3 Arrested During Eviction Of Moms 4 Housing Group

DUBLIN, CA — Alameda County sheriff's deputies arrested two women and a man early Tuesday morning during their eviction of the group Moms 4 Housing that had been occupying a home in West Oakland since November, a sheriff's spokesman said. They were booked into Santa Rita jail in Dublin, where reporters waited for their release Tuesday afternoon.

Moms 4 Housing group live-streamed the eviction from the home at 2929 Magnolia St. shortly before 6 a.m.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly called it "not your typical eviction," given the high amount of community and media interest in the occupation of the home since Nov. 18.

The Southern California-based real estate investment firm Wedgewood Properties had purchased the home, which had been vacant for two years, at a foreclosure auction on July 31.

An Alameda County Superior Court judge on Friday ruled that the women had no valid claim of possession of the home, which was to be evicted at some point by the end of this week.

Kelly said the doors of the home had been fortified by the group, prompting deputies to use a ram to enter early Tuesday. Inside, the two women and man agreed to be arrested peacefully, he said.

Moms 4 Housing issued a statement following their eviction and the three arrests.

"We've heard from people all over the world who are inspired by our nonviolent civil disobedience," Dominique Walker, one of the mothers being evicted, said in the statement.

"People who say that our action has shifted their perspective and helped them understand that housing is a human right. We've built a movement of thousands of Oaklanders who showed up at a moment's notice to reject police violence and advocate for homes for families," Walker said. "This
isn't over, and it won't be over until everyone in the Oakland community has a safe and dignified place to live."

Wedgewood spokesman Sam Singer said the company "is pleased the illegal occupation of its Oakland home has ended peacefully."The company plans to work with the nonprofit Shelter 37 to
renovate the home and will be "giving opportunities to at-risk Oakland youths and splitting the profits with the nonprofit so that other youths may benefit," Singer said.

He said, "The solution to Oakland's housing crisis is not the redistribution of citizens' homes through illegal break-ins and seizures by squatters."

Patch Editor Courtney Teague contributed to this report.

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