MEMO
To: The Honorable Sheng Thao, Mayor
Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Members of the City Council From: Christopher Townsend, President, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.
Niccolo De Luca, Vice President
Alex Gibbs, Grants Director
Carlin Shelby, Senior Associate
Kami Martin, California Legislative Analyst
Ben Goldeen, Federal Advocacy Director
Sammi Maciel, Federal Senior Associate
James Lytle, Federal Legislative Analyst
Date: October 31, 2024
Subject: 2025 State and Federal Legislative Agenda
SUMMARY
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this report for the City of Oakland as we look ahead to 202 4. TPA met with City leadership and based on those meetings has prepared a recommended State and Federal Legislative agenda for discussion and adoption. This includes the framework for legislative proposals for the 20 25 legislative year, including City-sponsored legislative proposals , l egislative and funding priorities , and projects for consideration for competitive grant programs. The TPA Team has recently included grant support and grant writing efforts as part of our scope for the City.
It is expected that the St ate Legislature in 202 5 will maintain its focus on its recent priorities including Climate Resiliency, Homelessness and Behavioral Health, Housing and Greater Access, Public Safety, and Transportation and Infrastructure. The State Legislature is currently in interim recess and will reconvene on January 6th, 2025, to resume legislative activities.
In Washington, DC, new and returning members for the 119th Congress will convene for the first time on January 3, 2025, and the 47th President of the United States will take the of oath of office on January 20, 2025. Congress’ first order of business will be to determine party leadership in both chambers and adopt House rules governing the floor's operations and procedures. Although the policy landscape will be heavily dictated by the party in power, legislative efforts will focus on provisions within two major expiring pieces of legislation – the 2017 Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (expiring in 2025) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (expiring in 2026).
Immigration, energy and climate, health care, and reauthorizing the farm bill are other contentious areas that could be addressed. Lawmakers may also seek to tackle emerging issues, such as cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and cannabis. But before Congress looks ahead, the House and Senate must reconcile FY25 appropriations differences to fund the government and avoid a shutdown before December 20, 2024. After that, Congress will begin accepting appropriation requests for the FY26 process as early as February 2025.
City of Oakland Legislative Priorities for 2025
This report reflects the City of Oakland’s legislative agenda for 20 25, but it will be necessary to remain nimble and responsive as we move through the state and federal legislative year . In this 2 report, TPA has included input from the Mayor, City Council, and City Administration. This report is compiled into three sections:
1. City of Oakland Specific Legislative Priorities for Sponsorship and Support;
2. State and Federal Legislative Priorities and Funding Opportunities for Monitoring; and
3. One-time State and Federal Funding Priorities for “Member Request” Consideration.
The City of Oakland also works closely with and support various measures that are of importance to our regional partners such as: Oakland Unified School District, Port of Oakland, Alameda County, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Alameda County Transportation Commission, Oakland’s transit agencies, as well as other statewide organizations such as the Big City Mayors.
We also partner with local institutions such as the Oakland Museum of Californi a, Oakland Zoo, Chabot Space and Science Center, Children’s Fairyland and others.
City of Oakland Specific Legislative Priorities
If the City Council is supportive of the proposals listed below, TPA will continue to research what can be accomplished through legislation, regulations, or direct advocacy with State/Federal agencies and other organizations.
• Homelessness - From our meetings with the Mayor, Council Members, and City staff this remains a top legislative and funding priority. In addition to protecting the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHA P) funding, other efforts include working on a permanent source of funding, additional mental health funding, operating funds for new shelters/supportive housing, modifications to state law and possibly federal law to support Oakland programs such as safe RV parking, more Homekey funding, support for modular housing, changing how state agencies interface with homeless encampments, and other efforts.
