City Government

Two Days After Passing Moratorium, Council Stalls Rent Protection Vote

Published

10 years ago

April 8, 2016

Many of the speakers who lined up to speak at the Oakland City Council Tuesday night reminded the audience and council that passing a temporary moratorium on rent increases and evictions would only be a first step.

The City Council now has 90 days to come up with comprehensive legislation that will mitigate Oakland’s housing crisis and severely lessen the level of displacement that is pulling communities apart.

“The goal on everybody’s mind should be to get a handle on the city’s runaway evictions and displacement,” said James Vann of the Post Salon Community Assembly.

A necessary next step for the city is to set up a “feedback mechanism for how the community can participate in this process,” said Vann.

“While city staff is hammering out policies during the moratorium, there should be a stakeholder committee working with the city,” he said.

Council Votes Down Key Rent Protection Vote

One of the key measures being proposed is the Protect Oakland Tenants Initiative, which would limit rent increases to five percent per year and strengthen the existing Rent Board by adding more tenant representatives.

Increasing tenant representation on the Rent Board would more fairly reflect Oakland’s population, which is made up of 59 percent renters and 41 percent homeowners.

Speakers on Tuesday evening asked council members to put the measure on their April 19 meeting agenda in order to to directly place the tenant initiative on the November ballot – bypassing the need to collect signatures.

But at Thursday’s Rules and Legislation Committee meeting, council members voted instead to schedule the rent initiative for the Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee on May 24, which will decide whether it will go to the full council for a vote.

As a result of this change, the rent protection law is unlikely to come to the full council before June, which is the deadline for turning in signatures to go on the ballot.

For housing rights activists, rescheduling the decision goes against the urgency that was intended when the housing state of emergency was passed.

“It’s a disappointment. They have been presented with a strong measure from the grassroots, and the council is taking the long way around to listen to it,” said Camilo Zamora of Causa Justa: Just Cause, which sits on the Committee to Protect Oakland Renters.

“Council trusted Oakland residents to elect them but don’t trust (residents) when they present a measure (to the council),” said Zamora.

According to Vann, a tenants’ rights advocate, the city’s current landlord-written rent law is in large part responsible for the local housing and displacement crisis.

Funding to Enforce Existing Rent Protection Law

Meanwhile, some council members are pushing the city administration to release funding, which the council approved last year for the enforcement of the city’s Just Cause for Eviction law.

Without the funds, most tenants do not know their rights to protection against landlord abuse, illegal rent increases or unjust evictions.

“We need to be taking serious action to protect Oakland tenants, and if we do not educate the public about the laws and enforce them, many will continue to suffer needlessly,” said Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, who has been pushing for the City Administration to release the funds.

“Going to the legal system is not enough for tenants because it’s not set up to protect renters, especially (speakers) of other languages,” said Zamora. “Having a funded department within the city to be responsible for supporting its residents is extremely necessary.”

Voter Registration Drive

Looking to the November elections, Post publisher Paul Cobb is calling on churches, neighborhood organizations and individuals to participate in a city and countywide voter registration drive to register 10,000 people to vote over the next 90 days.

Cobb was appointed chair of the John George Democratic Club’s Voter Registration Committee and will be meeting with non-profit organizations and churches to help register tenants throughout the city.

“We need to have enough eligible voters on the ground to put sanctions to threaten the eviction of the city council members who do not pass legislation to protect Oakland’s tenants,” said Cobb.

“There is also a housing bond measure that people are trying to get on the November ballot for Alameda County that would create a source of funds that could remedy evictions and would be used as construction money for affordable housing,” he said.

The Post and the John George Democratic Club will be hosting an organizing event in the coming weeks for those interested in participating in the upcoming voter registration drive. For more information, contact the Post at (510) 287-8200.

Tackling State Costa-Hawkins Act

On the state level, one of the largest obstacles to tenant protections is California’s Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which exempts properties built after 1983 from local rent caps or Just Cause eviction protections.

In Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilmembers Kaplan and Dan Kalb agreed that the state law should be changed.

“We have to close the loopholes in tenant protection laws which exempt newer buildings, and thus deprive thousands of tenants from protections,” said Kaplan. “One of the actions we must continue to work on is to end the state exemption for newer buildings from rent protections.”

