to K-Top, can we have the chamber unmuted, please?
Good afternoon and welcome to the Community
and Economic Development Committee meeting
of Tuesday, March 24th, 2026.
The time is now 1.44 p.m.
and this meeting may come to order.
Before taking roll, I will provide instructions
on how to submit speaker cards for items on this agenda.
If you're here with us in chamber
and would like to submit a speaker card,
please fill one out and turn one into myself
or a clerk representative before the item
And the speaker cards are no longer accepted after one fifty four PM.
As read into record are or no longer no later than ten minutes after the start of this meeting.
This meeting came to order at one forty four PM and speaker cards will no longer be accepted
after one fifty four PM.
I will now proceed with taking roll.
Council members five.
I was sent.
Council member Houston.
We've got every special.
Council member Unger.
Here.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Council member Unger.
the council member. I'm a member of a child. And chair brown present thank you we have
four members present. We need a motion to adjourn into a special meeting due to the
presence of councilmember Houston so move. Thank you that's a motion made by chair brown
second by councilmember flight. To can start to adjourn the CD meeting and reconvene into
we will move on to a special
meeting due to the presence of
councilmember Houston at one
forty five PM on roll council
members five.
I'm a champion.
I hunger I enter brown I thank
you this meeting is now
reconvene into a special
meeting.
Moving on to announcements chair
do you have any announcements
at this time.
Yes thank you so much.
My first announcement is that
I'm sorry I think I still have
public comment be just one
minute thank you so much.
Thank you reading an item one
approval of the draft minutes
from the committee meeting held
on March tenth two thousand
twenty six there are no speakers
on this item move approval.
So moved thank you that's a
motion made by councilmember
five second by councilmember
hunger to accept the draft
minutes from the committee
meeting held on March tenth
two thousand twenty six on roll
Okay, Chair Brown.
Aye.
Thank you, item number one passes with four ayes
to accept the draft minutes from March 10, 2026.
Reading in item two,
determination of schedule about standing committee items
and there are no speakers on this item.
Excellent, thank you so much.
Do we have any changes from the administration?
Colleagues, we just need a motion on the pending list.
I'll move the pending list.
Second.
Thank you, that was a motion made by Councilmember Unger,
seconded by Councilmember Romachandran
to accept the determination
council members hi hi.
Thank you item number two passes
with four ayes to accept the
pending list as is reading in
item number three.
Adopt an ordinance authorizing
the city administrator to
negotiate and execute a lease
agreement with the non profit
Oakland parks and recreation
foundation for the Tyrone car
any park at ten sorry one zero
five zero one achilles drive
Oakland park and recreation
eight one year options for
maintenance and workforce
training to making findings
that the below market license
fee is in the best and is in
the city's best interest and
three making california
environmental quality act
findings and we have two
speakers that signed up to
speak.
Excellent thank you so much we
will hear from staff on this
item.
Afternoon.
Good afternoon, Chair Brown, members of the committee.
My name is Shana Hirschfield-Gold,
I'm in the city administrator's office
in the Sustainability and Resilience Division,
and one of the honors that I have in that role
is overseeing the final stages of implementation
of the Better Neighborhood, Same Neighbors program,
which is funded through Transformative Climate Communities
grant from the state of California,
total grant amount is twenty eight point two million dollars.
We received that grant in 2020 and one of the projects of the Better
Neighborhood Same Neighbors Project is the revitalization of Tyrone Carney Park,
which as probably most of you know, has been shuttered for over two decades.
The community, the community coalition that came together
and developed a very grassroots plan for Deep East Oakland
That led to the Better Neighborhoods Same Neighbors Project led by the East Oakland Neighborhoods Initiative, EONI.
Highlighted the revitalization of Tyrone Kearney Park and not just revitalization of the park, but the creation of a community-led stewardship program.
They highlighted that as a major community priority.
And the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation is one of the subrecipients of the Transformative
Climate Communities grant through Better Neighborhoods Save Neighbors.
Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation has been working with EONI, as well as with the
Sabrante Park Resident Action Coalition, or SPRC, to develop a robust community stewardship
program that also includes workforce training
at Tyrone Carney Park.
And so we have here Mandeline Kadera-Redman
who is the executive director
of the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation
and she's gonna speak a little bit
to the work that they are planning for the park.
Good afternoon.
Hello, Mandeline Kadera-Redman, executive director
with the Oakland Parks and Rec Foundation,
members of the council and the public.
We are very excited to implement this stewardship program
at Tyrone Carney Park, specifically,
because of the long shedding of that park.
This has come from a lot of collaborative work
with the community, as well as several different departments
and entities surrounding the area.
Internally at the city, we're working
with the real estate city administrators,
of course, the Oakland Parks Recreation and Youth Development Department,
Public Works, all together to implement the Stewardship Program.
Often we are partnering with the city to bring in dollars for
restoration projects around playground equipment, park spaces, green spaces.
We plant trees.
This agreement that's before you,
or at least agreement, allows us to actually then
implement programming once we're complete with the project, and that's this very profound
next step that allows us to activate that space beyond the building.
So that is what is before you.
We are in partnership every week with our tree services department, as well as our community
members, Shayna had mentioned Sprack and Eoni, so that we can get our work plan really in
order and engage community right where they are and then continue to activate
the space beyond the opening of the park.
