The residential eviction defense to non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 will expire at the end of the Local Emergency as declared by Oakland City Council. 87044 C.M.S. Rent Adjustment Program information is also online here. Thao's budget would rely on some of this money to reduce the deficit. As state and local eviction moratoria were adopted by state and local legislatures and consistently upheld by courts, the aforementioned federal ruling has no impact on Oaklands eviction and rent increase moratorium. OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland City Council voted Tuesday to extend the citys eviction moratorium until the state of emergency expires, which means that renters cannot be evicted in most cases, including COVID-related nonpayment, but will have to pay the owed rent when the state of emergency is over. For questions about how the end of the State's moratorium might affect you, contact a RAP Housing Counselor at 510-238-3721 or rap@staging . stream Oakland residents in need of help paying rent and property owners whose tenants have refused to apply for rental assistance are encouraged to apply for emergency rental assistance (see below). 6. hb```c``Rc`f`g`@ +,&y2sY? A woman wearing a mask walks past a wall bearing graffiti asking for rent forgiveness on La Brea Avenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic on May 1, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. -Dkk-48]nZ8phS8K;8N4pD_N8:3 3YbVN8;r/\K99pef'%~th'tl9{;z/ ?y`=$'N>Yrb^80xD/^9q{,_8gZ^91ssf&`p/|s{. But this will not affect hiring in departments that have other sources of revenue besides the General Purpose Fund. c.m.s. Losing my housing would very likely be a death sentence for me, Thomas said. Zaneri pointed to a statewide bill, called AB-1436, which she said has similar protections to Oaklands ordinance, and also prevents tenants from being blacklisted from future housing due to nonpayment of rent during the pandemic. endobj The residential eviction defense to non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 will expire at the end of the Local Emergency as declared by Oakland City Council. Call (510) 238-3721 or visit: oaklandca.gov/rap, L. Autumn KingPublic Information OfficerOffice of the City Administratoraking2@oaklandca.gov, City of Oakland Eviction Moratorium Not Impacted by Federal Ruling. This article about disaster management or a disaster is a stub. %PDF-1.7 % Local disaster emergency means and include any disaster, or the imminence thereof, resulting from natural or unnatural causes other than enemy attack and limited to the extent that action by the Governor under this act is not required. Unpaid rent will still be due, and the moratorium does not relieve tenants of the obligation to pay unpaid back rent in the future.The full text of the March 27th ordinance is available here. These are the children that go to school. According to the proposed budget, Thao plans to save millions of dollars by restructuring hundreds of civil service jobs so they draw their salaries from funds that arent running deficits. [(mfjms\nfe)k664:GwC;7jN-3wvMo.u-D".N_,WM-kgPsDmE;2sOhf%sK_GNESc/XYKN<59 rtK9-859DN;r:DNyEl!M| M~C~-^'7@Ngdi1@6r=_qxYr:TJ?9xS9DN32g'=bu1g;;dn8kW/ 9)8,)yM"1g Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. The proposed budget would delay the rollout of a 25th fire engine for the Oakland Fire Department for two years. Theprotections that preventcommercialevictions of small businesses and non-profit organizations for nonpayment of rent will end on September 30th . _____C.M.S. pursuant to her power under Oakland Municipal Code section 8.50.050(C) to proclaim a local emergency provided that the local emergency proclamation shall remain in effect only if the City Council confirms the existence of the emergency within seven days; and WHEREAS , on March 19, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20, This is not a paywall, butThe Oaklandside depends on reader donations to support our nonprofit newsroom. One reason the general fund is experiencing a deficit is that the city fell short of the revenue it expected to collect from taxes levied on property sales and hotel guests. After Sept 30, owners must seek rental assistance from a designated program and give eligible tenants the opportunity to seek assistance before eviction (see above). For example, the Transportation Department is installing parking meters around Lake Merritt over the next two years, which is expected to generate annual revenue of more than $1 million. Any owner who already received assistance at the 80% rate may get the remaining 20% from the states program. Putting them on the street, because they're in a crisis that nobody can control, that's not burden shifting. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your support is powering our newsroom! We're looking at at least half a million to a million renters and Alameda County, Mody said, and noted that this figure was based on a California Department of Housing and Community Development board presentation in June. Eli Wolfe reports on City Hall for The Oaklandside. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images. OPD uses overtime to stretch its manpower when officers are lost through retirement or long-term leave. The proposal resolves a $360 million deficit in the General Purpose Fund, which makes up about 50% of city spending. Application assistance and translation services are available. Thaos budget would rely on some of this money to reduce the deficit. After Three Weeks of Storms, Whats Californias Water Outlook? It will also contain Homeless Administration, which is essentially encampment management and separate from the new homelessness and housing department. ) B On July 21, 2020, Oakland City Council amended the Ordinances on eviction commercial and residential moratoriums to conform to the Local Emergency and the Governors Executive Order. *xuR:1 m33d:MsSi#! endobj \P+ aI0h This ordinance extends the eviction moratorium that was originally adopted by City Council on Friday, March 27, 2020.The extended moratorium will prohibit most evictions, effective immediately and continuing through the end of the Local Emergency. Currently, sworn police officers are responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct. But Thaos administration expects to rake in tens of millions of dollars through a progressive business tax on large companies that voters approved last year. Local area emergency (SAME code: LAE) is an advisory issued by local authorities through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the United States to notify the public of an event that does not pose a significant threat to public safety and/or property by itself, but could escalate, contribute to other more serious events, or disrupt critical public safety services. endstream endobj startxref <> Got Rent Problems? Thao proposes increasing it to $722 million over two years. <> "When the CARESAct originally came out, federal protections were leaning towards protecting people with mortgages,"Mody said. To pencil out the deficit, Thao is having each department tighten their belts. Learn more. Oaklands mayor is legally required to propose a budget every other year on May 1. Choosing Unpaid Time Off Instead of Using Vacation Time, DOL Helps Employers Calculate FFCRA Leave Hours, Rates. It gives a tenant a level of protection that they will not be thrown out onto the street, said Brian Brophy, associate attorney at Tobener Ravenscroft, LLP, a tenants rights law firm, of the Oakland ordinance. Thao says the changes will cut costs and improve services without laying off any city workers. This change reflects the mayors interest in improving the citys permitting process for new development projects. 5 5. The city is already on a five-year paving plan, and $74 million is being allocated over the next two years for street resurfacing projects, which will be critical for parts of the city hit hard by the storm surge over the winter. It also helps your family, friends and Oakland neighbors have access to reliable, independent reporting. The association wrote that the pandemic has impacted both tenants and housing providers significantly, and that tenants have received economic support through unemployment and stimulus payments, while landlords have not. These positions are currently vacant, which means no officers will lose their jobs. As part of this restructuring, the mayor also wants to reorganize how departments report up the chain of command to the city administrator, which oversees most of the citys vital services. City of Oakland emergency paid sick leave ordinance In effect: On January 19, 2021, the Oakland City Council retroactively extended the ordinance which had expired on December 31, 2020. confirming the existence of the local emergency proclaimed by the City Administrator pursuant to her power under Oakland Municipal Code section 8.50.050(C) to proclaim a local emergency provided that the local emergency proclamation shall remain in effect only if the City Council confirms the existence of the emergency within seven days; and Internal and Compliance Services: This channel will include Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Workplace and Employment Standards, the city clerk, and civil rights and compliance staff. Examples include: a disruption in water, electric or natural gas service, road closures due to excessive snowfall, or a potential terrorist threat where the public is asked to remain alert. She said that, often, landlords are looking at their own personal money, but tenants have different stakes--their health, their safety and their community. Terra Thomas, an Oakland florist who has a genetic disease which puts her at an increased risk for COVID complications, lost all work and has not been able to safely find another job, or collect unemployment. The Oaklandside relies on reader support to remain free for everyone in our community. x]@Dbf$_y(| xOGVq}tl/*1/o}n:K?Lox%T_yTem/u7|;?.i~XTJu|moDVp_a*coS.