@oakland-observer.bsky.social
Thanks to CM Houston, one of only a handful of Black male appointees to Police Commission since its start almost 10 years ago will face more fabricated allegations at a full council meeting after weeks of delays and baseless complaints from a marginal, mostly white, group
October 18, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Thanks to CM Houston, one of only a handful of Black male appointees to Police Commission since its start almost 10 years ago will face more fabricated allegations at a full council meeting after weeks of delays and baseless complaints from a marginal, mostly white, group
Oakland has almost half the homicides it had in 2023, a decline that began in mid-2024 and has steadily continued today. There is no way to undercount the murders by a substantive amount.
October 17, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Oakland has almost half the homicides it had in 2023, a decline that began in mid-2024 and has steadily continued today. There is no way to undercount the murders by a substantive amount.
It's hard to read the substantive changes in Jenkins/Ramachandran proposed Council Rules of Procedure as anything but a way of diminishing public participation in the council process. They'll be discussing them today at Rules
October 16, 2025 at 4:28 PM
It's hard to read the substantive changes in Jenkins/Ramachandran proposed Council Rules of Procedure as anything but a way of diminishing public participation in the council process. They'll be discussing them today at Rules
When Flock finally came to Oakland, it sailed through PAC because the OPD worked with PAC to create on paper good use/retention policy [which we now know OPD haven't followed]. The reason it took OPD so long to turn to Flock has nothing to do w/PAC: OPD they didn't ask for Flock
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
When Flock finally came to Oakland, it sailed through PAC because the OPD worked with PAC to create on paper good use/retention policy [which we now know OPD haven't followed]. The reason it took OPD so long to turn to Flock has nothing to do w/PAC: OPD they didn't ask for Flock
This is CM Wang claiming at a private Chamber of Commerce event that Privacy Advisory Commission prevented a community from buying Flock w/their own funds, using the story to demonize Commissioners. It's false. Only tech owned/run and/or purchased by City needs PAC approval
October 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
This is CM Wang claiming at a private Chamber of Commerce event that Privacy Advisory Commission prevented a community from buying Flock w/their own funds, using the story to demonize Commissioners. It's false. Only tech owned/run and/or purchased by City needs PAC approval
Despite Flock's participation with Trump's immigration machine and a negative recommendation from the Privacy Advisory Commission, OPD is bringing a plan for panopticon level surveillance in Oakland run by a problematic company that is rep'd by a former AIPAC lobbyist.
October 16, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Despite Flock's participation with Trump's immigration machine and a negative recommendation from the Privacy Advisory Commission, OPD is bringing a plan for panopticon level surveillance in Oakland run by a problematic company that is rep'd by a former AIPAC lobbyist.
After a significant public backlash that included every major arts organization, including the Oakland Symphony, Ramachandran's ill considered and perhaps personal deletion of the cultural affairs director will be reversed via budget amendment
October 16, 2025 at 1:13 AM
After a significant public backlash that included every major arts organization, including the Oakland Symphony, Ramachandran's ill considered and perhaps personal deletion of the cultural affairs director will be reversed via budget amendment
Push back from small pro-police group pressured Selection Panel to re-do OPC Selection process after already choosing Farmer & Garcia Acosta. They said another applicant had been excluded. That candidate dropped out on day of 2nd vote. Another got 0 votes oakland.granicus.com...
October 15, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Push back from small pro-police group pressured Selection Panel to re-do OPC Selection process after already choosing Farmer & Garcia Acosta. They said another applicant had been excluded. That candidate dropped out on day of 2nd vote. Another got 0 votes oakland.granicus.com...
So much to be concerned about Jones Dickson's loyalty to the people who put her in office. oaklandside.org/2025...
October 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
So much to be concerned about Jones Dickson's loyalty to the people who put her in office. oaklandside.org/2025...
The Rules committee has subject areas it can forward to Council, keep in committee or actually kill, & tomorrow will be an unusually full day of those. There's actually an open legal question about whether the Police Commission appointments are one of those.
October 15, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The Rules committee has subject areas it can forward to Council, keep in committee or actually kill, & tomorrow will be an unusually full day of those. There's actually an open legal question about whether the Police Commission appointments are one of those.
No notes to this Care 4 Community narrative of the Housing Secure anti-eviction grant. Fife did all the work to keep getting it agendized, and somehow is getting none of the credit.
October 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
No notes to this Care 4 Community narrative of the Housing Secure anti-eviction grant. Fife did all the work to keep getting it agendized, and somehow is getting none of the credit.
