Street Crime is Destroying Oakland's Economy

From the restaurant industry to the real estate market, commerce in Oakland, California is dying

In September, dozens of Oakland small business owners held a press conference in front of Le Cheval, a beloved downtown French-Vietnamese restaurant. The restaurant was shutting its doors after nearly four decades in business, unable to attract customers due to out-of-control street crime in the city. A Brazilian steakhouse on the same block as Le Cheval also closed on the same day and for the same reason. The small shopkeepers, gas station franchisees, and restaurant owners had gathered to announce a one-day business strike to bring attention to the impact of rampant crime on the local economy.

“Every day we struggle with not wanting to lay off our employees,” said Derreck Johnson, owner of Home of Chicken and Waffles. Wearing a black t-shirt reading “Black Owned Business,” Johnson told the audience that he had been coming to Le Cheval since childhood. His grandparents celebrated birthdays there. Now he was wondering whether to close his restaurant, too.

“I had a group from Miami get robbed at gunpoint on a Saturday afternoon, all their jewelry taken,” he said. “That should not be my priority. That should not be my job, to make sure that my customers are safe while they’re walking the streets in Oakland.”

During the first week of October alone, Oakland had 31 reported gunpoint robberies, bringing the total to 1282 for this year. That’s a 43% rise over a year ago. Vehicle thefts are up nearly 50%; home invasions by 65%.

The consequences for local businesses have been catastrophic.