to explore the tools available for
self-publishing. She is now recog-
nized as CEO and Editor-in-Chief
of The Romany Post, named for her
home street in upper Rockridge. She
produces a six-page print version
and maintains an attractive website
complete with archives.
Now planning her fifth edition,
Mia is striving to maintain a
monthly schedule. “I always start a
new edition by working on the trivia
feature,” she reveals. “I don’t know
Fifth-grader Mia Gousman publishes
The Romany Post from her bedroom.
The Affordability Crisis
Photo: Matt Gousman
Affordable housing is desperately
needed in Oakland if we are to retain
housing stock for low-income work-
ers, seniors, and the disabled. About
93 percent of new construction in
Oakland is market-rate development,
geared to luxury class apartments
like the 40-story Atlas Tower down-
town. While rents have recently
dropped, often significantly, none
fall into the affordable range, and the
number of available and genuinely
affordable units is almost zero.
The demand far outstrips the
supply. Building costs have risen
steeply in the past year partly in
response to Trump Administration
tariffs on Canadian lumber (which
now costs 50 percent more than a
year ago). Meanwhile, COVID has
slowed production of building and
snarled supply lines.
In summary, land and building
costs are very high and rising,
making public-private partnerships
and government-subsidized con-
struction perhaps the surest ways to
add more truly affordable housing in
Oakland — and particularly here in
Rockridge. n
why, but that always gets me going.”
She employs an array of online tools
to make it all happen. “I use an app
called flipsnack for the basic layout.
They offer templates to use, but I
changed them a lot myself.” Graphics
and puzzles are created on separate
platforms as well.
The Post started as a one-girl oper-
ation with some oversight from her
dad, Matt, who is officially listed on
the masthead as “Advisor.” However,
since the first edition last December,
Mia has attracted new contributors,
The Romany Post, see page 14
The views presented in this article are
solely those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the position of the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
or its Board of Directors.


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page 6
MAY 2021

Volunteers Needed

Notice To All Rockridge Residents:
Please Remove Foxtails Around Your Area

T
T

he Rockridge News needs volun-
teers to help with delivery once
a month, for no more than a half
hour. This service is invaluable in
preserving our old-school tradition of
delivering the newsletter door-to-door
since 1986 to all Rockridge residents.
A Marshal is needed to pick up their
bundles on the weekend of publica-
tion, and deliver them to ten houses in
the Colby/Hillegass neighborhood.
Block Captains are needed to deliver
newsletters door-to-door (do not put
in mailboxes, please) for the following
routes: Route 10A: The 5500 block of
Lawton; Route 17F: Both sides of 5200
Locksley between Clifton and Cavour;
Route 25A: 400 block of 57th and all
of Vicente Street.
The newsletter is published the first
weekend of each month except August.
To join, call (510) 547-3855 or email
Susan at smontauk@gmail.com. n
—by Linda Zunas
his time of year when you are out
in your garden, it is especially
important to be careful of foxtails. As
foxtails dry out, they become danger-
ous for dogs, cats, and other domestic
animals, as well as a nuisance for
people. When dry, the foxtail barbs
may physically bore into muscles. It’s
important to check your animals reg-
ularly — especially between the toes,
and in the nostrils and ear canals.
Foxtails can even embed themselves
directly into a patch of skin.
To avoid spreading seeds, pull the
foxtails out by the roots with a simple
garden tool. Cutting or breaking
off the seed stems is less effective
and may need to be repeated several
times to fully remove them. Do not
just mow them down as that spreads
seeds as well. Place all foxtail debris
in a plastic bag, seal it tightly, and
place it in the trash, not in the green
yard waste container, to avoid spread-
ing seeds into any resulting mulch.
Should your pet show any symp-
toms, like continuous licking or
having a tough time chewing or
swallowing, see your vet. Removing
foxtails from your pet can be tricky,
and is best left to the professionals. n
BUYING?
SELLING?
LET ME HELP YOU!
Rockridge Library
Opens for First Time
In Over a Year
Anne D. Brandon, Realtor
510.682.6644 | 510.339.9290
Anne@TheHighlandPartners.com
DRE# 01877719
All Oakland Public Library (OPL)
branches are now open  to
browse the collections, check out
items, pick up holds, get new or
replacement library cards, use the
computers or wifi, print/scan/fax
documents, pick up tax forms, use the
restrooms, and get help from staff. 
The Rockridge Library will allow
20 people inside at any given time (25
percent of capacity). Visitors must
wear a mask (they will be provided, if
needed) and respect a 6-foot distance
from others. There will be a screening
station with a temperature scanner as
you enter, and hand sanitizers. 
The Rockridge Library is located
at 5366 College Avenue, and is open
Monday to Saturday, from 10am
to 3pm. To reach an OPL reference
librarian, email at eanswers@oaklan-
dlibrary.org, or call (510) 238-3134. n
law office of
dave karlinsky
725 washington st., suite 313  oakland, ca 94607
(510) 788-5700    www.davekarlinskylaw.com
Practicing exclusively in the area of trusts and estates:
• Estate planning

