If you're here for any of the lean issues their staff available here to help you on hearing in hearing room four
On the second floor
All right, let's go ahead. Let's get it started
Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good afternoon
Good afternoon, and we will
Welcome to the
City Council meeting
today
July 7th
the time is now 3 41 and this meeting shall come to order and
Before I call roll. I would like to give instructions on how to submit a speaker card for items on this agenda
If you are here in person or participating and would like to submit a speaker card, please
Fill out a speaker card and turn it into a clerk representative
In front of you here
Either before the item is called or two hours after the meeting had began
Submitting speaker cards online were due 24 hours before this meeting began so that time has ended
So again, if you are wishing to speak on an item listed on this agenda
You must submit your speaker talk Clark to a clerk representative either two hours after this meeting begin or before the item is called
Into record whichever comes first again. This meeting began at 341 with that. I
Will now call roll on roll for this meeting. I have councilmember Brown
present councilmember five
present
councilmember guile I
heard a present
councilmember Houston
present here
councilmember Ramachandran is
Present councilmember under here councilmember Wong
and
Chair Jenkins present we have all eight members present. Thank you so much councilmember Jenkins council president Jenkins if you have any
special announcements can you please take them now yes due to the amount of
speakers and due to the amount of items councilmember time will be limited
today also republics time will be limited from two minutes to one minute
thank you thank you for that instruction now we will move to our first item item
number three which is modifications to the agenda and procedural items yes I
I have several.
We want in order 5.6 to be the first item heard after that, 5.2 after that, 5.7.
And then we want to move 4.6 after 5.5.
So that'll be the last item heard on non-consent.
And then also I want to remove 6.5 from the consent calendar.
And I'll need a second for that.
Okay, and so 6.5 will be on the regular agenda
and 6.5 will be heard after 5.5.
So 5.5, then 6.5, then 4.6.
So I'll state that again because this is very confusing.
5.6 will be heard first, then 5.2, 5.7.
Then we'll go in order on the agenda.
after that we will hear five point five six point five then four point six
thank you know the dad will come after five point six five point two and five
point seven the first item will be five point six thank you for that clarity
council president Jenkins we are moving to our first council member Houston
yes I'm through the chair I had had some questions for the city attorney about
of what we're doing and one of
the key considerations about
this charter- and I know that
that is already passed but this
is the time that we can speak
about it because I wasn't too
happy with. The piece of the
veto. That had already been
vetted through the city
attorney's office that out that
that veto that veto piece rubs
me the wrong way. And what I
mean by that keep president is
I have eight council members up here,
eight council members that decide to vote something up.
How can one person come in and veto our decision?
That rubs me the wrong way.
Because I was elected by my constituents and I swore to stand up for them.
And that's my voice, but it's their voice.
Just like every other council member up here.
I had a question about that president so do you have somebody on the prevailing
side of the issue that is willing to somebody on the prevailing side that's
willing to have a motion to reconsider I had spoke to councilmember Wang but I
had some questions with the city attorney before we could if it was ready
to reconsider that so I wanted to ask the city attorney a couple of questions
is that possible president yes if you don't know what I'm talking about ask
I don't know what item three
does.
I don't ask me.
It's got do you know what three
does.
You know what item three does so
let's let's focus on the
conversation with the city of
turn okay.
City attorney so I wanted to
know about because this is item
three in this is called
modification so read your
agenda.
It's called modification and
you can modify at this point.
So that's what I'm doing.
So I wanted to actually talk to
And it was it was vetted through the city attorney's office so in the modification stage which is right now a reconsideration can be made I wanted to know what that effect or hold this back because councilmember Wayne can change her vote are reconsider so we can address this veto piece that rubs me the wrong way.
that rubs me the wrong way.
So through the chair to Councilmember Houston,
I can read you your council rules, rule 8-7.
Which says during members request for reconsideration,
a council member who voted on the prevailing side
of a motion or other action taken at the immediately
preceding council meeting,
may move that item for reconsideration.
If the motion is seconded and at least five council members
vote in favor of the motion,
the item shall be placed on the agenda
for the next City Council meeting as a non-consent item.
Thank you.
So, but will that throw it off by being on the ballot?
So, it's your, I think your question
is a scheduling question.
So, if there was a successful motion to reconsider
an item that was acted upon at the last meeting,
it would go on your next Council meeting.
Your next regularly scheduled Council meeting is July 21st.
And that's the only other council meeting scheduled
before all materials would be due to the county.
And we also, as you'll see on this agenda,
have an ordinance to request consolidation
with the statewide election.
So all actions related to ballot measures
need to be adopted, and then there needs to be two meetings
to pass that consolidation ordinance.
Okay, one last question through the chair.
So it had to be weighing Jenkins, Fife or Agayo.
So I had already spoke to Wang about it
because we had had a conversation about that veto piece
and I didn't talk to the other council members about it.
So it'd be up to you if that's something
that you wanted to speak on or reconsider
about this veto piece.
It's on you.
I can respond to that.
I spoke extensively with city attorney Richardson
about what it would look like to do the reconsideration.
And I think the technical term is hot mess
is what it would look like.
So I'm going to, I'm not going to move motion
to do the reconsideration.
Okay, so through the chair, thank you for that.
So I'm just letting you know,
each council member here letting you know
that if that does pass,
that your constituents that voted you in office,
It can be, and you say yes, it could be knocked off.
Just wanna let you know that.
And if you, your vote, your vote can be vetoed.
So I'm just letting you know what you're standing up against.
And I already talked to Ramachana about it,
Unger about it, and me.
So I got one more question through the chair
that made a whole lot of sense.
And when certain things resonate with me, they resonate.
And Councilmember Unger, you don't have to speak,
but I'ma ask you a question.
You said something the other day
that really resonated with me
that stated about your constituents.
Why would you, they put us in office to speak for them.
And why would you put something in front of constituents
when they depend on us to make the right decision?
Can you repeat that if you want to?
I'm not forcing you.
I think I was just saying that I was voting,
I voted against the strong mayor
because I believe that the strong council
that was the superior system and I wanted
voters to have a chance to vote on strong council
if it came to that, I'm not supporting strong mayors
so that was why I didn't put it forward to the ballot.
Thank you council member.
So through the chair, I'm gonna say this.
So now that the other council members
that voted for it know the situation,
you have a chance right now to do what you should do
and if you don't, we gotta deal with it.
So thank you.
Seeing none, let's continue.
Council Member Wong.
Just one thing for item 6.26.
This is the city of refuge ordinance.
I'm just for the public's awareness.
We are keeping it on consent,
but there are amendments to be added, so.
Thank you.
Thank you for the clarity.
just to restate as stated by council president we are taking the agenda out of order and that was motioned by Council President
Jenkins seconded by Councilmember Gallo, and we will be going in order starting with item five point six five point two five point seven
And then in the regular order of the agenda going back to three point one
Chill until we get to item five point five once we get to item five point five
We will go to five point of six point five
four point six and then continue on from there so I
Will move forward to the first item now
Rearranged in the agenda, which is going to be item five point s five point six
One moment while I read that item into record. I have a resolution
confirming the mayor's appointment of Elizabeth Lake as interim city administrator and authorizing the mayor to execute an employment agreement with
with Elizabeth Lake on behalf of the City of Oakland.
Before we hear this item,
we will need to state an urgency finding and a motion.
Staff here to state an urgency finding
before we hear this item.
So mayor's office.
Good afternoon City Council.
Thanks Council President Preston Kilgore here,
Deputy Chief Staff Mayor Barbara Lee.
Yes, the mayor's requesting an urgency finding
to align this item with another item
that you will be voting on later today
the board. And I think that's a
council member on the chondrin no council member hunger I council member
Wong hi and chair Jink I item the urgency findings is approved with seven
eyes one no council member on the chondrin I believe I read the item in
record shall I read it again or no is there a presentation or something from
the mayor's office madam mayor thank you very much good afternoon before you
today council members is a resolution confirming my appointment of Betsy lake
as interim city administrator and I want to focus on why the timing of this
action matters for the city's operations council action today is
absolutely necessary to ensure that there's no gap in administrative
authority the former city administrators leave expires on July 15th and the
charter requires us to have a confirmed interim city administrator to execute a
variety of administrative functions to keep the city operations running. This
timing is especially important right now because of what's on today's agenda.
You'll also be reviewing and considering a related resolution, I believe that's
item 5.1, authorizing the city administrator and the finance director to
execute the documents needed to complete the city's tax and revenue
anticipation notes financing. This cannot be done by an acting city administrator.
This is a critical time-sensitive financing tool that the city relies on
for cash flow management. Confirming the interim city administrator at the same
meeting removes any ambiguity about who holds execution authority during that
financing process. We do not want a lapse in leadership to create uncertainty at
the exact moment that the city is completing this financing. Acting today
protects continuity of operations and the city's fiscal position protecting
the estimated 750,000 in savings to the city. I also want to be clear that this
interim appointment is formality not a substitute for a permanent hire my
office is already engaging a search firm and several search firms actually to run
a thorough competitive national search for a permanent city administrator we
are committed to identifying the strongest possible candidates to lead
the city's administrative operations for the long term and we will keep the
council updated on that process and timeline as it progresses. Betsy Lake's
deep familiarity with city operations including as an attorney for over 20
years and serving more than eight years in the city administrators office most
recently as acting city administrator and assistant city administrator makes
her well positioned to maintain continuity during this period. But the
community. And the core reason
for bringing this forward today
is operational uninterrupted
administrative authority and
certainty around execution
authority for the city's tax and
revenue anticipation notes
financing. It would be fiscally
irresponsible and very harmful
to the city for us not to make
this appointment today we
respectfully recommend the
speaker's we have on this we have two speakers for the school to the public speakers and then we'll go to council members after
That all right. I have miss Isabella Ola Bala in gene hazard for item five point six. Thank you
If I can
President Jenkins
Can I ask where the charter?
That there's a provision
That allows for an interim in
this position
do we need to go through the
council if they could answer
that question okay can we pause
this time to the city attorney
or you prepare to answer the
question or do we need to have
the chart through the chair is
it the state attorney on yes
through the chair ryan ridges
the city attorney so the
charter provides for two types
City it's just a city administrator who's appointed by the mayor and
confirmed by the council and the other is an acting city administrator which
means there is somebody there is a city administrator who's been appointed but
for one reason or another it's unavailable and is acting in that
person's behalf so to mr. hazards question this is an appointment for a
city administrator under the Charter the interim part is is in the short term
nature of the employment agreement and in the mayor's public commitment that
she's doing a search for a permanent city administrator but there is no
there is no interim city administrator is not a designation in the charter it
is this would be an appointment as a city administrator with the understanding
from the mayor's office and the council that it is temporary while the mayor
I think it's a great way to
get out of here.
To get out of here searches for
a permanent city administrator.
Thank you okay please start the
time back up.
So you can't act on this today
because there's no provision in
the city charter five oh two.
That has any.
Definition of an interim.
There's no such thing in the
charter so how can you move on
recommendations that before you.
It only has an acting city administrator.
You just previously when council member Houston asked
for a clarification and the city.
Thank you, your time is up.
Mr. Hazzard, thank you for your time.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Welcome Ms. Asada.
Thank you, Madam Clerk.
The language is confusion
and I don't understand the language.
At one point in the document it says for appointment for an indefinite term and another time it
says it ends on January 15, 2027 or earlier date and then it says the mayor can remove
at any time.
Very confusing.
So, if this was such an important item,
once the need for a interim administrator
became necessary, why didn't you go through
the process at that point?
See, this is an urgency now because it's
a last minute thing.
You have an interim chief.
You don't have to go through a process
of having it approved by anybody.
It just becomes appointed by the mayor,
you've heard me say that
interim tree chief lack of
consistency thank you missus
how do I believe that.
Concludes the speakers yes okay
so I'm gonna go to councilmember
brown then councilmember Houston.
Excellent thank you so much for
bringing this recommendation I'll
make a motion to approve the
item.
Thank you councilmember Houston
yes through the chair could I
bradley I'm johnson come up
And it looks good, you know?
Thank you, Bradley.
And, Miss Sada, your earrings look really nice.
I like them.
Yeah, they look good.
I like them.
So, my question, and I can start it before I get started, I mean, before Bradley gets
up here.
This has nothing, my questions and my comments have nothing to do with Miss Lake's integrity,
integrity.
Integrity, she's good.
We don't agree up on everything, but I have no issues with her.
So my questions have nothing to do with this.
So is Bradley coming?
Or someone can answer my question.
When do we know, see I have a problem with urgent,
urgent, urgent all the time.
It's always an emergency and it's urgent, right?
So why is it urgent?
And I wanted to know the three things
that this city administrator has to vote on
that's so critical in July.
So I need that answered.
And the dates, that's all I wanna know.
And the motion is seconded.
Okay you want on your mike on
councilmember guy okay.
And do you want to second well
okay so there's a second from
under.
David Jones treasury
administrator- regarding this
item today item five point one
is soon to follow but that's for
the- issuance of the twenty
six twenty seven.
Tax and revenue anticipation of
the preliminary offering statement tomorrow afternoon that would require an interim city
administrators signature and then thereafter the closing documents need to be executed before July
28th so those are the projected dates that we you know have in play right now so I see that Brad
about this I'm not sure I don't
know I don't know if Brad Brad
is here but- to your point.
Council member Houston that's
you know that's what we're
facing at the moment right so
through the chair let me speak
to Bradley real quick thank you
for that.
So Bradley what what three on
votes I mean what three
critical- pieces at the city
administrator has to do in July
what's the dates.
Thank you.
Through the chair to council
You know we have a preliminary
official statement regarding
the tran that would be we have
a forty to do that once we have
the preliminary official
statement post up posted next
week we will price and we will
need to sign the offering
documents date is that.
Believe it will be on the
fifteenth David okay.
Sixteenth David sixteenth
councilmember Houston I was
apologize and then we will be
look we're looking to close on
the twenty eighth of July so
that'd be another something at
and the twenty eighth are items of the city
minister would need to sign this court as the eighth the
fifteenth in the twenty eighth eighth sixteenth I'm sorry and
the twenty eighth okay so my issues is.
The mapping of this do we just find out that this had to
happen when Justin before Justin left.
Or would had to resign because we knew that he was resigning
on what July the fourteenth right.
And what he could have done and let me throw out a charter
the city administrator's
right.
And so if you look at the
other section on five oh four
the duties of the city
administrator.
The city administrator may
appoint a director of finance
which would be you.
Right to act under the city
administrator's direction so if
we knew these things were coming
up we could have had his forced
resignation to be julie July I
mean August the first right
which he could appointed you to
do exactly what we're doing
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
I'm not sure I'm going to do that.
We know about these dates so if our city administrator was did a
resignation on the 14th we could have said okay we don't accept that said
give him 17 days more and he could have pointed you as the finance and you could
have signed all three of those dates is that true or is that not true?
Councilmember Houston your hypothetical is accurate I will say that and maybe
this is my ignorance as a new director I was not aware when we were coming up
to set up with this pricing
schedule one that we would not
that Justin would have resigned
first off and secondarily I only
recently became aware of the
charter related issues related
to our ability to sign this
item is at least for me new this
conflict of not having it not
having the authority we're a
finance director who's normally
directed by the city of
ministry to sign up on these
documents is new to me I was made
of the situation.
And I think that as the
resignation happened I was
unaware of it so and it's
honestly within the last
couple weeks that it's become
a concern for me it doesn't
mean other people didn't know
but I can tell you I did not
know and so the timing of this
deal is coincidental okay this
is not attacking your character
because let me tell you do a
great job.
So I want to go ask to the
chair to the city administrator
to the city attorney who would
And I'm not going to be a big.
there is this.
Councilmember Houston, as soon as I was made aware of this through the city attorney, it
was when we immediately submitted a resolution and then we were not able to get it through
Rules Committee and so that's why the urgency came here today because it's fiscally responsible
of the city to do this because the financing agencies and authorities want to have the
And so I think this is what we
learned from the interim as
designate designee for the
signing but it's soon as we
learned about this.
From the city attorney we
introduce the resolution to do
this.
So through the chair thank you
Mary and this is not towards you
either because you know always
been ten toes down with you but
right is right.
And what I- like I said I'm a
close it out with this.
I've been elected by my my folks
from D. seven.
To represent them and I take
I started looking at how the charter is
and how things are.
I take this serious because they depend on us
to make the right decisions in their best interest, right?
So my point is this, is that we gotta run this city
like a business because that's why we're in the condition
that we are in right now.
Because we're not running it like a business.
I see.
Yeah, Council Member Hughes,
I just wanna say we take it seriously also.
That's why we're doing this.
it's important to the fiscal stability, quite frankly,
of the city.
If not, we wouldn't be doing this.
We take it as seriously as you take it.
Thank you, Mayor.
So let me say this.
In closing, this has nothing to do with Betsy Lake.
This has to do with the process.
So I'm done, Chair.
Thank you, Councilmember.
And then, Councilmember Gaudio,
can you turn your mic on, please?
No, it's not on.
now. Thank you. First of all, let me express my appreciation for the
leadership of Betsy Lake. For many years, I've had the opportunity to work with
her, and certainly she has made many contributions to the city of Oakland, and
Mayor, I recognize, you know, the role that you're in, and certainly the
necessities, the emergencies that Oakland faces, and I support your
recommendation to get the work done. It's not about what we say, it's what we do, so
we've got to get the work done and I support you and so with this
recommendation from Mayor Barbara Lee I'm in full support and I'll second the
motion okay you could be the third person I'm gonna second it you want to
be the fourth councilmember I just had a technical question if I could ask
Bradley through the chair about the five million dollars in savings I believe
I think we're getting the
approval from the board and
we believe that will realize as
a result of this action.
Is that compounding?
So let me say I appreciate what
you're saying.
The net saving 750, the gross
saving is 5.5 million.
The net savings is $750,000.
That would be, that additional
savings could absolutely be used
to compound into future years
regarding our payment process.
the community we're in the
middle of putting money up
front which is what we're doing
with this train issuance what
we plan to do whenever the
market allows to save the city
money that is exactly it's the
same context is just within the
fiscal year as opposed to
between fiscal years understood
thank you thank you madam clerk.
Oh councilmember I'm a tundra.
Thank you I just want to be very
clear and state for the record
my reasons for saying no to this
of our key leaders in this city but we do retain the power to say no when we
disagree. I have nothing personal against Miss Lake I don't know her in a
personal capacity but I was elected like councilmember Houston just said in his
district me and my district to have a fiduciary duty to this city and to be
honest about decisions that I think will help or hinder our finances. I speak
as a council member, but I also speak as the chair of the finance committee, that I do
not support this because I do not trust MSLIC to sell bonds or execute financing notes or
any other critical financial decision for the city of Oakland, whether in a temporary
or permanent capacity.
And this is not unfounded out of thin air.
This is based on actions that have been done during her tenure as a high level city leader
that have negatively harmed the city.
Land deals, sports deals, real estate, litigation, and I can go on, but not allowed to go into
details.
I don't buy the argument that we just have our hands are tied.
Because this was the argument that was used my first two years in this role under a previous
mayor that we have things are brought to us last minute and then we just have to
rubber stamp it no we don't I even now before this July 15th that there is
opportunities and I have expressed my concerns previously before this item was
brought to the Rules Committee to the mayor's office and suggested other names
even though I have no power to put forward any other names I've certainly
suggested names now I'm not in favor of bringing back our previous city
administrator either. Let me be clear, but I think that there are many qualified
people who do work for this city right now that can be trusted on financial
matters and I think that there are people who previously worked for the
city who I believe can be trusted on financial matters. So I actually think
it's the opposite that it's an irresponsible decision, but I am one
vote, I'm one voice, but I have a very clear fiduciary duty and I will use my
and I'm not looking for a response I'm stating my perspective. Thank you madam clerk. And with that we have a motion by council member brown seconded by council member hunger to approve staff recommendations for item S. five point six on roll councilmember brown. I councilmember fight I councilmember guy. I. Houston. I. Ramachandran no.
cuz you don't know
longer
Wong
And council president Jenkins no and we have two noes and six eyes
This item is approved with two noes and six eyes. Thank you for that. We will now
go to
Again out of order as requested by council president Jenkins to item
5.2
Item 5.2 is receive a presentation from the AC transit on current agency
deficit projections and associated financial outlook including potential service adjustments and workforce reduction scenarios and
impacts I have
four speakers for this item
Thank you
Good afternoon. I
Apologize, I'm trying to figure out how I work the clicker. Can you all see the slides?
Eventually we'll be able to see the slides.
How many minutes will you need for this presentation?
Will six minutes do?
We're working with 10, but we will try.
We'll move as quick as possible.
Okay.
I'll talk quick.
All right, thank you.
Good day, I'm Sarah Syed,
proud to represent AC Transit Ward 3
on the AC Transit Board of Directors.
It's a real pleasure to be here today
and to introduce and to reaffirm the essential role
that AC Transit plays in the everyday lives
of people and neighborhoods of Oakland.
Alongside members of the AC Transit team,
we'll also directly address the current budget challenges
that, frankly, without a long-term solution,
will impact our bus network that our residents depend
on every day.
But first, let's take a quick look at who we are.
AC Transit is not an agency of any East Bay City.
We're a special district serving 13 cities
and eight unincorporated communities
across Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
We span 364 square miles,
carry more than three million riders each month,
and are governed by a publicly elected board of directors.
Three out of four riders are people of color
and nearly two thirds are low income,
making AC Transit an essential lifeline
for all the communities we serve.
It's why for more than 65 years,
We've operated bus facilities in Oakland,
Emeryville, Hayward, and Richmond,
keeping buses close to the communities that rely on them.
It's also why we're proud to have received the top honor
as Outstanding Public Transportation System
in the US in 2023.
Being a top transit agency, what does that look like?
It looks like 40 million rides every year.
More than 140,000 riders boarding on a typical weekday.
Each weekday more than 5,500 commuters
rely on AC Transit to cross the bay.
And when school returns, at least 30,000 students
depend on us to get safely to and from school every day.
Riders recognize our affordability and value
and the numbers prove it.
Just this spring, for three months,
we had our first straight three months
of year-over-year ridership growth since the pandemic.
We're also a workforce-first employer,
supporting more than 5,100 jobs across the East Bay.
More than half of those jobs are created outside our agency,
and together they generate over $604 million in annual wages,
injecting nearly $1 billion into the East Bay economy every year.
Every bus we operate creates jobs, supports local businesses,
and strengthens our communities.
While fueling the East Bay economy,
we're also cleaning the air.
For over a quarter century, AC Transit
has led the nation in zero-emission buses.
Our fleet of 58 zero-emission buses
eliminate tailpipe emissions from our streets.
And that leadership earned AC Transit
a $40 million federal investment to launch
the transit industry's first zero-emission bus university.
Alongside Chabot College and Union ATU Local 192,
Zeb U will help our employees earn associate degrees
while preparing the clean transit workforce of tomorrow.
Riders recognize our value because we're committed
to making transit more affordable, faster, and safer.
Our easy pass provides unlimited deep discounts
for participating employers, colleges, and communities.
Clipper Start gives income eligible adults
half off every ride.
We redesigned our 104 bus lines last summer
under our realign network.
As I mentioned, three out of four AC transit riders
are people of color, and nearly two-thirds are low income.
Let's put those numbers into perspective.
More than half of our riders earn less than $50,000 a year
below the federal poverty level in one of the nation's most
expensive regions.
Many are already struggling to afford essentials
like housing and transportation.
That helps explain why 65% of our riders
are transit dependent.
So service cuts would not just be an inconvenience.
They would upend the lives of those
who rely on AC Transit.
I'll now turn it over to AC Transit staff
who will share more about our deficit projections
and potential impacts to service.
Good afternoon council members,
it's great to see all of you
and to be in these chambers again.
I'm Claudia Burgos, I'm the executive director
of external affairs and customer experience at AC Transit.
So a number of things that our board member just shared,
but AC Transit is making sure
that every taxpayer dollar counts.
We know that when fares go unpaid,
the cost of running the service does not disappear.
Instead, it creates a funding gap.
This month, we launched a multilingual fare required
fare compliance campaign.
The message is simple.
Pay the fare, protect the bus line.
A comprehensive California state audit just recently
found that AC Transit syncs well with service
with other agencies across the East Bay.
Our collective real challenges are sustainable funding,
not mismanagement.
I apologize if I can just give you a heads up.
You have one minute left of the presentation time.
Oh my goodness.
Thank you so much, sorry.
Okay, we're doing everything to protect the public funds.
What's driving the deficit?
28% of fuel costs increases,
14% increase in bus parts,
35% more expensive to buy buses to date.
In terms of our financial outlook,
we've saved over $9 million in the last fiscal year.
Our deficit is projected to be 200 million
over the next four years, which would result,
I wanna draw your attention to the right side of this slide,
16% reduction in bus service
and the potential loss of up to 300 jobs at AC Transit.
That's why the 2026 November regional measure
is so important to us.
It's gonna be on the ballot.
The bridge loan from the state has helped provide relief
for the current fiscal year,
which we've just started this week.
However, we're planning for the worst
and hoping for the best.
We have a contingency service plan
that I will go over quickly since we're out of town,
out of time.
We're looking to preserve the core of the network,
which is primarily here in Oakland.
But if we are forced to enact this service plan,
many bus lines in Oakland and Oakland residents
would be severely impacted.
This will not go into effect until June of 2027
and would go into effect only if the regional measure
we're going to go to public
speakers to answer any questions
that are not available in
November does not pass on the
ballot so thank you for your
time this afternoon and we hope
you stay engaged on this
critical matter for transit for
Oakland residents thank you
thank you so much.
Let's go to the public speakers
first and then I'll open up to
council members if there are any
questions.
Thank you so much for that I
will call the public speakers
name as I call your name.
Please approach the podium in
And as usual we'll take those who are in person first and followed by that we will take those who are online. I have Blair Beekman, Kevin Dolly, Mrs. Sada Olavala and John Jones III in any order if you're present in chambers we'll take you first. If I called your name.
Thank you. Through the chair. Good afternoon. My name is John Jones III. I'm going to start by saying I have friends. My auntie was a bus driver for AZ Transit. Two of my cousins, two of my friends.
I still use AC Transit.
So now that I got the niceness out of the way,
this is a perfect example of unintended consequences.
AC Transit blew $200 million
destroying international boulevard.
One third of those businesses were severely impacted
and went out, businesses that owned by black and brown people.
And if you go on Broadway,
it looks very nice and pretty, ain't it?
Nice and pretty painted.
Go to the east, you got those plastic homes.
This is where we have to go
it destroyed the aesthetics of
our community and now we're
here today talking about this
deficit that they're in.
I hope everyone will learn from
this lesson we got to stop
being reactive in making
decisions without understanding
the long term impact of that
because what a C transit did
he's open was just horrible.
Councilmember Noah remember
because we have to bring
finish together in that even
know about the mitigation fund
so please do better next time.
So it did not in the present and y'all stop using that people of color, please.
What difference does it make? What color y'all riding the bus? You didn't say
anything about supplemental bus services that are a part of the OUSD service to
students. You did, there is the student transit pass program, the easy pass, the
universal free transit school pass and the supplemental bus services. Now if
you were in so much trouble, why on January 1st did you start Route 31 from
Skyline all the way down to the... I forget where it goes all the way from. Y'all do
all kind of stuff that has to do with favoritism. 20 buses go up to Skyline, 10
eight go to Montara.
A total of sixteen.
And we never hear how much money are y'all paying for that or the school district, because
nobody talks about it.
Thank you, Mr. Sada.
Thank you for your comments.
As stated, we will now go to those who signed up for this item on Zoom.
Again, if you have signed up for this item and I called your name, please raise your
hand so I can easily identify you and state your name for the record.
I see Kevin Dalley, you are on mute, you may begin.
you are unmuted, you may begin.
Hi, this is Kevin Dalley.
Thanks for the presentation and I'm very concerned.
We need to keep AC transit rolling, extra transit.
The transit reduces the cars on the road at its best.
It reduces injuries and fatalities.
And while mistakes were made
in designing the International Boulevard Rapid Transit,
Oakdod and AC Transit work together reducing fatalities on that line.
We need to make sure that Oakland doesn't do anything that risks the passing of this
measure on the ballot in November.
And we need to figure out what we can do to keep AC Transit moving.
of buses will increase the cost to Oakland whether or not it's extremely obvious what
is going on and how it will happen thank you for your comments are last speaker for this
item Blair big men and I don't see him at this time so that concludes your speakers
okay now conclude public comment are there any questions from the council members I see
You don't have to turn your microphone on.
If one of the representatives can please share with the public and certainly growing up here
in Oakland all my life I certainly understand the level of service from AC Transit but can
you share with us what is your future projection to serving our student population including
our seniors that are utilizing the bus system on a daily basis?
I know you provide certain passes and so forth
and services to the schools.
Yeah, I'm Sean Diesel,
service planning manager, AC Transit.
At this point, as part of the contingency service plan,
we're not proposing any reductions
to our supplemental or bus service routes.
So all the bus services that serve Skyline,
as the resident mentioned, Skyline and Montero,
Oakland Tech, Roodsdale High,
a number of the schools in the hills,
we're not we're not we're not looking to reduce those services because we know
they're very essential
as part of uh...
essential service that we provide
so does open unify school district pay for that service or did
uh... a c transit provide that
uh... so eighty transit does get a small amount about five hundred thousand
dollars annually from or u.s.d. uh... it by no means covers the cost of the
service so it is being paid for out of the general
I guess the general fund of a C transit
Thank you
Councilmember Houston and then after that, I'll probably make a motion
Yeah, I'm through the chair. I'd like to ask a couple of questions, too
And and it doesn't have anything too much to do with this
Like John Jones said a C transit destroyed my neighborhood
It did it is what it is
District 7 from the border San Leandro the 73rd
I was just I wouldn't have never voted for that if I was council member at that time
I wouldn't have never let that happen in my neighborhood
Because some of the things that were supposed to happen
Didn't continue to happen
Because they had promised to keep that illegal dumping off of that
medium
And it's so trashy and then who takes care of the delineators or the torch down
Channelizers that get hit with everybody driving by it's just awful. Even though this doesn't happen
I'm not happy with AC transit in my neighborhood. I'm not
So so and I speak for my people
District 7 I'm 10 toes down for them and they 10 toes down for me and believe me
They are so and it's cuz some of them gonna speak on this later something else
So like my thing is I was just gonna say this might be more appropriate for the ILC
All right, I know you understand I understand what you're saying, but it might be I think they're here in a different
Capacity and
You're a member of the ILC and this might be an appropriate thing to agendize
Okay, president. I'll let that roll. All right. So, thank you. Thank you. Is there a guy who made a motion? I'll make a second
And that was a motion long. Did you want to say something?
