Thread by @Oak_Observer

City Council is getting ready to meet: there are technically two meetings today. One at 12:30 was added by Bas with expectation of big items that need to be cleared before year's end. A budget focused meeting on 12/9. 2nd mtg at 3:30 with more legislation

There's a lot more, here's the resolution oakland.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M…

Richardson in his remarks "mentor...is absolutely the word that comes to mind when I think of Barbara...in practice of law [mentor] is extremely important...been one of the great mentors in my and many other people's careers

Another City Attorney: so many lessons, including "how to channel righteous outrage into action"

Several speakers including Kaplan and Kalb noted Parker's "proactive" efforts to protect Oakland communities.

Parker's daughter: "front row seat as her daughter, watching her fight tirelessly for people of Oakland" made sure I knew Oakland wasn't just home, it was the greatest place in the world...[she is]my life long sounding board.

Parker's Daughter: also lauded Richardson as her successor: "I had two different speeches, in case the city was not held in such capable hands [as Ryan Richardson]"

Staff really love Parker.

They made a street sign for her

Bas; "these past four to six years, with covid, economy, public safety have been hard...you have really led and counseled with all of us in such a meaningful way, allowing us to pass legislation under your guidance..."

Parker: "everyone here is so dear to me, and you've been my inspiration, you have sustained, supported me, and you have provided critiques when needed"

Parker thanks Richardson for "diving into the deep end of the swimming pool"

Parker: "the city has been at the center of my life for 33 years...it has allowed me to raise my daughter and has given so much to me in terms of knowledge and skills..."

Parker: "and also some failures, but that's part of a life, if you don't take risks, you get the value...we are facing daunting challenges in Oakland, in our state, in our country and the world, but I know we will persevere, because we have the courage"

Parker takes a special beat to laud Bas for her "exquisite leadership": "you are the best city council president I have seen, and I've been here 33 years"

Dipping for the next two honorifics, back on legislation when it comes.

On to the Consent Calendar

Quite a lot of speakers here, and quite a few of them are from East Bay Rental Housing

consent calendar passed...council is down to bare quorum, with Jenkins and Bas absent, Ramachandran on leave.

Montclair and Rockridge BIDs are required public hearings.

On the renaming of East Oakland Sports Center to Larry Reid Center, Larry Reid called in choked up, recalling having to go to school with "shoes that had holes in them..." and his years of service to help those in similar situations.

The legislation to rename the East Oakland Sports Center to The Larry E. Reid Sports Center passed unanimmously

We've still got several items to go on this agenda, then the next is all non-consent items. it will be a long meeting, not unexpectedly, as its one of the last of the year.

Now Bas is having the overview of the Council President role, lessons learned, and proposed ways forward for next CP.

One of Bas' recs and other branches recs is having Council President also Chair the Rules committee, as Bas has done.

Bas also notes that its the CP role to assure there's quorum for meetings, and that the CP meets together with other departments before Rules, and meets with City Admin before each council mtg. Meets with City Attorney before Closed Sessions.

The CP also meets with the City's lobbyist at state and fed.

The City Attorney, Clerk, and Administrator have also weighed in on insights, feedback and best practices in the report and are also speaking on it at this meeting.

City Clerk Asha Reed is going through the recs, mostly from the report:

Duffey is giving the CAO report also:

All three departments recommend that the Council President fill the Rules Chair role.

Fife noting that Bas has been a great CP. Seems to be a unanimous opinion.

*nearly unanimous, three reservoirs of anger approach lectern.

Speaker complaining that time management is a problem in meetings, while complaining that public speakers are sometimes have speaking time curtailed, ably demonstrating what a hard role the CP is.

All of the CMs present laud Bas: [Ramachandran is not here, open question what she would have said]

Gallo is back to his old habits of leaving in the middle of a meeting.

On to the transfer of the Raiders/Alameda deal from Prologis to the Roots/Soul parent company. Kaplan is the CM bringing the item.

Kaplan mentions Betsy Lake and Brendon Moriarty as staff members that have helped with the new plan.