• Public Safety– Public safety remains a top focus for City leaders too. Some of the efforts discussed includes; greater flexibility relating to various traffic responsibility and enforcement duties such as road closures to address speeding and illegal dumping , addressing abandoned autos and RVs, funding for small businesses to address crime and the built e nvironment, efforts to help address human trafficking and the expl oitation of minors, supporting legislative efforts to limit ghost guns, continued support for the MACRO program, support of the “Oakland Fresh” initiative , funding for enhanced technology to fight crime, greater oversight of the public right of way, management of urban forestry and fire protection, and other efforts.
• Affordable Housing – To help address the unhoused and create more affordable units, efforts may include regulatory or legislative amendments to the CDLAC funding award process and opportunity maps, more capital funding for affordable housing projects, and the inclusion of operating funds to support housing production. In addition, legislative and funding support may be needed to help with the acquisition and preservation of existing affordable housing stock, affordable units for seniors, rent support and rent subsidies, streamlining of ADUs and the removal of cost prohibitive barriers, protections for tenants against steep rent increases and other anti -displacement tools such as Ellis Act reform, efforts to streamline affordable housing development, efforts to help complete projects in the City’s pipeline, and changes to the process for selling auctioned pro perty at the County.
3 • Economic Inclusion – In order to help lift up small businesses and local entrepreneurs, efforts include supporting the redevelopment of the Coliseum site. Efforts could also include measures to encourage investment in underserved retail corridors, expanding and improving access to state and federal tax credits such as the EITC, and improving access to capital for traditionally excluded entrepreneurs , and supporting the efforts of small businesses related to decreases in insurance premiums. Working with the County and other stakeholders could be part of this effort too.
Federal and State Legislative Monitoring and Potential Action The following legislative priorities have been identified by the Mayor, Councilmembers, and City staff for monitoring, analysis, and potential action. The mayor and/or City Council may choose to take a position on a piece of legislation, continue to monitor without a position, or determine if any further response is required.
TPA maintains a constantly updated matrix of state and federal bills for the City of Oakland, providing additional analysis and information to inform the development of a position by the City.
In addition, all the policies below will be viewed through the lens of racial inequities and how we can make the legislation stronger and more equitable. TPA will monitor legislative activity in the following areas:
Homelessness
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Prevent displacement of tenants and residents Funding for homeless services (e.g., the wrap- round services necessary for transitional and
permanent housing with operating subsidies)
Enhance transitional , deeply affordable (ELI), and
permanent supportive housing opportunities
Funding for flexible rapid rehousing and
emergency rental assistance that prevents
homelessness
Support efforts to streamline the creation of emergency shelters and interim housing solutions
Support for more mental health and behavioral
health outreach services
Support legislativ e efforts that make housing human
rights under the State Constitution
Funding for employment, wage-earning programs
for homeless people
Support legislative efforts that will require counties to partner with cities relating to unspent Prop 63 mental
health funds
Funding for the partnership with OUSD to create a
career technical hub and educational experience
pathway, which would also support TAY housing
Support efforts to identify public lands for sanctioned encampments
Funding to continue and expand a data -driven,
equity-focused homelessness prevention pilot
program to provide invaluable data on the cost -
effectiveness of homelessness prevention
investments
Support regulations relating to RV parking and
residential neighborhoods
Support the development of new policies which better
align federal requirements of Coordinated Entry
Systems with the needs of people living in
encampments
4 Support efforts relating to job and workforce training to increase economic stability and oppo rtunities for
homeless and housing insecure residents
Support regional legislative efforts to address poverty and homelessness and work with regional leaders
Planning, Housing and Land Use
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Help promote and support housing legislation that
provides incentives to approve more affordable housing
Work to secure funding for the City/OUSD joint
affordable housing project for the development of
the Career Technical Education Hub at 1025 2nd
Avenue, Oakland, for TAY Housing once
approved by the district
Support efforts of CEQA streamlining for affordable
