Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Edward D. Reiskin
City Administrator City Administrator
SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTAL – Public Safety
Budget Policy Directives
DATE: February 23, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On The Implementation Of The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-23 City Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives, Including Status Of Conducting (1) An Analysis Of Calls For Service And Recommendations To Transfer Certain Calls To Alternative Response By April 2022, (2) An Independent Audit Of The Police Department By December 2022, And (3) Analysis Of Restructuring Investigation Units To Improve Solve Rates by Increasing Civilian Staff And Reducing Sworn Staff.
REASON FOR SUPPLEMENTAL
At the February 8, 2022 Public Safety Committee (PSC) meeting, the PSC requested an update on Phase I implementation of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force (RPSTF) recommendations adopted and prioritized in 2021, to inform development of the scope of work for Phase II. This supplemental report provides the requested implementation updates, staff look forward to continuing the discussion at the upcoming PSC meeting to solicit public and Councilmember feedback on the substance of the scope and any other aspects of the RPSTF process in order to inform next steps.
The Oakland City Council established the RPSTF on July 28, 2020 (Resolution No. 88269 CMS), a seventeen-member body tasked with the goal to “rapidly reimagine and reconstruct the public safety system in Oakland by developing a recommendation for Council consideration to increase community safety through alternative responses to calls for assistance, and investments in programs that address the root causes of violence and crime…with a goal of a 50 percent reduction in the Oakland Police Department (OPD) General Purpose Fund (GPF) budget allocation.” In addition to the Task Force, five subject-area Advisory Boards were also established, each co-chaired by one Task Force member and one non-Task Force member.
Each Advisory Board established workgroups by topic area, and after a series of presentations by City staff and other experts, and numerous meetings and discussions, the Advisory Boards developed a total of 155 recommendations which were submitted to the Task Force on March 1st, 2021. After extensive discussion, the Task Force adopted a total of 88 recommendations at its March 10th and March 17th, 2021 meetings. Several recommendations were subsequently merged by the Task Force Co-Facilitators, resulting in a reduction in the total number of recommendations from 88 to 48 (view here, pages 25-31).
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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The RPSTF final recommendations were presented to the PSC on April 13th, 2021 and the final RPSTF report and recommendations were approved by the City Council at a special meeting on May 3rd, 2021. In addition, Council President Fortunato Bas and Councilmember Fife also sponsored a resolution at the special May 3rd meeting which elevated twelve recommendations from the RPSTF that “1) reduce situations that could lead to escalation and police violence, 2) provide the most appropriate response to service calls, including those that do not require a sworn police officer, and 3) address the root causes of violence and poverty” (view report and resolution here). The resolution, adopted unanimously by the City Council (Resolution No. 88607 CMS), prioritized these twelve recommendations for “staff analysis, costing, and serious consideration in the Fiscal Year 2021-2023 Budget.”
On June 15, 2021, City staff issued an informational memo to the Mayor, City Council and the public with updates regarding the implementation status of the twelve prioritized recommendations identified in Resolution No. 88607 CMS. The remainder of this supplemental report includes the responses previously shared in the 2021 memo as well as updated implementation status as of February 2022 of the twelve prioritized recommendations from Phase I of the RPSTF process, to inform the PSC of implementation progress and assist in development of a scope of work for Phase II of the RPSTF.
I. Recommendation: Invest long-term into Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) by scaling up the pilot program over the next three years (at an estimated cost of $25 million) as put forth by recommendation 57, allowing police to shift resources to address violent crimes, while keeping vulnerable members of our community safe by limiting the possibility of escalation and use of force.
2021 Response:
The Mayor’s proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-23 Policy Budget adds $2.6 million to start and ramp-up the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) program. In addition, City Administration has engaged with Alameda County, is looking to secure 1:1 federal matching funds through MediCal/Medicaid, as well as pursue state, federal and grant funding.
2022 Response:
MACRO’s official launch date is scheduled for April 9, 2022. Crew Members have received conditional offer letters for employment from the City and will start work in March, beginning a 3-week training program. MACRO Crews will respond to low acuity quality of life calls in three categories: (1) Behavioral Health Issues, (2) Individual Well- Being, and (3) Community Disturbance. MACRO has received thirty-one (31) applications from individuals applying to participate on the Community Advisory Board and will be working with Jeweld Legacy Group (JLG) to schedule interviews in March 2022, with the goal of seating the group by the first week of April.
