What is this newspaper? by The San Pablo Ave Community News Team Welcome to the first edition of the San Pablo Avenue Community Newspaper! This newspaper is a group effort, put together by a team of San Pablo Avenue area residents and creative partners. We have been working together to investigate and share current events and resources, celebrate local history and culture, and organize neighbors to get involved in shaping the place where they live. Please join our design and editorial team, or contribute content for future editions! Email rrobichaud@ebaldc.org or call/text 510-519-8985 to learn more.
Holding Spaces by SPARC Formed in 2014, SPARC is working to improve the neighborhoods along, and surrounding, the San Pablo Ave Corridor for the benefit of long-time and low-income residents. The partnership is dedicated to increasing community and resident control around San Pablo Ave. SPARC is moving towards this goal by prioritizing Holding Spaces. In recent months there have been significant new developments around San Pablo Avenue—and some sad losses, including the closure of Community Foods Market and other neighborhood businesses. Major infrastructure and community-serving building projects are being planned for our area as well. SPARC works to redefine how space is used along San Pablo Ave and create a path that increases our efforts to produce, preserve and sustain affordable spaces for community based businesses, resources and affordable housing along the corridor. The Holding Spaces workgroup provides a coordination and info-sharing space for community-centered development around San Pablo Ave. The Holding Spaces workgroup is currently made up of residents and stakeholders. If you’re interested in learning more about this workgroup and ways to get involved, please contact us at sparcoakland.org/contact or sign up for the newsletter at sparcoakland.org/newsletter.
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The home of the Warrior’s iconic fan, Lloyd Canamore, is in trouble again. The famous blue and gold house, where Steph Curry once danced in a music video, drew attention in 2020 when it was in jeopardy of being taken by the bank. A Go Fund Me account was set up at that time by a generous neighbor and it raised $287,230 in donations. An attempt was made by the Warriors to secure additional funds for the revamping of the house, but that deal did not come to light. Canamore moved into the family house with his three brothers and his mom when he was eight years old. He began selling peanuts and hot dogs at the Coliseum during the Warriors’ games when he was in tenth grade. After work he would spend time with the team and other vendors getting to form a bond and special a connection with the team. Canamore went through a hard time in 1997 when he lost his only son, Lloyd Canamore, Jr. Canamore was so distressed he lost track of himself for a few years. However, his loyalty to his mom brought him to his senses and he returned home clean and sober. It was only after the death of his last two brothers that a friend offered to paint his house for free and the blue and gold Warriors’ house was born.
He and his mom greeted everyone as they passed, on the road or on the street, laughing and taking selfies. Recently, Lloyd’s mom passed away and he discovered that she had been a victim of a predatory lending scheme and a reverse mortgage had been taken out in her name by an old caretaker. Significant work was required on the home then, but now the problem is the lending company. They continually harass him with threats unless he can come up with $350,000. The last thing we need is for another person to become homeless due to predators. Lloyd is on disability and depends on the donations of the kind people who have been supporting him. If you know of someone who can provide a house locally for $350,000 or a way he can keep his house and save him from this predatory lender, please contact SPARC. You can also help by donating directly to the Go Fund Me account at: Fundraiser by Alexandra Roth: Save the Warriors House (gofundme.com). Referenced in link above: Oakland Neighbors Fund: https://oakclt.org/support-us/