2023-2024 City of Alameda Legislative Agenda
General Principle
The City of Alameda (City) will strongly consider supporting the use of incentives to encourage local government action and legislation that promote s social equity and enhances the quality of life and health of Alameda residents. The City will strongly consider opposing any legislation or regulations that negatively affects the City’s budget, City residents, City businesses, or imposes unfunded mandates on the City.
The City’s 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda supports legislation that advances the City Council’s strategic priorities and includes the following legislative focus areas : Base Reuse, Land Use, Infrastructure and Transportation, Public Safety , Health and Human Services, Revenue, Taxation, and Employee Relations, Environment and City Parks, and Housing.
Guiding Legislative Principles
Preserve Alameda’s interests related to base reuse, clean -up, conveyance, and development.
Improve the quality of life for Alameda residents and businesses. Make Alameda safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, increase safety around schools, address the City Council’s stated priorities on transportation projects, directly or indirectly reduce or help alleviate on - and off -island traffic concerns, support efforts to extend BART to Alameda, and lower transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions.
Provide resources for police and fire service s, disaster preparedness, and resiliency and help reduce crime and increase the public safety of Alameda residents, businesses, and visitors.
Increase equity and address systemic racism, provide additional funding and resources to improve the physical health, mental health, and well -being of Alameda residents, provide funding for services and programs for unsheltered residents, and promote social equity.
Maintain City revenue streams , leverage state and federal funding, and create a positive financial impact on the City.
Promote the attraction and retention of qualified employees in the City workforce. Promote environmental protection and sustainability, such as resource and energy efficiency, water quality, air quality, recycling, and conservation. Promotes the development, expansion, and maintenance of Alameda parks, including an aquatic center.
Support the funding and development of affordable and middle -income housing and continue efforts t o increase housing for the unsheltered, including the most vulnerable.
Legislative Focus Areas
Base Reuse
Support the efficient redevelopment and leasing of property at former military bases consistent with approved community reuse plans.
Continue to ensure construction funding is secured and the Department of Veterans Affairs complex, including a Community Based Outpatient Clinic and a National Cemetery Columbarium, will be completed with minimal delays. Seek transportation, park and open space, affordable housing, and infrastructure funds.
Work with the Army Corps of Engineers and other relevant agencies on shoreline stabilization and seek funds for implementation.
Promote funding of environmental clean-up and expedited property conveyance. Support efforts to create and enhance financing tools, such as tax increment financing, for the funding of parks and infrastructure. Seek funding for dredging at Alameda-based piers.
Land Use
Support incentives that assist local governments to accommodate new growth in existing communities.
Support transportation, land use, and building policies that encourage the thoughtful use of resources, lower energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance resilience.
Support actions that minimize noise impacts from planes on the City’s residents. Preserve/expand maritime uses, including removing derelict vessels, dredging, marina upgrades/grants, and regulations.
Oppose leg islation that would limit the City’s ability to control the time, place, manner, and cost of wireless communication facilities on City property, on housing developments in the City of Alameda, and within the public right of way.
Infrastructure and Transportation
Support federal and state funding to support public transit systems in Alameda and regionally, including facilitating BART in Alameda and supporting technical planning for BART by the City.
Support funding and other identified infrastructure needs and deficiencies, including storm water drains that may be impacted by sea level rise. Support the Smart City objective to provide an equitable internet access option for telecommuting, teleschooling, and telehealth to ensure digital inclusion, especially for disadvantaged populations.
Support the Smart City objective to improve safety with emergency response optimization, disaster early -warning signals , and vehicle -to-vehicle communications including advanced collision avoidance systems while reducing threats from cyber-attacks.
Support state legislation to increase enforcement of speed violations, including to allow the use of automated enforcement cameras for speed and red light violations.
Support state legislation to develop a new approach to setting speed limits that would provide more control for local jurisdictions and greater flexibility of speed limit setting in urban areas.
Support innovative technological solutions to eliminate the dangerous use of phones in moving vehicles.
Support changing state requirements that slow down safety projects, including but not limited to CEQA exemptions.
Support Oakland Alameda Access Project traffic improvements. Support the funding and development of a W est End bicycle/pedestrian bridge between Alameda and Oakland and a new underground crossing that includes bike and pedestrian access and a new vehicular roadway. Promote expansion and improvement of Bay Area -wide water transit, with an emphasis on ferry service in Alameda.