• Probate / trust administration

• Dispute resolution
• Special needs trusts
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.


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page 7
MAY 2021

New FROG Co-Chairs Take the Helm;
Thank You to Outgoing Chair, Carol Behr
— by Theresa Nelson, Co-Founder, Friends of The Rockridge Greenbelt

New FROG Co-Chairs: (L to R) Alison Drury and Will Sheldon, Frog Park
Co-Founder Theresa Nelson, Councilmember Kalb’s Chief of Staff Olga Bolotina.

After nearly eight years, Carol
Behr is stepping down as FROG
Chair to focus on new professional
and personal endeavors. Carol led
FROG through an important period
of growth by creating and admin-
istering our first-ever community
survey, and worked with the City and
neighbors to find a way to expand
the park’s play equipment and the
DMV greenbelt design. For the third
phase of the park project, Carol led
the design, community outreach and
fundraising with the help of dedicated
committee members.
Carol helped to enhance the area
in Big Frog with a design that added
new regular and ADA swings, new
long-awaited toddler swings, a new
multiplay see-saw, and the popular
multifunctional conical spinner.
This equipment provided new play
opportunities for very young chil-
dren with the toddler swings, and
for older children with the popular
spinner. Additionally, Carol wrote and
received significant grants for the Big
Frog “Swings and More” project as
well as a small grant for the bathroom
mural by a local artist.
We are grateful to Carol for her
energetic commitment to the park
and her outstanding project manage-
ment skills, especially working with
the City of Oakland, Caltrans, and
Alameda on a complex permitting
process as well as the County and
the California State Transportation
Agency /DMV and elected state and
local officials. Thank you, Carol for
your leadership improving our park in
a collaborative way with community
volunteers and generous donors.
FROG will now have two Co-Chairs,
Alison Drury and Dr. Will Sheldon.
Alison is a neighbor on Shafter, and
she and her family are almost daily
users of the park. She is a Senior
Partner at Environmental Resources
Management. Dr. Will Sheldon and
his young family live on Broadway,
and they have been park users for a
number of years. Will is a physician
with Contra Costa County Public
Health Department.
Interested in joining FROG? We’ll
be building a new butterfly garden and
exploring the possibility of running
the creek year-round. Contact Alison
and Will at chair@frogpark.org. n


