Fellow Oaklanders,

Please join us tomorrow night for our Virtual Town Hall dedicated to police reform with two important guests:

  • Ron Davis, recently appointed by Gov. Newsom to develop new standards for policing statewide. Chief Davis served as Director of Community Oriented Policing under President Barack Obama, overseeing all Federal Consent Decrees and leading President Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force. We’ll discuss local, state, and federal efforts to reimagine public safety — and how we can support those actions.

  • State Sen. Nancy Skinner, who recently introduced two new pieces of legislation that aim to expand police transparency and reform 911 responses statewide.

To read a list of the state and federal legislation my office is advocating for regarding racial equity and police reform, please click here .

As always, we will answer your pre-submitted questions (which you can send here ) and answer your questions live.

Our Virtual Town Halls can be viewed on my social media channels Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube (with closed captioning).

To dial in by phone: (669) 900-6833 , 413825986#

Residents can also sign up for my newsletter by clicking here .

We hope to see you on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Last Tuesday , we announced the opening of two new COVID-19 testing sites at the Native American Health Center and La Clínica de la Raza in the Fruitvale.

Free testing is open to all Alameda county residents regardless of symptoms. You will not be asked about immigration status nor will you need medical insurance.

To see all locations in Alameda County where you can get tested, please visit the County’s website here , and please share with a friend. And get tested!
On Wednesday, we announced a significant step to help us fight displacement and keep Oaklanders in Oakland: We received $90 million in state resources to build 462 new units of deeply affordable housing next to vital public transportation hubs.

The funds will support new projects next to the West Oakland and Fruitvale BART stations and the new BRT line in Deep East Oakland.

The homes will be reserved for our lowest income residents, including individuals making less than $28,000 and families of three and four making less than $78,000.

Residents who are interested in deeply affordable units should visit the Alameda County Housing Portal here , and can always call Oakland’s Housing & Community Development office at 510-238-6182 or email housingassistance@oaklandca.gov for more information. 

Finally , I want to give praise and gratitude to all those who’ve contributed to help support our beloved zoo. You may have read about local residents who launched fund-raising efforts, including Andy Soulard , a 6-year-old whose Facebook campaign captured hearts and raised more than $200,000.

Luckily, we’ve done our part too. After a review by state health officials, Alameda County’s request for outdoor dining was approved Wednesday, and the zoo announced plans to reopen as well – with strict health and safety measures in place – at the end of July .

We must continue to be vigilant, Oakland.

Let’s show our Town Pride by wearing masks, washing hands, and physically distancing.

Be well,
Libby