Possible Oakland Law Discourages Investment

The Oakland City Council is considering a bill that would put new regulations and fees on the purchase of residential investment property.  Proponents of the measure acknowledge it is meant to place controls on who can invest and how much they can invest in Oakland.

It’s called Non-Owner Occupied Residential Building Registration, and it would require owners to register each residential building with the City which is not occupied by the owner and pay substantial fees to be determined by the City.

The registration requirement will include providing a written Property Report in an approved format to the City by an approved local individual or firm.  The report will include an interior and exterior inspection of the premises attesting to the conditions of the property including readily apparent violations of various City codes.

The failure of an owner to comply with the provisions of these new requirements will receive violation notices for each building immediately subject to abatement actions and fees, assessment of penalties and fines, and collection actions. Each and every day a violation of any provision of this proposed law exists would constitute a separate and distinct offense.  The penalties in this new law are in addition to and do not supersede or limit any other remedies, whether civil or criminal, including demolition or receivership by the City.

 The matter was heard yesterday by the Community & Economic Committee.  Many objections were raised and further consideration of the ordinance was postponed to September.

Mobile Food Vending and Transportation Projects

Two topics of interest on City Council Committee agendas tomorrow. 

At 10:30 the Public Works Committee will look at the Alameda County Transportation Expenditure Plan.  The County Transportation Commission plans to go to voters next year and ask for a renewal and increase in the sales tax to fund transportation projects.  The City would like to add projects to the list of what will get funded if the tax measure passes.  Three projects considered tomorrow include Coliseum Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Lake Merritt BART Station Area TOD and a Broadway Corridor and “Streetcar” project.   

At 2pm the Community & Economic Development Committee will review a resolution to allow limited mobile food vending in Council Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 through a special events permitting process.  The permits would allow “Food Pods” (clusters of two or more mobile food vendors) on a pilot basis in a Commercial, Industrial or Open Space zoning district.  The special “Food Pod Event” business permit would allow the event no more than two days a week and no more than 40 times in a calendar year.  

It is not clear where these pods would be allowed nor in what proximity to existing restaurants.  Costs are not explicitly addressed in the proposal.

Do you think the City should keep their bidding process open?

City offices were closed in Oakland today. And most City Council committee meetings scheduled for tomorrow (Oct. 11) have been cancelled as well.  The Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee will meet at 2pm.

On its’ agenda a requirement that all Oakland Army Base demolition and remediation contracts be awarded either through a sole-source or competitive bid process open only to City of Oakland Certified Local Business Enterprise (LBE) or Small Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) firms. 

The CED committee will further consider requiring prime contractors and their subcontractors bidding for demolition and remediation at the Oakland Army Base submit bids showing that their Core Employee workforces for these jobs will be comprised of at least thirty-three-percent (33%) Oakland residents to be considered for the contract.

The Chamber usually urges the City to keep their bidding process open to assure the best service at the lowest cost.  What do you think?