I'll take the opportunity
Yeah, I just
I'm a proud AC transit rider myself. I just you know working-class people are using the bus system
That's the other thing that we need to talk about and with these service cuts, which are drastic
I'd like to just hear how can we help be helpful to ensure that this ballot measure passes?
Because it is critically important that this transit service continues
You councilmember Wong for that question. So since we're here in our official AC transit capacity, you know
My response is we we would welcome any opportunities to share this same presentation with your constituents
community groups
community stakeholders business associations you could let us know where you think that there are
stakeholders that would be interested in this information and we'd be happy to go to where they are
In terms of what can be done in regards to the revenue measure, right?
Those are things that as a public employee we cannot get involved in in our public
time
Certainly, I think a lot of people here are doing a whole bunch of things as private citizens of the city of Oakland
Okay. Thank you
All right. Let's go to the world
we have a motion by councilmember guile seconded by
Council president Jenkins to receive this presentation in council on roll
Councilmember Brown. I
fight I
guy I
Houston abstain
Ramachandran I
Unger I Wong I in council president Jenkins. I thank you guys so much
Thank you. The item 5.2 was received in council with seven eyes and one abstained Houston
Thank you so much. Now we will move again out of order to item 5s
5.7
Adopt a resolution submitting to the voters at the November 3rd 2026 general municipal election a measure to amend the open municipal code
Charter chapter four point four point two zero to amend the
Exemption for full closure
Transactions and advisory measures on whether the increased revenue from amending the city's real property transfer tax to include certain foreclosure
Transactions should be spent for the purposes of providing interim shelter
Transitional housing and can't make closure operations
addiction treatment
job readiness and other related homelessness services and directing the city clerk to take any and all
actions necessary under the laws to submit these measures to the voters at the general municipal election and making appropriate
California Environmental Quality Act findings and I have 12 speakers for item 5.7
All right councilman wah
Can you throw five minutes on the clock for the councilmember?
Apologies, and before we read this item into record. Thank you for my staff
We do need to state an urgency finding on the record before we hear this item. So if
The author this item can present an urgency on why we need to hear this item
Sure, the urgency item is just timeliness to make it onto the ballot this November
Thank you. I'll second that
thank you and that was a motion by councilmember wong seconded by council president jinkins
to approve the urgency spiny stated on record with that on roll councilmember brown aye
councilmember five aye guile aye uston aye ramachandran excuse me ramachandran i think
we keep pushing the button ramachandran sorry wong aye and council president jinkins aye
Aye.
We have eight ayes to reprove the urgency finding.
You may present.
All right, thank you, colleagues.
So what is before you today is a proposal
to add onto the ballot this November
a closure of a loophole in our existing
real estate transfer tax.
In measure X, this is our progressive
real estate transfer tax,
There is an exemption right now in foreclosure transfers,
including deed in lieu transfers.
These types of transfers and these acquisitions,
by the way, primarily fall under lenders,
so these are banks, as well as real estate investment trusts
and private equity.
I also wanted to note that, unlike the title,
one of the amendments is actually to remove
the companion advisory measure.
This is based off of the feedback that I received
from my colleagues inules.
We've also added some important exemptions
to closing this loophole.
We've added exemptions,
hardships for natural persons
that are experiencing foreclosure.
To be clear, the intent is not to punish the individuals
that are experiencing foreclosure,
but to actually tax.
Again, these are lenders,
as well as private equity and the real estate investment
trust that are acquiring what are distressed buildings.
Housing conversions is another exemption that we've made.
So there is an adaptive reuse element in this tax measure
that says the loophole will be,
or the exemption will be retained when, for example,
we're seeing this rise in office buildings
that are going into foreclosures because we have challenges.
our office buildings, people are not going back to work,
and so if someone acquires that building
and actually converts it into affordable housing,
into interim shelter, or a number of other uses,
they will receive an exemption from this tax.
And then, just, I have also added an exemption
that allows authority for council to add exemptions
later on in ordinance basis.
The reason that I'm proposing this at this moment is because we are entering a foreclosure
cycle that will not last forever.
I have the data that I will go through shortly.
I also want to note that in San Francisco, they are also proposing a foreclosure tax
ballot measure.
It is anticipated to raise.
This estimate is done by their controller's office, $200 million over the next three years.
Now, I recognize that our real estate market is not exactly this, but nonetheless, it shows
that there is significant revenue to be generated from this type of closure.
And not only that, this is also about tax equity.
Are we taxing the individuals and the companies and the corporate entities that have the most
capital when we talk about how to raise revenue for this city?
I also want to note these headlines.
We are seeing again a rise in foreclosures.
This is an article by the Wall Street Journal, and we're also seeing very locally that Oakland
apartment buildings, office buildings are going into distress.
What is not even included in the slide is actually the Clorox building, which just announced
that it was going into foreclosure.
Also want to note how much revenue that we've lost, because we have not had this loophole
closed over the last number of years.
In 2024, and this is simply, I want to note, these are transactions that we can note in
the public record, so this is in news headlines.
You can see here that these are a number of properties in 2024 as well as the range of
tax revenue that they could have born to generate for the city if this tax loophole had been
closed at that time.
You can see that there's a number in 2024, a number in 2025, and 2026 is actually when
we're seeing a substantial increase in those foreclosures.
To summarize what you're seeing these trends in the last three years is that in 2024, a
low estimate for the revenue generated would have been $3 million to a high estimate of
$7 million.
2025, that would be around $4.9 million to nearly $7 million.
In 2026, and this is based off of actual transactions that we're seeing in the market,
this is through June.
So this is just through half a year alone.
We could have generated anywhere from 5.4 million to 24.6 million in six months alone
if that loophole had been closed.
So I also want to note this is the annualized estimate from finance that they are comfortable
with putting onto the ballot, should we add this onto the ballot where it would, again
because this is counter cyclical revenue, when we are experiencing recessions in particular
in the city of Oakland, we know that that's when we have the most challenges with our
tax revenue.
That's when our standard real estate transfer tax experiences a low.
This is a counter cyclical revenue generator when we're experiencing tough economic times.
The estimate from finance that they are comfortable
with putting on the ballot is a low estimate of 4.5 million
to a high of 13 million.
I apologize if I can just quickly let you know
that you have one more minute left in your time.
Thank you so much.
And that's it.
I'll take any questions.
Thank you.
Let's go to the public speakers.
Thank you.
Council Member, do you wanna go first?
Council?
Okay.
Or potentially a friendly amendment.
So last time at Rules I expressed my concern
about the definition of a community banking organization
because there are plenty of big banks
that might per the Federal Reserve have assets
of less than 10 billion dollars
or those that are still predatory investors,
whether or not they're a big bank.
I don't support this, but I think that I would prefer
Council has the ability to amend this language.
So to section four of 4.20.050,
section F4, I would recommend that it says,
city, and I'm open to the city attorney's input on this.
Of course, city council may by ordinance
establish other exceptions or amend
the exceptions listed above.
so that we not only have the power to add new exemptions
to the tax, but also amend this as it is.
Let's say in a year, we realize there's very predatory
investors that qualify under the $10 billion amount
who are buying up these properties without paying us RATT
that we retain the power to change this exemption.
Okay, I'm comfortable with that.
Okay, thank you.
I don't know if you have any
issues with the public.
I don't know if you have any
issues with the public.
All right.
Let's go to the public speakers.
Thank you.
As stated earlier, as I call your name please approach the
podium in any order.
If you are here in person, we'll take those first, those
who are participating via Zoom.
I will take those following those who are in person.
Again, if you're participating in Zoom, please raise your hands
so we can easily identify you.
With that, I have Mrs.
Palayo Lamas, Robert Abtica, Josephine Goosman, Dan Cobb, Kathy Leonard, Ann Janks, and Jean
Hazard.
Again, if I called your name and you're here in person, please line up at the podium in
any order.
State your name for the record.
And following those who are here in person and they've given their time, I will take
those online.
everyone that is signed up for item 5.7 passing to speak on this item. Thank
you. I'm just going to use this as an opportunity to ask people who are going
to be voting, make sure you understand clearly what you're voting for or
against. I just heard something I don't know what the hell she said and I don't
and so when I don't understand something I tried hard I read it several times but
I don't know what she's trying to do.
So, and I'm not a dummy, but it's not clear.
All I got is foreclosure, community bank,
and trying to help, you're trying to help some kind of way.
So my recommendation is we need to do something
with the high level of foreclosures
of these office buildings and these hotels
that are in the city.
Stop the foreclosure before it happens.
what's the process that can happen are we talking about
the in foreclosure and after that process has taken
this is a way to do something I don't know
all I'm gonna tell you is Wong is trying hard to value
I apologize missus out of your time is up
thank you so much
if I called your name and you're here in person please step up to the podium for
item five point seven
and janks district three
uh... i'd appreciate the conversation about how to ensure that the uh...
that the proposal doesn't have uh... unintended impacts
but i also appreciate
uh... the the time that i hope the council is willing to take
to ensure that we do address foreclosures in every in any way possible
far as i'm concerned
getting some extra money out of it is secondary
to doing everything possible to make foreclosures more challenging
If you do get some money out of it,
you could also always follow the charter
and fund independent oversight, which you failed to do.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Again, if I called your name and you're in person,
please approach the podium.
Otherwise we...
Good afternoon.
My name is Robert Apodaca,
resident of Alameda County for the last 55 years,
of which 40 years in Oakland,
and the last 23 years in District 2 Chinatown.
I have seen many economic cycles over the last 20,
well, 50 years, quite frankly, and longer.
And we've lived through these booms,
and bus was here for the 10K boom,
and the continued growth of Oakland,
but unfortunately, now we're seeing the bus.
There are many office, hotel, and apartment foreclosures,
and it's just getting worse.
And we're missing out on revenue
that would otherwise be available
on it on the street.
How do not for measure acts I
support the amendment to get
more money from these
foreclosures and that many need
to be invested so that we will
have more security fix the
potholes and make this a more
livable city and people won't be
foreclosing on their home
properties and business
properties thank you.
Thank you so much for your
comments again I'm going once
going twice mister hazard are
now go to those who raise their hand and signed up for this item in zoom. Starting with Kathy
Leonard, you may unmute yourself and begin. Kathy Leonard, resident of district one. I
approve of this being on the ballot measure. For this particular reason, I'm looking at
the executive summary and I want to read the second paragraph of item three. In our residential
neighborhoods, national real estate investment trusts, and Wall Street hedge funds routinely
outbid local working class families at trustee auctions. These institutional entities buy
foreclosed starter homes tax free. This loophole actively subsidizes the rapid conversion of
owner occupied housing into corporate owned rental portfolios, permanently raising the
barrier to affordable home ownership for local residents. I am upset that these companies
are coming in and buying our homes. They don't even, they're not even in Oakland. And so
they're, they're, we cannot buy homes in Oakland and they resell them at a high. Apologies,
Ms. Leonard, your time has ended. We will now move on to the next person who signed
end up via Zoom. I have Josephine Guzman. You're on mute. You may begin.
Hello. Good evening, Council President and members of the City Council. My name is Josephine
Guzman, and I serve as the Public Policy Manager for the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber
of Commerce. We're here just to thank Councilmember Wong for her leadership on this legislation
and specifically highlight the importance of a thoughtful stakeholder engagement process
on ensuring us as community partners have the opportunity to provide meaningful
feedback because the open chamber appreciates being included as a stakeholder and having
opportunity to share perspectives on behalf of the business community, ask questions and better
understand the considerations behind this legislation. We believe strong stakeholder
engagement is essential for developing these effective policies and bringing together voices.
so thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts on this thank you for your comments we
will now go to the next speaker i have palayo you are unmuted me you may begin you need to
hello um my name is palayo leamas from district four i'm gonna just keep this short uh thank you
city council and um for this uh for the uh and thank you city council very much and i hope you
we adopt this resolution in support of the foreclosure tax
to stabilize housing,
and I hope it will prevent homelessness.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comments.
I have next Kevin Dalley.
You may unmute yourself and begin.
Hi, this is Kevin Dalley from D4.
I think this tax is a really interesting idea.
I am concerned that like so many of Oakland taxes,
the money is going into the general fund
with recommendation that it be used for specific purposes.
And the council has a habit pretty much every year
during budget time to override any suggested purpose.
Let's be honest here, if it goes before the voters,
let's just remove the clause has suggested uses
and be upfront admit it's going to the general fund.
My other concern is having this tax on the November ballot
at the same time as the AC Transit sales tax
mentioned previously,
would be a problem when there's multiple taxes
on the ballot at the same time
it reduces the chances of any.
Thank you for your comments.
We have Blair Beekman up next.
You may unmute yourself and begin.
Hi, Blair Beekman.
Thanks for the words of Kevin Dalley.
Yeah, I wanted to raise that opinion as well.
So thank you for that.
Also I mentioned a public comment.
If this item can be used for the foreclosure process
can be taken over by corporate structures
instead of low homeowners.
That's an interesting concept.
I mean, I want to support this measure
and I prefer to call it a measure Y
instead of measure X to be supportive.
But it is an experiment.
If this was done by a Republican party person,
I'd be very careful of it, but I am trying good intentions
of what a Democratic Party person in offering this can do.
And just that how we talk about the funding,
what it's used for, I mean,
if we can make specific guidelines to not use it
for enforcement, homeless enforcement,
that's the direction I'd like to work in,
not with litter enforcement,
but with our more positive constructive programs.
Maybe that can be a safeguard.
Thank you for your comments.
And I have Dan call.
You may unmute yourself and begin.
Thank you, Madam Clerk.
I respectfully urge city council members
to support this proposed ballot measure,
which amends the real estate transfer tax measure X
to effectively close the loophole
and therefore ensure that large banks
and big business investors are not given a free pass
when real property is transferred due to a foreclosure.
I believe that this could raise one to $3 million a year
annually for the general purpose fund
for vital public services.
And in some years, even more when large commercial properties
become subject to foreclosure, which has, indeed,
happened post-COVID.
Interestingly, this could also, from time to time,
have the consequence of incentivizing large banks
to avoid foreclosure of residential homes
in order to avoid this tax.
This might mean that homeowners could
be given more flexibility with payment plans
instead of sudden foreclosure.
That's a good thing.
Since this tax change would only be paid for
by a very small number of entities such as larger banks,
not the broad public.
I urge an aye vote to put this on the ballot, thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
I have Barbara Leslie.
If you are participating, please unmute yourself.
All speakers have been.
Thank you.
Council member Brown and then we'll go to Wong.
Excellent.
Well, thank you so much Council Member Wong
for bringing the item.
I know we've had the opportunity to ask many questions
and engage on this, so I'll keep my questions brief.
I'm also supportive of the friendly amendment
that Council Member Ramachandran uplifted.
I did wanna get an update on the additional
community engagement that you were able to do on this,
if you wanted to just share that publicly.
Yeah, absolutely, so these are the groups
that have been engaged on this topic.
Chamber of Commerce, who you heard from.
We also spoke with the BID Alliance,
the East Bay Housing Authority, HERA,
which is the Housing and Economic Re...
Well, anyways, let me not spell out that organization,
but they basically do focus on foreclosure policy,
as well as just housing affordability.
The Wellstone Club, Sierra Club, East Bay for Everyone,
the YIMBY groups, East Bay YIMBY.
We also spoke with Housing Action Coalition, they have a neutral position on this as well
as other organizations and individuals like former, now Supervisor Bass, former City Council
President Nikki Fortunato Bass, who was also exploring this measure during her tenure.
And then also I just want to mention that we also engaged with stakeholders in San
of San Francisco as well as our city attorney
spoke directly with the San Francisco city attorney's office
on this item.
Excellent, and the update for the city and county
of San Francisco is that they are also moving
forward this item on the November ballot.
Correct, correct, yep.
Excellent, thank you.
Councilman Maguire, Senator Michell.
Thank you, and I did follow the foreclosure tax ballot
development in San Francisco, and certainly considering
It's a very very important
opportunity to work with the
agencies that we have in our
neighborhoods.
I am in full support of this
initiative and thank you for
your leadership.
Thank you.
Thank you, councilmember Gayo.
And I also wanted to address
some of the public comment.
There was one comment that,
well, we are taking off the
advisory measure because I
think it's, anyways, it'd be
more democratic if we as a body
then decide on what to use with
it's a responsibility that we
are going to be able to be
able to use and intend to use
it focused on interim shelter.
The other piece that I wanted
to touch upon is, which is what
Dan Kalb spoke to on the phone,
which is right now when we have
this loophole in our tax
policies, it's actually
incentivized for banks to move
towards foreclosure instead of
trying to negotiate a better
loan or a short sale or
something that would avoid
someone going to foreclosure and
There are two things I would like to, through the Chair, have some commentary by our Finance
Director if Bradley Johnson is still available.
I would just like to get an understanding of the finances, because the presentation
stated that finance was comfortable with certain numbers, but I want to know if finance is
confident with certain numbers, because if I'm being honest, this type of legislation
is right up my alley, and I appreciate the opportunity
to have weighed in on it in the Rules Committee,
but if I'm being honest, I feel extremely rushed
on this legislation, and it's changed so many times.
I'm struggling with understanding
what is real with this legislation.
I think the intention is spot on and absolutely correct,
and a lot of the properties that were listed
in the presentation are in district three.
And so it is absolutely vital
that we address these challenges.
But I'm concerned about the nature
and the way that this was presented
and how many times it's changed
as to what is actual in the ballot language.
And now I'm trying to really scrutinize
what goes before our voters.
So if I could through the chair director Johnson if you could articulate your confidence in
the numbers that were associated with this initiative in terms of what the city can yield
in an annual allocation to the general purpose fund.
Understood.
So the range I believe in the report is that four to thirteen million dollar range.
That is a reasonable range based on all the data we've collected.
This exemption elimination, and sort of its incremental amount, will vary a lot year-to-year.
R-E-T-T is already our most volatile revenue source, and this particular item will likely
be countercyclical.
And what I mean by that is normally real estate transfer tax booms when the market is going
up.
This would tax certain kinds of foreclosures, which inherently happen in down markets.
And so it will only be in the periods, we may go years where we realize if we were to
go back to like the late twenty-teens boom time, you probably would have collected almost
nothing from this because the market was very hot.
And so why would you ever foreclose?
You would just do a sale.
But when you have a bust like we were going back to 2008 when the market fell out, this
would then raise lots of revenue.
And so the fact that there's a spectrum on that is real.
It will be there year to year.
there will likely be some amount of turnover every year,
I think that four to $13 million range is reasonable,
and I do think it will move in that range year to year.
I don't think there's a way of pinning down
a more stable number.
This is likely to yield new revenue,
it is just removing the exemption
that exists in our current code.
And how, what authority do we have to say
that this revenue will be for this specific purpose?
As I understand it right now,
this is being proposed as a general tax,
And so it would go to your general purpose fund.
So it would just sit out like all your other
real estate transfer tax does in your general purpose fund.
The way to think about it would be might,
if you go back to your budget years,
every year of your GPF RUTT number,
it would be four to $13 million higher
depending on the context of the market.
And as I mentioned earlier,
you're likely to see more of that 13 side in down markets.
So it probably buffers our lows,
but it probably doesn't increase your highs very much
because when you're really upmarket,
you're unlikely to see a lot of these kind of foreclosures.
But we can't, maybe be more direct,
we can't say that this will solve homelessness
or this will, we can actually guarantee
that these funds go to address homelessness.
You would have to do the allocation of these resources
through your budget process.
It's a general tax.
If you were to restrict its usage
in the ballot measure itself,
It would become a special tax, and that's
a different kind of measure.
Two-thirds?
Yes, a special tax is a two-thirds measure.
And there are some recent restrictions
that have likely come about at the state level
regarding special taxes involving
R-A-T-T that are a result of a negotiation
with the governor and the legislature
and some ballot measure proponents at the state level.
So it's a more complicated question
for a special tax to R-A-T-T, a general tax that,
and in this case, is not so much imposing a new tax,
that are currently within the
senate but eliminating loophole
a loophole or an exemption that
exist in our current tax
structure is a different space
and so it's more it's likely to
be justifiable at the 50%
margin by its general.
Thank you.
Excellent thank you so much
councilmember Houston.
Through chair brown madam city
clerk I'll second that if if
if councilmember Janani's
amendments are in that.
I'm a very long I can go ahead and make a motion I did before I make a motion just want
to quickly respond to also my colleagues questions around this just a special fund allocation
that is something I did actually explore and that would have been my preference however
beyond the two-thirds threshold it's also legally not allowable this kind of closure
of a loophole requires this to go to the general fund and so that's why you saw a special advisory
companion manager which is ultimately non binding and seemed like it was not
worth the cost to do that so that's why I'm removing that in the this version
that is before you and so it is really just going to the general fund and then
if we do put this on the ballot we then can put forward via budget resolution
what the what the proposed allocation is and I would like a portion of that to go
to homelessness so excellent thank you so much would you like to make the
if you have a motion and yes, and I will make the motion adopting the amendment from councilmember
what we're trying to run. Excellent. And do we have a second councilmember Houston and
then councilmember Rama Chandra. And if you have a question. Parliament turn to it. Can
I read in the exact language? Okay, great. Thank you. So just clarifying the amendment
that I read in for section for the City Council made by ordinance establish other exceptions
This is the new part and slash or amend or remove exceptions listed above and then goes on to the tax imposed by this chapter for
foreclosure related transfer by amendment of this subsection f
And there was a motion by council member my apologies
Sorry, madam clerk through the chair to the
Council, we would also like to read in an amendment to the reso which just will capture the ballot question
Which is in all the resolutions for ballot measures so I can read that in at this time. Yes
Okay, this would be in the second resolved clause
There's a box there that says ballot question and then we'd like to insert
the following language
Shall the measure amending Oakland's real property transfer tax ordinance to eliminate the foreclosure exception for all property transfers?
accept transfers converting commercial property to certain housing or health care uses transfers to community banking organizations and
certain transfers of residential properties of four
properties
Or less and allowing the City Council to establish amend or remove foreclosure related exceptions raising approximately
four
To 13 million annually pursuant to tax rates in the Oakland Municipal Code section four point two zero point zero two zero
the amendment is to approve the
amendment on the record beginning
January 1st 2027 until repealed be adopted.
Question mark. All right and just for.
I'm confirming that we have a motion by councilmember long seconded by councilmember.
Houston to approve as the amendment stated on the record by councilmember on the challenge and city attorney. On role. Councilmember.
councilmember houston. I councilmember ramachandra I also remember under. I councilmember Wong I. And council who member brown who's cheering at this moment I and councilmember Jenkins is excuse at this moment this item is approved as amended with seven eyes one excuse councilmember Jenkins. Thank you so much that now takes us again.
back to
being through the chair before we move on please provide the amended resolution to our office as soon as possible. Thank you
Thank you. Smadam city clerk for your elegance
we will now move back to the order of the agenda top the
Items of three point one and three point two and this is the
That is the beginning of the start of the joint Leona quarry in Oakland geological hazard abatement district
She'll be convened. So I don't know if staff needs to come here or how the process is up
All right. Thank you so much. You may
Be in your presentation as the Leona quarry shall be come to order. This is 507. Thank you so much
I'm not sure if the person who chairs it or if the clerk does the reading in of these items. I don't know
My apologies, I just
refresher on these
Processes, but again, I will read in the item three point one, which is a doctor resolution
2026-01 adopting the annual GAD budget for fiscal year 2026 27 updating GAD
Manager payment limits under the existing consulting service agreement and spending
Suspending the assessment levy for the physical year 2026 2027. I do have a few speakers for this item. Thank you so much
Excuse me. Good afternoon
GAD chair and board members. My name is Haley Ralston
I am with NGO who serves as the GAD manager for the Leona Corey and Oakland area Gads
I am also here with Patricia Curran with Fenmore Wendell who serves as legal counsel for both Gads
just a quick
information on on Gads Gads stands for geologic hazard abatement districts and
Only affects a few communities within the city of Oakland and provides services to only those residences within the community
but before the board this evening are two items one for each GAD and I'll
Present briefly on the Leona Cory gat item first before the board is resolution
2026 oh one adopting the annual gat budget and
Updating the gat manager payment limit under the existing consultant services agreement for fiscal year
2627 and suspending the levy for the Leona Cory gat residences for fiscal year
2627 the proposed budget estimates about four hundred five six hundred seventy thousand dollars in total expenditures and
anticipates approximately $162,000 in total revenue from investments off the current account balance.
For annual administration and preventative monitoring and maintenance oversight for fiscal year 26-27,
GAD manager's requesting a payment limit of $126,260.
As part of the annual budget preparation and analysis of the GAD's reserve fund balance,
It has been determined that an adequate target reserve has been maintained through the current fiscal year 25-26.
Therefore, a GAD manager recommends a suspension of the assessment levy for fiscal year 26-27.
The GAD's reserve account balance is anticipated to be approximately $4.9 million at the end of the current fiscal year,
and is anticipated to be approximately $4.7 million at the end of fiscal year 26-27, assuming all expenditures are spent.
Each year the GAD's reserve fund balance will be compared to the target reserve balance as prepared in a prior reserve study for the GAD.
And an annual budget and recommended assessment levy will be brought to the board for review and approval every year.
GAD staff recommending adopting resolution 202601 for the Leona Corey GAD.
And we're available for any questions the board may have on this item.
Thank you so much.
Seeing no questions from my colleagues, let's go to the public speaker.
Thank you so much.
I will call your name, and if you are participating in person, please approach the podium.
If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand.
I have Miss Asada Olibala and Belair Beakman.
Miss Asada?
So I'm trying to understand the status of Oak Note, because at the time that that project
or development became a part of GLAAD, it was determined by the developer that any
individuals who purchase property or homes would automatically be liable for an assessment
under GLAAD.
He made that determination.
So now we have a new developer, not the developer who was at that time taking that position
or allowing that to be the case.
So will the new developer have to come forward to do something to require any residents who
purchase homes under Oak Knoll property to be underglad is my question through the chair.
And the other thing is.
I apologize Mrs. Saudi your time is up.
Thank you.
is Blair Beekman. Please unmute yourself and you may begin. Hi, thank you Blair Beekman. I
just wanted to ask really quick with this item. I'm very unclear about it. Is
this item not is it not going to allow for not work towards better environmental
concerns? Are you are you reducing the environmental concerns to get this item
across the goal line. That's my question. I hope it's relevant. Thank you.
Thank you so much. And that concludes your public speakers for this item. Thank
you. I'd like to move that item and close the public hearing. Thank you so much.
And that was a motion by Council President Jenkins, seconded by Council
Member Gayo to close the public hearing and receive this item or approve this
with six ayes.
On roll council member Brown.
I council member five.
Council member guy oh I council member Houston is excused council member on the Chandra.
Council member under.
I council member Wong is excused and council president Jenkins I this item is approved
with six ayes to excuse.
That now takes us to item 3.2.
I will read the item into record.
Adopt a resolution of 2026-01, adopting the annual GAD budget
for fiscal year 2026-27
and updating GAD manager payment limits
under the existing consulting service agreement.
I do have two speakers for this item.
Great. Thank you again.
Before the board, it's resolution 2026-01,
adopting the annual Gad budget for the Oakland area Gad and
Adopting the Gad manager payment limit under the existing consulting service agreement for fiscal year
2627 the proposed budget estimates
20,000 four hundred ninety-eight dollars in total expenditures and anticipates
twenty thousand nine hundred seventy-six dollars in total revenue for fiscal year
2627 for administration and preventative maintenance operations for fiscal year
2627 the GAD managers requesting a payment limit of nine thousand four hundred ninety dollars
The GAD's reserve accounts balance is anticipated to be approximately
132 thousand dollars at the end of the current fiscal year and is anticipated to be approximately
$133,000 at the end of fiscal year 26 27 each year the GAD's reserve fund balance will be compared to the target reserve balance and
An annual budget and recommended assessment levy will be brought to the GAD board for review and approval
Gadde staff are recommending approval of 20s resolution 2026 01 for the Oakland area gat and are available for any questions
The board may have thank you so much. Let's go to the
councilmember Brown
Excellent. I just had a really quick question as I was reading through the reports. I was curious
It's on page 10 how there's scheduled
Monitoring events that occur how how is either council president Jenkins who represents district 6 or any of the council?
members updated about these like monitoring event? Sure we do perform the
monitoring events twice throughout the fiscal year once in the fall once in the
spring before and after rains to see how the site is doing and we do publish the
reports on the GADS websites and so we have not traditionally circulated them
to the board but we were happy to do so if the board would like to see that. And
when was the last time the website was updated most recently within the last
couple months for the recent board meeting but we are verifying or
completing our spring monitoring event report to then post that to the website
excellent thank you so much thank you let's go to the public speakers thank
you so much I have Blair Beekman in missus out of olibala you're addressing
in a budget, but you break down for the things that GLAAD comes under, and which is, GLAAD
is responsible for vegetation management, habitat management, erosion control, fire
suppression, and some other things.
So where's the breakdown under those categories exactly what happened under the last budgetary
period. And who does the monitoring? You can't do the monitoring, because you're not no manager
of vegetation expertise. I think it would be somebody in the fire department, somebody
who's dealing with soil erosion. You have to have a level of expertise to monitor something.
Who does that? And the other thing is, y'all got to stop this phony representation that
this is a public hearing. The public gets up here, and you just ignore what we say.
So won't you say this is a fake hearing that the public.
Thank you miss all about moving to the zoom speaker Blair Beekman Mr. Beekman I don't
see your hand raised you still wish to speak on this item Blair Beekman for item 3.2 going
once going twice thank you to everybody that came to speak on this item and this public
public hearing.
