Community Input

Community Stakeholders

The Downtown Oakland Specific Plan community process kicked off with a design charrette (a ten-day hands-on workshop and open studio) open to the public in fall of 2015, and has continued with other big community meetings, surveys, and smaller meetings with community organizations, neighborhood groups and individuals.

Additionally, the following groups provide input into the Plan:

• Community Advisory Group. The Community Advisory Group is comprised of representative from a variety of fields who provide technical knowledge on issues such as urban design and real estate development, feasibility, as well as larger housing organizations and business improvement districts. Additionally, the group includes representatives of the local neighborhood groups, artist community, as well as youth, health and advocacy organizations to help direct the policies and decisions of Plan Downtown. This single group replaces the former “Technical Advisory Group” and the “Community Stakeholder Group.”

• Targeted Stakeholder Groups. During the design charrette, community representatives participated in focus groups targeted to specific topics. Representatives of communities addressing these topics will be included in other meetings throughout the process. Topics include:
  • Housing (affordable & market-rate)
  • Transportation
  • Arts and culture
  • Youth
  • People with disabilities
  • Local business

To share your thoughts, please click here: Get Involved.

Community Input

The City has compiled and summarized thousands of comments received from the public, including boards and commissions. Analysis of these comments will help inform the draft specific plan. To read the summaries of community feedback received at specific meetings, click here: Past Meetings.

Plan Options Memo (June - September 2018)

The Plan Options Memo will be published in summer of 2018, and the public will have two months to provide comments before the City uses that feedback to develop the draft plan. A summary of that input will be posted here.

Creative Solutions Labs & Neighborhood Design Sessions (January - February 2018)

• Public Input Report (February 2018)

Social Equity Working Group Meetings (July - August 2017)

• Housing, Affordability, Jobs, Training, and Economic Opportunity
• Arts and Culture
• Streets, Connectivity, and Built Environment
• Sustainability, Health, Safety, and Open Space and Recreation

Expanded Equity Community Engagement (Spring 2017)

• Community Engagement Summary Report

Mobile Mapping (August 2016-2018)

• Streetwyze mobile mapping

Alternatives Report (January - August 2016)

• Comments Memo summarizing public comments on the Plan Alternatives Report
• Spreadsheet of public comments on the Plan Alternatives Report

Project Kickoff and Existing Conditions Research (September 2015 - January 2016)

• Targeted stakeholder meeting notes (Nov. 2015 - Jan. 2016)
• Speak Up, Oakland survey results
• Spreadsheet of comments received via email, hard copy surveys and letters
• Collection of notes and feedback from Charrette & Open Studio
• Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) student input on Downtown Oakland
• Historical sights along the 14th Street Black Arts Movement Cultural and Economic District

Oakland School for the Arts Student Input