Bay Area
A Moral Budget for Oakland
As members of the Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy (FAME) and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4H) we have created a Moral Budget Platform in step with the key concerns we have heard from our over 45 of our community faith leaders and 20 congregations and/or faith -based institutions. The Moral Budget Platform is drawn from the righteous hopes of the people of Oakland who wish to see our neighborhoods reflect the just economic power and sustainability we all deserve.

By Jeremy McCants
On Tuesday, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao released her new budget proposal, and the City Council will begin its review.
This is a critical time for our voices to be heard as the people of Oakland already know what our city needs.
As members of the Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy (FAME) and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4H) we have created a Moral Budget Platform in step with the key concerns we have heard from our over 45 of our community faith leaders and 20 congregations and/or faith -based institutions.
The Moral Budget Platform is drawn from the righteous hopes of the people of Oakland who wish to see our neighborhoods reflect the just economic power and sustainability we all deserve.
Housing
Thousands of our congregants are in alignment. We are tired of seeing our neighbors forced to sleep on the streets and so our city’s budget must codify that 10,000 of the 30,000 planned housing units in our city are explicitly for affordable housing.
To invest in our people, we must invest in our land. We believe in public land for public good, meaning that any key developments within the city must include strong community benefits agreements to ensure access to jobs and economic sustainability for the people of Oakland.
Billionaires cannot treat our city and our land like playthings.
We are the lifeblood of this city, and we have a right to shape developments so that they don’t just benefit greedy profiteers but provide our communities with the affordable homes and quality jobs we deserve.
Further, our city must invest in the legal resources necessary to defend tenants facing unjust evictions and harassment from corporate landlords.
Public Safety
Everyone wants our city streets to be safer and so we must invest in public safety measures that are proven to prevent violence before it occurs.
We cannot allow biases to perpetuate disparate law enforcement practices and the killing of unarmed Black people by police. Our streets need to be safer for everyone, not just those armed with a badge and gun.
Successful programs like MACRO show that we can have a civilian response to human problems that leave us all safer and better supported, when appropriately resourced.
As a social justice-driven faith minister, I spend a lot of my time walking through the streets of Oakland and celebrating the incredible community that exists here.
The people of Oakland know what we need and deserve to build safe, abundant lives. As the City Council reviews Mayor Thao’s budget, all eyes will be on the dollars and cents behind our city.
If we want to ensure that our elected officials are putting our values in action we must join together and raise our voices. Together we can ensure that the line items on a budget spreadsheet are treated as they should be—as sacred extensions of our shared lives in this city we love.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Activism
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
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Oakland Post: Week of January 22 – 28, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 22 – 28, 2025

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