As spring comes into bloom, I am excited to see more residents enjoying our amazing parks, hiking trails, and other natural resources. And to make sure that those parks and trails are in peak condition, I encourage you to engage in One Oakland Spring Clean — a week of events with Mayor Thao, Councilmembers and Staff, that will highlight services for residents that improve our communities, address safety concerns and reduce blight. The week will culminate on Earth Day weekend with various cleanup activities taking place around District 2 and Oakland. Learn more about the cleanups in your area here: oakland-volunteer-community-oakgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/oakland-earth-day.
Join these Earth Day Volunteer Opportunities on Saturday and Sunday!
- Site: Pittman Green, Lake Merritt | April 22nd | 9am – 11am
Contact: Jasmine Stitt | [email protected] | (714) 488 - 7034 - Site: San Antonio Park | April 22nd | 9am – 1pm
Contact: Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, Oakland Bay Area | Dayton Calhoun | [email protected] | (925) 437 - 3526 - Site: Lincoln Square Recreation | April 22nd | 9:15am – 11:15am
Contact: Asian Health Services | Tina Diep | [email protected] | (510) 421 – 7165 - Site: Gravity Garden | April 22nd | 9:30am – 1:30pm
Contact: Oakland Urban Farmin Project |Rajiv Thairani | [email protected] | (425) 761 - 6646 - Site: Splash Pad Park | April 23rd | 9am – 12:15pm
Contact: Ken Katz, Splashpad.com | [email protected] | (510) 914 - 0133 - Site: Wilma Chan Park | April 22nd | 11am – 2pm
Contact: Toishan Benevolent Society, OCIC, OCA, etc | Christina Chen | [email protected] | (510) 570 - 9155
My team and I look forward to seeing you out in the community and in our parks even more!
Tuesday's City Council meeting — Eviction Moratorium Phase Out & Tenants Protections Ordinance
I’ve spent time listening to multiple perspectives on Oakland's COVID eviction moratorium. As Council President, I am committed to moving forward a proposal that is responsible and meets our broader goals of housing stability, homelessness prevention, and certainty about the end of the moratorium. My amended proposal with CM Kalb addresses concerns we’ve heard, and I hope my council colleagues will support it at Tuesday's 4pm Council meeting.
It extends the current eviction moratorium until mid-July allowing for outreach, education, and referral to services to support tenants and property owners; provides a clear end to the moratorium on July 15; and adds new permanent tenant protections to help avoid a surge in evictions. More here.
Thank you to all of the community members who have shared your experiences and opinions with us. I look forward to our discussion at Tuesday's Council meeting.
Go Oakland High & Oakland Tech! City of Champions Parade + Rally
We had such a joyful time today with our basketball State Champions — Oakland High Wildcats and Oakland Tech Bulldogs! It was beautiful to celebrate with our winning youth, their coaches & teachers, and their family & friends. You have inspired us with your hard work, determination, and winning spirit!
End Youth Incarceration Town Hall
It was powerful to listen to our youth reimagine youth justice in Alameda County at the recent End Youth Incarceration Town Hall. Alameda County youth have developed a vision for a reimagined youth justice system that will make communities safer and produce better outcomes for youth than the punitive system currently in place. Check out their 10 point plan. Read more in the SF Chronicle. Shout out to Urban Peace Movement (UPM), 67 Sueños, Young Women's Freedom Center, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, @baypeace510 and everyone doing this important work. Pic below by UPM.
Wa Sung Easter Pancake Breakfast
I hope that everyone had a restful, safe, and loving Easter, Ramadan, or Passover with their chosen and/or birth families! I had an amazing time at the Wa Sung Community Service Club's 65th Annual Easter Pancake Breakfast last Sunday, where I got to flip pancakes for families and enjoy the sunshine with residents! A big thank you to everyone who came out and made the event amazing!
Friends of Sausal Creek
Last Saturday, I enjoyed a hiking tour with Friends of Sausal Creek. We explored the Sausal Creek watershed of Joaquin Miller Park — over 2,600 acres that has been critical to our communities since the Ohlone. The watershed is home to over 130 bird species and over 250 plant species like the beautiful trillium we saw blooming. Thank you to the amazing volunteers who are restoring, maintaining, and protecting this important area of our City!
