[1:43] Good afternoon and welcome to

[1:44] the City Council meeting of February 3rd, 2026.

[1:48] Before I call role, I will give speaker card instructions.

[1:51] If you like to speak on any item on this agenda,

[1:53] please follow speaker's card before the

[1:55] item is called or two hours after the start of this meeting.

[1:59] The meeting was called at 331.

[2:02] The last opportunity to turn on the speaker's card will be at 531

[2:05] or before the item is called, whichever comes first.

[2:08] You can fill out a speaker's car

[2:10] and return it to a clerk representative

[2:12] at the front of the chambers.

[2:14] If you are looking to turn in an online

[2:16] speaker card, their time has passed as they were due

[2:17] 24 hours before the start of this meeting.

[2:20] Honor roll.

[2:23] Excuse me. We can't hear the debt.

[2:29] Okay.

[2:31] On honor roll.

[2:33] Council member Brown.

[2:37] Present. Council member five present.

[2:39] Council member. Gaya. Present.

[2:41] Remember, you don't have to get in the queue.

[2:43] I will unmute you.

[2:45] Council member. Houston.

[2:47] Council member. Ramachandran. Present.

[2:51] Council member. Unger.

[2:52] Here.

[2:53] Council member.

[2:53] Wong. Present.

[2:55] And chair. Jenkins. Present.

[2:57] Showing eight members present at this time.

[2:59] Going to item three.

[3:00] Modifications to the agenda.

[3:03] Before we send city staff home, is there any council member

[3:05] that wants to put pull anything off of consent?

[3:10] Yeah.

[3:16] Council member Houston.

[3:21] To the chair. I wanted to bring something up about, the fire station.

[3:25] They had, was doing some construction.

[3:28] I don't know what item it is. I talked to my chief of staff, and it was,

[3:30] they gave me some data back, and I just wanted them to explain

[3:34] the local participation on that item.

[3:36] And, Trinity, what item was that?

[3:40] It's just me. We.

[3:48] So, Trinity, can you work with Monica

[3:50] so that you can

[3:51] ensure that the proper staff person will still be here?

[3:56] If Monica from the city administrators office is here.

[4:01] Trinity. Working with you to ensure those questions are answered on the consent calendar.

[4:03] Thank you.

[4:08] So you want to pull?

[4:09] I speak to it.

[4:11] I wanted to, but you got to speak to it

[4:12] when it's on the consent calendar.

[4:15] We're not on the consent calendar.

[4:17] And what is it on? So right now we're on modifications to the agenda.

[4:19] So if you want to pull something right now, you can pull it.

[4:21] But if there's any staff that you would like to speak to.

[4:25] And I think what's the agenda number?

[4:26] Trinity.

[4:28] Is this agenda item is 6.14.

[4:32] Okay. So we'll make sure that

[4:34] the appropriate staff members are here.

[4:38] Thank you. Into the chat. I don't have a problem with that. I just want them to explain the local participation piece.

[4:40] That's it. Okay. Thank you.

[4:42] Any other modifications to the agenda?

[4:51] Thank you. Going to item four. There are no public hearings at this meeting today.

[4:53] Going to item five which is action on all non consent items.

[4:57] We have one item which is item 5.1

[5:00] an ordinance amending the municipal code section

[5:03] 9.008.260 to conform state law by repealing the offense

[5:09] of loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

[5:14] Adding loitering for the purpose of purchasing commercial sex as an offense.

[5:17] Allowing the administrative assessment of fines against sex

[5:22] purchasers,

[5:24] sex traffickers, and properties used for prostitution,

[5:27] and creating a human trafficking survivor support fund.

[5:32] We have 13 speakers.

[5:41] Please note as this item has been read into record,

[5:43] no more speaker cards will be accepted.

[5:51] Okay.

[5:52] Hey, everyone.

[5:54] I'm, proud to introduce this item to the full city

[5:57] council today.

[5:58] I wanted to start off by, playing a clip from,

[6:02] a documentary that was produced in 2013 about this very topic

[6:07] about human trafficking here in the city of Oakland.

[6:34] The history of slavery in our world isn't over.

[6:37] Prostitution, the world's oldest profession,

[6:40] is actually a horrific trade of human flesh.

[6:44] Over 80% of victims are women, and most of them are children.

[6:48] Most people only think that this is happening in Asia.

[6:50] In countries like India, Thailand

[6:52] and Vietnam and Cambodia.

[6:54] But in reality, hundreds of thousands of these children

[6:57] are at risk every single day for being trafficked

[6:59] into sex slavery here in the US, as well

[7:03] as girls living in the Bay area,

[7:05] where 40% of all of America sex trafficking takes place.

[7:09] We wanted to find out where the fastest growing

[7:10] criminal industry in the world all starts.

[7:13] You're in our backyard. We.

[7:20] On the average, some of these exploiters

[7:22] have as many as ten girls that they are exploiting.

[7:27] And it doesn't take very much

[7:29] for an exploiter to lure a child

[7:32] into his business

[7:35] by just saying a few nice things to them.

[7:37] There's this whole underground world

[7:39] that OPD basically discovered in 1999,

[7:42] of young girls being sold for sex in our own backyards.

[7:45] Really, when you look at how it's happening

[7:47] and the deprivation of liberty that that takes place in order

[7:50] to accomplish the crime. It is modern day slavery.

[7:54] These children are beaten and take their clothes away.

[7:56] They take all their

[7:57] their property, their phone, their identification.

[8:00] Don't move them to places

[8:02] where the child doesn't know where she is.

[8:05] These kids are sexually assaulted by the exploiters.

[8:08] They are raped and sodomized and children

[8:11] being chained to the heater vents.

[8:14] At the end of the workday, the kid's clothes

[8:16] are taken away from them and they're left naked in rooms

[8:19] so they can't escape.

[8:23] She needed money

[8:26] and she doesn't know any other way to get it.

[8:28] She thinks about it, and especially

[8:30] when times get tough at home,

[8:31] because home is not a place where she likes being.

[8:33] A woman's body is what is kind of what you barter on

[8:37] and is what we trade on.

[8:40] And that has is kind of cultured into, you know, part of our mentality.

[8:43] What ends up happening is once you strip all the makeup

[8:46] and you strip off the nails and you get back the layers,

[8:51] they're just a kid. People always ask us, you know, how does a 12 year old

[8:54] or 13 year old girl go from sitting in an eighth grade classroom to,

[8:57] you know, selling her body to 20 men per night?

[8:59] Most often times, the exploitation on the street

[9:02] is not the first act of rape that they've ever had.

[9:05] And so when you come from

[9:06] section of blacks and you come from such risk,

[9:08] and your uncle or a trusted family member

[9:10] has been molesting USAg for five years old,

[9:12] and you really, really believe that your body

[9:13] is a sexual object and that what it is, therefore

[9:16] what a 30 year old man, a pimp, comes along

[9:18] and tells you

[9:19] that you know he loves you and you're

[9:21] the most beautiful thing that he's ever seen.

[9:23] It's really easy for a grown man to talk to a 12

[9:24] or 13 year old girl who's been through the things

[9:27] that she's been through into doing that.

[9:33] Pimps, exploiters of human beings,

[9:37] take advantage of these girls and their histories of abuse

[9:39] to use them as economic pawns.

[9:41] Over 70% of all girls being trafficked for sex

[9:44] have escaped abusive home lives as runaways,

[9:48] and almost all of them have been sexually abused and raped before adolescence.

[9:52] They take girls who have never known love

[9:54] and trick them into selling their bodies.

[9:56] Girls are also abducted off the streets by pimps.

[10:00] They don't have any empathy for another human being.

[10:04] That exploiter will get tired of the child,

[10:06] so he'll sell her to another pimp or exploiter.

[10:12] Her psychology ability to even evaluate

[10:15] what's safe and what's not is completely diminished.

[10:20] She does not understand her victimization,

[10:22] and the only thing that we can really compare

[10:24] it to is Stockholm syndrome or battered wife syndrome.

[10:28] The fear and the guilt and the shame

[10:33] and the physical and emotional pain

[10:35] that comes along with having to be exploited

[10:37] every day, you know, by

[10:40] by grown adult males and

[10:42] for really for no gain, for no gain for them whatsoever.

[10:45] She stands there every day and takes all the risk.

[10:48] The risk of being killed, the risk of being infected

[10:51] with Aids, the risk of going to jail.

[10:53] She takes all the risk and has absolutely

[10:55] no power over her life or her decision.

[10:57] We have to try to to engage them

[11:00] and encourage them to get involved

[11:01] so we can find out who the pimps are,

[11:03] who are pandering them, who's

[11:05] who's forcing them into child exploitation,

[11:08] and try to find a reason why they're not in their homes

[11:10] and what their parents are doing.

[11:13] You know, when I first started over 20 years ago, you would see in the 20s and 30s

[11:17] what I see now as young as 13 years old, seven days a week.

[11:24] Human slavery isn't over today.

[11:26] Women and girls everywhere are suffering.

[11:28] They end up under the control of a pimp who promises

[11:31] to take care of them. Soon.

[11:32] However, the master and slave relationship is established

[11:36] and maintained through even more abuse and violence.

[11:39] And at that point,

[11:40] they're completely at the mercy of these men.

[11:43] The exploiters doing this need to be stopped.

[11:46] Help us bring an end to the abuse, to the pain,

[11:50] and to change society

[11:51] so that it is no longer alright to buy sex from a child.

[11:56] It all starts now.

[12:07] We can stop it.

[12:12] Thank you. And, clearly what we have is a human

[12:15] rights abuse happening right in our streets here in Oakland.

[12:19] The question, of course, is what we should do about it.

[12:27] So this is the proposal

[12:29] before Oakland City Council today.

[12:34] What you see here is a set of amendments.

[12:36] In summary, this is going to be a set of administrative fines.

[12:40] And I'll explain later why this concept is important.

[12:43] This is also about shifting the burden of responsibility,

[12:47] for this, this marketplace, to what we call the demand side.

[12:52] These are the buyers that ultimately drive and fuel this industry, while ultimately

[12:56] creating a sustainable restitution model for survivors.

[13:00] And this has to be key in order for this,

[13:02] type of program to be successful.

[13:06] The other thing that I want to note is that there is language that is within this ordinance.

[13:10] That is not my preferred language.

[13:11] It uses, you know, prostituted persons.

[13:15] It's my preferred language to use exploited persons. But,

[13:21] we have to conform to language per the California Penal Code.

[13:23] Otherwise we risk the, we risk preemption.

[13:26] And so I just want to acknowledge the language

[13:29] that is being used within this ordinance.

[13:33] Some context.

[13:35] Oakland is consistently among the top three cities in California.

[13:39] Is a hotspot for human trafficking.

[13:42] This is noted, in by the FBI

[13:45] and other national studies.

[13:48] As it relates to our use here, a couple of things.

[13:52] First.

[13:53] As noted in the video, there's a clear connection

[13:56] between a history of child abuse, including child

[14:00] sexual abuse, as well as, being, foster youth.

[14:05] You can see there that more than 55% of trafficking victims are

[14:09] or were foster youth. And so ultimately, what we're talking about

[14:11] is the exploitation of some of our young people

[14:14] who have suffered, the most horrific, abuses.

[14:19] And, this is why they're

[14:21] particularly vulnerable to being exploited,

[14:23] because all they've known is an abusive dynamic.

[14:29] And that is why you see that the average age of entry into this industry is 12 to 14.

[14:33] In Alameda County, there's been, screenings

[14:36] that have done by, child providers.

[14:39] So 15, 8% of screened youth show

[14:42] clear signs of commercial sex exploitation.

[14:44] That is actually double the California average.

[14:47] It cannot not be stated that, this is an issue

[14:52] that disproportionately impacts black girls and women.

[14:56] Even though black residents are 20% of Oakland, black women

[14:59] and girls represent 61% of the recovered victims.

[15:04] And as you can see here

[15:05] right now, because it's this is an underground market.

