Key investments in the Oakland Together FY 2019-21 Budget

Thank you for advocating and participating in Oakland's budget process. Together, we won new investments in the budget to address homelessness, housing, and displacement and provide quality services for all residents, as well as investments specific to District 2.

Dear Friend,

Thank you for advocating and participating in Oakland's budget process.

Together, we won $12 million for community land trusts to take property off the speculative market and put it permanently, affordably in the hands of Oaklanders.

This municipal fund will help community land trusts and housing cooperatives acquire and preserve small site properties (25 units or fewer), which make up 88% of Oakland's housing stock.

While there is much more work to do to ensure a fair contract and competitive compensation for our City workers who deliver important services, this new FY 2019-2021 budget begins to put into place new solutions to address our city's housing and homelessness crises. These include:

  • hiring a mobile outreach team and full-time administrator focused on homelessness,
  • creating homeless navigation centers, and
  • expanding direct legal and emergency rent assistance for tenants.

A huge shout-out to Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) and Oakland Community Land Trust (OakCLT) for their partnership with me to achieve this win for Oakland residents at risk of displacement -- check out our joint op-ed in the East Bay Express on why the fund matters.

Learn more about the fund here See my op-ed in East Bay Express with OakCLT and ACCE Read more on the budget in the Oakland Post

Find more in the section below on:

  • new investments in the budget to address homelessness, housing, and displacement and provide quality services for all residents, and
  • wins in the budget specific to District 2.
With Oakland Love,

Nikki Fortunato Bas
Councilmember, City of Oakland, District 2

#LoveLife

Key Investments in the
"Oakland Together" Budget

(1) Addressing Housing + Homelessness

I’m proud to have drafted the “Oakland Together” budget with Councilmembers Loren Taylor, Sheng Thao and Council President Rebecca Kaplan. The budget allocates $87.4 million to address Oakland's most urgent crises. Key investments, in addition to the ones in my letter above, include:

  • creating the city's first-ever Commission on Homelessness
  • expanding health, sanitation, safety services for unsheltered residents
  • providing employment training and opportunities to hire unsheltered residents to help improve Oakland
  • funding self-governed encampments and temporary housing options such as tiny homes, shipping containers, and mobile homes
  • expanding services for homeless youth with a focus on LGBTQ+ youth
  • creating a $2.7 million fund for anti-displacement services and housing security improvements
  • acquiring transitional housing facilities, including a center for families
  • providing rehabilitation assistance for low-income homeowners
  • funding proactive inspection of rental properties for health and safety
  • providing grants for ADA access improvements to support affordable housing for people with disabilities
  • policy directive to develop a plan for staffing and implementation of the Public Lands Community Advisory Commission

(2) Investing in Community Needs and Providing High Quality Services to All Residents

The budget makes significant investments in our parks, open spaces, and infrastructure, while addressing the need to make Oakland safe and clean:

Illegal Dumping

  • adding a fourth illegal dumping crew to cover all four city zones
  • funding "Last Saturdays Free Dump Days" at Edgewater Corporation Yard to assist residents with proper disposal of bulky waste
  • funding additional cameras in illegal dumping hot spots
  • creating an Enforcement and Rewards Program

Public Safety: Emergency Services, Fire Prevention, Violence Prevention

  • increasing timely emergency response by upgrading emergency medical dispatch software and adding 911 dispatchers
  • adding 11 new positions in the Fire Prevention Bureau
  • funding $3.6M in vegetation management, fuel reduction, tree removal
  • investing $1M to expand violence prevention
  • adding a complaint investigator to the Community Police Review Agency to improve speed and responsiveness to alleged police misconduct
  • funding additional crossing guards to ensure safer routes to school

Parks, Facilities, and Infrastructure

  • implementing the 3-Year Paving Plan
  • funding sidewalk repair, bike & pedestrian improvements, and curb ramps
  • allocating $12M to expand Parks & Recreation programs and services
  • restoring 8.5 full-time positions dedicated to park maintenance
  • adding five public toilets after the Portland Loo model

