Oakland's City Council and its committees moved a packed agenda over the past two weeks, with the most consequential decisions centering on the Coliseum Complex sale, two November ballot measures, and a $20.9 million Broadway streetscape contract now headed to the full council.
\nOn July 7, the Council confirmed Elizabeth Lake as interim city administrator in a 6-2 vote. It also voted 7-1 (Jenkins excused) to place two measures on the November ballot: one amending the real property transfer tax foreclosure exception, and an advisory measure on spending increased revenue on homelessness services.
\nThe Council adopted annual budgets for two geologic hazard abatement districts \u2014 Leona Quarry GHAD (6-0, 2 excused) and Oakland Area GHAD (7-0, 1 excused) \u2014 and adopted the 2026/2027 Annual Action Plan for $14.6 million in HUD grants (8-0). It confirmed delinquent business tax liens and authorized their recordation (8-0), received and filed an AC Transit budget and service update (7-1, Houston abstained), and rescheduled the 2026 Miscellaneous Planning Code Amendments from consent to non-consent (8-0).
\nOn July 13, the Council approved an amended ordinance for the sale of the City's interest in the Coliseum Complex at 7000 Coliseum Way (6-1). The amendment removes a provision directing initial lump sum proceeds to CalPERS and moves the matter toward a July 21 concurrent meeting.
\nThe Public Works & Transportation Committee accepted June 23 minutes (4-0) and scheduled the 2025 Safe Oakland Streets report for September 22. It approved collision repair contracts for Quality Body & Fender, rescheduling others (4-0), and forwarded several items to the July 21 Council: an AC Transit Fruitvale Avenue agreement (4-0), a $364,685 energy assessments contract (3-1), a $750,000 EV charging station grant (3-1), a $20.9 million Broadway streetscape contract (3-1), and REAP 2.0 funds for a West Oakland pilot (3-1).
\nThe Finance & Management Committee advanced a $12,399,039 parking operator contract extension through year-end (4-0), requesting additional facility data before it reaches Council. It also approved a $202,500 technology audit grant (4-0), a strategic plan one-year update (4-0), a bond reimbursement resolution for Measures DD, KK, and U (4-0), and up to $490,000 for a forensic audit agreement with Weaver and Tidwell, LLP (4-0). The committee received and filed the FY 2026-30 fiscal health roadmap update (4-0).
\nThe committee approved removal of up to $10,000,000 in code enforcement liens (4-0) and up to $10,000,000 in vacant property tax liens (4-0) to facilitate affordable housing development. It approved forgiveness of a $2,000,000 loan to Athena MT, LLC and a $1,500,000 line of credit to Siavash Afshar (4-0), plus up to $40,000 in rent forgiveness for Seminary Point, LLC (4-0). It also approved workforce development funds totaling up to $4,827,587 and $1,993,914 (4-0), forwarded a professional services agreement with Barretto, Co. for signage (3-1), and received and filed the FY 2025-26 Code Enforcement update (4-0).
\nThe Public Safety Committee forwarded amended OPD surveillance technology reports (3-0), an Oakland Fire Department operational agreement with Alameda County (3-0), a Department of Violence Prevention annual report and policy (4-0), a Bright Research Group training contract (4-0), OPD Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds (4-0), an OPD RSI helicopter maintenance contract (4-0), and an OPD/California Highway Patrol MOU (4-0) to the July 21 Council.
\nThe Life Enrichment Committee forwarded a $100,000 Construction Resource Center Mentor-Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Program grant, HUD Continuum of Care supportive housing renewal funds up to $5,650,302, a $1,319,745 Anti-Poverty Community Services Block Grant, and Measure BB funding for Oakland Paratransit and meal delivery services \u2014 all on 4-0 votes.
\nThe Rules & Legislation Committee scheduled the Coliseum Complex sale amendment for the July 13 Council meeting and forwarded a $747,288 contract increase for the 7th Street Connection Project to the July 14 Public Works Committee. On July 16, the committee recorded that a proposed severance resolution for Jestin Johnson was withdrawn with no new date.
\nThe concurrent meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency and City Council on July 21 will consider appointments of Ricardo Garcia-Acosta and Joey Harrison to the Oakland Police Commission, final passage of the ordinance for the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election, a proposed amendment to the Real Property Transfer Tax Ordinance projected to raise $4-$13 million annually, renewal of local emergency declarations for HIV/AIDS, medical cannabis access, and homelessness, and Councilmember travel reimbursements to the League of California Cities and Congressional Black Caucus conferences.
