A space reimagined. A garden restored.

This is our first site. We're building the model here, with the people here.

Activating 3461

The California Hotel has long been part of West Oakland’s story. There was a time when the garden was a neighborhood staple, a place people gathered and grew together.
It’s been quiet for some time. We’re helping bring it back.

We're stewarding a 1,100-square-foot space and outdoor garden as a place for residents and the broader Oakland community to gather, learn, and build together.

What to expect

  • Monthly community meals and cultural gatherings

  • Hands-on workshops — cooking, gardening, wellness, and more

  • Garden stewardship days tending the outdoor space together

  • Partner programming from trusted local organizations

  • Civic and intergenerational conversations rooted in food and place

Resident priority note: If you live at the California Hotel, this space was built with you in mind. You have priority access to workshops, leadership roles, and the chance to help shape what happens here.

What we're learning here

This pilot is designed to prove something: that when trusted, flexible space is available and consistently activated, communities use it, and something real changes.

We're tracking participation, connection, resource access, and whether people keep coming back. What we learn here shapes how this model grows beyond one site.