Open Letter Alleging Racism At The East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation

Open Letter Alleging Racism At The East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation

By Lynda Carson

August 13, 2014

Below is the copy of a letter I received on August 5, 2014 at my home address. It is postmarked August 4, 2014, and the letter itself is dated July 28, 2014. It has an upside down Forever stamp on it of Jimi Hendrix, and it is postmarked in the City of Oakland.

The typed letter is directed to myself and: cc: NAACP, Oakland: ---- Attorney John Burris:

The unsigned letter appears to be from an employee of the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), who wants the plight of African Americans to be known regarding their employment experience with EBALDC, a wealthy nonprofit development corporation located downtown Oakland.

Based upon information and belief, I believe the letter to be authentic, and that it truly is from an employee of EBALDC who wants to bring attention to the plight of African Americans working for the nonprofit housing developer.

The website for EBALDC is http://www.ebaldc.org

See a copy of the letter below: Below the letter is a job recruiting message posted by EBALDC on Craig's List during 2008: Below the job recruiting message posted on Craig's List, is a Mission Statement of EBALDC and an archived link from their website during 2002.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

See copy of letter below...

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July 28, 2014

Linda Carson
(home address blanked out)

cc: NAACP, Oakland
Attorney John Burris


Dear Ms. Carson

Racism is alive and well at East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation also known as EBALDC. I am an employee of EBALDC and I have read your blogs on tenant relations and for that reason I am reaching out to you to bring awareness to our situation here. We don't have anyone that cares about us here at EBALDC and it is obvious by what they have said and done that they do not want us African Americans here. It needs to be brought to the attention of someone that EBALDC practices harassment, favoritism, deception, bullying and retaliation towards African American employees. EBALDC wants its culture of Asian and Pacific Islanders to be the only staff at EBALDC. Let me tell you why?

Joshua Simon was hired to EBALDC as the Executive Director on April 1, 2013. He quickly hired Charise Fong as the Chief Operating Officer and discouraged any other staff to apply for that position. It was well known that an internal African American wanted to apply for the position. The position was never posted which was unfair to outside candidates. Under their leadership, this is how many African American's have left EBALDC or have been fired.

1) African American Director of Property Management resigned with a severance package after only working for EBALDC for six months.

2) African American long-time male Property Supervisor resigned sometime in September 2013. He was not promoted to an associate position in spite of his years of service with this organization. A white female was hired as the Director of Property Management.

3) African American male was promoted into the supervisory role in October 2013. However he resigned after holding the position for only 3 months and he left without having another job.

4) African American Property Manager resigned in April of 2014. She was having problems with Janis Yan who consistently yelled, belittled, and disrespected her. She resigned because she could no longer take the abuse.

5) Two African American management staff was terminated on April 11, 2014 for cause. From what I recently heard, they were not given due process and were not given a coach to work with them. However, since March 2014 a coach has been hired to work with Executive Director, Joshua Simon who is a Caucasian. He was not terminated for poor performance and was given due process.

6) African American Assistant Property Manager resigned on July 11, 2014.

7) An African American Property Manager has been out on worker's comp. for several weeks due to stress and working within a hostile work environment.

8) An African American Administrative Assistant has been out on worker's comp. since February 2014 for stress.

9) An African American worker has been out on worker's compensation for over six months for stress.

10) Another recent African American Property Manager has been out on worker's compensation for the past several weeks due to stress.

I have been told that the African American Human Resources Director brought all of this to the attention of the Executive Director, Joshua Simon. I have been told that the African American Human Resources Director brought to the attention of Charise Fong, the Chief Operating Officer that her Associated Director, Janis Yan yells, intimidates, screams, harasses the African American staff and the Chief Operating Officer supported this behavior. African Americans have discussed filing a class action lawsuit and EBALDC is aware of this and have done nothing to make changes. There are only a few of us left and we hear that we are next. We can't make decisions, we are micromanaged, and we have no one to talk to about our concerns. The previous Human Resources Director was trying to make changes and she was quickly fired for trying to help and support us. Now we are watched more, treated differently and have been put under a microscope for far too long. I thought this was 2014; we have an African American President. Maybe that that is why we have been treated so poorly.... We need this brought to someone's attention so people are aware of how EBALDC treats it's African American staff.