housing units, especially ELI
Support funding efforts to create an emergency
housing fund that can be used for bridge loans or
purchase
Support housing legislation that increases greater
height and density near transit and areas of job growth Support for soft-story seismic retrofits
Support legislation that advances the creation or
funding of affordable housing projects
Efforts to preserve the historic character of
neighborhoods
Enhance efforts to increase low and moderate -income
housing, including ensuring that the Cap-and-Trade
funding guidelines meet the City’s needs and goals
Funding opportunities for housing preservation via
community owne rship, land trusts, and limited
equity co-ops
Support legislative efforts to encourage Universal
Housing Vouchers
Support for increasing affordable housing
inventory including transit oriented affordable
housing
Pursue updates to the State Building code, if necessary, to address non -conforming uses without causing
displacement and to promote innovative forms of
housing construction
Secure funding for the preservation and
rehabilitation of affordable housing
Reasonable reform to CEQA to streamline development
and housing opportunities
Secure funding for a first -time homebuyer’s
program
Support legislative and funding efforts relating to
housing preservation and acquisition, especially for
community land trusts
Support efforts that increase opportunities for
teacher housing
Support efforts on wealth and housing preservation to
help insure generational wealth
Support for funding for Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADUs)
Oppose bills that threaten the use of the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) or other tax financing,
which includes proposals that threaten the tax -exempt
status of private activity bonds, which are a prerequisite for the use of the 4% LIHTC credit
Support funding efforts at the federal governm ent
for operating subsidies for ELI units.
Support non-traditional funding opportunities to help
create opportunities to either purchase or develop land, especially in impacted neighborhoods
Support funding efforts to maximize use of
government owned lots and enhance partnerships
between OUSD and the County for Micro Sites
Support efforts to purchase real estate that is becoming available, so that corporations do not buy them first
Funding to support small businesses/churches for
predevelopment costs to help build housing
Support housing preservation efforts which include
community land trusts and acquisition and rehabilitation of small site projects
Funding for the Citywide Restoration, Renovation
of Historical and Cultural Impactful Structures.
5 Support legislative efforts that encourage first right of refusal for affordable housing development relating to
county auctioned property
Support legislative efforts to extend tenant protections and mortgage forbearance for small property owners
Support legislative efforts that increase the definition of “workforce housing”
Support efforts to make Cal HOME more accessible and
more competitive in the Bay Area due to high costs of
living and other items
Support legislative efforts to modernize the Ellis Act and to help preserve residential hotels
Support legislative efforts around Surplus Land Act
revisions to ensure more housing comes from the
various efforts
Support efforts on housing preservation to avoid
displacement and gentrification, while supporting home
ownership efforts
Support legislation that revises the Health & Safety
Code to make it easier for cities to support their artistic communities, specifically the definition of joint living and work quarters to reflect how artists and creative
communities live and work today.
Support efforts to increase the number of housing
vouchers for the Oakland Housing Authority
Support legislative efforts to increase the number of
project-based vouchers
Support efforts to modernize or reform Proposition 13
Support legislative efforts to increase the use of
modular housing and other innovative construction
practices
Support legislative efforts to lower the necessary voter threshold from a two-thirds supermajority to 55 percent to approve local general obligation (GO) bonds and
special taxes for affordable housing
Support legislative efforts that offset the costs of ADU construction
Support efforts to lower the bond threshold from 50% to 25% for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)
Support legislative efforts to build more limited equity housing, social housing, and first-time homeowner
opportunities
Support legislative efforts to enhance insurance
coverage for affordable housing developments in
addition to small businesses
Support legislative efforts to ensure homeowners in
high fire areas are able to access homeowners’
insurance
6 Support legislative efforts to enhance Section 8
vouchers and enhance accessibility
Support legislative efforts that seek to address r edlining and continuing racial disparities in mortgage/business
lending denials by using Special Purpose Credit
Programs (SPCPs) as a possible tool to counteract
these disparities
Support legislative efforts to ensure affordable housing projects and permanent supportive housing projects are
able to access insurance.
