2026-09-22 - Community & Economic Development Committee

Good afternoon and welcome to the community and Economic Development Committee meeting of Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 22nd 2000. 26, the time is now one 56 pm. And this meeting MAY come to order before I begin, I will provide instructions on how to submit speaker cards for items on this agenda. Sorry, if you're here with us in chamber would like to submit a speaker card. Please fill one out in turn, went into myself or click representative before the item is read into record. 10 minutes after the start of this. Meantime, online speaker request for 24 hours prior to the start of this meeting and this many come to order at one. 56 pm and speaker cards will no longer be accepted. 10 minutes after making that 02:00:06pm. Will now proceed with taking roll councilmember by. Excused for now. Excused Councilmember Ramachandran present. Councilmember anger here and chair Brown present. Thank you. We have 3 members present won excused by and chair before we begin. Do you have any announcements at this time? Excellent. Thank you so much. On no announcements except for welcome back. Thank you. Starting off with item number one approval of the draft minutes from the committee Meeting of JULY 14th 2026. And we have no speakers on this item. Think about. Councilmember I'll entertain a motion to. Move the item. This is to approve the minutes. Some of Okay. Thank you. We have a motion made by Councilmember Unger, seconded by council member Ahmed Chandran to accept the draft minutes from the committee Meeting of 7/14/2026, on Row Councilmember Fife excused Chandran. I I chair Brown, I thank you. Item one passes with 3 say 3 won excused by to accept the draft minutes from JULY 14th 2026. Item, 2 determination of scheduled a standing committee items and we have one speaker on the Perfect. Thank you so much. Any changes to our pending list on to the administration? No changes. Perfect. Thank you, colleagues. Anything okay. We can hear from the public speaker, societal of Allah. It's been an ongoing struggle. The city of Oakland to identify. That unemployment for. Foundational black. Individuals in this city. Being at 10%. And double digits for quite some time. That you ignore So I'm going to ask. That as much as possible with any. Item comes up that deals with workforce that we do a demographic. Representation. On what is in place and what you projecting to be in place to accommodate by race. Demographics. And in doing it like this Mornin Finance Committee, they had a breakdown of ethnic groups and it was very confusing. But you have to separate. Black. Which represents people from the islands. People from Africa. People from Central. And South America from the enslaved group. What I call. Foundational black Americans. If you look through this city every time you see a security, GOD. It's most of the time is an African. We have groups. People. If you talking about nail salons, beauty salons, gas station, 7.11, people dominate. And knows. Economic benches. And so not dominating easy thing. Again, I'm requesting that you have raced demographics probably put in place so we can look at. Foundational black Americans on given the opportunity be employed in this city. Thank you for your comments chair. That concludes else because on the just need a motion. Okay. Perfect colleagues. Of the atom. Second. Thank you. We have a motion made by Councilmember Unger seconded by Councilmember Ramachandran to accept the determination of schedule Senate committee items as is on Row Council members by excused Ramachandran. I I and Chair Brown. I thank you. Item 2 passes with 3. I has won excused. To accept the pending list as is reading in item number 3. Adopt an ordinance as recommended by the Planning Commission. One amending Oakland Municipal Code title 17, the planning Code chapter 17.86 s Dash 8. Abundant and affordable homes near transit Senate Bill, 79 mining zone regulations to address comments received California Department of Housing and Community Development to amending the planning Coach. Update 17.86 to exclude additional industrial zone parcels previously designated as an eligible for sb 79 within the areas that were not previously excluded. Making related Oakland zoning map amendments to update to update parcels designated within stash 8 mining zone and to update identification of whether such designated parcels are excluded from the Senate bill. 79 property development standards and making California Environmental Quality Act findings. And we have one speaker on this item for this item. We will hear a presentation from our planning and building team Kelly Cha. Good afternoon could please bring the presentation. Please. Good My name is county, John. Here to present the item 3 and each end amendments to the planning Code. Chapter 17. 86. They say combining regulate their own regulations which is commonly referred to piece, 9 local exclusion ordinance. So to provide a quick overview to the process. The s p 79 was inducted into the back in back in OCTOBER 2025 and with an effective date of JULY. First, 2026 earlier this year, Oakland adopted a combining zoning regulations and related zoning map. Amendment which basically established local exclusions to us be 79. And upon adoption steps, made it the ordinance to state each cd and receive their comments back in chains stating that we need to adjust. We need to make some adjustment to fully comply with the s p 9. S p 79 requirements. In addition to some comments related the maps from Metropolitan Transportation Commission as well, the proposed amendments address, the comments we receive from these 2 agencies. And earlier this month that he's immense amendments received a unanimous recommendation from Planning Commission to forward to the city Council without any modifications. And upon recommendation from the cd today, plans to take this item to the City Council to the City Council for consideration and adoption in OCTOBER. And this shows the development requirements from sb 79 different here to ut Zones just as a reference. And this is a just a quick reminder of 3 different exclusions. City adopted back in MARCH. On JUNE penned ntc actually comment. We received the comments from ntc noting that the Fugees owns city adopted are slightly different from their regional map. They prepared. This is because slightly different access points use for transit stops, especially for poor stations and they also noted that hitting that is missing for transit stops that we should act them and also conduct some analysis. 