OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Oakland Life Enrichment Committee Meeting – July 14, 2026: Grants, Homelessness Funding, and Paratransit Services Approved

City Council — Tuesday, July 14, 2026
BodyOakland, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:18:45

Transcript — Verbatim
3:08

Good afternoon, and welcome to the life enrichment committee meeting of today, July fourteenth.

3:13

The time is now four oh two PM, and this meeting has come to order.

3:18

Before taking roll, I will provide instructions on how to submit a speaker's card for items on this agenda.

3:24

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.

4:44

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.

4:56

So I just want to make the announcement that we will be changing our commentary to one minute.

5:03

Thank you.

5:04

Thank you, Councilmember.

5:06

Thank you, Chair Five.

5:07

We're expecting a large group.

5:10

Moving to item one, approval of the draft minutes from the committee meeting on June 23rd, 2026.

5:18

I'll move approval.

5:24

Thank you.

5:25

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.

5:36

Councilmember Houston is excused.

5:40

Councilmember Wong.

5:42

Aye.

5:43

Thank you.

5:43

And Chair Five.

5:45

Aye.

5:46

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.

5:58

This is also known as your pending list.

6:01

Yes, the uh count the office, the V3 office has no changes to the pending list at this time.

6:07

Are there any changes from the administration?

6:11

No changes.

6:13

Thank you.

6:13

I'll make you notice noting Councilmember Houston at four or five p.m.

6:20

Thank you.

6:21

I'll entertain a motion.

6:24

I'll second.

6:25

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.

6:34

Councilmember Houston.

6:36

I've got staying.

6:37

I don't know.

6:37

Yeah, just what we're at the pending list item two.

6:40

Oh, yeah.

6:40

I thank you.

6:41

Councilmember Wong.

6:43

Aye.

6:43

Thank you.

6:44

And Chair Five.

6:46

Aye.

6:46

This motion does pass one for ayes to accept the termination schedule standing committee items as is.

6:53

Moving to item three.

7:06

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.

7:28

And you do have three speakers for this item.

7:33

Thank you, Madam City Clerk.

7:35

We will hear a presentation with five minutes on the clock from Maleen Espia.

7:41

Okay.

7:42

Good afternoon, Chair Fife and committee members.

7:45

I am Emma Leen Aspia, and I'm the director of the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards, also known as Dwess.

7:53

Thank you for the opportunity to present this item today.

7:56

Dwess is requesting approval of a 100,000 dollar grant with Construction Resource Center, also known as CRC, in partnership with the Northern California chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, also known as NAMAC NORCAL, to support the city's first full implementation of the mentor protege program on a public works project, specifically the MLK Junior Way Streetscapes Improvement Project.

8:24

It is very exciting to be able to support both this innovative Department of Transportation project and this important mentor protege partnership with this grant.

8:35

Mentor Protege partnerships have been a component of the LSLBE, local small local business enterprise program for many years, but this is the first time it's being deployed on a public works project.

8:47

To ensure we get this partnership set up for success, this grant will allow us to provide structured technical assistance, trade-specific training, and business capacity development to small local and minority contractors.

9:02

Meaningful mentorship, including regular coaching, site visits, and project management guidance requires trade-specific expertise that the city does not currently have in-house.

9:14

CRC and NAMAC NORCAL bring decades of contractor development experience, strong technical assistance infrastructure, and deep access to minority contractor networks.

9:26

They fill a gap the city cannot fill internally, and their work will allow us to deliver a high quality accountable program.

9:35

The grant funds a structured set of activities, including a program management plan that sets expectations for mentors and proteges, onboarding for the mentor and protege, a tailored support plan based on the protege specific needs, trade-specific technical assistance, as well as back office support.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Senior Services█████████████████████████████29%
Homelessness██████████████████████22%
Contracting And Procurement█████████████13%
Procedural██████████10%
Community Engagement██████6%
Public Transit██████6%
Workforce Development████4%
Transportation Safety████4%
Racial Equity███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Oakland Life Enrichment Committee Meeting – July 14, 2026

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.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (June 23, 2026): Approved 3-0 (Councilmember Houston excused).
  • Determination of Outstanding Committee Items: Approved 4-0.

Discussion Items

Item 3: Construction Resource Center Grant – Mentor-Protégé Program ($100,000)

  • Presentation: Director Maleen Espia (Department of Workplace and Employment Standards) requested a $100,000 grant to the Construction Resource Center (CRC) in partnership with NAMC-NorCal. This is the first full implementation of the mentor-protégé program on a public works project (MLK Jr. Way Streetscapes Improvement Project). Funds will provide structured technical assistance, trade-specific training, and business capacity development for small and minority contractors.
  • Councilmember Ken Houston disclosed a prior personal relationship with CRC, stating he had been trained by the organization. He confirmed no financial conflict after consulting the city attorney.
  • Councilmember Charlene Wang asked about leveraging federal mentor-protégé programs; staff confirmed plans to incorporate best practices. Councilmember Fife praised the program and requested periodic progress reports to the committee.
  • Public Speakers (3): Jeremiah Jackson (NAMC-NorCal consultant) expressed support and noted alignment with the 2026 disparity study. Lynn Turner (CRC co-founder) emphasized the need for hands-on contractor training. A speaker (Ms. Sada) questioned the $100,000 amount and the city’s lack of standardized monitoring tools, noting the project was codified in 2021 but only now moving forward. Staff did not respond from the dais.
  • Vote: Unanimous 4-0 to forward to City Council on consent.