~UYU:[wrTn The department will consider how to mitigate the effect of brown outs on neighborhoods with the highest existing inequities. This funding is used for shuttling youth to and from recreation centers and other programs. hbbd``b`N@e9 Los Angeles County residents and business owners, including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs may call 211 LA County for emergency preparedness information and other referral services. This is why community organizers and advocates have leaned towards getting stronger city and local protections for tenants.". On March 27, 2020, the Oakland City Council adopted an ordinance imposing a moratorium on residential evictions and rent increases above the CPI amount of 2.7% and prohibiting late fees during the COVID-19 Local Emergency. The courts ruling focuses on whether the CDC exceeded its authority under federal law asking the very specific question, does the Public Health Service Act grant the CDC the legal authority to impose a nationwide eviction moratorium? Thaos administration wants to merge several departments that have similar services and clients. endstream endobj 297 0 obj <>stream These programs already work closely together helping unhoused residents secure temporary and permanent homes, and Thaos administration says this change will allow for better coordination. endobj The budget also sets aside over $6 million for traffic safety programsa major priority for all city councilmembers. /W69Z@v"F~|Yi[`45V-mS4? Elis stories have appeared in The Atlantic, NBCNews.com, Salon, the San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere. The full text of the May 19th ordinance is available here. Thao also continues to prioritize non-police community safety programs. drone motor controller board; il makiage mineral baked; asg remote desktop cyberark; klipsch soundbar remote not working during the Local Emergency declared by the City Administrator on March 9, 2020, and ratified by the Oakland City Council on March 12, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (hereinafter, "Local Emergency"). |1xXYoTUVb6i"WI;' R.LkiQ,aM mQ`^mC& ozM The mayor of Highland Park on Monday vowed to declare a state of emergency after city council voted against hiring legal counsel ahead of mediation with the Great Lakes Water Authority. Emeryville On April 2, 2020, the city of Emeryville issued a memorandum expanding Emeryville's existing Paid Sick Leave Ordinance to cover circumstances related to COVID-19. Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. So having this moratorium extended, and tied to the state of emergency, it really allows me to take a breath.. Residential tenants and property owners may contact the Rent Adjustment Program for questions by calling (510) 238-3721 or sending e-mail to RAP@staging.oaklandca.gov. Thaos staff said the mayor intends to fill more than 600 positions in other departments, including the new Planning, Building and Economic Development Department, Transportation, Housing, and Public Works. The Los Angeles ordinance will expire two calendar weeks after the expiration of the COVID-19 local emergency period. 123 0 obj At our age, members of the Class of '48 have an abundance of free timeand Joyce Van Denburgh Doty, MFA '50, made excellent use of it with a detailed response to the Share Your News form.. Perhaps invigorated by the oxygen she uses (though she never smoked, she presumes she inhaled others'), she goes beyond her own TV watching of both old black-and-white shows and modern news to . vlQ?C&u.t7_T}^4Yu.kipzv.6x=4*KG9H66klfzs(x Thao also wants to maintain the Keep Oakland Clean and Beautiful programs, which are considered essential to preserving and attracting businesses, especially in underserved neighborhoods. Additionally, the moratorium prohibits residential rent increases above 2.7% (the Consumer Price Index, or CPI) and prohibits any late fees related to COVID-19 issues in residential units. 