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page 8
MAY 2021

The house is full of contemporary
art, much of it local and purchased
through charity auctions. Beneath
a glass top on their breakfast room
table are photographs and mementos
described by Thompson as “pieces
of the puzzle of our life.” And on the
second floor is Bliss’s model train
room — a labor of love for the last
10 years. “I had a box of trains that I
carried around until then.”
“It’s always a happening place,”
said Rockridge resident Brooke
Levin, the former Oakland public
works director, who co-chaired
last year’s successful Measure Q
campaign along with Bliss. The two
continue to oversee the implemen-
tation of the funds raised for the
city’s parks, recreation, permanent
housing, and homelessness services.
“They’re a great couple. They’re big
networkers and connectors.”
Bliss is especially proud to have
founded Oakland Technical High
School’s Engineering Academy’s
annual Model Bridge Competition
and to have helped establish the
Oakland Parks and Recreation Foun-
dation. The couple funds an ongoing
“learn to swim” scholarship program
for Oakland youth who otherwise
couldn’t afford lessons.
Thompson is on the board of two
San Francisco-based charities that
reach into Oakland. The Cowell
Foundation makes site-specific
grants to directly support and
strengthen children, their families,
and their neighborhoods. Legal
Services for Children, of which she
is vice-chair, provides free represen-
tation to children and youth who
require legal assistance to stabilize
their lives and realize their full
potential. In response to the active
Black Lives Matter movement, both
agencies “have put even more of a
lens on racial equity,” she said.
“They seem to consider their home
as a service to the community,” said
Lesley Evers, a longtime friend and
neighbor whose College Avenue
clothing store is a Rockridge fixture.
“They’re just always thinking about
engineering and political consulting
firm that helps public agencies
establish new funding sources for
construction projects. Thompson,
following her rise through Price
Waterhouse Cooper to partner and
risk management leader, is now one
of more than 200 executives hand-
picked by major corporations working
fulltime to advance racial equality.
The program, CEO Action for Racial
Equality, was created in the wake of
the George Floyd and other police
killings of unarmed Blacks.
“I have such good fortune, I get to
do challenging work aligned with
what I want to do — helping Black
and brown people. Giving back to
my community helped me secure the
post,” said Thompson. Bliss continued
her thought, saying, “Our volunteer
world and Kim’s work world came
together. Every time we give, it comes
back ten times.”
The couple regularly holds events
in their spacious 1936 Tudor Revival
house where everyone is welcome.
The home, designed by architect E.
Geoffrey Bangs, is best known as The
Morse House, after its original owner,
and was awarded Oakland Historic
Status in 2013. Featuring an expansive
front porch and backyard, it’s the site
of frequent fundraisers for the raft of
charities Thompson and Bliss mentor,
advise, and support, and which they
hope to resume this fall. “We’re com-
mitted to getting Oaklanders more
involved — particularly our neighbors
in the Oakland Hills,” Bliss said.
Continued from front page
Bliss said, “you get tons of bang for
your bucks.”
Thompson, who is Black, and Bliss,
who is white, met over a keg of beer
at a student party while in graduate
programs at U.C. Berkeley in 1989.
Thompson was in law school and Bliss
was studying for a master’s in civil
engineering. Both grew up in families
that emphasized volunteerism and
public service.
Fast forward to 2021, Bliss is pres-
ident of SCI Consulting Group, an
ZϬϭϮϲϱϴϳϯͮϬϭϳϵϴϲϱϴ
Competition Drives Price in April
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
4/09/2021
4
3

5448 Boyd Ave                      $1,895,000
        $1,895,000
12
$2,554,488
           4/10/2021
3
1

5732 Clover Dr                      $1,585,000
        $1,585,000
 0
 $1,585,000
           4/13/2021
2
2
         5885 Ocean View Dr            $1,149,000
        $1,149,000
 6
$1,355,000
           4/15/2021
4
4

5848 Colby St                        $2,495,000
        $2,495,000
 0
$2,850,000
           4/19/2021
4
3.5
         5850 Chabot Ct                     $1,599,000
        $1,749,000
46
$1,720,000

4/23/2021
2
1

481 55Th St                              $799,000
           $799,000
 4
   $960,000

4/26/2021
1
1.5

448 60th St                               $799,000
           $799,000
15
$1,325,000

4/27/2021
2
1

400 60th St                               $998,000
           $998,000
 8
$1,450,000

