Oakland Community and Economic Development Committee Meeting - May 12, 2026

The Community and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 1:32 PM to consider workforce innovation grants, a land use framework study session, and routine administrative items. The committee approved consent calendar items but deadlocked on a contested workforce procurement, resulting in the item not being forwarded to the full City Council.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Approved the draft minutes from the committee meetings of March 24, 2026, and April 21, 2026, by a 4-0 vote.
• Item 2: Approved the determination of schedule of outstanding committee items (pending list) as is, by a 4-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 2: Mrs. Olabala spoke against the city's sanctuary city status, claiming it disproportionately harms Black residents by increasing competition for jobs and housing from undocumented immigrants.
• Item 3 – Workforce Grants: Eleven speakers addressed the committee. Representatives from the Spanish Speaking Unity Council (Tiffany Lascado, Sarah Akin, Yolanda Davis, Derek Barbosa, Carla Guerra, Chris Iglesias) argued that a technical glitch in the iSupplier portal caused their adult category proposal to be evaluated without a required budget file, and they requested the committee not finalize the adult award until the issue is resolved. Richard Delagrani and Pastor Langford from the Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) urged the committee to approve the other awards to avoid service disruptions, acknowledging Unity Council's concerns but noting the process was otherwise fair.
• Item 4 – Land Use Framework: Over 20 speakers from port operators, industrial businesses, environmental groups, and housing advocates provided input. Representatives from the Port of Oakland, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, Union Pacific Railroad, SSA Marine, and logistics companies opposed the proposed redesignation of industrial land to "green low impact industry" and "technology and research" categories, warning it would harm existing businesses, goods movement, and job retention. Other speakers raised concerns about environmental justice, housing displacement, and the need for better transit and park access.
• Open Forum: Two speakers addressed unrelated topics: one criticized the city's sanctuary status and its impact on Black unemployment, and another challenged the process for adding properties to a business improvement district renewal.

Discussion Items

• Item 3 – Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Contracts: Deputy City Administrator Sofia Navarro presented a proposal to approve $2.65 million in new WIOA service contracts for 2026-2029 and $584,109 in amendments to extend current contracts through June 2027. The procurement process, which included a competitive RFP and an appeal process for disqualified proposers, recommended awards to Oakland Private Industry Council (downtown and West Oakland), Lau Family Community Development (Central and East Oakland), Spanish Speaking Unity Council (business intermediary), and five youth service providers. The Unity Council's adult category proposal was deemed non-responsive due to a missing budget file—a finding upheld after a city investigation. Committee members debated a motion by Chair Brown to approve categories 2-4 and return with an alternative funding recommendation for category 1 ($1.42 million), which failed 2-2 (Councilmembers Fife and Unger opposed). A subsequent motion by Councilmember Unger to approve the staff recommendation as-is also failed 2-2 (Councilmembers Ramachandran and Brown opposed). Per committee rules, the item was not forwarded to the full council.
• Item 4 – Draft Land Use Framework Study Session: Planning Director Bill Gilchrist and Strategic Planning Manager Laura Kaminski presented a draft land use framework as part of Phase 2 of the General Plan update. The framework emphasizes "complete neighborhoods," mixed-use development near transit, new technology and research hubs, and a greenway network. Extensive community engagement (over 1,300 direct contacts) informed the draft. Committee members expressed the need to balance industrial and port uses with housing and environmental goals, and to conduct further analysis on truck routes, goods movement, and economic impacts. The committee voted 3-0-1 (Councilmember Ramachandran excused) to forward the item to the June 2, 2026, City Council meeting as a public hearing.

Key Outcomes

• Items 1 and 2: Approved unanimously (4-0).
• Item 3: No action taken; the committee deadlocked on two motions (2-2 each). The item will not be forwarded to the City Council unless placed on a supplemental agenda by the Rules Committee.
• Item 4: Forwarded to the June 2, 2026, City Council meeting as a public hearing (3-0-1).