Posted: April 11th, 2022 6:00 PM
Last Updated: January 12th, 2023 3:33 PM
Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that Oaklanders resoundingly approved in the November 8, 2022 election to allow the city to permit the development, construction and/or acquirement of up to 13,000 low-income housing units.
Read about it in the news on KQED.
Read the legislation here.
Councilmember Carroll Fife co-introduced legislation alongside Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas to lower tax rates for small businesses and increase taxes for large companies with more profits, modernizing Oakland’s 20-year-old, regressive business tax structure.
It is estimated to raise around $20 million in new revenue each year to expand essential city services to address homelessness, fix and clean our streets, and provide tax relief to more than 20,000 struggling small businesses, many owned by women and people of color. The City is facing a possible shortfall in the coming years so the revenue that this measure will bring will be especially critical.
Read the legislation here.
Councilmember Carroll Fife co-introduced legislation alongside Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas to authorize issuance of $850 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable housing and housing preservation projects, transportation projects, and various city infrastructure. The bond will specifically provide $350 million to help Oakland build more affordable housing—a $250 million increase over the previous infrastructure bond, 2016’s Measure KK.
Measure KK supported Oakland residents with the purchase of their homes by providing the needed funding for organizations such as the Oakland Community Land Trust to acquire properties that were being foreclosed on or about to displace tenants. Measure U is expected to nearly double the amount available for these acquisitions.
Read the legislation here.
Councilmember Carroll Fife co-introduced legislation alongside Councilmember Dan Kalb to update the Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance so it now also applies to newly constructed units, no longer exempting buildings because they were built after 1995, though it will still exempt buildings during the first ten years after construction.
Additional updates also include prohibiting no-fault evictions of children and educators during the school year and extending eviction protections to RVs and tiny homes on wheels.
Read the legislation here.
Councilmember Carroll Fife co-introduced legislation alongside Councilmember Dan Kalb and Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas to provide around $4 million worth of vouchers every two years to Oakland residents to contribute to political candidates for local offices.
These “Democracy Dollars” are intended to boost participation in the election and level the playing field of campaign finance, which is currently dominated by a handful of affluent residents, corporations, unions, and outside interests who spend the majority of money each cycle.
Read the legislation here.
On December 20th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that accepted a viability study for The Public Bank East Bay as well as commit the City of Oakland’s intention to be a founding member in forming the bank with the cities of Berkeley and Richmond and the County of Alameda.
Read the legislation here.
On December 20th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that recognized the enormous importance of Holy Names University to the Oakland community and urged the university’s administration to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, elected officials, and community partners to resolve the financial issues facing the institution with the goal and intention of maintaining it as an institution of higher learning within Oakland.
Read the legislation here.
On November 1st in response to the Wood St closures, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed to direct the City Administrator to (1) expand access to the Beach Street homeless intervention site for all vehicle types and identify the necessary funds to service the site; and (2) negotiate a lease agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to establish a new homeless intervention site on parcels located north of 34th Street on Mandela Parkway and identify the necessary funds and service providers to service the site.
Read the legislation here.
On October 4th in response to the Wood St closures, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation to allow immediate emergency access to the city-owned former Oakland Army Base as an emergency housing intervention for displaced residents of the Wood St. encampment and others.
During the meeting however, the previous City Administration resisted efforts proposed in the legislation and City Council ultimately asked the City Administration to provide a plan on October 18th with at least some solutions and ways.
On October 18th, Councilmember Carroll Fife called on the Mayor and the City Administration to embark on a two-pronged strategy to 1) open a city-leased lot on Beach Street for temporary housing, designed to meet the immediate needs of the unhoused community displaced from Wood St, 2) to allocate funding to seek a waiver from the Governor and Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to utilize the former Oakland Army Base, this waiver has been one of the primary obstacles the City Administration has been presenting to prevent use of the site.
This motion, with an amendment made that the City Administration can spend up to $100,000 through the waiver process instead of the $180,000 that they had requested. The City Admin had suggested taking $80,000 away from a security program dedicated to a tiny house village in the South Prescott neighborhood at 3rd and Peralta in West Oakland.
Read the legislation here.
On August 9th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed honoring the life and legacy of William “Bill” Russell, a legendary basketball player and a fierce racial and social justice activist. February 12th is now designated “Bill Russel l Day” in the City of Oakland.
Read the legislation here.
On July 19th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed allocating $20,000 from the City of Oakland's designated mural funds to Alternative Minds Foundation, Inc. for mural art installations on pallets at the 3rd Street and Peralta Street co-govemed homeless intervention site.
Read the legislation here.
On July 19th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed approving the City Administrator to negotiate and enter into a month-to-month lease with the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation for the publicly owned property located at 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza/ 1427 Broadway, formerly occupied by the Betti Ono Gallery.
The resolution also provided a grant amount of up to $50,000, from the funding pool that was already allocated for the Black Arts Movement and Business District (on the 14th Street corridor between Oak Street to Frontage Road), which the gallery space is located within.
The community hub will allow community members to engage with history and politics through workshops, lectures, and service programs and facilitate conversations between former members of the Black Panther Party and community members, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and elected officials. The Foundation will also partner with CBOs to deliver services to the community similar to those carried out by the Black Panther Party, including free food, free clothing, free medical services, educational tools, and housing information.
On December 20th, Councilmember Carroll Fife also introduced an amendment to the legislation to extend the term of the lease to be three years with one two-year option to renew and set an affordable rent of $1.25 per sf ft, due to cultural and social benefits the space will bring to the community.
