News about a small Oakland homebuilder adds to the questions about the Duong family, the influential Vietnamese business leaders and political donors at the center of last week’s FBI raids.
From left, Mario Juarez, founder of Evolutionary Homes, Andy Duong, California Waste Solutions Director, and David Duong, president and CEO of California Waste Solutions. OAKLAND – The Oakland waterfront office suite that FBI and IRS agents raided last week wasn’t just home to the Duong family’s recycling company — but also an obscure homebuilder that ties the influential family to a political operative with a checkered past that includes controversial campaign tactics.
In a shocking turn of events, Juarez was assaulted at the Evolutionary Homes building — one of two attacks that included a shooting at his home in the weeks before the June 20 raids, according to his attorney and authorities. He suffered “serious” injuries in the early May assault at 1211 Embarcadero, his attorney, Ernie Castillo, confirmed Friday. Juarez was later met with gunfire on June 9 at his house on the 1800 block of Fruitvale Avenue, authorities said.
Investigations by the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission into the alleged “straw-donor” schemes — which documents show amounted to tens of thousands of dollars — remain open and active, regulators say. In it, the Duongs claimed they were “very surprised” by the FBI’s searches, and stressed they were cooperating with the investigation. The statement highlighted the family’s four-decade tenure in the Bay Area, and noted that they had established relationships with people and businesses “everywhere.”
In videos posted to YouTube in December, Juarez boasted about Evolutionary Homes’ mission of providing direly-needed housing for homeless women and children. The one-bedroom, one-bath modular homes – which appear to resemble shipping containers – are built for nearly $300,000 apiece and include a kitchen and washer-dryer system, according to the company’s website.
It marked the latest twist in a career of grand entrepreneurial ambitions and numerous financial woes for Juarez.
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