Good afternoon and welcome to the City Council meeting of February 3rd, 2026.
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Excuse me. We can't hear it Laudette
Councilmember Brown
present councilmember five present
Councilmember Gallo Bresson remember you don't have to get in the queue. I will unmute you councilmember Houston
councilmember rama chondrin present councilmember under here also member wong
present and share Jenkins
Present showing a member's present at this time going to item three modifications to the agenda
Before we send city staff home. Is there any council member that wants to put pull anything off of consent?
councilmember Houston
Through the chair. I wanted to bring something up about the fire station they had
I was doing some construction. I don't know what item it is. I'll talk to my chief of staff and it was they gave me some
Data back and I just wanted them to explain the local participation on that item and Trinity. What item was that?
So Trinity can you work with Monica so that you can ensure that the proper staff person will still be here
If Monica from the city administrators offices here Trinity work with you to ensure those questions are answered on the consent calendar
right now I'm I'm I'm I'm
I'm I'm I'm a public health
calendar thank you.
So you want to pull I'd speak
to it I wanted to but you got
to speak to it when it's on the
consent calendar.
We're not on the consent
calendar and what is it on so
right now we're on modifications
to the agenda so if you want to
pull something right now you
can pull it but if there's any
staff that you would like to
speak to- and I think what's the
gender number Trinity.
And through the chair, I don't have a problem with it, I just want them to explain the
local participation piece.
That's it.
Okay.
Thank you.
Any other modifications to the agenda?
Thank you.
Going to item four, there are no public hearings at this meeting today.
Going to item five, which is action on all non-consent items.
We have one item, which is item 5.1 in ordinance amending Oakland Municipal Code section 9.008.260
To conform state law by repealing the offense of loitering for the purpose of engaging in
prostitution, adding loitering for the purpose of purchasing commercial sex as an offense,
allowing the administrative assessment of fines against sex purchasers, sex traffickers
and properties used for prostitution, and creating a human trafficking survivor support
fund.
We have 13 speakers.
Please note, as this item has been rated to record, no more speaker cards will be accepted.
Okay.
Hey everyone, I'm proud to introduce this item to the full City Council today.
I wanted to start off by playing a clip from a documentary that was produced in 2013 about
this very topic about human trafficking here in the city of Oakland.
The history of slavery in our world is an overt prostitution.
world's oldest profession is actually a horrific trade of human flesh. Over 80%
of victims are women and most of them are children. Most people only think that
this is happening in Asia, in countries like India, Thailand, Vietnam and
Cambodia, but in reality hundreds of thousands of these children are at risk
every single day for being trafficked into sex slavery here in the US as well.
As girls living in the Bay Area where 40% of all of America's sex trafficking
takes place, we wanted to find out where the fastest growing criminal industry in the world
all starts here in our backyard.
On the average, some of these exploiters have as many as 10 girls that they are exploiting,
and it doesn't take very much for an exploiter to lure a child into his business by just saying
a few nice things to them.
There's this whole underground world that OPD basically discovered in 1999 of young
girls being sold for sex in our own backyards.
Really when you look at how it's happening and the deprivation of liberty that takes
place in order to accomplish the crime, it is modern day slavery.
These children are beaten, take their clothes away, they take on their property, their phone,
their identification.
They'll move them to places where the child doesn't know where she is.
These kids are sexually assaulted by the exploiters.
They are raped and sodomized, children being chained to the heater vents.
At the end of the work day, the kids' clothes are taken away from them and they're left
naked in rooms so they can't escape.
She needed money and she doesn't know any other way to get it.
She thinks about it, especially when times get tough at home, because home is not a place
where she likes being.
a woman's body is kind of what you barter on and is what we trade on and that is kind
of cultured into part of our mentality.
What ends up happening is once you strip all the make up and you strip off the nails and
you get back the layers, they're just a kid.
People always ask us, how does a 12 year old or a 13 year old girl go from sitting in an
8th grade classroom to selling her body to 20 men per night?
So often times the exploitation on the street is not the first act of rape that they've
ever had.
And so when you come from such neglect and you come from such risk and your uncle or
a trusted family member has been molesting you since you were five years old and you
really believe that your body is a sexual object and that is what it's there for, when
a 30 year old man, Pimp, comes along and tells you that he loves you and you're the most
beautiful thing that he's ever seen, it's really easy for a grown man to talk a 12 or
13 year old girl who's been through the things that she's been through into doing that.
Pimps, exploiters of human beings, take advantage of these girls and their histories of abuse
to use them as economic pawns.
Over 70% of all girls being trafficked for sex have escaped abusive home lives as runaways,
and almost all of them have been sexually abused and raped before adolescence.
They take girls who have never known love, and choke them into selling their bodies.
Girls are also abducted off the streets by pimps.
They don't have any empathy for another human being.
That exploiter will get tired of the child so he'll sell her to another pimp or exploiter.
Her psychology, ability to even evaluate what's safe and what's not is completely diminished.
She does not understand her victimization and the only thing that we can really compare
it to is Stockholm syndrome or battered wife syndrome.
The fear and the guilt and the shame and the physical and emotional pain that comes along
having to be exploited every day, you know, by grown adult males and for
really for no gain, for no gain from them whatsoever. She stands there every day
and takes all the risk, the risk of being killed, the risk of being infected with
AIDS, the risk of going to jail. She takes all the risk and has absolutely no power
over her life or her decision. We actually try to engage them and encourage
them to get involved so we can find out who the pimps are, who are pandering them,
who's forcing them into child exploitation and try to find a reason why they're not in their homes
and what their parents are doing. You know, when I first started over 20 years ago you would see
in the 20s and 30s what I see now in these youngest 13 years old seven days a week.
Human slavery isn't over today. Women and girls everywhere are suffering.
They end up under the control of a pimp who promises to take care of them. Soon, however,
the master and slave relationship is established and maintained through even more abuse and violence.
And at that point they're completely at the mercy of these men.
The exploiters doing this need to be stopped.
Help us bring an end to the abuse, to the pain, and to change society
so that it is no longer all right to buy sex from a child. It all starts now.
Thank you. And clearly what we have is a human rights abuse happening right in our streets here in Oakland. The question of course is what we should do about it. So this is the proposal before Oakland City Council today.
What you see here is a set of amendments in summary. This is going to be a set of administrative fines and I'll explain later why this concept is important. This is also about shifting the burden of responsibility.
for this marketplace to what we call the demand side.
These are the buyers that ultimately drive
and fuel this industry while ultimately creating
a sustainable restitution model for survivors.
And this has to be key in order for this type of program
to be successful.
The other thing that I wanna note is that there is language
that is within this ordinance
that is not my preferred language.
It uses, you know, prostituted persons.
It's my preferred language to use exploited persons,
but we have to conform to language
per the California penal code,
otherwise we risk the, we risk preemption.
And so I just want to acknowledge the language
that is being used within this ordinance.
Some context, Oakland is consistently
among the top three cities in California
as a hotspot for human trafficking.
This is noted by the FBI and other national studies.
As it relates to our youth here, a couple of things.
First, as noted in the video, there's a clear connection between a history of child abuse,
including child sexual abuse, as well as being foster youth.
You can see there that more than 55% of trafficking victims are or were foster youth.
And so ultimately what we're talking about is the exploitation of some of our young people
who have suffered the most horrific abuses
and this is why they're particularly vulnerable
to being exploited because all they've known is an abusive
dynamic and that is why you see that the average age of entry
into this industry is 12 to 14.
In Alameda County, there's been screenings
that I've done by child providers, so 15-8%
of screened youth show clear signs
of commercial sex exploitation that is actually double the California average.
It cannot not be stated that this is an issue that disproportionately impacts black girls
and women.
Even though black residents are 20% of Oakland, black women and girls represent 61% of the
recovered victims.
And as you can see here right now because this is an underground market, whatever we're
We're seeing in the OPD data, we're seeing far more, if not just far more numbers in
the youth that are screened by these child providers, but that still does not capture
it.
So 900 youth in the county have been identified, but that number still understates how many
youth that we have here in Oakland that are showing signs of exploitation.
I will note too that we hear all the time
from whether it's principals of schools
that we see traffickers literally circling our high schools
and our middle schools looking for, again,
a vulnerable young person that is disconnected from family
in order to pick them up into this trade.
So I am privileged to represent District Two,
but within District Two is the blade.
There are not just within District Two,
however, commercial sex exploitation happening
in our streets, but in particular this problem,
and it was discussed in the video,
is happening here on the blade,
and I wanna discuss some of the characteristics.
This is a community that has high levels
of concentrated poverty.
It's also a community that is predominantly,
it's working class people, people of color.
You can see that in these maps that are shown,
that in the top left corner,
The purple is where there's predominant Asian communities.
In the middle slide is you see black residents throughout,
and then you can see in the right slide
that there's a high concentration of Latino communities
on the right side of the blade.
And it's just, these families are fed up
with this problem, frankly.
You can also see that there are several elementary schools
and middle schools that are along this corridor,
and so these families regularly see this activity.
It is essentially grooming this next generation
of young people to normalize this, and it is not normal.
The other thing I want to note is that
if you walk along this blade, you can see,
when you go to a convenience store now,
one or two of the convenience stores on each of these blocks
is essentially selling lingerie.
It's catering to this market.
These convenience stores no longer sell groceries,
you know, market chips, things like that
you would often find at a convenience store, it is absolutely now a part of the profit
that you get as running a convenience store along the way.
Council Member Wong, I apologize, your ten minutes has elapsed, would five more minutes
be okay?
Yes, thank you.
I'll quicken this up.
Okay, so why this legislation?
First of all, as I mentioned, this is about one part of this is targeting demand.
of why we need to target demand is because it is, it is,
there are challenges with targeting the pimps,
as mentioned in the videos,
and ultimately we will be here every single year discussing how
do we provide services to victims
when we don't ultimately address the source.
The other thing is that this relies on administrative fines.
So the same way that we have fines for illegal dumping,
this is going to add another form of accountability
that is faster and more certain than just relying
on the criminal justice system alone.
The other thing I wanna mention is that this is also
about conforming to a recent state law update.
So my colleagues, you might have some questions
around some of the significant updates in this ordinance.
I'll tell you that sections A through D
are essentially just conforming to that state law.
And in fact, if we edit, make edits to that,
that we run the risk of preemption again.
Okay, a little bit about the sex buyer demand.
As you can see here that studies show
that these are predominantly upper class men.
Recent arrests data that comes from OPD,
70% of those sex buyers are actually residents
outside of Oakland commuting in from the suburbs.
And so clearly Oakland has got a name
for basically serving this wider East Bay market.
And so here's in some of the amendments.
So again, this is mostly a page that
explains conforming to the state penal code.
And it also reflects some updates
at the state level that distinguishes
between prostituted persons and the victims, as well as
the sex purchasers.