II. Recommendation: Invest in alternative crisis response programs, including creating crisis hotlines outside of the 911 emergency system as put forth by recommendation 58 (with an approximate cost of $750,000 per year to be distributed by RFP process), Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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which will allow the City to meet the needs of members of our community who may not feel safe seeking assistance through the current emergency response system that centers law enforcement.
2021 Response:
Similar to long-term investments in MACRO, the City plans to seek 1:1 federal matching funds through MediCal/Medicaid, as well as pursue state, federal and grant funding to support creation of crisis hotlines outside of the 911 emergency system.
Staff continues to monitor the progress of State Assembly Bill (AB) 988, which would establish a monthly fee on mobile phone and landline bills to create a new three-digit phone line, 988, for suicide prevention and localized emergency response for individuals in mental health crisis by trained mental health professionals.
2022 Response:
MACRO is under the supervision of the Medical Services Division within the Oakland Fire Department (OFD). The MACRO program will be contacted through the current 911 system and dispatched through OFD . A dedicated MACRO line will be established for direct access to MACRO dispatch, but the program may also be reached through OFD’s non-emergency number, (510) 444-3322 for Fire Dispatch.
III. Recommendation: Increase gender-based violence services by investing (an additional $1.35 million annually) in funding to the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) as put forth by recommendation 72; invest ($1 million) annually to expand flexible funding for survivors of gender-based violence per recommendation 73; and invest ($2.5 million) annually for gender-based violence prevention as highlighted in recommendation 74; with an average of 6,000 911 calls related to domestic violence per year in Alameda County and Oakland accounting for the highest rate of calls at
25.2 per 100,000 residents, it is critical to allocate the necessary funds towards preventative and supportive measures.
2021 Response:
DVP’s current proposed Violence Prevention Services Spending Plan (Spending Plan) recommends investing $2.2 million towards Tier 1 gender-based violence (GBV) response and support operations, including 24-hour intimate partner violence (IPV) hotline, legal and bedside advocacy for IPV, drop-in center and life coaching for commercially sexually exploited (CSE) youth, and emergency shelter/safe space and therapeutic support for both CSE and IPV. An additional $2.5 million in funding would be needed to enable the DVP to offer services and resources identified as Tier 2 investments in the Spending Plan, which include scaling-up current IPV and CSE services, as well as providing GBV- centered employment support and placement, GBV support groups, GBV-centered leadership development and a community education campaign. An additional $1.55 million in funding would be needed to enable the DVP to offer services and resources identified as Tier 3 investments in the Spending Plan, including transitional housing, systems data collection/research development, and policy advocacy/organizing. The Council President’s amendments to the Mayor’s proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget allocates $7.0 million in one-time Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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funding in FY 2021-22 and $10.0 million in one-time funding in FY 2022-23 to the DVP to “invest in DVP Strategy & Alternative Safety Plan: Community Outreach Workers, Violence Interrupters, Ambassadors, Restorative Justice, Gender-Based Violence Services.” The Spending Plan was most recently discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on June 8, 2021 and is scheduled to return before this Committee on July 13, 2021, after adoption of the FY 2021-23 Policy Budget.
2022 Response:
The General Purpose Fund (GPF) allocation to the DVP in the 2-year Budget adopted in June 2021 provided $10 million in FY 2022-23, roughly doubling the DVP's annual budget. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Violence Intervention and Prevention Services was issued in December 2021. The RFQ included a gender-based violence strategy that outlined crisis response, housing, and wrap-around support services which DVP seeks community-based partners to deliver. The DVP estimates roughly $5 million annually will be invested to address intimate partner violence and commercial sexual exploitation.