Read the original legislation here.
Read the amendments here.
On June 21st, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed that supports a Senate bill titled SCA 2 that seeks to repeal Article 34 of the California Constitution. The resolution urges the California State Legislature and Governor to move this measure forward to the people of California for a vote and directs the City Administrator to share the resolution with Senators Allan and Wiener, our representatives in the state legislature, and Governor Gavin Newsom.
Article 34, Section 1 of the California State Constitution states that a low rent housing project cannot be “developed, constructed, or acquired in any manner by any state public body until, a majority of the qualified electors of the city, town or county, as the case may be, in which it is proposed to develop, construct, or acquire the same, voting upon such issue, approve such project by voting in favor thereof at an election to be held for that purpose, or at any general or special election.” There is wide consensus that Article 34 sought to maintain the status quo of housing segregation following the adoption of the Federal Housing Act in 1949, which banned explicit racial segregation in public housing.
Read the legislation here.
On June 7th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed to amend the allowable rent increase landlords can levy on tenants of rent controlled housing to be 60% of the Consumer Price Index instead of 100%, or a maximum of 3%, whichever one is lower.
Read about it in the news on the Oakland Post, Oaklandside and the SF Chronicle.
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0377
On May 17th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed honoring the life and legacy of Pastor Gillette O.
James and recognizing his nearly half a century of service as pastor of Beth Eden Church and his committed service to the community in West Oakland and beyond.
Read the legislation here.
On May 3rd, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced legislation that passed to study the feasibility of housing one thousand individuals at the publicly-owned North Gateway Parcel located at the former Oakland Army Base.
Read about it in the news on the SF Chronicle, Mercury News and Fox 2
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0291
On March 29th, 2022, Councilmember Dan Kalb brought forward and Councilmember Carroll Fife and Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas co-sponsored a resolution in support of Assembly Bill 2050 (Lee) that would prohibit a rental housing owner from removing a building from the market pursuant to the Ellis Act unless all owners of the property have held their ownership interest for at least five years, which puts an end to speculator evictions.
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0223
On March 15th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced a resolution that passed granting a conditional and revocable encroachment permit to Local Roots, a nonprofit corporation doing business as Foragers Market, for a certified farmers market on Peralta street between 18th and 20th Street each Sunday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0197
On March 15th, Councilmember Carroll Fife brought forward, and Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, Pro Tempore Sheng Thao, and Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas co-sponsored a resolution establishing objectives to scale up and make more visible the City of Oakland’s Youth Summer Jobs program by:
(1) seeking state funding, leveraging private sources, and prioritizing additional allocations during the mid-cycle budget amendment process to support the participation of at least two thousand (2000) young people, and expand age eligibility, to create more opportunity and economic security for oakland’s youth and families;
(2) better integrating the administration, funding, contracting, and coordination of the program among all departments involved, and creating a specific and easily accessible website that would allow more employers and donors to participate; and
(3) creating a robust outreach plan to help popularize the program and reach the most under-resourced and underserved communities* including outreach to community-based organizations doing job training and job matching; and (4) expanding opportunities including summer jobs to clean and improve our city, and funding blight removal and beautification programs, and expanding City of Oakland positions for youth to summer and year-round work.
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0098
On March 15th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced a resolution that passed honoring the indomitable Coach Michael Peters for helping secure multiple state titles in his role as Head Coach of the McClymonds High School football team and bringing inspiration and hope to our City. March 1st is now designated as Coach Michael Peters day in the City of Oakland.
Read the legislation here.
On February 15th, 2022, Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan brought forward, and Councilmember Carroll Fife, Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, And Pro Tem Sheng Thao co-sponsored a resolution calling on the California Governor and Legislature to protect our schools and our public health and community by: (1) amending the state budget to protect our hardest hit communities by preventing school closures and eliminating debt; (2) to amend state law, to revise the “average daily attendance” formula, to remove penalizing schools when students are sick; and (3) to direct the city administrator to share a copy of this resolution with the Governor, Oakland’s State Representatives, and Oakland lobbyist.
Read the legislation here.
File #: 22-0062
On March 15th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced a resolution that passed that will expand the youth summer jobs program by seeking more funding, expanding outreach, increasing internal City of Oakland job opportunities and more.
Read the resolution here.
On March 15th, Councilmember Carroll Fife introduced a resolution that passed to celebrate Black History Month by honoring Black change-makers in the City of Oakland working towards a transformative future that seeks to dismantle oppressive systems and advance true liberation, safety and opportunities in our community.
District 3 is honored The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation. The Huey P. Newton Foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the revolutionary legacy of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense and its co-founder, Huey Percy Newton. This organization seeks to ensure that the significant contributions made by the Party and Minister of Defense Huey P. Newton with regard to Black self-determination, the fight against state violence, and the liberation of all oppressed people, are indelible in Oakland and around the nation.
Founded and led by Fredrika Newton, the Foundation has developed and distributed educational materials, established educational conferences and forums, maintained and exhibited historical archives, and is currently working to establish a national monument and visitor center in the geographically relevant service area of the Party. The Foundation’s work highlights that the basis of Dr. Newton’s organizing was grounded in an unwavering love for his community. Though tarnished by the often lethal impacts of federal, state and local law enforcement infiltration, the social programs implemented by the Party and Dr. Huey P. Newton serve as a model for Oakland to realize a just future, and to remind us that Black Panther Party contributions are central to Oakland’s history, to American history, and the continuing fight for liberation, justice, and equity.
Read the legislation here.