How to save a house: Meet the people maintaining some of the Bay’s oldest homes

Historic houses offer a tangible connection to a city’s past, but maintaining them is difficult and expensive. Some of Oakland’s most unique structures are currently endangered due to deferred maintenance and budget shortages. Fortunately, there are also several homes that have developed models for how to survive despite these challenges. Their goal isn’t merely to exist, but to serve as resources for the neighborhoods that have grown up around them. To explore why saving historic homes matters, this episode features interviews with: -Naomi Schiff of the Oakland Heritage Alliance -Holly Alonso and Miguel Lopez of the Peralta Hacienda -Nancy Donald and Patty Donald of the Cohen-Bray House To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: Donate to keep this show alive:

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How to save a house: Meet the people maintaining some of the Bay’s oldest homes is an episode from East Bay Yesterday by East Bay Yesterday.

This episode is 01:09:19 long.

This episode was published on Dec 16, 2025.

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