Life Enrichment Committee
September 26, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Jamie Turbak
City Administrator Director of Library Services
SUBJECT: State Library Grant for Hoover Durant DATE: August 25, 2023
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To 1) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Grant Funds From The State of California Pursuant To The Budget Act Of 2022 (AB 179) Building Forward: Library Facilities Improvement Program Round Two In An Amount Not To Exceed One Million Five Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($1,515,000) Through Fiscal Year 2026-2027 For The Hoover Durant Library Project And 2) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Future Grant Funds For Said Project Within The Grant Term.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The proposed resolution authorizes the City Administrator to apply for grant funding from the State of California Library Building Forward: Library and Infrastructure Grant Program Round Two, and to accept and appropriate said grant funds in an amount up to $1,515,000 over four years to be used for the design of a new library in the Hoover Durant neighborhood.
Furthermore, should additional grant funds be awarded for this purpose, this resolution authorizes acceptance and appropriation of funds.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The State of California Budget Act of 2022 (AB 179) allocated $175 million in one-time funds to the California State Library to address critical maintenance needs of public library facilities throughout California. This competitive grant program prioritizes funding for local library facilities located in high poverty areas of the state. The maximum grant amount per library facility is $10 million. Pursuant to AB 179, funding will be prioritized for library facility capital projects that:
1. Address critical maintenance needs
2. Improve energy efficiency
3. Improve sustainability
4. Expand digital access
5. Expand physical access
Sep 14, 2023
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: State Library Grant for Hoover Durant
Date: August 25, 2023 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
September 26, 2023
Some additional grant guidelines and requirements include:
1. One application per library facility will be accepted.
2. Grantees will be required to provide matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis (with a possible 25% reduction for Oakland based on its local operating income per capita (LIPC) rate.)
3. The California Poverty Measure will be used to prioritize projects in high poverty areas of the state.
4. Projects completed under this grant must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, policies, and guidelines, including but not limited to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), building codes, health and safety codes, the California Labor Code, and disabled access laws.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
This project will engage an architect to create construction documents for a new library in Oakland’s Hoover Durant neighborhood. Development of these plans will be the next step in the process of restoring library service to this historically diverse neighborhood in West Oakland.
The community was once served by two libraries which were well-used but closed by the City of Oakland in 1950 and 1981 during a long period of disinvestment in predominantly black neighborhoods. This project will bring valuable library resources, programs, and services back to a high priority neighborhood, benefiting residents of all ages and the wider community.
This project is essential to the community and advances the Citywide priority of vibrant, sustainable infrastructure.
The Hoover Durant Project will:
• Hire a qualified team of professionals to prepare the full plans (conceptual design, construction documents, cost estimates, and technical specifications) for this new library serving the Hoover Durant neighborhood. Depending upon the site selected, these plans will be for the construction of a new building or for the conversion of an existing building.
As early as 2006, the City of Oakland identified the need to restore library services in the Hoover Durant neighborhood. Although not included in the California Poverty Measure (CPM) Data for Libraries report generated for this grant program, the neighborhood is just over a mile from the West Oakland Branch Library, which has a 38.44% CPM.
Bounded by two expressways (I-980 and I-580) and busy San Pablo and Grand Avenues, neighborhood residents cannot easily walk to existing branch libraries which are not far away but are extremely difficult to reach because of traffic and other barriers such as highways and overpasses. A new library for Hoover Durant will provide a much-needed community space, library programs, and services for local families, schools, and seniors, and a source of pride and joy for the residents. It will also serve as an example of how the City can correct some of the Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: State Library Grant for Hoover Durant
Date: August 25, 2023 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
September 26, 2023
systemic racism and disinvestment that damaged many of Oakland’s predominantly black and brown neighborhoods.
The location of the proposed new library has yet to be determined, and so the details of the land procurement and estimated cost of the building are not yet known. The timeline for the purchase or lease of land, if needed, will become clear after the Feasibility Study concludes.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff estimates that the total project budget will cost $2,650,000 and be completed by December 31, 2025.
The proposed resolution authorizes acceptance and appropriation of grant funds not to exceed $1,515,000. Said grant funds will be appropriated to Grant Fund(s) to be determined, Departmental Operation Organization (61121), Project and Program to be determined.
Per the grant requirements, the City of Oakland must provide $1,136,252 in matching funds for design planning for the Hoover Durant Library. These funds have been allocated and are available or will be allocated and available in FY24-25 in the Hoover Durant Project (1004856) across various funds including Measure KK (5330, 5332, 5335) and Measure U fund 5340.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures, because this is for the acceptance of a grant which will benefit all patrons of the Oakland Public Library and the community.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Budget Bureau and Office of the City Attorney.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
The 2006 Oakland Public Library facilities plan, and the Hoover Durant Feasibility Study both estimate that an 8,000-12,000 square foot building would be a good-sized library for the neighborhood. This new library will provide traditional and contemporary library services:
materials lending, public computers, meeting space, library programs for all ages, and social support services.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: State Library Grant for Hoover Durant
Date: August 25, 2023 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
September 26, 2023
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: No economic opportunities have been identified.
Environmental: No environmental opportunities have been identified.
Race & Equity: The Hoover Durant neighborhood is ranked as high priority by Oakland’s Geographic Equity Toolbox. More than 50% of residents live on low incomes. This project is an important investment in the future of this neighborhood and Oakland.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To 1) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Grant Funds From The State of California Pursuant To The Budget Act Of 2022 (AB 179) Building Forward: Library Facilities Improvement Program Round Two In An Amount Not To Exceed One Million Five Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($1,515,000) Through Fiscal Year 2026-2027 For The Hoover Durant Library Project And 2) Apply For, Accept And Appropriate Future Grant Funds For Said Project Within The Grant Term.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services at (510) 238-6610.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMIE TURBAK
Director of Library Services
Prepared by:
Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services
Oakland Public Library