The Village in Oakland

Grassroots & volunteer-run by unhoused, housing insecure and formally unhoused folks

First Responders Network

Whether it be the arson fires started by predators plaguing unhoused residents across Oakland; or a domestic violence situation; or a mental health crisis; or supporting residents during an eviction of a curbside community – the response to crisis is never ending.

Community members show up during a socially distance action demanding the mayor Libby Shafft use empty hotels to immediately house curbside residents during the pandemic. She refused. So we started our own hotel program.

Our First Responders are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to be on site when an emergency happens. 

We have a emergency text system that the public can join. The text system is activated when we need lots of bodies – usually that is for evictions (documenting, supporting folks, sometimes defending peoples homes), direct actions (moving onto empty land to build tiny house villages or defending a squat in our network), or calls to action (packing a city council meeting, flash mob at a politicians house). To join the emergency text system text HOMESNOW to 797979. You will be immediately added to the service.

  • Community members show up to stop the eviction of The Housing & Dignity Village.
  • Community members show up to try to stop the eviction of Union Point RV community.
  • Community members answering a call to show up at City Hall to protest the human rights violations city workers enact on Oakland’s unhoused residents.