Oakland Economic Recovery Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is charged with identifying both short-term recommendations to facilitate the reopening and recovery of Oakland’s economic sectors from the COVID-19 crisis, and longer-term strategies for systemic change that creates a more equitable economy into the future.

Meeting Materials

Releases

Overview

The Mayor and the Vice Mayor/Chair of the City Council Community and Economic Development Committee are inviting Oakland community and business leaders to participate in an Oakland Economic Recovery Council.

The Advisory Council is co-chaired by Mayor Schaaf and Vice Mayor Reid, in partnership with Jose Corona, Eat. Learn. Play Foundation; Michael McAfee, PolicyLink; and Barbara Leslie, Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. James Head, East Bay Community Foundation will facilitate with Micah Weinberg, California Forward as co-facilitator. Research support will be provided by Mills College Center for Transformative Action and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

The Advisory Council consists of representatives from business, non-profit, and intergovernmental partners representing key sectors, along with staff from City departments and will be structured in working groups.

The purpose of the Advisory Council is to recommend specific local policy and strategies to facilitate economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, starting with urgent, short term business and worker needs to re-open and re-hire and then informing longer term goals for a resilient and equitable economy. The City’s economic recovery efforts will center on people first, investing in community infrastructure and rebuilding a resilient and equitable economy in accordance with its Core Mission and Economic Recovery Principles.

ReOpening Guide signs by the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (PDF), in partnership with Oaklandish and the Economic Recovery Advisory Council, 11" x 17" signs for download. Pick up hard copies from any Oakland Chamber, Business Improvement District or CIty Council office. ENGLISH | CHINESE | SPANISH | VIETNAMESE

Core Mission

The work of the Advisory Council is grounded in the guiding principle that equity is the best economic model and the mission will be twofold:

  1. The Advisory Council will advise on short-term recommendations to local policymakers to help Oakland’s businesses and nonprofits re-open quickly and safely and connect Oaklanders with good jobs. This work will be informed by State and County regulations and phasing recommendations to ensure the public’s health and safety.
  2. The Advisory Council will simultaneously explore solutions for how Oakland can rebuild its economy using equity as the centerpiece. This work will intentionally lead with race and other known biases to identify actions that both local policymakers and private sector partners can take to ensure Oakland’s economic recovery is just and equitable.

Background Materials

Staff Contact

Micah Hinkle, Deputy Director
Economic & Workforce Development Department
mhinkle@oaklandca.gov