City Government

Council President Reid Says Oak Knoll Project Will Bring Jobs, Housing And $Millions to City

Published

9 years ago

June 1, 2017

Oak Knoll will contribute $20 Million for affordable housing

The Oakland City Council’s ongoing budget discussion reveals how the loss of redevelopment funding makes it more difficult for the city to generate revenues for jobs and housing services, especially to meet the needs of ever growing homeless population.

Even though Governor Jerry Brown took away Oakland’s flexible redevelopment agency funds after he – while serving as Oakland’s mayor – had utilized that pot of money to assist developers his administration approved of, City Council President Larry Reid still remains optimistic that the former Oak Knoll naval hospital site in his district can be a major opportunity to bring much needed revenues to the city.

Reid’s support for Oak Knoll began 25 years ago when he was the chief of staff to Mayor Elihu Harris, and now he is still touting the potential benefits of developing Oak Knoll.

“Oakland is a city in transition, and Oak Knoll’s commercial and housing plans will be a key part for the revitalization of the Upper East Oakland area,” said Reid.

Reid, who has helped establish residence-based hiring and entrepreneurial policies for the city’s formerly incarcerated and minority populations, claims Oak Knoll can change East Oakland for a lifetime.

Larry Reid

“This city has passed equity policies that are designed to give everyone an opportunity. This project brings community benefits that can help us meet that challenge.”

Reid cites a recent Economic Benefits Report that outlines how the Irvine-based SunCal developer could bring an estimated $54.4 million recurring revenues to the City of Oakland and create a total of more than 5,000 jobs, including the hiring of 2,500 people during the construction phases.
Reid, who constantly fights for East Oakland inclusion, says, “Oak Knoll is the second largest project in Oakland.”

“Oak Knoll can be a super catalyst to all the projects in my district,” he says. “And its success will also spill over into communities below the 580 Freeway.”

The Oak Knoll plan will include 935 new homes, 72,000 square feet of commercial retail space and a publicly accessible community facility that will provide 76 acres of public parks, open spaces and a memorial honoring those who served and were treated at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.
“The one-time infusion of cash for the city will come in the form of millions of dollars in straight up fees to the city, and millions of dollars more to the Oakland Unified School District,” said Reid.

“Alameda County stands to benefit to the tune of nearly $10 million in business sales revenue plus $1.3 million in property taxes,” he said.

“I ran for re-election to make sure that Oak Knoll actually happened, and because I made a promise to the residents who live in that neighborhood that we would get this project done by working together, I believe that finally we are now on our way for approval this year.”

Reid said an analysis of the SunCal project shows projected revenues of $29.3 million in spending by new residents with $3.8 million going to the city general fund from sales and property taxes, licenses and permits.

And $4.6 million is expected to also go to other local agencies such as the Oakland Unified School District, BART and East Bay Regional Parks. In addition, $20 million will be paid by SunCal to the city for affordable housing.

“Further, the one-time revenues related to construction activity will bring $875 million for the local economy through direct and indirect multiplier investment effects, while it contributes millions in fees to East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD),” he said.

Another important aspect of the project is that Oak Knoll will contribute $20 million to the City of Oakland to be used to help meet its affordable housing goals. “Oakland is changing, and we must be the kind of city that allows individuals to work in, live in and raise their children in a safe environment,” he said.

“If we don’t do this project, the vacant site will continue to deteriorate, be an ongoing public safety hazard and will be just one more drain on our scarce community resources,” he said.

“I won’t let that happen.”

The project is currently up for city council approval, and council action is expected in July.

(Next: Post analyzes SunCal’s economic assumptions of its direct and indirect multiplier effect on Oakland’s economy.)

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Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

Published

1 week ago

December 25, 2025

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Alameda County

Oakland Council Expands Citywide Security Cameras Despite Major Opposition

In a 7-1 vote in favor of the contract, with only District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife voting no, the Council agreed to maintain its existing network of 291 cameras and add 40 new “pan-tilt-zoom cameras.”

Published

2 weeks ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, Flock Safety introduces new public safety technology – Amplified Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered tools designed to improve law enforcement investigations. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland City Council this week approved a $2.25 million contract with Flock Safety for a mass surveillance network of hundreds of security cameras to track vehicles in the city.