Thank you. Excellent thank you so much and do you all have more to present?
Good afternoon Council, committee members. I'm Quincy Williams and I'm the
capital improvements project coordinator for OPR YD. I'm here today to highlight our
relationship with OPRF and park stakeholders in general. I've
collaborated with OPRF on a variety of items as relates to OPR YD. I enjoy the
working relationship I have with them and this project will enhance our
partnership. How you might ask? Well the maintenance of our parks and rec
facilities is performed by Public Works or OPW. This is enormous undertaking.
OPRF, with the help of other community groups, will perform maintenance tasks as
well as opening closing of Tyron Carney Park. This will allow for OPW to focus its
limited resources on other sites. Also, OPRF will provide consistent
stewardship of the space by ensuring that any vandalism be addressed promptly.
With the renovated park reopening soon, OPRF and the city as a whole will need
stakeholders such as OPRF and others to act as entities who will safeguard the
space which will encourage community activation. Thank you. Excellent, thank you
so much for the report. Colleagues, any questions or comments? Councilmember
Houston, I know that this is in District 7. I wanted to go ahead and give you the
opportunity to share remarks or ask any questions. Thank you through the chair. I
I just wanted to find out who in that department is the executive director, who's the board
of directors, and what neighborhood outreach did they reach out to.
And I want to know actually, who was, is Madeline, can you, do, and I'm going to ask whoever's
out here, do they know the history of why that park was shut down?
That is a complicated history.
I don't know if that's something we want to answer that you want me to know.
Yeah, I'll answer it because I was there and I'm the one that had to shut down
with Larry Reed because of the homicides on eleven five day.
But I want to know if you know I do now. OK, OK.
So my thing is this is what part of the neighborhood did we speak to?
Because it's two worlds there, right?
And the first time it was opened up in the last 23 years was when I just opened
it up on eleven five this year.
No homicides, no shootings, no stabbings, nothing is showing that we can
We we can we can act up we can act right to right so cuz I'm from there I'm from Stone City 11 5
Sabrani Park all those areas they probably never elect another person like me on this seat because I'm from there, right?
So, um, I just want to know who did who reached out to me to talk to me about this
um, I
Have personally talked with your aid land, I think is if pronouncing that correctly
We've been talking with the previous council member before that
It's as we know it's been a long time of a lot of engagement the sprak really was instrumental in
providing engagement to bring the state dollars to restore the playground that they have
They have very detailed
engagement around
What the park wants to do what it has been doing in the midst of it being gated
There's activation all around the space at the moment. There's connectivity with the
With the Sibrani Park and the field there
Over at Brookfield, there's been all kinds of connections a lot of that
We've been building through the transformative climate communities grant and the better neighborhood same neighbors
Initiative, so it's been going
In many different iterations. This is almost a last step that allows us to activate
there to help me.
So it's been many years.
I got it I understand through the chair, it's the last step but I'm the council member now and I understand what's happening in that community I'm from that community right and I want to know because that's going to be a very touchy situation there if it's not handled the right way.
We don't want it to be closed down another twenty three years right so I never spank never reached out to me I'm just trying to figure out why nobody reached out to talk to me about the
one side is three parts to that
community that need to be
spoke to.
So I'm I'm happy to do that with
you right so I don't want to
move this until I have these
meetings and speak to the the
the the the individuals that's
going to manage it speak to you
and find out who in the
community not just one side is
three parts to that community
that need to be spoke to so we
can do it.
So I'm very happy to do that.
that need to be spoke to so we can be successful.
We want this to be successful.
We want it to be just like 11, five day I opened it up.
I opened it up without permission too, I did that.
And no shootings, no killings, no murders, happiness.
It was straight happiness.
Like my council member Ramishana said,
happiness day, it was a happy day.
So I don't wanna move it until I have these meetings.
the city staff members. Yes I'm.
you have to be a part of those
meetings those with the meetings
and provide whoever you see fit
that needs to be a part of those
meetings encourage that so you
know I'll have communication
with you with your office also
man so that's all.
Excellent and so I guess my
question at this time to the
staff can you briefly walk us
then I did hear the staff say that they would they look forward to ongoing
engagement with the district 7 office but just wanted to get a clear
understanding of the item we have before us today yes absolutely through the
chair as as we mentioned this is one of a host of projects through the better
neighborhood same neighbors project and that project serves several specific
neighborhoods in Deep East, so Sabrani Park, Brookfield Village, Stonehurst, Elmhurst,
and the community engagement process that went into establishing the Better Neighborhood
Same Neighbors plan that was led by the East Oakland Neighborhoods Initiative, sort of
a coalition that was made up of multiple nonprofits and community leaders, identified this part
Park and several other sites as neighborhood priorities, but where we are now, we received
the $28.2 million grant from the state in 2020, appropriated it and began work and the
grant initially, it was a shorter grant, were on the third or so extension at this point
and establishment of the stewardship plan
is one of the deliverables of the grant.
So the license agreement is sort of the innovative mechanism
that through the state's support,
the city, our real estate division,
our parks and rec youth development department
and our community partners have come up with
as a way of establishing
that kind of shared model of leadership.
