Lake Merritt/Uptown is home to a diverse mix of public and commercial properties, including City and Federal offices as well as a wealth of office and retail establishments. The District is home to the Kaiser Center building, on top of which is the beautiful Roof Garden, the Paramount Theater which hosts a wide variety of shows, restaurants, bars, galleries, shops, and businesses.
In 2008, property owners in both Downtown Oakland and the Lake Merritt/Uptown districts voted by a margin of almost 8 to 1 to support a 10-year voluntary property tax to fund additional services to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. This led to the formation in March 2009 of two new community benefit districts: the Downtown Oakland Association and the Lake Merritt/Uptown District Association. The associations meet and function jointly. Services funded by the Districts include maintaining cleanliness and order in the public rights of way, improving district identity, and advocating on behalf of the area property owners, business owners, and residents.