Support legislative efforts to amend the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for projects that are
infill affordable housing ; This proposed infill affordable housing exemption from NEPA would parallel similar
state-level exemptions from the California
Environmental Quality Act
Education
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Support efforts to achieve universal broadband access Monitor potential funding sources that would provide access to tech support, digital literacy,
and/or adoption to promote digital inclusion.
Support efforts to increase funding for adult education Support efforts to increase and ensure long term state funding for Early Childhood Education,
Support efforts relating to Oakland Unified School
District
Support legislative efforts to increase funding for
Cradle to Career strategies, supports,
transparency, and accountability
Support efforts to reduce racial inequities in education and address affordability of teacher housing
Increased funding for local municipalities to
address housing security and transportation
costs as they relate to both educators and
families
Support legislative efforts like “Make Every Financial
Aid Dollar Count” and prioritize Pell grant eligible
students with highest need
Increased funding for the Cal Grant to enable
the award to cover a greater share of the total
costs of attending community colleges, CA state
universities and UCs
Support legislative efforts to make school environments safe for students and staff, due to toxic contaminants
found in the soil, traffic/pedestrian safety, and more
Funding for the arts as a means of informal
education and addressing climate change,
funding for critical infrastructure such as
safe drinking water and other related items
Increase access to after-school programs
7 Increase access to and quality of early childhood
education
Immigrant Protections
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Support Congressional efforts that would make the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
permanent, including a pathway to citizenship
Universal representation in deportation
proceedings
Support access to counsel and due process for all
undocumented immigrants, especially unaccompanied
minors
Legal services for those seeking asylum, refugees,
and other forms of protected status
Economic Development/Economic Inclusion
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Bolster opportunities for entrepreneurs and small
businesses to create new jobs in the film and
entertainment industry
Ongoing funding for the cannabis equity program
to help support small businesses and equity
applicants
Measures providing for new tax increment financing
opportunities
Façade improvement, business assistance, and
support for neighborhood commercial areas
Measures to improve the Opportunity Zone Program
which could include greater equity provisions
Career Technical Education programs in fields
such as construction, information technology,
manufacturing, healthcare, transportation,
logistics, and other growing industry sectors
Efforts to encourage the development and expansion of
career technical education programs that align with
quality job opportunities in local manufacturing, light industrial, bioscience, and other priority industry sectors Funding for job training, placement, retention, and
related services aligned to the needs of Oakland
residents
Support for small business grant programs to help
address crime which could include funding for physical
improvements
Additional funding opportunities to clean up and
develop Brownfield sites
Support legislative efforts for workers protections Funding opportunities to support night markets and Downtown businesses
Cannabis regulations/legislation/ support efforts to
make it easier to pay the various state fees , reduce
waste in packaging, and lower state cannabis tax rate at the retail level
Funding opportunities for business corridors of all
sizes
Support a statewide single payer system that would
cover all California residents regardless of immigration status.
Funding opportunities for the Center for
Employment Opportunities Partnership with the
City of Oakland
Support employment and workforce training
opportunities to help ensure a healthy pipeline for
businesses including new and emerging industries that
provide supply chain and high wage, middle skills
employment opportunities
Funding to provide technical assistance and small
grant funding to Oakland restaurants to facilitate a
transition to reusable for dine in
Support legislation relating to Online Sales Tax
Distribution Formula reform
Funding to support BIPOC small business to help
with labor law compliance and other operating
systems
Support ongoing efforts for Universal Basic Income Funding to purchase software in support of contractors and the City’s local hire, living wage,
and equal benefits policies
8 Support efforts for cultural funding
Support the inclusion of small businesses and
individuals in the efforts of decriminalizing mushrooms and other hallucinogens
Support changes to legislation that has been used in