2 days later, actually on 12th of JUNE, we receive comments from the state each cd that city needs to update its local ordinance to fully comply be 79 requirements. And the main comments, it was related to the Oakland Industrial and Open Space Stones. Oakland's ordinance does not currently include open space in industrial zones as part of their exclusion because they were initially considered ineligible, however, because they both allow commercial uses alongside with industrial in open space uses, which is their primary They are considered mixed use zones and are therefore subject to sb 79. And additionally, the state each city requested Oakland sb 79 map to align with the empty seats. Regional map and asked for some clarification and the clerical error. So to address these comments that paired propose amendments to adopt to opted administrative changes include removing the 20th avenue ac Transit stop, which is not 28 and and amending the inevitability which removed the open space in industrial zones and parcels made at a plant permitting authority. And in addition to those administrative changes mended the zoning that to be designated open space, parcels from ineligible to excluded if they fall fall within adopted exclusion or covered if they not do not. And also all industrial parcels within dod zones where we designated from ineligible to excluded. This includes industrial parcels that were not within and excluded. Hear the like areas around Calais station and 14th Avenue. Ac Transit. Stop. And this is showing those areas and those industrial parcels that we're be designated as excluded showing is Orange Bill Parcells on maps. And to address and PCs comments, a staff of just that that at the dot zones to allow a line with PCs sp 79 regional map. We also added those 4 additional stops to the ordinance and created new maps and conducted an analysis and confirming that all 4 stops are eligible for exclusion. As I have mentioned in the beginning is staff took proposed item to the planning Commission earlier this month and received unanimous. Recommendation to forward to the council without any modifications and staff is planning to take this item. 2 city Council for their first meeting on OCTOBER 6th and in OCTOBER. 28 for the adoption and second reading. But the cd committee's recommendation. And this is the and staff recommendation basically recommends that the city Council conduct a public hearing in adopt the proposed amendments to the ordinance as well as the related zoning amendments it with appropriate sick with findings. This concludes staff presentation and we're happy to answer any questions you MAY have. Excellent. Thank you so much time. So just a couple quick questions. I know that in the past when receive feedback from any of our state agencies. Sometimes that can be provided in our packet. And so it's curious as this advances, if this advance is could the letter that we received from state hcd be included. And then was there a separate communication from ntc? We did. We can actually include those copies. When you prepare for the city council packet, definitely. And we do have a copy of the letter from and pc as well. So that can be also included her fate. And then as far as the edits, Olga Handler. I just want that this is Laura Kaminsky, strategic planning manager. So one of the reasons that we did not include the letter from the state, which can, and that's on their website. Is that there's a number of as we're about pull him an area letter that showed a number of comments and we had quite a few conversations with the state acd that addressed a lot of the Number, the comments in the letter actually not relevant at this point because they've already said it. There is some They weren't sure about the historic preservation, the restart resources and we provided the evidence as to why those meet their requirements. And so there's a lot of besides the letter, there's a lot internal conversations that we had with the state that when reflected in that letter that might cause confusion. Okay. I appreciate that clarity. And then my other question. Do expect any more chips and changes as relates to the Phi mtc finalizing the maps. Sorry. Could you clarify? Because I know that some of the changes occurred because in tc had finalized the maps just wanted to confirm work. Are those changes complete? Yes, okay. Yeah. Yeah. So we it was in JUNE when we got the the maps from mtc that showed them. These are the final maps. Yes, okay. Perfect. Councilmember Getting back to that, slider, that concentric circles on Yeah, there we I'm just always there's a lot double negatives in these, you know, exclusion and inclusion. So can you explain for me what is changing for industrial zoning. In this that we're considering to the sodas. Industrial zonings indicated filled orange parcels. Those are only ones that are changing from ineligible, which was before. On U.S. Be 79 map as a graying parcels because they weren't considered ineligible. Now we're making them excluded, parcels excluded from what is excluded excluded from sb 79 standards. So that means that they can be developed. How they will be developed, according to our local regulations. Instead of 7 xp, 79 standards. And what not and what does that mean for them specifically? Will they be easier to develop as industrial harder doing that development. Is real for industry really wouldn't really change anything for them because it we already have those regulations established what for those zones that they will just couldn't continue applying regulations that are in place. 