", "Oakland's City Council and its committees moved a packed agenda over the past two weeks, with the most consequential decisions centering on the Coliseum Complex sale, two November ballot measures, and a $20.9 million Broadway streetscape contract now headed to the full council.\n\n## City Council: Ballot Measures, Interim Administrator, Coliseum Sale\nOn July 7, the Council confirmed Elizabeth Lake as interim city administrator in a 6-2 vote. It also voted 7-1 (Jenkins excused) to place two measures on the November ballot: one amending the real property transfer tax foreclosure exception, and an advisory measure on spending increased revenue on homelessness services.\n\nThe Council adopted annual budgets for two geologic hazard abatement districts \u2014 Leona Quarry GHAD (6-0, 2 excused) and Oakland Area GHAD (7-0, 1 excused) \u2014 and adopted the 2026/2027 Annual Action Plan for $14.6 million in HUD grants (8-0). It confirmed delinquent business tax liens and authorized their recordation (8-0), received and filed an AC Transit budget and service update (7-1, Houston abstained), and rescheduled the 2026 Miscellaneous Planning Code Amendments from consent to non-consent (8-0).\n\nOn July 13, the Council approved an amended ordinance for the sale of the City's interest in the Coliseum Complex at 7000 Coliseum Way (6-1). The amendment removes a provision directing initial lump sum proceeds to CalPERS and moves the matter toward a July 21 concurrent meeting.\n\n## Public Works: Broadway Streetscape and Collision Repairs\nThe Public Works & Transportation Committee accepted June 23 minutes (4-0) and scheduled the 2025 Safe Oakland Streets report for September 22. It approved collision repair contracts for Quality Body & Fender, rescheduling others (4-0), and forwarded several items to the July 21 Council: an AC Transit Fruitvale Avenue agreement (4-0), a $364,685 energy assessments contract (3-1), a $750,000 EV charging station grant (3-1), a $20.9 million Broadway streetscape contract (3-1), and REAP 2.0 funds for a West Oakland pilot (3-1).\n\n## Finance: Parking Contract and Forensic Audit\nThe Finance & Management Committee advanced a $12,399,039 parking operator contract extension through year-end (4-0), requesting additional facility data before it reaches Council. It also approved a $202,500 technology audit grant (4-0), a strategic plan one-year update (4-0), a bond reimbursement resolution for Measures DD, KK, and U (4-0), and up to $490,000 for a forensic audit agreement with Weaver and Tidwell, LLP (4-0). The committee received and filed the FY 2026-30 fiscal health roadmap update (4-0).\n\n## Community & Economic Development: Tax Liens and Seminary Point Debt\nThe committee approved removal of up to $10,000,000 in code enforcement liens (4-0) and up to $10,000,000 in vacant property tax liens (4-0) to facilitate affordable housing development. It approved forgiveness of a $2,000,000 loan to Athena MT, LLC and a $1,500,000 line of credit to Siavash Afshar (4-0), plus up to $40,000 in rent forgiveness for Seminary Point, LLC (4-0). It also approved workforce development funds totaling up to $4,827,587 and $1,993,914 (4-0), forwarded a professional services agreement with Barretto, Co. for signage (3-1), and received and filed the FY 2025-26 Code Enforcement update (4-0).\n\n## Public Safety, Life Enrichment, and Rules\nThe Public Safety Committee forwarded amended OPD surveillance technology reports (3-0), an Oakland Fire Department operational agreement with Alameda County (3-0), a Department of Violence Prevention annual report and policy (4-0), a Bright Research Group training contract (4-0), OPD Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds (4-0), an OPD RSI helicopter maintenance contract (4-0), and an OPD/California Highway Patrol MOU (4-0) to the July 21 Council.\n\nThe Life Enrichment Committee forwarded a $100,000 Construction Resource Center Mentor-Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Program grant, HUD Continuum of Care supportive housing renewal funds up to $5,650,302, a $1,319,745 Anti-Poverty Community Services Block Grant, and Measure BB funding for Oakland Paratransit and meal delivery services \u2014 all on 4-0 votes.\n\nThe Rules & Legislation Committee scheduled the Coliseum Complex sale amendment for the July 13 Council meeting and forwarded a $747,288 contract increase for the 7th Street Connection Project to the July 14 Public Works Committee. On July 16, the committee recorded that a proposed severance resolution for Jestin Johnson was withdrawn with no new date.\n\n## Coming Up\nThe concurrent meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency and City Council on July 21 will consider appointments of Ricardo Garcia-Acosta and Joey Harrison to the Oakland Police Commission, final passage of the ordinance for the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election, a proposed amendment to the Real Property Transfer Tax Ordinance projected to raise $4-$13 million annually, renewal of local emergency declarations for HIV/AIDS, medical cannabis access, and homelessness, and Councilmember travel reimbursements to the League of California Cities and Congressional Black Caucus conferences.", "2026-07-20 12:07:03"]], "columns": ["rowid", "muni_id", "week_of", "headline", "article_html", "article_md", "created_at"], "primary_keys": ["rowid"], "primary_key_values": ["5"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 34.433451015502214, "source": "MyTown", "source_url": "https://mytown.theboringparts.com", "license": "CC BY 4.0", "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"}