ADA lawsuits targeting small businesses
Support the City’s efforts when working on their annual ROPs submittal and other Successor Agency efforts
Closely track and report back on t he California
Reparations Task Force which is a non-regulatory state
agency established by California Assembly Bill 3121 in
2020
Support legislation that seeks to educate workers and
businesses relating to wages, benefits, working
conditions, and other items
Oppose proposals that cut Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) spending
Oppose federal appropriations plans that would impose
across-the-board budget cuts to the federal budget,
thereby imposing cuts to vital safety net programs that help low -income working families, children, seniors,
students, and people with disabilities
Infrastructure/Transportation
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Support legislative proposals relating to California's
renewable, clean hydrogen hub efforts
Support funding opportunities relating to
California's renewable, clean hydrogen hub efforts
Support m easures affecting funding for roads, transit, “last mile” projects, and goods movement
Support funding efforts and applications for the
Bay Trail which also enhance public access
throughout the City
Support legislative efforts that would bring back a form of redevelopment for critical infrastructure and housing
Transit-oriented development projects in both
residential and commercial areas
Support efforts to help commuters and increase public
transportation
Safe Routes to School funding for additional
school sites
Advance or support legislation that increases funding for storm drain upgrades
Increased traffic safety and sustainable
transportation investments in multi -modal urban
environments
Support opportunities to increase funding for Safe
Routes to School
Funding for parks/facilities on the City’s approved
CIP list which includes the Lincoln Recreation
Center, San Antonio Park, and other facilities
Coordinate with AC Transit to monitor and support
legislative efforts that would enhance transit reliability and access for Oaklanders
Funding for the Black Cultural Arts District
Support legislation that would remove time limit
exception for disabled placards in green zones and
efforts to pay for parking via mobile phones
Advocate for allowing cities a greater degree of
control over project selection and de livery with
federal infrastructure funds
Support legislative efforts to curb the abuse of disabled parking placards
Funding for on street and off -street parking
management strategies
Support efforts to ensure that the region is getting as much support as possible and that funding programs
Increased investments in bridges
9 within the federal transportation bill will support urban infrastructure projects, multi -modal projects, and
projects in disadvantaged communities
Support the Mobility Data Specification (MDS)
standards developed by the City of Los Angeles in
consultation with industry to outline what data
transportation technology companies should share with
cities for us to better manage the public right of way
Funding for storm water enhancements due to the
consent decree
Monitor legislation regarding abandoned vehicles
and/or 72-hour towing policies
Help secure funding for library upgrades and
enhancements
Support legislation that creates a Bay Bridge Dedicated Bus Lane
Funding for traffic enhancements/improvements
that address safety and are in the existing pipeline
Monitor scooter-related legislation Funding for traffic calming measures near BART stations
Support legislation relating to abandoned autos
including RVs and ensuring the abil ity to tow non
inoperable vehicles and RVs
Funding for the revitalization of the Henry J Kaiser
Center and hub of the arts
Support legislative efforts that could include potentially increasing the extra-legal load limit on certain streets from the current 95,000 lbs gross vehicle weight (GVW)
to 110,000 lbs GVW in the Seaport area
Funding for transportation projects such as the
Embarcadero West Rail Safety & Access
Improvement Project and the International
Boulevard Pedestrian Lighting and Sidewalk
Improvement Project
Environment, Energy and Sustainability
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Measures pertaining to clean energy and waste
reduction
Urban Forest inventory and urban greening
Measures that provide new tools and potential revenue
opportunities to address illegal dumping and unlicensed haulers
Funds to help address illegal dumping, littering,
graffiti, and illegal hauling
Legislation to limit and/or ban the use of neonicotinoids. Clean energy funding Encourage efforts relating to state funding for park
maintenance
EDA brownfields cleanup for sites
Measures that would support creating and sustaining of
proactive “Healthy Homes” inspection programs and
programs that reduce lead exposure
Support efforts to create more funding for
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs
Support measures that allow cities and counties to buy
and/or generate electricity for residents and businesses within their areas and oppose legislation or regulation that s eeks to limit the viability of “community choice” energy programs
