By Tanu Henry and
Edward Henderson
California Black Media
As California’s 2026 gubernato-
rial contest takes shape, candidates
are offering competing visions to
address the state’s most persistent
challenges.
Tom Steyer, a billionaire inves-
tor and activist, says his campaign
is focused on affordability and
structural imbalances in the state’s
economy.
In a recent interview with Cal-
ifornia Black Media, Steyer dis -
cussed how his policies would
shape his approach to governing.
How would you address the af-
fordability crisis?
Californians cannot afford to
live in California. They can’t afford
the rent. Electricity prices are about
twice the national average. If we
lower the cost of housing and utili-
ties, we start to relieve the pressure.
How do you respond to con -
cerns about campaign finance
reform, considering you are a
wealthy candidate?
I have an unfair advantage but,
ultimately, it’s about the message.
If you don’t have a message, it
doesn’t matter how much money
you spend. Corporate PAC money
should be banned.
You support expanding free ed-
ucation from preschool through
community college. How would
you ensure that this policy is sus-
tainable?
I’m very specific about raising
$15 to $20 billion a year by clos-
ing corporate tax loopholes like the
corporate real estate loophole and
the “water’s edge” loophole that
lets companies shift profits over -
seas. If we bring that revenue back
to the state, we can invest in educa-
tion that builds opportunity over the
long term.
You’ve singled out utility giants
as part of the state’s affordability
problem. What actions would you
support to hold them accountable
and reduce energy costs?
They charge Californians rough-
ly twice the national average for
electricity. The only way to lower
those prices is to take on the monop-
oly and break the system that allows
them to keep charging so much.
What policies would your ad -
ministration pursue to close the
racial wealth gap and expand eco-
nomic opportunities for Black
Californians?
I started a nonprofit communi-
ty bank out of Oakland to undo the
structural redlining that has gone on
in California for decades, really for
a century.
That bank makes low-income
housing loans, used-car loans, busi-
ness loans and nonprofit loans be-
cause, in order for people to build
wealth, they need access to capi -
tal, and that access has been denied
structurally to Black and Brown
communities.
There’s also been all this DEI
criticism. People say you can’t hire
with race or ethnicity in mind. Yet,
at our bank, we hire the best peo-
ple, and it has resulted in a diverse
workforce.
You have linked systemic rac-
ism to criminal justice reform ef-
forts. How would you address ra-
cial bias, reduce mass incarcera-
tion, and improve rehabilitation
outcomes?
California is coming out of a pe-
riod where the incarceration sys -
tem was incredibly racial and rac-
ist, and we’ve worked hard to push
reforms that address that. We abso-
lutely want safe streets and police
officers who protect our communi-
ties, but we also believe strongly in
treatment and rehabilitation instead
of incarceration for many nonvio-
lent offenders. The goal should be
to help people reenter society suc-
cessfully.
What sets you apart as the can-
didate best positioned to lead Cali-
fornians across diverse communi-
ties?
I’m the only person in this race
who represents working people and
who is willing to go get the money
we need by taking on powerful cor-
porate interests. The only question I
ask is what’s good for working Cal-
ifornians, not what’s good for me.
postnewsgroup.comTHE POST, March 11 - 17, 2026 Page 6
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN ORDINANCE, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION:
(1) AMENDING TITLE 17 OF THE OAKLAND MUNICIPAL CODE (THE PLANNING CODE) TO (A) AMEND CHAPTER 17.96 S-14 HOUSING SITES COMBINING ZONE TO UPDATE
THE DEFINITION OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND TO INCLUDE A CONDITIONAL USE PROCEDURE FOR NON-HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS; AND (B) UPDATE “WORK/ LIVE” AND “LIVE/WORK” RESIDENTIAL TO NON-RESIDENTIAL UNIT AREA, AS REFERENCED THROUGHOUT TITLE 17, TO CORRESPOND WITH REVISION TO THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE AND OAKLAND BUILDING CODE REGULATIONS; AND (2) MAKING APPROPRIATE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FINDINGS.
