Oakland City Council Meeting: Charter Reform, Violence Prevention Grants, and More – June 16, 2026

The Oakland City Council met on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 3:32 p.m. to consider a packed agenda including a controversial strong mayor charter reform measure, a multimillion-dollar violence prevention grant package, parking reorganization, and numerous consent calendar items. The meeting extended into the evening and included extensive public testimony. Key outcomes included passage of the charter measure (5-4 with mayor’s tie-breaking vote), approval of violence prevention grants (7-1), and continuation of several items.

Consent Calendar

• Items 6.1 and 6.2 (GAD items) were continued to July 7, 2026 by an 8-0 vote.
• Items 6.3 through 6.25 were approved as part of the consent calendar with noted no votes: Councilmembers Fife, Unger, and Jenkins voted no on item 6.10 (Becker Boards); Councilmembers Wong and Houston voted no on item 6.25 (bike share amendment). The consent calendar passed 7-0-1 (Fife excused).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Charter Reform (Item 5.2): Over 30 speakers addressed the council. Supporters included representatives from the Alameda Labor Council (Keith Brown), League of Women Voters (Cynthia O’Malley, Deborah Scheffler, Gail Wallace), Spur (Nicole Nedich), Faith in Action East Bay (Isaiah Tony, Barbara Lafitte Oluole), and former councilmember Corey Cook. They argued the current hybrid system is dysfunctional, stressing that the measure creates clear accountability and that voters deserve to decide. Opponents included Mindy Pechnook (mayoral candidate), Ben Gould, Stephen Falk, and local residents who criticized the process (mayor-appointed working group, lack of public deliberation) and warned of concentrated power. Several speakers called for a competing council-manager measure to be placed on the ballot alongside the strong mayor proposal.
• Violence Prevention Grants (Item 5.3): Nearly 60 speakers testified, many from East Oakland community organizations. Supporters of the DVP’s recommendations included representatives from Youth Alive, Missy, Dream Youth Clinic, Oakland Private Industry Council, and Bay Area Legal Aid, who emphasized the importance of sustained funding for proven interventions. Critics, including parents who lost children to violence, argued that the process excluded key East Oakland groups (e.g., BOSS, Street Soldiers) and that funding should be equitable. Several speakers urged the council to find additional money to prevent service gaps.
• Parking Reorganization (Item 5.1): Speakers criticized the lack of transparency and sudden changes to staff; some questioned the fiscal impact.
• Consent Calendar (Items 6.10, 6.14, 6.21, etc.): Public comment focused on opposition to the Becker Boards agreement (item 6.10), support for a resolution condemning war on Iran (6.14), and questions about the Oakland Ice Center lease (6.21).

Discussion Items

• 5.2 – Strong Mayor Charter Reform: Mayor Barbara Lee presented the measure as the product of a comprehensive community process (over 750 participants, 14 sessions, 60+ conversations). The measure would make the mayor the chief executive, allow council confirmation of certain department directors, create an independent budget analyst office, grant the mayor a line-item veto over the budget (override by 6 votes), require full-time council members, and align salaries via the Public Ethics Commission. Amendments were considered: Councilmember Wong proposed adding council vetting for additional department heads (informational sessions); Councilmember Houston proposed council approval for removing the city administrator and a requirement that the mayor attend all meetings before vetoing. The city attorney ruled Houston’s first two amendments out of scope. The council debated, with Councilmember Unger favoring a council-manager model but not wanting competing measures. Councilmember Fife expressed reservations but supported allowing voters to decide. Councilmember Houston opposed without his amendments. The final motion (mayor’s supplemental amendments) passed 5-4, with Mayor Lee breaking a 4-4 tie. Councilmembers Gayo, Houston, Ramachandran, and Unger voted no; Brown, Fife, Wong, Jenkins, and Lee voted yes.
• 5.1 – Parking Division Reorganization: Informational report from Finance Director Brad Johnson detailing the transfer of parking citation collection, meter operations, garage management, and permit issuance from the Department of Transportation to Finance. DOT retains enforcement and policy. The report was received and filed 7-0-1 (Houston excused).
• 5.3 – Violence Prevention Grants (Three-Year Cycle): DVP Director Dr. Joshi and Deputy Chief Jenny Lynch presented a $38.1 million grant package for 21 community-based organizations, funding gun violence and gender-based violence services. The presentation emphasized a competitive RFP process reissued after a 34% failure rate, focus on highest-risk individuals (approximately 350), and performance management. The committee voted to recommend approval with an amendment reducing the grant term from three to two years and requiring a six-month report on impacts. The full council later adopted this recommendation (7-1, Houston no).
• 4.1 – ADU Ordinance Amendments: Updates to comply with state law, removing subjective terms and correcting clerical errors. The public hearing was opened and closed; the ordinance passed 8-0.

Key Outcomes

• Charter Reform Measure (5.2): Approved 5-4 (Brown, Fife, Wong, Jenkins, and Mayor Lee yes; Gayo, Houston, Ramachandran, Unger no). The measure will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. It includes amendments from the mayor’s office (e.g., removal of certain Section 218 provisions, acting city administrator language, salary-setting by Public Ethics Commission) and allows council from to approve (not just vet) department heads for finance, HR, public works, and transportation.
• Violence Prevention Grants (5.3): Adopted 7-1 (Houston no). Grants are for two years (instead of three) from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028, with a request for a report on the impact of funded and unfunded services within six months. Total award: $12.7 million annually ($38.1 million over three years if extended).
• Parking Reorganization (5.1): Informational report received and filed 7-0-1.
• ADU Ordinance (4.1): Adopted 8-0.
• Consent Calendar: Approved as amended, with specific no votes noted on items 6.10 and 6.25.
• Items 6.1 and 6.2: Continued to July 7, 2026.
• Public Safety Committee: Earlier at 6:02 p.m., the Public Safety Committee approved minutes and the pending list, and recommended the violence prevention grants item to full council with the two-year amendment.