Oakland Mayor: Oakland Needs New Jobs

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan says that the key to the city’s recovery from the recession is going to be found in new jobs. “Bringing jobs to Oakland is the only way we are going to climb out of this unprecedented recession.” One new job that will be available to residents soon is one of 65 positions at Gateway Bank. The company is relocating its headquarters and all of these jobs to the city of Oakland from its current host city of San Leandro, while head offices will also be moving from San Francisco.

The bank may also provide services to the city’s lower income brackets as well. More than half of its current business is provided by minority and women-owned mortgages, and 22% of its income comes from people with low to moderate incomes.

The Uptown District where the headquarters will be relocated has already been seeing a bit of a boom in commerce, from nightclubs to restaurants opening. Various office tenants and residents are also populating the area, bringing more life to the city, too. With luck the area will provide Oakland just what it needs—some fresh jobs as well as some fresh chances for locals and an opportunity to recover and grow.