I will move the item and close the public hearing to the GAD manager, to the GAD.
Do you guys have any responses to any of the public comments?
Sure.
We're happy to address here or if you'd like us to address directly.
Yeah, briefly.
Would you like me to touch on all of them or just the most recent comments?
As many as you can in one minute.
Sure.
I know there was a previous comment regarding the Oak Knoll Assessment Development that
has already been passed and approved by this board currently.
And with a new developer they are not required to go through that process again and that assessment will remain on those residences as they are as they are built and come into the development.
As far as environmental concerns, the projects themselves already went through the EIR process during development and that is not a focus of the GAD.
The GAD focuses on geologic hazards specifically for each of the communities within the districts.
And then also questions related to specific budget items.
In the budget report we do present a table that compares the previous year's anticipated
expenditures for the current fiscal year against what was proposed and approved by the board
for this fiscal year and then what the board is presented with approving for this current
fiscal year.
And so regarding the items in there the GAD does have certain responsibilities related
to prevention, control, and emergency response
for geologic hazards, but does also have
some responsibilities related to fire suppression
as the GAD does own some open space in those areas.
And we do work with Oakland Fire Department routinely
to make sure that those requirements are being upheld
or if they change, that we're adhering to those as well.
So, yes, and then NGO, we are a geotechnical firm
serving as GAD managers, so we do have engineers
and geologists on staff that do perform
to be able to do that in the
next few days.
I want to make the motion to
close the public hearing and
move the item and acknowledging
what Councilmember Brown said.
One, updates to making sure that
the website is updated.
There was a motion by Council
President Jenkins, seconded by
Councilmember Brown to close
the hearing and adopt the item.
Councilmember Brown?
Aye.
Councilmember Fai?
Aye.
councilmember
guyo
aye
councilmember
houston
is excused
councilmember
ramachandran
aye
councilmember
younger
aye
councilmember
wong
is also
excused
council president
jinkins
did you want to get your
vote in before
how do you vote
aye
aye
council president
jinkins
aye
motion passes with a vote of
seven ayes
one excused
Now adjourned
noting that the GAD
Hearing is adjourned and we are now
Convening as the open city council
going to item
4.1
Need a motion to open the public hearing
On the motion by Councilmember Gallo second by Councilmember Brown to open the public hearing in item 4.1
Councilmember Brown. I also remember five. I also remember Gallo. I also remember Houston
I will read the item into record.
Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a resolution accepting and appropriating
a total award of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funds
in an amount not to exceed 14,000,600 million.
twenty one and twenty four
thousand dollars in the word of
the united states department of
housing and urban development
grant funds in an amount not to
exceed fourteen million six
hundred seventy four thousand
seven hundred ninety nine
dollars and seven cents for
community development block
grant home investment
partnerships emergency solutions
grants and housing
opportunities for persons with
aids programs for fiscal years
twenty six to twenty seven
otherwise the city minister to
for fiscal year 26 through 27,
appropriating any available revolving loan program income
for housing, rehabilitation activities,
authorizing the city administrator to award agreements
for activities at set forth in exhibit A
and the list of eligible backup activities
to be funded with funds that become available
as a result of projects being completed,
under budget, delayed, or canceled, attached here too,
the city of Minnesota. The city of Minnesota is inclusive of
prior year funding availability. Subject to compliance with any.
Applicable competitive beating requirements. And authorizing the city administrators to designate. Certifying official or designee. Of the certifying official for the purpose of title twenty four. Part fifty eight of the code of federal regulations. And some it's the United States department of housing. And urban development. You have eleven speakers on this item. That was a long title. Can you put five minutes on the clock?
Thank you for the time to present today.
My name is Hannah Bitesh.
I am with the Housing and Community Development Department.
I will walk through our department's annual action plan to the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development.
So I will just quickly go through what this plan is and why we do it, what activities
we're proposing to use our HUD funding for, and close with just a little context about
the opportunities and limitations of this funding, which represents just one part of
of how our department funds safe and stable housing
for our neighbors.
No, another way.
So this is the very long resolution
that we are asking council to adopt,
essentially accepting the federal funds
and giving us flexibility if we need to make minor adjustments
to how we use them.
So for example, if one project is delayed
and another is moving faster, we could
have the option to fund the faster project at a higher
level than planned.
So a little bit about the city's HUD funding.
We are an entitlement jurisdiction,
so we get funding based on our population level.
We have an ongoing cycle for planning
and reporting on this funding.
That has shown up here.
What we're doing today is in purple,
so we'll mainly talk about that.
We have a, at the top we have a five year plan.
At the bottom we have reporting what we have done.
What we're doing today is the middle.
So we're just talking about what we are doing
for this particular year of our five year plan.
And so that's what we're presenting
to council for approval today.
The last part of the cycle is that at the end
of every fiscal year we'll submit a report
which reviews how we did achieving the outcomes
that we laid out in last year's annual plan.
So if you were interested in outcomes,
that's a separate report.
I'm not gonna go through all of the items
in our five year plan.
They're up here, this is publicly available.
So the funding that the city receives from HUD
is through these four grant streams.
The exact amounts are announced each spring,
and as I mentioned earlier,
it's a congressional appropriation based on a formula
that's tied to our population size and demographics.
As you can see, most of the funding
is for capital improvements and not for services.
So this is another reason that this is just one way
that we fund what we do for our neighbors
because there are some restrictions
in what we can do with the HUD funding.
The first two grants, community development block grants
and home investment partnerships
are administered by our department.
And then the last two are administered
by the community homelessness services division
in the human services department.
The amounts we got this year are pretty similar
to what we got last year overall.
although by grant streams, some amounts are higher
than last year and others are a little bit lower.
So briefly, some examples of what we have done
with these funds, these kinds of rehabilitation
and repair and accessibility projects
with the Community Development Block Grant.
We've also done anti-displacement
and tenant stabilization programs.
With the Home Investment Partnerships,
we've done a lot of new construction and rehabilitation.
So here are some examples of recent projects we've done.
And again, the outcomes for those projects
are in a separate report that happens
at the end of the fiscal year.
For housing opportunities for people with AIDS,
we provide these kinds of services
that you can see up here.
Again, those are administered
by Community Homelessness Services.
And for ESG, similarly,
we've provided these kinds of homelessness services.
And again, those are administered
by our sibling department, community homelessness services.
So a little bit about the challenges and constraints
of using federal funding.
As I mentioned, there's a lot of restrictions
around what we can actually use the funding for.
It is primarily capital and not services.
We also have some restrictions
in when we can use the funding.
So we have to use it by a certain date or else we lose it.
We also have to be very clear on exactly when we're going to use it, because it can be challenging
to reprogram funds, so this is why we're asking for the flexibility to do that this year.
We also have to be very careful about what we use federal funds for, because there's
a lot of layered requirements, so it can add a lot of complexity to an existing project
if we add a federal funding source, so this, again, is one reason why we have a lot of
different ways that we fund the services that our department funds. This is only one because
we want to be careful about triggering those extra requirements using federal funds.
So the process you can see up here, we have actually made the annual action plan available
for 30-day public review on our website. It's also gone out through email and other channels.
represents a public hearing and then we will have a separate presentation on
outcomes in September on activities that we did with these grant funds during the
prior fiscal year. So again, we're in the middle part of a HUD cycle and that will
end in September and there will be another report on what we've actually
actually accomplished with the funds.
Thank you.
That was five minutes exactly.
Great job.
Let's go to the public speakers first.
As I call your name, please approach the podium
in any order, please state your name
for the record before beginning.
If you're participating on Zoom, please raise your hand
so I can easily identify you if you still wish to speak.
Blair Beekman, Miss Asada Olibala,
Arlene Hipp, Avery Arbo,
Mike Robles, Rene Moon, Michelle Washington,
Linda Wade, Kathy Harris, Janice Slayton,
Gray Slaughter, and Donna Gregs Murphy in any order.
Hello, my name's Avery Arba, and I am a organizer
with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment.
And I'm here today with some of our Oakland neighbors
and tenants calling for urgent action on the housing crisis.
Across the city, renters have been living
with unsafe conditions.
I've encountered organizing with a lot of tenants,
mold, pests, broken appliances,
and serious habitability violations.
and repair requests constantly go unanswered
and landlords continue collecting rent
without any form of accountability.
We're calling on you today to invest
in proactive code enforcement so that we can strengthen
landlord accountability and ensure that real protections
occur and landlords are held accountable
for these persistent habitability violations
proactively not.
Hello, Councilmembers.
My name is Greg Slaughter.
I live in District 7, and we the tenants
and residents of Oakland are calling on the city
to invest in proactive code enforcement
to strengthen landlord accountabilities
and ensure real protection so tenants can report violations
and stay safely insured without fear of retaliations
and displacement.
Are we actually forced for you guys
just to make sure that we get taken care of?
We take care of you, we put you in the end.
Like I said, I love what Mr. Houston over here said.
Okay, hey, he's for the people, and I believe that.
So I think we all stand together with one another,
and I do ask again for
Kevin in in Houston if you guys can see a parking enforcement on my block it's just getting worse over there as far as
Part-side while parking. Thank you
If your name was Connie you wish to speak on this item, please approach the podium
Also, if you are on zoom and you wish to speak on this item you submitted a card, please raise your hand
I'm chewing my peanuts. Okay. I'm ready. There's a lot to be covered in this initiative
How do you prioritize?
Because even though it covers a lot of things like public facilities, blight, it covers housing, it covers our aid community, so forth.
She made a statement,
funds are based on population levels.
Then it says in the document that Oakland uses the Alameda County Homeless Management
Information System to collect data from them about what's going on in your community.
Data collection like the count in time
For homelessness. It's not accurate. That's an estimate. You don't really know how many people are in this community of homeless
You're a sanctuary city. You don't know how many people in this city are actually here illegally
You know what the housing authorities said when they came to this report
5,000 people on the waiting list
for housing
Thank you. Miss all about all your time is up
Do any other ace members wish to speak on this item Kathy Harris?
Michelle Washington Linda Wade
Blair Beekman gone Arlene
Thank you anybody online
No hands raised. All right. Thank you for everybody that came out to speak on this item councilmember Houston
Yes, through the chair. I just wanted to say mr. Greg
that that you
president and councilmember Brown has really helped on that Oakland station we holding them accountable with these
These violations and we're definitely holding
I appreciate you councilmember Brown and councilmember Jenkins for stepping up for my seniors, you know how much I love my seniors, right?
In East Oakland, so I saw I wanted to say
Are you moving the item?
Yes, sir. I move the item
in closing the public hearing
Councilmember Houston through the chair
Yeah, you're closing public hearing yes closing the public hearing all right
No problem. I believe there was a second by guy. Oh, is that correct?
Was the council president kid?
There is a motion by councilmember Houston second by council president Kev to approve the staff recommendation and close the public hearing
councilmember Brown
Councilmember five. I also remember guy. Oh, I also remember Houston. I
motion to approve the motion.
Councilmember Rama changer. I also remember under I also member Wong. I and chair Jenkins
Public hearing is open with a vote of eight ayes, I will read the item conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a resolution
Confirming the report and notice of liens for delinquent taxes
Excuse me business taxes with penalties interest and administrative and assessment charges and overruling any protests and objections related to the liens
Included in said report and authorizing the recordation of liens and directing the notice of lean assessment charges to be turned over
To the county tax collector you have six speakers on this item. Well five minutes of ice
It should thank you
Good afternoon
Council president and the rest of the city council
I would like to first start by saying that we are standing by staff and hearing room for to hear people
Who have an issue with their business tax?
So after this you can go and see staff they're standing by
My name is Nicole Welch, I'm the revenue and tax administrator today the finance department Revenue Management Bureau brings before this body
The report of the special assessments of delinquent
business tax
Notices were sent and an administrative hearing was conducted
The business tax is inclusive of penalties interest and administrative and assessment charges and is a wrap of our
2026 business tax renewal cycle
This represents the final step in our process for notifying and collecting business tax obligations. We currently have
2174 accounts representing about four million six
$61,000 in taxes and
380 thousand thousand dollars in
$150 in administrative cost, excuse me.
Altogether, that totals approximately $4,441,000.
The Revenue Management Bureau notified 2,822 property owners by mail and
email regarding their delinquent business tax.
We held an administrative hearing on May 19, 2026.
Following that process, along with payments and account closure,
648 accounts were removed from the list.
that counts continue to be removed as payments and updates come in.
Timely collection of business tax supports the city's road map to fiscal health by maximizing the existing revenue sources.
It protects the general purpose fund, ensures compliance with the Oakland Municipal Code 5.04, and strengthens the city's overall financial stability.
I am here if you have any additional questions.
Thank you, councilmember Brown, then councilmember Feit.
excellent thank you so much for the detailed report as I was reading it I guess I kind
of zeroed in on the language that says you know up to the tax year 2026 and then as I
was looking at the attachment I was noticing how there are you know a decent amount of
properties that have outstanding balances like even the first one was like 2017 to 2026
And so can you help me understand like what is the process and why do we have some of
these locations that have multiple years outstanding?
They are either found, meaning that they were not registered, they were not compliant, or
they did comply and their original start date was during that time.
it applies to you.
If they are within the order is how it applies that if you.
Your business start dates from the time that you start actually
doing business so- for example if you were renting out your
property and you rented it out you didn't know or- in an
oversight and you started reading in two thousand and
six then that would be your actual business start date.
Okay so basically as we're looking at this report is not
city we weren't collecting the tax. We have gone through a process in my time
of an under Councilmember Ramachandran and your direction of collecting all of
the outstanding business tax. So this is an actual catch-up. Well now we're
actually current right now. There was another item brought in January 20th of
2026 that were all the ones that were previously not brought in. So this is
the actual full cycle for 2026 meaning that from renewal which started in December all the way up
until delinquency which ended in June 30th. Okay thank you. Council member Fife. Yes thank you for
your support with my office trying to get answers around how some of these addresses got left off
we're going to turn it off.
We have two specifically that are not
listed in the documents here.
So I just have a couple of questions.
Number one, can we, I've asked this in the past,
but is there a way that we can get zip codes
or which district the properties in the spreadsheet
are listed in?
We can put that in there.
I'll make a note to make that happen for the next round.
Do you want it now or do you?
We can actually get the zip codes on there so we can actually extract it from our database.
That would help me with the calls that I get specifically to my office and I want to support
targeted outreach if you all don't already do that to some of the smaller housing providers
because it seems that some people, and maybe you're clearing this up now, are not being
reached by the correspondence that you send out.
So we, as noted, we sent out 75,000 postcards
and letting everyone who owned a property in Oakland
know that you are required to have an Oakland
business license.
That was done around April of this year.
We actually have billboards that,
which are located in BART, that are advising
that if you're a property owner,
we were actually, we had a four month campaign
that were on highway corridors where we actually
had notification that if you were a landlord in Oakland
that you needed to pay and you needed
to be registered for Oakland Business Tax.
So we are doing, we're ramping up our outreach.
We've also been in community events,
Lake Fest, Dia de los Muertes,
Oktoberfest, educating of the different services
that we do offer within revenue.
Oktoberfest, ain't nobody remembering what you talked,
anyway.
October fest excuse me
Yes, that's different. Yes. Okay, and then lastly I
Want to know if there are phone numbers available because I could get volunteers to support with my office and the reason I'm asking is
Because there is one case in particular
Where a business in my district received a notice. I think you are aware of this for
thousand dollars this business has been in operation for decades and so I'm not sure how they for six years did not
receive
notice
The issue is is that as a property owner and asked per the ordinance you're required to come in and register
It is optimally your responsibility that as soon as in you get notification when you actually
go through the real estate process, there is a notification that says is this your primary residence and if it says no then
sometimes there is
The real estate agent will allude that you need to get in contact with your little local
jurisdiction to actually find out if there's any other local taxing that is due for your property. I
To be very clear
The information which would be there we cannot release that it's confidential information
So I have to walk on the line that I absolutely
Welcome you to help into outreach within your your district. However, the Bureau would not be able to release
that kind of information we keep it to the
And the amount that's due, for privacy's sake.
Understood.
Maybe it was around trash.
I remember in 2021, 22, I did call a couple of folks and say, you're about to go into
lean and they were able to come in and clear it up.
It had to be trash, right?
I don't know.
I bring a lot.
So I think that for garbage, with the report, if you would look at the attachment, we have
And due to feedback from the community,
we keep it very sanitized to just the parcel number
and the amount that's due.
Any other information, it's just a matter.
I wouldn't want my information to be disclosed
in a public setting, and I'm pretty sure
that most of the property owners would not like that either.
Of course.
How many people came upstairs today?
We have a lot.
As you saw, we are currently seeing people.
we're down to three, but if there's anybody in the chamber
that would like to go and talk to staff,
we are available.
Thank you.
All right, Council Member Ramachandran,
and then Council Member Diatonia, Michael.
Thank you.
Firstly, just really want to acknowledge
and appreciate how far things have come
in less than two years.
The pace of notice is being sent out.
The public outreach, the billboard,
individual communication you can really I mean see it around the city and I
really appreciate these efforts. I know there was a report that kind of
detailed some of the trends earlier this year and if you don't have this
information now no problem but can you give a sense of how much ended up on the
lien roll last year compared to the 4.4 million now? Can you rephrase that? The
The value of the liens that you're gonna be sending
to the county now is 4.4 million for last year.
What was it the year prior, approximately?
I don't have that information before me.
I know that we brought four million in January,
and this is around four million here.
I do want you to take to account that people will pay.
Some people will provide documentation
that will have them removed.
So we won't have a final tally until August
for this particular fiscal year, for the prior fiscal year,
I will get that information back to you.
Thank you.
So I recall August is kind of the final date
when you send these properties to the county.
What's the approximate timeline of the city getting that money?
For example, let's say a million people of this.
A million dollars worth is paid.
And when would we get the rest of that 3.4 million?
So we roll it to the property tax in August.
The property tax bills go out in October.
I believe the first payment is due in December.
So that will come in, and then the second payment
is due in April.
And then we, I would say, everything
should be trued up around June by the budget time.
Got it.
And I mean, because this is in a property tax bill,
I imagine we get a vast majority of the money.
Are there circumstances where we don't get that amount?
I just want to be very clear, if a person is not
paying their property tax bill, there are other circumstances.
However, I will defer to my director.
Through the chair to Councilman Ramachandran,
The vast majority of property taxes paid
should a lien, validly placed on a property tax,
not be paid, and the property going to delinquency,
it actually is subject to the auction process
at the county level.
So the city is typically made whole,
our tax liens are senior to a lot of other kinds
of liens that might be on a property,
and that's one of the processes.
I should also want to make the point,
as it relates to actually receiving revenue in cash,
yes, we would get it on the property tax bill,
There's a separate policy in the city related
to revenue recognition.
When we lean a property,
we do recognize the revenue and book a receivable.
So we're actually gonna recognize that revenue
and accrue it back.
That is our, that's how our process works.
So once we, because the property tax roll
is such a secure means of collection,
we actually will book it immediately
upon sending it to the county.
Great, thank you.
Thank you.
Councilman Gallo, turn your mic on.
We're not, no, come on, back on.
thank you just so can you for the public just go through the explain the process
once more what when I ever see you'll send me a notice of delinquency or does
someone come knock on my door and says you haven't paid the bill for three
years because there's people within my neighborhood that are going through the
experience so you you're the process is you receive a notice through the mail
the first notification that you will receive is either an email or a
notification that you need to renew. Okay so then where do I go to make the
payment? Do I show up? You can either mail your payment or you can do it online or
you can come into our office. We're open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to what
office would I come to? You would come to building 250, suite 1320. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Houston
Due to chair. I just wanted to say good. Great job. Mr. Cole. Well, it's a great job. Thank you
Thank you. Let's go to the public speakers
As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order
Please state your name for the record before beginning if you're on zoom
Please raise your hand so I can easily identify you if you submitted a card for this item
Cozette see Jacob Poland
miss Asada Obama
Carini Cardenas Hernandez rose Pratt nervous and
Mr. Hazard in any order
And we'll take those speakers in chambers first and then move to the zone speakers
So in April the city auditor
submitted a report to the council
For which it was reported in in his findings that the business tax Bureau process
Did not collect all revenues that was due to the city
during
Certain periods which was 2021 to 2024 the bureau did not refer
delinquent business tax accounts for collection in a timely or consistent manner
the system's control lacks adequate data the bureau lacks adequate management and
monitoring systems now with all of that under the
The issues you got to deal with why would y'all have the expectation? You're gonna get some results and
To you could correct with the auditor has identified with some of the issues now
This is like a sanctuary city status issue
Some people are legally going through the process. They supposed to others are not
Thank you, Miss Ola Bella
If your name was call me which to speak on this item, please approach the podium. Mr. Hazard. Are you speaking on this item?
Mr. Hazard, you know I get tired of
The parliamentarian sitting there and let all of you
violate the government code on
The item that was amended let let me read you the government code
So you could understand what I'm talking about
is five four nine
Five four point three
Whenever there's an amendment
Wong, the public has an opportunity to speak.
You cannot approve an amendment without the public speaking.
Parliamentarian, and you should know that.
You want me to read it or why don't you read
what the government code says with that respect?
And you sit up there and you let them do it.
What's the parliamentarian for?
You can't.
Thank you, Mr. Hazard.
Your time is up.
Moving to the Zoom speakers.
Jacob Polin, you are first.
Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
Good afternoon.
My name is Jacob Polin, and I live in District 3.
I need help with a lien that does not apply to my house.
The reports of the council said the tax amounts owed
were settled on, included by administrative hearing.
That is false.
My hearing is on calendar.
It has not occurred yet.
It's simply a false statement.
These hearings matter.
I paid all of my taxes to the city,
but the city improperly added more than $2,000 in penalties
to these taxes I hadn't knew nothing about.
That's an 80% or 7% penalty.
That would make a loan shark blush.
The lien process itself is also unfair surprise.
The department told me in May
that I was not part of the process.
Since then, it had apparently changed its mind
and it made a statement to the council
that we had noticed in May,
which at least has applied to me, is incorrect.
When asked about the shift,
they said they just have too many liens to deal with
and they have to shove them all together,
which also raises serious questions
about how they're justifying tacking on
the $400,000 administrative fees.
Please ask the finance department
to fix these liens before passing them.
They are not doing a good job
at making sure this process is organized.
Thank you for your comments.
Moving to Cozette.
Cozette, please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
Can you hear me now?
Yes.
Okay, great.
Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you, Council.
My name is Cozette.
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility
and Disclosure Act requires 21 days notice
before a bill is due and caps late fees.
This lien notice not only states additional fees
will be stacked on top later, but it stated June 26,
which gave me an 11 day window to dispute it
at this meeting today, on my birthday, nonetheless.
Credit card companies aren't allowed to do that
under the Truth in Lending Act.
So why is our government held to a lower standard
than the corporations we regulate?
This debt isn't from irresponsibility,
it's from job loss, being sole caretaker for two dependents
and tenants who became squatters
protected by local laws and ordinances.
When I called the business tax department for help,
I was told nothing could be done.
The penalties and fees beyond the initial amount
charge twice for the same overhead.
If this were truly about cost recovery,
it would look like a modest processing fee,
not a rate that beats credit card interest.
I'm asking for an abatement, please.
Thank you for your comments.
Carini, Cardenas, Hernandez and Rose Pratt Nervous,
you're in the chambers or on Zoom, please raise your hand.
Speaker by the name of Ken Dale,
did you submit a card if so under what name?
Ken Dale, did you submit a card if so under what name?
No, I'm sorry, I didn't have the time to submit a card.
Is there any way?
At this time, all names have been called.
You do have to submit a speaker's card
and the directions to do so are on the face of the agenda.
That concludes the speakers.
All right, who's making a motion?
Close the public hearing.
Make a motion to close the public hearing.
And?
He has to finish the motion.
So council member Houston is closing that public hearing
and moving the item?
All right, council member.
I'll second, but I also want to tell the public speakers
that we're calling in online.
It's beneficial if you leave us your district number
and information so that we can contact you
for any issues or concerns you might have.
There was a motion by Councilmember Houston,
second by Councilmember Fyfe,
to close the public hearing and adopt the resolution.
Councilmember Brown.
Aye.
Councilmember Fyfe.
Aye.
Councilmember Gallo.
Aye.
Sorry, Councilmember Gallo.
Aye.
Councilmember Houston.
Aye.
Councilmember Ramachandran.
Aye.
Councilmember Unger.
Aye.
Councilmember Wong.
Aye.
And Chair Jenkins.
Aye.
Motion passes with a vote of eight ayes.
Going to item 4.3.
You also need a motion to open the public hearing.
No moved.
So motion by Councilmember Brown,
second by Councilmember Gallo to open the public hearing.
Councilmember Brown.
Aye.
Councilmember Fyfe.
Aye.
Councilmember Gallo.
Aye.
Councilmember Houston.
Aye.
Councilmember Ramachandran.
Aye.
Councilmember Unger.
Aye.
Councilmember Wong.
Aye.
Chair Jenkins.
Motion passes with a vote of eight ayes
601
Reading item 4.3 into record conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion adopt a resolution
Confirming the report and notice of liens for delinquent real property transfer taxes with penalties
Interests and administrative and assessment charges and overruling any protests and objections related to the liens
Included in said report and authorizing the recordation of liens and directing the notice of lean and assessment charges
to be turned over to the county tax for collection.
You have two speakers on this item.
Move four minutes to suffice.
Just one minute.
Oh, great.
Yeah, make it real quick.
I really like him.
Well, hello, honorable members of the city council.
My name is Huey Dank.
It's a privilege to be here with you
this afternoon or this evening.
Before you today is of course an item
from the finance department regarding outstanding
real estate transfer tax, or real property transfer tax.
Staff recommends that you conduct a public hearing,
overrule any objections, and adopt a resolution
authorizing the recordation of the property liens
against the 29 properties listed in the report.
As you also mentioned, that we might end up
not having all 29 being leaned,
it's just a list that we prepare at the time
that we came to you for approval.
These property owners will notify of the assessments and
afford the opportunities to go through the administrative process,
including filing an appeal through the administrative process.
At the end of the day,
we ended up not having them all resolved,
and that's why we're here today.
The total assessment is approximately $235,000,
which includes $5,075 in
administrative fee as authorized in a master fee schedule
Following your approval on the next step in the process is to coordinate with the Alameda County
To place the assessment on the tech the upcoming tax roll. So with that, I'm be happy to answer any question you might have
Thank you. Thank you so much for that. Let's go to the public speakers
As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order. Please state your name for the record before beginning
If you are on zoom you will be taken immediately after the in chamber speakers if you submitted a card
Cosette see and missus out of Ola Bala
And this is for item 4.3
It's always been confusing how you say the seller and the buyer are jointly responsible for paying this
That can be resolved if you create through some process
the
In a property report details legal and financial responsibilities either to the buyer or seller.
And in that report, it is identified who is responsible for the transfer of tax.
It says in reporting, again to the auditor's report, that the problem with collecting these
taxes has to do with system failures, staffing shortage, delays in notification process.
And then you have in the report some person's overpaid.
How do you overpay?
How do you overpay?
I'll say that again.
How do you overpay a tax?
But you have that in the report that people have been...
Cozette, do you wish to speak on this item?
If so, please raise your hand.
Thank you.
Please unmute yourself and begin your comments
I just wanted to comment that if there's an e comment that was written to this agenda item
It should have been applied to 4.2 if you can move that
That's it. Thank you. Thank you
All right. Thank you for everything. Thank you everyone
Is that emotion my guile?
Okay
And hunger. All right
And again, is that motion to?
Close the public hearing and move the item
There was a motion by councilmember guy Oh second by councilmember Unger to close the public hearing and adopt the resolution the staff
recommendation
councilmember Brown
Please excuse councilmember five. I also member guy. Oh, I also remember Houston
I also remember Ramachandran. I also remember under I also member Wong I and chair Jenkins
Motion passes with a vote of seven ayes one excused Brown
Going to item 4.4. I do need a motion to open the public hearing
so moved
On the motion to open the public hearing moved by councilmember Unger second by councilmember Gallo councilmember Brown is excused councilmember
Five aye councilmember Gallo
councilmember Houston
councilmember Ramachandran I
Councilmember Unger aye also member Wong aye chair Jenkins aye
Motion passes with a vote of six ayes to excuse Houston
four minutes of ice
one minute
Good afternoon. Again. My name is Nicole Welch revenue and tax administrator. I am bringing before you the
delinquent trash
In accordance with Oakland municipal code
The City of Oakland sent delinquent notices on July 29, 2025, October 23, 2025, January
27, 2026, and April 22, 2026.
Administrative hearings were held on August 19, 2025, November 6, 2025, February 17, 2026,
May 5, 2026, and June 23, 2026.
the original 19,604 delinquent accounts, 804 were removed due to payment or other adjustments.
This number is out is still going, meaning that they will be removed according up until
the actual tax roll.
As an additional measure of notification, the city mailed 18,759 postcards to affected
property owners, reminding them of this public hearing.
The special assessment process ensures that garbage is collected regardless of a property
owner's payment status.