But again, we're kind of up against the grant deadlines.
Our implementation is supposed to end in,
at this point, our implementation is supposed to end
at the end of April.
That doesn't mean that the stewardship work would end,
but it does mean that we should have the agreement
for OPRF and SPRC and EONI to launch
into the stewardship activities at that point.
And we do, as Quincy and Mandeline, I think, mentioned,
we do have a number of safeguards built
into the license agreement.
So it's a two-year agreement with five one-year extensions
and annual at minimum checkpoints, partnering with,
you know, having ongoing communication
with our economic workforce development department
around the workforce training,
partnering with OPRYD around programming,
partnering with OPW around maintenance.
So we're building in a lot of checks and balances.
Excellent. Yeah.
Thank you so much.
So I guess from what I'm hearing,
given the current deadline,
I think I heard there was a deadline of April,
So I guess I would like to
comment on the end of April in
order to get this agreement
rolling especially given that
the project I think the report
said that the dollars were
funded in twenty nineteen and
then the allocation in twenty
twenty so it's actually taking
us some time to even just get
to this point- and so I guess-
you know through the- to
councilmember Houston kind of
based on- what was articulated
with you would you be
And I think that that's a
it as a body but I I would like
this body to move the item
forward so that then we can.
And sure that the we are on
track to meet that end of April
deadline when is the ground
until like June. Yeah. We're looking now at probably July. July. So I'm gonna say
this, none of these organizations reached out to me on that and I'm not gonna go
into any of you guys districts and tell you what to do. None of those
organizations reached out to me about this because this is a complicated
location. Yeah. Which I complicated. When I say complicated you got three
different worlds you got to deal with over there. Yeah. So I'm just saying it's
complicated situation and everybody has to be embraced on that everybody so I'm
saying no because they didn't reach out to me and I never heard from none of
nobody three organization I've been in office for 13 months I mean I know I was
there at the ground break I mean when they opened it up and did the
groundbreaking reached out to my office and so thank you councilmember Houston
so to the city staff can we how can we how can we ensure that councilmember
that we have to make sure.
Houston's office is engaged with
all of the groups I know I know
you mentioned a weekly meeting
is that correct.
Yes I'll personally follow up
with councilmember.
Houston's office and ensure that
there's going to be consistent
communication.
On so that we can move this
forward excellent and then prior
to so that communication would
be prior to our of coming.
that's going to go into our next council meeting.
And so in between that time, if we just go ahead
and move, if we move the item and in the event
that you haven't received the proper updates
that you're interested in, then as a body,
we could then just not move forward with the item.
Does that sound reasonable?
And then also I want to open it up to my colleagues
for any questions as well.
I want to hear what my colleagues have to say
about my district.
Okay, council member Fife.
because there's a lot of
I have some very sensitive areas in my district as well and I have
to say one of the the the shootings that happened in
downtown Oakland where seven individuals were shot and two
lost their lives when we as a body set aside a million dollars
And so I am definitely resonating with your position on what the sensitivity needs are
for your personal district because you know what's happening on the ground.
I'm also concerned about potentially losing time with a program that has been in progress.
And I will say, my first two years in office, it was very rare that staff reached out to
me about what was going on in my district.
And it's been six years and now my relationship with Parks and Rec is amazing.
And Quincy, you've been great.
So I appreciate you over communicate and I love it.
And I want Councilmember Houston to have that opportunity as well.
I've worked with Eoni when I was a director in East Oakland.
I do know that they do good work, but I do think there needs to be a special.
I'm not sure what happened with Ledet or what happened in terms of communication there, but
the city and the city does need
to be brought into this
conversation as someone who's on
the ground and actually was a
part of closing down the park
what you said twenty three years
ago.
Yeah it's it's it's tense in some
neighborhoods and so because we
are going to get blamed for any
thing that goes wrong.
And we have to deal with the
repercussions of what happens I
would like to see that occur.
Councilmember under I'll defer to
councilmember Houston in his
of engagement and bring it back on the 14th?
I don't know what the risks are of losing this money,
but I do want to make sure that Councilmember Houston's
involved in the process.
Yeah, and it's my understanding when I read through the report
is it $400,000 that is being allocated?
Mm-hmm, yes.
So therefore, that's why we have the deadline as well.
we're gonna go to the president
of the board for the year.
Through the chair you send four
hundred thousand dollars be
lost.
If if we don't move this today
that's what you said well not to
today specifically I think I
went well I think I heard a
lost- end of our deadline is in
the paper was that correct.
Through the chair yes that that
is correct and I- the fact that
this is an ordinance and
therefore requires two readings
gives us.
A little bit more time to do
extensive coordination.
So that councilmember Houston has a chance to consult with stakeholders. Does that work for you?
