2023 Legislation By District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife

In December, Councilmember Carroll Fife, alongside councilmember and President Pro Tempore Dan Kalb, introduced legislation recognizing and honoring Earl Marty Price for

his outstanding and dedicated service to the Oakland community.

“Oakland’s Uncle” Earl Marty Price has had a lifelong record of service to the Oakland community through his role as an educator, union organizer, volunteer work and community activism. Mr. Price is a founding member of the Oakland Direct Action Committee, under Mark Comfort, who personally brought the Black Panther name and symbol from Lowndes County, Alabama. Mr. Price ran the 23rd Avenue Community Center and was a lead organizer on the Venceremos Brigade voyages to Cuba in the late 60’s and 70’s. In his role as OUSD teacher and Vice Principal, he worked to guide countless young people toward their higher purpose. Mr. Price also served as a Coach for the Bushrod Soccer Club and the Oakland Babe Ruth Baseball League.

Understanding the critical role of labor organizations in improving the lives of workers and the community at large, Mr. Price was an Organizer for Local 510 Sign & Display union and was a member of the Oakland Education Association Board. Mr. Price is a father of 4 sons, who have followed in his path of service to community; one son is the Principal at Oakland Tech, another teaches Spanish at Montera Middle School, and his other 2 sons are leaders in their respective trade unions. Mr. Price, a beloved member of our community, is currently in hospice care and it is important for us to acknowledge and thank him for his life’s work.

Read the legislation here.

In December, Councilmember Carroll Fife, alongside councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Rebecca Kaplan, introduced legislation to give grant funding to the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, a nonprofit organization, in order to provision three safe parking programs for persons living in their vehicles.

Many unhoused individuals and families in Oakland are living in their vehicles. The safe parking programs will be on sites owned or controlled by local faith based organizations, and will provide portable toilets, wash stations, access to showers, and wastewater dumping. The program will run for one year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

Read the legislation here.

In December, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation to establish a 3-year pilot program that allows schools, businesses, and community centers that serve vulnerable populations to apply for temporary encroachment permits to install removable traffic safety treatments and create traffic calming zones in the city’s streets.

In order to launch the pilot, the legislation directs the City Administrator to present a report and recommendations at the Public Safety Committee meeting scheduled in February 13, 2024 that includes 1) information on cities in California or the United States that have successfully implemented similar programs to reduce the number of traffic accidents and fatalities and increase safety for all who travel on public streets; (2) recommendations to Council about legislative or administrative changes needed in order to implement a similar program in Oakland; (3) information gathered from residents and community based organizations at two community meetings assessing their interest and ability to participate in the pilot program; (4) an analysis of staffing and budget needs in order to begin and sustain the pilot program; and (5) a report exploring the feasibility and developing a plan and timeline for the City of Oakland to become a “vision zero network” member city.

Read the legislation here.

In November, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced a resolution affirming Oakland’s Love Life commitment and support for the congressional and worldwide calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Oakland joined many other cities in support for the U.S. Congress Resolution H.R.786 and calling on Congress Members to demand: an immediate ceasefire; release of all hostages, the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza; the restoration of food, water, electricity, and medical supplies to Gaza; and the respect for international law; and calls for a resolution that protects the security of all innocent civilians.

The resolution directed the Administration to send a copy of the resolution to City Councils in the San Francisco Bay Area, the offices of Assemblymember Mia Bonta, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, State Senator Nancy Skinner, Governor of California Gavin Newsom, U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. President Joe Biden, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, urging them to take immediate action to use their position and influence to end violence.

Read the legislation here.

In November, Councilmember Carroll Fife, alongside councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Kevin Jenkins, Mayor Sheng Thao and the Office Of The City Administrator, introduced legislation to amend the biennial budget for fiscal years 2023-2025, to reallocate a unexpected surplus from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority debt payments to improving 9-1-1 emergency response and filling vacant City positions, in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000.

Due to the urgent nature of the 9-1-1 emergency response improvements, the City Council waived the competitive selection requirements that includes a multi-step solicitation process for the purchase of computerized or information technology systems and a competitive RFP/RFQ process for the purchase of professional services. The City Council also waived the Local/Small Local Business Enterprise Program participation requirements.

Read the legislation here.

In October, Councilmember Carroll Fife, alongside councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas, Rebecca Kaplan, Dan Kalb, and Mayor Sheng Thao, introduced legislation that established the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District. The purpose of the District is to create a warm, vibrant, welcoming and inclusive space where the LGBTQ community, youth, families, elders, and allies can gather to be their full selves, deepen relationships, access services, and patronage local businesses; and to celebrate the rich diversity of the LGBTQ community and uplift the areas rich history.

Cultural districts are an important and established strategy for preserving, protecting, and expanding the cultural vitality of vulnerable communities, and LGBTQ cultural districts have proven successful in other cities. The designation prepares the City to seek state resources to invest in the area by applying for state designation and funding through the competitive grant process established by California AB 189 which is administered through the California Arts Council.

