Alameda City Council Meeting - June 16, 2026

The Alameda City Council met on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, starting with a closed session at approximately 6:00 PM and resuming the regular meeting at about 7:00 PM. The regular meeting concluded at 10:12 PM. Key actions included authorizing a workers' compensation settlement, approving an affordable housing amendment for the Alameda Marina, and passing an ordinance to ban ratio utility billing systems (RUBS) for utilities, with a 3-1 vote.

Closed Session

• The council held a closed session to discuss Item 3A: conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation (Sean Gillian vs. City of Alameda, Workers' Compensation Appeals Board). Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft announced the council authorized the city attorney to settle Mr. Gillian's claim in an amount not to exceed $200,000, with votes from Councilmembers Fuller, Desog, Vice Mayor Pryor, and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft. Councilmember Jensen was recused.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent calendar unanimously, with Councilmember Bowler recused from items 5e and 5k, and Councilmember Daysog recused from item 5k. The consent calendar included resolutions related to water quality fees, maintenance assessments, landscaping and lighting districts, and an economic development subsidy for the Oakland Roots and Soul (up to $150,000 for World Cup team support).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-Agenda Oral Communications (beginning of meeting):
  • Ralph Walker, founder/head coach of the Don Grant Alameda Youth Track Club, expressed frustration about access to the track at Alameda College, alleging disrespect from a school board member and threatening escalation if not allowed use. He stated he wants to end his coaching career in Alameda but cannot afford the $5,000 per season fee.
  • Joe Zimmerman objected to the city flying Pride flags on public flagpoles during June, calling for either no private group flags or flags for all ideologies. He characterized the Pride flag as promoting a "death cult ideology" and requested removal.
• Consent Calendar Public Comment:
  • Corinne Kirschbaum (remote) spoke about a temporary restraining order against her and alleged lack of reaction from council to her comments at a prior meeting, but was cut off by the mayor for not addressing specific consent calendar items.
• Item 7C (RUBS Ban) Public Comment:
  • Jennifer Rizzo, representing the California Apartment Association, urged rejection of the RUBS ban, arguing it lacked data on impacts, that complaints were less than 1% of renters, and that San Jose saw increased water consumption after a similar ban. She advocated for transparency standards instead of a ban.
  • Timothy Hilton, a renter in a 41-unit building, supported the ban, describing lack of transparency in current billing, unchanged charges despite vacancies, and difficulty obtaining breakdowns from property management.
• Item 10 (Museum Referral) Public Comment:
  • Gabriel Duncan, founder of the Alameda Native History Project, supported the referral but requested a broader public process to include contributions from all diverse groups (e.g., Chinese laborers) in the city's history.

Discussion Items

• 7B: Alameda Marina Master Plan Amendment (Affordable Housing) — Staff Planner Tristan Swear explained the amendment modifies the affordable housing requirement for Phase Three (the Foundry) from a 15% mix to 8% very low-income units, consistent with the recently adopted inclusionary housing ordinance. The developer, Sean Murphy (Alameda Marina Pacific Development), stated the project includes 259 units, one live-work unit, public open space, environmental remediation, and sea level rise protection; the change allows the project to proceed (currently in final plan checks). All council members expressed support, emphasizing the need for very low-income housing and the project's broader benefits. The motion to introduce the ordinance passed unanimously.
• 7C: Ordinance Banning Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS) — Rent Program Director Bill Chapin presented a proposal to prohibit utility charges without separate meters for new tenancies, with a phased one-time rent adjustment process for existing tenants. He noted that 64 tenant inquiries since the COVID moratorium end may affect over 3,000 units, citing cases of sudden fee increases and difficulty obtaining documentation. The proposed ban follows similar actions in Berkeley and Mountain View. Councilmember Bowler recused himself. Public comment was divided. Council discussion centered on transparency vs. outright ban. Councilmember Daysog favored more transparency measures; Vice Mayor Pryor and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft argued the ban was necessary to prevent rent circumvention. Councilmember Jensen made a motion to approve with additional directions: streamline fair return petitions for utility and insurance increases, add RUBS data to rent registry, and report back after phase one. The motion passed 3-1 (Councilmember Daysog opposed).
• 10: Council Referral on Alameda Museum and Indigenous History — Councilmember Jensen requested staff to work with the Alameda Museum on displays and archiving of indigenous artifacts and to develop a program with local tribes. Assistant City Manager Wooldridge reported the library director is coordinating and that the museum has reached out to tribes (only the Muwekma Ohlone responded) and is working on repatriation and an educational display. Staff will bring a presentation at the second meeting in July or September. The council agreed to the direction.

Key Outcomes

• Workers' Compensation Settlement: Council authorized settlement for former firefighter Sean Gillian's claim up to $200,000 (4-0, Jensen recused).
• Alameda Marina Master Plan Amendment: Council voted unanimously (5-0) to introduce an ordinance reducing the affordable housing requirement for Phase Three to 8% very low-income units.
• RUBS Ban Ordinance: Council voted 3-1 (Daysog opposed) to introduce an ordinance banning utility charges without separate meters for new tenancies and establishing a phased petition process for existing tenants to adjust rent based on average utility costs. Additional directions included streamlining fair return petitions, adding RUBS questions to the rent registry, and reporting on Phase One outcomes.
• Alameda Museum Referral: Council directed staff to work with the museum and return with a presentation on indigenous history and repatriation efforts.
• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously with noted recusals.
• Reappointments: Unanimously approved reappointments of John Lip and Jane Smith (Commission on Persons with Disabilities), Yatin Shastri (Golf Commission), and Elise Hunter (Public Utilities Board).
• Mylar Balloon Ban: Councilmember Jensen announced she would submit a referral for the next meeting to reconsider a ban on Mylar balloons, citing a recent outage affecting over 3,000 customers for three hours on June 14, 2026.
• City Manager Communications: Interim City Manager Pulitzer noted the Alameda Sakaroos won their first match against Turkey; excitement was expressed for the upcoming USA vs. Australia match.
• Council Communications: Various members reported on attending community events, including Unity Fest, Coast Guard Island awards, AC Transit meetings, and the Chamber leadership graduation.