This Ordinance serves to amend Oakland Municipal Code Chapter 17.96 to add a conditional use permit procedure and no net loss/surplus sites findings for non-residential projects located in the Housing Sites Combining Zone, and to add new uniform standards consistent with the Oakland Building Code for residential and nonresidential floor area in work/live and live/work units. The Council also found that the above actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, and passed to print 7 Ayes; 1 Absent: Jenkins. Final adoption has been scheduled for the Special City Council meeting Tuesday evening March 16, 2026, 3:30 P .M., at One Frank H.
Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
Publication Date: Friday, March 13, 2026.
(One Time)
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN ORDINANCE, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION:
(1) AMENDING TITLE 17 OF THE OAKLAND MUNICIPAL CODE (THE PLANNING CODE) TO ADD CHAPTER 17.86 S-8 ABUNDANT AND AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR TRANSIT (SENATE BILL 79) COMBINING ZONE REGULATIONS IDENTIFYING SITES ELIGIBLE AND INELIGIBLE OR EXCLUDED FROM THE SENATE BILL 79 PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS;
(2) MAKING RELATED OAKLAND ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS TO DESIGATE PARCELS WITHIN THE S-8 COMBINGING ZONE AND TO IDENTIFY WHETHER SUCH DESIGNATED PARCELS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OR EXCLUDED FROM THE SENATE BILL 79 PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS;
(3) MAKING APPROPRIATE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FINDINGS.
This Ordinance serves to locally implement the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act (SB 79) by adding a new S-8 combining zone to the Oakland Planning Code. The combining zone serves to identify areas of the City that constitute transit-oriented development zones as defined under the state law, identify sites eligible for upzoning under the law, and designate sites as excluded pursuant to one or more of the exclusion provisions provided in the law under Government Code Section 65912.161(b). The Ordinance also enacts zoning maps consistent with the combining zone. The Ordinance is statutory exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, and passed to print 6 Ayes; 1 Abstained: Fife; 1 Absent: Gallo. Final adoption has been scheduled for the Special City Council meeting Tuesday evening March 16, 2026, 3:30 P .M., at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
Publication Date: Friday, March 13, 2026. (One Time)
Sponsored by J.P. Morgan
Wealth Management
As a college student, manag -
ing financial responsibilities can
be stressful.
If you’ve found yourself stay -
ing up late thinking about your
finances or just feeling anxious
overall about your financial fu -
ture, you’re not alone. In one sur-
vey, 78% of college students who
reported financial stress had nega-
tive impacts on their mental health,
and 59% considered dropping out.
While finances can impact overall
stress, taking steps to manage your
finances can support your mental,
emotional and physical well-be -
ing.
When it comes to money, the
sources of stress may look differ-
ent for each student, but identify-
ing the underlying causes and set-
ting goals accordingly may help
you feel more confident about your
financial future.
Consider these strategies to
help improve your financial well-
ness and reduce stress.
1. Understand what causes
financial stress
While everyone’s financial sit-
uation is unique, several common
sources of stress have the poten -
tial to strain your financial health.
These include financial and eco -
nomic uncertainty, existing debts,
unexpected expenses, and mental
or physical health changes. Finan-
cial stress may differ from situa -
tion to situation, but understanding
the factors contributing to yours
may help you begin to craft a plan
for your unique circumstances.
2. Determine your financial
priorities
Start by reflecting on your fi -
nancial priorities. For students this
often includes paying for school or
paying off student loans, studying
abroad, saving for spring break,
building an emergency fund, pay-
ing down credit card debt or buy-
ing a car. Name the milestones that
are most important to you, and
plan accordingly.
3. Create a plan and stick to it
While setting actionable goals
starts you on the journey to bet -
ter financial health, it’s essential
to craft a plan to follow through.
