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Agenda Item
S8 23-0781 Subject: Corridor Safety Ambassador Grants
From: Economic Workforce Development Department
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Award Grant Agreements For The 2023-2024 Corridor Safety Ambassador Program To Non-Profit Organizations Jack London Improvement District, Spanish Speaking Unity Council Of Alameda County, Inc. And Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation For The Fiscal Year 2023-2024 As Set Forth In Table 1 To This Resolution For A Total Amount Not To Exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) To Immediately Enhance Security Ambassador And Personnel And Safety Programs During The 2023 Holiday Shopping Season And Throughout The Program Year In High Priority Neighborhood Business Corridors Including The Downtown, Hegenberger, And Fruitvale, Commercial Corridors
I am writing to oppose your decision to exclude all of District 4 from the Community Ambassador Program. I can't believe that a decision made purportedly on greatest need would we made first by district - which excludes hard hit and less prosperous areas like the Dimond and Laurel business districts. That's like excluding all Federal funding from the State of California because our State has a high GDP relative to other States. I do not want to believe that this decision had political elements associated with it - but I request an alternative explanation.
On a related subject - I understand that the city will be acquiring several new license plate readers and I request that
District 4 business coordinators like Glenview, Dimond and Laurel not be similarly excluded when placement decisions are made. Our businesses in Glenview have been hard hit at night and we don't have the resources to purchase these privately like other communities have. A decline in property values - and therefor property taxes - due to increased crime and decreased walkability in our neighborhood affects all of Oakland. There is only one budget.
Please take these comments into consideration.
Why was the Dimond removed from the Community Ambassador plan? Data shows that this area has been hit very hard by commercial and violent crime. This area used to be a thriving commercial zone, a place that I would frequent to buy groceries or to eat out with my friends. I used to feel good about visiting the park there. Lately I do not want to do any of those things there. I certainly don't want to take advantage of the community acupuncture--not safe to let my guard down! Parking my car while patronizing a business in the Dimond is now a huge risk. I cannot imagine what it is like to try and make a living as a business owner there, and let me be clear, our small businesses are doing more for our community than simply selling products and services. They ARE culture, and we are hanging them out to dry? Revive the Dimond! They need your help. Please support them.
While there are many areas in Oakland suffering from high crime rates, the commercial district in the Dimond has been particularly hard hit. It is difficult to think of a business that hasn't been broken into within the past two years. Many have been burglarized multiple times, to the extent that insurers will not renew insurance for some merchants in our district, leaving them financially vulnerable. We also have many empty storefronts and face a great challenge of bringing in new businesses, when they know they will bear the costs of almost guaranteed burglaries. Safety Ambassadors will not only be eyes and ears on the ground, but will be able to develop relationships with merchants and residents to better serve their needs and increase public safety. While I support funding for ambassador programs for the three organizations listed in S8 23-0781, I am asking to carve out money for the Dimond as well. From gunfire and car jackings to armed muggings and burglaries, crime is now an almost constant presence in the Dimond District and we need your help to keep our commercial area vibrant, diverse, and safe.
Sincerely,
Kevin Whittinghill
Chair, Dimond Improvement Association
Once again, Mayor Sheng Thao is BETRAYING the residents of Oakland by removing public safety! She prioritizes vindictive petty politics over the needs of Oaklanders! Provide Safety Ambassadors to D4 and help our families!
Carol Wyatt and I am a West Oakland resident of District 3.
I'm emailing today in support of the Dimond district merchants and residents to demand that Ambassadors be instituted in the Dimond shopping district.
I won't waste time discussing childish infighting between the Mayor and the district's Councilmembers. This is about THE WHOLE OF OAKLAND and the conditions that can be remedied by working together. Pettiness in our political views is exactly what has put Oakland on the path that it is on. The conditions that have gone on across this City are being felt by every community and if we can do something like provide community Ambassadors to stem the flow of violence and behaviors that are degrading not just our quality of life but also our ability to be recognized as a progressive smart City, then why aren't we doing that?
The Mayor once represented this district and several of the businesses there were constituents of hers as a Councilmember and supported her in her race for Mayor. Are we seriously saying that because the D4 Councilmember had disagreement with her budget that the withholding of business service tools like Ambassadors to keep the Dimond shopping district safe are a hostage-style negotiation object?
Help communities of Oakland by getting some help for businesses in the Dimond, many of them employ local area residents.
Let's keep these jobs in Oakland by creating safe zones for residents to conduct business, work and shop.
D-4 must be included in deploying Community Ambassadors to shore up public safety in our business corridors.
Demand that small businesses matter in D-4 just as much as the rest of the city. We will be watching today to see who voted to support D-4 and who does not and they business community and their customers will know who supports One Oakland and who is against One Oakland.
Residents in D-4 matter.
Thank you
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
Please make sure that D-4 is not overlooked when it comes to deploying Community Ambassadors to shore up public safety in our business corridors.
Our small businesses on Park Boulevard, Leimert Boulevard, and the Dimond are suffering! They’ve had multiple break-ins and vandalism. We do not want to lose them; some are in jeaopardy already. We need any help we can get to prevent further criminal intrusions and damage to premises that provide vital services to our community.
