Oakland corridor sees major cleanup as city, nonprofits aim for lasting change

A long-troubled stretch of East 12th Street in Oakland's San Antonio District is undergoing a dramatic transformation as city leaders, state agencies and nonprofit groups work to clean up an area once plagued by a large encampment, illegal dumping and graffiti.

The three-block stretch, between 16th and 19th avenues, looks markedly different from just a year ago, when tents, abandoned cars and piles of trash crowded the street and sidewalks.

"It's wildly different. It's really night and day at this point," said Mason Young, who lives along East 12th Street.

Young said he can now use the sidewalk in front of his home without obstruction — something that wasn't possible when the encampment was at its peak.

"It's great. I'm seeing a change," he said. "I love that they're re-landscaping these areas that kind of got destroyed by all of the encampment's building and rebuilding."

The city cleared the large encampment last year, a move neighbors said helped reduce problems ranging from fires and graffiti to violence. Now, the nonprofit Keep Oakland Beautiful is partnering with public agencies, artists and volunteers to revitalize the corridor.

Keep Oakland Beautiful is one of the first to earn the prestigious "Clean California Community" designation through the state program Clean California.

Christina Porter, the organization's executive director, said the effort goes beyond cleanup. It includes commissioning murals to cover graffiti and organizing community beautification events.

On Saturday, hundreds of volunteers are expected to help paint walls and plant trees and greenery in the center median where the encampment once stood.

"200,000 commuters pass through this corridor every day along I-880. 45,000 BART riders see this," Porter said. "And it was primarily covered in graffiti."

The new artwork is also intended to send a message, encouraging residents to take pride in the neighborhood and use city services such as free bulky-item pickup instead of dumping trash illegally.

One artist, who goes by "T," said there's an informal code within the street art community when it comes to painting over existing work.

"There's like an unwritten rule, kind of — that if you can't do better than the piece that was on there before, you shouldn't go over it," the artist said. "Not everybody respects that."

While the improvements are visible, some residents remain cautious about whether the changes will last.

Young, who has lived in the area for five years, said he has seen cleanup efforts before, only for graffiti and trash to return within weeks. He also noted that smaller encampments remain nearby.

"I can be optimistic that it's better than it was and that we're moving toward something new," he said.

Porter said sustaining the progress will depend heavily on community involvement. Nonprofits like Keep Oakland Beautiful rely on donations and grants, and don't have unlimited resources to maintain the area indefinitely.

Still, she believes the transformation reflects something deeper about the city.

"It feels really great to see all this beauty," Porter said. "And it's really a reflection of Oakland. Everything that you see in these murals is a reflection of who we are as a city.  We're a city rooted in art."

Organizers hope that with continued community support, the revitalized corridor can remain clean, vibrant, and safe for the people who live and work there.