I am not a disgruntled employee; I am an employee that wants justice for my fallen African American co-workers and I want the abuse to stop. Some of the other African American staff are afraid to speak up because this is their first job, they have limited education, they have children to support and they live on property and don't have to pay rent so they don't speak up. Do your research and you can find out for yourself how many EEOC complaints have been filed against EBALDC by African American staff recently. Also check with the Labor Board to find out how they change hourly staff timecards when they work overtime and withhold pay which is illegal. EBALDC receives government funding, money from donors, banks and investors. They also receive tax credits from the Oakland Housing Authority. I wonder how these funders would feel if they knew their dollars funded unfair, racist practices, and how many African American's have quit or been fired and how this continues to this day. Just three days ago, Janis Yan was seen running through the office looking for an employee that is on worker's compensation. Why, just to harass her for being off work.

Now I know you can't do anything about this abuse. But if you can bring to light our plight in your blog, maybe someone will pay attention and check out what I am saying. The truth does not lie. There are several EEOC complaints filed and more coming. Something needs to be done about EBALDC. I know their mission in the past was to help their culture. However, take a good look and see who is occupying the properties that EBALDC owns. You should know as you reside in one of the properties.

Think about it.


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(Below is the copy of a job recruiting posting by EBALDC on Craigs List from 2008)

Assistant Property Manager Part-time 25hrs/wk

Reply to: see below

Date: 2008-10-29, 11:17AM PDT

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/rej/898182293.html

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) is a community development corporation that develops affordable housing and community facilities with integrated services focused on tenants and neighborhood residents, with emphasis on Asian Pacific Islander communities and the diverse low-income populations of the East Bay. (Visit http://www.ebaldc.org for more information.)

EBALDC is seeking an Assistant Property Manager to assist with the management of a multi-family complex in San Pablo, CA. The ideal candidate will be experienced in dealing with low-income, and diverse populations.

The Assistant Manager is responsible for operating the complex in accordance with Tax Credit, and EBALDC administrative guidelines to ensure effective fiscal, physical and social soundness. The Assistant Manager should take initiative to seek solutions to problems unique to the complex and supervise employees in a manner requiring minimum supervision from the Property Manager.

The ideal candidate will possess basic knowledge of bookkeeping, be computer literate in Yardi, and proficient in Microsoft Word, and Excel. Must be able to problem solve with staff and residents. Have knowledge of TACA, HOME, MHP and PBV (Project Base Vouches) housing programs. Have good written and verbal communication skills. Ability to interact with a wide variety of people - personnel, residents, local agencies, contractors, and owner and ability to take initiative and think independently.

Benefits:

EBALDC offers excellent benefits. EBALDC pays 100% of employee premiums and 45% of dependent premiums for Medical, Dental, Vision, Alternative Health, LTD and Life, FSA, EAP, Retirement(3% match contribution, 2% discretionary contribution), paid Vacation, Sick and Holiday time for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.

Application procedures: (Recruit Wizard)

To apply please clink on the link or copy and paste the link into you web browser's address bar and apply online:

https://home.eease.com/recruit/?id=36490

EBALDC is an EOE/AA Employer

• Compensation: DOE

• This is at a non-profit organization.

• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.

• Please, no phone calls about this job!

• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
PostingID: 898182293

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(Below is a paragraph from the EBALDC mission statement during 2002)

Mission Statement:
The East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation is a community economic development organization dedicated to the betterment of the East Bay community, particularly the low-income and Asian and Pacific Islander population, through development of physical, human and economic assets for individuals and community organizations.

Click on link/s below...

http://tinyurl.com/mf9hhtt

http://web.archive.org/web/20020724162520/http://www.ebaldc.org/organization/mission.htm

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Note: Lynda Carson resides in a property in Oakland that is owned by the Ivy Hill Development Corporation, not by EBALDC.

For what it's worth: Ivy Hill Development Corporation is an affiliate of EBALDC, and EBALDC is the controlling entity of Ivy Hill Development Corporation. Oddly enough, the maintenance men working for Ivy Hill Development Corporation at the location I reside at wear shirts that say "EBALDC" in very large letters on their shirts. It appears that there has been an illegal mixing of funds going on for years between the Ivy Hill Development Corporation, and EBALDC. Additionally, for many years all of the employees, managers, property managers, property supervisors, and maintenance men that work for Ivy Hill Development Corporation at the location that I reside at all behave as though they work for EBALDC, not Ivy Hill Development Corporation. The culture of impersonating EBALDC employees where I reside at is so pervasive that most residents believe that the employees from Ivy Hill Development Corporation, actually work for EBALDC.

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

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