Measure U Housing Conversation
Thanks to everyone who turned out and engaged at our Measure U Affordable Housing Conversation, co-hosted by Oakland's Housing and Community Development Department. We heard about the many issues surrounding building affordable housing, and how we can work with our community to make sure that affordable, accessible housing comes to the neighborhoods with the most need. Much appreciation to all of the residents who participated, and a HUGE thank you to HCD Staff for their time, effort, support, and energy. Watch the zoom conversation here.
#Community #PeoplePoweredGovernment
Tuesday 4/18: Council Meeting Preview
Highlights for this coming Tuesday, April 18th, 4pm Council Meeting:
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Item 3.1: Resolution Honoring James Vann. I'm excited to join City Attorney Parker, Mayor Thao, and Councilmembers Kalb, Fife and Kaplan to honor James Vann for more than 35 years of advocacy on behalf of Oakland tenants and to declare April 18, 2023 James Vann Day!
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Item S6.23: Extended Funding For Coliseum Connections Tenant Shelter
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Item S6.28: Fiscal Year 2024-28 Five-Year Financial Forecast
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Item S6.31: 2023 City Of Oakland Emergency Operations Plan
- Item S9: Covid-19 Eviction Moratorium Phase-Out And Amendments To The Just Cause Ordinance. I look forward to the Council's discussion of my proposal with President Pro Tempore Kalb. (Read more above.)
We are meeting in person at City Hall with an option to join via Zoom. Please note that mask requirements are in place inside City Hall and other public facilities. We are taking public comment on each agenda item, so make sure to fill out your speaker card to participate in public comment for those items you care about — see the agenda for instructions. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you!
Community Calendar️
D2 Town Halls + Community Events
I'm looking forward to our D2 Budget Town Hall. Mark your calendar on Saturday, May 20th from 10AM - 12PM. Stay tuned for more information, location and details!
Also save the dates for our neighborhood community meetings:
- Grand Lake — Wednesday, April 26, 6:30pm at Lakeshore Baptist Church
- San Antonio — Saturday, May 13, 10am (stay tuned for location and details)
Leon Kennedy Art Exhibit at City Hall - 4.19.23, 6 - 7:30pm @ Oakland City Hall
Join artist Leon Kennedy and friends for a reception to celebrate his work. Kennedy has lived and worked in Oakland, California for over 25 years. He captures and paints the people and scenes of Bay Area life. Kennedy paints on “everything” including bedsheets, wood, tables, chairs, glass, and metal. He is inspired by the Spirit. His art has been exhibited locally and internationally: at the Smithsonian Institute, the Collection de l’Art Brut, American Visionary Art Museum, and beyond. 
Oakland Asian Cultural Center “Celebrating Our HEART-Filled Heritage” - 4.22.23 @ 7:30pm
What does it feel like to be Asian American in 2023? How do we express the depth and nuance of our identities? Join us on Earth Day for this special performance featuring Asian-American soul-pop band Joe Kye & the Givers (Portland), electro-pop singer-songwriter SURRIJA (LA), and “third culture pop” musician Nikbo (SF), whose music and storytelling explore the Asian-American soul with vulnerability and personal perspective.
Elevate Oakland All-Star Youth Ensembles - 4.24.23, 7pm @ Yoshi’s Club
Come celebrate OUSD Performers, Teaching Artists, and host, Kev Choice for a night of music and fun!
Free Workshop: Understanding Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Young Adults - 4.26.23, 10am - 1pm
Come learn about the ways in which young people in our community are targeted for sexual exploitation, and what you can do to stop it! Presented by Nola Brantley as a part of Sexually Exploited Minors Awareness Week. Stay tuned to our social media for details.
Oakland Small Business Week | 4.30.23 - 5.6.23
From April 30th to May 6th, 2023, Oakland will celebrate Small Business Week with a variety of virtual and in-person workshops, events, and other activities for small business owners and entrepreneurs - free and open to all. For more information about different workshops and events, make sure that you check out: www.oaklandca.gov/SBW
Freedom Vendors Market - 5.20.23, 9am - 6pm on El Embarcadero @ Lake Merritt
In an effort to support our diverse and deeply appreciated vendor community, the District 2 Office is working with a strategist to support local vendors in creating a safer, more inclusive, and accessible community marketplace. Their inaugural event, the Freedom Vendor's Market, will launch on May 20th on El Embarcadero at Lake Merritt. We hope to see you there!
