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Housing activist wins Oakland city council seat
Carroll Fife, housing activist, wins Oakland city council seat
OAKLAND, Calif. - Election Day caused a major defeat in Oakland and the newest city councilmember is an activist for affordable housing.
Carroll Fife, considered more progressive, defeated two-term city councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney in last Tuesday's election. The incumbent is seen as more moderate.
Fife helped organize the Moms 4 Housing battle that helped homeless mothers last November take over a house in West Oakland on the idea that "housing is a human right."
The district Fife represents includes West Oakland, Downtown, Uptown, Jack London, Pill Hill, Lake Merritt and the Port of Oakland.
Fife won with 49% of the vote. McElhaney, who had been Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's pick, had 30%.