It also includes updates on what does it mean to the behaviors
indicated of purchasing, trying to purchase someone for sex.
This is really the heart of what the legislation
is attempting to do.
So these are penalties for buyers and traffickers
as well as property owners
that help facilitate these sites.
As you can see, the penalties is for sex purchasers
up to $4,000 for the first offense.
And then with every subsequent offense
that goes up to $8,000.
For traffickers, this is up to $10,000
for the first offense.
And then every subsequent offense goes up to $20,000.
and each offense is noted as per victim per day.
And these fines are then tripled
for anything involving a minor.
And just some context in terms of how these fines
were defined.
In short, they were designed to be maximized,
but in a way that would not be challenged in court.
And we also have fines for property owners
as well as business proprietors that facilitate this
with a fine of $2,500 per day.
I also want to note that there's an affirmative defense
provision in here.
So anyone who was, say, guilty of some of these crimes,
but they were a victim of sex trafficking at the time
would have an affirmative defense provision.
This is really key here for the success of this.
This is the restorative justice score of the ordinance.
100% of the fines will be collected and deposited
into a restricted special funds.
This is how this differs from other fines that we have that typically go into our general
fund.
So really, because we've heard over and over again from the local service providers here
in Oakland, is that there is not enough funding.
They are so challenged with meeting the extensive needs here in Oakland.
This will ensure that it is our local providers, our local nonprofits that can get the funding
to provide such important services such as housing, mental health services, training,
training, legal support and street outreach.
Some notes on fiscal impact and enforcement.
The projected revenue here based off of current solicitation trends would be 250,000 to 450,000
annually.
I will say that in January within two weeks, OPD has done 20 arrests of sex buyers.
Right now since we don't have this in place, we don't have a way to then enforce that with
the fine that goes back to survivors.
And in conclusion, I ask my colleagues that we pass this
with urgency because every day that we don't pass this,
that especially with the Super Bowl and the World Cup
coming up, and these are events that are so associated
with surges of human trafficking, we also lose
the opportunity to implement this important enforcement
model that can, again, channel much-needed funds back
survivor services. OK. I'll take questions. Thank you so much. Councilmember Raung. Colleagues.
Questions. And. Councilmember Raung. Councilmember Brown. Excellent. Thank you so much. Councilmember
Raung for your leadership on this item. Were you going to share out the amendments that
we made as well? Or did you. Would you like me to highlight them. Yeah absolutely. So
Very quickly in public safety, a couple of amendments were discussed and they're now
included the package before you today.
So first, there's an amendment that includes also the business proprietors and that $2,500
per day fine.
The other thing that I want to mention is we do think that it's, as discussed, it's
really important to do some tracking around the data to make sure that this is a fine
or this is a citation that is enforced equitably and so we can track not only the enforcement
side of things so who is being arrested who is being cited but on the other side
of things how are we going to fund these services and are the services making an
impact especially to help people exit I want to note that for example in San
Francisco study that 85 to 95 percent of the sex workers that were surveyed
wanted to exit but they needed the support to do so and that is exactly
what this is designed to do.
Excellent, thank you so much for sharing that.
I just know that during public safety,
we heard so many stories from community members
that were impacted by this,
and just really applauding your leadership on this.
So I also want to thank you for that as well.
And look forward to supporting and seeing the report
that will come back to the council in about six months, I believe it is. Yeah.
And that's right. And then also in the supplemental it states there will be a
community impact and equity review as well just to ensure that as a result of
this legislation there are no, you know, we're keeping an eye out on any
unintended consequences as well. So thank you. Councilmember O'Connor. This is excellent. Thank you. I want to make sure that
that the money is spent in the most impactful way.
How do we decide how that money gets allocated?
Yeah, that's a great question.
So this month, I will be working with Dr. Joshi
on two things.
We'll actually be doing a focus group.
We have a partnership also with the Oakland Fund
for Innovation.
So we're actually gonna be doing a focus group
with current workers on the blade
to hear feedback from them.
And then we're also going to convene
many of the current service providers
to figure out what exactly is the type of service
that is most critically needed.
I will say that I am of the opinion,
given that the fines could be anywhere from,
say, if a pessimistic estimate would be $100,000
to generating to say $1 million
that we need to plan for several scenarios,
and I think what would be really important,
in my opinion, is to fund street outreach,
especially for people that are trusted
by the women and girls that are currently on the blade
and to help them plan, like exit planning,
similar to domestic violence survivors who need
over a months long process to figure out
how to plan their life ahead.
Yeah, that's all fantastic.
I just wanna like know what the process is like.
Will we be doing an RFP for a provider?
Is there a board that decides how the money is spent?
Does DVP decide?
Does OPD decide?
Yeah, most likely.
And again, this is still in development.
A DVP will be issuing an RFP or many RFPs,
especially since the funding is continuously appropriated
instead of, yeah, over one time.
Yes.
Council Member Fyfe, then Councilor Maguia.
Yeah, I wanna also applaud your leadership on this item.
I hate that I wasn't able to be
at the Public Safety Committee meeting,
but in our public safety prep,
the discussion that we had
And so to me it's it's it's
a it's a tough route bringing
the report back.
I'm I'm glad that you actually
spent some time thinking about
that so happy that that is
happening and I also just wanted
to lift up doctor Joshi from
that.
Documentary that was shown in
her continued work in this
process she has.
Many many years in the field
lots of expertise and I'm I'm
But we're doing, and I just see this elevating
and moving us forward in terms of enforcement.
And so my question is, will there need to be
additional staff resources in different departments
to ensure that enforcement actually happens?
And what might that look like?
Yeah, it should not.
So, and Lieutenant Campos, I would invite him to come up,
but right now, how this will be enforced
is Lieutenant Campos, who heads up
the Vice Operations Unit is going to be a key part
of the implementation of this.
He's going to be training furthermore
the patrol officers in area three
and so it will essentially take the existing set
of law enforcement resources in order to enforce this.
They will be trained on how to issue these citations
and so it should not add any,
it should not require additional staff
in order to implement this.
Council Member Gallo, then Council Member Houston.
Am I on? Thank you.
You know, I appreciate you bringing up the site.
But at the end of the day, it comes, it's about enforcement.
All right, I grew up here in Oakland, in East Oakland,
and certainly have seen it all my lifetime.
I still remember there was the prostitution,
used to be on telegraph on Broadway.
And, but yet it got kicked out and moved to the Fruitvale.
I kicked that out of the Fruitvale through the FBI.
that I had the FBI come and push the activity
out of my area and it wind up in your district.
The other side of 23rd Avenue and International.
So the bottom line, it has to do with enforcement.
You know, I've been on the ride along at 4 in the morning,
5 in the morning with the police.
Who do you see picking up the girls?
The guys going to work.
And their pickup trucks.
Before they go to work, they pick up the young ladies.
5 in the morning, 6 in the morning.
We all see that, we all acknowledge that,
but it's at the end of the day,
it's what does our police department do to enforce the law?
One of the reasons we, for historical, Mr. Hazard,
we backed up because a couple of the officers
got involved with the girls on the street,
and that stopped a lot of the backup.
Went to court, lost, well, we all know what happened.
So, but the bottom line is, I was working,
before you came on board with your district
to push the prostitution out of that district,
because they were around St. Anthony's School,
St. Anthony's Church.
But you closed.
Right, so the mom and dad would come
to drop off their children where there'd be
rubbers and needles all in the parking lot
and the activity at nighttime.
So, but what happened there is an example for the public.
The FBI was gonna join, once again, the city of Oakland
to remove the prostitution and illegal trafficking,
but some of the neighbors and some of the church
did not wanna locate cameras to capture the activity.
And therefore, the FBI says,
well, unless I have something to document what's going on,
and then the FBI pulled out.
All right, so the FBI is a key law enforcement
because they do this federally, nationally,
and not just in Oakland.
So I think we need to get them involved
because at the end of the day,
I mean, this has been going on daily and nightly
and I don't see our law enforcement,
including the sheriff, enforcing it.
We all see it, you see it, I see it.
Everyone here sees it, but we have to enforce the laws
because I was there when we made arrest
and the individuals were not from Oakland.
Yeah. Right?
And the only thing that we used to do
that if I caught you on the street,
I get a chain, you know, I could take your car from me.
And you can have a lot explaining to your wife
what happened to your car.
And so therefore, but it all comes down to enforcement.
And I don't disagree, Councilmember Gayo.
Enforcement and you gotta get the FBI involved
to be able to make a difference when it comes to this issue
and so thank you for the information but we gotta get a law enforcement's
i asked the taxpayer i'm looking for
to enforce the loss that i have and that's what oakland right now is being
challenged
from one end of the city to the other
yeah no i i don't disagree and so that's what it's got to be included otherwise
we're doing more policy more talking and more feel sorry and making excuses for
I want to clear up something.
So this is not intended to downgrade the penalties
on sex fires.
I will invite Lieutenant Campos to talk on stage
in terms of how he currently coordinates with FBI.
I don't disagree at all.
I will say that what we're seeing,
though, is that in the last two years,
51 people were charged or were arrested, actually,
for purchasing sex.
Only one was charged.
And so part of what's key about this legislation
is that it actually ensures accountability.
Because that is so often what happens
with crimes of sexual violence is that
it's very black and white.
We rely on the criminal justice system alone,
and then people don't get any restitution whatsoever.
And so this is designed to fill that middle gap
when the DA's office does not have the resources,
for whatever reason, to make that charge.
I hope that makes sense.
Yeah, absolutely.
Okay, two or three years ago,
the girls were being flown into the Oakland Airport.
They were flown in, come do your thing,
then they fly back out.
And that's why you see the Sheriff Department
at the Oakland Airport on a daily basis, day in, night out,
to stop that behavior at the Oakland Airport.
The Sheriff Department stepped forward
through the district attorney to make sure
they had the contract with the airport
to stop that activity out of that area.
no problem thank you lieutenant campus we want to talk about the coordination
with the FBI right now good afternoon everyone
marco's campus lieutenant of police in charge of the special victims section
directly in charge of the human trafficking by narcotics sorry vice
child exploitation team we no longer have narcotics I've been the sergeant
slash lieutenant for the last ten years we've been in partnership with agent
and Marty Parker for the last 26 years.
She has served in the FBI for 27, so during 26 years,
she was in partnership with OPD as far back
as when it was two officers in the Vice Unit.
She, we currently have one sergeant
and four investigators assigned to the Vice Unit.
We currently have a project called the Blade Project
where with the FBI, we've coordinated our efforts
for some of the most violent human trafficking suspects
in the city of Oakland, or people coming to Oakland,
where we had two successful prosecutions federally last year.
So to my knowledge, the FBI, for the last 26,
has continued their partnership.
Now, it may have changed.
Some certain aspects may have changed,
but they've continued to have their partnership with us.