IV. Recommendation: Pending changes in California State law, move most traffic enforcement out of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and into the Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) as put forth by recommendation 59; most traffic stops are non-violent and do not require the presence of law enforcement and should be handled by unarmed civil servants and with Black residents being stopped at significantly higher rates than any other group, this is a necessary first step to addressing the racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
2021 Response:
Recognizing that state law currently prohibits civilian traffic enforcement, this recommendation is generally consistent with the goals and strategic direction of the Safe Oakland Streets (SOS) initiative. SOS recommends a comprehensive, coordinated, interagency approach to create a safe transportation system through engineering, engagement/education, planning, evaluation, policy and enforcement that eliminates traffic deaths and reduces severe injuries, protects the most vulnerable, and reduces disparities by race, income and age. SOS includes OakDOT working with OPD to advance local and state policy that would allow for additional, effective tools such as automated enforcement and changes in local speed limit setting to be conducted by OakDOT and that – with a focus on addressing any potentially adverse equity impacts – can reduce the need for traditional enforcement and associated biases and risks, decrease dangerous speeding and other behaviors associated with injury and death, and improve safety for our most vulnerable residents. SOS further recommends focusing the City’s limited traditional enforcement resources, to be conducted by OPD, on the high injury network and most dangerous driving behaviors with a data-driven approach, developing explicit guidance for reducing the racial disparity in non-dispatch traffic stops and crashes, and adding traffic violations as a special section in the annual OPD Stop Data report for accountability.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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Pursuant to the SOS initiative and the RPSTF, the Mayor’s proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget transfers the Vehicle Enforcement Units within the OPD Traffic Division to OakDOT in FY 2022-23. These Units include Abandoned Auto Detail, Scofflaw Detail, Commercial Detail, and Taxi Detail. The transition of these functions to OakDOT may facilitate deemphasizing criminalization of outcomes related to poverty.
2022 Response:
Unfortunately, State legislation allowing for in-person traffic enforcement of moving violations by non-sworn personnel has not advanced since the 2021 Response above.
OakDOT, the Mayor's Office and the City Council advocated for the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 550 in the 2021 State legislative session. This bill would have authorized Oakland to develop and implement a pilot program of camera-based automated speed enforcement. However, AB 550 did not make it to the Governor's desk for approval. In the current session, earlier this month Chair of the State Assembly Transportation Committee Laura Friedman introduced AB 2336, which would create "a five year pilot program authorizing the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and two unspecified cities to use speed cameras to enforce speed limits on their highest injury streets, in school zones, and on streets with a history of speed contests and motor vehicle exhibitions of speed." OakDOT will advocate strongly for passage of this bill into law, as it is the most significant step forward that could be taken to advance this RPSTF recommendation.
OakDOT is working with a Goldman School of Public Policy fellow to explore the reintroduction of red-light automated enforcement in a way that minimizes equity impacts and maximizes safety benefits
In FY 2021-22, OakDOT completed the reorganization of Parking Citation adjudication and collection from the Finance Department. This facilitates a mobility and customer- oriented consolidated program and process. The City of Oakland, including the City Administrator's Office (CAO), Oakland Police Department (OPD) and OakDOT are currently working to reorganize the Abandoned Auto section from OPD to OakDOT. This reorganization is anticipated to take place in the Summer of 2022.
OakDOT and the interdepartmental team continue to advance the Safe Oakland Streets (SOS) Strategy. Notably, OakDOT hired a program coordinator in the first quarter of 2022, and developed a plan to respond to the passage into law of AB 43, which gives cities more flexibility in setting and maintaining speed limits. OakDOT’s informational report regarding local transportation safety planning related to the implementation of AB 43, presented to the Public Works Committee in January 2022, is available here. As a part of SOS, OakDOT is working with the CAO, OPD and Department of Race and Equity (DRE) to produce an annual report to the City Council in Spring 2022 that will include the status of agency efforts, including the OPD-led enforcement strategies.
V. Recommendation: Enact and implement Police Commission’s proposed “Militarized Controlled Equipment Policy” and seek to demilitarize the Oakland Police Department (OPD), which includes but is not limited to, eliminating the BearCAT armored vehicles Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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as put forth by recommendations 38 and 43; the militarization of police departments has no significant impact on crime reduction but serves to further deteriorate police- community relations and establishing a regulatory framework on the purchase and use of militarized equipment by OPD is a necessary step towards a more community- centric approach to safety.
2021 Response:
A proposed ordinance, sponsored by Vice Mayor Kaplan, to establish rules for the Oakland Police Department’s acquisition and use of military and militaristic equipment was discussed at the June 8, 2021 Public Safety Committee meeting, and is advancing to the June 15, 2021 City Council meeting for City Council consideration.