4/27/2021
4
4

6121 Harwood Ave               $1,999,995
        $1,999,995
 4
$3,025,000

4/27/2021
4
1.5

6475 Colby St                        $1,950,000
        $1,950,000
11
$2,730,000

4/29/2021
3
2

5947 Keith Ave                         $995,000
           $995,000
16
$1,300,000
Homes sold in April closed 28% over the asking price on average.
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Eyes on Rockridge, see next page


THE

page 9
MAY 2021

Eyes on Rockridge, from previous page
Kim’s viral post got 2.8+ million views and 55,000+ likes:
I’m an Ivy League educated Black female professional with a flourishing career at
a great firm. I’m well compensated and feel respected by those who know me at
work and in my community. By anyone’s standard, I’ve “made it.”
How do the senseless killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna
Taylor and the Central Park incident affect me personally? They upset me not
only as an empathetic human, but also because they are needless, painful
reminders of indignities that I face daily. When I’m with people who know me,
I’m a respected wife, mom, colleague, board member, friend, volunteer, neighbor,
etc. But once outside of those insulated bubbles, I’m an anonymous Black woman
subject to diminished respect and trust and it’s exhausting.
I’ve been followed by store clerks. I’ve been stopped for a DWB (driving while
Black). I’ve been mistreated by airline personnel. White women move their
purses if I stand near them in elevators. I was followed for several blocks by a
home security car in my own neighborhood… etc., etc. And beyond all this, I fear
that a Black family member or friend could end up on the wrong side of a cop’s
knee or bullet at any time.
“He’s super fun and she’s a ‘wow,’” says
friend and neighbor Lesley Evers.
If it’s exhausting for me, the Black woman who has “made it”, how do you think
it is for Black communities generally? n
others. She’s a ‘wow!’ and he’s super
fun and interesting.” Kim has always
been such a devoted customer and
often models for Evers’ photo shoots.
“When you’re in their realm,
they’re just very loyal. John’s out
there on the weekend doing gar-
dening and the other day I saw him
trimming the median down the
block,” Evers said. “Kim’s always so
open and willing to talk about what
it is to be a Black woman.”
When the Black Lives Matter
demonstrations against police kill-
ings were taking place last summer,
Thompson detailed her experiences
as a Black woman in a LinkedIn
posting that has recorded more
than 2.8 million views (see reprinted
posting on this page). It includes the
story of being followed in her own
neighborhood by someone’s private
security company. “Even Rockridge is
imperfect,” she said.
Notwithstanding, the couple
embraces Rockridge, focusing on
the ability to walk to lots of places
(Thompson) and enjoy the urban
fabric and architecture (Bliss). He
emphasized “the area’s positive atti-
tude toward inclusivity and issues of
race.” She pointed out the numerous
lawn signs welcoming people of all
races, religions, and genders, and
advancing the belief that “science
matters.” “You don’t see that in many
communities,” Thompson said.
They worked hard to ensure that
raising their two biracial children
in an affluent, predominantly white
neighborhood didn’t cut them off from
Oakland’s Black community. Mandela
(Mandy), now 23, played youth soccer
in Fruitvale, and Thompson (Tom),
24, played football for and graduated
from Oakland Tech.
Tom is now a data scientist for the
National Football League and Mandy
is pursuing a master’s in business
analytics. Bliss appreciates that they
“always check white and Black when
asked to describe their race. They
have a strong mixed-race self-image.”
“We feel financially blessed beyond
our wildest dreams,” Bliss said. “You
can invest in Tesla or you can invest
in your community.” For Thompson,
“You can live in your fancy house and
put up huge walls to keep you safe
from the world. But by not putting up
that wall, you make the community
safer and stronger.”
To comment on this column or
send ideas for another, please email
judyberne@att.net. n
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License # 01402540