And if I could just touch briefly
on the Senate Bill 653.22 that was authored by I think it was Senator Scott Wiener several
years ago that took away the law of loitering for the purpose of the prostitution which
included sex workers several years ago. That was repealed and now January 1, 2026 we have
the new law 653.25 which is loitering for the purposes of commercial sex.
At the beginning of the year, we began line-up training with all of the patrol officers.
We did a training portal, training for all the patrol officers, and now the vice unit,
they're going out in the streets in the uniform capacity with these officers to make sure
they're properly addressing and conducting constitutional policing when it comes to this
enforcement action.
of this year we've had 37 arrests during vice operations, 24 of those subjects were outside
of the city of Oakland, from outside of the city of Oakland, and it's showing dividends
because the patrol officers on their own accounted for an additional 15 arrestees for 65325,
and that had to do hand in hand with the training. So we hope that's a multiplier of proper and
constitutional policing for the correct observations
and training that we're providing them.
So they'll be able to make these arrests.
They'll be able to address these concerns.
This model of us arresting the Johns is not a new model.
It's just we haven't been able to do it in the past.
I think the new law and this new ordinance
enables the police department to adjust our strategies
and our plan to remove the demand.
And I want to actually thank you, Council Member Guy,
because during the budget discussions,
it was actually, in part, your voice
that led to the budget team that was chaired
by Council Member Ramachandran and Council Member Brown
and Council Member Unger, and I sat on that,
that we actually, one of our amendments
was $700,000 per year for Lieutenant Campos
to carry out those OPD headed Vice Unit operations.
But this is really designed, this ordinance
is to ensure that it maximizes that funding.
So that way, again, when only one out of 51 buyers
ultimately gets charged, that there are still consequences,
and consequences that ultimately fund the exit services that
are so desperately needed.
And I will note this, that in the Nordic model
has shown actually great decreases.
This is the end demand model, has shown great successes
actually in decreasing the level of open-air sex trafficking.
And again, for me, this is a real key and I, you know,
this has been going on for hundreds of years. All right.
And it affects each one of us is sitting around in this room.
So the other one is an example and I'm glad law enforcement is here.
It's not about what we say is what we do. All right.
And enforcement needs to increase. All right.
And pushback on the street needs to happen.
So it's an example, a week ago I got a call from one of the mothers in San Diego.
And her daughter was spent over here doing prostitution.
She's what, 18, 20 years old.
But she got killed on our street.
Somebody shot her and killed her on the street.
So the mom's calling, crying to me, saying that the police never responded to her
in terms of who did the shooting and killing.
And so, we're looking to, she's asking for assistance
and as an example of mom and dad suffering paying that price
and yet we're not responding as a city
in terms of trying to address the,
as an example, this mom that's in San Diego.
But I'll share that with you
so you can help with the follow-up.
Thank you.
Thank you, Council Member.
Through the Chair, thank you, Council Member Wang.
I moved it through city, the public safety.
And my concern is that I'ma echo my council members here,
this is embarrassing, I'm glad you brought this back up,
it's embarrassing, it's been going on for 50 years,
as long as I know it was on E-1-4,
then it went to San Pablo, then it in your district.
My thing is this, I'm kinda saying it's similar
to what Council Member Noel Guio said, the rest,
we need to arrest and prosecute
to the full extent of the law.
and where we have the shame, the shame campaign.
These guys are coming, and where did they get
the percentage of 70% from outsiders?
I like to find out, Officer Campos,
where do we get that 70% of them from the outside?
And then 20 of those buyers that you said you got,
were they from outside also?
So year to date, just through January,
The percentage prior to me coming to this meeting,
it was 30 arrests, and that's when we had 70% of the arrests
were from outside of Oakland.
And then as of the end of January,
the numbers have shifted to 65% and 35%
being from the city of Oakland.
Okay, and thank you.
And through the chair,
how are we dealing with this in this on transportation,
on public transportation when it comes to the airport,
the bus. How is that being transported here? Are we addressing that? Because that's huge.
I mean, how the girls getting here, right? How are they getting here? How are they being
transported? Are we addressing that on public transportation?
So there are obviously national campaigns to help educate everyone with human trafficking.
are the the banners are in the airport we do partner with our our national
crisis line and we the Oakland Police Department does receive a lot of these
national hotline tips in which someone is being trafficked whether it's in
public transportation settings whether it's in an airport we have received and
follow up on those calls in the past thank you so my last thing is this these
These young ladies, these boys and girls are victims.
They're victims.
We should go after those buyers, period.
And I moved it, and I'll move it this time also.
And I just wanted to mention that I have convened a working
group actually with AC Transit.
So we met just last month to discuss exactly
that coordination between public transit
and the city of Oakland in terms of addressing
the human trafficking problem.
So the last thing, before Nancy and Miley left,
we were talking about this transportation piece,
a piece I'll work with you on that that had already started and we could kick it back
up.
Yes, that's right.
But thank you.
Thank you.
Because you are also on the AC Transit.
You're one of the liaisons.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Just a couple of comments.
Firstly, I very much appreciate the effort that you're taking and I don't think there's
anyone around here that will deny the importance of doing what we can to pursue addressing
that demand side.
My question is about how this legislation interacts with,
and intersects with existing criminal investigation,
because these are civil fines, but you referenced,
you referenced a point that I'm curious about,
that 52 people were arrested last year,
but only one was charged.
How do you think these civil penalties
might change that equation?
Yeah, absolutely.
And so, I brought this up during public safety,
but it will work similar to how our illegal dumping fines work
where there's actually a misdemeanor provision
and there's also municipal fines.
So it's really going to be an either or.
So and Lieutenant Campos, if you'd like to comment,
he's free to do so, but essentially after the DA
makes a decision not to charge, the city then can take this up
to then pursue essentially the fines.
So it's going to be an either or.
Thank you.
if the city pursues, well, the misdemeanor aspect of it.
If the DA declines to pursue that, then the city will find.
But we, okay, and what were the conversations
with the DA's office like around this?
Yes, so the DA's office is supportive of this,
and they've been part of the human trafficking task force
that I chair, so they're supportive of this,
and they'll be working with us to ensure that,
And my goal is not to downgrade the penalties,
the extent of the penalties on the sex fires,
but the intent is, again,
to just ensure consistent accountability.
Thank you.
And then the last thing is I figure you've been in touch
with the state as well in civil enforcement from that side.
Do they currently do operations in the city of Oakland
and how might that intersect with this?
want to comment on that? State and federal enforcement, but both of those sides. We
have one federal agent assigned to us in our MOU. As far as the state
enforcement, CHP has conducted high visibility enforcement, but they have not
been part of the vice operations or the strategic plan on enforcing against the
demand. Thank you. I will welcome my colleagues to help me advocate because
We I certainly reached out to the FBI office in San Francisco and
Anyways, I didn't find them to be as helpful as I'd like them to be to get more resources to support our city
and they councilmember Brown
Excellent and I just wanted to make one last comment around
What councilmember Houston brought up around like the transportation piece and just really emphasized that you know
This is kind of like one step of many more to come and I know councilmember long you've been
So I'm working alongside AC Transit,
and I know one of the things potentially to come
is around like a letter of support from the city
to get access to the camera footage
that you've been working on as well,
and so potentially that could be one of the next steps,
because I know that both of those things
kind of go hand in hand and really ensuring accountability,
and that we're also protecting the young women
that unfortunately are impacted by this, right?
Yes, and that's exactly the topic that we discussed
the working group meeting last month. Thank you. We can move to public comments. However,
there is a motion from Councilmember Houston and if Councilmember Wong wants to second that.
I will second that. Okay. Councilmember Fife. I have heard a number of comments made tonight
from my colleagues, and I fully agree with accountability.
But something that Councilmember Gayo said really sat with me.
And that was the engagement of the open police department
in trafficking an underage girl that we all
know happened between 2015 and 2016.
And with sex trafficking and abuse of minors
happening at the highest level of government right now,
in the executive office.
It's not surprising to me that you're not getting support
from Trump's FBI in San Francisco.
That said, if we're talking about accountability and people
in positions of power, what does the city do when,
or if hopefully we won't experience what we experience
in 2015 and 2016 with 28 law enforcement officers involved
in trafficking an underage girl.
But if we do, how do we hold city staff accountable,
and who does that?
And maybe that's a question for our city attorney,
because if we're talking about civil penalties,
I know that out of the 28 law enforcement officers that
were involved in this sex scandal that made national news, national news, 14 were from
the city of Oakland.
From what I understand, 11 had some type of accountability internally to the city.
I don't know what happened to the other three, and maybe my numbers are off, but that would
mean that we, as a body, or perhaps the city attorney's office, the city administrator,
I want to understand would those individuals also be liable for civil penalties under this
legislation?
They would be because they were sex buyers in essence, right?
And so no person, regardless of their law enforcement status, should be given special
privileges and what happened was abhorrent and no one should be abusing their power the
way that that happened.
Thank you.
Councillor Bregaio.
Yes, Madam Chairperson.
I'm going to have to excuse myself at 4.30.
Mayor Lee called a public safety meeting at the Froudeville Transit Village and I
have to be there joining her and that meeting starts at 4.30 but I you
have a my full support and moving forward with this action thank you thank
you thank you and we can move to public comment as I call your name please
approach the podium in any order please state your name for the record before
beginning if you are participating via zoom please raise your hand so I can
easily identify you and the chair is giving you two minutes for this item.
Price. Mr. Hazzard, Ouelle, Macaba, Lynn Truong, Annabel Velasquez, Edwin, Tuan Nguyen,
Vinnie Nguyen, Lynn, that's a duplicate, also a duplicate. Jennifer Tai, Chen Nguyen, Jennifer Tran,
Ammardie bra or ad
In been to latte in any order, please approach the podium in any order, please approach the podium
In any order, please approach the podium and your time will be shown on the screen behind me
Good afternoon members of safety committee. My name is Janet jet
I grew up in Oakland and I am a longtime Oakland resident. I also work for love never fails
Which you guys already know of love never fails some of my colleagues are here today in the late 1980s
I worked at Oakland Hospital on East 14th now international in 27th Avenue
I saw girls walk by the pharmacy when I arrived at work. I was not aware they were victims
It was unclear to me why they were out there. They were fully clothed
The reality of trafficking was not widely understood at least not by me
Today because of my work with love never fails, I see the devastating impact of commercial sexual exploitation of minors
children whose lives are shattered by violence and demand
Buyers come from other cities other counties and even other states
They come here to exploit our babies and then leave while Oakland bears the trauma
That is why I am here to urge
You to support councilmember Charlene Wang and this ordinance this matters
You can send the message that Oakland will not be used as a hunting ground for those who commit evil
This council can be courageous to stand and protect the children victims and families Oakland is my beloved city
Oakland is resilient and worth defending Oakland is home
for my for many years I have believed and prayed that God would open heaven over Oakland and bring change and
People from everywhere will ask how it happened and God will receive the glory
By supporting this ordinance you have the opportunity to be part of a meaningful change. Thank you
My name is Ken Nuke. I
Work with love nerve fails as the outreach coordinator. I go on the blade every week with our team loving on these women
That are being trafficked. I wanted to say that this is not gonna change or
Solve the trafficking on the blade, but this is gonna add a hindrance
out of two years, 53 arrests, there was only one charge,
meaning they got off practically scotch free.
