Phil Matier: Oakland's Identity Changing Amid Tech Boom
OAKLAND (KCBS) – While there have been many complaints about the rising cost of living in San Francisco, across the Bay, Oakland is also undergoing a transformation.
Over the weekend, a new co-working space opened called Impact Hub Oakland. It's located in an abandoned car showroom on Broadway Auto Row and has been more than two years in the making.
Phil Matier: Oakland's Changing Identity
The $1.8 million project is very much like a group workspace, with Wi-Fi capability, but in a space that's not an office or noisy cafe.
It will have a time-based membership and is seen as a viable workspace for many startups, that don't have the funds for renting their own space.
But as rent continues to skyrocket in San Francisco, many are already starting to see the same problems in Oakland, only on a smaller scale, with people being forced out due to the high costs.
All of this as Oakland is getting set for a mayoral race and many remain concerned with the high crime rate in the city.
The high cost of living is part of the changing landscape of the entire Bay Area, as it is spreading down from San Francisco into areas like Daly City, and into other East Bay communities besides Oakland.
You can hear Phil Matier's comments Monday through Friday at 7:50am and 5:50pm on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.