THE
page 10
MAY 2021

New Housing at
Rockridge BART?
More density means more people
shopping on College Avenue. Oak-
land Councilmember Dan Kalb,
whose district includes the BART
Rockridge station, confirms his
desire to have an informational town
hall, the first of several, this spring
or summer. “We want robust, itera-
tive community participation.”
“We want affordable housing, and
BART has a self-imposed policy of
20 percent minimum at any station.
I speculate you could have one build-
ing, maybe 100 percent affordable
(to access tax credits), and the other
building, maybe 10 to 15 percent
affordable because 20 percent is hard
for a market developer to attain.”
Saltzman knows the Rockridge
station well as she walked there
throughout the 15 years she lived in
North Oakland. She recently moved
to within walking distance of the El
Cerrito BART. She noted that while
BART could propose projects taller
than seven stories, the BART Board
voted last year unanimously to not
build higher than the minimum
zoning standards set in AB2923, even
though cities may do this on their own.
— by Myrna Walton,
Upper Broadway Advocates
In 2018, the California Legislature
approved AB2923 in order to address
California’s housing and climate crises.
The law mandates cities in Alameda,
Contra Costa, and San Francisco
counties change zoning laws at BART
stations located in urban neighborhood
centers to allow for building at least
seven stories high; limit residential
parking to no more than one space
for every two new housing units; and
require a minimum density of 75
housing units per acre.
At least 20 percent of the housing
units must be affordable to very low
and low-income persons, and BART
has set itself a system-wide goal of 35
percent affordable units. So far, it has
built 3,251 housing units at BART
stations around the Bay Area of which
30 percent are affordable. Many more
are in the pipeline.
BART’s Vice Chair and Director of
District 3, Rebecca Saltzman, spoke
recently to a meeting of Upper Broad-
way Advocates (UBA) about BART’s
interest in developing the Berkeley
and Rockridge stations. “Although it
is still very early to start talking about
the Rockridge Station, Councilmem-
ber Kalb and I have talked about
having an outreach meeting some
time this year — a virtual town hall.
We want to build as many affordable
units as possible,” Saltzman noted.
The green shaded areas indicate
the two lots under consideration
for possible development.
permit development there.
While the parking lot to the east
of College Avenue will likely be
retained, overall transit parking will
be reduced. It might be possible to
re-stripe some of the parking areas to
accommodate more vehicles then the
current plans allow, but AB2923 did
not set minimum standards for the
number of parking spaces for transit
riders. This leaves open the question
of what happens to the many BART
riders who have been waiting years for
a parking lot permit?
According to Director Saltzman,
“BART is aware there are people in
the hills who can’t walk or ride bikes
to the station. There are similar issues
in El Cerrito, as well as Berkeley.”
Although one solution would be to
add AC Transit feeder routes from the
hills, the transit agency is not funded
to add new routes and is struggling
to maintain its current routes. Private
jitney services in the hills would most
certainly be unprofitable due to its
low-density population.
Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Group Man-
ager, Transit-Oriented Development
at BART, notes that the transit orga-
nization could encourage car-pooling
with a guaranteed parking space
and cheaper rates. More trans-bay
bus routes to San Francisco may be
another possible solution for Rock-
ridge. BART and City staff are seeking
a planning grant to help determine
parking needs and solutions, among
many other issues. The ridership
gained from denser housing at the
stations, e.g., five or more stories tall,
would potentially offset the lost reve-
nue from less available parking.
What About Parking?
The BART-owned property at
Rockridge consists of approximately
1.4 acres in two lots on the west side
of College Avenue — one across from
Market Hall on Shafter/Keith and
the second on Miles — separated by
the freeway overpass. The land on
the east side of College is most likely
too narrow to build up. Additionally,
Caltrans has the rights to the land
directly under and immediately
adjacent to the freeway, and would not
BART Housing, see next page


THE

page 11
MAY 2021

Spring Cleaning & Greening Frog Park
BART Housing, from previous page
These solutions are aimed at BART
riders, however, and do not address
the current use of the parking lot for
neighborhood shopping on College
Avenue. Many shoppers use the BART
lot, especially during evenings and
weekends, to visit local merchants
and restaurants. Creative alternatives
will be needed if the College Avenue
business district is to remain vibrant
and accessible.
In response to questions regarding
architecture and style, Director Saltz-
man confirmed that good design was
important to BART. “Since developers
really want to build at BART stations,
they are willing to come to the table
on things like design and community
amenities. We do not have cookie-
cutter buildings at our stations.”