0 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. We amplify community voices, share information resources, and investigate systems, not just symptoms. It does not.. The proposal also calls for the creation of a Vacancy Strikeforce in HR to focus on filling vacancies in these departments. Eli graduated from UC Santa Cruz and grew up in San Francisco. As a result of these cuts, vouchers and outreach about the program will be delayed until the 2026 election cycle. %PDF-1.7 But not all the funds will be usedfor example, the city is not touching the $15 million in its General Purpose Emergency Reserve Fund. Employers should continue to comply with local ordinances until their expiration date. For example, while the current budget covers 726 officers, there are only 706 in the field. The mayors proposal cuts Parks, Recreation & Youth Developments transportation budget by 50%. 308 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<3915EDCE1D15A2C180AB9DE8ABB5111E><232A7A4C21A77A48B1E4E1C1BCE7A651>]/Index[293 22]/Info 292 0 R/Length 74/Prev 983846/Root 294 0 R/Size 315/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Instructions, other than public protective actions, may be provided. Thaos $4.2 billion budget covers core city services like police, fire, roads, sewers, and other infrastructure. California Privacy Rights Act: What Employers Need to Know, Cal/OSHA Nonemergency COVID-19 Prevention Standard: What Employers Need to Know, A Roadmap to Californias Worker Classification Law, Set the Tone: Sexual Harassment Prevention, Your Guide to 2023 California Employment Laws, 2023 Minimum Wage Hike Brings Changes for California Employers, Employer Requirements Under Californias Emergency Wildfire Smoke Regulation, Required Harassment Prevention Training FAQs, The Who, What, When and How of Mandatory Paid Sick Leave in California, 10 Things You Might Not Know About Sexual Harassment, The Top 10 Things Employers Do to Get Sued, Five Things Employees Think Theyre Entitled to But Arent, Eight Steps For Examining Your Wage Practices, Four Ways Employers Can Combat Workplace Gambling, The Brinker Decision: Analysis and Guidance, Several Cities Join California in Ending Local COVID-19 State of Emergency, Employee Paid Leave for Expanded Vaccine Access, COVID-Related Employment Protections Ordinance, Employers Dont Need to Count Overtime Twice in Percentage Bonuses, State Meal/Rest Rules Dont Apply to Truck Drivers Subject to U.S. Law , Cal/OSHA COVID Regulation Transitions into Non-Emergency Form as State Emergency Ends. % One casualty in the proposed budget is the Democracy Dollars program. Like many cities, Oakland has a number of rainy day reserves it can use in emergencies. Both ordinances prevent tenants from being removed from their homes due to this debt, and from having an eviction judgement against them, which could impact long term housing security. [3Mku_J^%r3l6d$K7U.00r8w;)](H%]Kc!(' J@b1~`K`@@v 2d2`P Ra3i^ /uCjqk/9 0Hb HW The proposed budget adds $10 million over the next two years to upgrade and harden the citys cybersecurity protections. stream <> Another major change would be the complete civilianization of OPDs Internal Affairs Division. terminated by one (1) party. | Eastmont Mall's history | OUSD union negotiations | We're now publishing free obituaries. For example, under the mayors proposal, the city would completely exhaust the $12 million in its vital services stabilization fund. The new ordinance extended the ordinance's sunset until the end date of Oakland's COVID-19 emergency declaration. On Wednesday, Thao will present her budget at a special City Council meeting. 1u5]l4dZ!~?fmCiH9Kgl_jS*G-h1/WXonKR 64QO|[Q[S[_Yr.hk@B)x0)@(d(X}WV{bWBb k 6RjGe tZ= jUx1w0D''vI8B_}%-eB-Sc|yES^C~TFI T0PBA Ag5 It would also brown out one existing fire engine on a rotating basis, meaning the chief of the Fire Department will have to suspend the operation of one engine. Community Services: This channel will cover Children and Youth Services, Housing, Development and Homelessness, Libraries, and Animal Services. Sign up for The Oaklandsides free daily newsletter. 2 2955810v2 WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the Oakland City Administrator issued a proclamation of Local Emergency which was ratified by the Oakland City Council on March 12, 2020; and WHEREAS, at the City Council's Special Meeting on March 12, 2020, numerous members of the public gave commentary about the need to prevent residential evictions during the Any notice of rent increase served during the Local Emergency shall include the following statement in bold underlined 12-point font: " During the Local Emergency declared by the City of Oakland in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, your rent may not be increased in excess of the CPI Rent Adjustment (3.5% until June 30, 2020), unless required for In addition, several localities have indicated that they, in alignment with the state and federal governments, intend to end their local COVID-19 state of emergencies which also would bring an end to their COVID-19 local supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) ordinances. Thao also wants to maintain six police