The Oakland City Council Life Enrichment Committee convened at 4:02 PM on July 14, 2026, chaired by Councilmember Carroll Fife. The committee reviewed and unanimously approved four action items, forwarding them to the July 21, 2026 City Council consent calendar. Key decisions included accepting federal and state grants for homelessness services, anti-poverty programs, and paratransit, as well as a $100,000 grant for a mentor-protégé program on public works projects. Public speakers addressed equity concerns, service gaps, and program accountability.
Good afternoon, and welcome to the life enrichment committee meeting of today, July fourteenth. The time is now four oh two PM, and this meeting has come to order. Before taking roll, I will provide instructions on how to submit a speaker's card for items on this agenda. If you are here with us in chambers and you would like to submit your speaker card, please fill one out and turn it into a clerk representative to my left your right before the item is read into record. Yes, we will be changing the speaking time for public speakers on all items due to the impact of public safety calendar, and we want to make sure that we get out of here on time. So I just want to make the announcement that we will be changing our commentary to one minute. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember. Thank you, Chair Five. We're expecting a large group. Moving to item one, approval of the draft minutes from the committee meeting on June 23rd, 2026. I'll move approval. Thank you. We have a motion made by Chair Five, seconded by Councilmember Gallo to accept the draft minutes from the committee meeting on June 23rd, 2026 as is on rural councilmember Gaio. Councilmember Houston is excused. Councilmember Wong. Aye. Thank you. And Chair Five. Aye. The motion passes with four three eyes, excuse me, and one it's used Houston to accept the draft minutes from the committee meeting on June 23rd, 2026, as is moving to item two, determination of scheduled outstanding committee items. This is also known as your pending list. Yes, the uh count the office, the V3 office has no changes to the pending list at this time. Are there any changes from the administration? No changes. Thank you. I'll make you notice noting Councilmember Houston at four or five p.m. Thank you. I'll entertain a motion. I'll second. We do have a motion made by Councilmember Guyo, seconded by Chair Five to accept the termination schedule standing committee items as is on a rural councilmember guillot. Councilmember Houston. I've got staying. I don't know. Yeah, just what we're at the pending list item two. Oh, yeah. I thank you. Councilmember Wong. Aye. Thank you. And Chair Five. Aye. This motion does pass one for ayes to accept the termination schedule standing committee items as is. Moving to item three. Adopt a resolution awarding a grant of construction resource center in an amount not to exceed 100,000 for fiscal year 26 through 27 to support the development and implementation of the City of Oakland's mentor protege program in partnership with the National Association of Minority Contractors, Northern California, NORCAL. And you do have three speakers for this item. Thank you, Madam City Clerk. We will hear a presentation with five minutes on the clock from Maleen Espia. Okay. Good afternoon, Chair Fife and committee members.