Oakland nonprofit races to save future Shaolin temple from tax lien sale

OAKLAND — A dream nearly two decades in the making is facing a critical deadline.

The nonprofit organization behind a planned Shaolin temple in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood has less than a week to raise $24,000 or risk losing its property to a county tax lien sale.

For Sheldon Callahan, Master and executive director of Deep Root Center, the vacant lot near Inyo Avenue and East 26th Street represents far more than an empty parcel of land. He says it would break his heart to lose it.

"It was a lot of effort in order for us to acquire that parcel," Callahan said.

He intends to turn the property into a Shaolin temple, fulfilling a vision Buddhist monks brought with them when they arrived in Oakland nearly 20 years ago.

"The monks came here to start a temple. And so my job as the temple steward is to keep it going," Callahan said.

Callahan purchased the property in 2019.

"In the beginning, it was very affordable," he said.

But a few years later, Oakland implemented taxes on vacant land and property. In total, Callahan says the nonprofit's annual tax burden jumped from about $1,000 to $12,000.

"All the money that we had been saving and raising to break ground and start to build our temple now went to those taxes," he said.

Now, delinquent property taxes have put the land at risk. Alameda County could place a lien on the property, potentially leading to its sale.

Callahan believes the nonprofit should qualify for a tax exemption. However, he describes the application process for charitable organizations as complicated and says the exemption was not secured before the taxes became delinquent.

The organization must now come up with at least $24,000 to stop the sale and preserve the property.

"Our plan is to create an oasis here," Callahan said.

That vision includes meditation spaces, herb gardens, visiting masters from around the world, and martial arts training programs for children and adults.

For members, the project represents more than a future building.

"It's changed my health, but it really has changed my perspective," said Shereel Washington, a member of the center. "At the heart of Kung Fu ... it starts with your own self," she later added.

Some nearby residents who are not affiliated with the temple also hope the project succeeds.

"People come here to dump stolen cars," said neighbor Matt Steele, describing ongoing problems in the area.

Steele believes the temple could help transform the neighborhood.

"I imagine it would be a lot more revitalizing in terms of the community. I think it would help," he said.

The nonprofit has launched a crowdfunding campaign and has raised roughly a quarter of its goal so far. But with the deadline approaching, Callahan says time is running short.

"If we can get people to just give one dollar, if we can get 24,000 people, we can stop the sale," he said.

The Alameda County Assessor's Office confirmed it is processing the temple's request for a tax exemption but noted that such applications can take time and are not resolved overnight.