KALW News - Economy, Labor and Biz

Down the drain: Oakland's middle class

KALW News — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:09:02 +0000

When Oaklanders complain about gentrification, City Council member Ignacio De La Fuente begs to differ.

Wednesday, Sep 8, 9:05am

Brenda Payton

Economy, Labor and Biz

Oakland land trust returns foreclosed homes to the community

KALW News — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:12:21 +0000

As foreclosures continue to blight neighborhoods across the country, one organization in Oakland is trying to return empty homes to people in the community.

They’re using what’s called a land trust, a not-for-profit that buys foreclosed houses, refurbishes them, and sells them to the community at affordable prices, explains Anne Griffith, acting director of the Oakland Community Land Trust.

Economy, Labor and Biz

Revealing the racial makeup of California’s foreclosures

KALW News — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:55:53 +0000

The Center for Responsible Lending–a non-profit research and public policy group–released a study, this week, focused on the racial makeup of foreclosures in California. It found that Latinos have experienced notably higher foreclosure rates than non-Hispanic borrowers in the state.

Economy, Labor and Biz

There's nothing old about age discrimination

KALW News — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:29:02 +0000

The national health care reform package will have a big impact on the economy, yet many Americans are still out of work, and not just newcomers to the job market.

There are some two million adults in the US who are 55 years or older and unemployed. They’ll spend an average of three years looking for work. That’s longer than any other age group.

Economy, Labor and Biz

Not housewives, but homeowners

KALW News — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:04:11 +0000

Ladies—they’re more likely to graduate from college and hold a job in today’s workforce. And now, they’re more likely to buy a home. A study released last year by the National Association of Realtors shows that single women are the fastest growing sector of the housing market. They’re buying homes at more than twice the rate of single men.

Economy, Labor and Biz

As flower imports grow, local floral industry wilts

KALW News — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:52:11 +0000

Despite the down economy, California still leads the nation in exports like technology, fruit, and dairy. The state is also the country’s number one exporter of cut flowers. But don’t let that ranking fool you – today, almost 80 percent of the cut flowers sold in the US are imported. That has california flower growers struggling to compete.

Economy, Labor and Biz

Fighting for food security in San Francisco

KALW News — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:26:29 +0000

According to San Francisco’s Human Services Agency, the number of city residents on food stamps has grown by 55 percent over the past year and a half. Now more than 41,000 San Franciscans use food stamps. Despite the recent spikes, San Francisco food-security advocates say the food-stamp program isn’t doing a good job of carrying its fair share of the burden.

Economy, Labor and Biz

Memories made of movement: Voices of the Transbay Terminal

KALW News — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:18:26 +0000

A couple of blocks away from where the Bay Bridge enters San Francisco, there’s a place that has been called “a civic disgrace.” “A decaying pit of despair.” “The bus station from hell.” Local writers have used all of these words to describe San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal.

Last weekend, critics who wanted the place wiped off the map got their way, as wrecking crews began tearing down the 1930s landmark. And yesterday, San Francisco’s politerati, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mayor Gavin Newsom, broke ground on the new one.

Economy, Labor and Biz

West Oakland: where houses and industry meet

KALW News — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:52:11 +0000

West Oakland has a long industrial history. In the 1940s the neighborhood was made a center for shipbuilding with the construction of the Oakland Army Base and Naval Supply Center. Since then, recycling companies, a postal service distribution center and other heavy industries have joined the growing port. At the same time Oakland has been trying to encourage residents to move into the area with new housing projects. The combination has been deadly.

Economy, Labor and Biz

Activist Roy Recio keeps up the fight for fair housing

KALW News — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 01:10:23 +0000

For many San Franciscans, what happened with the International Hotel and Manilatown became a symbol of the urban casualties that can come with redevelopment. But for the Filipino community, whose members occupied most of the units in the original I-Hotel, the event has been a lasting inspiration to fight for affordable housing and preserve their neighborhoods.

Economy, Labor and Biz