The legislation also directs the City Administrator to work with the community and stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District that outlines goals, priorities, and strategies to support and promote business and the artistic and cultural vitality of the neighborhood. It also directs the City Administrator is directed to identify funding or other in-kind resources to fund the initial implementation of the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.

Read the legislation here.

In October, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation to extend a section of the Flex Streets Program that was scheduled to sunset. This section, Section 8.62.100 of the Oakland Municipal Code allows for streamlined approval by the City Administrator in regards to public street closures for retail and dining, and community/special event uses,.

Pre-COVID-19, City regulations limited street closures to two per year without City Council approval and without the Flex Streets Program, and closures lasting more than three days required City Council approval. Through the extension, there are no limits on the number of public street closures issued per year and the number of days a street. The new sunset date is July 1, 2023, unless extended by Council.

The legislation also asked the City Administration to return to Council, by before September, 2025, a report and recommendations detailing the impact of the extension, including data on the number of street closure requests and approvals, the location of the street closures, and guidelines on ways to further improve the Flex Street Program.

Read the legislation here.

In October, Councilmember Carroll Fife, alongside councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas, Rebecca Kaplan, and Treva Reid introduced legislation that authorized community safety ambassador grants. The grants were disbursed to three organizations in order to expand existing ambassador programs and private security focused on several commercial corridors.

The Commercial Corridor Safety and Ambassador Grants went to the Jack London Business Improvement District, a Nonprofit Corporation, in an amount up to Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000), Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation, a Nonprofit Corporation, an amount up to Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) and the Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, Inc., a Nonprofit Corporation, an amount up to Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000). The funding for the grants was made available from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 General Purpose Fund.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation to move forward the Black New Deal study to research the ongoing effects of public policy decisions of redlining, displacement through eminent domain, and urban renewal on the Black community in Oakland, and to assess ways to redress the harms caused through a “Black New Deal.”

The Black New Deal is a framework that seeks to ameliorate the multitude of harms that have directly impacted generations of West Oakland’s Black residents as well as the entire city at-large. This research, and the data-focused policies it will inform, are centered in the following seven areas: housing, economics, education, arts and culture, environment, public safety and health.

The study will be led by Oakland-bred Dr. Brandi Summers of BluSummers, LLC, an Associate Professor of UC Berkeley’s Department of Geography with support from the renowned consulting firm Mason Tillman Associate, Ltd.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation recognizing and honoring the history, legacy, and cultural impact of 7th street in West Oakland and declaring June 10, 2023 as legends of 7th Street Day in the City of Oakland.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation in support of California State Senate Bill 555 (Wahab), which would set five- and ten-year goals for the creation of 1.2 million units of social housing to meet the needs of lower- and middle-income California residents.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation to commemoratively renaming MacArthur Boulevard between Grand Avenue and Van Buren Avenue as “Tupac Shakur Way,” reminding us of his contributions to Oakland and our communities through the celebration of art and culture as an awakening tool towards changes in society.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation recognizing and celebrating McClymonds senior Jaivian Thomas for his outstanding academic and athletic achievements and wishing him continued success in his future endeavors. His contributions to the Warriors has helped the team continue to be a dominating force in high school football. He has been named Cal-Hi Sports North Coast Section Player of the Year, Oakland Athletic League's 2022 MVP, and San Francisco Chronicle’s 2022 All-Metro Player of the Year, all while being an honor roll student. We wish him continued success on the UC Berkeley team.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation expressing support for the teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses and other members of the Oakland Education Association in improving their working conditions and pay, and improving education in Oakland.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation recognizing and honoring the inimitable A’Janee Landingham for her years of dedicated and impactful service to the City of Oakland and its residents in her role with the office of the city clerk and wishing her continued success in her future endeavors.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation for the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts and the Malonga Arts Collective to renew a lease with the City of Oakland that most notable allowed the City Administration to negotiate a lease below market rate.

Malonga Arts Collective and its member organizations have provided and desire to further provide cultural and social benefits to the City and the community at large by providing invaluable training and community enrichment through regular low-cost and free classes, workshops, rehearsals, conferences, cultural events, showcases, shows, concerts that have benefited thousands of children, teens, adults and elders at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts , as well as free classes to youth in Oakland schools.

Read the legislation here.

Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation for each City Council district to honor a member or organization of our Oakland Black community who is doing incredible work towards a transformative future that seeks to dismantle oppressive systems and advance true liberation, safety, and opportunities in our community.

District 3 office honored The Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA @mochaarts), founded in Oakland in 1988. Since its founding, Mocha has evolved to become an incredible space uplifting and supporting our Black Bay Area youth and families, through the arts, focusing on literacy, healing and community empowerment.

Led by Executive Director Nina Woodruff-Walker of Oakland, CA, MOCHA has made it a point to consistently create spaces and opportunities for all children to use the arts as a vehicle to advocate for self-expression, culture and community-building, and the centering of youth voices. The evolution of MOCHA's action to support disinvested communities can be experienced directly in their programs, demonstrating how critical it is to show in action how we uplift and support our families, youth, and children.

Read the legislation here.