Today the total amount due to the city is $9,100,374.82.
that 6 million nine hundred and twenty nine thousand five hundred and fifty
dollars and eighty two cents represents the delinquent service fee and two
million one hundred seventy thousand eight hundred and twenty four dollars
represent city administrative fees if you have any additional questions I am
here thank you let's go to the public speakers as a car your name please
approach the podium in any order please state your name for the record before
beginning you're on Zoom and you wish to speak please raise your hand so I can
easily identify you. If you submitted a speakers card you will be taken
immediately after the in-chamber speakers. Blair Beekman, Derek Barnes, Andrew
Vincent, Gina McGee, Miss Asada Ola Bala, Karen Cardenas Hernandez, Rose Pratt
nervous when they don't pay they bill y'all collect for that this is a
separate trash feed that goes to the city is that what this is mr. Jenkins
what is it because y'all picking up when they don't pay a waste management bill
y'all take responsibility for getting waste management's money and put a lean
on their property, if they don't pay their bill. Now, for the utilities company and the
electricity company, you don't do that. And that's a necessary service. Y'all say you
do it because it's a necessary service. Water and electricity is a necessary service, but
you don't have the responsibility of making people pay their gas and electric and water
bill. But y'all messed up on that contract. You agreed to do this. You didn't have to
to do this so you you're taking responsibility and I didn't get an
answer do y'all thank you miss all about her if your name was called and you
wish to speak and you're in chambers on zoom please approach the podium or
please raise your hand at this time all names have been called thank you for
everybody that came to speak on this public hearing councilman more hi thank
you to the chair I just want to make sure I understand what I'm reading
so does this have anything to do with the actual trash service? Like I'm just
commenting because I see some apartment buildings with some overflowing trash
bins in my district really like unacceptable blight and I'm wondering if
when we're reviewing this table which I found really interesting table three
about delinquent parcels by council district I see a lot of delinquent
parcels in districts six and seven,
but I'm just wondering if that is related at all
to actual trash service or this is what we do
in order to actually make sure that those property owners
or, you know, for like say multifamily buildings
are continuing to get trash service
for the residents anyways.
Yes, the garbage is picked up whether they pay or not.
So the, and it's under California environmental law
why we are required to have an agreement
because we have to make sure it's a health and safety issue.
Therefore garbage has to be picked up
whether your ability to pay or not.
The only way to recover in some cases
would be the process that we have before you.
Okay, got it.
Thank you for the clarification.
Was that a, you said motion?
I'll make a motion.
To move the item and close the public hearing.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm not.
All right. It was a guy a second.
To close the public hearing and adopt the resolution
Councilmember Brown aye councilmember five. I also remember guy. Oh, I also remember Houston
I also remember Rama Chandra. I also remember under I also remember Wong I chair Jenkins
Motion passes with a vote of eight ayes
Going to item four point five
Do need a motion to open the public hearing?
second
was that Houston and Brown
On a motion to open the public hearing moved by a council member Houston second by council member Brown council member Brown
Council member five aye also member guy. Oh, I also remember Houston. I now some member Ramachandra
I don't remember under I also member Wong. I and chair Jenkins. I motion passes with a vote of eight eyes
I will read the item into record conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion conduct a study session
to receive an informational presentation and report on the draft land use framework develop as part of the general plan update phase two
Process and receive public comments and provide feedback to staff on the draft land use framework. You have 34 speakers
Well five minutes of ice
Let me ask our presenter how much time are you offering council president five five?
All right, then I will turn that over to
We have a question.
To Laura comments will do counsel never five says eight minutes eight minutes.
Thank you very much.
Appreciate that.
But then very quickly again council president may please the council on bill Gilchrist the
director of planning and building Laura Kaminsky of our department will do the presentation.
I do want to thank you all for this opportunity to come before the body the whole we were
able to meet with CD several weeks back and the two things I want to do just to frame
the presentation.
I want everyone to understand this is still work in process we are not bringing forward
for any decision or any final determination.
This is an opportunity for you to provide feedback,
for us to hear feedback from the community
on what areas we might need to focus on,
clarify, prioritize, et cetera.
So we hope to have a good exchange in that regard.
I will turn this over to Laura Kaminski now
to do presentation.
I do want to also note that we have been having
various levels of outreach which will continue.
She'll speak to that as well through this summer.
And I want to thank those of you at this dais
who have helped facilitate that possibility.
We have been, to some of your meetings,
you will have pointed us some very good directions in terms of constituents whom we need to
greet and meet and work with. And we will continue to work in that spirit through this
summer and through the fall when we'll be coming back to present content coming out
of that exchange. And we have been making modifications and responses to the feedback
that we've been getting. So it's been very instructive and we look forward to more.
I turn this over to Laura. Thank you.
Good evening, Council and the public. My name is Laura Kaminski. I'm the Strategic Planning
manager for the city, and I will go over very quickly the draft land use framework.
So we're updating our general plan, which includes the infrastructure and facilities
element as well as the open space conservation and recreation element, a noise element, as
well as the land use and transportation element.
So to build off of what Bill was just saying is that for our general plan update, you know,
We are still very much in the beginning stages of this, so the draft land use framework was
meant to be a very high level document and not get into a lot of the details because
before we got into the details, we wanted to make sure that we got the overall framework
correct.
So that is why we're here.
We want to hear from the public as well as from council on changes to be made, and we
got over 800 comments that we are looking at, and we are already looking at making changes.
As Bill mentioned in the summer right now, we've already started meeting with various
stakeholders about letters that they've sent and looking at making the changes that they've
asked for.
We then in the fall will be having the, what will be the draft elements.
So the draft elements themselves of the plans will be making, you know, showing all the
changes that we've made based on all the feedback that we've heard.
And that will be published in the fall and then we will have more public comments.
So public can then comment and say did we actually get the changes right that people
said, are there still more changes to be made.
So there'll be a public comment period from winter of late of this year through spring
of 2027.
So there's still a lot more time for even additional comments and changes.
And then we're planning on adoption in the fall, summer of 2027.
And we'll make additional changes that we hear from those public comments before we
bring that final adoption.
So just as a reminder, the general plan update, we have guiding principles that advance equity
by establishing more just policies that are related to land uses, parks, and open space
and transportation.
We want to ensure people have homes and feel healthy and safe, celebrate the many cultures
of Oakland, support good jobs, existing, leveraging existing economic strengths, welcome
new opportunities, and also create better connected neighborhoods.
So for the draft land use framework, we essentially looked at, for the land use and transportation
to create walkable connected neighborhoods, we want to ensure that everybody can get to
the services that they need within a walkable distance.
Also improving transit connections, which we, you know, there was some discussion of
that earlier today in council, focused on high density development in the downtown and
and the city of Oakland. And I'm very proud to be here on San Antonio fruit bill Coliseum areas along major quarters also address illegal dumping. Economic development is very important along with cities economic development action plan some port current and grow key industries. So and it's a scene and support businesses build Oakland's workplace invest in places and also for parks and open space. Um create greenway networks to connect communities and prioritize this and environmental justice communities and set standards for park maintenance.
So this was the overall concept of looking at the land use comps of land
use comps concepts. So the red areas are the major centers, the pink are the
neighborhood centers, and then the purple are new technology and research areas.
And then there's also green areas proposing for potential new parks. So for
the land use designations, you know, we're looking at having higher densities
of residential along major corridors for to help better support transit. The dark
purple again was areas of technology and research which is in West Oakland area
and just west of the Coliseum and then we also have purple light purple areas
that are around the BART stations for mixed-use areas and light gray is a new
low-impact industrial category that to buffer in dust have your industrial uses
residential. So again, we had from engagement and draft land use framework
we had over 800 comments. We had workshops in different council districts.
We had boards and commission meetings and pop-up events. And again, we're
continuing to have more engagement this summer and we'll continue to meet with
constituents of where we've received letters and we want to get, you know,
know, additional feedback and have discussions with them.
So what we've heard so far, a lot is, you know,
really the importance of leveraging the city's existing
legacy industrial businesses, and we want to make sure
that we've heard loud and clear that, you know,
that is something that is important,
that has really brought the, what is Oakland, Oakland,
and continue that, especially with the port,
supporting the Port of Oakland and all the businesses
that are serving the port, as well as addressing
illegal dumping that's happening, support existing businesses, improve maintenance
of public facilities like our libraries, also prioritize affordable housing, develop strategy
to prevent displacement and gentrification, plan for climate changes, and also supports
arts and culture, and also reduce the, where we have conflicts with residential and industrial
areas.
For transportation, we want to, what we've heard as well,
is really the importance of establishing
a goods movement policy and updating our truck routes.
And so we've already had some discussions
with stakeholders on that.
We will continue to have those discussions
with meetings and workshops this summer into the fall.
Also to create protected bicycle lanes,
improve roadways, prioritize disability access,
and set a comprehensive vision for transit service
and improve the efficiency of public transit
and increase safety and reliability.
For parks and open space,
we've heard a lot about the need to improve park maintenance
and programming and increase equitable access
to parks and open spaces,
plant more trees, more parks and greenways in East Oakland
and partner with native tribes
in planning for parks and open space.
So in the next steps, so as you can see,
there's still a lot of time left here.
And so again, in the summer and the fall,
we're having additional focus group meetings
with stakeholders on the industrial uses
and the truck routes since we've heard a lot of comments
about concerns about those designations.
And we've already been, as I mentioned,
having some meetings with stakeholders already
and we will be reaching out to have more of these meetings.
And we're in the process of addressing this feedback
and making these changes.
So then in the fall of 2026 is when we release
the draft general plan elements,
which will have, again, a large public engagement process
that will go through the spring of 2027,
and will continue to make additional changes
based on that feedback.
And then in the winter of 2028, sorry, 26 to 2027,
is we'll also release the draft EIR
and have feedback on that.
And staff will continue to make additional changes
based on the feedback.
And then the plan is in the spring through the fall,
We will make additional refinements
based on the comments that we got on the draft elements
and then bring to Council the final for adoption
in fall of 2027.
And that concludes my presentation.
Thank you so much for that.
Appreciate it.
Council Member Houston.
Yes, through the chair.
Can we go back to where it says land use?
What we've heard so far on your bullet point one.
It's very important to me.
Okay, top. Can you bring them and then we can go back to?
figure two
And while we're looking for that I wanted to ask mr. Gilcrest. Yeah. Yeah right there top one
leverage the city's legacy industrial
businesses, I didn't see anything in here about grandfather and
Businesses in that's been here legacy a long time on especially when you go back to
Where it says go back to figure two when you see that ruby red looks like my district is being changed all alone at
San Isaac corridor
So look what it says right there leverage. I mean, yeah the city legacy industrial businesses
Is it anything in this that talks about?
grandfather or grandfather clause
Yeah, so yeah all businesses, you know if they were to become
Where they weren't allowed would be grandfathered in
What I would say is that the areas that you're talking about specifically I think at 98th and San Leandro
We've actually had discussions with that
Particular group is the Medford industrial group
We had a very productive meeting with them and we are recommending changes based on that meeting
To their area so that and I believe they were happy with the recommend changes that we discussed in that meeting
Yes, and I have a constituent here that you're gonna need to net need to I appreciate because I don't want to direct no staff
I want I appreciate if you went and spoke to to her and she's gonna be speaking in a second
Can you go back to the figure two figure two?
Where's it was figure one and then figure two where's district seven? That's that's that's not figure two. Oh
Sorry, the the map
There's no one else to add to
that.
Okay so look at my district
right there, it's all ruby red
and purple down there.
What does that say because I
can't see it this close?
What's it say?
Is it housing?
So the dark red is regional
commercial and which is the area
right now that is already
designated around Hegenberger
as regional commercial.
So the purpose of that is really
to have hotels and commercial
type businesses that serve the
mhm, okay, I just want to talk about that grandfather. Mr Gilcrest. Okay. All right. Thank you. Hey, let's go. Let's go to the public speakers.
As a car name, please approach the podium in any order. Please state your name for the record before beginning. If you're on zoom, he wishes to speak on this item. Please raise your hand so I can easily identify you.
Pilayo Yamas.
Barbara Leslie.
Jennifer Finley.
Blair Beekman.
Mississauga Ola Bala.
Josephine Guzman.
Yaseen No.
Giselle Barajas.
John Jones III.
Jennifer CM Elrath.
Mary Kane Simon.
Kashine Unique Holland.
Nikki Alexander.
Christian Hothern.
Hanak Guy.
Binder, or Bender Bangs.
Danny Waylon.
Linda Hortham.
Mark, excuse me, Mike Jacob.
Aaron Wright.
Susan Ransom.
David Legrand.
Elena Sorano.
Joanna Martinez.
Joslyn is a gay man.
So again, the sent a true heel, Alec Howell, Brooke Tran,
and Janks Christina Tostado, sage Ambrose,
Skyler Wanakat, John Lee, David Harris, and Jared Mitchell.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Is that an Idaho tattoo?
Yeah.
Nice.
I'm trying not to hold it against me.
Oakland is a beautiful place, but the city's current land use policies are actively erasing
the plants and animals that give us our identity.
The city of Oakland puts the symbol of an oak tree on every street sign, yet every time
an old oak dies it gets replaced by a tree from Europe, like the London plains that are
so often planted.
I don't know about y'all, but I don't live in London.
I live in Oakland, land of the Coast Live Oak, Quercus agarifola, a tree that supports
over 250 species.
These foreign trees don't just rob us of our unique sense of place, but they cut the tree
of life off at the roots.
Oakland is home to the most beautiful drought and fire-adapted species in the whole world,
and all we have to do is plant them.
Requiring 100% of the plants planted on city property and 50% on private developments to
be native to the Bay Area will ensure that all of the city's residents, not just the
rich folks in the hills, can benefit from the very real and proven benefits that come
with being part of a healthy city ecosystem.
songs and crickets to reduce the ill effects of urban noise and soothe
tempers. Add some more but it is not too late to save a road. What's your name
please? Thank you. Good afternoon Council Linda Hodham. Since 1989 our family has
owned and operated warehousing and logistics centers in East Oakland in
in districts six and seven.
Thousands of good paying jobs are generated
under our Oakland warehouse rooftops.
Please preserve vital industrial zoning
to save these jobs and support the port of Oakland
and Good's Movement in Oakland.
Thank you.
Good evening council members, my name is Christian Hodum.
I share your vision for a more affordable,
vibrant, and equitable Oakland.
The port of Oakland is one of the city's
greatest economic assets,
supports nearly 100,000 regional jobs,
and $174 billion in economic activity.
That's over a billion dollars in tax revenue
for schools, roads, and public services.
Once industrial land is rezoned and developed, it's gone.
And every acre we lose weakens the ecosystem
that keeps the ports competitive.
Oakland's economy depends on the port,
so let's protect that land that allows it to succeed.
Thank you.
Good evening, council members.
Skyler Wanacott here on behalf
of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association
of San Francisco Bay Area
and the California Business Properties Association.
First, I want to thank the city staff
for continuing to engage with stakeholders
throughout this process.
We appreciate that the supplemental report
reflects many of the recommendations
raised by the industrial and goods movement community,
including planning for goods movement, truck routes,
and preserving Oakland's industrial lands.
While that is meaningful progress,
we remain concerned that the current framework
continues to reduce the flexibility for logistics,
distribution, and rail uses
that are critical to Oakland's economy.
Rail infrastructure is an essential component
to the region's goods movement network
and should remain integrated
with the city's long-term industrial land use planning.
We respectfully ask that any major land use or zoning
changes affected in industrial areas
be guided by a comprehensive analysis
of industrial land needs, good movement,
and rail infrastructure and employment impacts
before those changes are made.
We respectfully.
Hello, City Council.
My name is Jared Mitchell,
and I am the founder of the Top Soil Project,
which is a street level librarianship initiative.
I attended the draft land use framework presentation
that was delivered to the library commission
on March 30th and was encouraged to know
that this robust process to solicit community feedback
was underway and I want to commend the building
and planning department for facilitating it.
I do have concerns that we also might be flying too high
and looking far too high on the sky level.
Oakland has very urgent priorities at its city facilities
for the management of its parks,
for the repairs of its roads.
And I believe it should be of high concern
that there are so many people
who still feel the need to provide input
outside of that framework.
I think that is in part because the conveyor feedback system
is not intuitive and not very accessible.
And there are information improvements that can
and should be made to this process.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, President Jenkins and council members.
My name is Yaseen, I'm here not only today
to represent my employer pro-logists,
but also as someone who is deeply invested
in the future of Oakland,
as a fellow Oakland resident myself.
Over the last several months,
we've reviewed the draft land use framework,
the staff reports, and the hundreds of community comments.
One thing stood out pretty clearly to us,
the community's asking for better planning, as they should.
They're zacking for better and more affordable
housing options, safer neighborhoods, cleaner streets,
better transit, parks, more accountability.
What they did not ask for was a request to reduce Oakland's industrial land use.
Today we're being asked to make major land use decisions before completing a comprehensive analysis of industrial land needs,
freight movement, and economic impacts to Oakland's existing employers.
This feels backwards.
You cannot support the Port of Oakland while shrinking the industrial land that allows us to function.
Industrial land isn't just vacant or obsolete land waiting for use.
It's working land, every day supports...
Good afternoon, I'm Mary Kane Simon
from your Public Library Commission.
I came here today to ask you,
as you go forward with the general plan,
please bear in mind your public libraries,
the significant role that they play in the community.
There's an urban libraries council,
and they remind us that bad libraries
build only collections, good libraries build services,
Great libraries build up their communities.
We have great libraries here in Oakland.
Please plan ahead.
They are your warming centers when it's cold.
Anybody can walk in the door and warm themselves,
charge their devices.
They are your cooling centers when it's too hot.
Same thing.
They are the guardians of green knowledge in Oakland.
Where else can you go to learn how to set up
your own chicken house and raise chickens in your backyard
and grow food in metal containers.
You can go to the Elmhurst branch of the public library.
You can do that today.
You can go there tonight for free movies.
Good evening, council members.
I'm Danny Whalen.
I work for Pacific American Group,
where we manage industrial property in District 6 and 7.
Our sites here require three times
the personnel of comparable properties elsewhere,
dealing daily with encampments, break-ins,
illegal dumping, and crumbling roads.
These are issues that directly threaten our ability
to operate and lease our buildings.
These properties serve the Port of Oakland, moving the goods all of us rely on like the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the products on store shelves.
Many of these same industrial sites could be rezoned under this phase two proposal.
The Port of Oakland is one of the most balanced ports in the country with imports and exports matching one to one,
making it uniquely efficient and valuable to producers who export goods and businesses that import goods alike.
I think that is an advantage the city should lean into
and support industrial use property owners
as they continue to improve the environmental footprint
of the goods movement sector.
Thank you.
Council members, I'm Jennifer McElrath.
I applaud the general plan efforts, but I am cynical.
Oakland's reputation is that the plan will be ignored,
that council members are beholden to developers,
that the city only seeks the most tax revenue
rather than pursuing affordable housing,
that the city ignores its own zoning
and does not protest state overrides.
So, yes, to a city of neighborhoods,
but proactively with backbone,
and ideally an inclusive of all facets
concurrently by neighborhood.
Thank you.
I'll see my time in David Harris.
It's John Jones III.
Good evening, I'm David Harris,
President of Urban Strategies Council,
We're the backbone organization for the deeply rooted
collaborative occult consultant for the city
that consisted of over 13 organizations
over the last four years.
We've talked to thousands of Oakland residents
and I have to change what I plan to say
given some of the previous comments before me.
Land use starts with people, not businesses.
And our land use policies have been siloed
and needs to include what your residents are saying,
particularly those from the flatlands.
If we uplift their voices and take care of the issues
that they are concerned about,
that will rise the tide for all residents of Oakland.
I want you to listen to these young people
that will be following me.
They've been out there talking to your residents.
We've appreciated our work with the city,
the planning and building staff, but these are the organizations that have been involved.
Black Cultural Zone, Black Arts Movement Business District, Block by Block Organizing Network,
Deepwater Dance, Eastside Arts Alliance, Frontline Catalyst, Malonga Arts, Resident Association,
Oakland Asian Cultural Center, The Village, Courage, Lau Family Development, Unity Council,
cities west Oakland environmental indicators projects. Those are the
organizations that you've entrusted to help advance this process and talk to
your constituents about what the future of the city should be and it's the
future of the vision that these young people represent. I'm Giselle Barajas and I've seen my
time too. Thank you. Good evening council and thank you planning staff for your
partnership. My name is Brooke Tran, D4, and I've been a fellow with Urban
Strategies Council for the past year conducting community engagement. Our
cohort of fellows ages 16 to 26 are committed to making sure Oaklanders
voices are represented in this critical roadmap for the city and will continue
this work until the adoption of the general plan in 2027. The engagement
activities we conducted have spanned, conducting interviews on public transit
in both English and Spanish across generations, gardening alongside students
attending Saturday school. These students have fallen behind on attendance and
accumulated multiple tardies and also leading vision board activities with
elementary to high schoolers drawing and collaging the ideal community they want
to grow up in. Our overarching framework has been to make government and civic
engagement accessible. Additionally we have been guided by the fact that young
people including those under 18 who can't vote for their representation are
still constituents of this council. As a general plan update will lead the
development of an Oakland our youth will inherit urban strategies is urgent
consideration of our findings. We support the priorities staff presented but also
want to highlight the community's continued concern with the process
engagement execution. Looking at a few specific examples from the staff report
expanding parks, greenways, and shrilling access we want native plants to be
utilized as they are more fire resistant. Also if we were to expand these areas we
want more regular maintenance trash cleanup and better lighting for safety.
In support of jobs in emerging industries, we want environmental and racial impacts to
be considered.
We want natural resources to be preserved.
We also want to make sure land, especially in east and west Oakland, will not be re-zoned
for industrial use such as data centers.
Regarding housing and the implementation of SB 79, we are also concerned about whether
housing development will include deeply affordable and affordable housing, in addition to preferences
to get current Oaklanders into those units.
Without consideration for affordability, prioritizing more market rate housing means
units will sit vacant and people will continue to remain unhoused. With this
my colleagues will detail for the findings. Thank you for your time and
commitment to Oakland. Playo on Zoom and Alec Howe will cede their time to me.
Good afternoon my name's we send it through Hiyo Jr.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
One second.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Alayo, are you ceding your time?
Yes, I ceded my time.
Thank you.
And what was the other name?
Alec Howe.
Is he on-zone as well?
Okay.
Yeah, I do.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
My name is Lucendita Rio, Jr., and I have had the privilege of serving as a fellow with
urban strategies for the past year, supporting the general plan update initiatives and community
some of the people who are
struggling with their
engagement efforts as along as a
lifelong district five resident
and a fruit bill native.
I believe it's essential that
Oakland's future shaped by the
voices of those who have long
called the city home especially
those who are at risk of being
displaced.
It's equally important are the
voices of our youth they will
inherit the outcomes of this of
the decisions we make today so
they deserve a meaningful role
in shaping the city we'll one
day lead.
and Deep East Oakland to gather youth perspectives
on the draft land framework use,
or the draft land use framework
through workshops focused on third spaces
and the general plan updates loop,
Oscar and environmental justice elements.
From this engagement, three clear priorities emerged.
First, green infrastructure matters.
The strongest message from students
was a call from work trees, greener parks
and a well-designed public space.
They view these spaces not simply as amenities,
but essential investments in mental health,
well-being, and community resilience.
Second, students want free, safe, and walkable
non-commercial public spaces.
Participants consistently emphasize
that gathering spaces should be accessible to everyone,
not dependent on spending money.
They want places where they can learn, connect,
and build community without financial burden.
Third, maintenance is just as important as investment.
Students have identified poorly maintained facilities
There is a sense of concern
about cleanliness and safety as
its primary reason for avoiding
public, for avoiding existing
public spaces.
The message was clear.
Before we build new spaces, we
must take better care of the
ones we already have.
Based on these findings, we
offered three recommendations.
First, launch a youth safe and
clean parks initiative that
prioritizes maintenance,
beautification, and rapid
improvements in historically
underserved and neglected
and the city of Oakland. And I'm going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
future of the program. And we're going to talk about the
Thank you.
Good afternoon, my name is Joanna Morales Lopez and gathering perspectives of our land use.
I had the privilege to work at International Community School located at International
Boulevard and 29th Avenue, District 5 represented by Noel Gallo.
I spoke to first, second, third, fourth and fifth graders averaging ages 7 to 11.
My students expressed they wanted cleaner streets by adding more trash cans specifically
by the beach.
More trash cans was brought up by at least five students and a couple more expressed
wanting a cleaner environment and less littering.
They want more accessible soccer fields that are accessible and up-kept, as well as free-to-all.
They want more activities and extracurriculars like dancing, breakdancing, roller coasters,
or hiking trails around Lake Merritt.
They want more accessibility for disabled people, like braille, vibrations for visually
impaired individuals, and nicer paths for wheelchairs.
They want less people in the streets by providing more housings and kids want more shelters
and more food for unhoused folk as well as more fresh food in general.
And Janak's ceding my time to Joanna.
I also spoke to the unhoused community members located behind Defemery Park in West Oakland
on 16th and Poplar Way.
These individuals express dissatisfaction with sanitation.
They want cleaner streets by upkeeping how often public trash is picked up.
individuals state that they sweep their sleeping area but other community
members dump their trash on their things and sleeping areas. Individuals
see houses and empty buildings so the housing market crisis lacks to make
sense. We see empty houses and buildings and hundreds of people without a roof
over their head. This housing crisis isn't everything and every one issue.
Great school youth understand how interconnected our land use is to our
unhoused community members. I hope we can reconsider and acknowledge our
for unhoused community members in phase three.
Let's consider all Oaklanders.
Hello, my name is Jocelyn and I'm here
also representing and working alongside
the Youth Fellowship here with Urban Strategies Council.
I also represent District Five
and I've had the privilege to also be working
within the fellowship since 2023,
so it's in the starting times.
And through this work, we've repeatedly have listened
We've gone to our neighbor's, built relationships and elevated the lived experiences of residents
who are often left out of planning conversations, particularly young people.
As they mentioned, we've conducted outreach.
We went to schools, schools like Life Academy.
And right now we really want to emphasize and target the flatlands and give you guys
this conversation that we want to target East Oakland, historically disinvested neighborhoods.
house.
And we have to make sure that
we're in this- neighborhood and
our share our shared goal here
has been clear.
Which is to transform personal
stories into meaningful policy
to ensure those voices are
reflected in the general plan
and that's why we're here today.
Good evening I'm cash in unique
Holland- with deep waters dance
theater and a part of the deeply
rooted.
Collaborative- thank you- we
deep listening sessions with a number of community members focus mostly in west and deep east
oakland and it was a wonderful opportunity for folks who hadn't even heard about the
general plan process or any hadn't seen any of the outreach materials so it was an opportunity
for communities who have already feeling burdened by this notion that their voice is not included
be included. I echo what the youth fellows shared in terms of feedback and we'll just
add that a really important thing that was emphasized with the groups that I sat with
was the desire to be a part of the process as it moves forward.
Good evening council members. My name is Nikki Alexander, executive director of Friends of
Friends of Sausal Creek for 30 years, Foske has partnered with the City on
restoration, education, and stewardship in the Sausal Creek watershed. In the draft
framework, we were concerned that resource conservation areas received
little attention. We're asking the City to strengthen Oscar's provisions for
stewarding nature. That means updating park management policy to explicitly
protect native plant and animal communities and directing trail design
in maintenance towards minimizing environmental impacts protecting our
resource conservation areas is an environmental justice issue walking
Miller and other city park lands have the potential to become truly accessible
intact ecosystems for Oakland residents to enjoy a free and AC transit reachable
stand-in for Redwood National and State Parks or the Sierra for Oaklanders who
can't easily reach those places with stronger protection through the new Oscar
element. We have a real opportunity to create these places. Thank you so much.
Hello everybody. Susan. Should I start? Susan Ransom, SSA terminal, Port of
Oakland, long term resident, District 4. On behalf of OMAS, I would like to thank
each of our City Council members and all other officials who took the time to
meet with us, listen to our concerns regarding the movement of goods through
the Port of Oakland. Thank you, Laura, for all the updates. I don't need to tell
you the importance of the Portis of Vital Economic Engine for our city,
region, and nation. Thousands of jobs, local businesses, families depend on a
strong, reliable, and competitive maritime industry. Having said that, we still have
some questions and concerns regarding Adeline Bridge, heavyweight corridor, and
industrial zoning, goods movement plans, just as importantly an economic study.
That need to stay in the spotlight and look forward to further conversation on
those items. Thank you again for your time, your willingness to listen, and your
continued support. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we work
together in support of this amazing port city. Good evening council president
Jenkins, council members, Mike Jacob with Pacific Merchant Shipping Association
representing the marine terminal operators and other ocean carrier
tenants, customers of the Port of Oakland. Just wanted to say and reiterate the
point of thanks to the planning staff, transportation staff, folks who put
together this new framework for the report that's in front of you today. It
really does express that this is an iterative process. There's going to be a
lot more communication and conversation between the city and its employer
community. It's going to really embrace its industrial legacy. Oakland is a
strong blue collar working class town and all of us have invested amazing
amounts of time energy and resources to make this successful. We're going to
continue to do that. We're going to continue to work with your planning
department to make sure that that's part of the future of the city going
forward in addition to all the other things we want for Oakland in terms of
growth diversification of its economy and we're really looking forward to
doing that together. Good evening Council Aaron Wright, ILW local ten third
generation Longshoremen residents of district four. We're here today because
we are worried. We're worried about this plan. Seven years ago a major fight
started when city government packed in with the A's to give them 200 acres and
1.3 billion dollars and it would have crippled our port, our Longshore jobs and
the state of the world. And our
You know I think that this is
what we were trying to do as a
heavy weight route expedited
concern.
Thank you sir your time is up.
So I saw something that said you
want to stop displacement and
gentrification y'all have never
had a conversation on
gentrification even though you
are the number one gentrify
gentrifying city along with San
Francisco.
So displacement and
gentrification and sanctuary
city status has caused African
20, 10, 53%, 20, 20, 30%, DC, Oakland, 1990, 63%
African-American, 20, 10, 54%, 20, 20, 28%.
Some of it is gentrification, but some of it
is because of your sanctuary city status.
We have limited housing.
You have to be prepared to provide 10,000 houses by 2030
for low income purposes.
That's a state mandate.
When we looked at the report on who's getting high.
Thank you, Ms. Obabala, your time is up.
Move into the Zoom speakers starting with Barbara Leslie.
Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
Good evening, I also have time seated to me
by Josephine Guzman.
Ms. Guzman, are you seeding your time?
Yes, I'm seeding my time.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you.
President Jenkins, a member of the City Council, I'm Barbara Leslie, president and CEO of
the Oakland Chamber of Commerce.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the importance of the Port of Oakland and
our goods movement sector as critical economic drivers for both our city and the broader
region.
Their inclusion in any long-term planning effort, especially as one is consequential
as the general plan is essential.
I also want to acknowledge the supplemental report and its emphasis on this being a participatory
process.
that today's session is intended to gather stakeholder input
and that the draft framework remains a work in progress.
