Oakport Campus Project Receives $2 Million for the Restoration of a One-Mile Stretch of the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline

Oakport developer SupplyBank.org has just been awarded $2 million through the Environmental Enhancement Fund (EEF) grant program, which will support community-driven restoration of shoreline in East Oakland as part of the Oakport Project.

This award is one of the largest in the history of the EEF, highlighting the importance of community-driven shoreline restoration and climate resilience in Oakland.

The EEF is administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR). The award was part of $7.5 million in funding distributed to eight projects, selected by the Environmental Enhancement Committee (EEC) from 103 applications totaling over $154 million in requested funds for environmental projects across California.

The Oakport Project will transform a one-mile stretch of shoreline along the San Leandro Bay in Oakland into a resilient, publicly accessible sanctuary for wildlife and native species. Expanding on a previous 10-acre tidal wetland feasibility study, restoration will now cover nearly 33 acres between East Creek Slough and Damon Slough.

The restoration is designed to improve habitat conditions for wildlife, including the endangered Ridgway’s Rail and the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, while also enhancing flood management and water quality. The Oakport Project will increase ecological resilience and expand public access to the shoreline, connecting the community directly to the natural environment.

SupplyBank.org believes that new development, by default, must include ecological and habitat restoration wherever possible, which is why community engagement is central to the Oakport Project, with workshops designed to invite local residents and students to shape project designs and contribute their vision for a restored, resilient shoreline.