Having problems ordering your free rapid COVID-19 tests from USPS?
Roommates, large families, and live-work residents have encountered some challenges accessing tests from the federal government.
Natalie Orenstein
Natalie Orenstein reports on housing and homelessness for The Oaklandside. Natalie was a Berkeleyside staff reporter from early 2017 to May 2020. She had previously contributed to the site since 2012, when she started as an intern. Orenstein covered a range of beats for Berkeleyside, focusing primarily on education. Her 2018 three-part series "Beyond the Buses" explored the legacy of Berkeley’s historic voluntary school integration, earning her the Society of Professional Journalists NorCal’s long-form storytelling award and a finalist position in the Education Writers Association National Awards for Education Reporting. Orenstein's reporting has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the J Weekly, the San Francisco Bay Guardian and elsewhere. Natalie is a proud Berkeley native and only strayed from the Bay Area once, to attend Pomona College.
Articles by Natalie Orenstein
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A pledge to ‘give meaning to every homeless death’ at Alameda County memorial
According to a forthcoming report, more than 800 unhoused people died in the county over a three-year period, significantly higher than previous estimates.
Is my fireplace illegal? And other burning questions about wood smoke
Fireplaces and fire pits are the largest sources of unhealthy pollution in the winter. Here are the rules and recommendations around burning wood and sparing the air.
Alameda County gears up for major homeless count
Canceled last year for COVID-19 safety concerns, this year’s Point-in-Time assessment “counts more” than any before it, organizers say.
With $6.6M grant, homeless youth in Alameda County will design programs for their community
Young unhoused people in Berkeley and surrounding cities will lead the decision-making process about how to use the federal grant.
First-time homebuyers can now apply for down-payment assistance in Alameda County
The AC Boost program is offering down-payment loans of up to $210,000 per household.
Delta variant poses new threat to homeless communities in Alameda County
The county offers many places to get free COVID-19 vaccinations if you’re unhoused.
More than 1,000 homeless people in Berkeley and Oakland are getting money from Caltrans
A lawsuit settlement required payback for property destroyed during encampment sweeps. Hear from unhoused people who’ve gotten funds, and learn how to collect yours.
Building a bike for the Warriors’ Juan Toscano-Anderson
A North Oakland bike shop owner got a dream assignment: design a custom ride for an NBA star.
Community remembers Eli Kane, 20, empathetic friend, Berkeley High soccer star, big brother
Kane touched an enormous number of lives. He drowned last week, the latest of several recent tragedies involving young Berkeleyans.
‘Food is love’: After closing its winter homeless shelter, Oakland’s St. Mary’s Center tried something new
The West Oakland organization hopes its emergency services can still lead to more homeless people getting a hot meal and housing.
Alameda County decides not to count homeless population this year
COVID-19 risks have prompted a year-long delay in the point-in-time homeless count, a “crucial data source.”
Local frontline health workers talk about why they’re saying yes to the COVID-19 vaccine
Alameda County health providers and emergency responders share how it feels to be first in line, and how the community can think about the vaccine’s safety.
Clean water is elusive for those living in homeless encampments. Is there a solution?
Unhoused residents and their supporters want the East Bay Municipal Utility District to expand water access for camps.
No more gas stoves? Oakland unanimously votes to ban them in new buildings
The law, which will come back for final approval Dec. 15, requires only electric infrastructure and appliances in newly built homes, restaurant and shop buildings, and offices.
Funds for Alameda County’s COVID-19 hotel shelter program are dwindling
It’s unclear what will happen to the 1,200 people currently housed in the hotels once funding runs out.