Ok, not to the chair. Can I hear what councilmember Janani wants to say have something to say to?
councilmember Rama Chandra, I think what councilmember Unger just proposed of hearing it at full council on the 14th and then
There is a second reading before the end of April. So that's two different opportunities
before this this body's forwarding it to the full council, but we will all still have a vote on the 14th
Okay, I'm gonna take the lead of council member with
life Brown
Unger and you said
Taking your lead. All right. Okay
All right
And so I'll make a motion to go ahead and move this item to the special city council meeting on the 13
3 3 3 14 at 3 30
Let's get a second
And I just want to I'll second. I just want to make it clear that I want I'm not gonna vote on this on
The 14th until we are sure that you're satisfied
Five it's not I'm good
Excellent. Thank you so much
And then we can hear from the public speakers calling in the name that signed up to speak on item number three. Mr
Derek Barnes if you're here in chamber, you can come up to the podium or if you're on zoom, please raise your hand
Okay, all names have been called then
And now we have a motion made
by chair Brown, second by
councilmember Unger to approve
the recommendations of staff
and to forward this item to the
April 14, 2026 special city
council agenda at 3 30 p.m.
Honorable council members five.
Aye.
Ramachandran.
Aye.
Unger.
Aye.
And chair Brown.
Aye.
Thank you.
Item number three passes with
four ayes to forward this item
30 p.m. on consent.
Now reading in item number four.
Adopt the following pieces of legislation.
An ordinance amending the rent adjustment ordinance
to A, eliminate tenant petition deadlines.
B, require that an owner provide evidence of possession
of a current business tax certificate,
payment of or exemption from the RAP service fee,
service of written notice to the rent adjustment program
to affect tenants and registration
with the rent adjustment program in order to file an appeal
or a response to a tenant appeal,
and C, make various changes to the remedies section,
including increasing the damages remedy in civil actions
against residential rental property owners
and making appropriate California Environmental Quality
Act findings, and two, a resolution ratifying amendments
to the rent adjustment program regulations
to permit any category of member of the housing,
Residential rent and relocation board to serve as a board officer and we have over 32 speakers to sign them. Excellent
Thank you. Thank you so much. I believe that there's an announcement from the administration on this item
Yes, and through the chair
We are requesting that this item be pulled at this time
We have additional information that we'd like to gather before it comes back to this council
Okay. Thank you so much. So I guess to the parliamentarian. What are our actions and next steps?
According to council to the council rules the committee has to vote to table item
May the committee may
Take public comment first or the committee can can vote for it because this is only a special one
This will be a schedule scheduling vote
so the committee
can can either take public comment first and then vote to reschedule the item or or
vote rescheduled item and then take the public comment later or the committee can also just
Take public comment or take action on item just like any other item. Okay. Thank you so much. So we'll hear from the public speakers
Calling the names that sign up to speak on item number four in no particular order
You can come up to the podium state your name for the record and make your comment as standard practice
we will take in-chamber speakers first and then zoom speakers.
If you're on Zoom and hear your name,
please raise your hand to be easily identified.
Again, in no particular order, you can line up.
Linda St. Julia, Ciaran Chenoy, Steven Eddington, James Vaughan,
Stephanie Bond, Anthony Abdallah, Elizabeth Delgado,
Marin, Juan Conham, Leona, Chris Tipton, Michelle Away,
Jaleen Jajaroo, John Williams, Petra Brady, Steve Williams,
Derek Muhammad, Denard Ingram, James Fond, we have you twice,
Chris Moore, Adriana Cirdoas, Mark Janowitz, David Hall,
Noelle, Justin, Ricky, Janet Halliburton.
Sorry if I'm pronouncing your names wrong.
gave in young catholines since their barns and emily wheeler
again he could come up to the podium saturn in for the record
and noting that uh... the time is for one minute
comment
let me properly and just myself i used to be commission in the same julian i
just left the board about three weeks
three months ago i was set on the board for
people with disabilities and seniors
but i'm a landlord
and what
i'm here for is the condition that you guys put on landlords
It's just ridiculous.
We have tenants, problem tenants,
that have problems, and you guys don't expect for us
to get rid of them and pay $11,000 for them to relocate.
I've had three in a row,
three people that has ruined my place.
You guys say we can't get rid of them.
You make, and right now I'm going through a tenant
where I'm paying $11,000 and she's a hoarder.
She has really, really messed up my place.
So what I'm saying is you guys want to keep on point
putting these fees on us as landlords.
They're not going to have a place to stay
because you guys are outbidding us
and making us pay all these different fees
that are just ridiculous and I'm fed up with it.
So like I said, she has torn up my place.
I'm going through it right now.
Just paid her $11,000 to get her out.
And now I have to pay $20,000 to get it back in place.
This is the third tenant in a...
Thank you for your comments.
Your one minute is up.
Good afternoon Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Karen Shenoy and I'm here on behalf
of the Bridge Association of Realtors,
representing more than 2,000 members
working in and around Oakland,
many of whom are also property managers,
small housing providers and owner occupants.
We appreciate that this item has been pulled.
These amendments carry significant consequences
and taking additional time for review
is the right call here.
Bridge AOR was not even reached out to before
this item came forward and it was in the past
council member Cal would reach out or Chanee Franklin minor would reach out and and ask us to
weigh in before this thing came even came to committee and perhaps there's a turnover and we
understand that but hopefully that can change moving forward. We also want to raise a concern
about public participation members repeatedly tried to register to comment by zoom within the
required 24 hour type timeframe and did not receive confirmation from the system. Public
we appreciate that the item has
been pulled.
And we ask that any next.
Thank you for your comments,
your one minute is up.
Councilmember five.
