OAKLAND — Ald. Will Burns (4th) is backing down on a zoning change that would have allowed a job-training program to move into a vacant day care facility after neighbors complained.
Neighbors have pushed Burns to pull his support for the zoning change that would have allowed the Quad Communities Development Corp. and the Cara Program move into a vacant Lincoln Centre at 4210 S. Berkeley Ave.
“The word is out that if you want to put any kind of business into this facility, we want it serve the community,” said Doug Jackson, who lives across the alley from the vacant building.
The Quad Communities Development Corp., a nonprofit that works on economic development in Kenwood, Oakland Douglas and Grand Boulevard, bought the building in August and planned to move its offices into the 8,000-square-foot building and rent out the remainder to the Cara Program for job-training programs.
“Of course, we would like to move into the building, that’s why we bought it,” said Bernita Johnson-Gabriel, executive director of development corporation. “Despite that it’s largely residential, it was a commercial building.”
But neighbors said they had been burned by service organizations in the past, particularly a mental health provider whose clients he alleged rummaged through neighbors’ garbage and intimidated residents.
“We want more businesses providing resources for the homeless and training ex-offenders, it’s a noble occupation,” Jackson said. “But nestled among our homes, is that the best place to do that work?”
The building is on the border between two zoning districts and Burns had introduced an ordinance to change it from the residential zoning it is currently to a business zoning similar to the nearby Komed-Holman Health Center, Room 43 and other businesses on 43rd Street.
On Monday, Burns said he would not advance the zoning change at the next meeting of the Committee on Zoning on Tuesday and referred questions to Johnson-Gabriel.
Johnson-Gabriel said she is going to go back to the neighbors and listen to their concerns and decide what should be done next.
A representative from the Cara Program was not available to comment.
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