4. The s p 79 basically allowed him develop residential in those parcels. So proposing that we should temporarily exclude them until the company instantly. Look at them and see how that's going to impact them for residential development. What we're doing today doesn't newly exclude any industrial uses industrial uses, will will made. Yes. So what it what happened? Was that ridging? And thought these were ineligible because they did not allow housing. We are is that dust was on not allow residential and we looked at the with the state law was written, said parcels that allow for either residential commercial or mixed use. And to our interpretation was that our industrial zones where national zones, they were not commercial zones. They did not allow residential and therefore they were not eligible with the state Hcd housing development permit defined is excuse zone is anything that allows one type of use and allows either commercial or residential and it's now makes you so there into our industrial zones in Oakland, all-out commercial uses. And now it's a mixed So what they were telling us that is that. Any areas we did not exclude that had industrial zones would be allowed to have housing put on them, even though our zoning does not allow housing. And so that was a concern for us because that, you know, we've been hearing a lot from stakeholders about the loss of industrial properties. And so that is why we are proposing in these areas that had not been excluded previously because they're wanting housing on the other properties to not allow. We don't want to allow these of this time housing on these industrial zone properties. So that is the proposal now is to actually have them as excluded to not be able to use sb 79 on just just site. Kind break it down. So with what you're recommending today, we are not newly excluding industrial uses. No. So actually industrial uses are still allowed of it. So it going back to what our zoning allows, which is only industrial uses and commercial. And we're just saying we would not allow housing on these industrial zone. So we are not changing. The rules for industrial usage with this today. Correct? We're just yeah. Word is only excluding what the state would have mandated to say that you have to allow these industrial first. Thank you. Perfect. Thank you so much. I know that I really found the maps in the packet to be really helpful. I know Councilmember Houston, you had some comments that you wanted to uplift pages. 29 to 35 the maps in the report I think is attachment 5 really provide a lot of clarity where you can see what's covered. What's excluding was ineligible so I just wanted to share that to for any of the businesses that MAY be listening. I really thought that that clarity of the maps really good. But councilmember Houston. Okay, I'll make a motion to adjourn into a special meeting given that Councilmember Houston is I guess a non-member. So we have a motion a second. Thank you. Did to the PRESIDENT Council members, Houston, we have a motion made by. Council member chart Chair Brown seconded by Councilmember Ramachandran 2 injured into a special meeting. On role Councilmember Fife excused councilmember Remy Chardon. Remember anger and chair Brown. I thank you. Motion passed with 3 eyes when excuse to adjourn into a special meeting. Perfect Councilmember Houston, chair. Thank you for the presentation. And Laura, thank you. You came to our last East Oakland Gateway meeting and and and councilmember ridges mentioned something different he can and just to and he didn't understand. It is complicated him. And I and I think he's brilliant. I know my my constituents is hard for them. So I would ask for you and Gilchrist to come back to the East Oakland Gateway meeting before the 6th or the 20th. So we could just explain those colors because I got kind of confused and the colors and I'm speaking about in district 7. So clear than it was before that I like it. But the colors so many colors and out lies, it's hard for a person really understand. And I would you, MR. Gilchrist to come back to the East Oakland Gateway meeting. So they'll understand it. So when it does come back on the 20th, this not so much confusion, ok, that's all like to say. Thank Perfect. Thank you so much. Council for Houston. Do we have any public speakers? Yes, calling the name that signed up to speak on item 3 Mississauga will of Allah. This went into effect in JULY. I don't know when it was originally pay Este, but the first thought I had missed this. Once a bill. It's being introduce. You supposed to have a mechanism to say if this passes, it's going to cause some issues from my city. So I'm going to address that. So that the bill complies with these the best interest of my city. So what we have now is that didn't happen, obviously, what did happen is we're reacting to a bill and you don't have you have you don't have to just react to a bill. You can make sure that the bill contains components that serves you will least make an effort to do it. And that didn't happen. So you're reacting to the bill in the purpose of the bill is to affordable housing. And to make sure that that housing has the capacity be in areas of the convenience of having access to Bart and ac Transit, which is a good idea. What's not a good idea is some communities don't want high density some communities don't want anything to grow because