Yes, I do want to state I'm also
deeply concerned about community
input and my committee for life
enrichment doesn't start until
four and since this item was
pulled and we're not hearing a
presentation, I respectfully
request through the
the departmentarian to make sure that this is legal
for people to have their full two minutes to speak.
At the onset of the meeting, I stated that it would only
be one minute for the public comment, thank you.
The speaking time has to be consistent for all the items.
Excellent, and so at this time, we're still moving forward
with one minute, and if there's any, and I welcome any
of the public speakers to engage with any of the council
as we continue the administration to work on this
item.
So at this time it is one minute thank you.
Good afternoon I'm Steve Edgington did you know that ninety percent of the
landlords in New York City are corporate landlords don't take my word for it
Google it New York Times Wall Street Journal when you pass crazy rules the
little guys leave the mom-and-pop and the corporate people take over because
they hot they can undertake on the wrist don't do that Oakland.
take on the risk. Don't do that Oakland. It's best to have a small mom-and-pop
beer landlord. They're the best landlords. Secondly, this ordinance does an
interesting thing. You have the city created a legal scheme, that's what they
call it, with the rent board. What this proposes to do is to bypass the rent
board and go straight to court. You're creating lots of lawsuits. It's fine if
you want to help your friend's lawyer make their BMW payment by a bigger house,
you're creating more litigation here and this is wrong that city council should really think long and hard before they implement this because it just allows a bypass of the rent board altogether. Thank you.
Good afternoon committee members. My name is Denard Ingram. I am a commissioner on the rent board authorized by the board to present these items these recommendations to the committee. I first want to highlight that these recommendations are not staff recommendations. These are recommendations that come from the board. So
I would raise the question on whether or not
the administration can pull these items
as I understand the rules.
The item has been scheduled and belonged to this committee.
So it is up to this committee as I understand it
on whether or not to pull this item.
Secondly, if there are questions about outreach,
concerns about the recommendations,
both myself and Steph are here,
prepared to present on these items
so that both the tenants and the property owners
who are here with questions
can get those answers publicly here today.
Do not pull this item,
because this item has been in the works,
many of these recommendations for years.
Thank you.
It's a lot taller than me.
Hi, my name is Emily.
I'm a volunteer with Oakland Tenants Union.
I'm here representing our members
who are generally at work and not able to be here today.
We're an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff,
but we have been aware of this legislation
trying to get people to go
around there for months if not
years due to the fantastic work
of the rent board and rap staff
who went above and beyond their
due diligence and reaching out
to all stakeholders and
gathering feedbacks.
I see many landlords here today
opposing this item and I'm sure
they're all really great
landlords who would never break
the law and never harm their
tenants and that is why this
ordinance would not affect them
at all.
There's a lot of misinformation
appearing to go around today
about this ordinance.
It has nothing to do with
is provide a slightly larger window of opportunity
for tenants to file to protest an illegal rent increase.
Let me highlight that an illegal rent increase,
this rent increase would be illegal already
and right now the law would allow it
to essentially become legal if a tenant didn't know
their rights and file in time.
Is there incredibly small changes that only impact landlords
who are breaking the law and do not do anything
for all of them?
Can you give me your comments?
Bare your one minute of that.
You can go ahead and begin, the timer will show up.
I'm also a volunteer for the Oakland Tenants Union.
I want to second what my.
Please state your name for the record.
Leona Malika.
I want to second what Emily just had to say.
And also I want to add that like,
from the perspective of just law generally,
what the current regime allows is,
current regime about filing,
about illegal rent increases allows,
is just totally abnormal.
If someone's picking your pocket for six months,
and then you say, hey, not illegal, you can't do that.
They can't say, oh, well, I've been doing it for six months.
So what's your problem?
So just as a matter of consistency with laws,
generally, we oppose this.
It's a totally unreasonable imposition on tenants.
And as stated, it doesn't affect anyone
except landlords illegally increasing their rent.
Again, I want to second everything Emily had to say.
Thanks.
Good afternoon, Councilman, John Williams.
And currently, I think you need to make some more policies
that are equitable for landlords, mom and pop folks,
because this particular, another policy
that weighs on small folks like myself.
Putting this out of business, no one treats mom and pops
like we're a business, you know.
currently have a rental increase that's been on hold on appeal with the written
board for a year and a half but the very first real increase in 15 years of my
tenant. I'm still in litigation for three and a half years of back written with my
tenant and they continue to appeal them and appeal them and prolong it. It's
exhausting my funds and putting me out of business. Yeah, so no more policies
that are laying heavy on small landlords. Make the tenants more accountable or
the city of Oakland. And I'm
hold that said the proposed amendments are not small and insignificant and they
raise fundamental concerns these policy changes are being considered without
clear or comprehensive data to support these changes that they are necessary or
that they will produce the intended consequences outcomes policy would be
grounded in more than just anecdotal experiences allow the process to be
informed by data allow time and engagement with stakeholders hear from
court judges who are actively trying to divert rental cases away from courts and encouraging
resolutions rather than encouraging more litigation. Eventually this is actually happening, evaluate
what's actually happening before. Thank you for your comments. Your one minute is up.
Good afternoon committee members. My name is Jaleen Drew. I'm with Housing Provider
Resource Center. I am a housing provider specialist. I also work with EPRI, East Bay Rental Housing
Association as a member support specialist growth and engagement.
