Oakland Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting – June 9, 2026

The Oakland City Council Community and Economic Development Committee convened on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 1:37 PM in the City Council Chamber. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Rowena Brown and included Councilmembers Janani Ramachandran, Zac Unger, and Carroll Fife (who arrived at 1:39 PM). The committee considered five agenda items and adjourned at 3:20 PM. All action items were approved and forwarded to the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting on the consent calendar.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Draft Minutes from May 26, 2026 (Item 1): Approved unanimously (4-0) with no public speakers.
• Determination of Schedule of Outstanding Committee Items (Item 2): Approved unanimously (4-0) with no public comment.

Public Comments & Testimony

Item 3 – Oakland Ice Center Lease and Capital Project: Seven speakers addressed the committee.

• Kiki Flaherty, a 22-year Oakland resident and member of the Dyer Wolves and SF Earthquakes LGBTQ+ hockey club, expressed strong support, noting the facility’s role in hosting inclusive events and the urgent need for capital improvements.
• Arthur Liu, father of Olympic medalist Alyssa Liu, spoke in support, describing the Ice Center as his family’s “second home” and crediting it for his daughter’s success.
• John Guslison, Senior Vice President of Shark Sports Entertainment, thanked staff and emphasized the Sharks’ commitment to Oakland, including up to 25 years of operation and community benefits.
• Daniel Witt, co-founder of the Oakland Skates semiprofessional hockey team, voiced support, stating the investment would allow the team to host regional tournaments and drive economic activity downtown.
• Glenn Martin, General Manager of the Oakland Ice Center, urged approval, highlighting the need for renovation and the preservation of a community asset.
• One public speaker raised concerns about the lack of clarity in the contract, including revenue details, free parking costs, and maintenance responsibilities, and questioned whether the community benefits from the old agreement (e.g., free field trips for OUSD students) were carried forward.

Item 4 – 2026 Miscellaneous Planning Code Amendments: Two speakers.

• Victor Adjay, representing a property owner at 4831 Tidewater, requested clarification that “active operation” in the 60-day discontinuance standard for nonconforming industrial uses includes good-faith efforts to re-tenant or make repairs, noting that 60 days may be too restrictive.
• Asada Olavala criticized the staff report for listing school bus routes (646, 652, 682) as transit options for South Piedmont, calling it misleading, and raised concerns about ADU permitting errors.

Item 5 – General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports: Three speakers.

• Jeff Levin, speaking for East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), thanked staff for the comprehensive report and praised the progress on affordable housing but noted that over the last 11 years (2015–2025) 80% of new housing was market rate, underscoring the need for continued local funding such as the proposed $50 million Measure U allocation.
• Asada Olavala criticized the Oak No project and asked about the Barcelona parcel, and reminded the committee that affordable housing includes public housing and Section 8 vouchers, not just new construction.
• Zach Thayer made comments related to the COVID relief bill and building purchases.

Open Forum: Two speakers.

• One speaker made comments about atomic weapons and UN orders.
• One speaker, a property owner on the 35th Avenue corridor, objected to the Laurel Business Improvement District, alleging double taxation and requesting removal from the district.

Discussion Items

Item 3 – Oakland Ice Center Lease and Capital Project: The committee received a presentation from Brendan Moriarty, Director of Real Estate and Special Projects, Economic and Workforce Development Department. Key points:

