By Bo Tefu
California Black Media
In his proclamation declar-
ing July 4, 2025, Independence
Day in California, Gov. Gavin
Newsom centered his message
on equality, freedom and op -
portunity, reminding Califor -
nians that they have a stake in
the fight to keep the dream of
America alive.
The Governor said, since
the founding of the country,
“Americans have fought and
died to safeguard the promise
of our democracy and all its
ideals.”
He also reminded Califor -
nians that America has not al -
ways guaranteed freedom and
opportunity to all — and that
it has taken sacrifice and de -
termination to achieve the
freedoms we celebrate on the
Fourth of July.
“The struggles and triumphs
of generations of Americans
have continued our progress
toward this goal, and the work
is far from over,” he said. “Re-
lentless attacks across the
country, from the highest lev -
els, try to weaken and erase our
fundamental rights and free -
doms, threatening to undo de -
cades of hard-won progress
we’ve made as a nation
Newsom promised that Cal-
ifornia will never “back down
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN ORDINANCE
(1) AMENDING TITLE 15 OF THE OAKLAND MUNICIPAL CODE TO UPDATE
AND REVISE THE REGULATIONS FOR THE JOBS/HOUSING IMPACT
FEE (CHAPTER 15.68), AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPACT FEE (CHAPTER
15.72), AND TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IMPACT FEES (CHAPTER 15.74);
(2) AMENDING THE CITY OF OAKLAND MASTER FEE SCHEDULE
(ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE NO. 13799 C.M.S., AS AMENDED) TO
CALCULATE IMPACT FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS ON A SQUARE FOOTAGE BASIS; AND
(3) MAKING APPROPRIATE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT FINDINGS
This Ordinance amends the Oakland Municipal Code to update and revise regulations for the Jobs/Housing Impact Fee (Chapter 15.68), Affordable Housing Impact Fee (Chapter 15.72), and Transportation and Capital Improvement Impact Fees (Chapter 15.74). This Ordinance also amends the City’s Master Fee Schedule to calculate impact fees for residential projects on a square footage basis. Finally, this Ordinance adopts various findings including findings related to exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday afternoon July 1, 2025, and passed to print 7 Ayes; 1 Excused - Fife. Final adoption has been scheduled for the City Council meeting Tuesday evening July 15, 2025, 3:30 P .M., at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
NOTICE AND DIGEST
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SALARY SCHEDULE OF ORDINANCE
NO. 12187 C.M.S. (“SALARY ORDINANCE”) TO: (A) ADD THE FULL-TIME CLASSIFICATION OF PARKING CONTROL TECHNICIAN II; AND (B) ADD THE FULL-TIME CLASSIFICATION OF OAK311 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SPECIALIST, SENIOR; AND (C) ADD THE FULL-TIME, PERMANENT PART- TIME, AND PART-TIME EQUIVALENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF OAK311 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SPECIALIST; AND (D) AMEND THE TITLE OF THE
FULL-TIME AND PERMANENT PART-TIME EQUIVALENT CLASSIFICATIONS
OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNER, SENIOR TO TRANSPORTATION
PLANNER, SUPERVISING; AND (E) AMEND THE SALARY OF THE PART-TIME
CLASSIFICATION OF SENIOR AIDE, PT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY OF OAKLAND’S MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE
This ordinance authorizes changes to the City’s Classification Plan as shown in the City’s Salary Schedule to add three new classifications and amend existing titles and salary rates. Parking Control Technician II positions will be added to the Department of Transportation to enforce parking regulations, issue citations, and increase capacity to deliver services to the community. OAK311 Communications Center Specialist, Senior and OAK311 Communications Center Specialist classifications are being added to the Office of the City Administrator to replace the existing call center positions following the creation of new job descriptions. In the Department of Transportation, the classification title for Transportation Planner, Senior is being revised to ensure better alignment of the levels within the job series. Lastly, the pay rate for the Senior Aide, PT classification is being raised to align with the City of Oakland’s new minimum wage rate that took effect January 1, 2025 per requirements in Measure FF and the Oakland Municipal Code Section 5.92.