Through Alameda County Resource Center, we work directly with small housing
providers, many of them who are first time or accidental providers receiving
a property through program who are trying to comply with Oakland's complex
and evolving regulations. What we're seeing on the ground is not resistance
to law. It is confusion, intimidation and procedural errors, processes that
they don't understand that they're being forced to move through without the
support. When there is no limit to how far back a claim can go or penalties
can escalate even for small unintentional mistakes, many small
property owners feel like they are in one air away from a situation that
becomes financially overwhelming as they've spoke to here. More importantly,
this kind of framework increases the likelihood that issues escalate straight
into litigation. At the Alameda County House of Provider Resource Centers, that
That is what we're there for, to provide support through.
Thank you.
My name is Adriana Cardenas, I'm a small housing provider.
I'm requesting that you retain the existing provisions for renters who never receive RAP
notices that protection is already in the ordinance and it works.
Eliminate an open-ended window combined with trouble damages.
This creates indefinite, uninsurable litigation exposure for small owners operating in good
limit travel damages to willful violations for owners who knowingly
violate an act with reckless disregard of the ordinance consistent with San
Francisco ensure there is a real rent board parity and require proof of board
member designation for proper balance and rental property expertise at a guard
rail that the chair and vice chair may not be both drawn from the same
I own a duplex in west Oakland.
I have been trying to remove squatters from my house in April.
I have been trying to remove squatters from my house in April.
I have been trying to remove squatters from my house in April.
I have been trying to remove squatters from my house in April.
I have been trying to remove squatters from my house in April.
from my house in April will be a full year.
From violations and abuses that they take advantage of,
like the ones that are being proposed right now,
I unequivocally object to these things
that would allow renters to challenge rent increases
for property owners such as myself.
My case has been thrown out at least once
because of these minor administrative things
that the RAP Board puts on property owners such as myself.
And I feel that tenants having more opportunities
to delay evictions or sue small-time property owners
like myself is ample.
Thank you for your comments.
Hi, my name is Ricky.
This is the first time I come and speak
to all your council members here.
I've been a long time housing provider.
I have a lot of good tenants,
but some are bad one they try to turn
the next door tenants causing trouble.
And even those tenant don't like them too,
don't like that trouble tenant.
We have a hard time to deal with this
with the law that you guys are created and I don't think it's fair for the mom
and pop housing provider and as you know last the living costs us up like crazy
the garbage and water utility everything's up like crazy and we can only
increase by less than 1% thank you for your comments good afternoon my name is
Derek Muhammad, I'm a resident of West Oakland
and a small mom and pop property owner.
Thank you for pulling this item.
I wanna say that the policy making process
should always be guided by accurate data,
accurate information.
And it doesn't appear that that is the case here.
Questions, what is the basis
of this look back on rent petitions?
What is the basis for the introduction
of treble damages, and what is the basis of developing
or creating more causes of action.
All of these things serve the purpose
of creating a hostile work environment
for small businesses.
And they disincentivize investment and incentivize
freeloading and a kind of gimmicking
that allows people to play games and milk the system.
And I'm a person, Chris Moore.
Small housing providers are leaving.
About one third say they plan to exit
within the next two years.
Housing starts 15 year alone and units are sitting vacant.
And yet we continue to see these proposals
that are driven by advocates
who have never owned or managed housing.
And they don't understand or have a full understanding
of real world impact of the policies
adopted really over the last six years.
Those policies have not hit everyone equally,
and you can see it right here.
They've disproportionately hurt under-capitalized
mom and pop housing providers,
many, many of whom are black homeowners
and who relied on this income to stay in Oakland
and bid generational wealth.
The proposal today makes that worse.
No deadlines, unlimited retroactive liability,
treble damages, it's not balanced,
It's pushing these small owners out.
So thank you for putting this aside today.
Please spend time talking with owners,
talk with Ebra and make.
My name is David Hall.
I'm with, I'm a director of the housing team
at Central Lagala de la Raza.
This, these policies were put together by the members,
the commissioners of the rent board.
They are subject matter experts.
This was unanimously passed by both the landlord,
tenant and unaffiliated representatives.
Now today your landlord comments
have been law about these amendments are very short on specificity of what they
don't like about these proposals and long on complaints about being a
landlord. This has nothing to do with evictions this affects evictions in
exactly zero way. There are two important things that these these proposals do. The
first is to give tenants more time to challenge an illegal rent increase.
That's a good thing. There's no complaint about why that would be a bad thing. I'm
sure all of these good landlords aren't trying to pass illegal rent increases so
they're not going to be affected by this the second thing this does it revolves
around penalties of disobeying the ordinance the treble damages only is an
effect is an effect for willful fraudulent or malicious activity again
nothing that probably thank you for your comments your one minute is up good
afternoon council members Mark Janowitz volunteer with East Bay Community Law
Center thank you very much for the opportunity I just want to caution us
about misinformation, about what the ordinance,
what the proposals do, what they don't do.
These proposals are reasonable for the purpose
of carrying out the intent of the ordinance
to protect the renting population of the city.
One of the speakers said we should hear from judges.
