Oakland's Cesar Chavez Library faces potential eviction due to unpaid rent
A beloved community resource in Oakland's Fruitvale District, the Cesar Chavez Library, may soon face eviction over a dispute regarding unpaid rent.
Veronica Bravo-Sanchez, a long-time patron of the library, has been coming to the library since it first opened in 2004. Now, with children of her own, she continues to bring her family to check out Spanish-language books on a monthly basis.
"They go to a Spanish immersion school, so that's how important it is for us," said Bravo-Sanchez, emphasizing the significance of the library's collection to her children's education.
Bravo-Sanchez also stressed the importance for her 5-year-old twin daughters to learn about their culture and heritage. Many families in the Fruitvale District come from Latin America.
According to city officials, the Cesar Chavez Library holds the largest collection of Spanish-language books in Oakland's public library system.
However, the library's future is now in jeopardy. The Unity Council, a non-profit organization that serves as the library's landlord, claims the city has failed to negotiate a new lease or pay rent since the original agreement expired in 2023.
"We're at a standstill with the city, there hasn't been much movement, and I think that's kind of the frustrating part," said Chris Iglesias, CEO of the Unity Council.
Tarshel Beards is the community relations manager for the Oakland Public Library. In a statement, she wrote, "The City and The Unity Council have been discussing terms of a lease extension since 2023 and have not agreed on a new base rent amount."
Iglesias said the initial lease deal, struck when the library was being built more than two decades ago, granted the city free rent for 20 years.
Beards said it wasn't 20 years of free rent.
She explained, "In 2002, at the start of the lease, the City pre-paid The Unity Council 20 years of advance 'base rent' payments totaling $4.5 million. The City provided this advanced payment so that The Unity Council could develop and construct the actual library building and the Fruitvale Transit Village project, which was a new mixed-used development at that time as part of the City's redevelopment efforts to improve public library services for Fruitvale residents and enhance the financial feasibility of the Fruitvale Transit Village project as a whole."
Iglesias said the library occupies approximately 15,000 square feet. He estimated the current market rent for the space would be between $40,000 and $50,000 per month.
"This isn't about maximizing profit, it's about being fair," Iglesias said. "We are willing to negotiate a below-market rent for them."
Beards said she hoped the city and The Unity Council will pick up lease extension discussions soon. Oakland is currently grappling with a budget deficit of approximately $130 million.
If the situation is not resolved soon, the Unity Council is prepared to proceed with eviction.
"They have a lot of good books. And I love this library. So I hope they don't take it down," said 7-year-old Jeilani Missouri, a frequent visitor to the library. Her mother, Leilani King, echoed the sentiment, adding, "For this community, the reading scores are really low, so the library is very helpful."
The prospect of losing the library has left many residents dismayed. Bravo-Sanchez, like many in the community, fears the impact this would have on local families.
"I don't think we would be prepared to lose this. It would be a huge loss," she said.
In an effort to push the city into action, the Unity Council plans to issue a 30-day notice to the city. This notice will require the city either to come to the negotiating table or prepare to vacate the premises.
As the clock ticks down, neighbors like Bravo-Sanchez hope that both sides can reach a resolution that will allow the Cesar Chavez Library to remain a cornerstone of the Fruitvale District for years to come.
