City Council
May 19, 2026
AGENDA REPORT
TO:
Oakland City Council
FROM: Mayor Barbara Lee
At-Large Councilmember
Rowena Brown
District 2 Councilmember
Charlene Wang
SUBJECT: Resolution Commemoratively
Renaming The Plaza At The LGBTQ
Community Center
DATE: May 19th, 2025
____________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Commemoratively Renaming The Plaza (A Public Right Of Way) At The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center As “Moore Hope Plaza”
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report supports a community-led effort to honor the late Peggy Moore and her partner Hope Wood by renaming the plaza, a City of Oakland public right of way, at Lakeshore Avenue, Lake Park Avenue, and Rand Avenue as “Moore Hope Plaza.” This action is proposed by the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District in partnership with the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, and it reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to equity, inclusion, and honoring the contributions of Oakland’s LGBTQ+ leaders.
Peggy Moore was a longtime community organizer and civil rights leader whose work has deeply impacted Oakland and the greater Bay Area. Moore played an important role in many East Bay cultural organizations, the Obama and Hilary Clinton presidential campaigns, and in the Oakland City government. Hope Wood was a beloved community figure whose compassion and support touched countless lives. Wood conducted crucial work at the Harvard Kennedy School for Leadership, Color of Change, and The Courage Campaign. Their partnership represented the values of justice, love, and resilience, and was embodied by Hope and Peggy’s shared consultancy firm, Hope Action Change.
This designation and installation of a commemorative plaque will create a permanent and visible tribute to their legacy in the heart of Oakland’s LGBTQ Cultural District.
Oakland City Council
Subject: Resolution Commemoratively Renaming The Plaza At The LGBTQ Community Center Date: May 7, 2026 Page 2
City Council
May 19, 2026
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Peggy Moore has been a transformative figure in LGBTQ+ advocacy, racial justice, and political organizing, serving as a mentor to emerging leaders and working on behalf of marginalized communities throughout Oakland. Hope Wood, her partner, shared in this commitment to community and civic engagement before their lives were tragically altered by a fatal car accident that took their lives in May 2024.
In recognition of their legacy, the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District and the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center have collaborated on this proposal. The plaza, already a central gathering place for LGBTQ+ events and community resilience, will be renamed in their honor and marked by a permanent plaque.
This plaza commemorative renaming meets the following criteria in Resolution No. 77967 for Council-initiated street renaming and is consistent with Resolution No. 77966 for commemorative street renaming:
• Peggy Moore and Hope Wood were individuals who have positively impacted the lives of those in the Bay Area, California, and nationwide through their political advocacy and community engagement.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
This naming provides an opportunity for the City of Oakland to publicly recognize LGBTQ+ leaders, particularly Black LGBTQ women, who have shaped our civic and cultural landscape.
Naming this plaza is an act of inclusion and healing, signaling to future generations that their identities and contributions matter.
Alternative options considered include:
● No renaming: would miss an opportunity for healing, visibility, and community building.
● Symbolic plaque only without renaming: would offer recognition but lack the lasting civic designation tied to renaming a place.
The proposed naming and plaque installation were developed in collaboration with community stakeholders and align with the City of Oakland's values.
FISCAL IMPACT
A modest fiscal impact is anticipated related to signage and plaque installation. The City Administrator and Department of Transportation are authorized to work with the Oakland Oakland City Council
Subject: Resolution Commemoratively Renaming The Plaza At The LGBTQ Community Center Date: May 7, 2026 Page 3
City Council
May 19, 2026
LGBTQ Community Center and Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District to coordinate funding and design options. Community fundraising and external grant support may be pursued to offset costs.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
This proposal was developed with the input of:
● The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District
● The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
● Community members and LGBTQ+ leaders
● Local residents and cultural advocates
Community members have expressed enthusiastic support for the renaming, emphasizing the need for public spaces that reflect the full diversity of Oakland’s legacy.
COORDINATION
This item has been coordinated with: Oakland LGBTQ Center, Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District, Office of the City Administrator, Department of Transportation, and Office of the Mayor.
RACE AND EQUITY
There are no direct equity impacts connected to this request to 1) authorize the renaming of a public plaza located at the intersection of Lakeshore Avenue, Lake Park Avenue, and Rand Avenue, directly in front of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, as “Moore Hope Plaza,” or 2) authorize the City Administrator to work in partnership with the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center and the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District to fund, design, and install a commemorative plaque.
However, the project carries significance for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community, as both Peggy Moore and Hope Wood were women of color involved in community organizing, politics, and passionate about the pursuit of justice in the Bay Area.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as it has no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
Oakland City Council
Subject: Resolution Commemoratively Renaming The Plaza At The LGBTQ Community Center Date: May 7, 2026 Page 4
City Council
May 19, 2026
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Commemoratively Renaming The Plaza (A Public Right Of Way) At The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center As “Moore Hope Plaza”
For questions regarding this report, please contact Grayce Honsa, Policy Aide for At-Large Councilmember Rowena Brown, (510)-238-7081.
Respectfully submitted,
Mayor Barbara Lee
At-Large Councilmember Rowena Brown
District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang
Reviewed by: Malia McPherson, Deputy City Attorney
Prepared by:
Grayce Honsa
City Council
Bridget Ruiz-Rivezzo
City Council