“Closing the loophole for ‘just cause for eviction’ requires a vote on a ballot measure by the people of Oakland, and we should work to put this on the ballot during the next election cycle,” said Kaplan.

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Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

17 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Activism

More and More, Black Californians Are Worried About Rising Costs of Housing, Energy, Food and Gas

According to an April 2024 report by the Greenlining Institute, low-income Black Californians are struggling with affordability due to a combination of historical systemic barriers and modern economic pressures. The Greenlining Institute is a California-based policy, research, and advocacy nonprofit founded in 1993 to fight systemic racism and economic injustice.

Published

19 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌, California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

Housing, energy, food and gas are four essential household expenses, and their rising costs are forcing residents—especially lower-income households—to make difficult trade-offs, Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton) said at a conference on affordability last week in Sacramento.

Ransom, a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), noted a shift in consumer behavior, stating, “Before people used to choose between things that they wanted and things that they needed.”

“Now, what we’re hearing from constituents is they are prioritizing their needs differently,” she said. “Because of the affordability crisis, it’s no longer about choosing between other needs. Our constituents are now saying ‘what needs to be prioritized?’ Gas and food are at the top of the list.”

Ransom made the comments about affordability at Capitol Weekly’s informational conference titled “Affordability: The Cost of Living in California,” which was held on April 30 at the University of California’s Student and Policy Center.

Co-hosted with the University of California Student and Policy Center, the political conversations focused on identifying policy solutions to the state’s extremely high prices for energy, food, and essentials.

The keynote speakers at the conference were former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, and Mike Madrid, a political strategist, author, and senior fellow at UC Irvine.

Conversations about affordability are taking on greater urgency as the election season kicks in, speakers said.

According to an April 2024 report by the Greenlining Institute, low-income Black Californians are struggling with affordability due to a combination of historical systemic barriers and modern economic pressures. The Greenlining Institute is a California-based policy, research, and advocacy nonprofit founded in 1993 to fight systemic racism and economic injustice.

Black households in California experience the highest levels of rent burden; approximately 65% of Black renters, according to the Greenlining report. Historical “redlining” and ongoing discrimination have restricted homeownership. Black families also pay 43% more for energy than White households, partly because they are more likely to live in older, less energy-efficient rentals.

In addition, roughly 1 in 3 Black adults (36.5%) reported household food insecurity in late 2025, more than double the rate for White adults. This is often exacerbated by “food deserts” in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

In March, Assembly Minority Leader Heath Flora (R-Ripon) expressed concerns about affordability in California, describing it as a crisis where families are being “pushed to the edge.”

“Californians should not have to choose between putting food on the table or filling up their car,” Flora stated. “We need to cut costs now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month. Now.”

Cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding are being driven by the Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), which is reducing federal spending by approximately $187 billion through 2034.

Those reductions are putting more pressure on the state to help, Ransom said. According to the AAA Gas Prices website, as of May 8, California’s gasoline prices averaged over $6 per gallon in some areas, with various locations experiencing spikes of $7 to $8 per gallon. In California, fuel prices are driven by refinery maintenance and market volatility, while high food prices are linked to rising transportation costs, experts say.

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Alameda County

The Marin City Flea Market Is Back

The Marin City Flea Market returns on May 23, offering arts, crafts, vintage items, and collectibles. The market aims to uplift local vendors and celebrate cultural diversity.

Published

3 days ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Customers shopping in Marin City Flea Market. Photo courtesy of marincityflea.org.

By Godfrey Lee

After a long absence, Marin City will once again hold its flea market. The market will have its grand opening on Saturday, May 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church parking lot on 101 Donahue St. It will be held every fourth Saturday of the month

The market will be free to the public

There will be arts, crafts, vintage, collectibles, and other items on sale at the market. Interested vendors can contact info@marincityflea.org or text (415) 484-2984 for more information.

“The Marin City Flea Market’s mission is to uplift local vendors, celebrate cultural diversity, and provide an accessible community space where creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection can thrive,” says their website, marincityflea.org.

The flea market is sponsored and run by the Rotary Club of Marin City.

For more information, contact info@marincityflea.org. Or text to (415) 484-2984