they satisfy what it is and you intervening in their best interests. Which is fine. But when I request you to intervene of the impact of gentrification in this city. And you do nothing. There's a lack of consistency. I'm looking out for the interests of people as it relates to housing. And that that's my main point and want to make. You have never taken opportunity to look at how gentrification in this city and its high. And I'm talking about gentrification on the point, a white people coming in here and immigrants coming in here. And I'm talking about public housing, any form of housing. Thank you for your comments. Sure. That includes all speakers on this item. Excellent. Thank you. And so make a motion to move this item to the OCTOBER. The 6 council meeting. Second perfect. Thank you. Thank you. To the maker, the motion. Is this going to be as a public hearing? Yes, please. Thank you. We have a motion made by chair bound second by council member Ahmed Chandran to approve the recommendations of stop and support this item to the OCTOBER 6, 2026 city Council agenda as a public hearing on role councilmembers by excused. If I in, can we ensure that the hcd letter is included in the supplemental? Thank you so much. In the motion. Along with mtc letter as well. Yes, please, thank I will restate that motion. That was a motion made by chair Brown second by Councilmember Ramachandran to approve the recommendations of staff and support this item to the OCTOBER 6 city council just as a public hearing with the request to staff to provide in the supplemental report. The letters from state Hcd and the mtc on row Councilmembers by excuse Ramachandran I I and chair Brown. I thank you. Item 3 passes with 3 eyes when excuse support the side into the OCTOBER 6 City Council agenda as the public hearing. Reading in item for receive an informational report on the implementation status of the 2025. To 2029 Economic Development. Action plan focused on fiscal year 2025. 26 and we have one speaker on this item. Perfect. Thank you so much. And we will hear economic and workforce development director director can. Good afternoon chair Brown members of the committee actually director of economic and workforce development. I do have a presentation today and as that's coming up, well, just start with the fact that I'm so pleased to be here today to report now first annual implementation update on the Economic Development Action Plan. The purpose today really is to step back from the individual programs and talk about the threats of the work that we're doing and how the pieces fit together. The really gives us a framework for that work across 5 goals and this presentation highlights what we accomplished fiscal year. 25 26. So the that was developed to give Oakland a longer-term economic development framework after the pandemic era economic recovery plan, it's intentionally broader than a traditional business attraction strategy. It recognizes that a healthy economy requires businesses that can grow workers who can access opportunity, places where investment can occur and a strong cultural and community go system and importantly, it's not a plan that set separate from the city's other priorities. It's aligned with the general plan, the downtown Oakland specific plan, the cultural plan and the equitable climate action plan among others. We also continue to engage the businesses workers, property owners, investors, community organizations and Workforce partners who helped inform to plan. These principles. Here on the screen before you are important because they describe how we approach economic development, not just what programs we operate. The through line is inclusive growth, attracting investment in creating jobs while making sure Oakland residents and historically under-resourced communities can participate and benefit from that growth. So as you look at the accomplishments and the rest of the presentation, I would encourage you to see him through that lens. The 5 goals give us a useful way to organize what's otherwise. A very large portfolio of work and the economic data. That's part of the presentation Attachment b reinforces why we need all 5 working together. And a new look at our economy is showing both signs of recovery and areas of continued vulnerability in 2025. We had more than 24,300 employers and nearly 185,000 jobs. The number of employers has grown since 2023, but total employment remains below the roughly 193,000 jobs we had in 2023. That's why the 5 goals are intentionally interconnected, attracting investment helping existing businesses succeed, connecting Oaklanders to jobs, investing in places and supporting the cultural assets that make Oakland distinctive. The slide. This slide Wd is organized. The point here is to demonstrate our Brent to show you that we are organized to be able to implement the Economic Development Action plan. This is very intentional. Of course, I also want to emphasize that economic development touches a very broad range of city functions and require significant coordination across departments. And I'm very grateful for the collaboration of my colleagues across the city. So moving into specifics, start with goal. Number one, attracting a growing key sectors. Our approach is not to pursue every possible industry to be strategic about the sectors where Oakland has real assets and were growth can contribute to jobs, investment and long-term fiscal sustainability. There are several themes here that I want to highlight rather than walk through every accomplishment. And I know the fun to small. The first is economic diversification. Oakland already has a fairly diverse economic base and we're trying to build on those existing strengths rather than betting the city's future on a single industry. Health care and social assistance is currently opens largest employment