Economic and Cultural Development

  • creation of a Department of Workplace & Employment to oversee compliance and enforcement
  • additional resources for workforce development, employment training and job placement
  • policy directive to identify ways to restore and make permanent additional funds for the Cultural Affairs Department

(3) Investments in District 2 Communities

With the support of neighbors and community-based organizations, my office advocated for and achieved investments for District 2:

Services

  • funding to help the Center for Refugees and Immigrants (CERI) support the well-being of Oakland refugees and immigrants
  • funding to help Asian Health Services provide health, social, and advocacy services for residents regardless of income, insurance status, immigration status, language, or culture

Facilities

  • adding a public toilet in Chinatown's Madison Park
  • upgrading and repairing Madison Park's irrigation system
  • renovating and expanding Lincoln Square Park and Recreation Center
  • building renovations and repairs to the Main Library on 14th Street
  • updating and renovating San Antonio Recreation Center/Head Start

Community Development, Arts and Culture

  • launching the creation of Business Improvement Districts in Eastlake and Chinatown
  • capacity building for the Black Arts Movement & Business District
  • funding for community murals and community gardens
  • supporting Oakland Museum of California to expand the scope of their seismic retrofitting project to include water, energy, and ADA compliance

Community Resources + Opportunities

Report issues or services needed using OAK 311. 311 is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects you with highly trained City of Oakland Call Center representatives ready to help you with requests for non-emergency City services and information. You can also report issues online or on the OAK 311 mobile phone app.

Learn more about OAK 311

Tenants' Rights Workshop. The City's Rent Adjustment Program is holding a workshop for tenants to learn their rights and get questions answered on July 9 from 5:30-7:30 pm at City Hall.

Learn more

AC Transit Fare Changes. Starting July 1, 2019 AC transit has changed fare rates to continue providing safe and efficient services while addressing rising operational costs. Clipper Adult Single ride and Day pass will remain the same. Clipper Youth/Senior/Disabled fares have changed from $1.10 to $1.12. Adult Single ride cash fare has changed from $2.35 to $2.50. Youth, Senior, Disabled fares have changed from $1.15 to $1.25.

See full details

Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) Meetings. Get involved with your local NCPC or Neighborhood Council to help make our communities safe and connected.

Bella Vista NCPC
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Bella Vista Elementary School
1025 E. 28th St.

San Antonio NCPC
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Word Assembly Church
1445 23rd Ave.

Chinatown NCPC
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Starts at 4:00 p.m.
Hotel Oakland
270 13th St.

Grandlake NCPC
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Lakeshore Ave. Baptist Church
3534 Lakeshore Ave.

Cleveland Heights / Beat 15X
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
FM Smith Recreation Center
1969 Park Boulevard

Job Opportunity: Bilingual Cantonese or Mandarin Wellness Coordinator. St. Mary's Center is looking for an entry-level Wellness Coordinator to support activities in the Senior Community Center and at local senior housing developments.

See job description

East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is coming to downtown Oakland. Through the fall, construction on the BRT will take place on Broadway between 11th and 20th Streets and on 11th and 12th Streets between Broadway and Lake Merritt Boulevard.

See more in multiple languages

OakDOT announces issuing of first official e-scooter permits. Four e-scooter operators will be deploying up to 3,500 scooters and are required to educate users on safety. The operators at Bird, Clevr, Lime, and Lyft.

Read the press release

Organize your neighborhood block party for National Night Out. Bring your neighbors together on Tuesday, August 6 from 7-9 pm with a block party, BBQ, ice cream social or other outdoor event. Register by July 26th to receive giveaways for children attendees!

Register your event

Parkway Theater Proposal Update. Thank you to the many neighbors, community groups, and local businesses who've weighed in on the project proposal for the old Parkway Theater to become a cannabis dispensary and movie theatre/lounge space with on-site consumption. Last week, the City's Planning and Building Department announced that the project's permit for theatre use will be reviewed by the Planning Commission on August 21. For more information, call the zoning information hotline at 510-238-3911.

