The Downtown Alameda Autumn Wine Stroll is making its highly anticipated return on October 21st! This year, the Downtown Alameda Business Association (DABA) is teaming up with the All Good Living Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping vulnerable children in the Bay Area. They firmly believe that no child should go without the necessities needed for a healthy and happy life.

It’s important to address these issues, as they affect more families than we realize. By uniting the community and working together, the foundation aims to provide the essentials that these children desperately need. If you want to participate in the wine stroll or learn more information, you can visit bit.ly/alawinestroll2023 online.

In other news, the Alameda police have arrested someone who was suspected of robbing a bank. Officers responded to a report of a possible bank robbery and were told that an individual handed a note to a teller, demanding money while simulating being armed with a gun. The teller complied, and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money.

Fortunately, the bank’s staff was able to provide video footage and other evidence to aid in the investigation. The image of the suspect was sent out to all patrol units, and officers managed to locate and apprehend the unnamed individual without incident. The investigation is ongoing, and the police have not released any further details.

In transportation news, the Main Street Ferry Terminal in Alameda is set to undergo a renovation for over two months starting in late October. This temporary closure is necessary for the repair and replacement of the terminal’s aging infrastructure to comply with seismic safety requirements. During this period, downtown San Francisco-bound riders can utilize the Alameda Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal, while ferries to Chase Center and South San Francisco will only be available from the Oakland Ferry Terminal.

Unfortunately, the Alameda Short Hop route will be suspended during the closure. Operations at the Main Street terminal are scheduled to resume on January 2nd, serving the Oakland and Alameda, South San Francisco, Alameda Short Hop, Oracle Park, and Chase Center ferry routes. The renovations also include design elements that prepare the terminal for future fleet electrification needs. Once completed, passengers can expect more efficient ferry operations and modernized terminal lighting.

Lastly, there is an upcoming luxury event held in the heart of the Bay Area on historic Alameda Point called Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews. This event, taking place on Saturday from 12pm to 4pm, will feature California’s best wineries, spirits, breweries, gourmet foods, restaurants, and live music. All the proceeds from this fundraiser will directly benefit the Alameda Boys & Girls Club (ABGC).

ABGC is a non-profit organization that has been providing high-impact, affordable youth development programs and services for kids ages 6 to 18 since 1949. Their mission is to inspire and enable all youth, especially those who need the club most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.

If you’re interested in attending the Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews event or want more information, you can visit bit.ly/corksforks2023 online.

In a recent decision after a contested administrative hearing, an independent hearing officer has ruled that 150 units of former naval housing in Alameda are subject to the city’s rent control regulations. The landlord had argued that state law prevents the city from limiting rent increases for tenants at the Admirals Cove property. However, the hearing officer’s decision affirms that the city has the authority to regulate rent increases, as maintained by the rent program and several court cases.

As we can see, there are many exciting events, developments, and challenges taking place in Alameda. Whether it’s supporting local businesses, helping vulnerable children, improving transportation infrastructure, or addressing housing affordability, it’s essential for the community to come together and work towards a better future for everyone.

Bill Chapin, the director of Alameda’s rent program, emphasizes that the rent control limits imposed by the legislature were intended to only apply to newly constructed units that expand a city’s housing stock. Therefore, the Admirals Cove property apartments, which have been housing Alameda community members since the 1960s, are entitled to the full protections of the rent control ordinance.

Located on a 15-acre parcel between Alameda Landing and the city’s Main Street Ferry Terminal, the Admirals Cove property consists of renovated townhomes. These buildings were originally constructed in 1969 to accommodate personnel stationed at the nearby Naval Air Station Alameda and their families. In 2017, the U.S. government auctioned off the vacant buildings and the parcel, with developer Carmel Partners of San Francisco winning the bid. Carmel Partners then proceeded to renovate the units and began leasing them to tenants in October 2019.

From September 2019 onwards, Alameda’s rent control ordinance has enforced an annual cap on rent increases known as the annual general adjustment (AGA). The AGA is calculated at 70% of the change in the Consumer Price Index and currently stands at 2.9% as of September 1. While certain provisions of the rent control ordinance, such as registration requirements and restrictions on “no-fault” terminations of tenancy, apply to all rental units in Alameda, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prevents local governments from imposing an AGA limit on specific housing units. These include units built after February 1995 and units that can be individually purchased, such as single-family homes and condominiums.

Alameda’s rent control ordinance plays a central role in the city’s commitment to protecting and preserving affordable housing. City Attorney Yibin Shen affirms the dedication of the City Attorney’s Office, including the rent program, to justly enforcing state and local housing laws in order to maintain Alameda as an inclusive community that people from all backgrounds and income levels can call home.

If residents of Admirals Cove or any other rental property in Alameda have questions regarding rent increases they have received, they can contact the rent program staff at 510-747-7520 or rentprogram@alamedaca.gov for further information.

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