Kaplan: "this ordinance does not change the price or terms of the deal...allows the Roots to substitute in a new investor partner over previous one""

Kaplan also noting that Roots will play in the Coliseum for 2025 season

My understanding is that the sale was not factored into this year's budget, although there was an expectation it would help. Still trying to confirm that.

Kaplan noting that Roots are renting the site at current moment from City/County which retain joint ownership.

Roots representative thanking the city for facilitating the use of the site, and says they're trying to get a new partner as quickly as possible.

In closing remarks for the first meeting, CM Fife thanked her Chief of Staff who is leaving the office at the end of the current term. Moving on to the next meeting

There's lots of ministerial stuff around the CCA, its also a high interest issue with 55 speakers. I'm not going to do too much reporting on it. It has a lot of support from the neighborhood, which is affluent. Little affordable housing.

EBHO doesn't support the deal: "issue has to do with how the city has approached the project...potential precedent: waivers, [density] exceptions without requiring additional AH in return, in spite of that being the City's stated strategy'

To clarify, EBHO does support development in areas like Rockridge, which have avoided it. Just not like this, and not with things like exceptions and denisity bonuses without a quid pro quo for affordability

Levin: ...only 23 units for very low income, the rest won't be affordable to anyone making less than $120K/year. "idea that the project is promoting racial equity is not sustainable"

Council approved the CCA development.

They're on to the Kalb's rent ordinance: would limit banking CPI rent increases to 5 years, expiring upon sale if not family, from 10; prohibit rent increases/no fault eviction if BLT delinquent; evictions for cause not impacted. extends rent increase challenge from 90 to 180 day

Kalb says they're also adding an amendment that would allow payment plans on BLT to eliminate delinquency status.

Landlords complaining about the policy, but there's few complaints that make sense; the rent/eviction only count against scofflaw landlords. It's as if they are complaining about being held accountable.

Emily Wheeler of OTU, notes that the legislation "does not harm law-abiding landlords...asking landlords to pay their business taxes in order to support the City we all love...the landlords complaining are either lying or been lied to"

Another OTU speaker noted that tenants often live their whole lives in Oakland and have no idea that they can contest illegal rent increases [Kalb's legislation doubles the amount of time to contest the increases from 90 to 180 days]

Derek Barnes of EBRHA does nothing to solve Oakland's housing issues..."what is the problem that you are seeking to solve, banking helps renters...there's no complaints" [buncha tenants just complained, including an elder who said it impacts them more]

The rationale for focusing on landlords is that they are the biggest scofflaw group of BLT delinquents, to answer Barnes' question about why property owners.

Barnes: "a community of owners may already be under distress for financial reasons". BLT is based on gross receipts, on income.

Barnes got more time to speak from Jenkins, who appears to be their representative on council in every way but in writing.

Lisa Jaffe arguing that 90 days contest is not enough time, and 180 days seems like barely much more. Only landlords who are breaking the law would be concerned.

EBRHA often argues that there are many Black landlords. But when given the chance to show demographic data on that, they came up dry, 80% refused to identify. Only 7% of those who did were Black.

These rules will barely affect any tenant who is following the law. They're arguing that landlords should be held to different standards than other business owners, it's wild it happens every time. Even delinquents would be able to start a payment plan to be considered in payment

John de Boer represents the Rent Board and he says that he is representing the Board's opinion. The board--- 2 landlords, 2 tenants and a homeowner---voted to recommend eliminating the timeline for challenging rent increases completely, not just extending to 180 days

Speaker says that OHA is not following through with ADA, not giving space for live in aids. But she came to speak on another issue and ran out on time for that, it wasn't audible.

Dolores Tejada of EBHO says legislation is anti-displacement "taxes are an expense that should be expected to run a business", notes the changes allowing a payment plan. Also says BIPOC tenants can't make the meetings "have to do better job of offering conditions to participate"

Jeff Levin: "5 years of stored up rent increases should be more than enough...its a throwback to pre-Costa Hawkins when there were limits to rent increases for new tenants..." agree with rent adjustment board that there should be no limit to challenge rent increases

A tenant says that they lost their roommate, and got hit with a banked rent increases that she's struggling to meet.

