City Government
Council Committee Passes Motion for Immediate Relief to Homeless Crisis

The City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee this week passed a motion calling for immediate relief to Oakland’s homeless crisis.
The motion, proposed by Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, followed the staff report on funding recommendations to address homelessness in Oakland.
The motion included:
That the city support not less than the staff recommendation for funding of homeless services and funding to operate a new navigation center building in the 2017-2019 budget, anticipated to be needed to be added in year two;
That the initial allocation of the Measure KK infrastructure bond include funding to purchase at least one Single Room Occupancy (SRO) property to create a new homeless navigation center building, similar to the Henry Robinson Multi-Service Center in downtown Oakland;
That staff will return with recommended sites for outdoor navigation centers;
To request scheduling for a future committee meeting to discuss an Emergency Ordinance, and working with congregations and other non-profit organizations to allow for RVs or similar vehicles on their sites; and
That the city should ask Alameda County to work as partner to help the city acquire and fund services for a new navigation center building and outdoor navigation centers.
Navigation centers are designed to be place where people who are homeless and living on the street can navigate the services the city offers, all in one place.
Prior to Tuesday’s Life Enrichment Committee, Councilmember Kaplan sent a letter to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors requesting a city-county partnership to work for immediate action to remedy the large and growing homeless crisis in our community, including launching “navigation centers” in Alameda County.
Councilmember Kaplan also attended an Alameda County Committee Meeting focused on solutions to homelessness. At that meeting, members of the Board of Supervisors asked that Oakland officially go on the record asking for the County’s help and committing to taking actions as a City as well.
Kaplan’s motion will be discussed at the Tuesday, May 30 City Council Meeting.
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Oakland Post: Week of November 22 – 28, 2023
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Oakland Post: Week of November 15 – 21, 2023
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School Board President Shuts Down Meeting Trying to Silence Gaza Ceasefire Protesters
Since the executive board of the Oakland Education Association originally took a stand to oppose genocide and call for a ceasefire, the union has been under intense criticism both from mainstream media and an Oakland parents’ group, which has been encouraging teachers to quit the union.

By Ken Epstein
Several hundred people, including teachers, school staff, students, parents, and community activists, showed up at the Oakland Unified School District board meeting Wednesday night, most of them calling on the board to pass a resolution to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and end the killing of civilians, when school board President Mike Hutchinson refused to let them speak and abruptly shut down the meeting as they demanded to be heard.
At the start of the meeting, Hutchinson announced that a resolution proposed by Board member Valarie Bachelor, “Calling for a Ceasefire and Release of Hostages in Israel and Palestine,” would not be discussed that evening and that there was no place anywhere on the agenda where attendees would be allowed to speak on the issue.
However, there was a moment of confusion when the parliamentarian, speaking over Hutchinson’s objections, explained that there was one 30-minute period for people to discuss nonagenda items.
A chorus of boos filled the auditorium as Hutchinson attempted to move on. He quickly suspended the meeting, and he and several other board members left the room, though some board members remained.
One young woman shouted at Hutchinson. “You’re having a tantrum, and we’re talking about genocide.”
People crowded around a bullhorn at the front of the room, and attendees held their own meeting.
“You are on the right side of history – we’ll be back,” said a youth soccer coach, Maria Martinez.
A young woman named Lulwa said, ‘I believe we all deserve our land, we all deserve our freedom, and we all deserve not to have our children bombed. The media is lying to us, and social media is bringing us together.”
Lulwa explained that she has been living in the U.S. and Oakland since the age of 9. “I was taken in by the community in Oakland, and I was loved.”
Board member Bachelor was cheered as she spoke on the bullhorn, supporting the people of Palestine and the people of Israel.
“We have to stop killing children, we have to stop bombing hospitals, we have to stop killing UN workers; we have to stop the killing,” she said. “We are a global community. The fight continues.”
A woman who identified herself as a Jewish Oakland teacher said, “The school board does not speak for the teachers, Monday night, we (teachers) passed a very strong resolution demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza and an end to U.S. funding (for the war).
An Oakland man named Izzy said, “What did the school board do today? They walked out on our kids…. There’s nobody to blame but Mike Hutchinson.”
Jabari Shaw said that African Americans stand in solidarity with Palestine. “We know how it is to not be recognized as human beings,” he said.
Since the executive board of the Oakland Education Association originally took a stand to oppose genocide and call for a ceasefire, the union has been under intense criticism both from mainstream media and an Oakland parents’ group, which has been encouraging teachers to quit the union.
However, on Monday evening, union delegates from the Oakland schools upheld a strong position, voting 66 to 31 in favor of a ceasefire.
Hutchinson and board member Sam Davis, joined by school board candidate Jorge Lerma, have been working with the parent group in opposition to the teachers’ union.
But another group of parents and community members supporting the teachers’ union’s stance just started a petition in the last couple of days and has already received over 300 signatures.
“As Oakland parents, caregivers, and community members, we are committed to the safety and well-being of all of our children,” the petition said. “We are writing to express our solidarity with the families of Palestine and to express support for district leaders and the OEA for standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine.”
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