[15:09] Whatever we're seeing in the OPD data,

[15:11] we're seeing far more, if not,

[15:14] just far more numbers in the

[15:18] the youth that are screened by these child providers.

[15:20] But that still does not capture it.

[15:22] So, 900 youth in the county have been identified, but

[15:26] that number still understates

[15:28] how many youth that we have here in Oakland.

[15:31] That are showing signs of exploitation.

[15:34] I will note, too, that we hear all the time from whether it's

[15:38] principals of schools that we see traffickers literally

[15:42] circling our high schools and our middle schools

[15:45] looking for, again, a vulnerable young person

[15:48] that is disconnected from family,

[15:50] in order to pick them up into this trade.

[15:56] So I am, privileged to represent district two,

[15:59] but within district two is the blade.

[16:03] There are not just within district two, however,

[16:07] commercial sex exploitation happening in our streets.

[16:11] But in particular, this problem.

[16:14] And it was discussed in the video is happening here on the blade.

[16:16] And I want to discuss some of the characteristics.

[16:19] This is a community that has high levels

[16:22] of concentrated poverty.

[16:24] It's also a community that is, predominantly

[16:27] it's working class people, people of color.

[16:29] You can see that,

[16:30] in these maps that are shown that in the top left corner,

[16:34] there is the purple

[16:36] is where there's predominant Asian communities.

[16:38] In the middle slide is, you see, black residents throughout.

[16:42] And then you can see in the right slide

[16:43] that there's a high concentration

[16:45] of Latino communities on the right side of the blade.

[16:48] And it's just it's these families are fed up

[16:51] with this problem, frankly.

[16:53] You can also see that

[16:55] there are several elementary schools

[16:57] and middle schools that are along this corridor.

[16:59] And so these families regularly see this activity.

[17:03] It is essentially grooming this next generation

[17:06] of young people to normalize this.

[17:08] And it is not normal.

[17:10] The other thing I want to note is that

[17:12] if you walk along this blade,

[17:15] you can see

[17:17] when you go to a convenience store now, 1 or 2 of the convenience stores

[17:20] on each of these blocks is essentially selling lingerie.

[17:24] It's it's catering to this market.

[17:26] It's these convenience stores no longer sell grocery store,

[17:30] you know, market chips, things like that, that you would often

[17:33] find in a convenience store. It is. Absolutely.

[17:35] Now, a part of the profit that you get as running

[17:40] a convenience store.

[17:41] Councilmember Wong, I apologize.

[17:43] Your ten minutes has elapsed.

[17:44] Would for four minutes be okay? Yes. Thank you.

[17:47] I'll quicken this up.

[17:49] Okay. So why this legislation?

[17:52] First of all, as I mentioned, this is about one part of this is targeting demand.

[17:56] Part of why we need to target demand

[17:59] is because it is it is it

[18:02] there are challenges with targeting,

[18:04] the pimps as mentioned in the videos.

[18:06] And ultimately we will be here every single year discussing

[18:10] how do we provide services to victims

[18:12] when we don't ultimately address the source.

[18:15] The other thing is that this relies on administrative fines,

[18:17] or the same way that we have fines for illegal dumping.

[18:21] This is going to add another form of accountability

[18:24] that is faster and more certain

[18:26] than just relying on the criminal justice system alone.

[18:29] The other thing I want to mention

[18:30] is that this is also about conforming to,

[18:33] recent state law updates.

[18:35] So my colleagues, you might have some questions around,

[18:38] some of the significant updates in this ordinance.

[18:41] I'll tell you that sections A through D

[18:44] are essentially just, conforming to that state law.

[18:47] And in fact, if we, edit make edits to that,

[18:51] that we run the risk of preemption again.

[18:57] Okay. A little bit about, the expired demand.

[19:01] As you can see here that studies show that these are predominantly upperclassmen.

[19:05] Recent arrest data that comes from OPD.

[19:07] 70% of those sex buyers are actually residents

[19:10] outside of Oakland commuting in from the suburbs.

[19:13] And so clearly, Oakland has got a name

[19:16] for basically serving this wider East Bay market.

[19:20] And so, here's in some some of the amendments.

[19:24] So again, this is mostly a page that explains, confirming

[19:28] or conforming, excuse me, to the state penal code.

[19:31] So and it also reflects some updates at the state level

[19:34] that distinguishes between prostituted persons

[19:37] and the victims, as well as the sex purchasers.

[19:40] It also includes, updates on,

[19:43] you know, what does it mean to, to,

[19:46] you know, the behaviors indicated of purchasing,

[19:49] trying to purchase someone for, for sex.

[19:53] This is really the heart of what

[19:54] the legislation is attempting to do.

[19:56] So these are penalties for buyers and traffickers as well

[20:00] as, property owners that help facilitate these sites.

[20:03] As you can see, the penalties is for sex

[20:07] purchasers, sex purchasers up to $4,000 for the first offense.

[20:11] And then with every subsequent offense that goes up to $8,000.

[20:15] For traffickers, this is up to $10,000

[20:19] for the first offense, and then every subsequent offense goes up to $20,000.

[20:22] And, each offense is noted as per victim per day.

[20:26] And these fines are then tripled

[20:28] for anything involving a minor.

[20:29] And just some context in terms of how these fines were defined.

[20:33] In short, they were designed to be,

[20:36] to, to be maximized,

[20:38] but in a way that would not be challenged in court.

[20:40] And we also have fines for property owners as well as,

[20:44] business proprietors that, facilitate this,

[20:48] with a fine of $2,500 per day.

[20:51] I also want to note that there's

[20:52] an affirmative defense provision in here.

[20:54] So anyone who was, you know,

[20:59] say guilty of some of these, these crimes,

[21:03] but they were a victim of sex trafficking at the time,

[21:05] would have an affirmative defense provision.

[21:09] This is really key here for the success of this.

[21:12] This is the restorative justice core of the ordinance.

[21:15] 100% of the fines will be collected

[21:18] and deposited into a restricted special funds.

[21:20] This is how this differs from other fines

[21:22] that we have that typically go into our general fund.

[21:26] So really, because we've heard over and over again from the, local

[21:29] service providers here in Oakland,

[21:30] is that there is not enough funding.

[21:32] They are so challenged with meeting

[21:34] the extensive needs here in Oakland.

[21:37] This will ensure that it is our local providers,

[21:41] our local nonprofits, that can get the funding

[21:43] to provide such important services

[21:45] such as housing, mental health services, training,

[21:48] a job training, legal support and street outreach.

[21:54] Some notes on fiscal impact and enforcement.

[21:57] The projected revenue here,

[21:59] based off of current solicitation trends,

[22:02] would be 250,000 to 450,000 annually.

[22:05] I will say that in January, within two weeks, OPD

[22:08] has done, 20 arrests of sex buyers.

[22:12] Right now, since we don't have this in place,

[22:14] we don't have a way to then, enforce that with a fine

[22:17] that goes back to to survivors.

[22:22] And in conclusion, I ask my colleagues

[22:25] that we pass this with urgency because every day that,

[22:29] we don't, pass this, that especially with the Super Bowl

[22:33] and the World Cup coming up.

[22:34] And these are events that are so associated with,

[22:37] surges of human trafficking.

[22:39] We also lose the opportunity

[22:40] to implement this important enforcement model

[22:43] that can, again, channel much needed funds back to

[22:46] survivor services.

[22:51] Okay. I'll take questions.

[22:53] Thank you so much, Councilmember Bong.

[22:55] Colleagues questions.

[22:57] And Councilmember Unger.

[22:59] Councilmember Brown and Unger.

[23:02] Excellent.

[23:03] Thank you so much, Councilmember

[23:05] Hwang, for, your leadership on this item.

[23:10] Where are you going? To share out the amendments that we made as well.

[23:13] Or did you would you like me to highlight them?

[23:15] Yeah, absolutely. So, very quickly, in public safety,

[23:18] a couple of amendments were discussed,

[23:19] and they're now included at the package before you today.

[23:22] So first, there's an amendment that includes also

[23:26] the business proprietors and that $2,500 per day fine.

[23:30] The other thing

[23:31] that I want to mention is

[23:32] we do think that it's,

[23:33] as discussed, it's really important to

[23:35] do some tracking around the data

[23:37] to make sure that this is a fine or a this is a,

[23:41] this is a citation that is enforced equitably.

[23:43] And so we can track, not only the enforcement side of things.

[23:47] So, who is being arrested?

[23:49] Who is being cited?

[23:50] But on the other side of things,

[23:52] how are we going to fund these services?

[23:54] And are the services

[23:55] making an impact, especially to help people exit?

[23:59] I want to note that,

[24:00] for example, in San Francisco study that 85 to 95%

[24:05] of the sex workers

[24:06] that were surveyed wanted to exit,

[24:08] but they needed the support to do so.

[24:10] And that is exactly what this is designed to do.

[24:17] Excellent.

[24:18] Thank you so much for sharing that.

[24:19] I, I just know that, you know, during public safety,

[24:23] we heard so many stories, from community members

[24:27] that were impacted by this and just really,

[24:31] you know, applauding your leadership on this.

[24:34] I also want to thank you for that.

[24:35] As well. And,

[24:39] look forward to supporting and seeing the report

[24:42] that will come back to the council in about six months.

[24:46] I believe it is. Yeah. And that's right.

[24:48] And then also in the supplemental, it states

[24:52] there will be a community impact in equity review as well,

[24:56] just to ensure that

[24:58] as a result of this legislation, there are no, you know, we're

[25:02] keeping an eye out on any unintended consequences as well.

[25:06] So thank you. Content out there.

[25:10] This is excellent.

[25:12] Thank you. I want to make sure that the money is spent

[25:13] in the most impactful way.

[25:14] How do we decide how that money gets allocated?

[25:17] Yeah, that's a great question.

[25:18] So, this month,

[25:20] I will be working with Doctor Joshi on two things.

[25:23] Will actually be doing a focus group.

[25:25] We have a partnership

[25:26] also with the Oakland Fund for innovation.

[25:29] So we're actually going to be doing a focus group with current

[25:31] workers, on the blade to hear feedback from them.

[25:35] And then we're also going to convene, many of the current

[25:38] service providers to, to figure out what exactly is

[25:41] the type of service that would that is most critically needed.

[25:44] I will say that I am of the opinion, given that

[25:47] the fines could be anywhere from, say,

[25:51] you know, if a pessimistic estimate

[25:53] would be $100,000 to generating to, say, $1 million,

[25:57] that we need to plan for several scenarios.

[26:00] And I think,

[26:01] what would be really important in my opinion, is to fund out

[26:05] like street outreach, especially for people

[26:07] that are trusted by the

[26:08] the women and girls that are currently on the blade.

[26:11] And to help them plan

[26:12] like exit planning, similar to domestic violence or,

[26:15] survivors who need over a months long process to figure out

[26:19] how to plan their life ahead.

[26:22] Yeah, that that's all fantastic.

[26:24] I just want to, like, know what the process is like.

[26:26] Will we be doing an RFP for a provider?

[26:29] Will, is there a board that decides how the money is spent?

[26:31] Does DVP decide? Is OPD decide?

[26:34] Yeah.

[26:35] Most likely.

[26:37] And again, this is still in development.

[26:38] DVP will be issuing, an RFP or mini RFP, especially since

[26:43] the funding is continuously appropriated instead of,

[26:47] yeah, over one, one time.

[26:52] Yes. Councilmember Firestone, Councilmember Gail.

[26:56] Yeah, I want to also, applaud your leadership on this item.

[27:00] I hate that I wasn't able to be at the Public Safety

[27:03] Committee meeting, but in our public safety prep,

[27:07] that the discussion that we had about bringing the report back,

[27:12] I'm glad that you actually spent some time thinking about that.

[27:14] So, happy that,

[27:18] that is happening.

[27:19] And I also just wanted to lift up

[27:21] Doctor Joshi from that, documentary

[27:25] that was shown and her continued work in this process.