The newly proposed ordinance would add Chapter 9.65 to the Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) to create a new regulatory environment similar to the Oakland Surveillance Technology Ordinance (OMC 9.64). OPD currently develops use policies, impact reports, and annual reports for different types of surveillance technology subject to OMC 9.64.
These work products require significant staff time to develop, refine, and present to the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission. Numerous professional and sworn staff of different classifications and rank are involved in this work. OPD has limited staff to currently address the numerous privacy regulations required by current OMC 9.64.
The proposed “Acquisition and Use of Military and Militaristic Equipment Ordinance” (OMC 9.65) may require the coordination of disparate inventory systems that were not created to work together in a manner that leads to efficient tracking per OMC 9.65 reporting requirements. There will be an increase in the manual workload to implement the necessary requirements. Staff believes that the addition of OMC 9.65 will likely lead to a similar if not greater level of administrative burden than currently required by the Surveillance Technology Ordinance (OMC 9.64). OPD does not currently have the necessary budget allocation to sustain the new work requirements OMC 9.65 would require. In order for OPD to comply with the requirements of the proposed ordinance as currently written, the City Council will have to provide the necessary positions and funding as discussed June 10, 2021 staff supplemental report.
2022 Response:
As described in the 2021 Response above, OPD did not have the staffing to fulfill the requirements of OMC 9.65 as of the last update to this report. Significant staff time is needed to develop use policies, impacts reports, and annual reports for the different types of equipment, which cannot be accomplished with OPD’s existing limited staff.
Additional staff is also required to track the military and militaristic equipment as required by OMC 9.65.
To assist with meeting the workload demand of these reporting requirements, an Administrative Assistant II (AA II) position was added to OPD’s budget. Although the top two candidates from the AA II eligible list were interviewed and selected for this position, Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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they later notified OPD that they accepted positions elsewhere. A second round of interviews began the week of February 14, 2022. A candidate was selected and has been placed in the background check process. The estimated time for completion of the background is April 2022.
On September 23, 2021, OPD presented three proposals for the BearCat replacement to the Police Commission (view report here). The Commission took the proposals under consideration and has not yet provided OPD with a final decision regarding which type of replacement vehicle the City should purchase.
VI. Recommendation: Build a restorative justice web of support, including providing more comprehensive reentry support and expanding restorative justice diversion for youth and young adults (with an estimated annual cost of $1,700,000-3,000,000), as put forth by recommendations 67, 68, 69 and 70; working with restorative justice centers, community organizations, service providers, school restorative justice hubs and community healing spaces, we can create non-punitive structures to addressing harm and preventing violence.
2021 Response:
Recommendation 69/107 seeks the expansion of two restorative justice diversion programs, Neighborhood Opportunity and Accountability Board (NOAB) and Community Works West (CWW), proposing to allocate $150,000 annually to expand CWW’s program and $600,000 annually to expand NOAB. Cumulatively, these recommendations seek to scale-out restorative and transformative justice centers (such as Alt Ed Hub, which is included in Measure Y) that can provide wrap-around services for conflict mediation, diversion, re-entry support and services, office space, career technical education, and bridge support. Related to this, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) issued a new safety plan following the vote to remove police officers from schools last year – thus, there will need to be restorative justice (RJ) training for security officers and campuses will need more supports for mediating conflicts and preventing conflicts.
The Oakland Fund For Children and Youth (OFCY) currently funds OUSD RJ through a grant, and has for many years. The Human Services Department (HSD) also managed the $1.2 million in one-time funding provided to OUSD from the City Council last year for RJ work. The DVP has also invested in RJ work. This augmented investment can build upon work supported historically and begin to bring it to scale.
2022 Response:
DVP currently funds a Youth Diversion model that includes a restorative justice program and restorative practices as part of the Community Healing grants.
In FY 2022-23, DVP will continue funding Youth Diversion and Healing activities that include restorative practices. Also, School-site Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) teams at several high schools will include violence interruption and youth life Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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coaching support along with gender-based violence specialist services to support connection to the DVP Network of providers.