Support efforts to remove the Fruitvale Railroad Bridge which is a collapse hazard in the event of an earthquake and threatens the Miller-Sweeney Bridge. Protect existing transportation funding and oppose efforts that would reduce or eliminate funding for cities. Support state, Alameda County, regional, and federal transportation funding for:
o Stable and reliable revenue streams for transportation reconstruction and maintenance that is available for local priorities and transportation needs. o Implementation of the Citywide Transportation Choices Plan, Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, and other City transportation efforts to minimize traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. o Greenhouse gas reduction efforts such as supporting expansion of Electric Vehicles and their charging infrastructure.
o Bicycle, pedestrian, and trail improvements.
Support active transportation efforts including pedestrian and bike safety as well as access improvements throughout the City with an emphasis on enabling residents to get safely to BART, ferries, and other methods of commuting.
Public Safety
Continue s upporting policing and racial equity outcomes consistent with the adopted Police Reform and Racial Equity Committee recommendations. Support for legislation that would deter and reduce catalytic converter theft, including restricting sales and purchases, creating programs to help residents protect their property, and crime prevention efforts.
Support gun safety and common-sense gun laws and policies that keep guns out of the wrong hands, including expanded background check requirements. Increase local control to strengthen firearm safety where state or federal preemption prohibits.
Seek funding and resources for disaster preparedness, infrastructure enhancement, prevention, recovery, response, and resilience for all -hazard threats, including but not limited to flooding, power outages, storms, earthquakes, and fires.
Support legislative efforts to mitigate impacts of Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Maintain federal investment in resources critical to enabling local law enforcement to adequately provide public safety such as the Citizens’ Option for Public Safety (COPS) program funding.
Maintain ful l federal funding for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grant programs and retain the local cost share waiver for the AFG program. Continue and enhance funding for estuary/marine debris and derelict vessel removal.
Support efforts to extend the sunset date and expand the services of the Community Paramedic Program and the potential for funding for a paramedic intervention program.
Support the League of California C ities’ strategic advocacy priority to improve public safety in California communities. Pursue strategies and resources to address crime and its underlying causes. Partner with all levels of government and diverse organizations to improve community safety t hrough prevention and early intervention programming, workforce recruitment and retention, and improved re - entry services.
Health & Human Services
The City supports addressing the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic response and recovery including protecting the health and safety of residents and workers. Continue s upporting policing and racial equity outcomes consistent with the adopted Police Reform and Racial Equity Committee recommendations. Support efforts to fund and further the efforts of the CARE Team (Community Assessment Response & Engagement) led by the Alameda Fire Department that provides a 24/7 alternative response to nonviolent individuals facing a mental health crisis.
Support efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths, including through the provision and broad distribution of naloxone.
Support efforts that increase funding and address the needs of the most vulnerable in Alameda as well as increase positive outcomes for the mentally ill and unhoused population.
Support state and federal efforts to provide greater rights and protections to cities that have adopted Sanctuary City policy.
Support efforts to provide pro bono and other low cost services to residents who are immigrants and refugees and others who are in need. Support efforts that help address inequities created by the previous criminalization of cannabis and protect State rights regarding legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.
Support the work of organizations such as the National Institute of Health, to conduct scientific research that studies cannabis as a substance, its uses and side effects, its classification and possible removal as a Schedule 1 drug , and the potential health benefits of cannabis and reducing opioid abuse. Support women’s health services and protect access to reproductive healthcare. Support efforts and funding that promote public health and sanitation , eliminate food insecurity, and provide resources for testing for lead poisoning , especially among children.
Support funding and other efforts that support small hospitals, including Alameda Hospital.
Support efforts to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our residents, including helping prevent youth smoking and vaping and reducing the consumption of sugary beverages.
Support the League of California Cities’ strategic advocacy priority to protect and expand investments to prevent and reduce homelessness. Secure sustainable state funding that bolsters cities’ efforts to support individuals experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. While protecting existing resources, strengthen state and local partnerships to connect individuals with the care they need through coordinated care systems that provide access to wraparound services, including mental health and substance use treatment.
Revenue, Taxation, and Employee Relations
Oppose measures that put City revenues from fees, charges, and tax revenue at risk and limit the ability of local governments to increase revenue. Support legislation that will prevent the state from redirecting or taking away local revenue sources.
Support state or federal funding for economic recovery related to the COVID -19 pandemic, including but not limited to small businesses, nonprofits, low -income renters, and economic recovery efforts.
Expand economic, business, and job development.
Support legislation that will help local governments recover taxes from remote sellers (e-commerce).
Increase grant funding opportunities with reduced local match requirement. Support state efforts that would reduce the vote threshold for local initiatives. Maintain and when necessary defend funding allocations, particularly as it relates to Sanctuary City status.
Reduce burdensome financial reporting.
Support efforts to increase recruitment and retention for public sector jobs. Maintain decisions about health and retirement benefits at the local level. Assistance with Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) liabilities. Seek assistance with California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) liabilities.