sector with more than 46,000 jobs. So the grand opening of Samuel Merritt University in JANUARY and the grand opening of the 4,000 Square-foot Native American Health Center is part of the flicker Affordable Housing project. This past MAY both on city-owned land are supportive of the sector. We're also trying to grow sectors like retail and prioritizing negotiations with Costco, for example, and leaning into sectors where there's alignment with the equitable climate action So our strategy is really 2 things at once. Building sectors where Oakland already has significant employment and competitive assets while position in the city for emerging industries and new investment. The economic data tells us that there's a substantial business base to build from. We know that Oakland had more than 24,300 employers in 2025. The Tdd data and that's a peak. And the number of businesses has increased in several of the sectors that we're focused on. We're also becoming more deliberate about how we market and sell Oakland, the White Glove concierge program that we're piloting is one example. We're trying to make it easier for businesses to navigate Oakland connect with the right city and regional and state resources. The opportunity zone strategy is another example of using available tools. In this case, a federal tool to make investment more attractive in targeted areas and we're strengthening our relationship with California go biz. That Oakland is positioned to take advantage of state incentive opportunities. The other side of business attraction or another side of attraction is workforce. And that work requires partnerships. If we're successful in attracting growing industries, we need to make sure Oakley residents can access those opportunities. That's why the ejected very deliberately connects schools. One with go one 3, we're building employer partnerships in areas such as healthcare and technology. And we're beginning to develop more intentional pathways into technology and ai related careers. The point is not simply to bring jobs to Oakland, but also to build the connection between Oakland's economic growth and economic mobility for Oakland residence. The second major piece of the strategy or the second goal is supporting the businesses that are already here. This is particularly important, Oakland, because our business community is overwhelmingly made up of small businesses more than 90% of Oakland businesses report having fewer than 10 employees and most report annual revenues below $250,000 a year. So when we talk about economic resilience, we're talking about thousands of individual businesses, many of them very small having the ability to survive, adapt, hire and grow. That's where business support work is such an important complement to business attraction. For small business is the business environment matters. Enormously. For this reason, Wd spends a lot of time working across departments on cleanliness safety maintenance and activation in our neighborhood business corridors. We're currently working in 21 neighborhood business corridors, citywide. The Quarter safety Ambassador Program is one example of that work this past fiscal year, sign million dollars of funding dispersed to support community lead safety initiatives that complement the work that pd that put 47 city-funded positions on the street. And the entertainment and work is another example of creating the conditions for the businesses and commercial districts to be active and economically vibrant. A second action within the school is focused on making it easier to do business with the city. We assisted hundreds of businesses, 2 neighborhood business assistance, streamline permitting in areas like cannabis and special events and created new ways for businesses to engage directly with the city. The nba, the Neighborhood Business Assistance Program alone, that with 329 businesses or 329 appointments, maybe not always unique businesses across every city council district. The goal really is to make wta front door into city government, helping them figure out where to go and how to move forward. A significant portion of our work is simply helping businesses navigate pretty complicated system. And a few success stories from this past year include Winky, Tinky Dog Service West Family Laundry dreams. Plus, this. And I think you all know, but like I like the story that we to started from a pushcart as a mobile vendor and then grew to multiple brick and mortar locations. That's that pathway. We want to promote. And finally, businesses need 2 things that are often outside their immediate control space and capital. We're helping businesses identify locations, connect with property owners and brokers and access finance the facade and tenant program. Program is a good example. A relatively targeted investment. The can have direct impact on neighborhood businesses. We're also working to strengthen the broader capital ecosystem by bringing banks and cdf eyes together with business support organizations. Gould 3 is where we connect economic development most directly to Oakland residents. The objective is employment for oaklanders. Yes, but more importantly pathways to sustained employment and meaningful economic mobility. There's a substantial amount of work force activity happening. But the shift want to highlight its words, stronger employer engagement. So the longer term data actually gives us some reason for optimism since 2010 Oakland has seen substantial employment growth in several steps. Sectors, information, employment, for example, grew 66% between 2010 2025. Health care and social assistance group. 