[27:27] She has many, many years in the field, lots of expertise,

[27:31] and I'm happy that you're working in partnership with her

[27:34] and continuing the work that council member bass

[27:37] and many others were doing, and I just see this elevating

[27:40] and moving us forward in terms of enforcement.

[27:43] And so my question is,

[27:45] will there need to be additional staff resources

[27:48] in different departments

[27:49] to ensure that enforcement actually happens? And,

[27:54] what might that look like?

[27:57] Yeah, it should not. So, and Lieutenant Campos, I would invite him to come up,

[28:01] but, right now, how this will be enforced is,

[28:05] Lieutenant Campos, who heads up the vice operations unit, is,

[28:10] going to be a key part of the implementation of this.

[28:12] He's going to be training further more,

[28:14] the patrol officers in area three.

[28:16] And so it will essentially take the existing set of law

[28:19] enforcement resources in order to enforce this.

[28:23] They will be trade on how to issue these citations.

[28:26] And so, it should not add any it should not require

[28:30] additional staff in order to implement this.

[28:36] Councilmember Garcia, then Councilmember Houston.

[28:39] Yes. Thank you.

[28:41] Am I on?

[28:41] Thank you.

[28:44] You know, I appreciate you bringing up this item,

[28:46] but at the end of the day, it comes up.

[28:49] It's about enforcement, all right?

[28:51] I grew up here in Oakland and East Oakland

[28:53] and certainly have seen it all my lifetime.

[28:55] I still remember there was prostitution.

[28:57] Used to be on Telegraph and Broadway

[29:00] and but yeah, they got kicked out or moved to the Fruitvale.

[29:03] I kicked out of the Fruitvale through the FBI that I had.

[29:08] The FBI came and pushed the the activity out of my area.

[29:12] And then wound up in your district,

[29:14] the other side of 23rd Avenue on the international.

[29:17] So the bottom line it has to do with enforcement.

[29:21] You know, I've been I've been on the right along at four in the morning,

[29:23] five in the morning with the police.

[29:25] Who do you see picking up the girls,

[29:27] the guys going to work

[29:29] and their pickup trucks before they go to work.

[29:31] They picked up the young ladies.

[29:32] Five in the morning, six in the morning.

[29:34] We all see that.

[29:35] We all acknowledge that.

[29:38] But is that the end of the day is what does our police department

[29:41] do to enforce the law?

[29:44] One of the reasons we for historical Mister Hazard,

[29:47] we backed up because goes to a couple of the officers

[29:50] got involved with the girls on the street

[29:53] and that stopped a lot of the backup.

[29:56] Went to court, lost.

[29:57] Well, we all know what happened.

[29:59] So but the bottom line is

[30:02] I was working before you came on board

[30:05] with your district to push the prostitution

[30:08] out of that district, because they were around Saint

[30:11] Anthony's School, Saint Anthony's Church, which closed.

[30:17] Right. So the girls so the mom and dad would come to drop off their children,

[30:20] whether it be rubbers and needles

[30:22] all in the parking lot and the activity at night time.

[30:26] So but what happened there as an example for the public,

[30:30] the FBI was going to join once again, the city of Oakland

[30:35] to remove the prostitution, illegal trafficking.

[30:39] But some of the neighbors and some of the and the church

[30:42] did not want to locate cameras to capture the activity.

[30:47] And therefore the FBI says, well, unless I have something

[30:50] to document what's going on.

[30:53] And the FBI pulled out,

[30:56] arrest of the FBI is a key

[30:59] law enforcement because they do this

[31:01] federally, nationally, and not just in Oakland.

[31:07] So I think we need to get them involved, because at the end of the day,

[31:09] I mean, this has been going on daily,

[31:11] nightly, and I don't see our law enforcement,

[31:14] including the sheriff, enforcing it.

[31:16] We all see it.

[31:17] You see it, I see it.

[31:19] Everyone here sees it.

[31:21] But we have to enforce the laws

[31:24] because I was there when we made arrest

[31:27] and the individuals were not from Oakland.

[31:31] Yeah, right. And the only thing that we

[31:32] used to do that if I caught you on the street,

[31:35] I get a check, chain.

[31:37] I, you know, I could take your car from.

[31:40] You can have a lot of explaining to your wife what happened

[31:42] to your car.

[31:44] And so therefore.

[31:45] But it's all comes down to enforcement,

[31:48] and I don't disagree.

[31:49] Council member. Congressman.

[31:50] And you got to get the FBI involved

[31:54] to be able to make a difference when it comes to this issue.

[31:57] And so thank you for the information.

[32:00] But we got to get a law

[32:01] enforcement's I as a taxpayer, I'm looking for

[32:05] to enforce the laws that I have.

[32:07] And that's what Oakland right now

[32:08] is being challenged from one end of the city to the other.

[32:12] Yeah. No, I don't disagree.

[32:14] So that's why it's got to be included.

[32:16] Otherwise we're doing more policy,

[32:17] more talking, and more feel sorry and making excuses.

[32:21] I want to clear up something.

[32:22] So this is not intended to sort of

[32:24] downgrade the penalties on sex buyers.

[32:26] I will invite Lieutenant Campos to, talk on stage in terms

[32:30] of how he currently coordinates with FBI.

[32:32] I don't disagree at all.

[32:34] I will say that what we're seeing, though, is that,

[32:37] in the last two years, 51 people were charged

[32:40] or were arrested actually for purchasing sex.

[32:43] Only one was charged.

[32:46] And so part of what's key about this legislation

[32:48] is that it actually ensures accountability.

[32:51] And so because that is so often what happens with victims

[32:54] of sexual crimes, of sexual violence, is that

[32:56] it's very black and white.

[32:58] We rely on the criminal justice system alone,

[33:01] and then people don't get any restitution whatsoever.

[33:03] And so this is designed to fill that middle gap when,

[33:08] the the DA's office does not have the resources,

[33:11] what, for whatever reason, to make that charge.

[33:14] I hope that makes sense.

[33:16] Yeah,

[33:18] absolutely. Simple.

[33:22] Okay. 2 or 3 years ago, the girls were being flown into the Oakland airport.

[33:25] There were flown in.

[33:26] Come do your thing. Then they fly back out.

[33:29] And that's why you see the sheriff's department

[33:31] at the Oakland airport on a daily basis, day in, night out.

[33:36] To stop that behavior at the Oakland airport,

[33:38] the sheriff department stepped forward

[33:40] through the district attorney

[33:42] to make sure they had the contract

[33:43] with the airport to stop that activity out of that area.

[33:49] No problem. Thank you. Lieutenant Campos, you want to talk about the coordination with the FBI right now?

[33:51] Just, good afternoon, everyone.

[33:56] Marcos Campos, lieutenant of police, in charge of the Special Victims section,

[33:59] directly in charge of the human trafficking device.

[34:01] Narcotics. Sorry, vice child exploitation team.

[34:04] We no longer have narcotics.

[34:08] I've been the sergeant lieutenant for the last ten

[34:10] years.

[34:12] We've been in partnership with Agent Marty Parker,

[34:15] for the last 26 years.

[34:18] She has served in the FBI for 27.

[34:20] So during 26 years, she was in partnership with OPD

[34:24] as far back as when it was two officers in the vice unit.

[34:28] She we currently have,

[34:31] one sergeant and four investigators

[34:33] assigned to the vice unit.

[34:35] We currently have a project called the Blade Project, where,

[34:40] with the FBI, we've coordinated our efforts

[34:43] for some of the most violent, human trafficking suspects

[34:47] in the city of Oakland, or people coming to Oakland,

[34:50] where, we had two successful prosecutions federally,

[34:54] last year.

[34:55] So, to my knowledge, the FBI,

[34:58] for the last 26, has continued their partnership.

[35:01] Now, they may have changed,

[35:03] some certain aspects may have changed,

[35:05] but they've continued to have their partnership with us.

[35:08] And if I could just touch briefly on the Senate bill.

[35:12] 653 .22

[35:15] oh, that was authored by, I think is Senator Scott Wiener.

[35:19] Several years ago, that took away the law of loitering,

[35:22] for the purposes of prostitution, which included

[35:25] sex workers.

[35:27] Several years ago, that was repealed.

[35:30] And now January 1st, 2026, we have the new law, 653

[35:36] .25, which is loitering for the purposes of commercial sex.

[35:41] At the beginning of the year,

[35:44] we began line up

[35:45] training with all of the patrol officers.

[35:49] We did a, a training portal,

[35:52] training for all the patrol officers, and now the vice unit,

[35:55] they're going out in the streets

[35:57] in the uniform capacity with these officers to make sure

[36:00] they're properly addressing and conducting,

[36:04] constitutional policing

[36:06] when it comes to this and to this enforcement action.

[36:09] As of this year, we've had 37 arrests during vice operations.

[36:14] 24 of those subjects

[36:16] were outside of the city of Oakland

[36:17] from outside of the city of Oakland.

[36:19] And it's showing dividends

[36:21] because the patrol officers on their own,

[36:24] accounted for an additional 15, arrests,

[36:29] for six, 3 to 5,

[36:31] and that had to do hand in hand with the training.

[36:33] So we hope that's a multiplier of,

[36:36] proper and constitutional policing for the correct

[36:39] observations and training that we're providing them.

[36:42] So they'll be able to make these arrests or be able to address,

[36:46] these concerns.

[36:48] This model of us arresting the jaunes, is not a new model.

[36:52] It's just we haven't been able to do it in the past.

[36:54] I think the new law and this new ordinance,

[36:57] enables the police department to adjust, our strategies

[37:02] and our plan to remove the demand.

[37:07] And, I'd like to add that, actually.

[37:10] And I want to actually thank you, Council member Geier,

[37:12] because during the budget discussions,

[37:14] it was actually in part your voice

[37:16] that led to the budget team that was, chaired

[37:20] by Councilmember Ramachandran and Councilmember

[37:22] Brown and Councilmember Unger

[37:24] and I sat on that, that we actually,

[37:27] one of our amendments was $700,000 per year for,

[37:32] Lieutenant Campos to carry out those OPD headed vice

[37:37] unit operations. But this is really designed this ordinance is to ensure

[37:41] that it maximizes that funding.

[37:44] So that way, again, when only one out of 51 buyers

[37:48] ultimately gets charged,

[37:49] that there are still consequences and consequences

[37:53] that ultimately fund the exit services that are so desperately needed.

[37:59] And I will note this that in,

[38:02] the Nordic model has shown actually great decreases.

[38:05] This is the end demand model has shown great success, is

[38:08] actually in decreasing the level of, open air sex trafficking.

[38:14] Just one.

[38:16] And again, for me, this is a real key.

[38:19] And I you know, this has been going on for hundreds of years.

[38:23] All right. And it affects each one of us is sitting around in this room.

[38:26] So the other one is an example.

[38:28] And I'm glad law enforcement is here.

[38:31] It's not about what we say.

[38:32] It's what we do.

[38:34] All right. And enforcement is to increase

[38:37] around pushback on the street needs to happen.

[38:40] So is an example.

[38:41] A week ago I got a call from one of the mothers in San Diego,

[38:46] and her daughter was been over here doing prostitution.

[38:50] And she she's what, 18, 20 years old.

[38:53] But she got killed on our street.

[38:55] Somebody shot and killed her on the street.

[39:00] And she's. So the mom's calling, crying to me,

[39:01] saying that the police never responded to her

[39:04] in terms of who did the shooting and killing.

[39:07] And so we're looking to, And she's asking for assistance.

[39:11] And it's an example of mom and dad suffering pain, that price.

[39:15] And yet we're not responding as a city

[39:17] in terms of trying to address,

[39:20] this as an example, this mom, this in San Diego.

[39:23] But I'll share that with you

[39:24] so you can help with the follow up.

[39:27] Thank you. Thank you. Council member

[39:29] through the chair.

[39:30] Thank you. Council member Wang.

[39:33] I moved it to city.

[39:34] The public safety

[39:36] and my concern is that, I'm echo mayor council members here.

[39:40] This is embarrassing.

[39:41] I'm glad you brought this back up. Is embarrassing.

[39:43] Has been going on for 50 years.

