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Recommendation to Approve the 2023-24 Legislative Agenda for the City of Alameda. (City Manager 10021030) ..Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) adopts a two-year Legislative Agenda that serves as a guide for the City’s legislative advocacy efforts. By adopting a Legislative Agenda, City staff and the Mayor and City Council are able to react quickly to most legislative issues as they arise, ensuring the City is engaged in legislative matters that impact the City.
The 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda was created with the 2021-2022 City Council approved Legislative Agenda as a foundation and then incorporating feedback from City department directors and interviews with the Mayor and members of the City Council. At this time, staff is seeking City Council approval on the draft 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda.
BACKGROUND
Previous versions of the Legislative Agenda were adopted on December 3, 2013, December 2, 2014, November 3, 2015, March 21, 2017, March 20, 2018, May 7, 2019, March 3, 2020, and February 16, 2021. Following the City Council’s adoption of the 2023-24 Legislative Agenda, City staff will share the document with our state and federal representatives, and will use it as a road map for the City’s advocacy efforts in coordination with state and federal legislative advocates.
At the state level, the City is currently working to advance legislation that addresses priority issues, including maintaining revenue streams, affordable housing, addressing homelessness, flood protection and adapting to sea level rise, ensuring public safety and reducing theft, transportation choices including BART to Alameda, and ensuring access to Naloxone (Narcan) and other lifesaving medications.
In 2022, the City supported 50 pieces of state legislation on issues including common sense gun control measures, restricting the sale of catalytic converters, and pedestrian and bike safety. The City sponsored AB 2319 with Assemblymember Bonta which exempts Alameda Point from the Surplus Lands Act to allow development to continue and worked closely on AB 252 which expands tenant protections to floating homes. Last year, the City was awarded $1.8 million in state budget funding for the CARE Team pilot project and will continue to seek state budget and other funding opportunities. .
At the federal level, the City is working to secure community project funding for supportive housing, transportation safety improvements, police radio equipment, and the CARE Team. Last year, the City received $2 million in federal budget monies for the Veteran’s Court seawall design and transitional housing. The City remains actively engaged with the Veterans Administration (VA), U.S. Navy, and Army Corps of Engineers on the development of a VA hospital and columbarium at Alameda Point. The City continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and other stakeholders to ensure funding for the removal of the Fruitvale rail bridge, as a hazard to the Miller Sweeney Bridge. Recently, funding for a disposition study, which is the next stage of this project, was included in the Army Corps budget as a result of the City’s advocacy efforts.
DISCUSSION
The draft 2023-24 Legislative Agenda includes feedback from the City’s department directors, the Mayor, and City Councilmembers. The draft also includes the League of California Cities 2023 Advocacy Priorities, including protecting and expanding investments to prevent and reduce homelessness, increasing the supply and affordability of housing while retaining local decision-making, improving public safety in California communities, safeguarding essential local revenues and supporting fiscal sustainability.
The City’s draft 2023-24 Legislative Agenda’s General Principle is to strongly consider supporting incentives to encourage local government action and legislation that promotes 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 Legislative Agenda is divided into eight focus areas including Base Reuse; Land Use; Infrastructure and Transportation; Public Safety; Health and Human Services; Revenue, Taxation, and Employee Relations; Environment, Parks and Open Space; and Housing. When updating the Legislative Agenda, items are removed when they have been resolved, including when legislation has been passed.
Highlights of additions made to the 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda include:
Promoting efforts to install public and multi-family Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers to support adoption of EVs by low-income residents and renters. Promoting funding and incentives to support the retrofit of single and multi-family housing to withstand floods and earthquakes. Supporting 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. Supporting funding and other identified infrastructure needs and deficiencies, including storm water drains that may be impacted by sea level rise. Supporting 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. Supporting 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. Supporting efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths, including through the provision and broad distribution of naloxone. Funding and other efforts that support small hospitals, including Alameda Hospital.
ALTERNATIVES
Provide direction to staff on the draft 2023-24 Legislative Agenda and approve as amended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from the adoption of the Legislative Agenda. However, pursuing the items in the Legislative Agenda is intended to defend as well as promote the City’s financial stability.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report. However, if the City does not have an approved Legislative Agenda, the City may not be able to act on legislation that increases resiliency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and has a positive climate impact.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the 2023-24 Legislative Agenda for the City of Alameda.
Respectfully submitted by,
Sarah Henry, Communications and Legislative Affairs Officer Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Draft Legislative Agenda
2. Redlined Legislative Agenda