54% and public administration grew 39% at the same time. The growth has not been the recovery has not been uniform where we had nearly 185,000 jobs in 2025. We know that that was still below 193,000 jobs that we had in 2023. And even further below the peak that we saw in 2020 near nearly 200,000 jobs. And just as a reminder, all of these trends, all of this data is available for your review. An attachment b. So the workforce strategies about connecting Oakland residents to the sectors that are growing and making sure employers can find the talent they need. And then this action with Engel 3 is focused on establishing partnerships to advance equity equities, particularly important here because the labor market continues to show meaningful disparities. It came up earlier in a public comment, but the most recent data shows unemployment rates that are higher for black oaklanders than for other racial groups. About 9% compared with 6% for Latino and Asian oaklanders and 5% for weight wonders. And this is why our work for strategy isn't simply about increasing the number of jobs, but also think about who has access to those jobs. Our response is to work partnerships with usd Alameda County Employers, community organizations and workforce providers to build pathways for residents who historically had less access to opportunity. School for is about the physical environment which economic activity occurs. This includes regulatory environment, development sites leveraging City own property and the commercial corridor corridors where businesses operate. One important part of our work is making sure Oakland's regulatory and development environment can support investment. The real estate data shows why this matters. Office rents Oakland began to stabilize in 2025. For the first time since the pandemic. But downtown vacancy remains elevated, elevated and retail vacancy also increased across Brooklyn markets in 2025. So were operating in a market where there are both opportunities and challenges. We have demand and investment potential in some areas. But we also have significant vacant space. We need to make it easier for businesses and developers to move forward. And that will be a big focus of our work in the coming This slide captures preps. The clearest example of the city's role as an economic development partner. We're using city-owned property and other city assets to catalyze development that serves multiple objectives. Again, Samuel Merritt University is a very strong example. 240 million dollar public-private city-owned land. That brings a major daily population downtown and strengthens health care ecosystem. The Kaiser Center for the Arts similarly combined preservation, private investment that economic and cultural activity. We're also advancing affordable housing on city-owned land pursuing major commercial opportunities such as Costco than the Coliseum. Today there are 5 affordable housing projects are 295 units in the pipeline for under construction city-owned property. We're continuing that approach through projects such as the museum. As an art, the u alike, Technical Assistance panel that was focused on the Clay Street garage analysis and other public private partnerships and were increasingly looking at these projects holistically, economic activity, housing, cultural assets, public art and community benefits can be a part of the same development strategy. Another aspect of managing public assets is making sure they generate value for Oakland Oaklanders that can revenue. It can also mean services community uses for activation. For example, the bollards agreement provides a long-term use 10 years. In addition to the first initial pilot year and activation for remote the park. There's also the new lease and management agreement with Oakland I center and the Urban Search and Rescue least with the port on behalf of the Oakland Fire Department and the purchase of the former Community Foods market San Pablo for a new library branch in West Oakland. Just a few examples. The real estate team is busy and recruit and we currently manage approximately 200 leases and licenses. So this is a significant economic development and asset management portfolio in its own right. Finally, we're taking a much more place based approach to our neighborhood commercial districts. Again, we're working on 21 priority are working across 21 priority corridors. Because businesses experience the city at the corridor level to cleanliness safety maintenance access activation and the quality of the surrounding public realm. The economic data reinforces the importance of this work in 2025. Reported crime was down year over year and compared with the 5 year average in all 6 police areas, including commercial burglaries. This is encouraging, of course, but we also hear consistently from businesses that perceptions of safety and the condition of commercial corridors affect their ability to attract customers in players. Please. So our approach is to coordinate services around the geography where businesses actually operate and to leverage business improvement districts to bring additional private resources into that work. The final goal is arts culture and social activity. And this is sometimes due to separate from economic development. But Oakland is very much a part of our economic ecosystem. Oakland's cultural sectors and economic source of employment. Important part of what makes Oakland distinctive, one of the most critical things we were able to do is restore the cultural affairs manager position. Let's leave joined us in the spring and is working on rebuilding the team and communicating that vision. In. 25 26 and in partnership with the East Bay Community Foundation, we supported the final rule out of 26 arts organizations through operating grants, reaching hundreds of thousands of participants and attendees. We're also rebuilding the infrastructure around that sector, including the film Incentive Rebate Program, Regional Arts Financing, Cultural district work and support for creative workers. We're also focused on making sure culturally