Meet Sean Sullivan,

EBALDC Board Member and Chair Emeritus

Sean Sullivan has been a lifelong advocate for at-risk, homeless, and sexually exploited individuals and those who have faced discrimination. Currently, Sullivan owns & manages the nationally recognized The Port Bar, an LGBTQ destination in downtown Oakland.

Prior to nightlife, he served in executive leadership roles at Covenant House, College Track and the Center for Environmental Health as well as running his own consulting firm West End Strategies. Sullivan served on several boards and commissions before joining the EBALDC Board. He has been recognized as a 2019 OUTstanding Voice by the San Francisco Business Times. Sullivan has a degree in journalism & mass communications from St. Bonaventure University.

What first brought you to EBALDC?  And how long have you been on the board? How long as Chair?  

I long knew about EBALDC in the community through Board Members Victor Jin and Ted Dang. In 2016, EBALDC’s Director of Development, Jill Kunishima recruited me to help with fundraising. I was later approved by the Board to be Chair in 2019, and I began my tenure in 2020, which was extended so I could onboard Kelly Drumm to be our new Chair starting January 2023.

How did your roles in other community organizations and your business experience prepare you for joining the EBALDC Board and then taking on the Chair?

My small business experience has given me great insight into understanding Oakland and the various communities that EBALDC serves. I was drawn to the Healthy Neighborhood Approach, especially after working for Covenant House. Between that and opening The Port Bar, I found that just housing is not enough if problems like food insecurity and mental health are not addressed.

While Chair of the Board what were your most significant achievements and/or memorable moments?  

At the beginning of my tenure, we were able to open Casa Arabella, a 94-unit, 100% affordable building in the Fruitvale neighborhood. And during our Lunar New Year Celebration that year we were able to raise funds for the formerly homeless residents who make up a third of Casa Arabella. They were able to buy beds and furniture and make a home for themselves.

During the pandemic, we kept all the doors open for our properties. It was very challenging for our staff to see this through and do the daily work while people were stuck at home. But they have done an excellent job in the hardest of circumstances.

What advice do you have for the upcoming Board Chair, Kelly Drumm, and for new members joining the Board? 

I feel that Kelly Drumm is really well situated to take serve as Chair because she is not only a lawyer who works as legal counsel for the University of California, but she is really knowledgeable in real estate dealings.

EBALDC’s community work is all-encompassing. For new board members, it can be overwhelming. But if we ground decision-making in our Healthy Neighborhoods approach to community development where we address the needs of our residents and commercial tenants, that allows us to focus. EBALDC isn’t just the buildings we build but the people that live in them & the neighborhoods they are located in. Our work is essential to the long-term health of Oakland and the East Bay.

How has your LGBTQ lens informed EBALDC’S relationship with this community? 

Our communities have much more in common than we do apart. The LGBTQ community is no stranger to intolerance, hatred & violence. We saw in 2020 the racial stereotyping about COVID and its spread—leading to violence against Asian Americans.  EBALDC rallied and is supporting an ambassador program that continues to be a resource in Oakland Chinatown to address and work to stop the hate. Seeing the strength of EBALDC’S work with the community gives me hope and direction as a leader in the LGBTQ community.

What do you think sets EBALDC apart from other affordable developers?

Our Healthy Neighborhoods Approach is what sets us apart. We are stakeholders in the community where our residences are located, and we also manage our properties which not all affordable housing organizations do. We provide deep resident services, so our residents are not just people we collect a check from. We care about them, and we help get them connected to services, like VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and Head Start. We also care about the success of our commercial leaseholders, working closely with them throughout the pandemic; 85% of our small businesses are still in operation.

How do you think the affordable housing industry can help to solve the housing crisis in the Bay Area?

All stakeholders must come together to figure out how to build and be more creative in building more affordable housing quickly. We have 1000 units in the pipeline that haven’t broken ground yet. We just began building 59 100% affordable units at West Grand and Brush.

Any words of wisdom for young professionals joining the affordable housing industry?

I think that people should try to focus on specific areas where they can have the most impact. It can be overwhelming and housing development work is so vast. Whether it be in property operations or real estate development or fundraising, I recommend they find areas where they believe they can harness their skills and interest and develop from there.

What is next for you?

I will remain on the EBALDC Board for as long as they will have me and I’m happy to move into the Chair emeritus role. I really do put my heart and soul into EBALDC. I will continue to work on resource development and fundraising, as well as governance and serving on the executive committee for the next two years.

I’m grateful to have some of my time to use in other areas. My business is at 20th and Broadway with The Port Bar, and we are bringing a new nightlife concept event space to 1544 Broadway called Fluid 510. We hope to open in spring 2023.

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This interview was edited for brevity, but Sean has so much more to share! Join us at our Lunar New Year Celebration on February 2 where you can pick Sean’s brain, and meet our Board Members, EBALDC leadership, and other EBALDC partners — all the while enjoying great food from Plenty Oakland!