Item 4: HUD Continuum of Care (COC) Renewal Funding ($5,650,302)

  • Presentation: Shalon Keener (Manager of Community Homelessness Services) presented the resolution to accept and appropriate federal COC funds for four programs: Housing Fast Support Network (BACS), North County Homeless Families Rapid Rehousing Collective (Building Futures), North County Homeless Youth Rapid Rehousing Collaborative (Covenant House California/East Oakland Community Project), and Oakland Homeless Youth Housing Collaborative. Programs serve 186 beds/units, with 484 individuals served in FY 2024-25 (including 129 children). 73% exited to permanent housing (Building Futures: 97%, EOCP Youth: 100%). The 2026 point-in-time count showed a 20% decrease in homelessness since 2024, but over 4,400 remain unhoused.
  • Discussion: Councilmember Houston questioned why out-of-town providers (e.g., Covenant House California) were selected; staff clarified the Oakland location. Councilmember Wang asked about potential funding cuts due to the Trump administration’s “housing first” policy shift; staff noted proactive planning and application changes. Wang also requested more detailed metrics on permanent housing placements and length of stay; staff agreed to provide additional data.
  • Public Speaker (Ms. Sada): Noted limited capacity of shelters (e.g., Harry Robinson Center: 137, Covenant House: 60) and asked about waiting lists. No response from dais.
  • Vote: Unanimous 4-0 to forward to City Council on consent.

Item 5: AC-OCAP 2026 CSBG Anti-Poverty Grant ($1,319,745)

  • Presentation: Ashley Jamont (ACOCAP Division) presented the resolution to accept and appropriate Community Services Block Grant funds for fiscal year 2026 (Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026). Funds support 17 grantees through workforce development, housing stability, emergency assistance, and financial empowerment. The program includes a 18-member board with tripartite composition (elected officials, low-income representatives, private sector). A new five-year strategic plan (2026-2031) is being developed.
  • Public Speaker (Ms. Sada): Questioned the board selection process (staff explained application and council appointment) and travel expenses for conferences. Staff did not provide detailed cost breakdown.
  • Councilmember Fife asked staff to clarify board selection; staff described application process and council appointments.
  • Vote: Unanimous 4-0 to forward to City Council on consent.

Item 6: Oakland Paratransit for the Elderly and Disabled (OPED) – Measure BB Funds ($3,202,298)

  • Presentation: Anna Bactis (Human Services Manager) presented the FY 2026-27 OPED plan. Services include taxi scripts, wheelchair-accessible vans, GoGo Grandparent rides, and meal delivery. Anticipated services: 19,000 taxi rides, 7,500 GoGo rides, 12,000 wheelchair trips, 16,500 group trips, and 260,000 home-delivered meals. Community engagement included 923 surveys and 13 listening sessions; transportation was identified as the top priority. A customer service desk was relocated to the Downtown Oakland Senior Center, increasing enrollment; a similar model is planned for East Oakland.
  • Discussion: Councilmember Houston raised concerns about services not reaching East Oakland residents, citing canceled rides by Uber/Lyft due to safety perceptions. Staff acknowledged the issue and mentioned exploring premium rates for drivers serving East Oakland. Councilmember Wang asked about cost per trip (up to $74) and the low subsidy for GoGo Grandparent; staff explained the pilot program and plans to expand. Councilmember Houston initially moved to forward the item non-consent to discuss further but later voted for consent. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Wang.
  • Public Speaker (Ms. Sada): Asked about eligibility criteria (age 70+ automatically qualify; under 70 with disability) and trip distance limits; staff clarified case-by-case exceptions.
  • Vote: Unanimous 4-0 to forward to City Council on consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 3: Three speakers supported the CRC grant, with one questioning the amount and monitoring tools.
  • Item 4: One speaker asked about shelter capacity and waiting lists.
  • Item 5: One speaker questioned board selection and travel expenses.
  • Item 6: One speaker asked about eligibility and trip distance.
  • Open Forum: One speaker (Ms. Sada) questioned the legal definition of “sanctuary city” and its impact on jobs and housing.

Key Outcomes

  • All four action items were approved unanimously (4-0) and forwarded to the July 21, 2026 City Council meeting on the consent calendar.
  • Councilmember Fife requested periodic progress reports on the mentor-protégé program (Item 3).
  • Staff agreed to provide additional metrics on permanent housing placements and length of stay for COC programs (Item 4).
  • The committee noted ongoing service gaps in East Oakland for paratransit and directed staff to explore solutions, including a potential RFQ for community-based providers (Item 6).
  • The meeting adjourned at 5:17 PM.

Meeting Transcript

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.

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