“Residents often don’t know who is responsible for an unresolved issue or whether the person handling it will still be employed when they follow up.” California Hotel resident
Tenants not notified about transition
Two residents living at affected EBALDC properties told Oakland Voices they did not receive notice of the change.
A California Hotel resident said he did not recall receiving a clear explanation of how management was changing, how unresolved complaints would be transferred, or who would remain accountable. The resident, who requested anonymity due to concerns concerning retaliation, said repeated staff turnover had already disrupted communication and maintenance at the West Oakland building.
“Residents often don’t know who is responsible for an unresolved issue or whether the person handling it will still be employed when they follow up,” he said.
Winn recruits regional management
Winn is currently advertising three senior positions connected to Oakland and the East Bay. Regional positions include a vice president, property manager, and maintenance manager. Salaries range from $78,000 to $160,000.
The regional vice president would oversee about 3,000 units in Northern California. The regional maintenance manager would oversee properties in Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda. The position requires travel to Oakland, Emeryville and San Pablo.
Winn posted the positions on Aug. 10 and Aug. 13. While the timing, responsibilities, and locations align with the EBALDC transition, it is unclear if the positions were created for the new contract.
WinnResidential is the property-management division of WinnCompanies. According to the company, Winn and its affiliates operate in 28 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Winn’s spokesperson said it at present manages 221 apartment communities across 106 California cities and towns.
Winn has operated through California entities for more than a decade. State filings connect Winn to two California companies, LLAM Realty Management, Inc. and SKWR Management Corp. through a Fresno office and Boston-based executives.
From community organizing to community development
EBALDC describes itself as “Oakland’s largest affordable housing provider.” The organization emerged from Oakland Chinatown’s anti-displacement movement 50 years ago. Today, more than 4,000 people live in more than 2,000 EBALDC units.
The California Hotel, San Pablo Hotel, Madison Park Apartments, Frank G. Mar Apartments, Margaret Gordon Westport, and several senior-housing developments are among its Oakland locations. The California Hotel and San Pablo Hotel each have nine affected employees.
In 2008, California Hotel residents organized to remain after Oakland Community Housing Inc. sought to empty the building as the John Stewart Co. withdrew from property management.
EBALDC acquired the property in 2011 and rehabilitated it, reopening in 2014. Built in 1929, the California Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Jazz and blues greats once performed at the hotel, according to the EBALDC website.
EBALDC provides housing for low-income families, seniors, and formerly unhoused residents. In an official note on the organization’s website, EBALDC said its resident-services programs will remain with the nonprofit.
EBALDC experiencing financial pressures
EBALDC did not disclose the number of layoffs in its public announcement about the transition to Winn. The statement said affordable-housing providers face rising costs and went on the change would give it “the infrastructure to absorb these costs more efficiently.”
“We explored many possible options, and though a difficult decision, this is the best path that ensures we are able to continue serving our community,” EBALDC said in the statement.
The outsourcing follows other financial problems in EBALDC’s portfolio.
While expenses increased, eBALDC’s tax filings show that its revenue peaked at $30.8 million in 2020 before falling to approximately $19.5 million by 2023. The nonprofit reported combined deficits of concerning $8.1 million in 2022 and 2023, and its audited statements show bad-debt expenses surged as the organization warned that the pandemic could delay rent collections and loan payments.
Earlier this year, unhoused residents complained they were left waiting for months to move into the Phoenix in West Oakland.
In 2025, the Oakland City Council forgave two loans totalling $8 million in principal and about $1.76 million in interest. The loans were for two EBALDC-affiliate properties operating at a loss: Eastlake Apartments and Highland Palms. The loans were to facilitate a sale to another owner.
City staff attributed the losses to vacancies, deferred maintenance and operating expenses that exceeded revenue. Neither property appears in the WARN notice. Staff described EBALDC’s broader Oakland portfolio as generally stable, but noted risks with aging developments owned by EBALDC.
EBALDC also received two pandemic-era PPP loans totaling almost $3.8 million—one in 2020 and another in 2021—which were subsequently forgiven under the program’s payroll protection provisions.
When it reported $33.15 million in revenue, $30.9 million in expenses and a surplus of approximately $2.25 million, eBALDC’s finances improved in 2024.
EBALDC employed 182 people at the end of 2024, according to its most lately posted tax filing, and the nonprofit held $140 million in assets.
A.I. Disclosure: This story idea emerged during an AI and investigativejournalism workshop at the 2026 National Black Journalists Convention (NABJ) in Atlanta, GA. The reporter used ChatGPT to assist organize reporting questions and analyze and cross-check public records. The reporter then independently reviewed all documents, conducted interviews, verified the information, and wrote the article. A human editor reviewed the story before publication.