Support efforts to create more funding streams to
support Climate Action Plans
Measures that support regional planning for a climate
change strategy
Support efforts to secure EV infrastructure funding
with a focus on large scale vehicles (fleet
electrification)
Some amendments to CEQA primarily focused on
comprehensive vegetation management plans
Funding for urban forestry, urban forestry
masterplans, and ensuring the regulations ensure
that lower income neighborhoods are positioned to
secure more funding
Reinvigorate SB 375 to enhance sustainable community
efforts
Support efforts to better maintain and clean up
street medians
10 Support efforts to cut down on pollutants by r equiring businesses that help with junk removal have a license
Support efforts to partner with other jurisdictions
and government entities to address illegal
dumping (railroad property, state property, etc)
Legislative restrictions/options to ban or restrict coal Funding to help maintain the urban forest Support efforts to help address various regulations and efforts that impact storm drain runoff and firefighting efforts
Funding to renew and expand on the current two -
year CCMA contract. The scope of work consis ts
of cleaning 57 Caltrans -approved assets
comprising of freeway on -ramps, off -ramps,
overpasses, and fenced areas
Support efforts to transition to green energy and
upgrade infrastructure with a focus on PGE and its
ownership
Funding for the Citywide Storm Drainage System
Toxic Material (PFAs, PCB, etc) cleanup,
compliance, planning, programs, and projects
implementation
Continue the successful partnership with Bloomberg
Philanthropies to support the efforts of implementing
programs that seek innovati ve solutions related to
climate and equity in communities that have historically been impacted by pollution and other harmful
contaminants
Seek funding opportunities to support the effort
and focus of implementing programs that seek
innovative solutions related to climate and equity
in communities that have historically been
impacted by pollution and other harmful
contaminants
Address particulate pollution by planting more trees and enhancing the urban forest
Funding for the greening of West Oakland and
other parts of the City
Support efforts to work more closely with DTSC and
EPA to address contaminated sites
Support efforts to ensure jurisdictions within the City such as Caltrans, UP, PGE, and others maintain their
properties
Support efforts of the Sogorea Te Land Trust to return the property to indigenous stewardship by a California
Native American Tribe.
Youth
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Measures that support employment and career
development opportunities for youth, including
workforce development and entrepreneurship programs
with a focus on teens and opportunities in the restaurant industry and others
Youth workforce and entrepreneurship, e.g.,
Classroom2Careers, Mayors Summer Jobs
Program, and other similar efforts to provide work
experience and income
Oppose cuts to Child Nutrition Programs such as the
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) that allow schools and districts with a high concentration of poverty to
serve universally free meals
Support for children of incarcerated parents
Measures that support trauma intervention and
advancement of trauma -informed care, holistic
strategies that support vulnerable children and families with economic security, health care and wrap -around
services
Trauma-informed care and efforts to address
childhood trauma from violence and other adverse
impacts
Support legislative efforts to create more housing for
commercially and sexually exploited children (CSEC)
and eliminate restrictions on funding (e.g., no caps on lengths of stay)
Reduction of lead exposure and increased lead
level testing for children
11 Support legislative efforts to support homeless children gain access to Head Start and other related programs
as they are currently penalized for not having a physical address
Funding for a Citywide Storm Drainage System
Toxic Material (PFAs, PCB, etc) cleanup
Support legislative efforts to enhance prevention
education for CSEC (e.g., recognizing signs of
trafficking)
Support legislative efforts of decriminalizing young
women and men involved in human trafficking
Public Safety
Policy Priorities Funding Priorities
Support disaster preparedness efforts such as wildfires and seismic safety
Re-entry and anti -recidivism programs to support
rehabilitation of ex -offenders (Proposition 47
funds)
Measures that reduce and more strictly control access
to guns, ammunition, and gun devices that alter the
performance of a weapon
Support for the Wildfire Assessment District and
other urban forestry efforts including
undergrounding
Support access to high quality re -entry and
rehabilitation programs in all state and federal prisons Ongoing support for the Cease Fire program ,
MACRO, and other violence prevention services
Measures that provide support to victims of trafficking for sex or labor.