Notice of Publication
This Ordinance was introduced at the City Council meeting, Tuesday afternoon June 17, 2025, and passed to print 7 Ayes; 1 No – Gallo. Final adoption has been scheduled for the City Council meeting Tuesday evening July 15, 2025, 3:30 P .M., at One Frank H.
Ogawa Plaza, Council Chamber, 3rd floor, Oakland, California, and via Teleconference.
Three full copies are available for use and examination by the public in the Office of the City Clerk at One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 1st floor, Oakland, California.
ASHA REED, City Clerk
postnewsgroup.comTHE POST, July 9 - 15, 2025 Page 8
By Edward Henderson,
California Black Media
Legislation could go into effect
by the end of this year, changing the
way Californians landscape their
homes.
In 2020, California enacted As-
sembly Bill 3074, mandating prop-
erty owners to create an “ember-re-
sistant zone” — referred to as “Zone
0” — within five feet of homes in
designated high fire hazard areas.
The legislation aims to reduce the
risk of homes igniting from wind-
driven embers during wildfires, a
leading cause of structural fires.
However, many homeowners
across the state — like Oakland
Resident Tina Sanders — have not
yet heard about the pending rules
and have not begun making plans or
saving money to be able to comply
with it should the new safety rules
go into effect soon
“I don’t know much about the
Zone 0 law, but I think that the state
should provide more information
about it and help people prepare for
this sudden change,” Sanders told
CBM.
“I understand why it needs to
happen, but people who aren’t
aware or can’t afford to make these
changes deserve assistance,” she
added.
Other homeowners are worried
that following Zone 0 rules could
negatively impact the curb appeal
of their homes, affecting their prop-
erty values.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom is-
sued Executive Order N-18-25
in February, he directed the State
Board of Forestry and Fire Pro -
tection to expedite the adoption of
Zone 0 regulations.
“We are living in a new reality
of extremes. Believe the science —
and your own damn eyes: Mother
Nature is changing the way we live,
and we must continue adapting to
those changes,”
Despite the law’s passage in
2020, implementation has faced de-
lays. Originally set to take effect in
2023, the regulations have not been
finalized, leaving many homeown-
ers uncertain about compliance re-
quirements.
While compliance with the Zone
0 regulations is currently recom -
mended but not mandatory, the fire
department has already completed
nearly 6,000 inspections, identify-
ing over 1,900 violations of exist-
ing fire safety regulations.
In some cities like Berkeley,
for example, the local government
is already providing guidance to
homeowners on how they can fire-
proof their homes.
“You are responsible for keep-
ing your property safe,” Berkeley’s
website reminds residents.
“The first 5 feet around your
home is the most important area
to clear of vegetation and combus-
tible materials since it is closest to
buildings, structures, and decks,”
the messaging on the website goes
on. “In the Ember-Resistant Zone,
dead vegetation creates the high -
est risk for ignition, but even living
vegetation can pose a threat in Igni-
tion Zone 0, especially for proper-
ties in the hills.”
CAL FIRE has also provided
prevention information on their
website regarding “fire smart land-
scaping.”
When the California Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection met
in Sacramento from June 16 to 18,
implementation of Zone Zero was
high on different agendas for meet-
ing attendees. However, the board
has said it is still in the “pre-rule-
making phase.”