He said, the lieutenant said there's already been 37 arrests
in the month of January.
So with this, for them to be charged,
the hope is for the people coming out of Oakland,
knowing that our laws aren't complete,
that they can get away with this.
If they even go up to the car,
they will be charged that $4,000 fine.
Again, I say it's not gonna change
or it's not gonna solve this problem,
but it'll add a hindrance.
What will help even more
is to not to make it a misdemeanor to buy sex.
It will help when it's a felony.
And so I say that today, not just for you,
but in hopes of California changing that
to make it a felony to buy sex.
Good afternoon, council members.
My name is Albert Bernal
and I'm here to advocate for the young girls we house at Love Never Fails and the young
girls who are still being exploited right now as we speak. These girls we house come
directly from International Boulevard. They are survivors of human trafficking. I know
their names. I know their stories. I know their trauma. They are not statistics. They
are deeply traumatized among the most vulnerable in our community. Some of these girls were
literally chained up for seven months or more. They were groomed by traffickers who exploited
their vulnerability. Many are still children. Many are fatherless. Many had no one to protect
them when the abuse began. These girls are our daughters, our sisters, and our granddaughters.
And for many of them, no one came to pick them up or stand in the gap. Buyers deepened
that absence buyers deepened on that absence demand keeps the system alive we
must protect vulnerable we must protect the vulnerable we must protect the
vulnerable by holding buyers accountable eliminating demand directly disrupts
the supply of traffic youth protecting the vulnerable is not optional it is our
of moral responsibility as a community.
I'm asking you to stand in the gap
and protect the vulnerable by going after demand.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
My name is Amba Johnson and I'm the grant manager
for the Human Trafficking Prevention Grant
for Oakland Unified School District.
Our grant is dedicated to prevention,
training all secondary staff,
providing age-appropriate prevention education
for students and equipping youth-serving staff
to recognize and respond to trafficking and exploitation.
Human trafficking touches students
in every secondary school.
I'm not aware of a single school that hasn't been touched.
To give you a concrete example
of what effective prevention could look like,
earlier last year I was asked to consult with a school
concerning a 13-year-old girl
showing early signs of grooming
that were recognized because of the training.
Her family was in the middle of medical crisis
adult supervision understandably had been reduced. Because the school was
trained to recognize signs, they acted early but identification alone is not
enough. We were able to reach out to a community partner with expertise and
capacity to respond. A trained staff member met with the student on campus
alongside her trusted adult and a school social worker. Rather than interrogating
or alarming her, the nonprofit engaged her in a conversation about her
interests, her talents and a paid internship opportunity in their
after-school program that very day. That moment mattered. When we
identify risk early before exploitation escalates and when there are partners
with a bandwidth and expertise to step in, we change trajectories and we change
lives. Schools are ground zero for identification but schools are mandated
to teach. Even with all we do to support student health and safety, we cannot
provide the specialized long-term trauma-informed services these young
people need. This bill matters because it strengthens the systems around our
children. Directing funds into survivor services and prevention ensures that
when a school identifies a young person at risk, there's an effect.
Hello, my name is Annabel Velazquez. I am a survivor of human trafficking, sexual
assault and domestic violence. Thank you to everyone who voted to move this ordinance
forward that vote mattered not just on paper but in real life because these current laws
have been deciding who gets protected and who keeps getting ignored. I'm not here speaking
in theory I'm here because I was once the same age as the victims as I now see being
exploited on these streets. I survived exploitation I survived violence and I survived a system
that statistically I was never supposed to make it out of.
So when I look at these victims, minors, vulnerable adults,
kids in foster care, people without homes,
I don't see choices, I see myself,
and I see exactly what happens
when demand is left unchecked.
And let me be clear,
this ordinance is a game changer for Oakland.
The way I see this from a survivor standpoint,
this ordinance builds on AB 379.
it disrupts the demand, it holds buyers accountable,
and it creates real funding for survivor services
without arresting the people being exploited.
I know that there's opposition,
but some people will say victims chose this life.
I didn't choose violence, I didn't choose coercion,
addiction, homelessness, or I chose survival.
But some will say this will also increase crime.
But criminalizing victims has never made us safer.
It's only made traffickers richer and survivors quieter.
This matters for public safety, it's in the name.
It matters for vulnerable youth.
And every day that there is a delay,
another victim becomes a statistic.
Can Oakland continue to afford that?
This moment is historic.
No other city has this exact ordinance.
If Oakland passes this, other cities and counties
will follow.
Oakland doesn't have a victim problem,
it has a demand problem.
So don't just say you support survivors,
prove it with your vote.
This ordinance does something powerful.
It makes people creating the harm pay for the healing,
not the taxpayers.
Hello, my name is Vanessa Russell.
I'm the founding executive director of Love Never Fails,
and I'm so grateful for this ordinance.
Thank you so much, Council Member Wang,
for your courage in bringing this forward.
I was just astonished by the 51 number, 51 arrests,
but only one was actually charged.
And it made me think about the fact that we've housed,
And I'm so grateful for the Department of Violence Prevention
that we have a grant there, and we've
been able to house 56 women and children over the last three
years, survivors.
And what I want to say is, it is our joy and our pleasure
to house those women and children.
But think about the cost to house those 56 women
and children.
100% of those individuals needed care, yet only one out
the 51 buyers were held accountable for their behavior.
There's something wrong with those numbers.
If I have to pay for 56 survivors to rebuild their lives,
then 51 buyers need to be held accountable for their actions.
There is $250,000, $250,000 to $400,000
is the average amount that it costs for restitution
or for aftercare for every survivor
in lifelong medical and mental health services.
If we're only charging $4,000 for each incident
and yet each individual has to bear
250 to $400,000 of costs on their own shoulders,
because remember CalVCB might give them 20K
but that's not even gonna get them anywhere
near what they need in restitution.
It just doesn't make sense and I'm so grateful
that you all are doing something about this
so that survivors are prioritized.
Thank you.
Megan Escoto.
I'm a former foster youth.
I'm a survivor of CSEC,
domestic violence and labor trafficking.
After my escape in 2015,
I went on to work as a first responder.
I have lived it, I have seen it,
and I have responded to the aftermath of it.
The exploitation of women and children
does not exist in theory.
It devastates real lives in this city and across the country.
Every time a woman or girl gets into a car
the buyer it could be the last decision she ever makes. Women in the sex trade are estimated to be
60 to 100 times more likely to be killed than women in the general population. We cannot say
that sex work is work or that there's no harm in it when no other form of labor carries the same
likelihood of rape, disease, assault, or other harms that women are facing in the sex trade.
This is not adult entertainment, it is lethal exploitation. No one under 18 can consent and
And anyone who pays to access a minor's body
is not a customer.
That is a rapist.
And he should be prosecuted as one.
This ordinance addresses loitering
with intent to solicit sex from anyone of any age.
So let's talk about consent.
Consent requires a conscious, self-directed decision.
It requires full understanding of what's being agreed to.
It requires real, accessible alternatives
and the ability to say no or change your mind at any time.
And if the only choices are sex or homelessness and starvation,
that's not consent.
It is coercion dressed up as commerce.
Across the country, advocates monitoring online buyer forums
are watching men openly brag about how young the girls look.
They fetishize them.
They complain if she doesn't act enthusiastic enough.
They admit to pressuring women to go beyond the agreed acts.
They boast when she is drunk or high, which is also
the crime of rape in California to have sex
with somebody under the influence.
These are not confused, lonely men.
They are not harmless.
and what they're purchasing is not consent,
it's access to someone's desperation.
Stop giving these men a pass
and start holding them accountable.
Stand with the women and girls
who are being bought, pressured, threatened, and discarded.
And if we refuse to call this what it is...
Good afternoon, my name is Brianna Price
and I'm a survivor of human trafficking.
I have driven over two hours each time to be here
because Oakland is where I was trafficked as a child.
I am not here believing that trafficking will suddenly end.
This violence has existed since the beginning of time
and it will likely exist until the end of time.
But what we can change and what we must change
is who we hold accountable.
When I was being sold, I was broken, hurt and abused.
I was treated as a commodity, not as a human being.
At 31 years old, my feet still hurt when I stand too long
because I was forced to walk miles every day
so buyers could purchase me.
I had to jump out of moving cars to survive.
The harm buyers cause does not end
when the money is exchanged.
It lives on in the survivor long after.
But I am standing here today because of organizations
like Love Never Fails, a local Bay Area
anti-trafficking organization that believed in me
when I could not believe in myself.
They helped me get back on my feet,
they helped me get back into school and to graduate.
They gave me opportunities to speak,
to share my story, and to let my voice be heard.
They stood beside me alongside survivors,
and advocates to help pass several anti-trafficking bills
over the last several years.
Because of that support, I am now a mom, a wife,
a homeowner, I have several businesses.
Without anti-trafficking organizations,
I would not be the woman I am standing here
before you today.
After being sold, I was broken,
but I was not beyond restoration.
Holding buyers accountable matters.
It does not stop trafficking entirely,
but it curbs the demand.
It begins to cost the right people.
And when increased fines are imposed on buyers,
those funds are directed to anti-trafficking organizations
that help restore lives that were once broken like mine.
Trafficking may not disappear,
but today we can choose who bears the cost.
It should not be the victim, it should not be the child.
Thank you.
My name is Davina Currie-Lola and I'm here as a survivor
and someone who has trafficked right here in these streets.
And I'm in support of this ordinance.
I wanna acknowledge what this bill gets right.
It recognizes that sex trafficking is real,
that black women and girls are disproportionately harmed
and that buyers and traffickers must be held accountable.
Repealing loyalty for the purpose of prostitution
is necessary, creating a survivor support fund
is meaningful and shifting the focus towards the demand
is an important step.
At the same time, I want to speak honestly
because honesty is a part of equity.
Oakland has a long history of laws
that were intended to protect communities
but ended up over policing the same communities
they claim to help.
That history matters when we talk about enforcement.
Because intention is not the impact,
terms like loitering with the intent,
even when aimed at buyers still rely on police discretion.
And we know that discretion is not neutral.
It has racial bias, it has gender bias,
and it lands on the same communities every time.
I'm also deeply concerned that survivors are expected
to prove that they were trafficked
in order to avoid punishment.
that is not survivor-centered, that is state-centered.
Survivors should not have to perform their trauma or produce documentation or interact
with systems that they may have already been harmed by just to be protected.