[39:45] As long as I know was only one pho.

[39:48] Then it went to San Pablo.

[39:49] Did it in your district? My thing is this.

[39:52] I'm kind of saying similar, but.

[39:53] Council member, I'm Noel guy said the rest.

[39:56] We need to,

[39:58] arrest and and prosecute to the full extent of the law

[40:02] and where we have the shame, the shame campaign, you know,

[40:09] these guys are coming. And where did they get the percentage of 70%

[40:12] from outsiders? I like to find out, Officer Campos, where do we get that?

[40:16] 70% of them from the outside.

[40:19] And then 20 of those buyers that you said you got

[40:22] where they from?

[40:23] Outside also,

[40:26] so year to date, just through January,

[40:29] the percentage prior to me coming to this meeting,

[40:33] it was 30 arrests.

[40:35] And that's when we had 70% of the arrests

[40:38] were from outside of Oakland.

[40:40] And then as of the end of January,

[40:44] the numbers have shifted to, 65%

[40:47] and 35% being from City of Oakland.

[40:52] Okay. Thank you. And through the chair, how are we dealing with this

[40:54] in this on transportation, on public transportation

[40:57] when it comes to the airport, the bus, how is that being

[41:01] transported here? How are we addressing that?

[41:05] Do you want to.

[41:05] Because that's huge.

[41:07] I mean, how did girls get in here? Right.

[41:09] How are they getting here? How are they being transported?

[41:11] Are we addressing that on public?

[41:13] Public transportation?

[41:17] So there are obviously national campaigns,

[41:20] to help educate everyone with human trafficking.

[41:24] There are the the banners are in the airport.

[41:27] We do partner with our,

[41:32] the, our national crisis line.

[41:35] And we, the Oakland Police Department does receive a lot of these,

[41:38] national, hotline tips in which someone is being trafficked,

[41:42] whether it's in public transportation settings,

[41:45] whether it's in an airport.

[41:47] We have received and follow up, on those calls in the past.

[41:54] Thank you. So my last thing is this. These young ladies, these boys and girls are victims.

[41:57] They are victims. We should go after those buyers. Period.

[42:00] And I moved it. I'll move it this time off.

[42:02] And I just wanted to mention that I have convened

[42:05] a working group, actually with AC transit.

[42:07] So we met just last month to discuss

[42:09] exactly that coordination between public transit,

[42:12] and the city of Oakland

[42:14] in terms of addressing the human trafficking problem.

[42:16] So the last thing before

[42:19] Nancy O'Malley left, we were talking about this

[42:21] transportation piece as a piece.

[42:23] I'll work with you on that. That had already started.

[42:25] We could kick it back up. Yes. That's right. But thank you.

[42:27] Thank you. Because you're you are also on the AC transit.

[42:30] You're one of the liaisons.

[42:32] Thank you, thank you.

[42:33] Just a couple of comments.

[42:35] Firstly, I very much appreciate the effort that you're taking.

[42:39] And I don't think there's anyone around here

[42:43] that will deny the importance of doing what we can to pursue.

[42:47] Addressing that demand side.

[42:50] My question is about

[42:52] how this legislation interacts with and intersects with an

[42:56] existing criminal investigation because these are civil fines.

[43:00] But you referenced

[43:02] you referenced a point that I, I'm curious about that.

[43:06] 52 people were arrested last year, but only one was charged.

[43:11] How do you think that these civil penalties might change that equation?

[43:14] Yeah, absolutely.

[43:15] And so I brought this up during public safety.

[43:18] But it will work similar

[43:19] to how our illegal dumping fines work

[43:21] where there's actually a misdemeanor provision

[43:24] and there's also municipal fines.

[43:26] So it's it's really going to be an either or so.

[43:29] Lieutenant Campos, if you'd like to comment,

[43:32] he's free to do so. But essentially, after the Da makes a decision

[43:35] not to charge the city,

[43:36] then can take this up to then pursue essentially the fines.

[43:41] So it's going to be an either or.

[43:45] Thank you. So if the city pursues well

[43:48] the misdemeanor aspect of it, if the D.A.

[43:51] declines to pursue that, then the city will.

[43:53] Fine. But. Right. Okay.

[43:56] And what were the conversations with the DA's office

[43:59] like around this? Yes.

[44:01] So the DA's office is supportive of this,

[44:03] and they've been part of this,

[44:05] human trafficking task force that I chair.

[44:06] So, they're supportive of this, and they'll be working with us

[44:09] to ensure that, again, my my goal is not to downgrade the,

[44:15] the the penalties, the extent of the penalties

[44:18] on the sex buyers.

[44:19] But the intent is, again,

[44:20] to just ensure consistent accountability.

[44:26] Thank you. And then the last thing is,

[44:28] I'm, I figure you've been in touch with the state as well.

[44:31] And civil enforcement from that side.

[44:33] Do they currently do operations in the city of Oakland,

[44:37] and how might that intersect with this?

[44:42] You want to comment on the state and federal enforcement, but both of those sides,

[44:46] we have one federal agent assigned to us in our MOU.

[44:50] As far as state enforcement,

[44:53] at CHP has conducted high visibility enforcement,

[44:55] but they have not been part

[44:57] of the base operations or the strategic plan on,

[45:01] enforcing against, the demand.

[45:04] Thank you all.

[45:05] So I will welcome my colleagues

[45:07] to help me advocate, because we I certainly reached out

[45:09] to the FBI office in San Francisco and anyways,

[45:12] I didn't find them to be as, helpful as I'd like them

[45:16] to be to get more resources to support our city.

[45:21] Definitely. Councilmember Brown. Excellent.

[45:23] And I just wanted to make one last comment around,

[45:26] what Councilmember Houston brought up around

[45:28] like, the transportation piece and just really emphasized that,

[45:31] you know, this is kind of like one step of many more to come.

[45:35] And I know, Councilmember Wong, you've been,

[45:38] working, alongside AC transit.

[45:40] And I know one of the things potentially to come

[45:43] is around like a letter of support

[45:45] from the city to get access to the camera footage

[45:47] that you've been working on as well.

[45:50] And so potentially that could be one

[45:51] of the next steps, because I know that

[45:53] both of those things kind of go

[45:55] hand in hand in really assuring, ensuring accountability,

[45:59] and that we're also protecting the young women that,

[46:03] unfortunately, are impacted by this.

[46:06] Right. Yes. And that's exactly the topic that we discussed at the,

[46:08] working group meeting last month.

[46:11] Thank you.

[46:13] We can move to public comments.

[46:15] However, there is a motion from Councilmember Houston. And,

[46:21] if Councilmember Wong wants to second that,

[46:25] I will second that.

[46:26] Okay. Councilmember five

[46:28] I have heard a number of comments

[46:31] made tonight from my colleagues,

[46:33] and I fully agree with accountability,

[46:37] but something that Council member Gail said

[46:40] really sat with me.

[46:42] And that was the engagement of the Oakland Police Department

[46:46] and trafficking and underage girl,

[46:50] that we all know happened between 2015 and 2016.

[46:54] And with,

[46:56] sex trafficking and abuse of minors happening

[46:59] at the highest level of government

[47:01] right now, and the Executive office,

[47:05] it's not surprising to me that you're not

[47:07] getting support from Trump's FBI in San Francisco.

[47:12] That said, if we're talking about accountability

[47:16] and people in positions of power, what does the city do

[47:20] when or if, hopefully we won't experience

[47:23] what we experienced in 20 2015 and 2016

[47:27] with 28 law enforcement officers

[47:31] involved in trafficking and underage girl.

[47:35] But if we do.

[47:38] How do we hold city staff accountable?

[47:41] And who does that?

[47:47] And maybe that's a question for our city attorney,

[47:50] because if we're talking about civil penalties,

[47:52] I know that out of the 28 law enforcement officers

[47:56] that were involved in this sex scandal

[47:58] that made national news, national news.

[48:03] 14 were from the city of Oakland.

[48:07] From what I understand, 11

[48:09] had some type of,

[48:12] accountability internally to the city.

[48:15] I don't know what happened to the other three, and maybe my numbers are off,

[48:17] but that would mean that we as a body or perhaps,

[48:23] the city attorney's office, the city administrator.

[48:25] I want to understand with those individuals also

[48:28] be liable for civil penalties under this, legislation.

[48:34] They would be because they were sex buyers, in essence.

[48:37] Right. And so no person,

[48:39] regardless of their law enforcement

[48:40] status, should be given special privileges.

[48:43] And what happened was abhorrent.

[48:46] And no one should be abusing their power the way that that that happened.

[48:55] Thank you, Councilmember Gail. Yes, madam chairperson, I'm going to have to excuse myself.

[48:59] At 430, the mayor, mayor Lee, had called a public safety

[49:03] meeting at the Fruitvale Transit Village,

[49:06] and I have to be there joining her.

[49:08] And that that meeting starts at 430.

[49:10] But you have, my full support and moving forward

[49:14] with this action. Thank you. Thank you,

[49:17] thank you, Councilmember Gail.

[49:18] And we can move to public comment

[49:22] as I carry name. Please approach the podium in the order.

[49:23] Please state your name for the record before beginning.

[49:26] If you are participating via

[49:27] zoom, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you.

[49:31] And the chair is.

[49:32] Give me two minutes for this item.

[49:35] Janet.

[49:37] Jet king no.

[49:40] Okay. Vanessa Russell,

[49:43] Albert Bernal, Zach there.

[49:46] Amber Johnson,

[49:50] Davina.

[49:52] Cara. Lou.

[49:53] Carol. Lola.

[49:55] Megan.

[49:55] Scotto.

[49:58] Mrs.. Ida.

[49:59] Ola. Bala.

[50:00] Brianna.

[50:01] Katrina.

[50:01] Price.

[50:05] Mr.. Hazard.

[50:07] Wesley. Merkaba.

[50:09] Lynn. Truong,

[50:11] Annabelle.

[50:12] Velasquez,

[50:14] Edwin.

[50:17] Twan.

[50:18] Wynn, Vinnie.

[50:20] Nguyen.

[50:23] Lynn.

[50:24] That's a duplicate sponsor.

[50:26] Ticket.

[50:29] Jennifer. Tai.

[50:32] Chin.

[50:32] Wynn.

[50:34] Jennifer.

[50:35] Tran,

[50:37] Amor de bras or adv

[50:40] Yin Finn to latte.

[50:43] In any order, please approach the podium in any order.

[50:46] Please approach the podium

[50:48] in any order.

[50:49] Please approach the podium

[50:51] and your time will be shown on the screen behind me.

[50:54] Good afternoon, members of Safety Committee.

[50:58] My name is Janet Jet. I grew up in Oakland and I am a long time Oakland resident.

[51:02] I also work for Love Never Fails,

[51:04] which you guys already know.

[51:05] If love never fails, some of my colleagues are here

[51:09] today. In the late 1980s, I worked at Oakland Hospital

[51:11] on East 14th, now international on 27th Avenue.

[51:15] I saw girls walk by the pharmacy.

[51:17] When I arrived at work,

[51:19] I was not aware they were victims.

[51:21] It was unclear to me why they were out there.

[51:26] They were fully clothed. The reality of trafficking was not widely understood,

[51:29] at least not by me.

[51:30] Today, because of my work with Love Never Fails,

[51:33] I see the devastating impact

[51:35] of commercial sexual exploitation of minors, children

[51:39] whose lives are shattered by violence and demand.

[51:42] Buyers come from other cities, other counties

[51:46] and even other states. They come here to exploit our babies and then leave.

[51:49] While Oakland bears the trauma.

[51:53] That is why I am here to urge you to support

[51:56] Council Member Charlene Wang and this ordinance.

[52:00] This matters. You can send the message that Oakland will not be used

[52:03] as a hunting ground for those who commit evil.

[52:07] This council can be courageous to stand and protect

[52:10] the children, victims and families.

[52:12] Oakland is my beloved city.

[52:13] Oakland is resilient and worth defending.

[52:16] Oakland is home for my.

