CITY OF OAKLAND
CITY HALL • 1 FRANK H. OGAWA PLAZA • OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 94612
City Council
March 19, 2024
Date: March 7, 2024
To: Members of City Council and Members of the Public
From: Councilmember Carroll Fife
Re: BAMBD Reports And Recommendations
Dear Colleagues and Members of the Public,
On January 7, 2016, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 85958 C.M.S., designating the 14th Street corridor on or within four blocks of 14th Street from Oak Street to Frontage Road as the Black Arts Movement and Business District (BAMBD or District) to “highlight, celebrate, preserve and support t he contributions of Oakland’s Black artists and business owners” and designated “the corridor as a place central both historically and currently to Oakland’s Black artists and Black owned businesses. ” This was an important step tow ard recognizing the innumerable artistic, cultural, and economic contributions of Black Oakland residents.
Unfortunately, since the establishment of the District several issues have emerged, including lack of ongoing financial support, unclear protections for legacy buildings, businesses, and tenants as it relates to new developments in the area, ambiguous d istrict boundaries, and inadequate assistance with activation and visibility of the District. The BAMBD is Oakland’s first cultural district and it is essential that the City take action to address these issues and work to preserve arts, culture, and longstan ding establishments in the District, while advancing equitable economic development.
The attached Resolution directs the City Administrator to return to the April 23, 2024 Community and Economic Development Committee meeting with reports and recommendations in accordance with the directions provided therein, specifically in the resolved and further resolved clauses on pages 4 and 5. The requested information will allow the Council to make sound policy, funding, and programmatic decisions for a more functional and well-resourced BAMBD.
I respectfully request your support for this legislation.
Sincerely,
Councilmember Carroll Fife