Well, in 1989, in a case called Kelly versus G,
judges addressed the attorney's fees provision
and said the attorney's fees provision
of these ordinances, similar ordinances,
are vital to the enforcement of these ordinances
because nobody else does it.
Tenants can't bring actions, effective actions by themselves.
The city doesn't represent individuals.
So it's left to private attorneys
to enforce your, the city's ordinance.
And that's why the Court of Appeal
said these attorney's fees provisions are vital.
Now, of course, it doesn't affect anybody
who's following the law.
Pay your taxes.
What's wrong with that?
You don't want to pay your taxes?
Of course, everybody has to bear their burden.
Thank you for your comments.
Your time is up.
Good morning council members my name is Janet Halliburton and I stand here as a realtor
and a representative of people who would like to own rental property in Oakland.
Many of those people are dissuaded by dissuaded by the the current laws and I'm really glad
to hear that the informed data and encouragement of resolutions are being looked at and I do
encourage another look at this ordinance.
Also, I'd like to bring something that nobody said yet.
As I was going down Bart the other day,
I saw a sign that say, rental housing is a business.
And then I saw at the Oakland Post
where there is a new look at equity in business.
And I just like the city council to look at
the fact that it is a business
and it doesn't have the same respect
in this city or with the laws as any other business.
I urge you to look at the, with that land.
Madam Secretary, I think I've got,
I've got some seated time from Steve William
and Michelle Away.
Are they both in here?
Okay, thank you, Mr. Barnes.
You'll have three minutes.
Great.
Give me one moment to adjust your time.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, Chia Brown and committee members.
Derek Barnes, Small Property Owner
and CEO of East Bay Rental Housing Association.
As you know, the Ebra represents small owners across Oakland,
Alameda County, these are working class Oaklanders,
retirees, community members of color, over 70%
are small owner operators, who provide the vast majority
of the low market rate and rent, deeply affordable housing
in Oakland.
Oakland's Community and Economic Development Committee
focuses on fostering a vibrant, equitable economy
by attracting industries, supporting local businesses,
and workforce pathways, particularly in underserved communities, and that is the charter of this
body.
That is the charter of this body.
The rental housing ecosystem in Oakland moves about $2.8 billion through Oakland's economy.
That's not insignificant, and it contributes to this huge share of the city's business
license tax at about $125 million, in addition to property taxes, and why this matters, that
policies this committee passes needs to support our local housing providers who
are also small businesses as the previous speaker said provide
opportunities for them to start operate and grow but right now we've created
conditions that chase our local owners out of business out of Oakland and out
of housing the most vulnerable people in our community and that has to stop I
submitted a letter outlining my concerns and a set of recommend recommended
but we want to be clear about
where we stand.
We are not here to oppose
reasonable tenant protections
or compliance.
Our business is educating our
members and keeping units on
the market.
We have been actively
partnering with the city and
HCD and ways to help small
owners who are not ever
members get and remain
compliant.
Let me say this for the record.
These amendments before you
should never have reached your
desk without proper stakeholder
discussion and input.
Good policy development
development requires that and thank you for taking taking the steps to look at this and
And take the ample time to work out these this this body of updates because we need to minimize
the disparate impacts that small businesses like ours are up against and
Have been reported in other functions of the city one size does not fit all of as I said before in housing
to have the right to work on
these things.
You all know that I'm here about
solving problems and I want to
make that very clear too.
Recommendations for moving
forward.
Operationalize the practice of
convening regular joint
stakeholder meetings with AC
you know HCD and rap.
To ensure that the lived
experience that everyone talks
about is included in these
discussions.
And we have to run new policies
and amendments through the
department of race and equity
for assessment and input
board with qualified individuals who currently run rental housing that helps
because you have the context at the.
Thank you for your comments Mr. Barnes your time is up if your name was called
and you're still here in chamber and would still like to speak please come up
to the podium otherwise we'll switch to zoom users one C please unmute yourself
and begin your one-minute comment.
I'm Juan I'm a D4 resident and member of our contestants union I support these
incremental common sense changes, they're coming from a panel of tenants, landlords, and homeowners,
and disappointed that you're pulling this item to appease landlords who often don't live in
Oakland, such as Chris Moore, who we know lives in Piedmont, putting the interests of your donors
above those of your constituents. One of the proposals I especially support is extending
the time tenants have to file a complaint. It's ridiculous that if you find out you've been
defrauded for too long, you just have to continue accepting the fraud. These aren't complex changes
unless Everett is full of idiots who aren't familiar with what is being proposed or the
existing law. Council shouldn't pull items just because your donors refuse to read them. Also
it's ridiculous that council meetings are in the middle of the day making it hard for people with
jobs to participate and easier for people that leech off the working class of Oakland.
businesses provide services,
ever just buy at homes and make more people homes.
Kathleen Sims, please unmute
yourself and begin your one-minute comment.
Good afternoon.
Kathleen, I see you are logged on to two.
Please mute one or end one.
There's an echo coming through.
One moment. Please begin your comment.
Sorry, Kathleen. I will mute you. You if you're on a phone and laptop, you might have to mute
one or the other. There's an echo coming through. So I'll mute you for now and we will come
back to you. Okay. Noelle F. Please unmute yourself and begin your comment. Hi, my name
I'm a tenant of color in Oakland.