VII. Recommendation: Increase General Purpose Fund (GPF) allocation and available grants for Department of Violence Prevention strategies, invest in Community Outreach Workers and Violence Interrupters, and provide financial support to individuals at risk of engaging in crime or violence (in the amount of $150,000- $175,000 annually per community outreach worker total), as put forth by recommendations 144 and 148, which will allow communities to build capacity to address their own needs while creating opportunities where they may not exist and limiting reliance on law enforcement.
2021 Response:
DVP’s current proposed Violence Prevention Services Spending Plan (Spending Plan) recommends investing $4.4 million to maintain Tier 1 gun/group/gang violence response operations, including violent incident crisis response, youth and adult life coaching, and employment support and placement, and $2.2 million to maintain Tier 1 community healing and restoration activities, including community ambassadors, mental health and grief/trauma supports and provider network capacity building and trainings. An additional $5 million in funding towards gun/group/gang violence response and $2.5 million towards community healing and restoration would be needed to enable the DVP to offer services and resources in these categories identified as Tier 2 investments in the Spending Plan, which include scaling-up current violence incident crisis response services, community ambassador program, mental health and grief/trauma supports and other Tier 1 activities and operations.
An additional $3.1 million in funding towards gun/group/gang violence response and $1.55 million towards community healing and restoration would be needed to enable the DVP to offer services and resources in these categories identified as Tier 3 investments in the Spending Plan, including transitional housing, youth drop-in neighborhood centers, reentry hubs, grassroots mini-grants, leadership development, policy advocacy, and roving medical clinics. As mentioned above, the Council President’s amendments to the Mayor’s proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget propose allocating $7 million in one-time funding in FY 2021-22 and $10 million in one-time funding in FY 2022-23 to the DVP to “invest in DVP Strategy & Alternative Safety Plan: Community Outreach Workers, Violence Interrupters, Ambassadors, Restorative Justice, Gender-Based Violence Services.” The Spending Plan was most recently discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting on June 8, 2021 and is scheduled to return before this Committee on July 13, 2021, after adoption of the FY 2021-23 Policy Budget.
2022 Response:
The GPF allocation to the DVP included in the 2-year Budget adopted in June 2021 provided $10 million in FY 2022-23, roughly doubling the DVP's annual budget. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Violence Intervention and Prevention Services was issued in December 2021, seeking providers to administer activities such as outreach Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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teams, violence interrupters, and community capacity building and mini-grants. DVP anticipates award recommendations will be brought to City Council in May 2022 for services to begin in July 2022.
VIII. Recommendation: Increase investment and alignment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission (OYAC) and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council (OPC-YLC) to enable effective resourcing for recruitment, planning and coordination needed to center and legitimize youth voices related to improving community safety at scale, (at an annual cost of $532,200), as put forth in recommendation #122.
2021 Response:
In the Mayor’s proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget, the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission (OYAC) members will be awarded stipends ($22,500 per FY). The more robust proposal put forth in Recommendation 122 includes adding staffing to the current
1.00 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee to support expanded stipend resources, contracting capacity, internships, and other activities. This would allow for more robust youth voice work in multiple policy areas. Staff recommends that stipends be aligned with the OFCY Youth Educational grants of $900 per year, or if increased, that they be increased for all youth serving members on similar boards. The youth stipends proposed in Recommendation 122 would be commensurate with the going-rate for youth stipends in Oakland, which is on average $20 per hour. Youth Commissioners and OPC-YLC members meet a minimum of 12 hours per month and sometimes 20 hours per week depending on the priorities.
Recommendation 122 also proposes hiring 1.00 FTE Program/Legislative Associate (salary range $73,000-$103,000) who would contribute youth voice and perspective to the City's management of public safety. Per the Police Commission Chair, the Police Commission would like to enable youth participation but the workload for Commissioners and current staff is already very high. Adding this Program/Legislative Associate would expand the Youth Commission's capacity to participate in policy- related conversations on public safety. The additional staff person would be responsible for tracking and translating policy for youth participants.