Learn more

Apply for Oakland's Youth Advisory Commission! The OYAC is recruiting new Commissioners between ages 13-21 to advise the Mayor and City Council on policy and legislative matters and to represent youth voice. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until positions have been filled.

Apply

Art + Soul Oakland 2019. On July 27 and 28, join the 19th annual Art + Soul festival featuring music-packed days of R&B, blues, gospel and rock performed by national recording artists and top local emerging artists, as well as dozens of hand crafted artisans, food, and children's activities.

Learn more

Debut of New Grand/Walker Avenue Mural. Have you seen the beautiful new mural of the Grand Lake Farmer's Market at the Grand-Walker City of Oakland parking lot? Thanks to neighborhood residents Lucy and Randy Glover, local artist Stefen and the many community donors who made this possible.

See the mural

FM Smith Recreation center renovations and basketball resurfacing project done! The facility renovations include landscaping, painting, and a centerpiece basketball court resurfacing/mural project by local artist Alicia McCarthy. Thank you to Project Backboard, GoDaddy, and Oakland Parks & Rec for making this happen!

PG&E Rate Increase Public Forum / Public Participation Hearing. On July 24th at 1pm and 6pm at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building Auditorium, there will be public forums to provide an opportunity for PG&E customers to communicate with the California Public Utilities Commission regarding PG&E's rate increase request of raising rates by 6.4 percent or $10.57 per month for typical residential electric and gas customers.

Around the Neighborhood

Gathering with Mandana Boulevard neighbors to discuss the area's traffic and pedestrian safety. The road received a “slurry seal” paving treatment in April and, after proactive advocacy from residents, my office worked with OakDOT to bring additional safety striping such as bike lanes and crosswalks.

Grateful for the hard work of our OakDOT and OPW crews to make our roads safe and smooth. I enjoyed meeting two crews at 19th and Foothill during the recent citywide "pothole blitz" as a result of Council's $7M allocation of state funding towards completing Priority 1 and 2 pothole and concrete repairs submitted by community members through 311.

I was honored to join Oakland's chapter of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance for their 107th Anniversary Celebration and Scholarship Presentation, and share a proclamation recognizing their work defending civil rights, fighting racial discrimination, opposing anti-immigration laws, and preserving Chinese American culture and identity.

Thank you Eastlake United for Justice for organizing a Peace Party to build community with neighbors and show love for Dontae Moore, who was the victim of a hate crime. Learn more about how Oakland came together to support Dontae.

I was proud and inspired to see the Pride Flag raised over City Hall last month for National Pride Month. I encourage you to check out District 2's Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, our city's first multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-gender, intergenerational LGBTQ space hosting 30+ support groups and activities monthly, including therapy, family supports, a library, yoga and meditation, and recovery groups.

Honored to work with Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants, Asian Prisoner Support Committee (both in District 2) Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus and families to unanimously pass our resolution, co-sponsored by Councilmember Thao, condemning the deportations of formerly incarcerated Southeast Asians. Thank you to Governor Newsom for issuing pardons we advocated for, and to Hay Hov and Roeun Pich who testified at the meeting.

We were excited to see big renovations at FM Smith Recreation Center, including landscaping, painting, and a centerpiece basketball court resurfacing/mural project by local artist Alicia McCarthy. Thank you to Project Backboard, GoDaddy, and Oakland Parks & Rec for making this happen!

We were so inspired to hear final presentations from students in Oakland High's Environmental Science Academy on their grassroots projects addressing issues like illegal dumping and food deserts. Oakland's future leaders are well on their way to becoming agents of change and justice!

What a joy honoring Oakland's activists and social justice leaders at the annual Oakland Progressive Party + Townie Awards hosted by Oakland Rising! I was thrilled to present the Government Official Townie Award to Kate O’Hara, Chair of the Community Jobs Oversight Commission, pictured here with fellow commissioner Shirley Burnell.