community activity can actually happened Oakland. That includes supporting major community celebrations helping manage public safety costs, supporting the black Arts movement, business District, State Cultural district designation. That was a big win and making permitting easier. Both special event permits and film permits are not fully online through a This is another example where economic development, cultural vitality and quality of place overlap. And then finally, with respect to the school, reusing public spaces and vacant spaces as economic assets. Entertainment zones, Raimondi Park Open School of Art Sports Field that a lot on telegraph major events and public art all contribute to activating places and bringing people into opens commercial districts and neighborhoods. There were 52 public art projects either in development and or completed in the last fiscal year, including at the Mosswood Recreation Center, the different parks extract minerals, the Lincoln Recreation Center in time in Kearney Park. The common theme across cool 5 is that activity creates economic value artists, businesses, neighborhoods and the city. So 2 clues would leave the committee with 3 3 takeaways. First opened economy is recovering, but its recovery is uneven. We have more than 24,300 employers in the city and nearly 185,000 jobs. But employment remains below the peak we saw 2020. Some sectors are going strong while others are contracting. That's precisely why we need a diversified economic development strategy. Second, top is moving from strategy into implementation across all 5 goals. We can now point to concrete actions from business attraction in workforce pipelines to real estate development corridor, investment cultural programming. And 3rd, all of this ultimately connects back. Oakland's fiscal health. The recognizes a virtuous cycle. We're businesses invested succeed. They create jobs and generate revenue. That revenue gives the city greater capacity to invest in services and infrastructure, which in turn makes stronger place to live work and invest. So that's the larger purpose of the Eid a stronger, more inclusive and more resilient Brooklyn economy. That explains expands opportunity and strengthens the city's capacity to serve a trust. Residents. Thank you. And I'm happy to take questions about my team in the background. If there questions, I can't answer. Colleagues. I'm happy to go for some. You know, i i'm just so excited because that I get the opportunity to work with you on the a lot. You know, specially he's in summers in summer 2025. To present day specially around so many of these things under the city's economic development. And so I think more than anything. It's safe to say you all have been very busy with with all of these. And these just a whole long list of different things that we're doing to really try to support this action plan. And so thank you so much the comprehensive presentation and also the report on 3rd attachment. I also thought was, think, is really important that we are reading and reviewing that data that's there. That shows numbers from 2025. Around the areas on job sectors that are here in our city. I'm just so that we just have that knowledge and input. So thank you so much for highlighting entertainment zones and very excited to see on that economic impact. Once those are launched and hopefully it could be an initiative that we're able to take citywide once we implement those. So couple questions that I had was, well, I was reading the data around like. A retail rents, but I think it's maybe more linked to like commercial rent. I know that that is a part of a factor with our in supporting our small businesses based on how much they have to pay order to have like a brick and mortar space in our city. And so I think one thing I wanted to kind of put on the radar a's, how how can we continue to invest in like community food hubs or like business hubs that really help to reduce the cost burden on these businesses to have maybe some of these like smaller micro hubs. I know that that was kind of a part of this mission and vision of like 1955. Broadway. But the store that was being ran by the black Cultural zone, which not sure that's actually operating anymore or even just the success of Prescott market and how supporting multiple restaurants and businesses. And I think that that models like imagine if we had Prescott, you know, as an example, Prescott markets across our city, right? And they just kind of continues to create more hubs of activity and also support entrepreneurs and business owners and then really help because I guess I would be interested in like are we beginning to study like the cost of like commercial rents and how we can really try to like reduce those costs. Because I think that that is getting in the way. I'm like when I read of course, you can speak to it. But I read in the report where from 2023, it says like there was 4,749 I guess like businesses, but 2025, it was reduced by almost 700, right? So what contributed to that? Of course, the pandemic right? But he's also the cost to actually have a brick and mortar site in the city of Oakland. And so I think that that if we kid worked to try reduce those costs. And i think the other flag is that I think in the coming years, I think the county's print considering putting on the the ballot $30 minimum wage. And so that could for their right. More costs are going to be coming to our. Businesses. So just wanted to put that on the radar as well. And then I just had I know in your report, you you mention, go But I guess I'm curious like what was the outside of like I know during the pandemic, they were very supportive in supporting our businesses. But I guess I'm curious, like what what was the last collaboration that we had with? Gold in supporting our businesses. Thank you. Threw the chair to