Identifying and committing to
a savings plan may give you a
greater sense of control over your
finances, which may help reduce
your stress. Creating and stick-
ing to a budget allows you to bet-
ter track where your money is go-
ing so you may spend less and save
more.
4. Pay down debt
Many students have some form
of debt and want to make progress
toward reducing their debt obliga-
tions. One option is the debt ava-
lanche method, which focuses on
paying off your debt with the high-
est interest rate first, then moving
on to the debt with the next-high-
est interest rate. Another is the debt
snowball method, which builds
momentum by paying off your
smallest debt balance, and then
working your way up to the larg-
est amounts.
5. Build your financial resilience
Some financial stress may be
inevitable, but building financial
resilience may allow you to over-
come obstacles more easily. The
more you learn about managing
your money, for instance, the more
prepared you’ll feel if the unex -
pected happens. Growing your
emergency savings also may in -
crease resilience since you’ll be
more financially prepared to cover
unexpected expenses or pay your
living expenses.
6. Seek help and support
Many colleges have resourc -
es to help students experiencing
financial stress, like financial lit -
eracy courses or funds that pro -
vide some assistance for students
in need. Talk to your admissions
counselor or advisor about your
concerns, and they can direct
you to sources of support. Your
school’s counseling center can
also be a great resource for mental
health assistance if you’re strug -
gling with financial stress.
The bottom line
Financial stress can affect col-
lege students’ health and wellbe-
ing, but it doesn’t have to derail
your dreams. Setting smart finan-
cial goals and developing simple
plans to achieve them may help
ease your stress. Revisit and ad -
just your plan as needed to ensure
it continues to work for you, and
seek additional support on cam -
pus as needed to help keep you on
track.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Member FDIC
© 2026 JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College Q&A With Billionaire Tom Steyer: ‘The Only Question I
Ask Is What’s Good for Working Californians’
Treatment Not Tents: Gov.
Newsom Announces New Funding
for Local Communities to Fight
Homelessness
Photo courtesy JPMorgan Chase.
Tom Steyer.
By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
On March 2, Gov. Gavin New-
som announced $291 million in
new funding to help local commu-
nities expand housing and behav-
ioral health services for people ex-
periencing homelessness, while
introducing new accountability
measures tied to the state’s mental
health treatment program.
State officials said the fund -
ing will support supportive hous-
ing, treatment services and home-
lessness prevention efforts as Cali-
fornia works to move more people
off the streets and into care. The
announcement comes as the state
reports a 9% drop in unsheltered
homelessness, the first statewide
decline in more than 15 years.
The funding is part of Califor-
nia’s implementation of the Com-
munity Assistance, Recovery, and
Empowerment Act, known as the
CARE Act, which allows courts
to connect people living with un-
treated schizophrenia and other
psychotic disorders with treatment
plans, housing and social services.
“Care and accountability go
hand in hand — full stop,” said
Newsom in a statement. “Through
CARE Court, we have seen inspira-
tional stories of recovery and resil-
ience, but many counties continue
to lag behind their peers.”
Under the CARE Court system,
family members, first responders
or mental health professionals can
petition a civil court to help indi-
viduals access treatment and hous-
ing services. The program began in
several counties in 2023 and was
expanded statewide by the end of
2024.
According to state officials,
more than 3,800 CARE petitions
have been filed, and more than
4,000 people have been connected
with services through diversions
that helped them access care with-
out going through the court process.
As part of the announcement,
Newsom recognized several coun-
ties as “CARE Champions” for
strong implementation of the pro-
gram, including Alameda Coun -
ty, Marin County and San Mateo
County.
The governor also identified
counties receiving additional sup-
port to improve implementation,
including Los Angeles County, Or-
ange County and San Francisco
County.
The $291 million package in -
cludes $131.8 million through the
state’s Homekey+ initiative to cre-
ate 443 housing units for people ex-
periencing homelessness and be -
havioral health challenges. Another
$159 million will go to local gov-
ernments through the state’s Home-
less Housing, Assistance and Pre-
vention program.