The survivor support fund is only as just as who controls it.
If survivors in impacted communities do not have real decision-making power, then this
becomes harm recycled into bureaucracy, not healing.
So yes, please pass this bill, but don't stop there.
Build in a racial equity safeguard,
limit discretionary enforcement,
and guarantee survivor-led governance.
Thank you.
Hi everyone.
This is, my name is Lin Chong.
I live at Dictict 2.
I come here the second time
to support Council Member Wong to have the fund
and remove all the trafficking on the international.
I am live here, 62, and I have been there for 30 years.
But I saw this time my electric tool
in Little Saigon store, bass, no service,
like any time they stand at the front door,
They bother me.
I cannot call because nothing to do
for the trafficking and the PM.
And also, I have the problem for the home desk.
They get trouble for me every day.
Can do the business.
Thank you for everyone to let me come in today
to talk about that.
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon.
My name is Edwin Hagler, Community Brothers.
I'm a sole advocate to support Wang and her movement,
but also what I saw this morning was very amazing
that the police department and the sheriff's department
did stop workers and so-called pimps
or whatever they call themselves,
but they did make action today,
and by the time we left the area,
there was no pimps and there were no sex workers
out there today, so I kind of support you on that,
and I appreciate you guys making efforts
to make changes in Oakland,
because Oakland needs big changes, all right?
God bless.
Good afternoon council member, my name is Jennifer Tai
and I'm here to strongly support this ordinance.
Sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation costs
profound harm to our vulnerable, our children,
our young people and those who voice are often ignored.
This is not an issue that happening somewhere else.
It is happening here in Oakland,
affecting our neighborhood, our family and our community
and it demand our collective action.
I understand that this ordinance may not end self trafficking.
However, it's an important and necessary tool
by holding by the trafficker
and who profit from this exploitation accountable.
Send a clear message that Oakland
will not tolerate this abuse.
It's also health generated resource
to support the organization and the advocate
who work tirelessly with the victims and survivors.
I respectfully ask you to please pass
vote yes on this ordinance and continue to prioritize
the safety, the dignity, and the future of our community.
Thank you very much for your leadership
and for your commitment to this important issue.
Thank you.
Hi, my name is Yoo Fan Thalati
and I am the program manager for Sushi Foundation.
We have served the East Oakland community for over 20 years.
We've been providing free math tutoring
to the Franklin Elementary School students
And our tutors are high school and college students
who came here to serve with kindness and good intention.
However, we are deeply concerned about the presence
of the sex trafficking in this area
and the impact to our community safety.
Not only we worry about their physical safety,
our youth volunteers, their mental and emotional
well-being as well.
And we wish you guys will pass this ordinance.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
I'm Awele Makeda, and I teach in OUSD.
I also am a producer of the MLK Oratorical,
and I strongly vote 100% votes of yes.
I think that you can save lives, change lives,
and also send a strong message, not in our town.
As a teacher, I teach drama.
I have had many students give testimony, stories,
and try to problem solve when the light is dark
when they come to school or when it's dark
when they return home of seeing cars parked,
feeling that they're being watched,
having men slowly follow behind them,
diverting their routes to different places
or trying to go to a corner store for help
or trying to text their parents
to let them know what's happening.
I have heard data presented by the DA
when I was asked to come to the school board meeting
to give a report on the MLK oratorical.
Because I arrived earlier, I got privileged of this.
I was shocked to hear that in every middle school
and high school we've had children snatched.
And how come as an educator I have not heard this?
Why hadn't there been any curriculum?
Where were the parent workshops?
How come this is not on a website?
Where are the posters with QR codes?
How do we inform our community, our churches,
our youth development centers?
And so that's why I'm here.
I'm also wondering if we could have teens,
for teens by teens to create PSAs to educate each other.
I also have heard kids talk about hotel parties
and that there are drugs and alcohol there
and I'm trying to like, what's a hotel party?
Who's throwing this party?
Can I see the flyer?
And so of course it has to be some adult involving
inviting young people there
with the intention not to harm our kids.
What else did I want to say?
I was happy to see for the first time a big billboard
at the airport.
I would love to see more of those in our community,
not in our town, how to get.
Hi, my name is Vinny Manuin.
I live in the Little Tigon for over almost 40 years.
I want to support Charlene Wayne on the things
that you wanted to do.
Please pass.
And also Ken Houston, you were asking
about how people traffic and travel through the airport.
A lot of these people take private jets.
You can take guns, cocaine.
You take prostitution, do those private jet.
They don't check anything.
Then you travel to Las Vegas.
You go to different places.
You go to Houston.
And that's how people come to that lane, go to Oakland.
They come down, get picked up by chauffeur,
and they do their stuff and they get back and it's done.
As far as myself, I grew up in the Tenderloin, San Francisco.
It was a hell hole.
And I was lucky to come to Oakland in 1992.
And heck, you know what, it's almost the same.
But here, I've been living in the,
you call it the Blade District.
People are being sold here.
The streets are primarily run by criminals,
Drivers, actually, now I'm a real estate agent.
I've been broken for almost 25 years,
and I've seen people buying properties,
and they're staying away from so-called the Blade District.
And real estate have gone down a lot.
I mean, I walked out, we're driving clients down the street,
and they say, hey, you know, what's going on here?
What's all this people are doing here?
So they sign away.
Real quick, the couple things that we need is,
We need a stronger interstate federal coordinate.
We need enhanced priority to repeat offenders,
a mandatory sentencing.
Do you remember the use of Cs, cars,
and properties for people that come by property,
by stuff, do that again.
Okay, thanks.
Good afternoon council members.
My name is Dr. Jennifer Tran.
I'm the president of the Oakland Vietnamese
Chamber of Commerce, Oakland Native.
I just wanna start off by thank you all
for this really rigorous legislation
led by Councilmember Wang and also the excellent questions
that each of you pose just reflect your commitment
and dedication to community driven processes,
data driven processes and making sure
that our most vulnerable communities continue
to not just inform the policy but drive the work.
And as I listen to our community members,
our neighbors speak, I'm just reminded
of the 10 year old version of when I was 10 years old
being solicited for sex walking home from school
in the blade, sort of has been going on for decades.
And it breaks my heart to this day to think
that the victims of human trafficking
is not just the folks who are being exploited
against their will, it's also the children
who are walking to school every single day
asking their parents questions that no eight year old
should be asking.
Questions around human trafficking,
questions around homelessness encampments,
questions around vandalized buildings,
questions around illegal dumping.
We're all wearing this shirt today, a refuge for all,
an Oakland Little Saigon, a commemoration of the 50th
anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
And each of you passed that.
We appreciate, you know, your commitment to continue
to center communities, to continue to contribute every
single day to ensure that Oakland continues to be that
light for the Bay Area, for the state, for the country.
And so this ordinance will continue to send a message to not just folks outside of Oakland
who are coming in to do their dirty business, but when we say that Oakland is open for business,
we're not open for that kind of business.
We're here to make sure that not just Little Saigon or District 2 is free from violence,
but Oakland is free from violence, free from fear, and free from exploitation.
Thank you very much.
Hello.
My name is Amardhi Broad.
I would reset.
My name is Amardhi Broad.
I also go by AD.
First of all, I want to thank Sharlene Wang, Councilmember and everybody else in support
of this ordinance.
This is need of the hour.
I'm here to represent Little Saigon, also called the Red Light District basically, and
I'm here to represent small businesses and residents in Little Saigon.
We need the relief now.
It was supposed to be yesterday.
yesterday. Little Saigon community is suffering due to this condemning of sex trafficking
and prostitution. I've been working there for about ten years now, you know, up and
down International Boulevard. We see every day what we used to see in the night hours
is up there broad daylight. Girls, it's not, they're not even hiding. You see the pimps,
you see drugs, prostitution, homelessness, you name it, it's all there, a recipe for
time. This doesn't affect just one group, it affects us all. There are multiple schools
which our kids are exposed to this issue. Our police beat 19x has the highest crime
rate of all the Oakland police beats for the last few years, thanks to Blade. This affects
Little Saigon, San Antonio District, basically all District 2 and then it goes beyond. We
live in it every day there are multiple schools and this this district is
basically you have International Airport downtown calcium we are we are right
there in the middle exposed you know I wish you all to I urge and wish you all
to pass this with an urgency and put a stop to sex trafficking and prostitution
Hi my name is Chan. I've been in the district 2 and for about 10 years. I had
this nice speech written up but Dr. Tran and AD took most of that content
already so I'm going to tell you what I go through on a regular basis. Every
Tuesday I walk a group of kids from Franklin all the way to Clinton Park.
It's about three four blocks and we purposely ignore international just so
we don't have to answer those difficult questions
that Dr. Tran alluded to.
But there are some cases, you know,
we have to go past international
just because we're located on 7th International.
And, you know, a group of kids,
they see ladies on the corner wearing little to no clothing.
They are saying, oh, don't look to the left,
don't look to the left.
But in the chorus, what do the kids do?
They look to the left.
And those are the types of things
that we have to go through, and we
have to try to explain on why they're
doing what they're doing.
Why do I have to come up with those solutions?
That's just one incident.
I have another incident where a young lady is hiding
in our community center because she's scared to death
from her expoiter.
Two hours ago, I had another sex worker call me
by my first name asking to use the bathroom.
Of course you could use the bathroom.
You know what I mean?
This is a human basic right.
And really, I want to be able to help you in any matter
any way I can, whether it's clothing, food, resources.
I was able to help a sex worker get connected back
to her family.
Those are the types of issues that we are dealing with
just because we're located on the blade.
But I commend Charlene for bringing this issue
and making it a priority to our community
because it's been ignored for so long.
And, you know, this is, I know it's not going to solve all the issues, but it's a step in the right direction and.
Good day.
Um, I'm here to address, uh, the issue of the human trafficking, also known as Fincher von Riddentron.
I have been a male that is also before you begin.
What's your name?
My name is Zach.
Um, I also go by the name Patrick Anderson as a pen name and Anderson v.
Trump as the impeachment agent.
I'd like the city to validate Homer Romero, Yang, Baker, Godwin, and Kelly V. Mattson
at requirements against the United States and interpool identification and based on
human trafficking, same way you see voting, credit fraud, and mortgage fraud, titled land
reeds.
In the view of the state, I do believe that there is an issue.
I believe that this community needs to address that to narcotics.
I believe narcotics is a bigger issue
than it is to human trafficking.
When you can prove that the police and the fire department
are moving 10 kilos of cocaine and a half kilo of fentanyl,
I did a hack with a group of inter-pool agents
in nine languages to improve the movement and view of taxes.
I do submit as a requestment
that FBI Director John Kevin Anderson
and Deputy FBI Director Jeffrey Ames
be put against the record for against the community.
I have an issue that carriage of the castle over 18
are you related and not impaired
is seen as a complimentary state
and Q on muon energy, energy on.