The OPC-YLC additionally would like permanent funding to support building relationships between youth leaders and the Police Department, which results in advising on hiring panels, internships, and effective engagement with youth community. Recommendation 122 also proposes hiring 1.00 FTE Youth Leadership Program Manager (salary range $79,000-$90,000) to support OPC-YLC, as well as
1.00 FTE Youth Grant Writer (salary range $80,000-$120,000) to support both OYAC and OPC-YLC.
The current OYAC operations and maintenance budget (O&M) is $25,000; increasing the OYAC budget to $150,000 would enhance the ability of the Commission to incorporate arts, conduct citywide youth conferences, continue restorative justice, collect youth data, and organize wider youth input.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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2022 Response:
Through the Mayor's Proposed Budget in 2021, the Human Services Department (HSD) budget was augmented through the General Purpose Fund, and a part-time management intern was hired to support Oakland Youth Advisory Commission's policy and advocacy work. An educational stipend fund was also established to provide $900 per youth which will be prorated and awarded at the completion of the program year.
The OPC-YLC via Fresh Lifelines for Youth has applied for OFCY funding in the 2022- 2025 Request For Proposals (RFP) and OYAC provided a letter of recommendation.
IX. Recommendation: As part of the Council’s priority efforts to create more affordable housing and to reduce homelessness, create immediate housing solutions, including purchasing motels and/or hotels for housing, providing rental assistance, and expanding supportive services to include the needs of the working-class and unhoused populations as put forth in recommendation 77; investment in social services, including stable housing is essential to eliminating crime and violence.
2021 Response:
The Mayor’s proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget dedicates $32 million to affordable housing over the next two years, including $21 million through special one-time grants that the Housing & Community Development Department (HCD) has successfully acquired through federal and state grant programs, specifically the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME Program) and Homekey grant. This funding is in addition to the ongoing $1.17 million HCD receives from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its annual allocation of the HOME Program funding. HCD is anticipating $7.5 million in impact fee revenues that it can dedicate to affordable housing development throughout the city ($4.5 million in FY 2021-22 and $3 million in FY 2022-23). In addition, the proposed FY 2021- 23 Policy Budget distributes $12.8 million in rent relief through the Keep Oakland Housed initiative to qualifying Oakland tenants in FY 2021-22, or until funds run out. The City recently received this emergency aid for rent relief from the U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program as a part of the Federal stimulus package that was passed in December 2020. Oakland tenants can apply for this funding online, over the phone, or through in-person assistance. This is separate rent relief funding from what the State of California is providing to tenants and property owners through its Senate Bill 91 Housing is Key legislation. If the City receives any additional rent relief funding, it will continue to distribute this assistance through the Keep Oakland Housed partner agencies.
The proposed FY 2021-23 Policy Budget also adds $19.3 million in one-time homelessness funding to the $22 million in baseline contracts the Human Services Department (HSD) receives to provide services to unhoused individuals. In FY 2020- 21, HSD received additional one-time allocations of state and federal funds totaling approximately $27 million. Another $9 million at least is expected from the State in FY 2021-22. Each of the new funding sources has varying eligible activities; however, taken together, these new funding sources present an unprecedented opportunity to: 1) maintain a COVID-19 compliant emergency shelter of 128 bed Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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HomeBase trailers in East Oakland to unhoused residents at high risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19; 2) preserve and extend existing interventions until FY 2021-22 to support approximately 800 people in emergency shelters, community cabins, and safe recreational vehicle (RV) parking sites; 3) expand other homeless services in alignment with the Permanent Access To Housing (PATH) framework such as encampment support, hotel vouchers, employment support, and permanent housing subsidies; and 4) maintain permanent affordable housing such as Clifton Hall, which is 42 units of permanent housing for homeless seniors created under the State HomeKey program with a 15-year operating reserve while also increasing exit resources in various shelter facilities to support clients in securing permanent housing.
On June 1, 2021 the City Council adopted Resolution No. 88675 CMS, authorizing the City Administrator to negotiate and execute contracts or agreements with a number of agencies for construction or professional services to support the development, construction and/or operation of interim homelessness interventions at multiple locations throughout the city. This resolution also directs the City Administrator to work with the City Council as well as county, state and federal partners to pursue funding to develop sites for homeless intervention efforts, to review and report back to Council with action to regulate and permit RV parks in Oakland, and to report back to the City Council on costing, options and needs to open sliding scale RV or vehicle campgrounds with sanitation. Many of the actions detailed in the resolution are currently in progress and staff continue to work in collaboration with City Councilmembers to fulfill the resolution’s directives.