the chair over spawn tears. Second question. First is the most concrete we're in regular communication with go visit in a couple of different ways. One they will frequently issue requests for our thighs requests for information from cities on behalf of companies that are looking for. You have the perfect locations in which to locate. And so they'll put out a broad rfi to jurisdictions across the state and we will find if we have a site that is that with that works, given the parameters we will, we will respond rocks in the process negotiating with the business right now that we're desperately hoping we can attract to Oakland and the that business came through us came to us through that go process. Gove is also oversees a number of school incentives, tax abatements, tax waivers, those sort of things at a statewide level. And so to the extent that we can help local businesses participate in those students, statewide benefits, we make every effort to do so. I see. And I know that I noticed that we There were there was money that was approved in the state budget to help support for site improvements. And so I think that that's phenomenal. I think that hopefully we can continue to kind of. Communicate to them around the continued support that our businesses need when it comes supporting business infrastructure, right. And I know that they came in handy during the pandemic with so much offering our businesses so much support. I feel like they feel like they do a good job of listening. So that ongoing at the scene is important understand our conditions here. Yes, but all in all. Thank really appreciate the report and all of the work of the entire dwd team. I know it's not easy. I hope I know I forgot what number you mentioned around like Lee seeing and I know branding. I think Brandon is here and it is always hard at work. And so hopefully we can get him somewhere. Support on all of these really big initiatives. But just really thankful. Thank you. You gave me some extra time today to thank you. Appreciate that. There's a lot to colleagues in the questions or comments. Excellent to have a public speaker. Calling him the name the Senate to speak on item number societal of So the city does not support. Fun meme foundational black Americans, unemployment and California. The unemployment rate for blacks is. 5.1 for African-Americans throughout California. It's 7.5 unemployment, the city of Oakland, 9% California. Black men without a high school diploma on unemployment rate in California is 15.9% For black women in California with college degrees. Their unemployment has tripled in the last couple years from 2.7% to 8.5% And now you have a document that he's been presented will be presented you from the Budget Advisory Commission and in and I want to dispel with this woman said diversity, we have a diverse economic base. That's a lie we have sufficient unemployment employment. That's a lie. And this document, it says crime and economic development into why unemployment can contribute to higher crime. Be talking about Oakland. In Oakland, 2 problems that have not been result economically. Open continues to Lake Calif or as well as California and the recovering from covid. Second Oakland resident hesitate to dine and shop here out of concerns for crime spending. Roughly 1.5 billion dollars annually. In other cities. So a recommendation from this group is that we improve and focus job training and support for those coming out of the prison system, reentry and other recommendations in net this document as well. Thank you for your comments chair. That concludes all speakers on this item. Perfect. Thank you so much. And is the recommendation for this item to move to the full council or receive and file? We have a preference. Receive receive and file and consent is just fine and all reach out to the other council members for opportunities for briefings. Perfect. Thank you so much. Shank. So moved. Receiving 5 second. Sorry to the maker, the motion that's to receive out in committee. Thank you. That was a motion made by councilmember under seconded by Chair Brown to receive it by this information report in committee on role Councilmembers by excused Chandran. I. I Chair Brown. I thank you. Passes with 3 eyes when it's used by to receive and file this information report and committee moving on to help warm calling the names that sent up to speak. MISS A subtle of Allen and David, both right. If David Boatright district 4, it's past time for a housing presentation that documents the housing funded with city and other sources. Over the last 5 years. This presentation should include how many units were completed, how many persons were housed? Total amount spent average time from conception to occupation and percent protect construction. Her recent modular housing project on the to have a new to approximately one and a half years to construct 6 months to fully occupied for about 350,000 per unit. Very cost effective, way too long occupy. So I'm going to repeat again because you young got hearing use, don't give a d# # # . You have to at some point, look at the issues of gentrification. And new City. You have to look at the issue of continue redlining. That's going on in this city. And only from my perspective of Holiday impacts foundational black Americans. And just for defecation, it's been recently discovered that we can't just put the big label Black because we don't get respect from other black people. So foundational black Americans are those who are part of the enslavement in their ancestry. You will not be able to continue to. Have any kind of credibility when you exclude other people. And that's what you do in a city. You weigh in on things that you give the the evidence that this. Thank you for your comments chair. That concludes all speakers on form. Perfect. Thank you so This meeting is adjourned.