When that is wondered the same way and say,
hi, I'm a man, I'm willing to prostitute myself,
no one picks it up.
I ask that this community take an honest vote
and view against the state that the building
that is right across from the distribution of PepsiCo.
But you looked at it as a deja vu,
and the two blocks down be used as a parking
and take out the bar that is there
and view compliance and begin full enforcement.
Thank you and have a great day.
You ready?
Okay.
This year makes 18 years I have been sitting in this room.
18 years.
You don't know how many times in 18 years
This subject matter has come before a city council for resolve numerous times.
Um, in 2024 chief Mitchell declared that he was going to crack down on sex
trafficking, it was a top priority.
It's in 2024.
And so I looked at some data in 2014, 2010, 2015, 2017.
There have been partnerships with Alameda County and Hayward.
There's been FBI stings related to this subject matter.
In 2003, the FBI dubbed Oakland a high intensity child prostitution area.
And some effort was needed to end child trafficking sex prostitution.
And here we are today in 2026 with an ordinance.
At the same time, when I see 61% African-Americans being the victims, I'm getting a question
because I come here all the time talking about African-Americans, and that's always dismissed,
no matter what level.
So you have an ordinance on racism that you put in place.
Nothing's happened.
You have an emergency ordinance on homelessness.
Nothing's happening.
You have a Department of Race and Equity.
Nothing is happening.
you have a NSA 22 years in place, nothing is happening, sideshows nothing is happening.
So tell me, why is this going to be an issue where something is going to happen of significance?
Claire House came here with the support from the then district attorney in this body.
Why don't you start a fund for ambassadors?
This is a commercial corridor.
You got ambassadors and corridors around the city,
in Chinatown, in certain areas around.
Why don't you have ambassadors walk from Fifth Avenue
to 22nd Avenue, day and night, rain or shine.
They're out there with umbrellas.
Ambassadors have them go in teams.
Gotta stop that.
They walk down the street on International.
You gotta slow up, I know,
because I drive up and down there.
I can tell you, look what happened on Sonoma.
Couple weeks ago, two shop owners got shot
because they sell these string, whatever,
it's not clothing, that they use on the street.
ambassadors, and also change the penalty from a misdemeanor
to a felony.
That's what you got to do.
You're going to tell me that officers
said they made 30 arrests.
They get out on them bail.
If you're going to charge them $3,000,
then you should have about $90,000 in the kitty.
You don't have that.
They bail out, and they continue to do what they do best.
It's traffic.
Look how many times, I'll bet you out of those 30 arrests,
how many times those folks been in and out
until their hearing occurs.
Ambassadors, let them walk up and down the street.
Thank you, Mr. Hazard.
Your time is up.
For way, way too long, we have watched modern servitude
and children being bought off the streets of Oakland.
This is not a new problem.
Before it was an international boulevard in Little Saigon.
I've heard about this for years being in the community.
Kids walking naked, broad daylight, being sold.
And there are no consequences in Oakland.
for Johns and buyers and pimps to do whatever they want
to kids and to exploit them.
And the council and the mayor watched
and really did nothing.
How is this different?
You have to ask yourself,
will you provide dedicated resources
to make a difference here?
Because before it was an international,
it was in the Fruitvale.
And before that, Broadway, Telegraph,
San Pablo, Alcatraz, it gets shoved around.
We want community ambassadors.
Well, I'm sorry, we don't have police officers
because what do we do?
We have a severe staffing police shortage.
There's no traffic enforcement, we cut that.
There is no community resource officers, we cut that.
There's no crime prevention, we cut that.
There's no homicide investigations for cold murder cases.
No, we are severely understaffed.
We need to bulk up OPD and police academies.
In the meantime, girls walking on streets, 51 people arrested.
Nobody charged.
What's happening with the new DA?
Pamela Price didn't charge them.
What did she do?
Who supported them?
Who supported Pamela Price?
So I asked you to do something different
and have true enforcement to make it a felony
to buy young children.
Thank you, Mr. Tuan.
Your time is up.
All names have been called.
If your name was called and you wish to speak,
please approach the podium.
OK, thank you.
Colleagues, any comments or questions?
Council Member Wong, I think you raised your hand.
Council Member Wong, did you raise your hand?
Oh, yeah, I did.
I just wanted to respond to some of the public comments around adjusting things to you know, felony level charges. We as the city council do not have the power to change penal code.
I really want to make that clear to the public. That is why I also made clarifying remarks that sections eight through D of this ordinance change or to just reflect conformity.
So, if you have issues with the penal code,
please make that advocacy at your state legislature.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councilmember Houston.
Through the chair, to Councilmember Charlene,
what about repeat offenders?
Do they have anything about, if it's a repeat offender,
on how the charge it goes from misdemeanor felony,
what does it say about that?
It is my understanding for example that the,
for example right now as of January 1st of this year,
there's a few things.
So it is a felony to purchase a minor under the age of 15
and then now through the ages of 16 and 17 year olds,
it is a felony to purchase them, it's a wobbler so called.
So basically the DA can charge as either a misdemeanor
or is a felony for anyone who is above three years
of the trafficked child.
So, but, and perhaps Lieutenant Campos,
who also has more familiarity with the penal code
than I do can comment on this.
But again, these are things that must be legislated
at the state level.
And through the chair, I got it, I like it.
You're saying that a felony can be charged,
so I need to know those ages again,
And Captain Officer Campos, can you answer my question?
Yes sir, so some of the provisions did change
on the purchasing which is ordinarily a misdemeanor.
So there are enhancement that make it a felony.
As Council Member Wong brought up the under 15
and certain convictions can make it
what was formerly a misdemeanor can make it a felony.
And that's for youth, that's for under 18.
So under 18, they can be charged as a felony.
person who purchased it.
From the purchaser that
purchased it the kid or child
male female from fifteen to
eighteen.
Yes sir if it reaches some of
those elements that were added
in law.
Okay.
I'll just note that in my review
of some of the state laws that
North Carolina didn't make it a
felony to purchase anyone
regardless of age a couple years
ago.
Okay there is a motion and a
second on the floor just- wanted
the very courageous public speakers who came out today to speak in support of an issue that is very close to my heart.
Thank you for the work that you do for our communities on the street for young women and also oftentimes our young men and other folks
who are victims of this incredible human tragedy.
Like author, Council Member Wong said,
this alone, and many of you all said,
this alone is not going to end human trafficking,
but it is a very important step
to get to where we start to need to be.
I hope that because human trafficking
is clearly a regional issue,
that other cities continue to do what they can,
that we can see changes at every level of government,
and that we can as a city start to make real progress
on every front.
Yes, we have to address enforcement.
Yes, we have to address changing penalties.
Yes, we have to see what the DA can do,
evidence collection, all of these things,
but I hope that this is one of many actions
that this council can take on this issue moving forward
and be able to garner the resources
and tailor them to the individual needs of survivors.
So again, thank you for everyone
who have come and spoken today.
I know this is an issue close to many of our hearts.
I worked very closely with domestic violence
and human trafficking survivors
for over a decade as a case manager
and specifically pregnant human trafficking survivors.
And there are so, so, so many pregnant trafficking survivors
on the streets today and through the ages.
And my utmost gratitude to those doing powerful work
on the ground, as well as our Department of Violence
Prevention, who takes a nuanced approach
to these very complex issues.
We have a motion and a second on the floor.
And through the chair to the mover and the seconder
of the motion, we're clarifying that you all
councilmember. I'm sorry. I'm
of six ayes this item is approved on introduction final passage will be
February 17th and through the chair before I call in the consent calendar
I'd like to draw your attention to item 6.12 which was added to this agenda at
the three-day portion of this agenda that being the supplemental and you do
need an urgency finding and vote to hear the item this item was added to the
agenda because action is necessary to ensure quorum for the February meeting
of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission. Councilmember Brown? Yes, I'll happily
make that motion and then I'll hold on my comments on on this item. Thank you
and I'll second that. Thank you for the urgency motion for this item moved by
Councilmember Brown, seconded by Councilmember Ramachandran. Councilmember
councilmember Councilmember
hi councilmember
I was excused councilmember
Houston I councilmember
anger I councilmember
long excused
excuse councilmember
Jenkins is also excused
councilmember Ramachandran I
motion passes with a vote of
five I's three excuse now
going to the consent
calendar in its entirety
starting with item six
point one which is approval of the
the meeting of January 20th, 2026.
Item 6.2, a resolution
regards to the Declaration of
a Local Emergency due to AIDS.
Item 6.3, a resolution regarding
the Declaration for
Medical Cannabis Health Emergency.
Item 6.4, a resolution for
the Declaration of a Local Emergency on Homelessness.
Item 6.5, a resolution
for the Mayor's appointment to
the Commission on Homelessness.
Item 6.6, a resolution for
the mayor's appointment to the Cultural Affairs Commission.
Item 6.7, a resolution for appointments to the Commission on Aging.
Item 6.8, a resolution for the settlement of Tiffany Knott versus the City of Oakland.
Item 6.9, a resolution for a settlement for
State Farm General Insurance Company versus City of Oakland.
Item 6.10.
Apologies, item clerk, we've lost quorum.
If any council members can hear me, if you can please return to the dais.
If there are staff members present, she said she needed five minutes.
So, but can I say something to you, Chair?
On 6.2, I had something to say about the cannabis regulations.
when we come back can I speak to that 6.2 is about the cannabis you know it's 6.3
cannabis 6.3 all right we have quorum again if Councilmember Wong I request
you to come back to your seat we've lost quorum without you thank you continuing
on with the consent calendar going back to 6.9 a resolution in regards to the
State Farm General Insurance Company versus the City of Oakland.
Item 6.10, a resolution for Gosvami Marquez,
Miriam Hernandez versus the City of Oakland.
Officer Tommy Wynn, item 6.11,
a resolution in support of AB1537.
Item 6.12, a resolution for
the mayor's appointment to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Item six point thirteen an information report for fiscal year twenty five through twenty eight city-wide strategic plan
six month update
Adam six point fourteen a resolution for a consultant contract amendment for the fire station for project
item six point fifteen a
resolution honoring Michael Ford
six point sixteen a resolution for the samsa Oakland recast
Program for fiscal years twenty five through twenty six and that concludes your consent calendar
And you do have eight speakers on this item. Thank you councilmember Houston and councilmember Brown
Just had a general question about
six point three on the marijuana
Why do we still have that and I don't know if I'm out of order by saying is why do we still have that?
to be able to pay that on as an
emergency and the lack of
regulations on these marijuana
facilities, they don't even take
care of the obligations that
they're supposed to take care
of in their, the documents that
they signed.
So I'm just trying to figure out
why do we continue to have
marijuana on this as an
emergency.
but I do know that any council has the power
to remove declarations of emergencies.
But these have been going on for a long time
and council members can pass resolutions
to no longer have something as a declaration of emergency.
