MEMO
TO: HonorableMayor &CityCouncil FROM: Nikki FortunatoBasMembersof thePublic Council President, District 2 SUBJECT: Corridor SafetyAmbassadorsGrants DATE: October 12, 2023 LastJune,myBudgetTeamandI added$1millionperyeartothebiennialbudgettosupportcommunityambassadorsandsafetymeasuresinourcommercialcorridors.Wedidsoattherequestofthebusinesscommunity, includingacoalitionconsistingoflocalretailersandrestaurants,largeemployers,developers,businessimprovementdistricts,theMetroChamberofCommerce,andothers.
I’mproudtoco-sponsortheEconomic&WorkforceDevelopmentDepartment’s(EWDD)proposaltofocusthefirstyearofthesefundsinhighprioritycommercialcorridorswiththehighestlevelsofcrime,employment,andtaxrevenueandtoensureequitygivenhowBIPOCcommunitiesandbusinessesaredisproportionatelyimpactedbycurrentcrimetrends.
I appreciatethatDistrict2neighborhoodswillbeincludedintheDowntowngrant.I willcontinuetoworkwithotherD2commercialcorridorsonneighborhoodspecificsafetymeasures.Inaddition,mydirectcommunitygranttoRestoreOaklandwillsupportorganizingsmallbusinesscorridorswithoutamerchant’sorganizationtomakebusinessandcorridorimprovementsincollaborationwithourCitydepartments.
InordertobuildonpastandexistingworkofEWDDandotherdepartmentstosupportsafe,healthyandthrivingbusinesses,I fullysupportalong-termholisticCorridorSafetyprogramcitywide. Therefore,I proposeanamendmenttotheresolutionforCorridorSafetyAmbassadorsGrants, whichwouldaddthefollowingrecitalasthelastWhereasclauseandbeforethefirstResolvedclause:
WHEREAS,EconomicandWorkforceDevelopmentDepartmentStaffwillcontinuetodevelopacomprehensive,citywideCorridorSafetyandManagementprogramtobuildcapacityforlong-termservicedelivery, tostrengthenandrevitalizeneighborhoodswithoutdisplacement,andtoleverageexistingCityresourcesandsupportforimplementationinFiscalYear2024-2025.Theinitiativeismodeledaftersuccessful,long-termstrategiesinsimilarlysizedcities.Staffwillalsocontinuetoresearchanddesignalong-termholisticCorridorSafetyprogrambyleveragingpublicandprivateinvestments,engageamultitudeofstakeholdergroupsandcommunity-basedorganizationsandprovideforauthenticopportunitiestobuildrelationshipswith,coordinatecommunicationsamongst,andrespondtothediverseneedsofourneighborhoodmerchantcommunityanditsresidents;andtherefore,nowbeit Thankyouforyourconsideration.
Special CityCouncilOctober 17, 2023