That approach is vital to ensuring the final plan reflects
the realities and the needs of those most directly impacted.
The supplemental report highlights several important areas
that we strongly support.
In particular, we urge the city to prioritize the adoption
of an overweight corridor ordinance
and the establishment of designated
heavyweight truck routes.
These are critical to maintaining efficient goods movements
and supporting our industrial economy.
Additionally, we encourage the city to finalize
the updated truck route map
and to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis
of the goods movement sector.
As noted in the chamber's
2026 economic indicators report by our economic institute,
this sector remains foundational
to Oakland's economic recovery and long-term competitiveness.
And as stated previously with over 100,000 jobs
across Northern California,
5,700 of those in Oakland themselves
and 174 billion in annual economic activity.
Thank you for your leadership
and for continuing to engage industry stakeholders
whose expertise will help ensure a strong
and effective general plan for Oakland's future.
Thank you for your time.
If you submitted a card and you wish to speak on this item,
which is item 4.5 and you are in chambers or on Zoom,
please step to the podium or raise your hand.
At this time I have called all names.
Thank you to everyone who came out and spoke.
Council members, any comments right now?
Councilmember five I just want to thank staff from the planning and building department for meeting with me
I've met with several constituents from the maritime industry and want to echo their concerns
I know planning and building has been meeting with folks from deal
I mean from the community for several months and so the articulation through the supplemental was so critical and then just the
information that was shared on the record today that this is an ongoing iterative process is
important for the community to hear because they are and from deaf different sectors are
Genuinely concerned about how the city is moving forward. So I want to appreciate you for spending
Some time with me and helping me to mediate some of these conversations that I've been having in the community
But I also wanted to express to
The public speakers that even with competing
priorities that are all very relevant in the city,
it's important that we understand the benefit
that the Port of Oakland brings to the city
and the resources that we have coming through jobs
and all the different affiliated industries
connected to the port, but as we move into the future,
we have to figure out how we work together
to ensure that we can balance the environmental needs
of our residential neighborhoods,
while balancing out the jobs and the industries
that are currently here.
So it's gonna be a work in progress.
And I know we have the right people at the table
to make sure that things are happening.
But if there ever happens to be a point
where your voice doesn't feel like you're being heard,
please continue to reach out to my office,
because I'm deeply interested in hearing
where folks are coming from.
And we were able to show that that could have some impact
with our process over the last week.
That said, I wanted to also make sure through the Chair
that our staff could speak to some of the very granular
points that were raised by the public today
around the Adeline Street Bridge,
a mission statement for a goods and movement policy
that is necessary to help us tie all of this work together,
and a potential timeline on an economic impact report,
and some of the granular points
that were made by speakers today.
And through the chair to council member Fife.
Okay, so there were a range of items that were particulars.
And one thing I do want to say,
and again, in setting the framework,
and I know this is gets deep in the weeds,
sometimes with the way planners do things.
And because this is a cyclical process,
you know, done every decade or several decades,
I think as Laura was stating,
this is at a highest level a policy document.
And as a result of it though,
we do specify goals, objectives,
sometimes projects are mentioned,
there is content there that may be specific to a need.
Usually what we'll see if we name a project
coming out of it, it's because it is working
along line of a policy.
What we don't expect at the end of the process
is to have a lot of specificity around projects on location
part of the general plan itself because that means just as an example let's say
with the truck rats and I see my colleague from Oak Dudders behind and
and they've been engaged much more in the front line. We're working also so
everyone knows across departments very clearly based on what was presented up
here and what we heard from the community. This is an all hands-on dyke process.
This is not just us you know we are the fulcrum in terms of doing the planning
process but we've got to rely on the rest of City Hall and departments to
support. But in many cases if we were to prescribe in the general plan something
very specific like okay this has got to be this way. If the realities change let's
say five years down the road we find that the market has changed demographics
have changed as a new opportunity. We want the general plan to work at a level
of policy and intent that we can get to specific projects in alignment with it
but we also maintain flexibility. We don't want to have to make a general
amendment every time we change a route you know on a street we do want to state
that routes are important and we do prioritize them and we can even get into
some of the geographic goals and objectives but in terms of the actual
specificity of a project per se what the general plan will do is lay out okay
this is important it must move forward but the specifics of how that happens
will be done you know either through a capital program or through zoning or
instruments that will bring forward okay having said all that now that those
items were brought up as best with specificity I would defer to the
director of Oak dot to deal you know within the rubric of what his department
does because those two items they have really been engaged more at the front
line I will say that even with everything I said a moment ago we do
want to hoover up all these questions or all these concerns that are specific
because often what we find is that the reason there are problem is that we
didn't have a policy in place we didn't address it in terms of priority
We didn't consider what the allocation of funds or fund sourcing might be, and one of the things I will say on the practical end of having plans like this in place, is at least for a long time, cities stood a great advantage in pursuing funds, foundations, grants at state, federal or local level, once they are citing a project that is supported by a plan.
So if we have a plan that notes that goods movement is a critical element
Then if we were to pursue a grant or pursue some assistance with that implementation in mind the fact that we have it in
our plan
Also gives us a lot of stronger consideration for whoever is making that grant or that award that just seems have been you know
The history that I've seen in terms of competitiveness for cities
we stand a much better place when our plan and a better competition when our plan and
identifies that this is a priority,
when we pursue that item, again, through a grant,
or through a foundation, or through other sources.
So what I'll do to deal with the infrastructure items
that you mentioned, I'll defer to, oh, no, no?
Okay, all right.
Well, if there are any other specifics,
I mean, the libraries were mentioned,
I mean, things that, again, we wanna make sure
that we are reinforcing.
We wanna make sure, first, we do no harm, right?
To make sure that the plan is gonna enforce
those things we value.
And again, one of the things we're looking at,
bringing forward to the council is a capital facilities
and infrastructure component as well.
So that will be coming again next year
towards the end of next year,
but that will also give us a real focus
on all these policy positions we take over here.
What does that look like on the ground
in terms of what we're going to be targeting
and hoping to achieve?
And I just wanted to clarify,
thank you for offering the opportunity
for other staff to speak,
but I wanted you to speak in general because there was a list
of granular detailed, very specific projects
by several members of the public.
So I wanted you to articulate why those weren't listed
so far in this plan, and you did that.
You explained that that level of specificity
goes into a capital projects plan or things like that.
That's right.
No, thank you, Council Member.
Thank you very much.
And again, to the Chair, to the Council Member.
Because that's one of the things also we got to make sure
as we go through this process that we explain
how it functions, because again, a lot can get lost in that.
for you to do that.
And I also wanted you to, um, just reiterate that this
is a listening session that you are getting feedback
from these community groups.
And this today is an informational report.
We're not taking action on passing anything today.
Absolutely.
And again, through the chair, through council president,
to the council, that is absolutely correct.
It is our chance to listen.
We have presented what we have.
Again in this session the community who's here and also to the other forms that we have out in the community
Many of you have been instrumental in helping us also make those connections and much
appreciation to those of you who have and lastly I just wanted to articulate for the record that
Whether or not there will be an economic study. I heard that from some of the
speakers as well an economic impact study and then just a mission statement or some kind of
Collective agreement on what goods movement or goods policy actually how that's defined. Yes, and on each of those I will
Certainly commend our very good colleagues that economic workforce development department that they again as I said
This is an all hands-on-deck exercise. They have been great partners to us even getting to this point
We did have as part of phase one many of you may remember an economic study
that was also a baseline for us to look at, particularly around housing and other opportunities
for development. We will be building on that, but also economic
workforce development is going to be our part in helping us to define the scope and approach
towards doing that kind of analysis. And so, lastly, and I know our Council President
wants to move the agenda, and I'll make a motion to accept staff report on this item,
is that I don't think I can stress enough, and I rarely speak for the body, but I know
that we all want to preserve Oakland's position
as the fifth largest port city in the state of California
and the benefits that come from that.
And I wanted to state that they have been making strides
at the port in terms of electrification,
the use of hydrogen, and just different energy sources
to move towards a cleaner and greener port.
And we need to continue and accelerate those moves
and also consider the implications that come from moving certain types of changing the
definitions of how industrial spaces operate, particularly in residential neighborhoods.
So again, it's a balance, but we all want to see the continuation of a strong port and
what that means for the city of Oakland.
And again, through the chair, to the council president, to council member Fife, as a relocated
You know I feel you.
Yes, indeed.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Councilman.
Turn your mic on.
Turn your mic on.
All right.
Thank you.
I just want to publicly thank Mr. Goh, Chris, and staff for their presentation, but I really
appreciate your cooperation with other governmental bodies here in the city of Oakland to unify
us from the Port of Oakland, Oakland Unified, some of the nonprofits that your staff is
is working directly with to accommodate the housing
and other growth in the city.
And so I just wanna publicly thank you for your work
and I'll second the motion.
All right, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Go ahead.
If I may, I also along that line,
I wanna commend staff who is here,
Kaleela and Daniel, if you don't mind,
just come on up real quick
and I hope you all will give me some grace here.
But again, these are our folks who are out there
keeping it real and making it real
in terms of how we move this forward.
I wanna make sure that, thank you very much.
All right, appreciate that.
Thank you, Houston.
Mr. Gilchrist.
So through the chair, Mr. Gilchrist.
Oh, sorry, sir.
That's okay.
I just wanna ask a favor
that I know you have in these community meetings
and group meetings,
but there's not many historic businesses left
in my district.
I would ask you and your staff personally
to send a message to them because we're the city of Oakland.
We know who it is, right?
We know who the businesses that are historic,
that you can have a one-on-one with them instead of a group
so you understand the needs and what they want
and what they need.
Is that okay?
Through the chair, to the council member,
what I'd like to do, and as we have worked together
in your district to also come out to the larger groups,
if I can follow up with you
and to the city administrator's office
just to see how we can make that work logistically,
I'd like to get more details
to see how we can make that work.
Okay, through the chair.
So you know I have my East Oakland gateway meeting.
Yes, sir.
What I'll do is I'll just make that a specific for that.
Nothing else.
You know how I add other things to it.
Yes, sir.
I'll just make it specific
and I'll get those historic businesses in that area
to actually come out and just speak to that
so they'll know who you are.
All right.
And you'll know who they are.
Right, and through the chair to the council member
and we're familiar with that forum.
Thank you, sir.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you.
Member Wong, and then we'll go with Brown,
and we'll get to where all that goes.
Okay, thank you, to the chair.
First of all, Director Gilchrist and Laura and team,
just, I, so much work went into this,
so thank you so much for your due diligence
in putting all of this together,
as well as all the community engagement sessions.
I did have just three comments to make.
One, I just wanted to echo the concerns and comments
around the industrial policy.
it's just incredibly important,
especially with 51% of adult Oaklanders
not actually having a bachelor's degree or higher
that we really retain these blue collar jobs.
That's incredibly important for the employment
of our community.
The second thing that I thought was super exciting
is this map of the cultural districts.
I think it's so cool that we are actually formalizing
these boundaries.
I see everything from the Black Arts Movement,
the LGBTQ District, Chinatown,
the Alabnex Cultural District
as well as the Black Cultural Zone.
I think it's great to formalize this
because that will allow us to then actually implement
policies for those districts.
One thing I just wanted to note though,
I would be remiss to not note that Little Saigon
I think is missing from the map.
That is something I would want to work with your staff
to ensure that we don't oversee this
important Southeast Asian refugee community.
And the final thing I just wanted to comment on is,
I know we made some critical SB 79 amendments
to increase housing density around transit corridors.
Council Member Unger, myself,
as well as Council Member Houston made some amendments.
And I couldn't tell in the map of the density
if those changes were made to our respective districts
where we excluded us from the exclusions,
if that makes sense.
And I just wanna make sure that that is reflected
in those maps.
Yeah, we'll be moving forward
with what is designated legally, what's been adopted.
Okay, great, thank you.
Council Member Brown, then Rope.
Excellent, thank you so much.
Likewise, I just wanted to also thank the planning
and building team for their work on this item
and also engaging with a lot of the key stakeholders.
And then I did just want to uplift the comments
that were made from the Urban Strategies Council
and the Youth Council and just really making sure
that we're also centering their voices
as we are working on this plan.
And so I would like the opportunity to help support
any of the additional community engagement
to make sure that we're meeting with
some of our younger community members as well.
absolutely again to the chair to councilmember Brown yes, and they were wonderful partners for us during phase one and
Much of the success we had with that they were instrumental. Thank you
There was a motion by councilmember five seconded by councilmember Gallo
to
Receive a file this report and would that be to also close this public hearing?
Thank you. Councilmember Brown aye councilmember five. I also remember guy. Oh, I also remember Houston. Hi
councilmember
Rama Chandra. I also remember hunger. I also remember Wong. I chair Jenkins
motion passes with a vote of eight ayes
Going out of order going to item five point one next
Adopt a resolution providing for the borrowing of funds for fiscal year 26 through 27
and the sale of the city of open twenty six to twenty seven tax and revenue anticipation notes in the amount not to exceed two hundred million dollars.
Proving an official statement approving the execution of one or more note purchase agreements relating to such notes and authorizing actions in connection there with you have two speakers on this item can get this done in four minutes.
one. All right one beautiful. Good evening President Jenkins and Council members. I'm David Jones with
the Treasury Bureau. Before you this evening is a resolution providing for
the borrowing of funds in the sale of the fiscal year 26-27 tax and revenue
anticipation notes and amount not to exceed 200 million dollars and
approving the preliminary official statement as well as other related
on June 2nd of this year council adopted ordinance 13 881 authorizing the borrowing of funds for cash flow management purposes during the course of the fiscal year and also prepunding our accrued liability with CalPERS where we would receive approximately a 3.34% discount and right now based upon market conditions that's going to garner a savings of around $750,000.
dollars the notes have garnered the highest ratings my S&P and Moody's in
the short term space and we plan to price next week and close around July
28th and I'm available for any questions that you might have thank you so much
let's go to the public speakers as I call your name please approach the
podium in any order please state your name for the record also please raise
You can raise your hand if you are participating via Zoom.
Ms. Asada Olabala and Blair Beakman, this is for item 5.1.
Ms. Asada, 5.1, that's all good, don't worry about it, take your time.
You saw when one of our employees was shot and killed, where were we on?
5.1, tax and revenue.
Okay, I'm sorry.
I think I'm going to sit down for a while, that's okay.
Thank you, Miss. Asada online blair beak man if you wish to speak on this item please raise your hand
I don't see your hand raised at this time and all names have been called see a number of speakers looks like gayo
Turn turn your mic on
Okay, gayo
Unger
On item 5.1 moved by councilmember gayo seconded by councilmember Unger
This would be to approve the staff recommendation
councilmember brown aye councilmember five aye councilmember gaia aye
councilmember houston aye
Councilmember Ramachandran aye councilmember under aye councilmember Wong aye and chair jinkin aye
Motion passes with a vote of eight ayes
Going to item 5.3 as we've already dispensed with item 5.2
Item 5.3 adopt an ordinance calling and giving notice for the holding of a general municipal election
with the city of Oakland in
November 3rd, 2020 26th for the
purpose of submitting to the
electors of the city of Oakland
proposed ballot measures
requesting consolidation of the
city of Oakland general
municipal election with the
statewide election to be held in
the city of Oakland on November
3rd, 2026 and authorizing the
city clerk to take all necessary
actions to hold the municipal
election.
I should read city clerk and
city clerk of the council.
you for giving notice for the election and also consolidating the consolidation ordinance
that is required for us to consolidate our election with Alameda County, noting that
there will be an amendment to this ordinance, noting the passing of the ballot measure on
today's agenda. We will have to add that ballot question to this ordinance for introduction
And the city attorney will read that into record and there's no speakers on this item. I'm sorry there is one speaker
Thank you city clerk through the chair to the council as we stated previously this consolidation ordinance
By state law it must list all the ballot questions for the measures that have been placed on the ballot
There was a measure placed on the ballot by the council earlier this evening. And so I'm going to read that ballot question into this
Ordinance right now, so it will go in section two of the ordinance
there's currently a bullet point that says TBD that will be struck out and
We will insert the following language shall the measure amending Oakland's real property transfer tax ordinance to eliminate
The foreclosure exception for all property transfers except transfers
converting commercial property to certain housing or health care uses transfers to community banking organizations and
and certain transfers of residential properties
of four units or less,
and allowing the City Council to establish,
amend, or remove foreclosure-related exceptions,
raising approximately four to 13 million annually,
pursuant to the tax rates in Oakland Municipal Code
section 4.20.020 beginning January 1st, 2027,
until repealed be adopted.
Thank you.
Is there a motion?
Hunger? Speakers.
Oh.
Miss Asada Ola Bala and Blair Beekman for item 5.3.
Miss Asada, the elections item.
The consolidation ordinance.
You didn't sign up.
Okay, is Blair Beekman online?
Mr. Beekman, please unmute yourself
and begin your comments.
Hi, Blair Beekman.
I just made it back to the meeting.
Hi, everyone.
This is an important item for myself.
I'm worried about this consolidation process
that's going on with this item.
I don't think I'm worried that city government has some sort of special privilege and they don't want to take the time and care to better describe their items on ballots. I mean, I understand the process and that you have a legal right to and it does create.
differences between community led ballot process and the city led process but
the voter is still unaware of what exactly an item is about and I don't
think that serves anybody any good except elitism and we're supposed to be
working away from that at this point of our democracy I feel so I question what
you're doing with this item thank you thank you so much we appreciate that
councilmember. Thank you. All
And we're going to move to the
motion passes with a vote of
eight ayes sorry.
This item is approved for
introduction final passage will
be July twenty third please call
in five point four and five
point five together and the
people signed up for both they
will get two minutes of time.
Calling an item five point four
and five point five together
receiving information report on
the inventory of city-owned
properties analyzed for use as
pursuant to the encampment abatement policy and
Receiving 5.5 receive an information report from the in Cape. Excuse me encampment management team
on encampment management operations
Cooper can you do?
Consolidate. Yeah, absolutely
Good evening Council President Jenkins commission members council members and community members
I'll just quickly run over the city's analysis of city-owned property under the encampment abatement policy resolution 9 1 0 0 2
I do want to give a huge shout out to Shilon Keener, Shilon Garcia, Jordan Flanders, Brendan
Moriarty, and Kelly Khan for the work and the time that they put into this analysis.
I believe I have a slide, yes, thanks.
So just really quickly, when council adopted the encampment of beam of policy in April,
it directed staff to complete a review of city-owned property for potential homelessness
response uses.
Specifically, we were asked to evaluate city-owned properties across every council district for
There were three possible uses, interim shelter, safe parking and vehicle storage.
Today's presentation fulfills that request.
The team evaluated 46 city-owned properties of significant size, 42 vacant parcels and four buildings.
One procedural note, presentation of this inventory fulfills the reporting requirement established in the adopted policy and
allows implementation of the encampment abatement policy to move forward.
Again, this is an informational update.
So I want to explain how we came through this approach.
It would have been easy to bring forward just a list of vacant properties, but that wouldn't have been useful for you all.
So what we did is we asked a practical question.
Which city owned properties have the greatest potential to safely and responsibly support shelter, safe parking, and vehicle storage,
while serving the greatest number of people at a reasonable cost, and in the shortest practical time frame, availability was not enough.
We used three guiding principles, first, public investment matters, second, community connection matters.
Third, this is just a snapshot of today.
properties tier reflects its current conditioning agreements and constraints, it is not a permanent
verdict.
A property that is not feasible today may become feasible later if an agreement ends,
a constraint is resolved, or new infrastructure becomes available.
So each of the 46 properties was reviewed using the same set, oh no, this is the wrong,
this is the EMAT, yes, this is the EMAT presentation, this shouldn't be, it should be the land inventory
presentation. Okay, they're working on fixing it. Yes, I will continue while
they're fixing it so we can utilize this time. I don't want to delay it. So each
of the 46 properties was reviewed using the same set of criteria. So we looked at
the parcel size, surface conditions, slope infrastructure, proximity to
infrastructure, cost, existing legal or contractual commitments, environmental
conditions, fire risk scalability, and how quickly a site could realistically be activated.
The consistency matters.
We did not want different standards, depending on the location.
We wanted one citywide framework, so we applied this to all council district.
There were also three automatic disqualifiers.
First, exclusive negotiating agreements or pending property sales.
Second, location within a very high fire hazard severity zone.
and further known environmental contamination that makes habitation on say
where those conditions existed we did not advance the property
if council would like to discuss a specific property or technical issue
during or after the presentation i have my colleagues here who will be able to
answer that question
of the forty six properties evaluated five emerged as the strongest candidates
for additional evaluation nine showed potential but currently
have identifiable constraints
has to be considered as the
only option to have in order to
be protected.
And thirty two were not feasible
under the current conditions.
And I want to be candid the
largest category is the not
feasible today group that
reflects the reality of the
city's land portfolio many
properties are already committed
to other public purposes
constrained by environmental
legal issues located in areas
that are not safe for habitation
or simply too small to support
a functioning program.
The value of the exercise is
should be monitored on
conditions of change.
So let me start with the five
strongest the first five tier
of the foot the five the first
of the here one five properties
of represented the strongest
opportunities identified
through this analysis this
means that they may not be
shovel ready but it means that
they have the fewest barriers
and the in that the rest of the
portfolio warrant additional
planning due diligence and
funding analysis the five sites
are in an effort to understand
development of the street
so this is an analysis the five
sites are east twelve street
and twenty third avenue in
district five we said we had
nine oh five sixty six avenue
we had seven eleven seventy
first avenue which were
currently- strategizing on right
now.
And then we also had seven four
two five send Leandro street.
And the Malibu lot at eight
thousand southwest I mean south
Coliseum way in district seven.
Each site has a different
be more appropriate for safe parking or vehicle storage. I want to stress two points though.
First, every site still requires additional due diligence. That may include environmental
review, utility confirmation, engineering analysis, design work, or other pre-development
scopes. Second, feasibility is not the same as funding. Before any site could be activated,
it would require capital funding to prepare the property and ongoing operating funding
for staffing, security services, maintenance,
and program management.
Today's presentation identifies opportunity.
It does not authorize construction or activation.
So in the tier two, there was nine different properties.
These are not permanent no decisions.
They are not yet decisions.
For example, the Henry Robinson, which is an SRO,
we know that it takes a lot more
to get significant capital investment
before the units could be returned to service.
There was also High Street, which
has been used for RV-related infrastructure before,
and then the home base light.
And finally, to close this out, we
have currently infeasible sites.
And rather than walk through all 32 currently individual
properties, we grouped them into areas,
and they fall into seven categories
as to why they were not in tier two or tier one.
These categories generally fall under some properties
were already committed to affordable housing.
Some are under active development agreements
or other legal commitments.
Some have known environmental contamination.
Some are located in very high fire hazard severity zones.
Some are too small or physically unsuitable
to operate a program.
Some are active public or retail parking sites
and some serve as community open space, green space,
or recreational space.
The important point is that the inventory is dynamic.
If conditions change, for example,
and this is the only way that
we can see if an agreement
ends if environmental concerns
are addressed or a public use
changes a property can be a
reevaluated using the same
framework so with that today's
report provides the city's first
comprehensive policy driven
assessment of its own property
portfolio for potential
homelessness response uses it
establishes a consistent
framework it identifies where
before we get to the board
more importantly this gives the
city a repeatable decision
making tool as properties and
circumstances change we can
reevaluate them using the same
objective methodology.
That is my report thank you
thank you so much councilmember
Houston councilmember Brown.
Yes do the chair thank you.
Mr. cubic I was the author of
launched we had three months right and six months prior to that I knew it was
gonna pass but it just took a little work there's a property not in my
district but I work hand in glove with council member president Kevin Jenkins
is in his district and it was a site of 7-1-1 you said set district 7 but it's
actually in district six that the city spent five hundred thousand dollars to
get it ready for RV's it was closed down wasn't secure the three the five
hundred thousand dollars is damaged ripped up telephone poles cut down
lights pole cut down and this is what happens when you start changing staffing
and I don't know what I call Justin staff Justin Johnson came out looked at
that's something that needs to be happen needs to happen in the city of Oakland I need you
to share with the public and share with my constituents my my colleagues what property
is the top of the chain ready to go I want I want them to hear it all which one is the
best ready to go yeah through the chair to the councilmember it is seven eleven the seventy
we don't have a property ready
that could have been ready three months ago, president.
Could have been ready.
Could have been ready six months prior
when I first started the EAP.
We can't wait until it's launched
to have these properties and get them ready.
Now, I want to move on this because I already
have an obligation, I already spoke to the president,
and he said, you know what, I'm going to be ready.
this because already have an obligation already spoke to Alameda County and
they're willing to provide the provider. And that's why we shut it down council
member Janati they shut it down because they didn't have a funding for the
provider. The county's going to provide the provider from the measure W money. I
I want to know I want the public to hear too when is this going to be ready to get that money to kick
Because we have to put skin in the game and that's what the supervisor from Alameda County said put some skin in the game
It's gonna cost me. I got an estimate. I got a layout already done
It's gonna cost about three hundred thousand dollars and we got what one point two million dollars
We put to the site president
Did we put one point two million dollars to the side for RVs of safe parking and things like that?
And that's it, is that the case?
So that means that I can use 250 or 40,
Council Member Gallo can use 240,
and Council Member Fife can use 240,
and Wayne can use 240, right?
So that means I could put my 240 together,
and that'd be 480, that we can get that site rolling,
and Council Member President Jenkins' area.
So I want some commitments here.
We got a new city administrator.
She came out and watched it, and looked it,
and if it was out there with
Justin Johnson we could have
had this role and if just it
would have been forced to to
leave.
So my thing is this.
The public wants to know my
people want to know because my
community is the most
underserved.
Right and when we come up with
this.
Sanctuary city ordinance is
coming up in the city of
refuge.
with the public health department
so that they can look at it
and look at I want my people to
know when is that site going to
be ready when we don't have the
money to put it up so the
county can put their money in
because they're ready.
Yeah that's a processional
question.
Through the chair to the
councilmember I can't speak for
the county's money you know we
affirmatively reached out to the
county they have a process
amount measure W. so we are
actively engaging with them.
What we're doing right now is
to hoping to go through a
property that we need to be
done.
One of the things I want to
caution on is that I did see
the cost assessment that was
provided to you previously and
I think it was under bid.
So there are contingencies that
need to be considered saying
And then there's the operational
expenditures and that's what
you're talking about with the
county since we do not control
that county funds.
We are looking to you for the
engagement with the county but
we've also reached out to them
and said how do we go through
the process of getting the
measure W dollars so we can get
that commitment.
Those are the two driving.
Things for our time okay so let
me share this with you.
We got the two one million two
hundred thousand we got that
that was in the budget.
The money's there.
Right.
So I want to make sure that
Money is there right already got the commitment from the county had a relationship with the county the state
No, everybody before I even became councilmember. He already sat down with me. I'm gonna have a meeting with you guys
The money is there. He's ready to go matter of fact
He was gonna do they were gonna do the zone building and use that parking lot
Her my relationship, but I told him I didn't want to cuz I didn't want what happened to
7-eleven to happen over there on his watch or on their watch because it's ridiculous
is what happened.
If the public goes out there and see what happened
to that, that lot is embarrassing.
John, John, it's embarrassing.
So what I'm saying is this.
Let's don't wait, let's get it done,
because we need it anyway,
because we got all these other lots that need to be done.
We have one to shovel ready right now.
It's already been there, it's just been destroyed.
And with my relationship with Jim Moore,
he already gave it.
You said it's under bid, I understand.
He doing it for me.
because he know how much I need this for my community, right?
So he's done all the other safe parking,
so he's qualified, right?
So I wanna get this rolling.
I wanna get this moving because like I said,
it's been already three months since 414-26
when we passed the encampment abatement policy
and it was six months prior to that when I started it.
So in seven days, it's gonna be 714.
That's gonna be the three months.
So I want some commitment.
I hear you, President.
I see you moving that mic.
So not so there's a couple of things you could do you you could do resolution or you can work with the administration to have them come back for allocation can we do an urgent like they always do to us.
Can I do emergency so you have my commitment I'll work with you to get that property addressed OK so the next question.
is that I spoke to Unger, my council member Unger,
I spoke to Council Member Janani.
They said they wanted to be included too because,
and that's reasonable, I understand.
I wanna know what properties in their district
that we can use, or through all the districts
that we can use, not just my district,
because I'm gonna tell you,
that's where they're looking to put them, right?
And that's not fair, that's not fair.
So I want to, I want to disperse this across all the council members.
Right. So, so, so where could they be placed?
Yeah, that's what the land inventory is.
So we've identified across the entire city,
including some of the impediments to get land buildable.
That's what this analysis that you have in front of you actually is.
It identifies from council districts ones through seven for city owned property.
Okay. So last question or last statement, the one on, um,
73rd Amtrak that property I took care of that property for about nine years kept it free from
Encampments and everything
That's part of that is contaminated
But part of that could be capped too it could be capped and we have contractors that we just gave a four million dollar contract to
Argent material McGuire initial we gave him some money. Let them do some in kind work for us, right?
So we can cap that and put that on there because it I'm willing to do that in my district even to help out councilmember
Kevin Jenkins because we're working together because we got all these encampments in these RVs that need to be put off the street
And the last thing we just don't want to keep pushing them around
See, that's the problem. We keep pushing them here pushing them there pushing them there, but we don't want to do that
We want to actually place them and this is my last question
This is gonna be for a Mari and when we start closing down these encampments
the return has to stop. I had to remove two, President, Councilmember Fyfe. I had to move
two conics boxes out of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Tennis Court, and another one at another part
that they closed down and had recamped four times. So that city money wasted that I had
to remove that myself so that doesn't come back. How can we stop those kind of things
I mean it's hard to do that
because I'm not going to get
things from happening.
I'm going to ask Amari when he
gets up.
But I've got a lot more to say
when it comes to this stuff.
Yeah, to your questions through
the chair, you know, I'd like
to say zero plus zero equals
zero.
All of this is a function of a
budget.
So we can do anything with
money.