Okay, I wanted just to read something.
Is it out of order, if I read something
from a regulation that they were supposed
to follow on 17?
Go ahead.
Okay, it says cannabis operators must implement
a community beautification plan to reduce illegal dumping,
littering, graffiti blight, and promote beautification
of the adjacent community within 50 feet
of the cannabis facilities, and the cannabis facilities
in my district do not do it, right?
And we have one right now being built in my district
near a school, near some houses that don't even have
of the permits for the remodeling and the permit to build it.
So I'm on that right now.
So I'ma address this being an emergency.
Thank you, Council Member Brown.
Excellent, thank you so much.
If you wanted to add time on the clock
so that I don't go over, I wanted to speak to two items,
item 611 and item 612.
So first off, colleagues, I'm bringing this resolution
in support of AB 1537, which is from Assemblymember Isaac
Bryan.
And as you all are aware, there have
been many troubling incidences, both here
in the state of California, as well as nationally,
as it relates to ICE enforcement,
specifically with the killing of Keith Porter
by a off-duty ICE agent in LA, as well
as Renee Good in Minnesota as well as Alex Prettie.
And so I believe that right now is a pivotal moment
to stand up for our immigrant communities,
especially here in California.
And so we've 100% made this fight very local,
given that last week Mayor Lee passed
those two executives orders, one creating a task force
As well as ensuring public property isn't used
to aid in immigration enforcement.
And then we also saw leadership at the Board of Supervisors
with the ice-free zones.
And so today I'm encouraging my colleagues
to continue to take action
in supporting this critical piece of legislation.
And so we know that officers,
so I was disappointed to learn
law enforcement officers in California can also work as immigration
enforcement when they're off duty and we know that officers are entrusted with
sensitive personal information about members of our community and so it is of
utmost importance that we support AB 1537 and if you read the items in the
packet but at a high level what does it do it prohibits peace officers from
engaged in secondary employment with the Department of Homeland Security.
It requires peace officers to report any offer or attempt of said employment.
It also creates accountability by defining violations and also promotes transparency
by making records related to peace officers actually of secondary employment under the
Public Records Act.
And so really wanna encourage my colleagues to support this
so that this item in the legislature right now
is currently being scheduled to one of the committees.
And so in passing this, the city of Oakland
would be in support right from the beginning.
So we wanna encourage everyone to vote yes on that.
And then I wanted to also draw your attention
to item 6.2, I think it was back in November,
the chair of the cannabis commission came to us
and let us know that they have been unable to meet
given a lack of quorum.
And so there was a handful of offices
that were named with having vacancies.
And so, you know, I followed a process
in ensuring that, you know, applications were received.
I'm really grateful for the support
of the office of the mayor.
And so on that, I'm really delighted to be appointing
action today Milhouse to the cannabis commission and we know that this commission plays an
essential role in advocating for equity in economic growth here in the city of Oakland
and we need people on the commission that have experience and that are rooted in Oakland
in the community and bring a strong vision for the future of cannabis and so I'm really
delighted to be appointing Tay to this body as she has an amazing nonprofit
focused on providing mental health support to community members. She's an
advocate, she's curated multiple community spaces, cultivated business
partnerships in the cannabis industry throughout Oakland and beyond. And so
lastly the last thing that I'll share is that I do believe that there are more
So if anyone else actually has a vacancy on the cannabis
commission please feel free to reach out to the office of I
believe it's a you can either reach out to Preston or den and
they have more applications that you can also review.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We can move to public speakers.
As I call your name please approach the podium in any order
please state your name for the record before begin.
Please state your name for the record before beginning.
Zachary John Thayer, Mrs. Sada Olibala,
Vanessa Wong, Ashanti Milhouse,
Derek Barnes, Mr. Hazard,
Mavis Carter Griffin, Maven,
Ladette A.
Thank you, Mr. Houston,
for bringing this issue up around cannabis.
used the same intensity about dealing with Fentanyl.
We went through this whole thing about human trafficking.
Children are dying on Fentanyl a lot more than they're dying on the street for
human trafficking.
And y'all don't say a damn thing, except for what Mr.
Houston, why are you keeping cannabis as a public health crisis?
Let me tell you what the governor just noted yesterday.
Newsom appeared before reporters at a Montgomery Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego.
Some 50.6 million pills with an estimate total
street value of $506 million have been seized.
11,000 arrests.
And y'all don't say anything about children dying
here in Oakland because of Fentanyl.
And you, Madam Chair, couldn't even answer the question
that Council Member Houston said, I don't know.
That's all you have to say?
Why don't you, Council Member Wong,
use the same intensity about Fentanyl
as you'd use with street trafficking and children are dying way younger than 13 on fentanyl.
You had an arrest here two months ago, right here in Oakland for drug trafficking,
fentanyl, and you don't say a damn thing.
I gave you this copy, my notice of motion
regarding the writ I filed on May 19th last year.
Because that ballot measure is illegal.
That was on April 15th.
The city attorney altered the text of the ballot measure.
They say it was a sales tax that went into effect on October 1.
But now I think I may get my day in court to be heard on the 19th of this month.
to overturn that special election ballot measure.
That you articulated that was going to raise $29 million annually for ten years.
If I'm correct, and they nullify that ballot measure,
because in that ballot measure, provision 4.26.130,
you can't have a provision there that enjoins the voter from seeking grievance.
Thank you mr. Hazard your time is up. Hello everyone my name is Ledette I am
the district director to councilmember Houston son of Oakland and I wanted to
just share a few things regarding the cannabis issue district seven is having
councilmember Houston touched on the beautification obligation these industry
these individuals have or these businesses but I wanted to share
specifically on a business that's currently doing a build out a grow house
district seven. I contacted the cannabis department they're currently going
through a permitting process with cannabis the cannabis side of it but
when it comes to the actual building process they're not going through any
proper permitting they got their they got one part of the permitting process
done but the other parts they just have abandoned and they're going they're
building out their infrastructure. So I brought this up just to say we need
enforcement we need attention because these businesses are popping up with no
it's been a long time and
there's a whole proper permitting
process thank you.
Can I ask her a question to the
chair.
Is that the parliamentarian
can we ask questions to because
she's she works for me and and
and I had her to come up.
I didn't want to sign up I was
just gonna bring her up to
speak to this because it's a
serious issue that's happening
in my district and I hope.
Maybe across the the city.
I just want to know my break in
any rules if I believe we can
All right, after I'll bring you back up. Yes, I want to break no rules
Hello, I'm actually tay mill house
I would first and foremost like to thank the council for appointing me to be on the cannabis Commission
Thank you to both council woman Brown and mayor Lee
I'm really excited as I have been advocate within the cannabis industry for some years now. I have multiple
affiliates within the industry as well
I am happy to be a part of the official conversation conversation as I plan to help with moving the cannabis commission
forward to his greatest potential. I'm looking forward to what this year has to come for myself in the city of Oakland
and I thank you all. Thank you Brown.
Hi, I'm gonna speak on behalf of the unhoused community of
Well now we're on Willow Street, but the Wood Street People's Collective
in regards to cannabis
clubs and growers. We have a particular grower in our area that drives it
radically, all of the people that work there, putting us in danger. We are of
course on the street but we have no other place to go and I like what Mr.
Houston said in regards to having the cannabis clubs be contributing to the
beautification in the neighborhood, not to eradicate us but to help us with a
better looking frontage, a better looking, better presenting image of who we are
because we're not taken seriously as citizens of the city.
And we have very valid concerns.
We want work, we want recognition,
we want equalization, which is very important
because we're not equal.
There's no equitable anything for the young house.
We're not able to live in the same zones,
do the same things, nothing.
I mean, we don't get trash pickup.
I mean, there's so many things.
Right now we have cannabis clubs, and I'll call them that,
Driving erratically doing 35 45 55 60 miles an hour over one block
Just so they can turn left into their cannabis club with annoying recordings every time you walk by hi
You're currently being recorded. I got to hear that six times between my spot and the end of the block why okay?
I'm not doing anything to them if you stop for any second alarms are going off like you know
You're public enemy number one and you're breaching like the wall and it's it's aggravating
it's very unnerving being unhoused as it is and overcoming hate and
And you know people's preconceptions and stereotypes now
we have to deal with being bombarded with recordings and an erratic driving that might kill the cats that I've gotten to kill rats in the
Neighborhood and then I care about and that's all I have to say. Thank you
I'm here to address not just the cannabis. I believe you guys grouped all of the things together under the
6.0. I
wish to validate Simon property be the city of Oakland and comply it in Kelly meant of the
Mattson and
Asked that in USV Carington mortgage services at us. We orient insurance and us
Travelers insurance that would be a valid application against the property land roots
under Oregon USDA
V the United States based on credit line reach based on application
the same issue is wondered in pastel robots and to all three of the United States as the property lease and deed holder and
view of
Allocation this is what is wondered in Alto
V the United States based on compliance and is being asked in view of the right to counsel under court a car dose of either
United States. In this compliance, I ask that the state be held malice and
negligent and Fur v. Preston and the wonderment to what is wondered in the
county. Fur is the right to seek counsel in view of implied designation. With this
being identified, I believe that there is issues in the tri-regional community
tied to land reeds. Land reeds is the depreciational application of income
generation based on kube chime and zelle I believe this is covered in the view of
Frost Manhattan and first Republic v. SVP
This is tied directly to the Bank of Marin be the United States and the real estate
Realt holdings and bonding TFs of a tri-regional County including the AC transit and the BART board
Based on the request met and Smith v. Casa. I did not move the free and Fyfe Derby the town of Fyfe Derby the United
States or
What is known as the freedom of speech via alameda County?
Via society I asked that the state be held grossly malicely and intentionally
Negligence and the view of the city tied to chapter 13 bankruptcy and the view to the expression to view the pay-for-play
under chapter 11
Validating chapter seven to consulting and the view of day-to-day management under LTD holding enterprises and view of performance based
pensions and view of land reeds I
I agree, I
Solely believe that this tries directly with the legalization of marijuana and justifies it as the view to spill your kids
Compared to the view of what is the on balance of hand of your of your enterprise
As that is identified I wish that there be a full audit and request that there
be a sunshine act request in view of that. Thank you.
You ready Madam Clerk? Thank you. I do not understand why item 4.1 was removed.
The tree permit issue is three years. It took to be brought to Council.
The expedience of this being dealt with needs to happen soon.
The declaration of a local emergency of homelessness, obviously you're not doing what you need to
be doing.
You should have been included in the $419 million that the Governor allocated for homeless
housing assistance.
That money went to San Francisco, San Diego, and lost, I think, San Diego.
The Commission of Homelessness.
That commission has not met since last September.
And is the schedule that they have
for boards and commission, they are not scheduled,
and its scheduling goes all the way up to November 30th
of 2026, no schedule of meeting.
