Urban Strategies Council
Missions and Goals
To eliminate persistent poverty by working with partners to transform low-income neighborhoods into vibrant, healthy communities.
Urban Strategies Council is a community building support and advocacy organization located in Oakland, California. Founded as a non-profit organization in 1987, the Council works with stakeholders in low-income communities, community-based organizations, and public systems to expand services for children and families, improve health, educational and other outcomes, and increase employment and economic opportunities.
Population Served
Urban Strategies Council works primarily in the Bay Area. The Council's approach to its support work is focused on working with community stakeholders to build strategies and capacities (including our own) for effective collective action. The Council works to build partnerships and alliances across a wide array of community interests. At the same time, the Council takes leadership in identifying issues that impact urban communities, building understanding of the issues and crafting agenda for addressing those issues.
Languages
English
Spanish
Organization Information
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Main Office
Address: 672 13th St, Oakland, 94612
Phone: (510) 893-2404
Website: www.urbanstrategies.org
Main Contact:
Contact: Program Coordinator Lisa Forti
Location: 672 13th St Oakland 94612
Email: lisaf at urbanstrategies.org
Phone: (510)463-2882
Fax: (510)893-6657
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Parking
- Paid Lot - Free on Street Public Transportation
- Accessible by AC Transit. - Accessible by Bart. - Destination: Broadway & 13th Directions from Transit: From 12 St/City Center BART, walk down the City Center mall, then cross the street, keep walking straight for 2 more blocks, through the Dellums Federal buildings and you will hit the Park entrance- open gates, we are on the right near the fountain.
Hours:
Monday - Friday By Appointment |
Services Offered
Delivery Method | |
| Benefits Enrollment Assistance with and enrollment in income support programs such as Food Stamps, Medi-Cal, and the self-sufficiency calculator Click for Details hello's: | Coaching Phone Call |
| Tax Preparation and EITC Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites perform free tax preparation for low-income people and assistance in determining eligibility for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit Click for Details Urban Strategies Council sits on the Steering Committee of the Earn It Keep It Save It Campaign and from 2002 to 2008 was the data collection and analysis partner for the campaign, helping sites with reporting and publishing the results. |
Delivery Method | |
| Foreclosure Prevention and Counseling Counseling and planning for payments and loan terms in order to help prevent foreclosure Click for Details Urban Strategies Council launched the Oakland Community Land Trust to preserve affordable home ownership opportunities in Oakland. Visit www.OakCLT.org for more information. The Council also develops borrower and provider resources including a Bay Area Foreclosure Resource List, "Watch Out for Foreclosure Scams", and a Foreclosure Process Timeline, to help prevent foreclosure and address the crisis. | Phone Call |
Delivery Method | |
| Predatory Lending Information about predatory financial products and services (e.g. payday loans, check cashing, sub-prime loans) including non-predatory alternatives. Advocacy for victims of predatory financial practices Click for Details Research into best practices and ways to provide transactional services without predatory services | Appointment |
| Community Economic Development Education on the relationship between residents, business, development, and government; how people can invest back into their communities and participate in processes that affect their families and neighbors Click for Details Urban Strategies Council provides strategic and technical support to communities seeking benefits from economic development including jobs, housing, and health outcomes. | |
| OTHER Click for Details Urban Strategies Council develops policy recommendations and positions in the core areas of Economic Opportunity, Community Safety and Justice, and Education Excellence. Urban Strategies Council supports community organizing through strategic and technical assistance. |