• The Oakland Ice Center is a city-owned facility serving approximately 137,000 visitors annually, with 27,000 Oakland residents receiving discounts and over 5,000 Oakland public school students using free programming.
• The city currently pays a management fee to Sharks Ice (an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks) and bears financial risk; the facility suffered approximately $1.8 million in pandemic-related losses.
• The proposed lease and management agreement would shift to a lease structure: 5-year initial term with four 5-year options, annual base rent of $335,000 (fixed, with inflation adjustments), plus 7% of gross revenue above $4.3 million (threshold adjusted for inflation). The city would also receive 50% of advertising revenue above $100,000 per year.
• The city will provide $10 million in Measure U bond funds for a new refrigeration system (replacing the obsolete R22 refrigerant) and related capital improvements. The Sharks will contribute $100,000 annually to a capital reserve, and the city will match that amount.
• The existing management agreement will be terminated, and the city will use $1,344,910 in capital reserve funds plus up to $500,000 in anticipated net revenue to reimburse Sharks for losses.
• Community benefits (minimum $325,000/year in value, currently measured at $700,000) will continue, including OUSD access and other programs.
• Councilmember Fife asked about revenue allocation; staff confirmed that because the facility was built with redevelopment bond funds, revenues must be used for redevelopment purposes (including affordable housing citywide, but other uses limited to the central district).
• The facility will be closed for approximately four months during construction (summer 2026) to replace the ice system.

Item 4 – 2026 Miscellaneous Planning Code Amendments: Staff presented amendments to Title 17 of the Oakland Municipal Code, including:

• Updating ADU regulations for state law consistency (minor changes; two HCD findings were not addressed, as staff believes the city is already compliant).
• Revising discontinuance standards for nonconforming activities: replacing the undefined “purposeful abandonment” standard with a clear 60-day cessation timeframe (down from 90 days, and previously zero days with an intent standard).
• Removing S-10 Scenic Route Combining Zone discretionary standards from ministerial design review.
• Permitting recreational assembly (e.g., plazas, community gardens) in the Wood Street D-WS-9 zone without a conditional use permit.
• Revising the minimum front setback on Hegenberger Road in the D-CO-2 zone to a consistent 10 feet.
• Removing a review deadline from development agreement procedures.
• Various clerical and conforming revisions.
• Councilmember Brown noted the District 7 office’s request to hold the item due to concerns about the Hegenberger setback; the committee decided to move the item forward and direct staff to meet with Councilmember Houston to explain the proposal.
• Staff clarified that the 60-day discontinuance standard is intended to address nonconforming trucking uses in residential neighborhoods, consistent with the Environmental Justice Element, and that the city attorney confirmed the change is easier to implement than the previous “purposeful abandonment” standard.

Item 5 – General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports for Calendar Year 2025: Staff presented an informational report. Key statistics:

• In 2025, the city reported 1,007 units proposed, 1,944 entitled, 7,212 permitted, and 391 completed.
• In the first three years of the 2023–2031 RHNA cycle (26,251 units total), Oakland has permitted 14% of its allocation (19% of very low-income and 25% of low-income targets, but only 9% of moderate-income and market-rate targets).
• 2025 saw more deed-restricted affordable units permitted than market-rate units, continuing a trend from 2023, driven by Measure U funds and favorable market conditions. However, total permits declined 31% from 2024.
• ADU production remained stable but declined 9% from 2024; 192 ADUs were permitted in 2025.
• Oakland’s affordable housing production (42% of all low-income units in Alameda County) outpaced peer cities (San Jose, Fremont, Sunnyvale) in the very low- and low-income categories.
• Staff noted that affordable housing entitled in 2025 is a strong predictor of future permits, and over 1,000 affordable units are expected to receive building permits in the first half of 2026.
• Councilmember Fife asked about funding for emerging developers; staff described a HUD-funded pre-development program with Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements that are being addressed. She also noted she had introduced budget amendments to add $50 million in Measure U funds for affordable housing.
• Councilmember Unger and Brown praised staff for the city’s leadership in affordable housing production.

Key Outcomes

• Item 3: Motion by Councilmember Fife, seconded by Chair Brown, to approve staff recommendations and forward the ordinance to the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting on consent. Passed 4-0.
• Item 4: Motion by Chair Brown, seconded by Councilmember Fife, to approve staff recommendations and forward the ordinance to the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting on consent, with a directive for staff to meet with Councilmember Houston regarding the Hegenberger setback. Passed 4-0.
• Item 5: Motion by Councilmember Fife, seconded by Chair Brown, to receive and forward the informational report to the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting on consent. Passed 4-0.
• All items were forwarded to the June 16, 2026 City Council meeting on the consent calendar.