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Agenda Item
6.3 23-0848 Subject: Declaration Of A Local Emergency On Homelessness
From: Councilmember Kaplan
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Renewing And Continuing The City Council's Declaration Of A Local Emergency Due To The Existence Of The City's Homelessness Crisis
Homelessness is a huge problem here, and the city should absolutely take responsibility to take control of the excessive numbers of empty buildings, and remake them into emergency and short term housing, working with local orgs to find more permanent stable housing, as well as employ mental health professionals and addiction specialists to support in detox and rehab. Supporting the unhoused helps build community because it shows solidarity for the human condition, it creates safety in our streets, and it supports the future of our world. This should be at the top of the list of priorities for council members.
Another important priority should be the unequivocal support for a CEASEFIRE in Gaza, as we have a huge humanitarian crisis on our hands and WE DO NOT want our tax dollars supporting the DISPLACEMENT of millions of people.
Homelessness has always been, and will continue to be, a public emergency, as long as there are people who are unhoused. Housing is a basic human right, and in a country with enough money to feed the entire world's population, it's beyond atrocious that there are people without this basic right. Everyone's basic needs could actually be met, but capitalist agendas cause people to hoard wealth. The City of Oakland should house every single person who needs it, full stop. Because it's possible, it's extremely unethical not to.
I'm an Oakland resident, living in District 2. The lack of affordable housing is causing more and more people to fall into homelessness. Eviction proceedings are overwhelming tenants groups and we may see unprecedented numbers being forced onto the streets very soon. Housing affordability should be a top priority. I’m in strong support of Councilmember Fife’s work to identify vacant properties that could be converted into deeply affordable and supportive housing, to get people off the street. To see the many vacant properties sitting empty while knowing that homelessness has exploded by 131% since 2015, is deeply troubling. I urge our council to enact bold actions that address the dire conditions of the emergency of homelessness in Oakland.
We are still in a State of Emergency for homelessness in Oakland. The number of homeless students attending Oakland Unified schools grew nearly 70% over the last three years—up to 1,780 students in 2023. 1,780 elementary, middle and high school students living without adequate housing. I saw this up close and personal when I worked as a mental health counselor for teenagers across the Bay Area. Developing thousands of units of deeply affordable and supportive permanent housing that gets our neighbors off the streets should be the City’s #1 priority. Last year, voters overwhelmingly passed Measure Q - the legislation that Councilmember Fife wrote to work around the racist state law that makes it harder for cities to develop affordable housing by authorizing the city to build up to 13,000 units of deeply affordable housing anywhere in the city. 82% of Oakland voters supported this measure - more than any other measure on the ballot. Implement Measure Q by actually developing deeply affordable and supportive housing that gets people off the street and you will be the most popular Mayor and Council Oakland has ever seen. Councilmember Fife has been working with the County and the School District to identify vacant properties that can be converted into deeply affordable and supportive housing that gets people off the street. I want to see the whole City get behind this effort.
I’m hopeful about the new leadership we have in the Mayor’s office - leadership that I voted for.
Homelessness is a huge problem here, and the city should absolutely take responsibility to take control of the excessive numbers of empty buildings, and remake them into emergency and short term housing, working with local orgs to find more permanent stable housing, as well as employ mental health professionals and addiction specialists to support in detox and rehab. Supporting the unhoused helps build community because it shows solidarity for the human condition, it creates safety in our streets, and it supports the future of our world. This should be at the top of the list of priorities for council members.
Another important priority should be the unequivocal support for a CEASEFIRE in Gaza, as we have a huge humanitarian crisis on our hands and WE DO NOT want our tax dollars supporting the DISPLACEMENT of millions of people.
Homelessness has always been, and will continue to be, a public emergency, as long as there are people who are unhoused. Housing is a basic human right, and in a country with enough money to feed the entire world's population, it's beyond atrocious that there are people without this basic right. Everyone's basic needs could actually be met, but capitalist agendas cause people to hoard wealth. The City of Oakland should house every single person who needs it, full stop. Because it's possible, it's extremely unethical not to.
I'm an Oakland resident, living in District 2. The lack of affordable housing is causing more and more people to fall into homelessness. Eviction proceedings are overwhelming tenants groups and we may see unprecedented numbers being forced onto the streets very soon. Housing affordability should be a top priority. I’m in strong support of Councilmember Fife’s work to identify vacant properties that could be converted into deeply affordable and supportive housing, to get people off the street. To see the many vacant properties sitting empty while knowing that homelessness has exploded by 131% since 2015, is deeply troubling. I urge our council to enact bold actions that address the dire conditions of the emergency of homelessness in Oakland.
We are still in a State of Emergency for homelessness in Oakland. The number of homeless students attending Oakland Unified schools grew nearly 70% over the last three years—up to 1,780 students in 2023. 1,780 elementary, middle and high school students living without adequate housing. I saw this up close and personal when I worked as a mental health counselor for teenagers across the Bay Area. Developing thousands of units of deeply affordable and supportive permanent housing that gets our neighbors off the streets should be the City’s #1 priority. Last year, voters overwhelmingly passed Measure Q - the legislation that Councilmember Fife wrote to work around the racist state law that makes it harder for cities to develop affordable housing by authorizing the city to build up to 13,000 units of deeply affordable housing anywhere in the city. 82% of Oakland voters supported this measure - more than any other measure on the ballot. Implement Measure Q by actually developing deeply affordable and supportive housing that gets people off the street and you will be the most popular Mayor and Council Oakland has ever seen. Councilmember Fife has been working with the County and the School District to identify vacant properties that can be converted into deeply affordable and supportive housing that gets people off the street. I want to see the whole City get behind this effort.
I’m hopeful about the new leadership we have in the Mayor’s office - leadership that I voted for.