Nuisance Property Civil Penalties

At a glance

What: Ordinance by Councilmember Unger amending Oakland Municipal Code 1.08 to raise maximum civil penalties for nuisance to up to $2,500 per day for repeated or continuing violations and up to $10,000 per day for unabated nuisances on real property after notice and an opportunity to abate.
Where it stands: Approved on introduction October 20, 8 to 0, after a public hearing with five speakers.
Next (deadline): Final passage at the November 10, 2026 Special Concurrent Meeting.

Detail

Oct. 13 Community & Economic Development Committee (item 8, file 26-0818): approved as amended and forwarded as a public hearing, on a motion by Councilmember Unger, seconded by Councilmember Fife, 4 to 0 (Fife, Ramachandran, Unger, Brown). Amendments: on page 2, third-to-last WHEREAS, "$1,000" became "$2,500"; in section 1.08.060 B, the word "Major" was added between "First Violation" and "Continuing Violation". No speakers.
Oct. 20 Council (item S4.2): hearing opened at 4:57 p.m. on a motion by Councilmember Unger, seconded by Councilmember Brown; five speakers; closed on a motion by Councilmember Unger, seconded by Councilmember Wang, with approval on introduction, 8 to 0. Supplemental report and legislation dated October 15 were posted.

Sources

City Council final agenda (PDF), November 10, 2026: https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1456405&GUID=16E1117A-B7DC-4995-8060-55D73A168005
City Council minutes (draft), October 20, 2026: https://oakland.legistar1.com/oakland/meetings/2026/10/9597_M___Concurrent_Meeting_of_the_Oakland_Redevelopment_Successor_Agency_and_the_City_Council_26-10-20_Meeting_Minutes.pdf
Community & Economic Development Committee minutes, October 13, 2026: https://oakland.legistar1.com/oakland/meetings/2026/10/9593_M__Community___Economic_Development_Committee_26-10-13_Meeting_Minutes.pdf

Log

2026-11-10 City Council

Item 6.7: ordinance on nuisance civil penalties of up to $2,500 per day, rising to $10,000 per day if unabated.

2026-10-20 City Council

Public hearing with five speakers. Councilmember Unger moved and Councilmember Wang seconded approval on introduction, which carried 8 to 0, with final passage scheduled for November 10.

2026-10-13 Community & Economic Development Committee

The committee amended the ordinance (penalty figure in the findings raised to $2,500; "Major" added to the violation language) and forwarded it, 4 to 0, with no public speakers.

2026-10-13 - Community & Economic Development Committee

Committee approved the amended penalty increase ($2,500 and $10,000 a day tiers) and forwarded it to the October 28 agenda as a public hearing, 4-0.

2026-10-15 - Rules & Legislation Committee

October 13 committee recommendation (amended, penalty figures changed) forwarded to the October 20 Council as a public hearing.