And they are obligated to do an annual report
on the encampment policy, that hasn't happened.
Item 610.
You're looking at a lawsuit that includes
the Oakland Police Department.
Y'all gotta find some kind of way to sue somebody.
This Oakland police officer who has earned
over $493,000 salary and overtime.
Y'all need to address that soon.
Now this thing on S11, it is insulting
that you people keep talking about
your sanctuary city status and protecting illegal immigrants.
You need to do like the city of Oroville.
If you're gonna have a sanctuary city,
at least have it saying that you don't protect
violent criminals who are here illegally.
At least do that.
And how is it that you are so focused on
protecting people from ICE who are racially profiling,
using excessive force, what you think the hell
is the NSA.
It's your Oakland Police Department
engaging in excessive force and racial profiling,
and you can't fix it for over 22 years.
But you can fix ICE doing the exact same thing
to illegal immigrants.
The hypocrisy of what you do, but of course,
that illegal activity by your police department
is targeting African Americans as a group.
then you need to have an update related to 613,
your strategic plan.
You need an update on gentrification,
which you have never done.
Your sanctuary city status,
you keep talking about your sanctuary city,
but you have never dealt with it
in terms of how it impacts the city economically
and housing.
Thank you, Ms. Olavala, your time is up.
If your name was called, if you're in Zoom or on the room,
please approach the podium or raise your hand.
This time, I do not see any speakers in this. Thank you.
Mr. Barnes, please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Greetings council members.
Derek Barnes with East Bay Rental Housing Association.
As it relates to housing and homelessness priorities,
I wanted to briefly share a reflection from
this past weekend's annual housing collaborative
produced by Abra, but certainly powered by the community.
The event brought together renters, homeowners,
small housing providers, nonprofit service organizations, lenders, and public agencies
from across Alameda and Contra Costa counties under one roof with one goal to better understand
who the housing stakeholders really are, how our housing system actually works,
and what real support and resources are available to people in our community.
We engage vibrant, loud table discussions that focused on clarity over conflict,
demystifying some of the housing challenges that we have, like eliminating barriers to
to homeownership, thriving through funding reductions
and improving housing policy while reducing complexity.
The second year collaborative connected residents
to about 30 community organizations
offering renter assistance and support,
home repair grants, energy rebates,
fair housing education, and other things.
I wanna thank Emily Weinstein and Michelle Starrett,
our HCD leaders in the city and county,
Patricia Wells and Joseph Villarreal,
Our housing authority folks for engaging in productive panel discussions that day. I also want to acknowledge district supervisor Lena, Lena tan and her staff, as well as council members Brown, guy out hunger and long.
As well as staff from council member Ramachandran's office for attending and engaging directly with constituents and exhibiting organizations.
your presence really matters and it sent a signal that crucial housing conversations don't happen
just in chambers. They happen in community and we need more events like this. We know we can't
solve our housing challenges overnight but events like this help to build understanding, trust and
engagement and that's where equitable and durable solutions begin. Thank you so much for all your
support in the event and look forward to working with you more in 2026. Thank you.
At this time all names have been called. Thank you councilmember Houston. And as I've been
advised by the city attorney any questions and back and forth that you ask will be counted part
of your time because typically we all have two minutes on consent but because councilmember Brown
And so we had six minutes every one of us can have six minutes today so that's all that's fine. Thank you chair
I just wanted to ask some direct questions to have it on the record
So everyone knows what's happening and through the chair the debt. What who did you report that?
Building their building now putting new things units on top of the roof
They don't even know the structural soundness of the unit without a permit. Who did you contact?
So I originally went across the street to permitting. They shared with me what
has been issued, what has not been issued,
and what they should not be working on.
And I escalated to enforcement.
They will be paying a visit tomorrow
to put a stop order as it was not permitted.
And then who did you report to,
to find out if they had the proper licenses
to sell or grow cannabis?
So I reached out to our Cannabis Department
who has the list of, who works on the permitting process,
and they gave me the information
that they are going through the process.
And once they're done with construction,
they should be able to get their permit.
that they're not meeting the
building permit but they're
going to be issued a cannabis
permit without meeting the
minimum on the other side.
So I just wanted to say since
we have this committee for
cannabis if it is it somewhere
that their scope of work could
be regulating if making sure
that they follow.
What they signed about
beautification efforts and
doing it the proper way because
they just feel that they can do
whatever they want to do in
district seven and that's not
going to happen any longer so
So thank you, Ledette.
You have four and a half more minutes if you wanted to say anything else.
I'll cede my time to Councilmember Brown.
She knows she got a lot to say.
No, I'm just saying.
All right.
I'm good.
I appreciate that.
Thank you.
Councilmember Wong.
Thanks through the Chair.
I just wanted to comment that in, you know, related to the human trafficking problem,
that something that I have been looking at is like a lot of these nuisance businesses
that they're not licensed.
the smoke shops. I went to like a youth-led town hall by Dr. Aisha Mays through the Dream
Youth Clinic and like five of the young people there brought up that it was smoke shops likely
unlicensed that have been the vehicles of human trafficking. So I think this is not
just limited to cannabis shops, but this is more of a broader question that we should
tackle with administrator assistant city administrator
Chuck Baker on the wrong type of economic development
that we have in some of our corridors.
As was said, I think, by Dr. Tran,
Oakland is open for business, but these
are not the type of businesses that we want here.
Thank you.
If there are no other comments, I will entertain a motion.
So moved.
Second.
councilmember brown second by councilmember under to approve this consent calendar councilmember brown aye
councilmember five and guy or excuse councilmember Houston aye councilmember under aye
Councilmember Wong aye
Chair Jenkins is excused councilmember Ramachandran aye motion passes with a vote of five ayes three excused five for guy
In Jenkins now we're at council member, excuse me acknowledgments and announcements
Colleagues any announcements comes under Wong
Yeah, I just have an announcement related to I'm joining council member five tomorrow in district two
There's going to be a forum on the Costco effort in West Oakland at the East Bay Asian Youth Center that the address is to
2025 East 12th Street and
Representatives from Costco are there and I think this is an exciting opportunity and folks should come and ask their their pointed questions
So just invite my colleagues as well as members of the public who are watching this. It's at 5 30 p.m. Tomorrow
Thank you
Thank you. Councilmember Houston. I like to do the chair like to adjourn this meeting in the memory of Bridget cook
I'm not sure
who knew her, but Bridget Cooke was a beautiful soul.
She kept me in control.
She always guided me through,
call me Council Member Houston, you can't be doing that.
So just I always wanna adjourn this in the memory of her
cause she has been a force for Oakland
and she loved our city so much.
She loved it so much.
Thank you, Council Member Houston.
We will adjourn in her memory.
Other council members, okay.
Madam clerk, that is it.
Move me to open form as I call your name.
Please approach the podium in any order.
Please state your name for the records you will be given.
One minute to address the council.
Mrs. Acada Olibala, Mr. Hazard,
Tim Allen Ferreira, Annabel Velasquez,
Maeve Carter Griffin, I think maybe Benjamin Smith,
Brother Tut or Dominique Ware.
You can go to CleanOakland.com and look at my website.
These are four case laws that will support my allegation that the April 15th Special
Election Ballot Measure A was illegal.
Rossi v. Brown, 9 Cal 4th.
Courts retain exclusive authority to determine the validity of the enforcement of ballot
measures.
A valid measure cannot pre-decide or foreclose judicial review.
And that's what 4.26.130, people versus bond, bond, 27 cal.
The legislator may not impair the core functions of the judiciary.
And joining lawsuits impairing judicial function.
Mendocino County versus Superior Court, 13 cal fourth.
Access to the courts has fundamental constitutional rights.
restriction is subject to strict scrutiny and almost always failed.
Housing and 30 versus superior court statues made.
Thank you. Mr. Hazard. Your time is up.
In 1994,
Barbara Jordan led the us commission on immigration reform.
The report was supposed to look at the impact of immigration on the average
worker in the future.
The recommendations were to reduce immigration by one third because immigration
was hurting the low skill workers,
specifically black men, without college degrees.
She said immigration should be about the interests
of the American worker first.
She called for a crackdown on illegal labor.
Bill Clinton buried the report.
So now what you have today is a report
that was purposely buried by the Democratic Party.
And now you have 9% of unemployment in Oakland,
black workers, no skilled workers, impacted.
Barbara Jordan called for this not to happen.
The Democrats allowed it, and you are allowing it.
We are impacted by ill...
Okay, good afternoon, Maven Carter Griffin.
I'm speaking upon, for my behalf, I was an unhoused person
and I'm asking for support.
Last month, Ivan Satterfeld, who was running the DPW,
came into the sweep of Willow Street.
And I had purchased finally after a year from previous
where he towed one of my trailers that I was living in.
I've been living outside, completely outside,
in a shack built out of cardboard and foam,
trying to do my best.
I almost died of pneumonia.
This following year, I've been saving
with Social Security being $900 for me a month,
and it's very hard to do that
with having to pay for food, et cetera.
And I purchased a trailer, a 1947 Spartan trailer,
and it was parked on Wood Street,
which was not part of his plan.
He saw me buy that, and he gave me an offer
that I could choose between the city shack
that I live in with my cats and have been using,
have all of my life support systems
that I've recovered over the past year,
and he was ready to tear down and put in the dumpster,
along with the cat that he-
I apologize, Ms. Griffin, your time is up.
Before you get Mr. Thayer I do not have a card for you for this item.
If your name was called, please step to the podium as I said Mr. Thayer you do not sign
up for this particular item.
Moving to the Zoom speakers, I do not have a card for you.
I have a card for you for all the other items you signed up for not for open forum.
Moving to the Zoom speaker, I think Dwayne.
Yes, Dominic. Yes, please begin your comment. Yes. My name is Dominic. We're
coming from Brookfield Village, the champion of community green schools,
and I'm speaking as a member of the 40 by 40 People's Advisory Council in
Deep East Oakland. The pack brings residents together each month to focus
on community safety, public health, youth development and overall quality
of life in Deep East Oakland. We serve as a space where residents can share
concerns, offer solutions and stay informed about what's impacted our
neighborhoods. The pack is a resident led body that meets mark monthly and
was instrumental in supporting efforts that led to the establishment of the
Office of Violence Prevention, O. B. P. Supporting the launch of peace
committees. What I'm on a community based conflict resolution model and
aligned in our work with the rise. He's $100 million investment strategy of
learning, grow, working well and health and well being. Our members also
regularly attend and contribute to the bi monthly meeting and it keeps safe
keeping meetings. Thank you d six council member for agreeing to attend future
packed means tonight we respectfully act in the council members of seven. Thank
you for your comments unfortunately your time was up this time all names have
been called. Thank you. Tonight. I can I can date sorry. Today we adjourn in the
memory of Bridget Park. Thank you everyone the meeting is adjourned.