The difficulty is going to be
how do we sustain, how do we
get people to the next spot
knowing that there's a lack of
a portable housing to get them
through that throughput.
So we're looking at the
When we're looking at you know
getting it up to speed getting
it up to a position that we can
put vehicles in the budget that
was produced.
Is well under the budget that we
need even at one point two
million dollars the budget that
we need exceeds that the numbers
you were using for from several
years ago when I looked at the
documents that you provided.
So what we're doing is we're
moving affirmatively we're
trying to see if measure W has
the money but we've also
applied for E. R. F. and Ken
C. R. F. and Ken Johnson.
for E. R. F. Encampment resolution funding across several districts because we're taking
the biggest swing that we can get the dollars into our pockets. So so last question or last
statement to the chair we got to start somewhere. The somewhere is the R. V.s. That's the somewhere
Nellie bring up that that that that binder. So we know through all the districts through
all the districts how many R. V.s you got in district one two three four five six and
We already counted them out.
I got a binder here.
I got a binder here that I'm gonna give you.
We know where all the RVs are.
My MCSCs already did it, right?
So the work has been done.
We do work, I put in work.
I take this job serious now.
Like I said before, I was like,
this is gonna be a breeze.
This is not a breeze.
So I'm taking this serious.
So I have all the RVs through all the districts
where they are with the markings on them or whatever.
If they don't have a license plate or whatever,
my MCSCs did it.
What we want to do is we want
to start here we want to get
the rvs off the street our
sidewalks unblocked.
So our our kids our seniors can
walk safely this start
somewhere and the start with
seven one one.
Seventy first avenue thank you
councilmember Houston.
Appreciate that.
Councilmember brown and then
we'll go to public comment.
Excellent so I will one is a
first start off just by really
for such a comprehensive report because I know that in years past prior bodies
have asked for a document listing like hey some of these properties and I
remember having to look at the list and and the only way that it was divided up
was just like addresses and what district it was in right nothing more and I even
think that the report said oh you know there's this many properties and only
four of them are able to be used right it was very short and sweet and as I
that really dived into this report,
I can't help but express my gratitude
for the amount of work that really put into,
that was put into really outlining a clear picture
for all of us about the available uses,
the different districts, and then as well as,
what's happening on these properties, right?
So that we can get a really clear picture.
And so, similar to the passion
that council member Houston is bringing to this item.
It really is clear that we have a tangible roadmap,
but I think that the other point
that you really made clear is that,
it's one thing to allocate 1.2 million,
but what does that look like on an annual basis
to continue this programming?
And so I'm hopeful that with some of the allocations
that the governor just made,
that we'll be able to make some key investments
so that as the, I think you're supposed to be presenting
on both of the items in the report,
because that, some of the questions that I had
was around like encampment closures,
and I think that the report doesn't speak to,
I think it said like 52 closures,
but my outstanding question is,
of those that were closed,
how many of them just moved across the street, right?
and so that continues to emphasize the need
of making sure that we are creating safe places
for people to go, to park, and to just be housed.
But all in all, I'm just really grateful
for your leadership, and thank you so much
for guiding us through this process.
Thank you, Council Member Brown.
Let's go to the public speakers.
As I call your name, please approach the podium
in any order.
The council has taken items 5.4 and 5.5 together.
we have pulled your cards and put them together
for both items.
If you sign up for one, you'll get one minute.
If you sign up for both, you'll get two.
Anne Jenks, Madeline Stacy, Derek Barnes,
Mr. Hazard, I have you with both items.
Mrs. Sada, I have you with both items.
Prescott Chair, Marcus Johnson, I have you with both items.
Jennifer Finley and Blair Beekman.
Please raise your hand if you're on the zone.
If you're in the room, please step to the podium.
Thank you. All due respect, this report was smoking mirrors. Councilmember
Houston is the only one who has been living in the unsheltered, how long was
it, Councilmember Houston? A month. He looked ragged. Why is it, and we got most
of the unsheltered wall who are black folks but you didn't want black folks in
Chinatown and this is around black folks largely. What's the percentage? 60, 70
percent black folks? Not people of color, black folks and I could share council
members Houston's passion but you're dragging your feet now you talk about
and you already knew and you got it down from what 30 down to five possible
sites that's shameful black folks are still lingering on the street guile
speak up for we sit here and we go through this charade I'm tired of it a
lot of folks in this audience and elsewhere tired of it we get pushed back
every damn time! But everybody else gets in front of us! When it comes to us, it's all
us. We don't have the money, Miss Brown. Find the money! Thank you Mr. Hazard, your
time is up. You found in five places, one in District 5, one in District 6, and
three in District 7, that are feasible. Then you have some that are identified
is pending. Let me give you an example of what you call pending. 1800 San Pablo
Avenue. Why is it pending? Because it's next to the School of the Arts and the
Oakland Ice Center. Pending because of that. Now when we had the Lake Merit Tiny
Homes right next to Dewey School, it wasn't a problem. But it's a problem
because it's next to the Oakland Arts. Then you have certain districts that
that have never had any encampment outreach, okay?
Then you got Ms. Wong and some of these other people,
as soon as they come in your district,
y'all gonna have a problem.
So Wong had a problem and she brought the proposal
to convert the courtyard Marriott Chinatown Hotel,
150 beds for the homeless shelter
for medically fragile unhoused people
but she had no cause to the city.
To these persons who were chronically ill homeless people.
She said no.
And encouraged the people to back away from the project
because they were going to be a threat to the Chinatown
community, and that's what some of y'all are going to do when
they come in your community, when they come in Rock Ridge,
when they come in Montclair, when they go in the Diamond
District, it's going to be a problem.
that's the biggest chronically ill homeless people,
no cost to the city.
These people are gonna be a threat
to the Chinatown community.
Y'all gotta stop that.
You gotta stop it.
Thank you, Ms. Ollaballa.
If your name was called and you signed up
for item 5.4 or 5.5, please approach the podium.
At this time, we'll move to the Zoom speaker, Blair Beekman.
Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
do I have two minutes to point out the clarification?
You have two minutes.
Awesome, thank you.
All right, everyone.
I tried, I started to write a letter on this subject
to yourselves after it was first brought to rules,
I think, a few weeks ago.
Really nice idea by Councilperson Houston
and like a really good energy to try to work this out
and it's working out.
Thank you for the words of Councilperson Brown.
how can we create future good procedures for this item
to come back each year?
Good luck on those efforts.
I think preparing the land needed
and the locks, the property locks needed,
that can be an item you can bring to Council
a committee meeting each year,
I guess in February or March or so.
And that could be a good beginning organizational prep work
so we can all be prepared and what to expect
and everyone gets ready, and I'll just get oversight.
So good luck with this item could be doing.
It's really nice what this can work out.
Thank you for it.
And I also wanted to try to quickly comment
that I don't know if I'll have time
and another point to mention,
but I'll try to mention it now,
that there are a few encampment areas
that were making some council persons uncomfortable
a few weeks, a few months ago.
You know, offhandedly they mentioned.
I think we have to kind of honor the concept of the encampment itself and what that does
for community.
It creates a community and a space that people can trust and we have to learn to work with
that a bit more I think in how we develop our housing planning, our house planning.
Good luck in your efforts.
Thank you.
I'm gonna call the names again just so we're clear that this is for items 5.4 and 5.5.
Janks, if you wish to speak, Madeline Stacy, Derek Barnes, Marcus Johnson, Jennifer Finley,
if you submitted a card and you're in the room or on Zoom, please step to the podium
or raise your hand if your name was called and you submitted a card. Again, please approach
the podium or raise your hand on Zoom if your name was called. Please unmute yourself and
say your name. Hi, can you hear me? Yes, Madeline Stacy. Thank you. Hi. So, since we're
encompassing both 5.4 and 5.5, I'll just say quickly that, while the presentation from
HSAP, sorry it's windy, said that homelessness would not be criminalized by enacting the
you are criminalizing living in a vehicle,
which is criminalizing homelessness, sadly.
And I just want to point out as well
that we're getting identifying areas
where safe parking can happen
because as council member Houston pointed out,
you know, people just get moved back and forth
and all around and they really need some place settled to go.
And while this is a long lengthy process,
these reports we're getting
and identifying those spots are happening after the EAP.
You said many times you didn't like being rushed.
Thank you, Ms. Stacey, your time was up.
Again, all names have been called at this time.
Thank you for everybody who spoke on this item.
We're gonna go to council member Fyke, then Wang.
Wang.
I just heard of council member Wang at this time.
Council member Wang.
Yeah, first of all, thank you so much.
This is an excellent report.
I wanted to echo Councilmember Brown's kudos on this.
One thing, first of all, one of the sites,
the District 5 site at East 12th and 23rd,
I just wanna note that's right on the border
between District 5 and District 2.
I think it's technically in District 5.
I do support fully just moving forward
with that particular site.
And on the note on just the funding needs,
I want to give kudos to the budget team.
I think in total, there was $1.2 million
on the interim or on the safe parking sites,
but $4.2 million total allocated to interim shelter
or interim solutions in general.
So truly kudos to the team.
I just want to, I think next steps is just under,
to understand is that enough
or do we still need to identify additional funding sites
in order to move on the five that you identified?
I'll have Brendan Moryearty speak to the actual location, and then I think we have Shallan
Keener, who can speak to the program.
Okay.
Yeah, Brendan Moryearty, Director of Real Estate.
I think you were referring to the East 12th and 23rd site, and I heard you saying support
for that site.
Was there a question there that you wanted me to field on that site?
Or was it just the funding question?
The funding question?
Okay.
I have Shallan Keener here.
You might need to repeat that question for her.
you can speak to the funding through CHS.
Newsjust, so the budget team did a fantastic job
of identifying $4.2 million of funding
for interim solutions, including $1.2 million
for safe parking.
I just wanna understand, is that enough
to fund all of these sites
or are there additional funding needs that remained,
at least in the short term?
I understood that as Cupid had articulated,
there's the need to identify that ongoing effects need,
but is it enough to get going
as my colleague, Council Member Houston had encouraged?
I think when you use the term get going,
it would look like starting the program,
getting a provider in place,
but it wouldn't be enough for, to your point, longevity.
So I think the funding was for one year.
So we get folks into these sites
and we get them started on their process
to permanent housing, and then what do we do
when the funding runs out?
So it's not enough beyond probably eight months,
nine months for one, like that's to set it up
and to do all of the work with the number of clients
we're looking to serve, it just wouldn't be anything
beyond eight to nine months.
Okay. And that's just one site.
4.2 million dollars for one site.
I'm sorry, was it 1.2?
There was four point, correct if I'm wrong budget team
but I thought it was a 4.2 million dollars
that was allocated in total for interim.
It was 1.2. Just 1.2.
I thought there was additional funding
from Mayor Q, no?
I remember 1.2.
Okay, well, nevermind.
I guess we have to find the funding then.
Thank you.
Thank you, Council Member Unger.
Just really quickly, thank you for this.
I just wanna reiterate and remind everyone
of the amendment that we made to the EAP
from our District 1 office, which is our desire
to seek safe parking spots in every district,
including District 1, and so I wanna ask you
continue looking for spots in d1 where we can where we can have safe parking spots
absolutely thank you councilmember younger councilmember fight then we'll
entertain a motion up to that I have a series of questions because every time
this item comes up around encampment management encampment abatement I feel
like we're missing an essential through-line which is do we have
providers that are able to address the population citywide because I know the
list of providers that we've had in my district have been less than optimal in
operating some of the interventions that you know I stood up I've seen
challenges press conference all kinds of issues with the providers that we have
have let me just go through the list of questions because we still have 50,000
items on this agenda so through the chair to Cupid can you speak to why
staff needed 90 plus days since the April passage of the EAP around the
standard operating procedures or what what has the 90 days allowed you all to
do and what can we expect now considering that the sensitivity maps
still have to be defined and we have not identified low sensitivity zones for
people to know where they can go. Yeah let me take that in reverse order and
through the chair to the council member. So in the sensitivity mapping I think
the biggest issue was not going to be the highest sensitivity areas but the
lowest sensitivity areas and the EAP had asked us to identify across all seven
council districts areas that are going to be considered low sensitivity some of
which have very good limited sensitivity areas and we need to come up with that framework.
So that's what we're working through. We're also additionally doing deep engagement with
the community because almost every single day I receive ten, fifteen, twenty emails
regarding sensitivity areas and the idea of what they think the sensitivity areas are
going to be providing to them as a community member. So we have low sensitivity, high sensitivity
and priority sensitivity areas.
For the 90 days in identifying the SOP,
it was really the changes to the SOP.
So that's legal considerations, that's alignment
with already existing agreements like the morality settlement,
and then updating all of our forms that we give out,
making sure that they're accessible.
I mean, 90 days as a practitioner,
I was like, that is really, really aggressive,
but the team has met that charge.
So it was 14 different SOPs that had to be updated.
And then additionally, there was this land vulnerability
analysis.
And then there is also an encampment racial equity
analysis report that will be reported to you all
in about a year.
So what that materially means is that we
have to retrain our contractors and our providers on the new
data that the EAP is asking us to identify and gather.
and also the creation of systems that may not exist,
dashboards that need to be created,
and what those dashboards are going to provide.
So 90 days in any administration
was an aggressive timeline, but the team is met.
Thank you for sharing that.
So you kind of stated a couple things
that are happening in the long term.
Well, I don't know.
How do you determine or define short, mid, and long term?
Because you said the race equity analysis
is a year from now.
Would you consider that short term or long term?
Well, I consider it deliverable of the EAP.
So there is no short or long term.
We look as practitioners, the encampment abatement policy
is a list of requirements that you all have given us
as a city to produce on behalf of the constituents.
So that's what we're managing and meeting
the expectations of.
Today's the seventh.
What can residents, businesses, visitors to Oakland
expect in six days on July 13.
So on July 13, it allows us to do several new things.
So the California Vehicle Code and to the way
that we engage with lift in vehicles,
that was probably one of the bigger changes.
The others are SOP updates in a way
that we currently do the work.
So you will see that we have to make sure
we're doing the posting notices.
We do the posting notices.
You will see that we have to have internal ways
that we communicate with our jurisdictional partners
process that they can identify to report construction so we're doing the
work and an encouragement of them to also assist in doing this work so in
the EAP it says hey you're gonna be responsible for some of these things
those material we are the changes but the biggest one is going to be how we
engage with lived-in vehicles. So the changes that we'll see beginning
July 13th will likely be around the vehicle code and how lived-in vehicles
individuals are handled by the city.
That is one of the biggest deliverables that we have in the EAP.
Yes.
Where are they going?
That's the challenge that we're trying to address.
So right now, as we, and Mr. Amari Collins, McMurray Collins, leads the EMT team, we reserve
spaces for individuals at some of our St. Vincent de Paul and at some of the tiny homes
that we have.
But if they do not want to go inside, chances are if they do not have a vehicle, they will
be in camp somewhere that is not inside.
Can you walk me through or maybe through the chair to Omari?
Because I have lots of RVs in my district, some that are clearly in violation of the
I will tell you two things that
are really impacting schools,
churches, businesses, walk me
through what will happen
beginning July 13th, say, on
Mandela parkway.
Good evening city council members
and members of the public.
I'm Mario Collins, deputy chief
in the office of homelessness
solutions, through the chair to
councilmember Fife.
And so the reason why I'm
working with the incumbent
management team over the last
five years is that parking and
towing enforcement is just as a
part of the incumbent management
team is just an expansion. Of
the existing services that's
already supposed to be provided
by a deal T. and O. P. D. to tow
vehicles so when we put up
signs hypothetically let's say
and we put up those signs.
Probably half of those RVs are gonna relocate
before we can even initiate tows, right?
So they find a way and a means to move
whether it's calling a tow truck
or finding a way to get the vehicle operated.
So that's what we end up seeing the disbursement
of these RVs across the city.
And then sticking with this hypothetical analogy here
Is that we might only end up towing in theory like between like five and seven.
And this has been the case when we go out and do towing actions and in large sections
like that.
Okay.
So some of the RVs will self relocate?
Many of them do.
Yes.
Many of them will relocate to other parts of the city?
Yes.
Likely.
Other parts of district three because that's where the majority of RVs are.
And then some will get their vehicles towed or end up in some of the shelters that you've
on any given date, what, 10 shelter beds?
So for in-came in operations, we hold five to 10 beds, which we try to work to give people
referrals into programs.
But the RVs that we end up towing are usually dilapidated, inoperable.
surrender them there you can't live in them based on their current state and
condition they're used as storage as used as prostitution is used to store
stuff for a chop shop all sorts of other so that that small portion of our V's
that we're towing is related to other stuff per the the towing and OMC's and
they're not necessarily someone's that's living in it.
To the best of our abilities, if someone's living in it,
we're not trying to take someone's RV.
So we do work with them.
And who will be doing the towing?
Well, between the Department of Transportation and OPD Leads.
So I'll say OPD.
You said it's between the two?
Yes.
So they will negotiate with each other on who does what?
usually if it's more complex or challenging,
OPD will lead, but DOT is present and might,
you know, they'll do the stolen or stripped out stuff,
but if it's RV on occasion, they'll assist,
both OPD typically leads.
Okay, and my last question is,
what in this policy that we pass in April,
or that the council passed in April,
would have stood up interventions to be prepared
for these, for abatement.
Can you repeat that one more time?
Where is it in the encampment abatement policies
that would have led to additional interventions
so that when we do these closures,
there's somewhere for people to be?
Oh, so if you're asking about standing up
interim shelter sites, typically we're using
either city funds or ERF funds.
The last round of ERF.
My question is, where is that in this policy?
you're speaking to the morality so that when so the process that we have to go
through is the posting in the notification process that's where we
identify individuals who we say we have some shelter availability would you like
to go inside what you're speaking to also is additionally vehicles going to
what's called circulation my so they know I and so just for both of you and
I neglected to share that this was an aggressive timeline right to to get
to be able to do all the work
to get everything together and
I appreciate all the work that's
gone into trying to address this
crisis but my point is oh wait
I'm sorry Michelle on did you
want to answer my question.
Before I restate it I would love
for you to restate it and then I
can answer yes okay and it might
be more appropriate for the
author of that was that was next
yeah thank you.
Will stop I mean she has a mic
and then we'll go to council
she hasn't answered no I think she said she wanted you to restate the question
yes please please restate the question what in the encamp where in the
encampment abatement policy and this is also directed to councilmember Houston
does it articulate where people will go when these encampments are abated in the
EAP it states that we have to offer shelter but nowhere in the EAP does it
say well you're asking in respect to that particular mind that you're asking
I'm not saying it's not it's not
right it does not say.
Councilmember he said that that
the to the chair this is exactly
why we need to be proactive with
the measure w money we got one
billion four hundred million
dollars that we could address
this three months ago the high
and low sensitivity areas and on
top of that.
This EAP.
And kept an abatement policy is
gonna stop these people from
coming from other cities other
it, the individuals that that document that we just showed you over there of
the RVs that are here, I guarantee you, not gonna ask my MCSE, half of them
aren't even from here. So what I'm saying is this EAP was to stop the influx of
people coming into our city, taking advantage of it because they know this
is a place where we're allowing them to crap on our sidewalks and to actually
to block our streets, so that's why, Council Member Fyfe,
that we needed to engage exactly what I did.
And what I did was I went out to the city,
I mean to the county, got their commitment
that they would put the, that measure W money
towards that property, towards that property,
but somehow it was stalled.
So, and then let me just share this part with you,
what we've done is that.
If we were more pro active.
We would even be here.
Right so the beds of my how many beds that do do we have
available do we have available.
So within the system somewhere around thirteen hundred beds
contracted through CHS but on a daily basis we hold five to ten
beds within the system just for encampment operations.
There's no way we're going to
get out of this meeting.
Complete like is going to get
ready to call the question.
And we have a number of other
items and we're possibly going
to have to vote to extend this
meeting.
But if we can wrap it up
shortly.
Councilmember five did you get
your question answered.
No I mean it's it's clear this
is this what we're facing is a
All I'm stating is and my deepest concern is that district three a lot of the folks that are living on the streets like
intense not RVs look like my aunts and uncles and there's a reason why that is and
So my concern is without the reason without the resources that we have not received from the county
I don't know what's going on with measure w dollars right now. My point is without a place for people to go
I'm a broken record we're going to keep moving people from corner to corner and I want answers to that
That's all I'm saying because and I'm refused I refuse to give folks false
Hope that somehow what we're doing is addressing this macroeconomic
Problem and we haven't identified it and then to say that somehow it's something that I did by giving the city 90 days
to figure out what we're going to do about past lawsuits so we don't get future lawsuits where we're going to tell my
Businesses and and my residences. This is what we're going to do to solve the problem. I'm angry
Because I've stood up interventions that haven't worked. I've taken over homes
That hasn't worked. I've done so much and we're presenting this
Like it's the silver bullet that is not going to change
anything.
I'm sick of this conversation.
I'm sick of it.
Because we're not being honest.
For months, we wouldn't have done anything different.
We were jeopardizing money that the city of Oakland
was supposed to have.
And meanwhile, black folks are still
dying on the streets.
Elders, where we can't house folks in Chinatown, wherever.
I'm just saying, please, can we be honest
about what we're doing here today.
Because I will not lie to my constituents in West Oakland,
who've been pushed around from, to where you,
if you did not have mental health issues or drug issues
before you end on the street, you damn sure will,
for being there for any amount of time.
I've been homeless, and not doing cosplay,
and, let me get myself together.
been homeless with thank you miss Maryland thank you miss Maryland so all
I'm saying is please can we be honest about what we're doing and what we have
access to and if we get to put demands on the floor right now I demand that
district 3 be prioritized in terms of lots and houses and locations for people
to go. I demand it since that's what we're doing today, and telling the county what we
expect. That is what I expect from black people in Oakland and of this body, but I will not
lie and say that somehow what we presented today is a solution because it is not. I am
done.
Thank you. Councilmember Houston.
I'm a piggyback on it, I demand too.
I demand District Sevens to take care and care of
because we've been underprivileged for so long.
And let me share this, the low sensitivity
and high sensitivity areas, we've been asking
because if we don't have a place for them,
at least we could put them in low sensitivity areas
that they can't be pushed all around.
They have a place to go and we've been asking for that.
So have we got that yet?
through the chair that is exactly what we're working on just because of the
legalities of it just a reminder in the current mapping from 2020 and even in
the updated mapping a lot of it is high sensitivity areas as we identify low
sensitivity areas we are being intentional and thoughtful because we
know that there is a lot of questions on how we decided where these new areas are
going to be and that is one of the things that we're working through right
now and through the chair I want to make sure that this is understood this is my
that was in the last one.
That the areas that were closed down prior to the EAP,
that I worked that out with the old city administrator,
that those were high sensitivity areas,
even though they were in low sensitivity zones,
because this sign right here has been put up
so they can't come back to that area
because they were already their grandfathered in.
So I want to make sure that's clear.
That was already worked out
with the city administrator prior.
Thank you, council member.
motion is received on file this
report.
Is there a second?
Unger.
And through the chair, the
parliament's hearing has
indicated that we need to vote
on these items separately.
While we do have motions for
both, on item 5.4 moved by
councilmember Houston, second by
councilmember Unger to receive
and file.
Councilmember Brown?
Aye.
Councilmember Fyfe?
Yes.
I apologize for my...
I don't apologize.
Councilmember Gaia?
motion to approve the motion.
5.5 to go we only seen one PowerPoint
We didn't see the other PowerPoint. So how we say an eye on something we need to see he combined the two
But we didn't see the other PowerPoint
He said it verbally
Sorry council member I
Councilmember Unger?
Aye.
Councilmember Wong?
Aye.
Chair Jenkins?
Aye.
Motion passes with a vote of 8 ayes.
We are now going to item 4 point, we're going back to item 4.6.
Item 4.6, oh I need a motion to open the public hearing.
I've got a motion by Councilmember Brown, seconded by Councilmember Unger.
Councilmember Brown?
Aye.
Councilmember Fyfe is excused.
Councilmember Gallo?
Aye.
councilmember Houston
Councilmember Ramachandran I hunger I Wong I
Chair Jenkins, I motion passes with a vote of seven eyes one excuse
Councilman that's a public hearing and upon conclusion adopted resolution authorizing the city administrator to temporarily close
to through traffic 9th Avenue 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue between International Boulevard and 15th Street for a period of six months
It's pursuant to California vehicle code section 2 1 1 0 1 point 4
to disrupt persistent activity
persistent with sex trafficking
We have a number of speakers on this item
We get the presentation loaded up and I will try to be quick. I know that
This has been a long meeting
Place five minutes on clock, please. Okay
While we wait for the presentation to load up
I just want to provide some context that it is by state law that
We are required by statute to hold this public hearing before this body, which is why we're hearing this item
I also wanted to give thanks to the Oakland Police Department our Oakland Fire Department
AC Transit
Of course the Department of Transportation
Should have started with that as well as the San Antonio neighborhood coalition for
just partnering with us to make this happen.
So, what is before us as a body and what I'm proposing is essentially what is called
crime prevention through environmental design.
It's going to be a temporary six-month closure of the 9th, 10th, and 11th avenues to essentially
restrict access from international boulevard.
You can see in the upper right hand corner that it depicts that what you can see is the
the behavior of the sex buyers or the johns
is to essentially use International Boulevard
as the main corridor or the marketplace
to essentially, you know,
anyways, I'll just leave it at that.
And that the side streets off of International Boulevard
are used to essentially initiate these transactions.
So ultimately the goal here is to disrupt flow
for this behavior by cutting off
those concealed access points.
These are areas where in the dark,
it's harder for OPD to actually do their enforcement
versus actually focusing the enforcement
on International Boulevard where there are regular patrols
as well as the Vice Operations Unit.
The other thing that I did wanna mention
and make clear because there's been some recent commentary
that why would we focus on this strategy?
This is part of a larger multi-prong strategy
in the human trafficking task force that I chair.
The first prong being enforcement
against the traffickers and the johns,
as well as the businesses.
The second being exit services for the women and girls.
And this is one part of that,
which is this crime prevention through environmental design
since we are still seeing the issue
very prominent on the blade.
I will admit that even I was skeptical
about this proposal.
This actually is a community-based proposal
that came from the San Antonio Neighborhood Coalition,
but they kept on pressing me,
and I started to look into some case studies,
and I could see that actually in Houston,
where they were challenged
and not having enough police department resources
that using this septed approach
made transformational changes in that area.
you can see some of the statistics on the right here
in terms of a major change
in terms of the human trafficking activity
on the Bissonnette track.
And ultimately, they started with the pilot
and moved forward with the permanent solution.
Finally, I just wanna note that again,
the police department, fire department,
AC Transit were all consulted on this proposal.
The other thing that I wanna note,
you can see here on the left-hand quarter with the map,
that's what is incredibly critical about this proposal
because I know there are also concerns
that this may just displace the problem.
My goal out of this is to ultimately concentrate
the behavior on international boulevard.
That way it can actually enhance and supplement
the enforcement operations that again,
given the ordinance that we all passed as a body,
can fund the exit services for the women and girls.
However, if it results in displacement,
I want to be honest about, this is a pilot.
I'm not sure what the ultimate results will be.
You'll see that these street closures also coincide
with the elementary school that sits there at ninth,
at East 15th and ninth between the same streets.
And so if we close off this access,
what is really important, what I think is going to be
Ultimately a benefit is ensuring that buyers are not engaging in their purchasing activity
Literally right in front of the head start the recreation center and the elementary school
And we will be evaluating these results through the six-month trial period and with that I will take any questions
Thank you for that. Let's go to the public speakers first, and then we'll have questions after that
As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order
Please state your name before beginning if you are participating on Zoom, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you
You will be called after the in chamber speakers
Palomo, I'm sorry Palayo Yamos Jennifer Finley Blair Beekman
missus out all of Allah
Henry Grant
Fabian Robinson
Michael
Andromish
Yemi
Yams
David
Kakashiba
Leonora Gudinas and janks mr. Hazzard
Shawn Sullivan
Brenda Grisham
Rebecca Lee
Lynn
Yemi
wing
Jolene is it dang maybe
Ronnie
Ronnie dang
Sorry, I can't read it from Garfield Elementary
to go back to the street.
And then the order.
Good evening, my name is Brenda
Grisham and I'm a business owner
on 17th and International.
And I may be the only person
that's opposing this, but I'm
just going to say what I have to
say concerning those young ladies
that are out there.
Closing off those three streets
will not only affect the
businesses, which they keep
saying, but they could just walk
across the street and do the same
thing they're doing over there.
15th and come up them same streets, now you blocking off
they license plates, and they can do the same thing.
My concern is y'all gonna push them down and buy my business.
And every day I go to work, they're out there.
Every day I leave, they're out there.
We got to do something different.
The point is, if it ain't no girls out there,
it can't be no Johns.
So we have to figure out a way,
because they all ain't trafficked,
and we're not gonna keep playing them games.
That's a word play.
They're not all trafficked.
Some of those girls need resources.
And if you don't go and talk to those girls
to see what resources they need,
they still gonna be there.
You could arrest 20 John's, but it's gonna.
Council Member Wong.
My name is Rebecca Lee.
I grew up in Oakland.
I'm a fifth generation Oakland Chinatown family member.
Today I'm a legal aid attorney in Oakland
and all of my clients are low income and homeless.
I'm a resident of District Two in Little Saigon.
Ninth Avenue, which is one of the streets
targeted in this proposal.
Cutting off my neighborhood is not gonna solve
human trafficking.
Keep your focus on the exit strategies for the women.
Ask what the girls need and keep their resources resourced.
This proposal's aimed at disrupting those ladies,
but all it's gonna do is disrupt the many, many residents,
myself included, and the local businesses,
including 13, look at the map, 13 local automobile shops
on 9th, 10th, and 11th Avenue.
Those businesses need cars to be able to drive up to them.
It's gonna drive them to bankruptcy and disrupt my neighbors
and not do anything to change or improve the circumstances
that perpetuate human trafficking
and push women to sex work.
Pushing this activity onto another neighborhood
is not gonna solve anything.
Thank you.
Hi, my name is Lenora Godinez.
I'm born and raised in Oakland.