Another tenant says that one of the landlords was lying about how they raise rents.

Kalb responding to some landlord claims: no one pays BLT on income not received, the moratorium ended 17 months ago; doesn't make it more difficult to rent to a good tenant; does not apply to new construction, fallacy that it will discourage new construction; don't apply to SFH

Kalb said that the homeowner that was complaining about their home/rent has an SFH and this doesn't affect them at all [this goes into one of the speaker's claims that some landlords have been lied to]

Kalb noted that the banking limit doesn't go into effect immediately, doesn't create a rush to raise rents for fear of banking reduction; Fife added BLT payment plan to remove delinquency;

One of the landlords who identified as surname Lonay tonight and said they are small landlord is known to own dozens of properties, thanks to Juan C. for the tip

Fife's amendment:

Fife asks if the BLT can be bifurcated out, concerned that it won't get out of Council. Kalb says that his preference is to put it forward as the motion he made and see where the votes are.

Fife, Bas, Kaplan, Kalb would vote yes. Gallo is gone but would vote no, Reid would likely vote no, Jenkins will likely vote no. But with only four affirmative votes, it would be considered a tie and Mayor would have to come to break it.

Reid is getting lost in the weeds of "fair return", which is perhaps the goal. Kalb "this ordinance doesn't change the fair return laws that already exist...questions don't relate to any changes ord would make"

I honestly believe Thao would love to come here and break the tie for tenants, but just spitballing

Kalb noted that the 180 day challenge would be the lowest in the region.

Reid asked if there's any projections about how much would be collected by forcing the BLT from landlords, there's no projections, tho. [she seems to be looking for reasons to vote against this. In the past, Reid has tried to exempt property owners from BLT completely]

Reid says she will abstain from the vote, which under current rules is a no. Reid says she's a renter and has sympathy for rent increases even with her Council income.

Reid also said she would support bifurcation

Bas called the question: Fife, Kalb, Kaplan, Bas, all yes. Reid abstained, Jenkins voted no. This is a tie.

That means the Mayor can break the vote. Bas says she's here by zoom.

Thao is allowed to vote via zoom, per City Attorney.

Bas explains the tie, and Thao votes yes, breaking the tie for tenants.

Thao: "thank you so much to Council member Kalb for this great work"

Now on to the NEO: Tenant attorney Silverstein "this was bad policy on day 1...so I'm really happy that we're turning the page and moving past failed policies...notes that 59 tenants were cited, the majority were Black, almost all of the basis were arrests that were never charged

Silverstein: "I found a case that stemmed from a traffic stop for speeding, because they found ativan...my access to the records was obstructed for over a year by OPD, had to retain an attorney"

Silverstein: "It's the right step, but we really do have to look back at what happened, especially during the time from 2008 to 2012" after listing very disturbing misuse of the law, which was introduced by Larry Reid, ironically, after being honored tonight.

A landlord claims that the legislation helps landlords

Reid asking if other jurisdictions have similar legislation and repealed due to state law changes. Laura Lane responds that many cities are repealing because of changes in state law, and direction from Bonta.

The NEO rescinding passed with 6 ayes, it needs another reading.

This item is a bit out of my subject area, would direct Planning to develop a strategy to require rehab older concrete buildings, "in 18 months...Planning would come back with staff report" on how to do it.

The study direction passed.

They're on to the on site cannabis consumption permit ordinance.

Kaplan moved to delay the item to 12/17 meeting, says that they've received some requests for amendments, taking time to consider the amendments.

Speaker "thousands of us in Oakland who aren't allowed to smoke cannabis in our apartments...where am I supposed to go to smoke, until I can consume the longer effect cannabis"

"We are not there just partying, we are making medicine, do you know why we want to be legal, so we don't get arrested...so that patients can get the medicine and don't have to go into a dark alley..." focused on lack of equity in resolution

That's the end of legislation, announcements and open forum next

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