It was a pleasure to join the Association of Bay Area Governments to honor Oakland Community Land Trust for their work providing permanently affordable housing and access to land for low-income residents. Check out this quick video on how they worked with tenants who were facing the threat of displacement at the 23rd Avenue Community Building to create a financing plan and an offer that was accepted to collectively purchase the building.

I had the honor of delivering the keynote at the commencement cermeony of Urban Habitat's Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) 2019 Fellows -- join me in congratulating these leaders for their incredible contributions to making our communities more just and free.

These young minds in the New Voices are Rising Program's Summer Climate Justice Leadership Academy met with my team and I to share their experiences and calls to action around racial, economic, and climate justice in Oakland -- we were so inspired by their presentations and know they will become leaders supporting our community.

We loved the festivities -- food, sake, kids' games, raffles -- at the Buddhist Church of Oakland in District 2's annual Bazaar and Food Festival!

Community Corner

As part of the City's relationship with the Oakland Coliseum, Councilmembers receive tickets to sporting events and concerts. We are grateful for the opportunity to honor community members with these tickets.

Join us in recognizing Maria Amador and Marcie Espinoza for their work supporting Oakland.

Maria has been providing custodial services at City Hall for the last three years. Join us in thanking Maria for making it a safe and clean place every day for City workers and visitors. We hope you enjoyed Pepe Aguilar's concert!

"I like my job because the people here are good people and we respect and communicate with each other." -- Maria

Marcie, in Building Services, helps manage not only operations and services at City Hall, but across our recreation centers, fire stations, and more. Thanks for all you've done over the last 18 years for Oakland!

"Oakland's an amazing city. I love the people and our diversity. It's been a blessing for me to be able to work in the city where I was born and raised, and feel like I'm able to help provide services and give back to my own community. I hope that we can get to a place where everyone feels safe here, no matter where they are or what time of day." -- Marcie

In the News

  • Oakland Post // Council adopts Kaplan's $3.2 billion budget, Bas wins $12 million for Community Land Trust affordable housing fund
  • KTVU //Oakland Police Commission rejects 2nd BearCat, concern over military image, lack of deployment data
  • Oakland Post // $44.4 more million for homeless
  • KCBS Radio // Safety Improvements Made to Oakland's Chinatown
  • SF Chronicle // Oakland city workers push for more money as council approves budget
  • SF Chronicle // Oakland’s $100 million paving plan moves ahead, as unions press for more city workers
  • KTVU // Oakland city council urges audit of the Alameda County Sheriff
  • SF Chronicle // Oakland council urges Alameda County to pay for audit of sheriff’s office
  • ABC 7 News // Pothole repair in Oakland to begin this summer
  • East Bay Times // Oakland scraps rent control exemption for owner-occupied duplexes
  • East Bay Times // Oakland to lower tax rate on small cannabis businesses
  • People's World // Oakland council resolution puts heat on county sheriff’s office
  • SF Chronicle // Oakland’s groundbreaking cannabis equity program showing modest results so far
  • SF Chronicle // California bill to allow safe injection clinic in San Francisco put on hold
  • SF Chronicle // Oakland council backs state legislation to streamline approvals for A’s waterfront ballpark
  • KQED Arts // 'No Public Benefit': Arts Groups Challenge Kaiser Auditorium Redevelopment Plan

Connect with Team D2!

D2 Office: (510) 238-7002
Email us at district2@oaklandca.gov

Miya Saika Chen, Chief of Staff
mchen@oaklandca.gov, (510) 238-7246

Lia Azul Salaverry, Policy Analyst, Community Liaison
lsalaverry@oaklandca.gov, (510) 238-7023

Linna Lin, Chinatown Liaison and Aide
nlin@oaklandca.gov, (510) 238-7022

Tiffany Kang, Communications Specialist, Community Liaison
tkang@oaklandca.gov, (510) 238-7022

Pamela Drake, Community Liaison
pdrake@oaklandca.gov, (510) 238-7022


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Posted: July 15th, 2019 11:58 AM

Last Updated: July 29th, 2019 12:34 PM

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