APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
___________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER ROWENA BROWN
RESOLUTION (1) ESTABLISHING ECONOMIC ACTIVATION ZONES
UNDER THE TOWN ALIVE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT
ENTERTAINMENT ZONES AND RESPONSIBLE ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE (AI) ACTIVATION ZONES IN THE CITY OF
OAKLAND, BRINGING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING TO PUBLIC
AND COMMUNITY SPACES; AND (2) AUTHORIZING THE CITY
ADMINISTRATOR TO AWARD, NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A
GRANT AGREEMENT WITH OAKLAND FUND FOR PUBLIC
INNOVATION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION
DOLLARS ($1,000,000) TO IMPLEMENT THE TOWN ALIVE PROGRAM FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM FROM NOVEMBER 1, 2025, THROUGH
OCTOBER 31, 2027
WHEREAS, the Town Alive initiative establishes Economic Activation Zones— designated areas that re-energize Oakland’s public spaces, strengthen small businesses, and connect residents to innovation opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the program launches with two pilot components: Entertainment Zones to activate commercial corridors through outdoor cultural events and festivals, and Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) Activation Zones to foster equitable, community-based innovation; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill 969 (Wiener), effective January 1, 2025, authorizes cities, counties, and city-and-county governments to establish Entertainment Zones, defined as areas designated by local ordinance where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is permitted on public streets, sidewalks, and rights-of-way under regulated conditions; and WHEREAS, cities across California—including San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica, and Sacramento—have already established or launched Entertainment Zones to support local businesses, activate commercial corridors, and enhance cultural life; and WHEREAS, by means of a separate ordinance, the City Council is considering authorizing Entertainment Zones to activate Oakland’s commercial corridors with social and cultural
2 programming, increasing foot traffic and turning one-time events into long-term patronage of local businesses; and
WHEREAS, the City of Oakland recognizes the growing role of Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies in shaping economic opportunity, workforce development, and public service delivery; and
WHEREAS, the Responsible AI Activation Zones will serve as physical and programmatic hubs to advance equitable, community-based innovation, ensuring that AI technologies are developed, implemented, and governed in alignment with Oakland’s values of equity, transparency, and inclusion; and
WHEREAS, guiding principles include inclusive access, fairness and accountability, community engagement, transparency and privacy, and workforce development; and WHEREAS, programming within the Responsible AI Activation Zones will include community education events, professional conferences, civic innovation pilots, and internships— connecting residents, students, and small businesses to opportunities in the technology sector; and WHEREAS, the City intends to prioritize programs that prepare local workers—especially those from historically disadvantaged communities—for opportunities in AI-related and impacted industries, ensuring that the economic benefits of AI are shared equitably, mitigating negative impacts, and promoting digital literacy; and
WHEREAS, these programs will be led and coordinated through the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation (OFPI), in partnership with Laney College, the Unity Council’s Unity Tech Hub, and Mills College at Northeastern University, providing citywide access to resources and training; and
WHEREAS, the City Council seeks to support the establishment of Economic Activation Zones through the Town Alive Program by providing resources to launch programming across Oakland; and
WHEREAS, OFPI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the prosperity, safety, and quality of life for all Oaklanders by establishing innovative public-private partnerships in our most vulnerable communities; and
WHEREAS, OFPI achieves its mission by partnering with government agencies to pilot new strategies to meet the needs of Oaklanders, and by scaling the most promising solutions; and WHEREAS, OFPI’s mission and approach are strongly aligned with the vision for the Town Alive Program, and OFPI will serve as an effective project manager and fiscal sponsor for program implementation; and
WHEREAS, OFPI will partner with the Kapor Foundation, which works to ensure equitable access to the technology industry, to identify private funding options to sustain Responsible AI Activation Zone programming; and
WHEREAS, on June 11, 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 90827 C.M.S., which approved the FY 2025–2027 Biennial Budget, including One Million Dollars ($1,000,000)
3 for “Economic Opportunity Zones” across two years with Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) in each year, and the City Council wishes to support the Town Alive Program with these funds; and
WHEREAS, funding for “Economic Opportunity Zones” is available in the General Purpose Fund (1010), Economic Development Organization (85411), Third-Party: Grant Contracts Earned Account (54912), Entertainment & Activate Project (1008217), Administration Program (IP03) ; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council establishes the Town Alive Program in Oakland to bring innovative programming to public and community spaces; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Council authorizes the City Administrator to award, negotiate, and execute a grant agreement with the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation in an amount not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) for a two-year term from November 1, 2025, through October 31, 2027, with Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) of that amount subject to the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Midcycle Budget Adoption, to implement the Town Alive Program, which includes Entertainment Zones and Responsible AI Activation Zones with an allowable administrative fee not to exceed Ten Percent (10%) or One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) and a program management fee not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) total over the two years; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Administrator is hereby authorized to negotiate, execute, amend, extend, or otherwise take any action in relation to the grant agreement, except to increase the monetary amount.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT JENKINS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
3446934 / NC