On August 8, 2008, over 70 grassroots leaders and advocates from over 10 campaigns gathered in Oakland for a day-long convening on military base reuse and community benefits entitled “Base-Building:Using Former Military Sites to Achieve Community Benefits and Revitalize Local Economies.” The convening was hosted by EBASE and the national Partnership for Working Families (PWF).

The convening brought together organizers, advocates, and researchers from across the U.S. to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities presented by the base reuse process.The convening coincided with the releases of both a report chronicling the opportunities and challenges of base reuse projects in Oakland, Monterey, San Bernardino, and Sacramento and an organizing guide for community coalitions and advocates engaged in garnering more community benefits from base reuse projects.These publications provided a framework for the convening – click here to access them online.

Opportunities and Challenges
Many participants came to the meeting eager to understand how to best utilize former army bases in bringing good jobs and real benefits to their communities. Losing a base can be a major blow to a local economy; by 1995, in California alone, cities had lost a total of 93,546 military and civilian jobs due to base closures.For many of these cities, rebuilding an army base provides an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize the local economy. Thus, during the morning of the convening, participants learned how to utilize community benefits tools – such as community benefits agreements and community standards policies – to ensure that the base reuse process creates economic opportunities for residents.

In the afternoon, panelists representing a wide variety of issues – from job quality and affordable housing to environmental clean-up and open space protection - reflected on their own fights – and victories – for community benefits from base redevelopment projects.Across California, people are winning local hire requirements for new jobs, protections for workers rights to organize, land dedicated to homeless services or affordable housing, and environmental clean-up regulations in base redevelopment.Representatives from campaigns at the Oakland Army Base, Bayview/Hunters Point, Alameda Point, FortOrd, Mcclellan Air Force Base, and the Concord Naval Weapon Station shared their experiences, challenges, and victories, proving that the base reuse process tills fertile ground for community involvement.

Behind the Scenes at the Oakland Army Base
Over lunch, participants were given a “behind the scenes” bus tour of the former Oakland army base, a 108-acre site for which the city of Oakland is currently selecting a master developer.Spotlighting members of the surrounding communities, labor, and environmental groups, the bus tour poignantly illustrated the effects of redevelopment on local residents and neighborhoods.Participants witnessed the industrial businesses adjacent to neighboring West Oakland neighborhoods and heard from residents demanding that redevelopment provide both space for the relocation of those businesses and parking for the diesel trucks currently lining their streets.

Participants also walked inside the old warehouses that will be replaced with 21st century warehouses - bringing good paying jobs for Oaklanders.

In September, the City of Oakland will release a Request for Proposals (RFP), asking four developers to submit their proposals for the Army Base to the City. Utilizing the community benefits framework, EBASE is working with community, labor, and environmental justice allies to ensure that the RFP includes standards to ensure that development results in good jobs and healthy communities.

Moving Forward
The “Base Building” convening highlighted tremendous opportunities for communities to win concrete benefits from base reuse projects.Moving forward, EBASE and PWF will be developing a curriculum for community groups working their way through the complex reuse process – especially as residents prepare for another round of base closures throughout the country. As more communities confront the opportunities and challenges of engaging in base reuse projects, they will be better equipped to build broad coalitions, engage stakeholders, and build healthy communities.

For more information, please contact Kate O'Hara, Kate[at]workingeastbay.org, 510-893-7106 x 329.