— by Theresa Nelson, Co-Founder, Friends of The Rockridge Greenbelt (FROG)
F

riends of the Rockridge-Temescal
Greenbelt (affectionately referred
to as FROG) and park users gathered
on the 17th of April for an Earth
Day clean-up at Frog Park. While last
year’s clean-up event was canceled
due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year
a few dozen determined volunteers
came together to help maintain the
community green space.
Volunteers (masked and appro-
priately distanced) trimmed the
overgrown ivy and trees which had
grown into the play structure, picked
up a huge amount of fallen eucalyp-
tus bark and leaves as well as lots of
weeds, removed trash, and turned
some of the packed fibar. We expect
the city will replace the fibar (shred-
ded bark) and to bring in new sand
for the sandboxes soon. Certain areas
of the park were left alone due to the
homeless people camped nearby. Our
next clean-up will be in September
for Creek-to-Bay Day.
New Co-Chair Alison Drury
and her family make cleaning the
park a family affair.
Community Participation Is Key
The planning process depends heav-
ily on community participation. In
Berkeley, the City created a Commu-
nity Advisory Group (CAG) consisting
of representatives of four commissions
along with residents from both
the immediate neighborhood and
citywide. The type and mix of devel-
opment (housing, retail, commercial);
the amount and mix of affordable
housing, from very-low-income on
up; the target population (teachers, for
example); design elements and con-
struction materials; and parking, are
all addressed by the CAG.
CAG member Blaine Merker
describes the CAG “as a place to
develop a consensus vision informed
by the views of the community, but
insulated somewhat in order to have
a more thoughtful conversation.”
It includes neighbors and residents
nearby and farther away because the
stations serve the entire community.
Some in Berkeley want no change in
the neighborhood; some want to build
as high as possible.
All this is worth considering as it’s a
great opportunity for Oakland and for
Rockridge to rethink its housing and
transportation policies. Stay tuned.
In other maintenance news, the new
slide to replace the broken curved
slide is now on order and should be
delivered soon. The bathroom door
has been replaced. A new ADA swing
is also on order. The conical spinner
was lubricated so it now moves freely
again.  For the time being, the water
cannot be turned on for the creek
flow, as there is a huge pile of trash
in the area near the DMV and large
branches in the culvert, both of which
need to be removed by the City so the
creek will not back up.
If you see an area that needs
maintenance, please call 311 or report
it on the SeeClickFix app, and also
alert Councilmember Dan Kalb’s
office as they are tracking some of
these issues, (510) 238-7001; dkalb@
oaklandca.gov. n
New Co-Chair Will Sheldon and
volunteer Barney Smits load up the
dumpster with trimmed branches.
To learn more about BART’s Transit-
Oriented Development, visit https://
www.bart.gov/about/business/tod. n


