We are buying our home and ask for your help.

We, the residents of Shadetree, one of Oakland’s longest-running and most unusual live work properties, are BUYING OUR HOME.  And we need your help.

 

One gray day October 2016. 

October 2016 Shadetree, an Oakland live/work warehouse community of 20 artists, musicians and trades people were presented with a letter requesting departure from the property by the end of six months time. The letter went on to present a second option; or buy the property.

After a month of empty gazes, mixed emotions, and fear of being financially forced out of not just our home but away from our city, we began collecting and collaborating. Can we do this?

 

5 months later...

  • We have done lots of work and research over the past 5 months and have raised over half a million dollars.  
  • We have found two institutions willing to loan us money to pay toward the overall property purchase price of $2.5M.
  • We have formed a non-profit, the Shadetree Historical Artisans Development Engine (SHADE) and are currently accepting donations and loans. 
  • We have recently published a photo book documenting 38 years of Shadetree's existence, thanks to Oakland artist Constance Hockaday.  For more information or to order a copy, go here: info@shadetreeartisans.org 
  • We have been documenting every leap and bound of the lengthy process of purchasing the property.
  • We have made excellent contacts within the city government and private sector and are well-poised to become a much-needed case study for tenants looking to come together, engage with their community, and secure housing which is affordable and suitable to their lifestyles. 

 

We will be evicted unless $200K is raised by May 8th.

We are reaching out to our family, friends, colleagues and you.

This will be a win for saving Oakland unique vibrant culture, proving that it can be done, developing an outline for how work/live communities can survive off the beaten path. And from it, infrastructure, jobs, businesses and institutions enabling it to be possible again and again.

By May 8th we need to raise another $200K for the deposit toward the purchase or we will be evicted and the property will likely be razed and sold. 

 

This is our final hour.

It's taken a collaboration of amazing people to get us this far. We are thankful for all who have participated in this unprecedented effort. Community meetings of 3 or 4 attendants has turned into a consistent 15+ intensely focused on what only seems impossible. Stress levels are high and heart rates are a roller coaster of hope and fear.

become a donor

We have formed a non-profit, the Shadetree Historical Artisans Development Engine (SHADE) and are currently accepting donations and loans. And since we're a non-profit, your donations are, of course, tax-deductible.

become a lender

Loans will be paid back in no less than 26 months at 5% interest, though we would prefer a timeline of 5-10 years.  As a lender, however, you will of course be able to discuss your own particular terms and timeline with us, so we may find a solution that works best for you.