Greg McConnell Of Oakland Jobs And Housing Coalition On OBOT
ONN – Greg McConnell Of Oakland Jobs And Housing Coalition On Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT)
Greg McConnell is the executive director of the Oakland Jobs And Housing Coalition (https://www.jobsandhousing.com). The Oakland Jobs And Housing Coalition is described this way online: “Jobs and Housing Coalition (JHC) is a non-profit corporation consisting of senior executives of major companies in Oakland, California. JHC works to create better jobs, quality housing, great retail, and new commerce to help Oakland realize all of its potential and make it a great place to live, work, and play.”
McConnell explained that the way the organization started was “way back when (then Oakland Mayor now former California Governor) Jerry Brown had the 10k plan to build to bring the housing for 10,000 housing units for them and there were
just at that time a few guys like Mike Ghielmetti (of Signature Properties) and John Protopappas (of Madison Park Financial) who were really committed and trusted that Oakland is a good place to invest. So we brought them together and said look you need to work as a group, otherwise the opposition will (politically) pick you off, one by one.”
His organization is a major proponent of the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal, or “OBOT.”
In this 39 minutes Zennie62 YouTube Livestream interview, McConnell tells Zennie62Media’s Zennie Abraham why the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal is important in the development of basic jobs in Oakland. He also talks about how Oakland – and Oakland’s politics and economics and economic development – has changed.
Greg McConnell Talks OBOT And City Of Oakland Falsehoods
McConnell also discusses many of the myths and falsehoods that have been attached to the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal project, which is part of the Oakland Army Base Restoration Redevelopment that Oakland Developer Phil Tagami won the right to do in 2009. One of those falsehoods is that Oakland didn’t know that by “multi-commodity,” it meant that OBOT would be carry iron ore, sulphur, and coal – especially coal. Indeed, Oakland did know this, and as far back at 2009, not 2015.
Overall, McConnell, a long-time Oakland businessman, gives us a unique view of how Oakland’s changed with respect to business and economic development, and in the process, formed a void of basic jobs that was created in the rush to build a tech industry. McConnell believes OBOT is a major key to bringing back that much needed set of basic jobs to Oakland.
Stay tuned.
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