THE
page 12
MAY 2021

The Dish on
Takeout Food in
Rockridge
dishes with friendly flair and less oily
versions of South Asian standards.
On our first visit, we ordered the
Chicken Tikka Masala ($12.99), the
Lamb Korma ($14.25), and Basmati
Rice ($2.50). The Tikka Masala and
the Korma were both excellent —
flavorful and rich. The rice was per-
fectly cooked. I especially liked the
whole cashews in the Korma.
Their style of both the Tikka
Masala and the Korma is to serve the
meat in the sauce, sans vegetables.
We could not in good conscience
limit the review to this item only,
so we went for a vegetarian lunch
to get a true sense of how they cook
vegetables. For that, we ordered the
Vegetable Korma ($12.49), Baingan
Barta (Eggplant) ($11.99), Yellow
Daal Tadka ($11.49), Garlic Naan
($3.49), and rice.
The big winner was the eggplant.
The eggplant was so cooked that it
was almost like it had been sent to
by Terre Beynart
(a.k.a. “The Green Celiac”)
The Green Celiac reviews Rockridge
eateries that offer takeout with a
focus on ease of ordering, clarity of
the menu for those on special diets,
and a critique of the sustainability
of takeout packaging.
There is a charming patio off of the
west side of College Avenue
between Bryant and Clifton which is
the workplace home of a plucky group
of Tibetans, High Peaks Kitchen.
These folks were unhappily exiled
from Tibet and afterward honed their
cooking skills in India. They serve up
a nice mix of Indian and Pakistani
High Peaks Kitchen, 5299 College
Avenue, is open daily from 11am to
9:30pm (closed on Tuesdays).
the blender. The flavor was delicate
and lovely. The vegetarian Korma had
peas, green beans, cauliflower, and
carrots, which was satisfying and fla-
vorful. The Daal was very good, too.
Be careful when ordering their food
“spicey” as they take their spice level
very seriously.
The takeout came in a paper bag,
the naan was wrapped in aluminum
foil and the rice was in a box. Points
for all that and for not including cut-
lery or napkins. All of the other dishes
came in plastic containers; good for
reuse, but not good environmentally.
The Dish, see next page


THE

page 13
MAY 2021

Ben & Nick’s
Is Back Open
I can honestly say that Beer Baron, the
current occupant, hit the ground run-
ning and established itself as a happy
home for good food, great cocktails,
an array of craft beer, music, and
overall good vibes.
For takeout, we selected the Kale
and Quinoa Salad ($14), Farro and
Veggies ($8), and Seared Coho
Salmon with Crème Fraîche Mashed
Potatoes and Grilled Vegetables
and Gremolata ($26). The Kale and
Quinoa Salad and the Farro and Veg-
gies were sturdy starts.
What blew me away was the Crème
Fraîche Mashed Potatoes. It lent
new meaning to the words “comfort
food.” I believe at first taste I had to
sit back in my chair, stop talking,
relax, and savor each bite. There were
little strips of caramelized onion
in it. Oh my. The grilled vegetables
that came with the dish were cooked
perfectly.
The takeout came in a plastic bag,
unfortunately, but the food was in
cardboard containers (yay) with two
little one-ounce solo plastic cups for
the dressings. Their online menu
didn’t have any identifiers for those
with special dietary requirements,
but the phone number was promi-
nent at the top. The online ordering
system had a place to write instruc-
tions to the chef on what looked like
nearly all of the dishes.
Head on over to Beer Baron to
relax on their lovely patio and enjoy
good food and a wide selection of
refreshments. n
Beer Baron, 5900 College Avenue,
is now open for indoor dining.
photo: Don Kinkead
The Dish, from previous page
Visit Bartender Erica and enjoy
a pint dispensed from their eye-
catching vintage ceramic beer taps.
Their menu is extensive, however
their website does not include photos
of all of the dishes. Also, there is no
indication of gluten-free or the use
of dairy on most menu items. On
the phone, they were very kind and
patient with my incessant questions.
Enjoy takeout from High Peaks
Kitchen and tip your hat to the Dalai
Lama whose photo is across from the
register at checkout.
Ben & Nick’s, 5612 College Avenue,
quietly changed hands last
month and re-opened on April 11.
Founded in 1997, the pub was named
for the son’s of the original owner,
Mark Graham, now 75 and retiring.
Ben Seabury and John Guhl of the
1100 Group are the new owners and
look forward to welcoming neighbors
back to the establishment.
Ben & Nick’s is open Sunday
through Thursday, 11am to 10pm;
Friday and Saturdays until 12am. n
Beer Baron
The corner of College and Chabot
has seen a lot of changes over the past
decade. I was jazzed when Toast made
the effort to become a community
enterprise… it’s sad to see them go.