We understand that resources are limited and allocation of them needs to be strategic and fair. We simply urge that our District be considered as you go through this process.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET D4!! - Thank you
Lynn Derderian - Chair - Oakmore Homes Association Public Safety Committee
I am writing to oppose your decision to exclude all of District 4 from the Community Ambassador Program. I can't believe that a decision made purportedly on greatest need would we made first by district - which excludes hard hit and less prosperous areas like the Dimond and Laurel business districts. That's like excluding all Federal funding from the State of California because our State has a high GDP relative to other States. I do not want to believe that this decision had political elements associated with it - but I request an alternative explanation.
On a related subject - I understand that the city will be acquiring several new license plate readers and I request that
District 4 business coordinators like Glenview, Dimond and Laurel not be similarly excluded when placement decisions are made. Our businesses in Glenview have been hard hit at night and we don't have the resources to purchase these privately like other communities have. A decline in property values - and therefor property taxes - due to increased crime and decreased walkability in our neighborhood affects all of Oakland. There is only one budget.
Please take these comments into consideration.
Dear Council Members,
Why was the Dimond removed from the Community Ambassador plan? Data shows that this area has been hit very hard by commercial and violent crime. This area used to be a thriving commercial zone, a place that I would frequent to buy groceries or to eat out with my friends. I used to feel good about visiting the park there. Lately I do not want to do any of those things there. I certainly don't want to take advantage of the community acupuncture--not safe to let my guard down! Parking my car while patronizing a business in the Dimond is now a huge risk. I cannot imagine what it is like to try and make a living as a business owner there, and let me be clear, our small businesses are doing more for our community than simply selling products and services. They ARE culture, and we are hanging them out to dry? Revive the Dimond! They need your help. Please support them.
Kind regards,
Tosca Necoechea
Dear Council Members,
While there are many areas in Oakland suffering from high crime rates, the commercial district in the Dimond has been particularly hard hit. It is difficult to think of a business that hasn't been broken into within the past two years. Many have been burglarized multiple times, to the extent that insurers will not renew insurance for some merchants in our district, leaving them financially vulnerable. We also have many empty storefronts and face a great challenge of bringing in new businesses, when they know they will bear the costs of almost guaranteed burglaries. Safety Ambassadors will not only be eyes and ears on the ground, but will be able to develop relationships with merchants and residents to better serve their needs and increase public safety. While I support funding for ambassador programs for the three organizations listed in S8 23-0781, I am asking to carve out money for the Dimond as well. From gunfire and car jackings to armed muggings and burglaries, crime is now an almost constant presence in the Dimond District and we need your help to keep our commercial area vibrant, diverse, and safe.
Sincerely,
Kevin Whittinghill
Chair, Dimond Improvement Association
Once again, Mayor Sheng Thao is BETRAYING the residents of Oakland by removing public safety! She prioritizes vindictive petty politics over the needs of Oaklanders! Provide Safety Ambassadors to D4 and help our families!
Carol Wyatt and I am a West Oakland resident of District 3.
I'm emailing today in support of the Dimond district merchants and residents to demand that Ambassadors be instituted in the Dimond shopping district.
I won't waste time discussing childish infighting between the Mayor and the district's Councilmembers. This is about THE WHOLE OF OAKLAND and the conditions that can be remedied by working together. Pettiness in our political views is exactly what has put Oakland on the path that it is on. The conditions that have gone on across this City are being felt by every community and if we can do something like provide community Ambassadors to stem the flow of violence and behaviors that are degrading not just our quality of life but also our ability to be recognized as a progressive smart City, then why aren't we doing that?
The Mayor once represented this district and several of the businesses there were constituents of hers as a Councilmember and supported her in her race for Mayor. Are we seriously saying that because the D4 Councilmember had disagreement with her budget that the withholding of business service tools like Ambassadors to keep the Dimond shopping district safe are a hostage-style negotiation object?
Help communities of Oakland by getting some help for businesses in the Dimond, many of them employ local area residents.
Let's keep these jobs in Oakland by creating safe zones for residents to conduct business, work and shop.
D-4 must be included in deploying Community Ambassadors to shore up public safety in our business corridors.
Demand that small businesses matter in D-4 just as much as the rest of the city. We will be watching today to see who voted to support D-4 and who does not and they business community and their customers will know who supports One Oakland and who is against One Oakland.
Residents in D-4 matter.
Thank you
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
Please make sure that D-4 is not overlooked when it comes to deploying Community Ambassadors to shore up public safety in our business corridors.
Our small businesses on Park Boulevard, Leimert Boulevard, and the Dimond are suffering! They’ve had multiple break-ins and vandalism. We do not want to lose them; some are in jeaopardy already. We need any help we can get to prevent further criminal intrusions and damage to premises that provide vital services to our community.
We understand that resources are limited and allocation of them needs to be strategic and fair. We simply urge that our District be considered as you go through this process.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET D4!! - Thank you
Lynn Derderian - Chair - Oakmore Homes Association Public Safety Committee