academies where new hires are trained, same as the last cycle. Shes also not sure when she will, and she cant pay her rent. 1 0 obj Jackie Zaneri, a tenants rights attorney at the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Institute, said that the patchwork of protections in the Bay Area and the state has created a lot of confusion among renters, as ordinances vary county-to-county and city-to-city. endstream endobj 298 0 obj <>stream Thao proposes cutting the number of sworn police officer positions in OPDs budget in 2023-2024 to 710 from 726 in the previous year. Effects of the Governors Eviction Moratorium ending include: Oakland Commercial Eviction Moratorium will end: TheOakland City Ordinances on the localcommercialeviction moratoriumconformed with the Governorsmost recent Executive Order, expiring today, September 30, 2021. . 78 0 obj The amount of time renters have to pay back their owed rent is not specified in the Oakland moratorium, but the county ordinance allows people 12 months to pay the rent back without being evicted, during which time the owed funds will become a consumer debt. <> The mayors office says this will save up to $2 million per year and make the citys programs more efficient in the long-run. The budget also funds community programs like the Summer Town Camp. This end date has no impact on the City of Oakland. "There were limited tenant protections. These moves are anticipated to shave over $20 million dollars from the deficit. Meeting details. Property owners may receive 100% even for tenants who have moved out. 5bO8TVEciSV5lRSUJqjcXmWDZmTukV The contents of this blog should not be interpreted or construed as legal advice. On February 8, 2023, the City of Oakland experienced a cybersecurity incident, which impacted many of our IT systems. Sarah Woolston, Employment Law Counsel/Subject Matter Expert. On Tuesday, February 28, California will end its COVID-19 declaration of emergency, and the federal government anticipates terminating the national emergency on May 11, 2023. Local disaster emergency means any flood, blizzard, frost, hurricane, storm, tornado, high water . A second merger would combine the remainder of the Human Services Departmentincluding the citys Head Start program, which promotes education and family serviceswith the Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development Department. Makes tenants, whose landlord does not apply on their own, eligible for 100% of their rent owed since April 2020. 2023 FOX Television Stations, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California. x\Ko#Ir%DJZ3X:UXIo>|U19x~ov~_~Xv;41lgltvj6;;_85q_jkm:|Z"Y icj2axh,P_bliYfJV)L-mdZ-.t`u W'd) ^_l+v\]'2vr Foyk+hyN6=QkM6J&/Ke_Bt#d%O]]e> `){IiWv;oG+j?XQ vTsmWjeN}"cj}tD5].ikw)(&h/~t}>^Si;5D&!L{D*Z?|^7wv.ug0HrXPZxbvPM~U dr)\( &y"Wz=!BP,02dYp'7zS$v[r !v 314 0 obj <>stream Local emergency means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a county, city and county, or city. Were journalists for Oakland. However, Oakland's Emergency Moratorium will continue to prohibit most evictions, rent increases beyond the CPI, and late fees on covered units until the City Council lifts the local emergency. Local emergency is defined as an urgent need requiring immediate action or attention beyond normal capabilities, procedures and scope for aid . So, there are limited state protections for tenants as well. If the budget is approved, Thao would merge the citys Housing and Community Development Department with its Community Homelessness Services program, which is currently under the Human Services Department. %PDF-1.7 City Council Chamber, 3rd Floor. Emergency funds and new revenue. Thao wants to expand investment in the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) program, which has civilians respond to some non-emergency 911 calls. These protections, which have an indefinite expiration date, coexist alongside Alameda Countys eviction moratorium, which provides similar protections until the end of September. In her first budget proposal, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao wants to attack the citys $360 million deficit by restructuring departments and tightening some services. Your email address will not be published. Stay tuned to HRWatchdog for more updates! The Department of Justice has appealed the decision and the ruling has been put on a temporary hold. Back rent may be due in full depending on the payment plan or other agreement negotiated between the tenant and landlord. Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. endobj The mayors budget message also noted that Measure U, which was approved by voters last November, will help the city spend over $200 million on affordable housing over the next two yearsthe largest single investment in Oaklands history.