Special Council Meeting
June 12, 2026
CITY OF OAKLAND
CITY HALL • 1 FRANK H. OGAWA PLAZA • OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA • 94612
MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 8, 2026
TO: City Council and Members of the Public
FROM: Councilmember Carroll Fife, District 3
SUBJECT: FY 2026-2027 Midcycle Budget Amendments
Dear Council Colleagues and Community,
The budget process is always a difficult undertaking, but it is especially hard when there are financial constraints that hinder our ability to fully address the myriad needs in our city. Oakland continues to be in challenging financial times and the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 -2027 Midcycle Budget reflects this reality. With the understanding that the resources we have are significantly less than the level of need in our com munities, achieving a balanced budget is a laudable feat . I want to acknowledge Mayor Barbara Lee for giving the City Council a great starting point.
However, as councilmembers, we have the responsibility of make amendments that allow us to be responsive to the communities we serve. Accordingly, I am proposing three amendments to the budget that touch on oversight and accountability, food production and resiliency, and affordable housing.
Proposed Amendments
1) Add back 1 FTE Complaint Investigator II in Community Police Review Agency (CPRA).
General Purpose Fund 1010.
o Using salary savings from vacancies within the City Administrator’s Office, we can help maintain CPRA’s investigative capacity . Per the equity statement in the Mayor’s proposed budget, “a dequate investigator staffing is essential to uphold CPRA’s mandate, maintain public trust, and ensure that all communities , particularly those most impacted by police interactions , receive fair, timely, and thorough investigations.”
o While this is not full restoration, adding back 1 FTE position will limit the negative impact of the proposed freezes on a key oversight body. 2) Add 1 FTE Limited Duration Employee within Public Works to build a food resiliency program focused on community gardens for produce production. Measure Q Fund 2244. o The City currently has a community gardens program with minimal staffing to advance the stated goals of the program. This position would address this service gap while helping to create a focused pilot program that will help foster cultivation of fresh produce at the neighborhood level to eventually establish a free food program. The goal is to advance sustainability and food security.
Special Council Meeting
June 12, 2026
o Council can choose to adjust/expand the program pending budget allocation in the FY 27-29 biennial budget.
3) $50 million in Measure U allocation for affordable housing. Measure U Fund 5343. o The City must continue to invest in affordable housing by funding pipeline projects.
The new construction pipeline is currently 13 applications with 919 units representing $246 million in unfunded requests.
o This allocation, while not enough to fund the full pipeline, will help the Housing and Community Development Department to bring much-needed units online , including units for the unhoused.
As mentioned above, many issues are essential but cannot be funded at this time. I remain focused on developing meaningful programs that will improve the material conditions of our residents in District 3 and city -wide. I am also deeply committed to opening doors for revenue generating initiatives, including bringing new businesses like Costco to Oakland. These are just a few ways to address the City’s structural challenges and to end budgeting and functioning under austerity.
I look forward to your support of these three amendments and the policy directives in Attachment A.
Sincerely,
Councilmember Carroll Fife, District 3
Attachments:
Attachment A: Policy Directives
Special Council Meeting
June 12, 2026
ATTACHMENT A: POLICY DIRECTIVES
Councilmember Fife’s policy directives are as follows:
1) Direct the City Administrator present quarterly updates on the impact of the 2025 Encampment Abatement P olicy to the Life Enrichment Committee. This informational report should include, but not be limited to, the number of encampments addressed pursuant to the policy, locations of said encampments, the departments involved, shelter offers and placements, resources expended for operations (cleanings, relocations, closures), demographic data, number of relocations to low-sensitivity areas (encampments and RVs), any updates to the sensitivity maps etc.
2) Direct the City Administrator to present quarterly updates to the Public Safety Committee on the status of civilianization and moving Internal Affairs Division to CPRA per City Council direction provided in previous budget cycles. The City of Oakland has completed studies and information reports as far back as 2008 identifying sworn administrative positions in the police department that could be more affordably performed by civilian staff. The Council should be informed of the progress to implement past directives for transparency and accountability purposes.
3) Direct the City Administrator to explore a cultural facilities bond measure to address deferred maintenance and capital improvement needs in key community resources, including the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts and Children’s Fairyland. The City Administrator shall provide a report and recommendations to the City Council no later than May 2027.
4) Direct the City Administrator to assess the feasibility of establishing a park rangers program and permitted vending locations to address issues of safety and unpermitted activity at Lake Merritt. The assessment shall include funding sources that can be utilized to support these efforts and shall be presented in time to inform decisions in the next biennial budget.
5) Direct the City Administrator to develop a standard communications protocol for departments to update Council offices on major projects, initiatives, and events that impact the areas they serve. Some departments are proactive with sharing relevant updates with Council offices, while others are not as consistent . A standard protocol will help ensure equitable access for all Council offices. Additionally, better communication will help Councilmembers in assisting departments with any community outreach needs.