[52:20] For many years, I have believed and prayed that God would open

[52:21] heaven over Oakland and bring change

[52:24] and people from everywhere

[52:25] will ask how it happened and God will receive the glory.

[52:29] By supporting this ordinance, you have the opportunity

[52:32] to be part of a meaningful change.

[52:33] Thank you.

[52:42] My name is Ken Nook.

[52:45] I work with Love Never Fails.

[52:46] As the outreach coordinator,

[52:48] I go on the blade every week with our team,

[52:51] loving on these women that are being trafficked.

[52:54] I wanted to say that this is not going to change

[52:58] or solve the trafficking on the blade,

[53:02] but this is going to add a hindrance.

[53:06] Out of two years, 53 arrests, there is only one charge,

[53:10] meaning they got off practically scot free,

[53:14] he said.

[53:16] The lieutenant said there's already been 37 arrests in the month of January.

[53:21] So with this

[53:23] for them to be charged,

[53:25] the hope is for the people coming out of Oakland

[53:28] knowing that our laws aren't

[53:30] complete, that they can get away with this.

[53:32] If they are even go up to the car,

[53:35] they will be charged that $4,000 fine.

[53:39] Again, I say it's not going to change or it's

[53:42] not going to solve this problem, but it will add a hindrance.

[53:45] What will help even more is to not to make it a misdemeanor.

[53:49] To buy sex.

[53:51] It will help when it's a felony.

[53:53] And so I say that today, not just for you,

[53:56] but in hopes of California changing that to make

[53:59] it a felony to buy sex.

[54:02] Thank you.

[54:09] Good afternoon councilmembers.

[54:10] My name is Albert Brunel, and I'm here to advocate

[54:13] for the young girls we love never fails.

[54:15] And the young girls who are still

[54:17] being exploited right now as we speak.

[54:21] These girls,

[54:22] we have come directly from International Boulevard.

[54:26] They are survivors of human trafficking.

[54:28] I know their names. I know their stories.

[54:31] I know their trauma.

[54:32] They are not statistics.

[54:35] They are deeply traumatized, among the most vulnerable

[54:38] in our community.

[54:41] Some of these girls were literally chained up for seven months or more.

[54:45] They were groomed by trafficker traffickers who exploited

[54:48] their vulnerability.

[54:50] Many are still children.

[54:53] Many are fatherless.

[54:55] Many, many had no one to protect them when the abuse began.

[54:59] These girls are our daughters,

[55:02] our sisters and our granddaughters.

[55:06] And for many of them, no one came to pick them up or stand in the gap.

[55:09] Buyers deep in that absence,

[55:13] buyers deepened on that absence.

[55:15] Demand keeps the system alive.

[55:18] We must protect the vulnerable.

[55:20] We must protect the vulnerable.

[55:24] We must protect the vulnerable by holding buyers accountable.

[55:27] Eliminating demand

[55:29] directly disrupts the supply of trafficked youth.

[55:33] Protecting the vulnerable is not optional.

[55:37] It is our moral responsibility.

[55:39] As a community, I'm asking you to stand in the gap

[55:43] and protect the vulnerable by going after the man.

[55:46] Thank you.

[55:56] Good afternoon. My name is Amber Johnson, and I'm the grant manager

[55:58] for the Human Trafficking prevention

[56:00] Grant for Oakland Unified School District.

[56:03] Our grant is dedicated to prevention,

[56:05] training all secondary staff,

[56:08] providing age appropriate prevention education

[56:10] for students, and equipping youth

[56:13] serving staff to recognize and respond to trafficking

[56:16] and exploitation. Human

[56:18] trafficking touches students in every secondary school.

[56:22] I'm not aware of a single school that hasn't been touched.

[56:25] To give you a concrete example of what effective prevention

[56:29] could look like,

[56:30] earlier last year, I was asked to consult

[56:32] with a school concerning a 13 year old girl

[56:35] showing early signs of grooming that were recognized

[56:38] because of the training.

[56:40] Her family was in the middle of medical crisis, and adult

[56:43] supervision, understandably, had been reduced

[56:46] because the school was trained

[56:47] to recognize signs they acted early,

[56:49] but identification alone is not enough.

[56:52] We were able to reach out to a community partner

[56:54] with expertise and capacity to respond.

[56:57] A trained staff member met with the student on campus

[56:59] alongside her trusted adult and a school social worker.

[57:03] Rather than interrogating

[57:04] or alarming her, the nonprofit engaged her

[57:06] in a conversation about her interests,

[57:08] her talents, and a paid ensure internship opportunity

[57:12] in their afterschool program.

[57:14] That very day the met.

[57:16] That moment mattered.

[57:18] When we identify risk early before exploitation escalates,

[57:21] and when there are partners

[57:23] with the bandwidth and expertise to step in,

[57:25] we change trajectories and we change lives.

[57:29] Schools are ground zero for identification,

[57:31] but schools are mandated to teach.

[57:34] Even with all we do to support student health and safety,

[57:39] we cannot provide the specialized, long term, trauma informed services

[57:42] these young people need.

[57:43] This bill matters because it strengthens

[57:46] the systems around our children, directing funds into survivor

[57:50] services and prevention ensures that when a school identifies

[57:54] a young person at risk, there's an effect.

[58:06] Hello, my name is Anabel Velasquez.

[58:08] I am a survivor of human trafficking,

[58:10] sexual assault, and domestic violence.

[58:12] Thank you to everyone who voted to move this ordinance forward.

[58:15] That vote mattered

[58:16] not just on paper, but in real life,

[58:18] because these current laws have been

[58:20] deciding who gets protected and who keeps getting ignored.

[58:24] I'm not here speaking in theory.

[58:26] I'm here because I was once the same age as the victims.

[58:28] As I as I now seen being exploited on these streets,

[58:32] I survived exploitation, I survived violence,

[58:35] and I survived a system that statistically,

[58:37] I was never supposed to make it out of.

[58:39] So when I look at these victims minors, vulnerable adults, kids

[58:43] in foster care, people without homes,

[58:45] I don't see choices.

[58:47] I see myself

[58:48] and I see exactly what happens when demand is left unchecked.

[58:52] And let me be clear, this ordinance is a game changer

[58:55] for Oakland.

[58:56] The way I see this from survivor standpoint,

[58:59] this ordinance builds on AB 379.

[59:03] It disrupts the demand, it holds buyers accountable,

[59:06] and it creates real funding for survivor services

[59:09] without arresting the people being exploited.

[59:12] I know that there's opposition,

[59:14] but some people will say victims chose this life.

[59:16] I didn't choose violence.

[59:18] I didn't choose coercion, addiction,

[59:20] homelessness or survival. I chose survival.

[59:23] But some will say this will also increase crime.

[59:25] But criminalizing victims has never made us safer.

[59:28] It's only made traffickers richer and survivors quieter.

[59:32] This matters for public safety.

[59:33] It's in the name.

[59:35] It matters for vulnerable youth.

[59:38] And every day that there is a delay, another victim becomes is just

[59:40] a statistic.

[59:41] Can Oakland continue to afford that?

[59:43] This moment is historic.

[59:45] No other city has this exact ordinance.

[59:48] If Oakland passes this, other cities and counties will follow.

[59:51] Oakland doesn't have a victim problem

[59:53] and has a demand problem.

[59:55] So don't just say you support survivors.

[59:57] Prove it with your vote.

[59:58] This ordinance does something powerful.

[1:00:01] It makes people creating the harm,

[1:00:02] paying for the healing, not the taxpayers.

[1:00:05] Thank you.

[1:00:11] Hello, my name is Vanessa Russell.

[1:00:13] I'm the founding executive director of Love

[1:00:15] Never Fails and I'm so grateful for this ordinance.

[1:00:18] Thank you so much. Council Member

[1:00:20] Wang, for your courage in bringing this forward.

[1:00:24] I was just astonished by the 51 number

[1:00:28] 51 arrests, but only one was actually charged.

[1:00:32] And it made me think about the fact that we've housed.

[1:00:37] And I'm so grateful for the Department of Violence Prevention that has,

[1:00:39] we have a grant there, and, and we've been able to house 56

[1:00:43] women and children for the lack over

[1:00:45] the last three years, survivors and what I want to say is the,

[1:00:49] you know, it is our joy and our pleasure to house

[1:00:52] those women and children, but think about the cost

[1:00:56] to house those 56 women and children.

[1:00:59] 100% of those individuals needed

[1:01:02] care, yet only one out of 51

[1:01:06] buyers were held accountable for their behavior.

[1:01:09] There's something wrong with those numbers.

[1:01:12] If I have to pay for 56 survivors

[1:01:15] to rebuild their lives, then 51 buyers

[1:01:18] need to be held accountable for their actions.

[1:01:21] There is $250,000.

[1:01:25] 250 to $400,000 is the average amount

[1:01:30] that it costs for restitution or for aftercare

[1:01:34] for every survivor in life

[1:01:36] long medical and mental health services.

[1:01:39] If we're only charging $4,000 for each incident,

[1:01:43] and yet each individual has to bear 250

[1:01:47] to $400,000 of cost on their own shoulders.

[1:01:52] Because remember, Cal v CB might give them 20 K,

[1:01:54] but that's not even going to get them

[1:01:56] anywhere near what they need in restitution.

[1:01:59] It just doesn't make sense.

[1:02:01] And I'm so grateful that you all are doing something about this

[1:02:05] so that survivors are prioritized. Thank you.

[1:02:15] Megan Escobedo I'm a former foster youth.

[1:02:18] I'm a survivor of domestic violence and labor trafficking.

[1:02:21] After my escape in 2015,

[1:02:23] I went on to work as a first responder.

[1:02:25] I have lived it, I have seen it,

[1:02:27] and I have responded to the aftermath of it.

[1:02:29] The exploitation of women

[1:02:30] and children does not exist in theory.

[1:02:32] It devastates real lives in this city and across the country.

[1:02:36] Every time a woman or girl gets into a car with a buyer,

[1:02:39] it could be the last decision she ever makes.

[1:02:41] Women in the sex trade are estimated

[1:02:43] to be 60 to 100 times more likely to be killed

[1:02:46] than women in the general population.

[1:02:48] We cannot say that sex work is work,

[1:02:50] or that there's no harm in it

[1:02:52] when no other form of labor carries

[1:02:54] the same likelihood of rape, disease, assault or other harms

[1:02:57] that women are facing in the sex trade.

[1:02:59] This is not adult entertainment.

[1:03:00] It is lethal exploitation.

[1:03:02] No one under 18 can consent, and anyone who pays to access

[1:03:06] a minor's body is not a customer that is a rapist,

[1:03:09] and he should be prosecuted as one.

[1:03:12] This ordinance addresses loitering with intent

[1:03:14] to solicit sex from anyone of any age.

[1:03:16] So let's talk about consent.

[1:03:18] Consent requires a conscious, self-directed decision.

[1:03:21] It requires full understanding of what's being agreed to.

[1:03:24] It requires real, accessible alternatives

[1:03:26] and the ability to say no or change your mind at any time.

[1:03:29] And if the only choices are sex or homelessness and starvation,

[1:03:33] that's not consent.

[1:03:34] It is coercion dressed up as commerce

[1:03:37] across the country, advocates monitoring online buyer forums,

[1:03:40] are watching men openly brag about how young the girls look.

[1:03:44] They fetishize them.

[1:03:45] They complain if she doesn't act enthusiastic enough,

[1:03:48] they mid to pressuring women to go beyond the agreed acts

[1:03:51] and they boast when she is drunk or high, which is also,

[1:03:55] the crime of rape in California to have sex with somebody

[1:03:57] under the influence.

[1:03:59] These are not confused lonely men.

[1:04:01] They are not harmless.

[1:04:02] And what they're purchasing is not consent.

[1:04:04] It's access to someone's desperation.

[1:04:07] Stop giving these men a pass and start

[1:04:09] holding them accountable.

[1:04:11] Stand with the women and girls who are being bought,

[1:04:13] pressured, threatened, and discarded.