2022 Response:
As described above, HCD continues to administer the Homekey initiative for conversion of Temescal Inn (veterans housing), scattered site shared housing, and Clifton Hall. The second round of Homekey is pending with four projects awaiting State funding and approval. HSD has been involved and funded multiple hotel and other conversions to support homeless housing options, including Clifton Hall (42 permanent units, 25 rooms for family shelter); Holland (90 bed transitional housing); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-funded Lake Merritt Lodge (92 rooms for COVID response). In addition, the City has expanded its partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority to subsidize rents for homeless families. Lastly, HSD continues to manage the expansion of interim housing options with two pallet shelter sites serving over 120 individuals as full capacity, and RV sites at Wood St and planned site at 66th Ave.
X. Recommendation: In line with Recommendation 47, commit to working with government, private, and philanthropic partners to allocate funding towards a second phase of Reimagining Public Safety; ensuring that facilitation of the second phase is rooted in community practice, such as being trauma-informed to interrupt sexism and racism, so that the process does not perpetuate the harm we seek to undo, as amended by the Task Force on March 17, 2021.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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2021 Response:
As recommended by RPSTF Recommendation 47, City Administration looks forward to the next stage and the additional resources to support Phase II of the Reimagining Public Safety process to build upon the work done by the RPSTF and to ensure meaningful assessment of recommendations.
2022 Response:
In FY 2021-22, one-time funding of $100,000 was allocated for "Phase 2 of Reimagining Rooted in Community Practice, Data & Equity." City Administration looks forward to receiving direction from the PSC and public regarding the scope of work and recommendations to prioritize for implementation in Phase II of the RPSTF initiative.
Upon further clarification of the scope and direction for Phase II, staff will work with the City Council to identify a consultant and execute a scope of work in accordance with the Council’s direction.
XI. Recommendation: Explore possible transfer, no earlier than July 2022, of most of the Internal Affairs Division of OPD to the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA) and reorganizing OPD’s internal structure in alignment with Recommendations 31, 41, 84.
2021 Response:
The Administration welcomes the opportunity to engage with the Police Commission and other stakeholders to determine and analyze the impacts and options associated with this recommendation.
2022 Response:
The CPRA is currently working with the City Administrator’s Office and the Police Commission on a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the consultant identified by Council as supporting this project. That funding begins in FY 2022-23, so the RFP would, ideally, be issued in time to secure a contractor early in that fiscal year. The Police Commission is currently considering ways to include race and equity expertise in that RFP as a qualification for the contractor, and as a component of the work.
XII. Recommendation: In line with Recommendation 148, commit to creating a framework for a new Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and allocate the necessary funds toward the creation and staffing of DCYF.
2021 Response:
The Department of Human Services (HSD) and Oakland Parks, Recreation and Youth Development Department (OPRYD) support creation of a framework in the upcoming fiscal cycle to assess development of a new Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCFY). Currently, HSD is still supporting the formation and transition of DVP; HSD provides all administrative support including human resource and Fiscal services, and no physical space has been identified for DVP. HSD Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
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recommends that this process be fully completed before additional departments are formed. As background, DCYF in San Francisco is a City/County agency and holds more resources than are held by Alameda County and Oakland.
2022 Response:
In FY 2022-23, one-time funding of $50,000 was allocated for "analysis and development of framework and options for Dept of Children, Youth & Families." Staff look forward to receiving additional direction from the City Council regarding this framework and any options or information that staff should evaluate as part of the analysis. Staff will share the findings of this analysis with the Council and public in a future report.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive an Informational Report on the Implementation of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-23 City Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives, Including Status of Conducting (1) An Analysis of Calls for Service and Recommendations to Transfer Certain Calls to Alternative Response by April 2022, (2) An Independent Audit of the Police Department by December 2022, and (3) Analysis of Restructuring Investigation Units to Improve Solve Rates by Increasing Civilian Staff and Reducing Sworn Staff.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Rose Rubel, Assistant to the City Administrator at 510-238-6587.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD D. REISKIN
City Administrator