In recent weeks hundreds of local residents have spoken against the camera system, raising concerns that data will be shared with immigration authorities and other federal agencies at a time when mass surveillance is growing across the country with little regard for individual rights.

The Flock network, supported by the Oakland Police Department, has the backing of residents and councilmembers who see it as an important tool to protect public safety.

“This system makes the Department more efficient as it allows for information related to disruptive/violent criminal activities to be captured … and allows for precise and focused enforcement,” OPD wrote in its proposal to City Council.

According to OPD, police made 232 arrests using data from Flock cameras between July 2024 and November of this year.

Based on the data, police say they recovered 68 guns, and utilizing the countywide system, they have found 1,100 stolen vehicles.

However, Flock’s cameras cast a wide net. The company’s cameras in Oakland last month captured license plate numbers and other information from about 1.4 million vehicles.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Fife was critical of her colleagues for signing a contract with a company that has been in the national spotlight for sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock’s cameras – which are automated license plate readers – have been used in tracking people who have had abortions, monitoring protesters, and aiding in deportation roundups.

“I don’t know how we get up and have several press conferences talking about how we are supportive of a sanctuary city status but then use a vendor that has been shown to have a direct relationship with (the U.S.) Border Control,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several councilmembers who voted in favor of the contract said they supported the deal as long as some safeguards were written into the Council’s resolution.

“We’re not aiming for perfection,” said District 1 Councilmember Zac Unger. “This is not Orwellian facial recognition technology — that’s prohibited in Oakland. The road forward here is to add as many amendments as we can.”

Amendments passed by the Council prohibit OPD from sharing camera data with any other agencies for the purpose of “criminalizing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare” or for federal immigration enforcement. California state law also prohibits the sharing of license plate reader data with the federal government, and because Oakland’s sanctuary city status, OPD is not allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

A former member of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission has sued OPD, alleging that it has violated its own rules around data sharing.

So far, OPD has shared Flock data with 50 other law enforcement agencies.

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Black Arts Movement Business District Named New Cultural District in California

Located in the heart of District 3, the BAMBD is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most important centers of Black cultural production — a space where artists, entrepreneurs, organizers, and cultural workers have shaped generations of local and national identity. The state’s recognition affirms the district’s historic importance and its future promise.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Councilmember Carroll Fife celebrates major milestone for Black arts, culture, and economic power in Oakland. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

Oakland’s Black Arts Movement Business District (BAMBD) has been selected as one of California’s 10 new state-designated Cultural Districts, a distinction awarded by the California Arts Council (CAC), according to a media statement released by Councilmember Carroll Fife.

The BAMBD now joins 23 other districts across the state recognized for their deep cultural legacy, artistic excellence, and contributions to California’s creative economy.

“This designation is a testament to what Black Oakland has built — and what we continue to build when we insist on investing in our own cultural and economic power,” said Fife.

“For years, our community has fought for meaningful recognition and resources for the Black Arts Movement Business District,” she said. “This announcement validates that work and ensures that BAMBD receives the support it needs to grow, thrive, and continue shaping the cultural fabric of California.”

Since taking office, Fife has led and supported multiple initiatives that strengthened the groundwork for this achievement, including:

Restoring and protecting arts and cultural staffing within the City of Oakland.
Creating the West Oakland Community Fund to reinvest in historically excluded communities
Advancing a Black New Deal study to expand economic opportunity for Black Oakland
Ensuring racial equity impact analyses for development proposals, improving access for Black businesses and Black contractors
Introduced legislation and budget amendments that formalized, protected, and expanded the BAMBD

“These efforts weren’t abstract,” Fife said. “They were intentional, coordinated, and rooted in a belief that Black arts and Black businesses deserve deep, sustained public investment.”

As part of the Cultural District designation, BAMBD will receive:

$10,000 over two years
Dedicated technical assistance
Statewide marketing and branding support
Official designation from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2030

This support will elevate the visibility of BAMBD’s artists, cultural organizations, small businesses, and legacy institutions, while helping attract new investment to the district.

“The BAMBD has always been more than a district,” Fife continued. “This recognition by the State of California gives us another tool in the fight to preserve Black culture, build Black economic power, and protect the families and institutions that make Oakland strong.”

For questions, contact Councilmember Carroll Fife at CFife@oaklandca.gov.