[1:04:15] And if we refuse to call this what it is.

[1:04:29] Good afternoon.

[1:04:31] My name is Brianna Price, and I'm a survivor of human trafficking.

[1:04:34] I have given over two hours each time to be here

[1:04:36] because Oakland is where I was trafficked as a child.

[1:04:39] I am not here believing that trafficking will suddenly, in

[1:04:42] this violence has existed since the beginning of time,

[1:04:45] and it will likely exist until the end of time.

[1:04:47] But what we can change, and what we must change

[1:04:50] is who we hold accountable.

[1:04:52] When I was being sold, I was broken, hurt and abused.

[1:04:55] I was treated as a commodity, not as a human being.

[1:04:58] At 31 years old.

[1:04:59] My feet still hurt

[1:05:00] when I stand too long because I was forced

[1:05:02] to walk miles every day so buyers could purchase me.

[1:05:05] I had to jump out of moving cars to survive.

[1:05:08] The harm buyers caused did not end when the money is

[1:05:12] exchanged. It lives on in the survivor long after.

[1:05:16] But I am standing here today

[1:05:17] because of organizations like Love Never Fails.

[1:05:19] A local Bay area

[1:05:20] anti-trafficking organization that believed in me

[1:05:23] when I could not believe in myself.

[1:05:25] They helped me get back on my feet.

[1:05:27] They helped me get back into school and to graduate.

[1:05:31] They gave me opportunities to speak, to share my story, and to let my voice be heard.

[1:05:35] They stood beside me alongside survivors, senators and advocates to help past

[1:05:38] several anti-trafficking bills over the last several years.

[1:05:41] Because of that support, I am now a mom, a wife, a homeowner.

[1:05:45] I have several businesses.

[1:05:47] Without anti-trafficking

[1:05:48] organizations, I would not be the woman I am.

[1:05:51] Standing here before you today.

[1:05:53] After being sold, I was broken.

[1:05:55] But I am not beyond.

[1:05:56] But I was not beyond restoration.

[1:05:58] Holding buyers accountable matters.

[1:06:00] It does not stop trafficking entirely,

[1:06:02] but it curbs the demand.

[1:06:03] It begins to cost the right people.

[1:06:06] And when increased fines are imposed on buyers,

[1:06:10] those funds are directed to anti-trafficking organizations that help restore lives

[1:06:13] that were once broken, like mine.

[1:06:15] Trafficking may not disappear, but today we can choose

[1:06:17] who bears the cause. It should not be the victim.

[1:06:20] It should not be the child. Thank you.

[1:06:31] My name is Davina Curry, Lola.

[1:06:32] And I'm here as a survivor

[1:06:34] and someone who has trafficked right here in these streets.

[1:06:37] And I'm in support of this ordinance.

[1:06:39] I want to acknowledge what this bill gets right.

[1:06:41] It recognizes that sex trafficking is real,

[1:06:44] that black women and girls are disproportionately harmed,

[1:06:46] and that buyers and traffickers must be held accountable.

[1:06:50] Repealing loitering

[1:06:51] for the purpose of prostitution is necessary.

[1:06:54] Creating a survivor support fund is meaningful,

[1:06:57] and shifting the focus towards the demand is an important step.

[1:07:00] At the same time, I want to speak

[1:07:01] honestly because honest honesty is a part of equity.

[1:07:06] Oakland has a long history of laws

[1:07:08] that were intended to protect communities,

[1:07:09] but ended up overpolicing

[1:07:11] the same communities they claim to help.

[1:07:13] That history matters when we talk about enforcement,

[1:07:16] because intention is not the impact.

[1:07:19] Terms like loitering with the intent,

[1:07:21] even when aimed at buyers, still rely on police discretion.

[1:07:25] And we know that discretion is not neutral.

[1:07:28] It has racial bias.

[1:07:30] It has gender bias,

[1:07:31] and it lands on the same communities every time.

[1:07:33] I am also deeply concerned that survivors are expected

[1:07:38] to prove that they were trafficked in order to avoid punishment.

[1:07:40] I am I that is not survivor centered.

[1:07:44] That is state centered.

[1:07:46] Survivors should not have to perform their trauma or produce

[1:07:49] documentation, or interact with systems that they may have

[1:07:53] already been harmed by, just to be protected.

[1:07:56] The Survivor Support Fund is

[1:08:00] only as as just as who controls it.

[1:08:04] If survivors and impacted communities do not have

[1:08:07] real decision making power, then this becomes harm.

[1:08:11] Recycled into bureaucracy.

[1:08:13] We are busy,

[1:08:15] not healing.

[1:08:16] So yes, please pass this bill.

[1:08:18] But don't stop there.

[1:08:20] Building a racial equity. Safeguard.

[1:08:22] Limit discretionary enforcement and guarantee survival

[1:08:25] and governance.

[1:08:26] Thank you.

[1:08:31] Hi, everyone.

[1:08:33] This is us.

[1:08:34] My name is Lin Chong.

[1:08:35] I live with two.

[1:08:38] I came here second time to support the

[1:08:42] council member Wong to.

[1:08:46] To have the fang in the

[1:08:49] to remove all the topics under it.

[1:08:52] It's national.

[1:08:54] I am deep here.

[1:08:55] The 62 and I have been there for 30 years.

[1:08:59] But I saw this time my my district two in Little Saigon.

[1:09:04] Still bass know still a bit like any time

[1:09:08] they stand at that front door, they bother me.

[1:09:11] I can not call because nothing to do for the trafficking

[1:09:15] and the pimp.

[1:09:17] And also I have the problem for the homeless.

[1:09:19] They travel, they get trouble for me every day.

[1:09:23] Can do the basic.

[1:09:24] Thank you for everyone to let me come in today

[1:09:28] to talk about that. Thank you very much.

[1:09:37] Good afternoon. My name is Edwin Hagler, community brothers. I'm,

[1:09:41] so advocate to support wing and her movement.

[1:09:43] But also, what I saw this morning was very amazing

[1:09:46] that the police department in the sheriff's department

[1:09:49] did stop workers and so-called pimps or whatever

[1:09:53] we want to call themselves, but they did make action today.

[1:09:56] And by the time we left the area, it was no pimps.

[1:09:59] And there were no sex workers out there today.

[1:10:01] So I kind of support you on that.

[1:10:04] And I appreciate, you know, you guys

[1:10:05] making efforts to make changes in Oakland

[1:10:07] because Oakland needs big changes.

[1:10:09] All right.

[1:10:10] God bless.

[1:10:18] Good afternoon, Council member.

[1:10:19] My name is Jennifer Thai and I'm here to strongly support

[1:10:25] this ordinance. Sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation

[1:10:28] cause profound harm to our vulnerable,

[1:10:31] our children, our young people and those who voice are often

[1:10:36] ignored. This is not an issue that's happening somewhere else.

[1:10:38] Is it happening here in Oakland affecting our neighborhood,

[1:10:42] our family and our community, and it demands

[1:10:45] our collective action?

[1:10:47] I understand that this ordinance may not end sex trafficking,

[1:10:50] however, is an important and necessary tool.

[1:10:54] By holding by the traffickers and who profit from this

[1:10:58] exploitation accountable, send a clear message

[1:11:01] that Oakland will not tolerate this abuse.

[1:11:04] It's also helped generate resources

[1:11:06] to support the organization and the advocate

[1:11:09] who work tirelessly with the victims and survivors.

[1:11:12] I respectfully ask you to please just vote yes on this

[1:11:16] ordinance and continue prioritize the safety,

[1:11:19] the dignity and the future of our community.

[1:11:22] Thank you very much for your leadership

[1:11:23] and for your commitment to this important issue. Thank you.

[1:11:31] Hi, my name is Youth and Fatality

[1:11:33] and I am the program manager, Fund City Foundation.

[1:11:37] We have served the East Oakland, community for over 20 years.

[1:11:42] We've been, providing free mass tutoring to the Franklin

[1:11:46] Elementary School students

[1:11:48] and our tutors are high school and college students

[1:11:51] who came here to serve with kindness and good intention.

[1:11:55] However, we are deeply concerned about the presence of the sex

[1:12:00] trafficking in this area

[1:12:01] and the impact to our community safety.

[1:12:04] Not only we worry about

[1:12:06] their physical safety, our youth volunteers,

[1:12:10] their mental and emotional well-being as well.

[1:12:13] And we wish, you guys will pass this ordinance.

[1:12:18] Thank you.

[1:12:23] Good afternoon.

[1:12:25] I'm a William Akiba and I teach in OSD.

[1:12:30] I also am a producer of the MLK oratorical,

[1:12:33] and I strongly vote 100% votes of. Yes.

[1:12:38] I think that you can save lives, change lives, and also send a strong message.

[1:12:42] Not in our town.

[1:12:43] As a teacher, I teach drama.

[1:12:46] I have had many students give testimony,

[1:12:49] stories and try to problem solve

[1:12:52] when the light is dark,

[1:12:54] when they come to school, or when it's dark

[1:12:56] when they return home of seeing cars parked

[1:12:58] filling up their being watched.

[1:13:00] Having men slowly follow behind them,

[1:13:02] diverting their routes to different places,

[1:13:04] are trying to go to a corner store for help

[1:13:07] or trying to text.

[1:13:09] Their parents to let them know what's happening.

[1:13:11] I have,

[1:13:13] heard data presented by the DEA.

[1:13:15] When I was asked to come to the school board

[1:13:17] meeting to give a report on the MLK oratorical,

[1:13:20] because I arrived earlier.

[1:13:22] I got privilege of this.

[1:13:23] I was shocked to hear that in every middle school

[1:13:26] and high school, we've had children snatched.

[1:13:28] And how come, as an educator, I have not heard this?

[1:13:30] Why hasn't there been any curriculum?

[1:13:32] Where were the parent workshops?

[1:13:33] How come this is not on a website

[1:13:35] where the posters with QR codes?

[1:13:38] How do we inform our community,

[1:13:39] our churches, our youth development centers?

[1:13:42] And so that's why I'm here.

[1:13:44] I'm also wondering if we can have teens for teens

[1:13:47] by teens to create PSR ways to educate each other.

[1:13:53] I also have heard kids talk about hotel parties

[1:13:57] and that there drugs and alcohol there.

[1:13:59] And I'm trying to like what's a hotel party?

[1:14:01] Who's throwing this party? Can I see the flier?

[1:14:04] And so of course, it has to be some adult

[1:14:06] involving inviting young people there with the intention not

[1:14:10] to harm our kids.

[1:14:13] What else do I want to say?

[1:14:17] I was happy to see, for the first

[1:14:18] time, a big billboard at the airport.

[1:14:21] I would love to see more of those in our community,

[1:14:24] not in our town.

[1:14:25] How to get.

[1:14:37] High.

[1:14:38] My name is Vinnie Nguyen.

[1:14:41] I live in the,

[1:14:43] Little Saigon for over, almost 40 years.

[1:14:46] I want to support,

[1:14:49] Charlene Wang on on the things that you want to do.

[1:14:53] Please pass.

[1:14:56] And also, Ken Houston, you were asking about how people traffic, and travel.

[1:15:01] Do the airport. A lot of these people, take private private jets.

[1:15:05] You can take guns, cocaine, you take prostitution.

[1:15:08] Do those those, private jet.

[1:15:10] They don't check anything.

[1:15:12] Then you travel to your Vegas, you go to different places,

[1:15:15] you go to Houston and you.

[1:15:16] And that's how people come

[1:15:18] to the the that that lane go to Oakland.

[1:15:21] They come down and get picked up by chauffeur.

[1:15:24] And they do that stuff and they get back, and it's done.

[1:15:29] As far as myself, I grew up in, the tenderloin.

[1:15:33] Sam. Cisco. It was a hellhole.

[1:15:35] And I was lucky to come to, to to Oakland in 1992.

[1:15:38] And, heck, you know what?

[1:15:39] It's almost the same.

[1:15:42] But here I've been living in the,

[1:15:44] you know, you call it the Blade District.