THE
page 14
MAY 2021

distributing about 60 in total.”
What about online traffic? “We
don’t know right now,” Mia replies.
“But I’ve heard good things about
Google Analytics, so we’re looking
into that.”
You might think Mia’s pandemic
project might signal an interest in
becoming a journalist, but, no. “I
definitely want to work with animals.
My career ideas are to be a naturalist
or an elephant conservationist.
Maybe a marine biologist.”
“To her credit, she’s done 99 per-
cent of the work without our help,”
Matt says. “She researched all of the
software she uses and taught herself
how to edit and do the layouts. With
all of the downtime we’ve had this
year, it’s great she found a project
she’s passionate about.”
When asked what was her favorite
part of running a newspaper…
the reporting, the design, or seeing
her name in print… Mia offers a
surprising answer. “I’d say the best
part is getting submissions from
other contributors. It shows they like
my newspaper and they want to help
enrich it.” Mia added, “I’d like people
to know I really enjoy photography.
Having a newsletter gives my pictures
a purpose.”
The Romany Post, from page 5
like local kids Tobias Wyer and Nico
Ebeid, and launched new features.
The Post is now replete with hard
news (Mia’s beat), movie and book
reviews, crossword puzzles, a the-
matic trivia quiz…even poetry.
The 10-year-old editor tackles some
heavy headlines in her reporting,
including a review of President
Biden’s inauguration, a summary of
the vaccine situation, and a personal
account of the impact of school clo-
sures and online learning. Suitably,
her banner reads “The Romany Post:
Local and Worldwide News From a
Kid’s Perspective.”
With each edition, Mia has been
building out her operation. She now
collaborates with an 11-year-old
“Outdoors” columnist who traces
interesting walks and bike rides
around the neighborhood. In the
second edition, there’s a funny
submission about an animated
gingerbread man by a Little Leaguer
who lives around the corner; plus
a tongue-in-cheek bit from Mia’s
six-year-old sister Annabelle dis-
couraging folks from eating lambs
“because they’re so cute and they
taste TERRIBLE.”
The Romany Post is hand-delivered
to approximately 30 homes in Mia’s
neighborhood. “But we also make the
rounds by car to reach people further
out and we mail to some friends and
family,” she reports. “I’d guess we’re
You can leave comments, suggestions,
or appreciations for The Romany Post
at www.TheRomanyPost.com.
Got a story tip or comment for Skip?
Email editor@rockridgenews.com. n
CollegePrep
A private high school in Oakland

Tucked into a glen in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, College Prep’s
informal and welcoming campus provides an educational home for a lively and
talented community of students in grades 9-12. Guided by inspiring teachers
and mentors, they create a vibrant community that is rooted in shared values of
kindness, respect, and a willingness to learn from the perspectives of others.
We invite you to visit us and experience College Prep first-hand.

6100 Broadway
Oakland CA 94618 510 652 4364 college-prep org


THE

page 15
MAY 2021

: Classified Ads

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 June 2021 issue is May 20 (available on May 8). For more details,
email Susan Montauk at smontauk@gmail.com.

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
House for Rent at 438 61 St in
Rockridge
Large 3- bedroom can be used as
4-bedroom. Close to BART, shopping
and more. $3500 first/$3500 last /$1500
security.  Please call Melissa 408/685-3550
Open 4/01/2021 from 4pm to 6pm.
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
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. n
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.
Taste of Temescal
A socially distanced culinary crawl
Tuesday, May 18th, 5 to 9pm
Proceeds Benefit:
Claremont Middle School
Emerson Elementary
Oakland Technical High School
Sankofa United Elementary School
La Clínica de La Raza
Tickets are $50 and available at:
https://temescalbid.ticketspice.com/
taste-of-temescal


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
COME VISIT US AT
THE CORNER OF
LIFE & CHANGE
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
5848 Colby Street | Oakland
JUST SOLD
Thinking of selling?
Please reach out if you are
considering a move in 2021.
www.ClaudiaMillsRealEstateTeam.com
Claudia Mills
510.350.6419
c.mills@ggsir.com
Lic.#01881682
4bd | 4ba | 2,159 sqft
Each Franchise Is Independently Owned And Operated.