I lived in San Antonio neighborhood for a number of years
and I'm a member of St. Anthony's Church.
Can I ask a question?
What time is the street closure going to happen?
Finish your comments and then she'll answer after.
Okay, I belong to the San Antonio Neighborhood Coalition
and we were, with the help of the city of Oakland,
successful in getting sex trafficking
off of a residential street
in the San Antonio neighborhood, East 15th.
We knew from the get go that if we were successful,
it would move elsewhere.
So now we're back with another plan to deal with it,
another section of Oakland.
until this body, and I do agree with the prior speakers,
until you come up with, well, number one,
it does include help for the women,
but until this body comes up with a solution
for the overall city, this is just a band-aid,
but it's a band-aid I think that's needed.
My name is Michael, I live by East 14th,
and I saw a bunch of girls out on East 14th.
On the drive here, I'm gonna see a bunch more,
maybe 40 on the drive back.
When is it acceptable, how, why is it acceptable
for a little black and brown girls to be bought, sold,
and abused on our streets in broad daylight?
This is not a silver bullet,
but let's be honest with ourselves,
we're not gonna solve the root cause of this problem.
We're not gonna help the Johns and the Pimps.
And there always will be more girls.
But this, but the barriers work.
That's the only solution that has worked so far.
It's worked on East 15th.
That continues to work on East 15th.
Now let's extend that solution to East 14th as well.
I know the businesses will suffer,
but leaving it as it is just makes it worse.
Now they will suffer a slow death.
So let's fix this, let's use a solution that works
and let's get these barriers out and let's expand them.
Thank you.
Good evening council members.
My name is David Kaki Siba.
I work at the East Bay Asian Youth Center.
We're located at 2025 East 12th Street.
I've been there for 46 years.
We have been working with many residents and small businesses to address the street-level
sex trafficking for several years now.
And the work on East 15th Street kind of showed that while it's not going to solve sex trafficking
uh... in uh... in oakland
uh... well does do is bring immediate tangible
meaningful transformative relief
uh... to the lives of people who live in the affected areas
we don't know if this pilot is going to work
but it is worth to
uh... find out
and if it moves to another area you know what
we gotta follow it
We don't just not do anything because if you don't do anything.
Thank you, sir. Your time is up.
So the Oakland report reviewed this proposal and they had two major concerns.
One was the costs and in the documentation,
council member Wong is not specifying how much money is going to be involved.
It just states that the money comes from a source that she has,
but the exact amount of money needed
and what shall be provided is not there.
The other part of what is concerned in the Oakland report
is there are no measurable ways
that you can determine results in a positive way.
You don't identify how you will measure success.
I'm gonna tell you this, you can spend time on this,
but I just read an article that says
California is proposing eight data centers in the Bay Area. California has
over 300 data centers and cities are taking action to stop this. Y'all haven't
come up with any action to stop it coming into this city. Thank you, Ms.
Olibala. Anne McLean. I'm Anne McLean and I have a property in the San Antonio
district, I've been there for more than 25 years, and what my concern is is that the
traffic will return to the San Antonio district.
I've picked up thousands of condoms, I've seen women unclad, and the problem, the resolution
is not to just shove it around town, it's going to probably come back to the San Antonio
district. You know it's I don't know what the the answer is. I worked with some
children from Garfield School. One of them turned out to be a prostitute. I
just don't know what the answer is but I just see this as spending money for who
knows what. Thank you. Thank you Miss McLean. Moving to the
Zoom speaker. If your name was called and you're in chambers one last time if you
we wish to speak on this item.
Please approach the podium.
Moving to the Zoom speaker, Mr. Beekman,
please unmute yourself and begin your comments.
Hi, I'm Lloyd Beekman.
This item has been to council and committee a few times
over the past few months now.
I don't have a clue on how to better understand
and work on this item.
So I've just been listening and trying to learn
really good constructive criticism today
that I've heard really for the first time
that I haven't heard in previous Committee meetings before.
Good luck in how to address this issue.
I guess services are important.
Somebody mentioned that finding resources for people.
That was nice to learn how that can happen.
Many of the women need resources
and good luck in those sort of efforts.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you for everybody that came to speak on this item.
Do you want to take comments from the council members first
or do you want to respond to some stuff that's been said?
In terms of the implementation timeline
and the questions around that,
I believe it is late summer time period.
Megan, where are you here with us today?
Good evening council members.
Megan, we are a city director of transportation
and we've been working with council member
to procure the barriers and we anticipate them arriving so that we can install an early
fall as our timeline.
Appreciate that.
In general, too, again, I just want to state that the exit services for the women are incredibly
important to me.
With Measure NN, we actually ensured that we have an increase thanks to the anti-human
trafficking task force that I chair, that we have an increase in human trafficking resources
and services that we have not had yet prior. I want to make that very clear. And actually,
since coming into office, thanks also to this larger body, we added through, in that first
budget cycle, special operations, for special victims operations. We've had more arrests
of Johns in the last four months,
since that ordinance passed that we all passed,
than we had in the last two prior years.
And because of the recent addition also,
thank you to the budget chairs,
as well as the members of this body
for adding in that paralegal position,
we will now ensure that the fines that we enact
against the traffickers and the Johns and the businesses
actually go to funding as its services.
So I wanna make that very clear.
but still the problem is incredibly prevalent
at the public safety meeting.
We had a lot of people
from the San Antonio Neighborhood Coalition come out.
This has been a long process.
We've had four community engagement meetings
in the district as well.
We had a vote, I've been honest also to the community
around, you know, I don't wanna promise the moon.
I don't think this is going to end human trafficking,
but I think it is worth trying.
We've seen in Houston how actually
environmental design approaches,
when we don't have enough police resources,
can make really a transformational change.
This is ultimately my discretionary transportation funds.
We can't be using it on any other funding.
It has to be for transportation projects
and so I just, I asked my colleague to support this.
we're going to make a good
decision on this one.
And I'll take any questions thank
you council member Wong- I have
a policy that if something's in
someone's district I believe
that they know best this is.
Your discretionary funds-
Councilmember Houston and John
Jones wax poetically about the
BRT.
The BRT has been a death trap
to businesses and people.
the state. On international
boulevard that would further
disrupt the businesses the
people the residents. On
international boulevard. It
had been aggressive made it
excellent point. This is just
move people across the street
this is people move people.
Down the street. And this is
one of the biggest failures
that we have in the city of
have failed all right this this issue was in councilmember Geyer's district
and then it's in your district but what we have is little girls getting raped
all right we have middle schoolers out there we have people trying to get by we
have people being trafficked we have a high level of violence that is in this
stretch and you have my commitment that I will work with you volunteer my office
this is to be part of the task force,
I'm gonna abstain on this item
because I don't want to further disrupt
International Boulevard, but you have my commitment
that I will work with you.
Council Member, turn your mic on Council Member Gayle.
Council Member Fife, I'm Megan Brown.
And then Gayle.
Okay, excellent, thank you so much.
So I know that we discussed this item
in public safety prior,
and I just wanna emphasize that I think we all realize
I mean first off I'm one of the things that I mentioned was you know councilmember Wong has been working
So hard with residents in the area
in
Advancing policies to really try to tackle this issue head-on
And so I just really want to like applaud your work on this and as you mentioned that in you know
The last four months there have been you know multiple arrests made given that legislation, right and you continue to try to make
Some movement to address the issue and I think more than anything
I think I think of this as a part of this package of things that you are trying to
Improve the process
And I think the legislation states that this is a pilot. We're gonna give it a try
I will say on the record that I mean everything that some of the public speakers mentioned
I think during public safety you have more people show up in favor. I just want to say that. I just want to say that out loud
as you know maybe tonight we're hearing more people kind of more skeptical on
this matter but ultimately it's a pilot and so it doesn't hurt to try and so I
look forward to seeing what the results will be and then my I guess my last
question just as a it's actually a repeat question because I do think it's
important since the last time we kind of engaged on this item have have you done
any outreach to either the principal of Franklin Elementary School and in the
parents in the area to kind of let them know about this potential change? Yes
we've we've reached out we haven't been able to have a lengthier conversation
but we have reached out. Yeah I just wanted to say publicly I do think that
like that engagement would be really important because I I think that you
You know, parents who are dropping off their kids.
Like, what are these impacts, right?
I know we heard about the impacts on business,
and so just making sure everyone gets a proper notice
of like, here's this thing that we're gonna implement.
Absolutely, that is one of the top things we will do
if we move forward with this,
is to work with Franklin Elementary on the traffic impacts,
the drop-off zones, all of that.
That's all something we have to consider
as part of this implementation.
Okay, and so I support a motion to move the item.
thank you so your second councilmember Wong motion okay yes thank you
councilmember Houston I want to do the chair I want to thank you councilmember
Wong for having the courage you know I've been here all my life right and
I've seen it Santa Pablo these 14th and in this business right here on this
dice here if your word is no good ain't nobody gonna trust you and when I say
that. I said this because I told you I was gonna stand by you even though I
don't believe in it because I know about pushing it around. It's almost like what
we were just talking about me and council member life was talking about
pushing people all around right. We don't have our low sensitivity areas and high
sensitivity is locked down we're just pushing them around right. So I'm gonna
stand with you because it takes a lot of courage to do what you're doing and
being new I'm new too though but it takes a lot of courage you know to do
What you doing? I believe that you believe in what you're trying to do and you got to do something right and I
Know we're just gonna be pushing around but I'm a stand with you
So I'm gonna go yes on it cuz I told you I was and if it was just me and you I would stand with
You cuz I said I would okay
councilmember five
elder statesman turn your mic on
Kyle you
Look
You know, I don't know see this is a problem that Oakland has we just talk talk talk a lot and move the problem around
When it comes to human trafficking
Prostitution these are young girls 14 15. We all I'd be jumping out there and that's not allowed in Oakland
We talk a lot we complain a lot but putting barriers on the street is not gonna solve it
I still remember growing up here where it used to be on MacArthur and Broadway and
and Kaiser and them kicked them on.
They came to East Oakland, right where I grew up.
But it wasn't barriers that pushed them out.
It's public safety.
Law enforcement has to get involved.
Our police department needs to get over and take care of it.
You go in the day, 10 o'clock, 12 noon, 2 p.m.,
10 o'clock at night, you'll see 16 girls out there.
They're in the middle of the street.
They're on the sidewalk.
And then you got the pimps and the Johns assaulting
people that live there and try to work there,
including the mechanics.
One of the friends that I know that helps repair cars,
well, the pimp came up with a gun and assaulted him
because he was trying to make sure
that they're not in front of his business.
But where's the police department?
Where are they?
Since we care so much for our daughters,
we want to protect our daughters.
And yet, we're here talking about putting barriers.
And public safety should be the number one priority.
And I'll give you, yeah, they were in my district,
but you know who got them out of there?
It was the FBI.
Because the FBI didn't play with you, mess with you.
No, they came and picked you up, hauled you away.
It's over.
But then a couple of our officers got involved
with the girls doing, you know, having sex,
trafficking and the OPD pulled out.
Right, we all know this story and I know who would
and who the girls were and where it happened
and who it happened to.
So the bottom line, and this should be an action
of the police department that I'm paying their salaries
for safety to protect my children and families.
And we need to demand their action.
And at the same time, they can bring in the cooperation
with other law enforcements that are sitting.
The Sheriff Department is right there on these 12,
two, three blocks away.
But I just share this with you
because the girls were being flown in,
flying into the Oakland Airport at one time.
There were being flying into the Oakland Airport,
take it on the street, do their job,
then they would fly back out.
But the reason that stopped is because the sheriff department
took over the airport.
You go to the airport, you see sheriffs all day long,
night long.
And that stopped the girls from coming in,
being driven to Oakland.
But we need to get our Oakland police department
to site, to take care of that.
Because yeah, I've ridden with the police
at five in the morning, I see the pimps.
And you know when I see the johns that are picking them up,
these guys are going to work with their pickup trucks
at five in the morning, six, picking up the girls,
doing their thing, then they go to work.
And if they're highly visible,
they should be cited and arrested.
But we can't keep, when it comes to public safety,
we just can't keep playing around the issue
where there's dealing with the homelessness,
where there's dealing with the other activity,
because go to Oakland, you can get away
with whatever you want to do.
And so, I would recommend, not the barriers.
I would recommend that we make an order to the police chief
to make sure that he's there daily and nightly
with his officers to make sure that the young girls
are not violated and that the neighbors
are not being impacted.
That's what we need to do.
But creating barriers and barricades.
Come on, they just gonna go down his area, my area.
Keep doing it.
Anyways, I appreciate you bringing that up.
Look, Council Member Gayo, I don't disagree on.
Having lived through that, I'm gonna make excuses
for people violating my young daughters and my girl.
I don't disagree that we need help from enforcement,
like bodies outside of OPD as well,
but I need your help.
I actually need your help.
I have already gone to the sheriff.
I've gone to the FBI.
I've gone to CHP.
None of those bodies are willing to help me,
when I go to them, so I need my colleagues' support.
I really do.
So I'll just say that, and I'll say this with Measure NN,
coupled with the amendment that we included as a body,
the enforcement operations are going up to two times.
They should be going up to two times a week with,
and it's, I hope that makes a difference,
but it's still, the prom is incredibly prevalent,
and it is a moral shame as everyone has noted.
Thank you.
Council Member Fyfe.
Just really quickly,
I concur with the position of the council president
and I try not to get involved
in a council member's district when,
particularly when they're using their funds for a project
and they are engaged with the businesses
and residents in their jurisdiction,
I will state for the record that
I don't see that this is a solution,
but I do respect the work, Council Member Wong,
that you've put into trying to find solutions,
so I will support this pilot.
But again, I came in on the tail end of the organizing
for the BRT, so I was a part of that process
and saw the impact, the negative impact that that had
on the businesses on East 14th.
I'm not gonna say international, I'm gonna say East 14th.
I was also, I worked on East 14th for years
and my very first day as the director for Ace Action,
I broke up a knife fight that started on my window.
I just heard a bunch of banging on the window
and it was an individual, a man who had not paid
this woman for the acts that she provided for him.
I saw incidents happening every day.
And my staff was like, don't go out there,
don't get involved.
And I'm like, no, that's where I work.
You ain't gonna be doing this where I work.
And I saw her break down, like, I don't want to be here.
This is about, so I paid her.
Because he didn't, I paid her.
So I understand the severity of the issue
and I believe that the conditions are gonna get worse
with the economic conditions that are happening
with low-income folks losing access to jobs,
losing access to welfare benefits.
So if this pilot that you're proposing
has any potential benefit, then wonderful.
I'm a little jilted at this point.
Is that a word, y'all?
Jadie, what's the word?
Y'all help me.
But that said, this is your district.
This is your work.
I will support you on this item.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
I also wanted to just comment by the way on the BRT line.
the city of Toronto. And since that has come up a C transit was engaged in this process to to council president Jenkins. But I. A C transit was engaged in this process. They weighed in on which intersections would be least disruptive to the BRT operations. All right. Madam clerk. There is a motion by council member Wong seconded by council member Brown. I'm gonna go ahead and say this was to close the public hearing and adopt the resolution.
as we get into the city.
We still haven't gotten that
language down yet.
Councilmember Brown?
Aye.
Councilmember Fyfe?
Aye.
Councilmember Gallo?
I do with reservation but I'll
work with you to make sure that
other officers get involved.
Thank you.
Councilmember Houston?
Aye.
Councilmember Ramachandran?
Is excused.
Councilmember Anga?
Aye.
Councilmember Wong?
Aye.
The motion passes with a vote of six ayes,
one excused, Ramachandran, one abstention,
President Jenkins.
Before we go to the next item,
give us a second as we will be changing.
Because I'm going up.
Thank you all for your patience.
We will now continue to move on in the agenda.
I believe we are still out of order.
We are now going to item six point, is it five?
6.5 as requested by the council president at the beginning of the meeting now reading in item
6.5, which is an ordinance as recommended by the
Planning Commission amending title 17 of the Oakland Municipal Code
updating the accessory dwelling unit regulations for consistency with the state law and providing written
findings pursuant to the government codes
revising
Discontinuance, sorry standards for non conforming activities removing
applicability of
S10 seismic route combining zone discretionary standards for a ministerial design
Review permitting recreational assembly activities in the woods streets zone revising minimum front
setbacks
removing a
Review deadline from development agreement procedures revising unity
utility screening standards
Incorporating conforming clerical revisions and adopting CEQA findings. I have several speakers for this item
Strategic planning manager for the city of Oakland. I'm here for any questions
Thank you councilmember hunger. I believe you have an amendment. I
Do have an amendment K top are you able to put it on the screen?
I've passed out copies to all the council members and there's some up on the table up front there if anyone wants to see
it this is
Not to the adu bit which is sort of the majority of this
This is a just a small piece that I want to pull out of the legislation. It's
Needs a little bit more consideration. It's about
non-conforming uses when we've had some problems where somebody loses a tenant and then they are
unable to continue to use the property in the way that they had for industrial uses. We want to
be able to make it clear that if they're actively trying to market that that property they won't lose
the right to continue that non-conforming use. So this is something to help our industrial users
continue their industrial use. We can
Re visit this at a later date, but for now. I just wanted to make sure that we
Did not get out over our skis, so this is the amendment up there
Happy to take questions
Is it boring enough for everyone?
Let's go to councilman Houston. Let's go to thank you. Thank you for your reasonable amendment
Let's go to the public speakers
Thank you as I call your name, please approach the podium and state your name for the record if you are participating in zoom
And I call your name
Please raise your hand so I can easily identify you will start with those who are in person
First and followed by those who are participating via zoom
Yeah zine mo
Megan
Con cannon Mike Jacob Susan Ronson Ronson
Danny woolen
Good evening, thank you for the opportunity to comment. I'm Megan Kincannon, owner
representative of a container storage facility located on Tidewater Avenue. We
attended the June 9th CED hearing and provided public comments on the proposed
legislation, so thank you Zach Unger, as stated that hearing the proposed
legislation as currently drafted discontinues illegal nonconforming truck
related industrial use immediately upon no active operations for 60 days and
And therefore illegally penalizes property owners who are acting in good faith to continue an existing lawful
Industrial use through active marketing or site improvement these good faith activities can easily take longer than 60 days
And should be considered part of an active operation of the industrial use
We want to be sure that the language is clear that active marketing maintenance and repair of such sites is considered to be active
Operations and does not trigger that 60-day timeline
We support the city amending the language to clearly state that the legislation does not apply to sites that are being actively marketed
And or undergoing repairs and maintenance
Thank you for your comments. If I called your name and you're in chambers and you would like to speak to this item
Six point five if not, I will go to those
who signed up online
Who have their hand raised and I actually don't have anyone. I see who signed up online
For this item, let me see
Blair did you sign up for item?
Six five you may begin your time
Blair Beekman
You are muted. You can unmute yourself and you may begin
Blair Beekman going once going twice
All names have been called for this item. Thank you for everybody better participate it
There are motion with the item as amended
No, I was gonna support sweet
And that was a motion by councilmember Unger seconded by council member guy. Oh to approve item
6.5 staff recommendations as amended of item 6.5
and
And with that, excuse me, Council Member Unger,
Gail moved and seconded and as amended,
as posted on the screen.
I will call roll for this item.
Council Member Brown.
Aye.
Council Member Fai.
Aye.
Council Member Gail.
Aye.
Council Member Houston.
Aye.
Council Member Ramachandran.
Aye.
Unger.
Aye.
Wong.
Aye.
And Chair Jenkins.
Aye.
number six five is approved with eight ayes as amended and just noting and
through the through the chair to the parliamentarian just to confirm this
item was to on its second reading so since this item is amended is this item
going to the next count for adoption yes correct through through the chair to the
body because this there was amendments made this is reintroduced and so it will
need a second reading at the next council meeting thank you for that
clarification we are now going back to the regular order of the agenda which
take us to the consent calendar bear with me while I get to that item that's
all the items the remaining item sixes starting I will read the short title
starting with item 6.1 approval of the draft minutes for the committee meetings
of June 12th and June 16th item 6.2 is the declaration of a local emergency due
the Aids item six point three declaration of medical cannabis health
emergency item six point four declaration of a local emergency on
homelessness we just dispense with item six point five item six point six is the
city of Oakland versus Stephen O'Von at all item six point seven is the bike
share franchise amendment item six point eight is the Oakland ice center lease
capital project and just noting that items 6.6 through 6.8 will be adopted
as the first reading was on June 16th adopted on final passage 6.9 is
supportive assembly bill 2720 item 6 10 is appointment of the landmark
preservation advisory board item 6 12 is reappointment to the wildfire prevention
Commission item 6 point 13 is approval of the teach tech sigh press grant fund
item 6 14 is the Oakland School for Arts commemorative street renaming item 6
615 is the OPD B A H C FIFA World Cup grants item
616 is infant solutions LLC professional services contract
item
617 consisting of five pieces of legislation
Is the amendment in two ordinance number one two one eight seven for various classifications and exemptions?
Item 6 18 is an amendment to the ordinance number one two one eight seven CMS salary ordinance for
councilmember
city attorney and city auditor
This item and the previous item will be approved on introduction
Second reading will be June excuse me July 21st
item
20 the contract for asphalt and concrete disposal services for in housing pavement operations
Item 621 is a construction contract award for highway safety improvement programs
Cycle 1014 Street safety project between Mandela Parkway and Busch Street
item
622 is the Costco exclusive negotiating agreement item six point twenty three is
Is the bid and your reports and approval of assessment payments?
And that consists of two pieces of legislation
item six point twenty four
Is going to be approved on introduction and final passes will be july 21st, and this is the sale of three nineteen chester street
item three point twenty five at the ofc y year-round program service term awards for fiscal year 26 to
28 item
6.26 this will also be approved on introduction final passage will be July 21st is in
reaffirming the city of Oakland sanctuary city policy
item
6.20
7 is the reappointments of the board of port conditions item s
6.28 the mission line
supply contract extension and
Expansion this item
Needs a urgency finding and a motion, please before we move to the next item
Wayne long Houston
That was
To approve the urgency finding that was councilmember Wong seconded by councilmember Houston on roll for the urgency finding councilmember Brown
excuse councilmember five
This is urgency finding for 628 on a consent item
Yes, it was added at the three-day. So we would have to do an urgency finding through the chairs of the city attorney if you may
Yes, so as a reminder
If an item is scheduled with less than 10 days notice required by the Sunshine ordinance to a regular meeting
The sunshine ordinance does provide that the local body by a two-thirds vote of the members present can adopt a motion
Based on the consideration of facts and circumstances that it was not reasonably possible to meet the additional notice requirements under this section
And there is a need to take immediate action on the item to avoid a substantial adverse impact that would occur if action were
Deferred to a subsequent meeting and also note that there is an urgency required
the city's finding required on another item on consent as well I believe it's six point thirty yes yes we will be dealing with six point two six today yeah so urgency finding thank you for that so councilmember five provided her I councilmember
councilmember. I'm sorry. I'm a
the mission align supply contract extension and expansion
Once again item s six point two nine
It is also requiring an urgency finding which this item was added at the three-day
I need a motion for the vegetation management services contract agreement, please and
That was a motion by councilmember Brown seconded by councilmember Houston to approve the urgency finding on roll councilmember Brown
councilmember five aye councilmember guile aye councilmember houston aye councilmember ramachandran aye
hunger aye long aye chair Jenkins aye thank you item s
6.29 urgency finding was approved with eight eyes and again, this is a vegetation management services contract in our last
consent item that also needs an urgency finding item s point six three zero the certification of the elections results for the
June 2nd
2026 election I need a motion for the urgency funding and
That was a motion by councilmember guile seconded by councilmember Houston to approve the urgency finding councilmember Brown
aye councilmember fight aye councilmember Guile aye Councilmember Houston aye
Councilmember Ramachandran I
And chair Jenkins the urgency finding for item s point six point three zero was approved with eight eyes in
My apologies, thank you for that. I will need to go back to item 611
I don't think I read the short title into record for this item is on the consent calendar item six point eleven is the
reappointment of the Oakland Housing Authority and
And again, with the three urgency findings for items S6.28, S.6.29, and S.630, though
all the items have been read into record for this item.
Thank you.
Council Member Houston.
I'd like to make an amendment to the Sanctuary 6.26, reconfirming the city of Oakland as
a sanctuary city policy.
I had spoken about this many times when we were talking in public safety, that today
is a bittersweet day, and let me share with you why.
In July, which is this month, 1986 a resolution was passed 63950 making Oakland a sanctuary
city.
That's 40 years ago, 40 years ago, and I had everyone to ask the public a question.
I asked everybody on the dais a question.
I said, who's here black and Hispanic?
Raise your hand.
Black and Hispanic mixed.
Yeah, mixed.
So when I say that, I'm saying it.
Order in the chambers.
Please, Mrs. Asada.
We have business conduct.
No one could talk from our lens, and I always mention that.
My people on my mom's side is black.
my mama's black, my father's Latino,
have been left out for 40 years.
Where were their sanctuary?
Where's their sanctuary?
Where's their refuge?
Where is it?
We've been left out for years and years and years.
So I wanted to add this amendment
to compliment both sides of my family.
And the amendments that I have,
I've submitted them.
And Council Member Jenkins, can I read them out?
They're long.
Does K-Top have a copy of them?
Um, they should.
I sent them.
OK.
But can I read them out?
K-Top, if you can broadcast them,
also do you have copies of your amendments?
Yes.
Evelyn, can you come up, please?
And listen to these amendments real close, too.
It's real important, 40 years.
What's that, 40 acres in a mule, too?
Come on, 40 years.
So I want to read them out.
And Evelyn, for my Latino side of my family,
I want you to read out in Spanish
so they can understand what I'm doing with blending it.
Paragraph four and paragraph 10.
What I want you to do is read that in English
and then read that one in Spanish also
so you can start it off.
And I just wanna share this.
I want everybody to really hear with these amendments.
There've been a long time waiting for this to happen.
it's a long time, 40 years, right?
So, I want both sides of my family
to be sanctuary and refuge.
Is it anything wrong with that?
If you got a problem with it, let me know now.
So, Evelyn, can you read that out?
Yeah, no problem with it, but at 9.30,
we're gonna have to extend the meeting
by rules of procedures.
It's been 40 years, my people been waiting for this.
I know, I know, but 9.30, we're gonna have to take a vote
to extend the meeting.
Let me see what time it is.
No, I can do this in five minutes, it's nothing.
Don't read it slow and easy, Evelyn,
because I want it to be documented.
I want the people to record it and read it back and listen
to it.
Go ahead, Evelyn.
Can you hear me?
OK.
Considididando que la Ciudad, recono se que la guere
contralas drogas, y las politicas de gustizia
penar el asionalas, impactarón?
No.
What I want you to do is read everything in English.
But on paragraph four, I want you to read it
the city does not want you to
read everything in English and
Spanish and then in ten I want
you to English and Spanish
please but read everything in
English please okay.
Whereas notwithstanding that the
proposed legislation specifies
rules prohibiting the city from
cooperating with ice and federal
immigration enforcement efforts
and that no provision in the
legislation relates to matters
beyond federal immigration
enforcement the city council
identity, culture, economic strength, civic leadership,
and social justice movements have been profoundly shaped
by the generations of black residents, families, workers,
entrepreneurs, artists, faith leaders, activists,
and community organizations who built and contributed
to the foundation of Oakland.
And whereas the city acknowledges the historic
and ongoing harms experienced by black communities
resulting from slavery, racial segregation,
discriminatory federal state, and local policies
exclusionary housing practices, redlining, urban renewal displacement,
discriminatory lending, and other systemic barriers that limit access to
homeownership, wealth creation, education, employment, and economic opportunity, and
whereas the city recognizes that black residents in Oakland experience
significant loss of land, housing stability, and generational wealth
through racially discriminatory housing practices, including redlining, predatory
in the city of Oakland.
The city acknowledged that the
very lending, displacement
pressures and policies that
contributed to the decline of
black homeownership and the
forced displacement of long-time
Oakland families and whereas the
city acknowledges that the war
on drugs and related criminal
justice policies
disproportionately impacted black
Oakland residents, families and
neighborhoods resulting in
increased incarceration, various
across the county and where as
the city recognizes that
despite these barriers, black
Oakland residents have
demonstrated extraordinary
resilience and leadership by
advancing civil rights, building
businesses, surrounding
neighborhoods, creating cultural
institutions, advocating for
justice and contributing to
Oakland's reputation as a
national center for equity,
activism, and social change.
And where as the city acknowledges
that historical inequities have
contributed to persistent
including disparities in housing access, contracting opportunities, business ownership, education,
employment, health outcomes, and participation in emerging economic sectors.
And whereas the city affirms that the true refuge belonging and justice requires the
recognition and protection of all communities impacted by historic discrimination, including
black communities who struggle for freedom, equality and civil rights help establish many
of the protections and values Oakland embraces today. And whereas the city is committed to
advancing policies that address historic harms, promote restorative and reparative justice,
expand equitable access to opportunity, and ensure that black residents and future generations
are included in Oakland's economic, cultural, and civic future. And whereas Oakland's commitment
to being a city of refuge includes honoring the contributions, protecting the dignity,
affirming the humanity of all communities that have faced systemic
exclusion, displacement, discrimination, or denial of equal opportunity. And whereas
the city of Oakland recognizes that honoring and celebrating its black
hometown heroes is more than an act of historical recognition, it is an
investment in the city's future by publicly acknowledging the achievements,
resilience, innovation, and leadership of black Oakland residents who have
remained steadfast through decades of economic hardship, displacement,
systemic discrimination and social inequities the city affirms that such
recognition straightens civic pride preserves Oakland's culturally lead
legacy promotes cultural tourism attracts investment expands educational
opportunities supports black-owned businesses inspires future generations
and contributes to that creation of generational wealth and inclusive
economic growth for black communities and the city of Oakland as a whole and
and whereas the city honors the resilience of black Oakland residents
who remain rooted in the city through decades of economic hardship,
displacement pressures, neighborhood change, and systematic inequities and
acknowledges their enduring contributions to preserving Oakland's
history, culture, community strength, and legacy. I'm almost done. And whereas the
city affirms its commitment to uplifting and preserving these stories through
civic recognition, including honoring black leaders and community champions
and whether or not there is
any resolution to the city of
Oakland's walk of fame and
other public acknowledgments
that ensure current and future
generations recognize the
lasting impact of black
excellence, perseverance and
contributions to the city of
Oakland.