[1:15:47] People are being sold here.

[1:15:49] You know, the streets and, primarily, run by criminals.

[1:15:52] No, drivers.

[1:15:55] Actually, now I'm a real estate agent.

[1:15:57] You know, I've been broker for almost 25 years,

[1:16:00] and I've seen people

[1:16:01] buying properties, and they staying away from,

[1:16:05] so-called, the Blade district and real estate.

[1:16:09] Have we have gone down a lot.

[1:16:12] I mean, I walked, we drive a car down the street and I said, hey, you know what?

[1:16:15] What's going on here? What's all this people doing here?

[1:16:17] So this sign away real quick.

[1:16:19] The a couple of things that we need is

[1:16:21] we need a stronger, in a state federal coordinate.

[1:16:24] We need to enhance parity.

[1:16:26] To repeat offenders, a mandatory sentencing.

[1:16:29] Do you remember the the use of seize cars and properties for

[1:16:35] for poor people that come by property, buy stuff, do that again.

[1:16:38] Okay. Thanks.

[1:16:45] Good afternoon.

[1:16:45] Councilmembers.

[1:16:47] My name is Doctor Jennifer Tran and the president of the Oakland

[1:16:49] Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, Oakland native.

[1:16:51] I just want to start off by. Thank you all for this.

[1:16:54] This really rigorous legislation led by, Councilmember Wang

[1:16:58] and also the excellent questions that each of you posed

[1:17:01] just reflects your commitment and dedication

[1:17:04] to community driven processes, data driven processes,

[1:17:07] and making sure our most vulnerable communities continue

[1:17:10] to not just inform the policy, but drive the work.

[1:17:13] And as I listen to our community members, our neighbors

[1:17:17] speak, I'm just reminded of the ten year

[1:17:20] old version of my when I was ten years old,

[1:17:22] being solicited for sex, walking home from school in the blade.

[1:17:26] So it has been going on for decades,

[1:17:29] and it breaks my heart to this day to think that the victims of human trafficking

[1:17:33] is not just the folks who are being exploited

[1:17:36] against their will.

[1:17:38] It's also the children who are walking to school

[1:17:41] every single day, asking their parents questions

[1:17:45] that no eight year old should be asking questions around human trafficking.

[1:17:49] Questions around homeless encampments.

[1:17:51] Questions around vandalize buildings.

[1:17:54] Questions around illegal dumping.

[1:17:56] We're all wearing this shirt today.

[1:17:58] A refuge for all in Oakland, Little Saigon

[1:18:03] a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

[1:18:06] And each of you passed that we we appreciate,

[1:18:10] you know, your commitment to continue to center community,

[1:18:13] to continue to contribute every single day,

[1:18:15] to ensure that Oakland continues to be that light

[1:18:19] for the Bay area, for the state, for the country.

[1:18:21] And so this ordinance will continue to send a message

[1:18:24] to not just folks outside of Oakland

[1:18:26] who are coming in

[1:18:27] to do their dirty business,

[1:18:29] but when we say that Oakland is open for business,

[1:18:31] we're not open for that kind of business.

[1:18:33] We're here to make sure that not just Little Saigon

[1:18:36] or District two is free from violence,

[1:18:38] but Oakland is free from violence, free from fear,

[1:18:41] and free from exploitation. Thank you very much.

[1:18:53] Hello. My name is Amadi Broad.

[1:18:58] I would, I would reset.

[1:19:00] My name is Amadi Broad.

[1:19:02] I also go by Adi.

[1:19:04] First of all, I want to thank,

[1:19:07] Charlene Wang, council member and everybody else

[1:19:09] in support of this ordinance.

[1:19:11] This is need of the hour.

[1:19:14] I'm here to represent Little Saigon,

[1:19:16] also called the Red Light District.

[1:19:18] Basically.

[1:19:21] And I'm here to represent small businesses

[1:19:22] and residents in Little Saigon.

[1:19:25] We need the relief now.

[1:19:27] It was supposed to be yesterday. Yesterday.

[1:19:30] Little Saigon community is suffering due

[1:19:32] to this pandemic of sapphic sex trafficking and prostitution.

[1:19:37] I've been working there for about ten years now.

[1:19:39] You know, up and down International Boulevard,

[1:19:41] we see every day what we used to see in the night

[1:19:44] hours is up there in broad daylight.

[1:19:47] Girls.

[1:19:48] It's not they're not even hiding the.

[1:19:50] You see the pimps, you see drugs,

[1:19:51] prostitution, homelessness, you name it.

[1:19:54] It's all there.

[1:19:56] A recipe for crime.

[1:19:58] This doesn't affect just one group.

[1:20:00] It affects us all.

[1:20:01] There are multiple, schools with which

[1:20:05] our kids are exposed to this issue.

[1:20:08] Our police beat 19

[1:20:11] has the highest crime rate of all the Oakland police beats.

[1:20:14] For the last few years.

[1:20:19] Thanks to blade disinfect, little Saigon,

[1:20:22] San Antonio district, basically all district two.

[1:20:25] And then it goes beyond.

[1:20:28] We live in it every day.

[1:20:31] There are multiple schools.

[1:20:35] And this this district is basically

[1:20:37] you have international airport, downtown Coliseum.

[1:20:41] We are we are right there in the middle exposed.

[1:20:46] You know, I wish you all to I urge and wish you all to pass this,

[1:20:49] with an urgency and to put a stop to, sex

[1:20:52] trafficking and prostitution.

[1:21:06] Hi, my name is Chan.

[1:21:08] I've been in, district two, and for about ten years.

[1:21:12] I had this nice speech written up, but, Doctor Tran and AD took

[1:21:17] most of that content already. So I'll just tell you what I go through on a regular basis.

[1:21:21] Every Tuesday, I walk a group of kids

[1:21:24] from Franklin all the way to, Clinton Park.

[1:21:27] It's about three, four blocks, and we purposely ignore,

[1:21:32] international just so we don't have to answer

[1:21:35] those difficult questions that Doctor Tran alluded to.

[1:21:39] But there are some cases, you know, we have to go

[1:21:41] past international

[1:21:43] just because we're located on some of the international.

[1:21:46] And, you know, a group of kids,

[1:21:49] they see ladies on the corner wearing little to no clothing.

[1:21:54] They are saying, oh, don't look to the left,

[1:21:56] don't look to the left.

[1:21:57] But and of course, what are the kids

[1:21:58] do they look to the left and,

[1:22:02] you know, those are the types of things

[1:22:04] that we have to go through.

[1:22:05] And we have to try to explain on

[1:22:07] why they're doing what they're doing.

[1:22:09] You know, why do I have to, you know,

[1:22:11] come up with those solutions?

[1:22:14] That's is one incidence. I have another incidence where a young lady is hiding

[1:22:17] in our community center because she's scared to death

[1:22:20] from her exploiter.

[1:22:22] Two hours ago, I had another sex worker

[1:22:24] call me by my first name asking to use the bathroom.

[1:22:27] Of course, you could use the bathroom.

[1:22:29] You know what I mean? I'm.

[1:22:30] This is a human basic, right?

[1:22:34] And really, I want to be able to,

[1:22:35] to help you in any manner

[1:22:37] as any way I can, whether it's clothing, food,

[1:22:41] you know, resources. I was able to help a sex worker get connected

[1:22:44] back to her family.

[1:22:45] Like, those are the types of issues

[1:22:47] that we are dealing with just because

[1:22:48] we're located on the plate.

[1:22:50] But, you know, I, I commend, you know, Charlene, to

[1:22:53] for bringing this issue

[1:22:56] and making it a priority to our community because it's been ignored for so

[1:23:00] long and, you know, this is I know it's not going to solve

[1:23:03] all the issues, but it's a step in the right direction. And,

[1:23:18] Good day.

[1:23:19] I'm here to address the issue of the human

[1:23:22] trafficking, also known as sphincter bone ridden troops.

[1:23:25] I have been a male that is also.

[1:23:27] Before you begin, what's your name? My name is Zach.

[1:23:31] I also go by the name Patrick Anderson as a pen name

[1:23:34] and Anderson v Trump as the impeachment agent.

[1:23:38] I'd like the city to validate home.

[1:23:40] Romero, Yang, Baker, Godwin and Kelly v Mattson

[1:23:45] and requirements against the United States

[1:23:47] and in her pool and and vacation and based on human

[1:23:50] trafficking the same way you see voting credit fraud and,

[1:23:54] mortgage fraud tied to lien rates

[1:23:57] and the view of the state.

[1:23:59] I do believe that there is an issue.

[1:24:01] I believe that this community needs to address that narcotics.

[1:24:08] I believe narcotics is a bigger issue than it is to human trafficking.

[1:24:11] When you can prove that the police

[1:24:12] and fire department are moving

[1:24:13] ten kilos of cocaine and a half kilo of fentanyl,

[1:24:17] I did heck with a group of inter pulling agents.

[1:24:21] Not, in nine languages and

[1:24:23] prove a movement and view of Texas.

[1:24:27] I do submit as an a request the FBI director, John

[1:24:31] Kevin Anderson, and, deputy FBI Director Jeffrey Ames

[1:24:35] be put against the record for against the community.

[1:24:39] I have an issue.

[1:24:40] The carriage of the castle over 18.

[1:24:42] Are you related and not impaired?

[1:24:44] Is seen as a complementary state.

[1:24:46] And Q on muon energy. Energy.

[1:24:48] And when that is wondered the same way and say, hi,

[1:24:51] I'm a man, I'm willing to prostitute myself,

[1:24:55] no one picks it up.

[1:24:57] I ask that this community take an honest vote

[1:25:00] and view against the state,

[1:25:02] that the building that is right across from,

[1:25:04] the distribution of PepsiCo be looked at as a deja vu

[1:25:08] and that two blocks down

[1:25:10] be used as a parking and take out and bars that

[1:25:12] is there and view compliance and begin full enforcement.

[1:25:16] Thank you and have a great day.

[1:25:18] But. You ready?

[1:25:27] Okay.

[1:25:28] This year makes 18 years.

[1:25:31] I have been sitting in this room

[1:25:34] 18 years?

[1:25:36] You don't know how many time

[1:25:39] in 18 years this subject matter has come

[1:25:42] before a city council for resolve

[1:25:47] numerous times.

[1:25:51] In 2024, Chief Mitchell declared

[1:25:56] that he was going to crack down on sex trafficking.

[1:26:00] It was a top priority

[1:26:03] in 2024.

[1:26:05] And so I looked at some data in 2014,

[1:26:08] 2010, 2015, 2017.

[1:26:11] There have been partnerships with Alameda County and Hayward.

[1:26:14] There has been FBI stings related to this subject matter.

[1:26:19] In 2003, the FBI doubled Oakland,

[1:26:22] a high intensity child prostitution area,

[1:26:26] and some effort was needed to end

[1:26:29] child trafficking, sex, prostitution.

[1:26:32] And here we are today and 2026

[1:26:35] with an ordinance.

[1:26:39] At the same time,

[1:26:40] when I see 61% African-Americans being the the victims,

[1:26:46] I begin to question, because I come here

[1:26:48] all the time talking about African-Americans,

[1:26:50] and that's always dismissed no matter what level.

[1:26:54] So you have an ordinance on racism that you put in place.

[1:26:59] Nothing's happened. You have an all on an emergency ordinance on homelessness.

[1:27:02] Nothing's happening.

[1:27:04] You have a department race and equity.

[1:27:06] Nothing is happening.

[1:27:08] You have a N.S.A.

[1:27:10] 22 years

[1:27:13] in place.

[1:27:13] Nothing is happening.

[1:27:14] Sideshows. Nothing is happening.

[1:27:16] So tell me, why is this going to be an issue

[1:27:20] where something is going to happen

[1:27:23] of significance?

[1:27:24] Clare House came here

[1:27:26] with a support from the then district attorney,

[1:27:29] and this body.

[1:27:44] Wanted to start a fund for ambassadors.

[1:27:48] This is a commercial corridor.