Support the League of California Cities’ strategic advocacy priority to Safeguard essential local revenues and support fiscal sustainability. Protect, increase, and modernize revenue streams for local priorities. Oppose efforts that would reduce or eliminate funding for cities, including unfunded mandates.
Environment, Parks and Open Space
Support additional resources to assist local governments who develop and implement energy efficiency and conservation strategies that maximize available resources, reduce costs, expand community access, and protect public health. Support efforts to create and enhance financing tools, such as climate resilience districts, tax increment funding, and others, for funding CARP priorities. Promote efforts to install public and multi-family EV chargers to support adoption of EVs by low income residents and renters.
Promote efforts to expand the urban forest and ensure the equitable distribution of tree canopy across Alameda to improve public health, reduce pollution, and reduce heat island effects.
Promote funding and incentives to support the retrofit of single and multi-family housing to withstand floods and earthquakes.
Promote the development of new building codes that support the timely restoration of service (functional recovery) following an earthquake. Promote efforts to ensure resilience and long-term functionality of critical public assets threatened by earthquakes, sea level rise, or rising groundwater. Support development of on-island solar power generation and on-island wind power, and microgrid distribution infrastructure.
Promote efforts to prepare Alameda for tsunamis and prepare for a timely evacuation with a focus of access and functional needs populations. Support program funding and efforts to use “green infrastructure,” landscaping, pervious surfaces, green roofs, and on-site stormwater retention facilities to reduce surface runoff and storm drain flooding during storm events. Support funding and resources for local agencies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, including addressing sea level rise and flood protection, implement ing drought tolerant, Bay-Friendly landscape (medians and passive park areas), and providing recycled water infrastructure on the main island. Support the adopted plastic bag and straw bans , efforts to expand existing bans, and Alameda’s disposable food service ware reduction law. Promote and fund recycling and landfill diversion efforts and ensure residents have access to convenient recycling facilities.
Ensure trash is removed from encampments and disposed of properly to avoid long-term environmental impacts that could impact the health of the San Francisco Bay.
Encourage funding and resources to promote and implement energy efficiency and building electrification.
Support resources to assist local governments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Access to cap and trade revenues through appropriations for transportation, sustainable communities, affordable housing, and sea level rise. Support state efforts that would grant authority to municipalities to implement congestion pricing.
Promote regional authority to coordinate climate change responses. Support state, Alameda County, regional, and federal funding for park development, infrastructure, and maintenance.
Support San Francisco Bay Trail and Bay Area Water Trail development and the development of a new regional park at the Northwest Territories in Alameda Point.
Housing
Support legislation to increase housing near transit and jobs and remove barriers to developing housing.
Support regulations to short term rentals (for example, VRBO and Airbnb) including limiting the number of permits issued.
Support legislation and proposals that provide incentives and resources to expand local efforts that integrate housing, transportation, and land use and assist in the reorganization and replacement of existing infrastructure to support Cali fornia's growing population.
Support legislation and proposals that promote tax -increment and other financing mechanisms for the provision of affordable housing.
Support initiatives that expand financial resources for affordable housing development, such as increased access to State bond funds for below market rate loans, grants for special needs housing, and loans and loan guarantees to preserve rental housing for long-term affordable use.
Support full funding for the National Housing Trust Fund, Section 8 , HOME, and the CDBG programs, and legislation that promotes innovation and flexibility for the administration of housing programs including the Moving to Work program, statutory waivers and a jurisdiction’s ability to respond to housing crises locally.
Support measures and funding for those who face additional housing barriers, including unsheltered residents, veterans, seniors, and disabled members of our community.
Support measures that would reduce income inequalities, including tax deductions for low-income renters and lowering the cap on the mortgage interest deduction and devoting revenues to support programs for unsheltered residents and low- income renters.
Support state or federal measures to assist first time homebuyers. Support the League of California Cities’ strategic advocacy priority to increase the supply and affordability of housing while retaining local decision-making. Secure long-term, sustainable funding tools for cities to jumpstart the construction of housing at all income levels and ensure cities retain flexibility to achieve local and state housing goals.
Secure additional resources to increase construction of housing, particularly affordable housing, workforce housing, and permanent supportive housing, and ensure cities retain flexibility based on the land use needs of each community. Support legislation that assists cities to address issues stemming from the State of California’s dissolution of Redevelopment in 2011.
Support legislative efforts to provide a funding mechanism and other strategies to promote economic development and affordable and middle -income housing programs.
Support legislation regarding the unwinding of redevelopment that maximizes the former redevelopment agency’s flexibilit y and authority regarding enforceable obligations, implementation of DDA’s, etc.