APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. _______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARROLL FIFE
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO RETURN
TO COUNCIL WITH:
(1) AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A 10 -YEAR LEASE BETWEEN
THE CITY AND MALONGA ARTS COLLECTIVE (“MAC”), A
NONPROFIT CORPORATION, FOR OFFICE, STUDIO, AND
PERFORMANCE SPACES AT THE MALONGA CASQUELOURD
CENTER FOR THE ARTS (“MCCA”), INCLUDING ONE 5 -YEAR
OPTION TO EXTEND ; AND SETTING RENT SIGNIFICANTLY
BELOW FAIR MARKET VALUE DUE TO THE CULTURAL AND
SOCIAL BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY PURSUANT TO OMC
SECTION 2.24.110; AND
(2) A REPORT ON HOW THE CITY CURRENTLY COORDINATES
WITH MAC AND ITS MEMBERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
HOW THE CITY CAN COLLABORATE WITH MAC TO DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT A MASTER PLAN FOR CULTURAL ARTS
PROGRAMMING AT MCCA TO INCREASE OAKLAND
RESIDENTS’ ABILITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CENTER’S
UNIQUE RESOURCES.
WHEREAS, the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts (“MCCA”), a City designated landmark, has established itself as the one of the nation’s premiere BIPOC-led cultural arts center; and
WHEREAS, MCCA houses the Malonga Arts Collective (“MAC”), a nonprofit California corporation and a coalition of 10 nonprofit arts organizations and individual teachin g artists who provide arts programming on the 2nd and 3rd Floors of MCCA; and
WHEREAS, the MAC is dedicated to sustaining MCCA as a vital part of Oakland Arts ecosystem and comprises world-renowned companies such as Fua Dia Congo, Dimensions Dance Theater, Diamano Coura West African Dance Company, Omulu Capoeira Group, Bantaba Dance Ensemble, Samba Funk!, African Queens, Dance -A-Vision Entertainment, LIKHA Pilipino Folk Ensemble, Rara Tou Limen, teaching and showcasing the d iversity and talents of the Oakland Community; and
2 WHEREAS, MAC member organizations provide cultural and social benefits to the City and the community at large by providing invaluable training and community enrichment through regular low-cost and free classes, workshops, rehearsals, conferences, cultural events, showcases, shows, concerts that have benefited thousands of children, teens, adults and elders at MCCA, as well as free classes to youth in Oakland schools; and
WHEREAS, it is in the City’s int erest to ensure MAC and its member organizations are able to continue providing social and cultural benefits to the City, which will require the City to provide MAC access to MCCA at below-market rates; and
WHEREAS, the MCCA also has single-room-occupancy (SRO) units, office s, storage space, reteaching studios, rehearsal spaces, and performance spaces, which provides an affordable place for Oakland's arts organizations and artists to live and work , which helps prevent cultural displacement; and
WHEREAS, the MAC strives to make MCCA a thriving and vibrant cultural hub at the intersections of arts, culture, community belonging, and activism and seeks to sustain, grow, and ensure the public’s and artists’ access to world-class arts programming; and
WHEREAS, the Oakland City Council is committed to maintaining the MCCA as the home of the MAC; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby directs the City Administrator to return to Council on or before April 18, 2023, with an ordinance to authorize the City Administrator to negotiate and execute a ten (10)-year lease with MAC of the 2nd and 3rd Floors of MCCA, with one five (5)-year option to extend, including rent that is less than fair market value based on the cultural and social benefits to the community pursuant to OMC section 2.24.110, other terms that the City Administrator determines are necessary or advisable, and requisite California Environmental Quality Act findings; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby directs the City Administrator to return to Council on or before April 18, 2023 with a report on how the City currently collaborates with the MAC and its members, and recommendations for how the City can collaborate with MAC going forward to develop and implement a master plan for cultural arts programming at MCCA to increase Oakland residents’ ability to take advantage of the unique resources available at MCCA, including a plan to optimize the use and availability of floors 1-3, the annex, the theater, and the lower level.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
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