Expansion of the crime lab and other needed
public safety facilities (e.g., new Police
Administration Building, driving training facility)
Criminal justice reform such as allowing parolees to vote Support funding opportunities for traffic enforcement efforts
Support efforts to stop ghost guns or to push to have
serial numbers on each manufacturing packet
Work towards funding to address backlog of bullet
tracing
Support efforts that reimagine public safety and
incorporate community-based organizations to help
address problems
Support funding opportunities for home ownership
programs for law enforcement to live in the city
they serve
Support legislation in line with the efforts related to the Wildfire Prevention JPA
Funding public safety equipment and crime
fighting equipment on city right of ways
Support legislation that creates a long-term fix to Wildfire Insurance Protection
Support legislative efforts to provide tools to cities and law enforcement relating to side show reductions
Support efforts to enhance g un charges from violent
offenders
Support efforts to address human trafficking and the
commercial sexual exploitation of children
Support efforts to reduce speeding on city streets such as vehicle speed governors and intelligent speed
assistance technology (ISA)
Support efforts to address sideshows and illegal street racing
Support efforts to increase peace officer accountability and provide a means of decertifying police officers who engage in serious misconduct
12 Work with surrounding municipalities and other
institutions to address and help maintain the urban
forests
Miscellaneous
Support Constitutional modifications which would
impact local governments, such as lowering the voter
threshold to 55% for various bond issuances and local
taxes
Support measures that are of importance to our regional partners and lend opportunities to work together.
Regional partners include, but are not limited to, the
Oakland Unified School District, Port of Oakla nd,
Alameda County, Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, Oakland’s transit agencies, other
California cities, and other like-minded groups
Support legislative clean up efforts to provide cities with greater opportunities to address r ecovered organics
waste
One Time State and Federal Funding Priorities for “Member Request” Consideration As we have seen at both the Federal and State level, new initiatives and various funding opportunities have taken form over the last few years. This also includes both legislative provisions that direct approved funds to be spent on specific projects, sometimes referred to as “Member Requests” or “Congressionally Directed Spending ”, along with competitive grant applications. As it relates to the competitive grant applications, TPA will continue our proactive efforts and immediately notify the city of funding opportunities as they arise.
As it relates to state and federal “Member Requests /Congressionally Directed Spending ”, our recommended strategy is for the adopted Legislative Platform to include a handful of funding buckets that capture various project themes. This provides the City with the highest amount of flexibility as it is important to not only reflect the priorities of the state and federal lawmakers who sponsor these requests, but also to ensure that the City’s projects fit the eligibility requirements of the various state and federal funding sources.
These buckets include:
• Affordable Housing/Homelessness which could include funding for gap funding for affordable housing projects on the New Construction Pipeline list, funding for the City’s Acquisition and Conversion to Affordable Housing (ACAH) Program, funding for senior affordable units, teacher housing/workforce housing, mental health services, encampment management, and other related items.
• Reimagining Public Safety which could include funding for violence prevention efforts and ambassadors, efforts to remove illegal dumping and abandoned autos, better lighting around sports fields to increase usage during peak hours, support for small businesses to address retail theft and other related public safety items, wildfire prevention and other urban forestry efforts, tracing of ghost guns, mental health support based on equity, resource allocation for the formally incarcerated for successfully transitioning home, equipment for the Fire and Police departments, and other related items.
13 • Infrastructure Improvements which could include funding for enhancements to the Coliseum project area, active transportation enhancements, traffic mitigation measures in neighborhoods near BART stations, broadband funding to help address the digital divide, enhancements to recreation centers, purchase of street repaving equipment, and other related items.
• Economic Development which could include funding for small business support, job training programs, career technical training, expansion of guaranteed income, and other related efforts.
• Climate Resiliency which could include funding for urban forestry interface, an Urban Forest Plan, Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Implementation and Charging Station Infrastructure for Light and Heavy Duty Fleet, more greening in specific neighborhoods, cooling centers, HVAC upgrades, and other related items.