Respectfully submitted by
Ken Houston, son of Oakland,
district seven council member.
Thank you, Evelyn.
And that's about my people.
That's both sides.
Our brown and black are going
to have a refuge and what?
are excellent readers thank you for your amendments councilmember Wong will you
be accepting these amendments I do accept the amendments I I think it is
important when we create a city of refuge policy that we recognize all
forms of oppression and the black community has certainly experienced the
most significant oppression. So I am, I am good with adding these amendments into the
whereas clauses. I also have some additional modifications myself. First, the mayor would
like to be added as a co-sponsor to the ordinance. And second thing is just my colleagues, I
So we hope you have this all in front of you.
Is a couple more amendments that we are just adding to the section that is the prohibition
for all city employees.
I don't think you have it.
You don't have it.
Do you guys have it?
Do you guys have it?
Not this side.
All right.
So you can see that the additions are in red and we have the strike-throughs.
So under prohibitions for all city employees and general provisions, what this adds is
after that in accordance with state and federal laws, city employees shall not conduct, it
adds or assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law.
It strikes out federal civil immigration enforcement.
After it, then it also adds language at the end of this paragraph, prohibited use of city
Resources includes, but is not limited to assisting or cooperating in one's official capacity with any investigation detention or arrest procedure
public or clandestine
Conducted by a federal immigration authority relating solely to alleged civil immigration law violations under section B
this adds after
The city administrator shall conduct a citywide review of forms and applications in use to ensure the city is not collecting immigration status
information, except as authorized by the city administrator or required by law and adds,
delete any immigration or citizenship questions that are not required by law.
Additionally, the city administrator shall make explicit that information that can be
used to determine or trace a person's immigration status must be treated as confidential and
handled under the city's standards for sensitive data.
And so I think both of these
amendments have been reviewed by
the city administrator as well
as the city attorney's office
and approved.
And this is in addition to the
speakers okay and so we're also adding the amendments that were added in
public safety that didn't make it to the packet correct okay all right let's go
to the public speak I need to make a motion to extend the meeting we might as
well do it even though we're forming so extending it by 30 minutes how many
public speakers are there are you reducing them time for the public
the councilmember for five seconded by council president Jenkins to extend the meeting beyond for an hour after nine thirty on roll councilmember brown. I.
the meeting. I will now begin to
items as I call your name please approach the podium in any order if you
are participating via zoom please raise your hand so I can easily identify you I
have Palayo Yamas Jennifer Finlay I have you signed up for the max amount of
items Christopher Martinez I have you signed up for two items David Garland oh
I have you signed up for one item Prescott chair I have you signed up for
two items, Blair Beakman, you get the max amount of time, you signed up for all items.
Asada Ollabala, have you signed up for max amount of time? James Woods, James Collins,
Carla Salazar, Mike Eise, Arlene Himp-Hipp, Avery Arbach, Mike Robles, Renee Mohan, Michelle
Washington Linda Wade Cathy Harris Janice Slayton gray
Gary slaughter
Daniel Gary
CC Rodriguez Jessica
Meyer
Corinne
Gomez
Lillian
Sal dado
Donna
Griggs Murphy victorious
Richardson
Melvin how
Hallock I
Don't have a name. It's an organization. I guess FA e B
Mr. Hazard I have you signed up across items. You get the max amount of time
Ruby
Aaliyah
Christina tostado Meg Baran barman
Janks, Lenore, the Gandenas, Nicki Alexander, Eda Orberman, Joyce Clain,
Marita Garfield, and McLean, Jared Mitchell. In any order, if I called your
name and your present in the chambers please line up in any order behind the
podium again state your name for the record if you are having time seated to
you oh again state your name for the record if you are participating via
zoom please again raise your hand so we can easily identify you thank you my
name is Leonardo Godines I'm Oakland born and raised my parents were
immigrants from Mexico over a year ago I reluctantly attended a meeting of faith
in action on immigration.
I say reluctantly because I thought, you know,
what can you do against the federal government?
But it wasn't about doing anything
against the federal government.
It was about doing something in support of individuals affected
by the administrations of the policies of this administration.
And I learned a lot about how we could support.
And my job fortunately allows me
to provide some concrete support to individuals.
But it isn't that concrete support that they are, they are most appreciative of.
It is the fact that we're standing with them and that we have their backs.
And that is what you get to vote on right now.
Today is having the backs of our immigrant families here in Oakland.
Please pass this ordinance.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Next speaker.
I will be interpreting.
OK.
Can you state her name for the record so we can?
Oh, shoot.
Pardon me?
Yes.
So I can look her up.
Ceci Rodriguez.
Thank you.
Yeah.
but not much is concept unless we know where this is your biggest you have low
confine action the list of the last year in number of the family as can this is
the time what you're going to say I said what are in the practical not solo in
principle is that what the man said I do that said literally that I least I was
said to look at the other than us you that no but I'm not a court of the
municipalities but investigate in the regard that they thought of the net on a
persona kuya unica posible infraxion say a una violación sibil de la lleges
demigración también protecala información sensible alexigieron a
revision formularios y solicitudes para segurar que la ciudad no recopil
información migratoria ode síudad anía salvo auturización o
exigencia lengal a sías como se previenes el dánio antes de que o cura las
family. And I'm not a member. Then there. They made also the state that the issue. In
the down that if you see a municipal. Of the day you that. Good evening council members
my name is a C. L. L. Rodriguez and I speak with faith in action he's been on behalf of
families who need Oakland. To be safe in practice not only in principle. This ordinance helps
make that real by stating that city employees cannot use city resources. To investigate
to protect or apprehend someone whose only possible violation is a civil immigration
violation. It also protects sensitive information by requiring a review of forms and applications
so the city is not collecting immigration or citizenship information unless authorized
or legally required. That is how harm is prevented before it happens. Families should not have
if you have to feel that.
To apply for services entering a city building or
calling for help could expose them to immigration enforcement.
I urge you to pass these protections, thank you.
Thank you for your comments, next speaker.
Anne Janks, this council has aggressively attacked independent police oversight that was created specifically to protect black Oaklanders.
This council has ignored charter mandates for resources for independent oversight.
this council has cut pennies from independent oversight,
even though it had no fiscal impact on the budget.
This ordinance largely restates policies
that are already in place, and it leaves to the Police
Commission to address the issues that we do need addressed.
How will OPD engage when ICE is in Oakland?
Will they protect Oaklanders, or will they
do what we've seen in other sanctuary cities?
Arrest clergy while they pray?
Do crowd and traffic control for ICE.
This council did not fund the inspector general's policy position, which is ironic,
since you're now asking the inspector general and the police commission to draft policy for the city that you won't do.
The meeting for the ad hoc tomorrow at the police commission to discuss ICE policy is at 5.30.
It's on the website, and you can join through hybrid.
Thank you for your comments, next speaker.
Good evening, council members.
My name is Dr. Ida Obermann,
and I'm a Faith in Action Leaders for 22 years,
and I'm proud to be an immigrant.
I'm also a school founder in Oakland of Community School
for Creative Education in our beloved San Antonio,
before I even got a U.S. passport 10 years ago,
and it is such an important point, immigrants and rich.
Thank you for your support.
I ask the council to support this key provision.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker.
Good evening, council members.
My name is James Wood, born and raised in Oakland,
practiced law more than 50 years in Oakland,
raised my kids in Oakland,
and leader of faith in action.
When a council member long approached
Faith in Action East Bay, she asked us to draft a sanctuary city and I took this probably
as the most important challenge in my practice as an attorney in Oakland or anywhere.
I did this because as a member of St. Charles' community and listening to the members of
Faith in Action, I understood the pain and the suffering and the fear and the anxiety
that members of our community experienced every day.
I appreciated that pain and anxiety and fear even more so when I read in the paper that
that there were 10,000 detentions in a five-day span.
It's getting worse.
The fear is now a matter of terror.
And I approach this task in not only crafting the ordinance
in a way of what it does,
but what it says to our community,
what it tells our community that the city of Oakland
will not provide access to any law enforcement action.
It will be a message to our community
that in Oakland we will protect you.
I apologize, Mr. Wood, your time is up.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comments.
speaker. Good evening. My name is Corina Gomez. I'm a member of the organization Defend Action.
the policy of Oakland con ice,
prohibited restos at the tensiones,
or the tensiones basados unicamente
in ordines administrativas or other
documentos civiles de immigration,
and prohibit compartir information
personal sobre esa vasse.
Tambiénteca claro que la propida de la ciudar
no de vecerusada para ayudar en la application
federals de leges migratorias,
porque ese no es un proposito municipal.
Estas son proteciones mezuradas,
legales y necesadias.
pro tejena los residentes immigrantes fortales en la confianza en las
institutions publicas irreaffirma la identidad de Oakland como su dat
good evening my name is Corina Gomez and I'm a leader of faith in action East Bay
I support this ordinance because it recognizes a simple truth a safer Oakland
depends on residents being able to engage with city government without fear
the draft protects that that principle by limiting OPD cooperation with eyes
the state of the state of the
that is not a city purpose these are measured lawful and necessary site
safeguards they protect immigrants immigrant residents strengthen trust in
public institutions and reaffirm Oakland's identity as a city of refuge
thank you and I resent that the amendments were not read in Spanish when
it was announced that they were going to be read in Spanish thank you thank you
for your comments next speaker please good evening council members and
president. I'm Meg Bowerman from Faith in Action East Bay and St. Columba Church
and District 4. I want to cite and study and I'll be sending it to Council Member
Wong. In 2017 the Council for American Progress studied sanctuary cities and
they came up with these findings. On average 35.5 fewer crimes committed per
10,000 people in sanctuary counties
compared to non-sanctuary counties.
The median household annual income
is on average 4,000 higher in sanctuary counties.
The poverty rate is 2.3% lower on average
in sanctuary counties compared to non-sanctuary counties.
And unemployment is on average 2.1% lower
in sanctuary counties compared to non-sanctuary counties.
So I appreciate what the amendments are
from Councilmember Houston on behalf of my black fellow members in Saint
Columba and good evening Council President and Councilmembers my name is
Liliana Salcedo and I urge you to adopt this draft ordinance making clear that
no city employee will conduct immigration enforcement Oakland is a
city with a rich and complex history reflective of the very reason this
matters people cannot safely report crimes go to school seek health care or
Or ask for city services if they fear
that a city employee may become an arm
of immigration enforcement.
I want to make clear that I am appreciative
of the city's existing protections
and that I fully support no assistance by OPD.
In addition, I hope Oakland will continue moving
toward an even stronger ordinance.
A complete ban on Oakland employee assistance
with immigration enforcement in any form,
except where the law absolutely leaves no local choice.
I implore that the council vote yes
in the state of Oakland.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker please.
Hi, good evening.
My name is Daniel Gear.
I'm here on behalf of CAST, located in West Oakland.
I'm here to reaffirm our commitment
to relocating Oakland operations to the north of Oakland.
Thank you, thank you, for your comments.
Next speaker please.
Hi, good evening.
My name is Daniel Gear.
I'm here on behalf of CAST, located in West Oakland.
the North Gateway parcel at the former Oakland Army Base,
including the property previously
designated to California Waste Solutions.
Cass has proudly operated in Oakland since 1969,
and will continue to invest for decades to come.
At the request of the city,
Cass supported the temporary use of
North Gateway property to
the Children's Hospital during its renovation because we
understood it to be a temporary community benefit that would
not alter the long-term vision for the site.
the city of New York. Following
CWS is decision to withdraw from
the project cast promptly
reaffirmed its interest. In
acquiring and developing the
entire north gateway pop-
parcel since that time we have
not been included in discussions
about the future of the property.
That property is the only
location with the operational
footprint for business and
requires. Thank you I'm sorry
your time has ended next speaker
I am speaking on item six point two three. My name is Joyce Cline-Jan. As a 55 year
resident on the so-called quote 35th Avenue corridor, I support the corridor
owners. Request, I support the owner's request to be carved out of, and I'm
putting quotes, the laurel bid, if you have that, the laurel bid. The property
owners do not need or want double assessment associated with the bid.
the city's budget. And the
I have been a resident property manager on the so-called 35th Avenue
corridor for more than 10 years. I swift the sidewalk two times a day. All the
properties on the corridor keep their properties presentable. The Niell's
report says the business improvement district provides graffiti removal on
the corridor. That is not true. The property owner has photos proving the
does not remove graffiti. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker
please. Good evening. My name is Ravi Ayala and I am speaking on item 6.23.
Today we presented a brochure to you that presents information regarding the
request for the removal of the 18 35th Avenue corridor properties from the
laurel bid that were unjustly included in the laurel bid last year on July 1st.
including the submittal are examples of malfeasance as well as lies spoken by
Daniel Swalford, executive director of the LBID. It also describes examples of
how the 18 35th Avenue properties are completely dissimilar to the MacArthur
merchants. The quarter voted no to join the bid but were forced. Thank you for your
time. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker please. I'm Anne McLean, property
owner on 35th Avenue part of the Laurel bid that was forced. We were forced into
the bid last year. We're not merchants. If I get cut off, my information about
this can be found in the brochure that we submitted to you. I'm asking that you
suspend the planned 33% assessment for the Laurel bid. And the reason for
that is that there was no public comment.
I went to the board of directors,
I mean the boards meeting,
and that was on the agenda,
what are we going to assess next year?
And no public comment was invited.
They postponed, so I got to speak during Open Forum
and I said, just a minute,
there are 61 rent controlled apartments
on the 35th Avenue corridor and our rent increase allowable
by the RAP is less than 1%.
I apologize, Ms. Klain, your time has ended.
Next speaker, thank you.
Good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Christina Tostado, also known as Tina
from the town, born and raised in the greatest city
in the world, Oakland, California.
And I am a community leader here in Oakland.
I do so much work here for the city.
Most people actually think I work for the city of Oakland.
But I work for Costco.
I know that we're talking about item 622.
We talked about Children's Hospital.
Last year, Costco donated $1.9 million
to the facility in North Oakland, $3 million in total
last year.
There is about 90,000 Costco members
that have to shop outside of Oakland
because we don't have Costco here.
It would provide 400 jobs.
We're losing out on $270 million that's leaving Oakland
and they're spending it in other cities.
$3 million would be the city's annual revenue, just about.
Costco provides great benefits
and it would be awesome to have it in.
Thank you, Tina, for the tail.
I'm Bill Joyce.
I was sleeping on the job there.
I'm speaking on behalf of item 6.26.
I'm a Laurel District resident, District 4,
and member of 8th and Action East Bay.
I volunteer with the Alameda County Food Bank's largest
distribution site in East Oakland, which again drew 400
food insecure people last week, many of whom were undocumented.
The food line is actually immigrant led and managed
by a Guatemalan refugee, who oversees a career of 20 or so
from countries including our country here,
but also Central America, Mexico, Nigeria, Cambodia,
Vietnam, China, Iran, and Cameroon.
Their background reflects the people that we serve.
The line is convivial, but the fear
is tangible among the many mothers and grandmothers
that come through the line.
They don't have much choice and they know
that they could be snatched by ICE at any time.
So please give them some level of support by passing this.
Thank you, Mr. Joyce, for your comments.
Once again, all names have been called.
If you signed up, good evening, Mrs. Sada.
Thank you so much.
If Sanctuary City is valued so highly
in the state of California,
How come these cities are not sanctuary cities?
Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, Pittsburgh,
Walnut Creek, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon,
Lafayette, Orrenda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill,
Pleasanton, Brentwood, Oakley, Clayton,
Hercules, Pennall, they got a couple of other ones.
I guess they haven't gotten the word,
because they're not sanctuary cities.
In Dublin and Livermore and Pleasanton
people who are here illegally.
And some cities forty to sixty
percent of them are people whose
visas have expired. Travel
visas, student visas, work visas
have expired and y'all protecting
them. Some of these are criminals
that are trying to get them to
work. And some of them are
people who are here illegally and
some cities forty to sixty percent
You're gonna be a criminal.
These are criminals y'all say y'all we're not gonna protect them but you are protecting them is.
Thank you for your comments miss Asada we if you signed up to speak for on any if you signed up to speak for item six any item on item six please approach the podium if not we will move on to zoom speakers.
I am going to call the Zoom speakers and give them their time.
If you guys can please have order in the chamber so we can give everyone their time.
I will call the Zoom speaker, Mike Oz, please unmute yourself, and you may begin.
Thank you.
Thank you, Council and Council President, for the opportunity to speak this evening.
My name is Mike Oz, and I'm the Executive Director at Oakland School for the Arts.
We're really excited by the opportunity to have the three blocks on Telegraph Avenue
in front of the school renamed OSA Way.
OSA Way for us is more than just a commemorative street name, it's actually the name of our
internal code of conduct for many years that represents our commitment from all members
of our school community to value, uplift and honor through artistic excellence.
To have the area surrounding the school commemoratively named OSA Way would memorialize our commitment
to value, uplift, and honor our uptown home
and neighbors for decades to come.
We're a tuition-free and audition-free public charter school.
We prioritize enrollment for low-income students.
We bring 820 students and 114 employees
into the neighborhood on a daily basis,
all of whom who support the local businesses
and activate the area with art and youthful energy.
I'd like to express utmost gratitude to each of the-
Thank you for your comments.
We will now call the next Zoom speaker
who signed up for this item, Blair Beekman,
you've been unmuted, please begin.
Hi, I have three items, 6.18, 6.22, 6.26,
I wanted to speak to.
To speak first to 6.18 is a salary ordinance items,
salary adjustments for city workers.
I've grown really interested in this item
in both San Jose and San Diego,
over the years that I'm interested
how it will be affecting Oakland.
There's a possibility of cutting the retirement benefits
and health benefits of city workers
in order to help with budget and deficit issues.
I think that's kind of a bit of an overly strong approach.
If you just take a small cut in pay each month of 50 bucks,
that's 600 bucks a year,
That comes out, you know, for 3,000 plus city workers
to over $2 million in savings just about.
That's pretty significant and I think that's a better way
to work than cutting out health benefits.
I hope you can think in those terms
and thank you to city government workers
who are willing to take one for the team
in order to work on budget deficit issues.
It's really nice of you.
It takes a lot for us to do that as a community.
Thank you.
I also for 622, that's the Costco issue.
I want to be in favor of it, I want it to work.
I'm uncomfortable the fact that we can't house people
in that area, that we wanna place food and products
in that area as a big store warehouse
for people to be visiting and stuff.
I don't know if it's that safe to do
that sort of action either.
Can that kind of conversation clear?
I hope that can be a part of the conversation.
I feel it's why the Oakland A's,
they eventually left the downtown ballpark idea
because there were health concerns
and you know, does Costco need to be addressed the same?
And for the final item, 6.26,
thank you for sanctuary city things.
Really nice amendment by Councilperson Houston.
It was nice to hear that.
Definitely a list that I want to review again and again.
And thank you for that.
and good luck that, and we continue traditions
of what a sanctuary city it builds.
I think something positive and hopeful.
Good luck what we can do with it, ideally.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments, Blair.
We will go to the next person who signed up for this item.
I have Christopher Martinez.
You are unmuted, you may unmute yourself and begin.
Christopher Martinez.
Thank you so much.
Christopher Martinez,
speaking on behalf of Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation,
rooted in district five and serving all of Oakland.
I'm speaking on item 6.25 OFCY funding here
to express our gratitude
for the support of the Libra Independent Living Project.
The Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation
has been rooted in Oakland's immigrant community
for over six decades.
We serve newcomer immigrant youth ages 15 to 21,
who are navigating adulthood in a new country
under enormous pressure, and in a political climate
that has made simply existing
as an immigrant young person feel frightening.
They need more than job training,
they need an ecosystem of support,
and that is exactly what this program provides.
Your support sends a clear message
that Oakland stands with its immigrant youth.
We will honor that trust, deliver results,
and report back to this council
with the impact of every dollar invested.
Now I'm speaking on item 6.25, City of Refuge Ordinance.
I'm asking you to vote yes on the City of Refuge Ordinance
and to make Oakland's commitment
to its residents permanent.
We are living through a moment of cruel
and indiscriminate immigration enforcement.
Families are being torn apart.
People are afraid to leave their homes,
report crimes, see a doctor,
or walk into any government office.
That climate of fear weakens every neighborhood in Oakland,
not just immigrant communities.
Oakland has always believed that local government
and law enforcement exist to serve residents,
not to act as an extension of federal government.
This ordinance writes into law where it is durable
and enforceable no matter who sits in the mayor's office
or the White House.
Please vote yes tonight.
Every Oakland resident deserves to know
that this city stands with them.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
I'll restate the instructions again.
If you are participating here in person
and you signed up for any item on the consent calendar,
item six please approach the podium and state your name for the record for those
who are participating in a zoom I have quite a few hands that are raised but I
don't have cards listed so I will need you to state your name to see if it's
been if you signed up in a different name then we have listed here on zoom so I
have Carla what name did you sign up to speak under? Carla Salazar. Okay thank
Ms. Salazar, you may begin. Thank you. Buenas noches, good evening. I'm speaking on behalf of
the Unity Council Community Development Corporation rooted in Fruitvale for over 60 years. I'm speaking
on item 6.26 and we want to thank Councilmembers Wang and Gayo for bringing this item forward.
The Unity Council strongly supports the City of Rapids Ordinance. It really complements Mayor's
Lee's executive orders and makes those protections permanent. We also support tonight's amendments.
This is the time for racial solidarity, to celebrate the cultural additions,
immigrant spring, and the financial activation. We also applaud the new additions to the ordinance.
As the tax and racism have escalated, fruitful businesses are reporting sales declining
up to 20 to 30 percent, a financial impact that reaches the city and its revenue. Nearly one in
three Oaklanders is an immigrant. We urge the council as well to pair this ordinance with real
investment funding program supported the community is mostly impacted thank you
thank you for your comments once again if you are signed up for on your own
zoom please raise your hand so we can recognize you Joan did you sign up what
name did you sign up under Jones operator I do not have a card for you
unfortunately I apologize Marcus Johnson what name would you have signed up for
I signed up under Prescott share Prescott share I don't PNC chair I'm
sorry I don't have a car for you up Oh Prescott share yes you may go you may
begin my name is Marcus Johnson I'm speaking on item six point two four the
sale of 319 Chester Street I think that this is a great acknowledgement and the
continuation of the great work of the late Bruce Cox Alliance of West Oakland
development I support this item going forward thank you thank you I'm Prescott
chair Marla's Jocelyn can you let us know what name you signed up to speak
under hi good afternoon my name is Jocelyn but it has I'm I work with faith
in action East Bay I apologize can you state what name you signed up for I
I don't have a card for you.
Jocelyn Barajas for item 6.25.
Yes, I don't have a card under that name.
I apologize.
We're on the consent calendar
and if you signed up to speak for this item,
please raise your hand.
If not, all names have been called.
Thank you.
Thank you for everybody who came out to speak.
Entertain a motion.
Before I make a motion,
I just also wanted to thank Faith in Action
for your leadership in pushing and advocating
for a community that is so vulnerable
that they are not able to advocate for themselves
and come to this meeting.
So truly thank you.
I also want to shout out Jim Wood in particular
for providing the legal expertise
that established the framework
for this sanctuary city ordinance.
I also want to thank Councilmember Gayo
who really authored the predecessors,
the preceding resolutions and ordinances
that led up to the ordinance that we are moving forward today.
And thank you, everyone, for staying for, I don't know,
seven hours.
So yeah.
And I'm good.
With that, I make a motion.
As amended.
As amended.
Seconded by Houston.
Engra, you got something?
I just wanted to state for the record,
because I know that we had a speaker from Cass.
his name was Daniel, all the council members received a letter with Cass expressing their
interest in the location in West Oakland for a Costco, and I just want to say that letter
is a reiteration of a letter that we received earlier this year, it's a reiteration of a
letter we received years ago, it's a reiteration of an exclusive negotiation agreement that
they had for over a decade but didn't move forward on, so I want to be clear that our
land at the North gateway is city-owned land.
And the city gets to determine what to do with that land.
And after over a decade of no action
from the individuals who had exclusive agreements
to develop that parcel and it didn't happen,
I am so happy to be the council member over the district
that is going to bring this project home
after 20-plus years.
So I just wanted to state that for the record.
That's it for item six point two
five.
Thank you so much madam clerk.
Thank you and again that was a
motion as amended to approve the
to approve the consent calendar
as amended by move by council
member wonk seconded by council
member member Houston noting
that item six point two five six
point five was removed from the
consent calendar and moved to
non consent item six point two
through x six point three zero an urgency finding was stated on the record with
that one moment I will call roll councilmember Brown aye councilmember
five aye Kyle aye Houston aye Ramachandran aye Unger aye Wong aye and chair Jenkins
I item six was approved as amended with eight eyes. Thank you so much. That now takes us to
item
Open forum. Sorry or before adjournments in now
so I want to adjourn today's meeting in the honor of
Germain Newton city employee that was tragically shot and killed in district six
City administrator. Did you want to add anything to it?
Thank you. Yes Jermaine Newton was a KOCB employee and we at the city and his colleagues do grieve together
We honor his life and his dedication to community service at the city. Thank you. Thank you
Anyone else for open forum announcements?
Seeing adjournment announcements. Okay, let's go to open for
Thank you. We were now moved to open forum as I call your name. Please approach the podium if you're participating via zoom
Please raise your hand
Um, and again, state your name for the record.
I have miss Assata, Ola Bala, Deborah Nelson, uh, Mr.
Hazard, who I don't see, uh, Lydia Ojo, Jennifer Finlay, Blair
Beekman, Ruby, um, Ayala and Anne McLean in any order.
Reparation bills were passed for black people on October the 25th.
Your governor vetoed the following bills that passed in
legislation, college edition preference vetoed by the governor, home loan set asides for
black people, vetoed by the governor, eminent domain restitution vetoed by the governor.
Let's see what they have, professional licensing and property tax relief vetoed by the governor.
Now, what in the hell you were talking about reparations that passed for black people or
the one that would establish your office or office that would identify who would qualify
for reparations. Don't lie and say people are getting stuff from the city or the state
when it's not happening for black people. Just like that reparations that passed in
Alameda County, the recommendations passed with no money.
Thank you for your comments, Ms. Olibala. Next speaker, if I called your name, please
please approach the podium.
Hello.
Hey, good evening.
My name is Robbie.
Once again, I'm speaking on the lower old bid.
We just wanted to have a chance to just talk
a little bit more about how we think it was very unfair
that during the lower old expansion,
these 18 properties on the 35th Avenue corridor
did not have any weight in their vote.
There was no actual way to be able to have all of us
vote against it and still have any means
of making a difference.
So once again, the assessment waiting,
voting for the expansion of the lower bit
was just really unjust and we just wanted
to shed some more light on that.
Thank you guys.
Thank you for your comments.
I'm Anne McLean, I'd just like to continue.
There were two meetings, February and March,
where the board was going to decide
what the assessment percentage should be.
At no time during those meetings
was there any public invitation for public to speak.
However, on the second meeting, one of the directors
said that somebody had spoken to her and said that 5%
would be too much.
And so she was going to recommend 3%.
Well, what I'd like to know is why wasn't there
any open forum during the item when it was on the agenda
where I could speak and yet somebody could speak
to this director and say, well, it's 5% is too much.
I just think that's very undemocratic
and I think that that has to be looked at again.
I, it just wasn't fair, it wasn't democratic.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments, Ms. McLean.
Next speaker, please.
Good evening, I'm Lida Ojo.
Good evening, council member and community.
I am here to invite you and I am here to invite you to join myself and the organization Our
Community Our Care on Saturday, July 25th from eleven to four at the beautifully renovated
Moss Wilt Park for our bone marrow donor registration drive.
A bone marrow transplant can cure more than 75 diseases, including sickle cell, leukemia,
and lymphoma.
If you're between the ages of 18 and 35, registration is simple.
It's just a swab to the inside of your cheek,
but that small act could become someone's second chance at life.
make a life saving impact by
volunteering.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker if you signed up
for open forum.
Good evening council members my
name is Deborah Nelson I'm here
in a private capacity first of
all as your constituent.
I'd like to ask your support
council member I'm a chondron
it's been about a year that I've
been continuously writing the
department of public works it
was merged I have a tree issue
so I'll do a review of the
I have a tree issue so I do open hours with you but I shouldn't have to beg for service
from the city councilmember president Jenkins councilmember Houston I challenge you to inquire
with your constituents in D. six and D. seven my understanding you know about the seventy
third Avenue bike project I spent forty minutes two Fridays ago one bicyclist stopped him
because of the pandemic.
He engaged with me he's not from the area so the project
is going to move on I challenge you and I ask of you will you
check with your constituents now and not just let the
beginning of a 2019 project that is more like a grift from
Oak D. O. T.
Don't let that go.
Thank you for your comments miss Nelson your time is up.
You may unmute and begin.
Hi, William Peekman.
Thanks for the meeting today.
Thanks for the ADU guidelines that were offered today.
You tried to involve CEQA with it.
It was nice.
San Diego has some good ADU guideline ideas
at this time as well that may be a good compliment
to what this item was today.
Thank you.
San Diego, where I'm living,
and as I used to live in the Bay Area now in San Diego,
they are working on an office of a coordinator,
you know, captain of, you know,
the future of city projects and stuff like that.
So they can coordinate between the strong mayor
and city council, how government projects flow and function.
They're just starting that process.
And I can't remember its name, it's called COO,
you know, coordinating operating officer
or something like that.
So I mean, that's what Oakland is lacking.
I mean, you guys want to do the IBA system.
San Diego already has that system and it's not.
Thank you for your comments.
Mr. Beekman, that was our last speaker for open forum.
Let's do adjournment.
Good evening, we will now adjourn in memory
of Germaine Newton, a city of Oakland employee.
Thank you, this meeting's adjourned.
The UN development program estimates June's earthquakes caused $6.7 billion in damage
in Venezuela.