I'm calling in the middle of my work day,
trying to make time for this.
I am for the proposed,
sorry, I support the agenda item.
For landlords, one error doesn't mean you lose your housing.
Landlords come in with the same talking points
all tenant protections, we'd have to look at the incentives. We can't forget that the
business people are referring to is mine and other tenants' literal livelihoods. This
would only affect illegal rent increases and should be allowed to be addressed with more
time. And yeah, regulation like this helps address the homelessness crisis, so we should
take it seriously. Thank you.
Kathleen you can unmute yourself and try again. Kathleen Sims if you can unmute
yourself. Okay, we'll go back. Can you hear me? Yes we can hear you without an echo you can begin your
comment. Okay my name is Kathleen Sims I'm a small housing provider and I
work closely with many housing providers throughout the city. I'm concerned about
the provision allowing tenant petitions to be filed at any time during a
a tendency. Removing the current timelines may appear procedural but in practice it requires
property owners to maintain extensive documentation for the entire duration of a tendency to defend
against claims years later. In many rent adjustment hearings and appeals, tenants are represented
by legal aid attorneys or advocates while small housing providers often represent themselves
due to the legal costs that frequently exceed $400 an hour.
In addition, many members of the board
are represented by the city attorney.
As a result, housing providers find themselves
in a room full of attorneys.
This is not equitable or balanced.
Please consider these issues.
Thank you.
James, Ron, you can unmute yourself
and begin your comment.
These proposals did not come from tenant advocates.
There were no proposals from the tenants themselves.
These were developed by the board members in session
because they're trying to carry out their duty
on the aims of the rental ordinance.
So they saw these loopholes
and proposed these ways to fill them.
We are not, we're certainly for these,
These are reasonable proposals
and most jurisdictions already have these actions
already proposed.
So we think they should be acted on.
They were sent out at least a month ago
to all representatives, widely to all representatives
to consider and make comments.
There were no comments received at that time.
So we think that everybody had a chance to see these,
to react to that and to propose alternatives.
We think they make sense, they're reasonable,
they have good sense proposals and we're behind them.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments, Chair, at this time,
all names have been called.
We just need a motion to repeat it on.
Okay, excellent, thank you so much.
So just wanna thank everyone who showed up
for public comment on this item.
Of course, the advocates that support our tenants
as well as our smaller landlords in the city of Oakland.
I guess it's my understanding from the administration
that in the department,
that there will be more community engagement on this item.
And so look forward to having it returned
prior to our colleagues.
Any questions or comments?
Council Member Fave.
No, there's been one minute given to speak on these items.
And I do wanna get a little bit more clarity
because I came here to actually hear a presentation
on this item and engage in active deliberation.
I need to get a better understanding
of why this item was pulled and why,
and what is happening next.
So I'm not sure who to direct that question to,
but I just want,
I think it's important to state that for the record.
To the administration.
And through the chair, thank you for that question.
councilmember fife staff feels that we need to provide more outreach get more
engagement to understand this issue that's very nuanced and the basis for
pulling it was to get more information so that we can understand all the
fiscal impact from the city obviously for the landlords and the tenants and do a
deeper analysis and so that's essentially why we're we're pulling the
item and we don't have a date yet but we will get back to the group with the date
once that analysis has been conducted and we've done more additional outreach
well I I am the queen of outreach so I think having conversations and and having
a lot of order in the chamber is helpful yes stop it and and I think it's
important to have have those kind of conversations I just wanted to if we're
going to engage in a certain type of activity I want that consistency we just
had an item where councilmember Houston as the council member of his district
was respected in a way that hasn't been done across the board so what I'm asking
for all of my colleagues and for all city staff is to if we're going to gauge
and principled activity let it be consistent not not because of whose mayor
not because of who's chair but because we seriously want to get to an outcome
that benefits all people because the way that I see this body move sometimes
it's inequitable and I'm going to call it out when I see it just want to say
that for the record all right all right so so we just need a motion on the on
the item I'd like to move this to the pending list second thank you to the
Is this to the pending list no date specific?
Correct.
Thank you.
That's a motion made by councilmember Unger, seconded by councilmember Ramachandran to
withdraw and place item number four on the pending list no date specific.
On roll councilmembers five?
No.
Ramachandran?
Aye.
Unger?
Aye.
And chair Brown?
Aye.
Thank you.
Item number four passes with three ayes one no to place item number four on the pending
sorry commuting economic development pending list no date specific moving on
to item number four sorry moving on to open forum calling in the name that
signed up to speak David boat right how much time really David boat right
district for after such an exhaustive anti-displacement plan now is an
opportune time to report on the housing department's efforts to increase housing
in Oakland over the last 10 years.
This report should show how many housing units
by single, multiple, and family of three or more persons
have been completed per year
and the number of persons housed
in each housing group per year.
State the cost per unit for each of the housing groups
of item one, and final, show the different types of housing
and cost per unit for the housing groups of item one
with types defined as refurbishments and new construction
with the latter broken down by conventional ground up,
modular, small houses and others such as 3D printing,
and with the average completion time start to occupancy
ready for each of these types of housing, thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Chair, at this time, all names have been called.
Excellent, thank you so much.
Meeting is adjourned.