Once finalized, the rules will ap-
ply immediately to new construc-
tions in State Responsibility Areas
and Very High Fire Hazard Sever-
ity Zones. These include areas in
Los Angeles County (Rancho Palos
Verdes, Calabasas, Malibu), Ven-
tura County, and portions of River-
side, San Diego, and San Bernardi-
no counties. In addition, El Dorado
County (South Lake Tahoe, Pollock
Pines) and Lake Arrowhead in San
Bernardino County are also desig-
California’s New
Landscaping Rules: You
May Soon Be Required to
Fire-Proof Your Yard
Gov. Newsom’s 4th of
July Message Shines
Light on America’s
Fight for Equality
and Opportunity
Prop 36 Is Triggering an Arrest
Surge in California, Hitting
Black Communities Hard
Shuttrstock.
iStock
Asm. Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), Vice Chair of the Cali - fornia Legislative Black Caucus, called Prop 36 a “war on poor people” after learning that the backlog of cases is disproportion- ately impacting the Black community. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. File photo.
By Antonio Ray Harvey
California Black Media
Six months after California’s
Prop 36 took effect, early data
shows a rise in arrests — with the
law disproportionately affecting
Black communities in some parts
of the state.
Also known as the “Homeless-
ness, Drug Addiction, and Theft
Reduction Act,” the measure was
overwhelmingly passed by voters
in the November 2024 general elec-
tion. Prop 36 increased penalties for
certain drug and theft crimes, re -
classifying some as felonies, and
lengthened sentences for specific
offenses.
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan
(D-Ladera Heights), the vice chair
of the California Legislative Black
Caucus (CLBC), raised concerns
about the effects of Prop 36.
“Instead of a war on poverty, Cal-
ifornia’s legal system has initiated
a war on poor people,” Bryan told
California Black Media (CBM).
“We deserve better. We have to fight
for the economic opportunities our
community deserves.”
According to a report by V oice of
San Diego, via San Diego Census
and San Diego Police Department,
data shows that 32% of 374 people
arrested for Prop 36-related drug
or theft charges in the city from the
middle of December through May
were Black. Out of 1.9 million resi-
dents, Black people make up 5.6%
of the city’s population.
Ricardo D. García, the Chief
Public Defender for Los Angeles
County, shared with CBM that Prop
36 cases have risen since the law
went into effect on Dec. 18, 2024.
“Poverty, homelessness, drug
addiction, and mental illness are
driving factors,” he says.
“Prop 36 disproportionately
hurts Black, Brown, and immigrant
communities,” García said. “We
are already under-resourced. Prop
36 and its treatment mandates are
meaningless if there’s no bed, no
place for someone to go to.”
Before Prop 36 became law, the
L.A. County jails had a population
of just over 11,000 inmates, but
it quickly rose above 12,000, and
reached over 13,000 in May, before
falling to the “12,900 range” before
the 4th of July holiday.
“We saw 12 arrests before Prop
36 on these types of offenses and
since May of 2025, we are looking
at 594 arrests,” García said.
Prop 36 emerged as a policy re-
sponse to rising concerns across the
state about crimes like shoplifting,
smash-and-grabs and other forms
of property theft.
Legislative Republicans, how-
ever, were advocating for $400 mil-
lion to support Prop 36 implemen-
tation.
The lawmakers also pushed on-
going funding.
“This initiative was passed by
the people, and I think they want-
ed ongoing funding,” Sen. Tony
Strickland (R-Huntington Beach)
told CBM in his Capitol Swing
Space Annex office. “I can’t recall
the last initiative that passed all 58
counties — even those liberal coun-
ties like Marin and San Francisco
voted for this.”
Yoel Haile, the Director of the
Criminal Justice Program at the
ACLU of Northern California
(NorCal ACLU), penned a com -
mentary about the number of Prop
36 cases that are popping up in the
Bay Area.
About 90% of the people from
north Alameda County charged un-
der Prop 36 are Black, while Black
people make up just 10% of Alam-
eda County’s total population, ac-
cording to Haile.
Many of the cases, Haile told
CBM, involve individuals commit-
ting petty theft to attain necessities
such as food, toothpaste, diapers,
and soap.
“Arresting someone for that and
giving them a record is not going
to solve their problem,” Haile said.
“We have to push D.A.s not to crim-
inalize and charge everything that
comes across their desk.” Continued on page 9