Centro Legal was able to collect demographic data on 100s of lo-income tenants they assisted at rent board hearings. But EBRHA, a landlord lobbyist gifted a contract for lo-income landlords could not with just 21 that fit that description. We do know only 5 live in Oakland, tho
October 11, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Centro Legal was able to collect demographic data on 100s of lo-income tenants they assisted at rent board hearings. But EBRHA, a landlord lobbyist gifted a contract for lo-income landlords could not with just 21 that fit that description. We do know only 5 live in Oakland, tho
Jenkins and JR want to rewrite rules of procedure in a way that guarantees fewer items get to Non Consent Calendar. Proposed changes to require majority vote to move items from Consent to Non at mtgs; removing requirement that sends split-vote items to Non-consent
October 10, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Jenkins and JR want to rewrite rules of procedure in a way that guarantees fewer items get to Non Consent Calendar. Proposed changes to require majority vote to move items from Consent to Non at mtgs; removing requirement that sends split-vote items to Non-consent
Tonight Police Commission will consider, & potentially vote, on recs for OPD's "militarized" equip inventory. OPD committed to replace Bearcat w/non-military armored vehicle 3 years ago, but now wants 2 more + more rifles. OPC's ad hoc says no to both; now full OPC will weigh in
October 9, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Tonight Police Commission will consider, & potentially vote, on recs for OPD's "militarized" equip inventory. OPD committed to replace Bearcat w/non-military armored vehicle 3 years ago, but now wants 2 more + more rifles. OPC's ad hoc says no to both; now full OPC will weigh in
Here's the Oakland Police Commission's response to news of Chief Mitchell's resignation
October 9, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Here's the Oakland Police Commission's response to news of Chief Mitchell's resignation
Fell into a rabbit hole trying to convince my lying eyes Libby Schaaf did in fact violate the charter by scheduling her "state of the city" a month late, and then refusing to give it before Council. That's what happened as I reported, but the evidence was wiped from Legistar
October 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Fell into a rabbit hole trying to convince my lying eyes Libby Schaaf did in fact violate the charter by scheduling her "state of the city" a month late, and then refusing to give it before Council. That's what happened as I reported, but the evidence was wiped from Legistar
Solidarity Fast and Family Event, Bread Giveaway for Gaza
August 27, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Solidarity Fast and Family Event, Bread Giveaway for Gaza
Mayor Lee launched the Office of Homelessness Solutions today, a new agency within City Administrator's Office, meant to leverage & direct hundreds of millions of homelessness intervention $$ coming from ALCO's Measure W. Timing re Houston's "Abatement' policy revision is notable
August 26, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Mayor Lee launched the Office of Homelessness Solutions today, a new agency within City Administrator's Office, meant to leverage & direct hundreds of millions of homelessness intervention $$ coming from ALCO's Measure W. Timing re Houston's "Abatement' policy revision is notable
Ironically, images in Jenkins' IG are from vehicular evictions that received no services or outreach shortly after E 12th median eviction. Those vehicle residents had to migrate to residential areas. In the legislation Jenkins is promoting here, this would become SOP
August 22, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Ironically, images in Jenkins' IG are from vehicular evictions that received no services or outreach shortly after E 12th median eviction. Those vehicle residents had to migrate to residential areas. In the legislation Jenkins is promoting here, this would become SOP
Now, the schedule consists of a special committee mtg on 9/10 w/little notice; then a special council meeting the following week, which Jenkins already publicly stated at rules is being set up to hear Houston's EMT amendments--apparently whether or not committee forwards it
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Now, the schedule consists of a special committee mtg on 9/10 w/little notice; then a special council meeting the following week, which Jenkins already publicly stated at rules is being set up to hear Houston's EMT amendments--apparently whether or not committee forwards it
For example, the scheduled first public safety committee meeting is 9/30, which means there would have been weeks of notice before that committee meeting, then council introduction if it got out of committee for early October.
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
For example, the scheduled first public safety committee meeting is 9/30, which means there would have been weeks of notice before that committee meeting, then council introduction if it got out of committee for early October.
The definition of "High Sensitivity Area" is also expanded, so many more encampment areas that would've been considered lo become high. Example: current "high" designation w/in 50 ft of parks is only if they contain playgrounds, etc; now all parks included, plus athletic fields
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
The definition of "High Sensitivity Area" is also expanded, so many more encampment areas that would've been considered lo become high. Example: current "high" designation w/in 50 ft of parks is only if they contain playgrounds, etc; now all parks included, plus athletic fields
Houston's policy adds criteria for immediate & same day evictions in "high sensitivity" zones, a category that becomes expansive in the edit. High Sensitivity Encampments are technically always subject to closure; with Houston's changes, they could be closed with little notice.
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Houston's policy adds criteria for immediate & same day evictions in "high sensitivity" zones, a category that becomes expansive in the edit. High Sensitivity Encampments are technically always subject to closure; with Houston's changes, they could be closed with little notice.
Houston's policy would criminalize "returning" to live in an area of previous closure. But its unclear how "returning" would be adjudicated. Anyone setting up camp on a site cleared w/in 60 days would be subject to 72 hour eviction, regardless of whether they'd lived there before
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Houston's policy would criminalize "returning" to live in an area of previous closure. But its unclear how "returning" would be adjudicated. Anyone setting up camp on a site cleared w/in 60 days would be subject to 72 hour eviction, regardless of whether they'd lived there before
Eviction w/out shelter offer has become a documented shift in city de facto practice over past year. Now, Houston's changes would make that an explicit policy. In some senses its performative given practice, but making it official in the EMP would have effects
August 22, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Eviction w/out shelter offer has become a documented shift in city de facto practice over past year. Now, Houston's changes would make that an explicit policy. In some senses its performative given practice, but making it official in the EMP would have effects