City & District 2 News and Resources
NEWS:
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Apply for the Oakland Youth Commission
Are you an Oakland youth between the ages of 13 - 21 that wants to make a difference in your community? Then you should apply to the Oakland Youth Commission! Check out the application and the Oakland Youth Commission website for more information.
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Apply for the Oakland Police Commission
Do you want to help oversee the Oakland Police Department? Apply to be on the Police Commission, which ensures OPD policies, practices, and customs conform to national standards of constitutional policing. It takes significant time in meetings, meeting prep, and committee work, but you can help bring fair and just policing to Oakland communities. Commissioners must be over 18 and live in Oakland. They cannot be police officers or City employees. A high school diploma is not required, and formerly incarcerated people are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by May 31. To apply, go to www.oaklandca.gov/policecommission where you can also find more information about the Police Commission. You can watch videos of past meetings, find out about upcoming meetings, and learn about City Code Section 604, which describes the powers and responsibilities of the Police Commission. If you have any questions please call 510-368-5598 between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm any day of the week.
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MLK Freedom Center Civic Engagement Summer Tour
The Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center is hosting their 27th annual, intergenerational Civic Engagement Tour! From June 24th to August 5, travel with an intergenerational cohort of leaders and learn to sharpen your skills, learn more about the democratic process across the nation, and create important connections! We are looking to nominate youth who have an interest in social justice, community organizing, and equity. If you know or are a youth interested in being nominated for this FREE opportunity, please email Eric Adams at [email protected]. For more information about the Tour, contact Isabella Lopez at [email protected], or call (714) 335 3192.
RESOURCES:
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Oakland Animal Services Town Halls: Check out OAS’s Town Hall Series about their services and different topics you may be interested in. Upcoming Dates are: May 10th, June 7th, and July 12th, 2023. Learn more here.
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Business Tax & Licensure Deadlines extended to April 17th, 2023
- Detailed Website with FAQs
- Call (510) 238-3704 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Wednesdays 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (excluding holidays)
- Email [email protected]
- Walk-in services available Monday and Wednesday 8am-4pm through April 17th (for 2023 only). Other times only available by appointment. Face coverings must be worn.
- Calculate your 2023 business tax payment
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Home Electrification Resources: In December of 2020, the City started requiring all new buildings to be all electric, which will create safer homes, more jobs, and an overall better Oakland. Learn more about the timeline and resources and benefits to electrifying your home here: www.oaklandca.gov/projects/electrify
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Clean Cars for All and Charge Program: The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Clean Cars for All program provides up to $9,500 for income-qualified members of communities disproportionately affected by air pollution to retire older vehicles and replace them with a new or used hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric, or fuel cell vehicle, or get a transit card or e-bike. Additionally, up to $2,000 in funding is available for home-charging equipment and installation for purchasing a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle. Applicants must live in a designated, eligible community in the Bay Area and their household income must fall under a specified limit based on their household size. For more information or to apply for Clean Cars for All, visit www.baaqmd.gov/cleancarsforall.
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Does your business have compost and recycling services? Fines to Businesses for lack of compost and recycling service started January 2023:If your business fails to establish compost and recycle collection or get an approved waiver, StopWaste, the Alameda County public agency working on behalf of the City of Oakland to enforce the law, will issue citations for non-compliance. Starting fines range from $50 to $100, depending on the size of a site’s trash service and will increase every 60 days up to $500 if a site continues to not have the required service. Actions to comply with SB 1383 and avoid fines:
- Sign up for compost and recycle service online
- Apply for a minimal generation waiver if your business generates a very small volume (less than 10 or 20 gallons a week) of compostable or recyclable material.
- Protect yourself, protect your community! CA Dept. of Public Health strongly recommends wearing a well-fitted, high-quality mask (N95, KN95, KF94) indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces, along with vaccination, testing, and ventilation. Find a FREE N95 mask near you online or call 1-800-232-0233.
Job Opportunities: Apply & Share!
Find City of Oakland Jobs here!