[1:27:50] You got ambassadors and corridors around the city

[1:27:54] in Chinatown and certain areas around.

[1:27:59] Why don't you have, ambassadors walk from Fifth

[1:28:03] Avenue to 22nd Avenue

[1:28:08] De in light

[1:28:09] rain or shine, they're out there

[1:28:13] with umbrellas.

[1:28:16] Ambassadors have them go in.

[1:28:19] Teams

[1:28:21] that have stopped that

[1:28:23] they walk down the street

[1:28:26] on international.

[1:28:28] You gotta slow up.

[1:28:29] I know, because I drive up and down there,

[1:28:33] I can tell you, look what happened on Sonoma

[1:28:36] a couple of weeks ago.

[1:28:38] Two shop owners got shot cans.

[1:28:41] They sell these string,

[1:28:45] whatever. It's not clothing that they use on the street

[1:28:49] ambassadors

[1:28:51] and also changed the penalty

[1:28:55] from a misdemeanor to a felony.

[1:28:58] That's what you gotta do.

[1:29:01] You're going to tell me that,

[1:29:04] officers said they made 30 arrests.

[1:29:07] They get out on and bail.

[1:29:10] If you're going to charge them $3,000, then

[1:29:13] you should have about $90,000 in the kitty.

[1:29:18] You don't have that.

[1:29:20] They bail out

[1:29:23] and they continue to do what they do best.

[1:29:26] Yeah, it's traffic.

[1:29:30] Look how many times I bet you out of those 30 arrest.

[1:29:33] How many times those folks being in and out

[1:29:38] until their hearing occurs.

[1:29:41] Ambassadors let them walk up and down the street.

[1:29:54] That.

[1:29:55] Thank you, Mr. Hazzard.

[1:29:56] Your time is up.

[1:30:05] For way, way too long we have watched

[1:30:08] modern servitude

[1:30:10] and children being bought off the streets of Oakland.

[1:30:14] This is not a new problem.

[1:30:16] Before was an international boulevard in Little Saigon.

[1:30:20] I've heard about this for years.

[1:30:22] Being in the community,

[1:30:24] kids walking

[1:30:27] naked, broad daylight, being sold.

[1:30:29] And there are no consequences in Oakland

[1:30:32] for Johnson and buyers and pimps

[1:30:35] to do whatever they want to kids and to exploit them.

[1:30:38] And the council and the mayor watched and really did nothing.

[1:30:44] How is this different?

[1:30:47] You have to ask yourself, will you provide

[1:30:50] dedicated resources to make a difference here?

[1:30:53] Because before that, an international

[1:30:56] was in the Fruitvale and before that Broadway, Telegraph, San Pablo, Alcatraz.

[1:31:00] It just gets shoved around

[1:31:03] where we want community ambassadors.

[1:31:07] Well, I'm sorry we don't have police officers because what do we do?

[1:31:09] We have a severe staffing police shortage.

[1:31:13] There's no code, there's no traffic enforcement.

[1:31:17] We cut that. There is no community resource officers.

[1:31:20] We cut that.

[1:31:21] There's no crime prevention.

[1:31:22] We cut that.

[1:31:25] There's no homicide investigations

[1:31:28] for cold murder cases. No.

[1:31:30] We are severely understaffed.

[1:31:32] We need to bulk up

[1:31:35] OPD and police academies.

[1:31:38] In the meantime, girls are walking our streets.

[1:31:42] 51 people arrested, nobody charged.

[1:31:44] What's happening with the new D.A.?

[1:31:46] Pamela Price didn't charge them. What?

[1:31:48] What did she do? Who supported them?

[1:31:50] Who supported Pamela Price?

[1:31:54] So I ask you to do a different

[1:31:56] to do something different and have two enforcement

[1:32:00] to make it a felony to buy young children.

[1:32:09] Like.

[1:32:10] No, ma'am.

[1:32:11] Thank you, Mr. Twan.

[1:32:12] Your time is up.

[1:32:17] Our names have been called.

[1:32:18] If you

[1:32:20] if your name was Connie, you wish to speak, please approach the podium

[1:32:23] as part.

[1:32:25] Okay. Thank you.

[1:32:26] Colleagues, any comments or questions?

[1:32:28] Councilmember Wong, I think you raised your hand.

[1:32:32] Councilmember Wong, did you raise your hand?

[1:32:35] Oh, yeah, I did.

[1:32:36] I just wanted to respond to some of the public comments

[1:32:39] around, adjusting things to, you know, felony level charges.

[1:32:44] We, as the city council do not have the power to change

[1:32:49] penal code. I really want to make that clear to the public.

[1:32:51] That is why I also made

[1:32:52] clarifying remarks that sections eight through,

[1:32:56] d of this ordinance change or just reflect conformity.

[1:32:59] So if you have issues with,

[1:33:03] the penal code, please make that advocacy at your state legislature.

[1:33:07] Legislature. Thank you.

[1:33:09] Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

[1:33:11] Thank you.

[1:33:15] To the chair.

[1:33:17] To Council Member Charlene.

[1:33:20] What about repeat offenders?

[1:33:22] Do they have anything about if it's a repeat offender?

[1:33:25] On how the charge goes for misdemeanor felony?

[1:33:28] What does it say about that?

[1:33:33] It is my understanding, for example,

[1:33:36] that the, for example, right now, as of January

[1:33:40] 1st of this year, there's, there's a few things.

[1:33:42] So it is a it is a felony

[1:33:45] to purchase a minor under the age of 15.

[1:33:48] And then now through the ages of 16

[1:33:52] and 17 year olds, it is a felony to purchase, them.

[1:33:55] It's a wobbler, so-called.

[1:33:57] So the basically the Da can charge it as either

[1:34:00] a misdemeanor or as a felony for anyone who is above,

[1:34:04] three, three years of, that the the trafficked child.

[1:34:09] So but

[1:34:11] and perhaps Lieutenant Campos, who also has more familiarity

[1:34:15] with the penal code than I do, can comment on this.

[1:34:17] But again, this is these are things that must be

[1:34:21] legislated at the state level.

[1:34:26] And through the chair, I got it I like it.

[1:34:27] You saying that a felony can be charged.

[1:34:30] So I need to know those ages again.

[1:34:32] And, captain, Officer Campos, can you answer my question?

[1:34:39] Yes, sir. So some of the provisions did change on the purchasing,

[1:34:41] which is ordinarily a misdemeanor.

[1:34:43] So there are enhancements that make it a felony.

[1:34:46] As council member, Wong brought up the under 15,

[1:34:49] and certain convictions can make it.

[1:34:53] What was formerly a misdemeanor can make it a felony.

[1:34:56] And that's for theft for youth.

[1:34:58] That's for under 18.

[1:34:59] So under 18 they can be charged as a felony.

[1:35:02] Is that from the purchaser that purchase, say a kid

[1:35:05] or child male female from 15 to 18.

[1:35:11] Yes, sir. If it reaches some of those elements that were added in law.

[1:35:13] Okay.

[1:35:19] I'll just note that in my review of some of the state laws

[1:35:23] that North Carolina did make it a felony to purchase anyone, regardless of age.

[1:35:26] A couple years ago.

[1:35:32] Okay, there is a motion and a second on the floor.

[1:35:35] Just,

[1:35:37] wanted to say thank you to all of

[1:35:40] the the very courageous public speakers who came out today

[1:35:43] to speak in support of an issue that is very close to my heart.

[1:35:49] Thank you for the work that you do for our communities

[1:35:53] on the street, for young women, and also oftentimes our young men and other folks

[1:35:57] who are victims of this incredible human tragedy.

[1:36:03] Like author Councilmember Wong said, you know this alone.

[1:36:08] And many of you all said, this alone is not going to end

[1:36:12] human trafficking, but it is a very important step

[1:36:16] to get to where we start to need to be.

[1:36:18] I hope that

[1:36:20] because human trafficking is clearly a regional issue,

[1:36:24] that other cities continue to do what they can,

[1:36:27] that we can see changes at every level of government and

[1:36:32] that we can, as a city,

[1:36:34] start to make real progress on every front.

[1:36:37] Yes, we have to address enforcement.

[1:36:39] Yes, we have to address changing, changing penalties.

[1:36:43] Yes, we have to see what the DEA can do,

[1:36:44] evidence collection, all of these things.

[1:36:47] But I hope that this is one of many actions

[1:36:51] that this council can take on this issue moving forward

[1:36:54] and be able to garner the resources to and tailor

[1:36:59] them to the individual needs of survivors.

[1:37:03] So again, thank you for everyone who have come and spoken

[1:37:07] today. I know this is an issue close to many of our hearts.

[1:37:09] I worked very closely with domestic violence and human

[1:37:12] trafficking survivors for over a decade as a case manager

[1:37:16] and specifically pregnant human trafficking survivors.

[1:37:19] And there are so, so, so many pregnant trafficking

[1:37:24] survivors on the streets today and through the ages.

[1:37:27] And my utmost gratitude to those doing

[1:37:30] powerful work on the ground,

[1:37:32] as well as our Department of Violence Prevention,

[1:37:34] who takes a nuanced approach to these very complex issues?

[1:37:39] We have a motion on the second, on the floor

[1:37:41] and through the chair to the mover in the second

[1:37:45] row of the motion. We're clarifying that we are you all are adopting.

[1:37:48] Well, the motion is to adopt the supplemental legislation.

[1:37:51] Is that correct? Yes.

[1:37:53] Thank you.

[1:37:54] On the motion to approve the recommendation

[1:37:58] of the supplemental in the packet, Councilmember Brown I Councilmember five,

[1:38:03] Councilmember Guy, I was excuse Councilmember Houston,

[1:38:06] I Councilmember Ungar I Councilmember Wang

[1:38:11] I Councilmember Jenkins is also excuse and chair

[1:38:15] Ramachandran a motion passes with a vote of six eyes.

[1:38:20] This item is approved on introduction.

[1:38:22] Final passage will be February 17th.

[1:38:34] And through the chair. Before I call in the consent calendar,

[1:38:37] I'd like to draw your attention to item 6.12,

[1:38:40] which was added to this agenda

[1:38:42] at the three day portion of this agenda.

[1:38:44] That being the supplemental, and you do need an urgency

[1:38:46] finding and vote to hear the item.

[1:38:49] This item was added to the agenda.

[1:38:53] Because action is necessary to ensure

[1:38:55] a quorum for the February meeting

[1:38:58] of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

[1:39:08] Councilmember Brown. Yes.

[1:39:10] I will happily make that motion,

[1:39:11] and then I'll hold on my comments on on this item.

[1:39:15] Thank you. And I'll second that.

[1:39:18] Thank you for the urgency motion for this item moved

[1:39:21] by Councilmember Brown, seconded by Councilmember Ramachandran.

[1:39:27] Excuse me. Councilmember Brown I Councilmember five

[1:39:29] I Councilmember Guy I was excused.

[1:39:31] Councilmember Houston I Councilmember Ungar

[1:39:35] I Councilmember Wang.

[1:39:39] Excused is excused.

[1:39:41] Councilmember Jenkins is also excused.

[1:39:43] Councilmember Ramachandran I.

[1:39:45] Motion passes with a vote of five eyes.

[1:39:48] Three. Excuse me.

[1:39:49] Now going to the consent calendar in its entirety,

[1:39:54] starting with item 6.1, which is approval of the draft,

[1:39:58] is from the meeting of January 20th, 2026.

[1:40:01] 6.2 A resolution regarding the declaration

[1:40:03] of a local emergency due to Aids.

[1:40:06] Item 6.3 A resolution regarding the declaration

[1:40:09] for Medical Cannabis Health.

[1:40:11] Emergency item 6.4 A resolution

[1:40:15] for the declaration of Emergency on Homelessness.

[1:40:18] Item 6.5, a resolution for the mayor's appointment

[1:40:21] to the Commission on Homelessness.

[1:40:24] Item 6.6 a resolution for the mayor's appointment

[1:40:27] to the Cultural Affairs Commission.

[1:40:30] Item 6.7 a

[1:40:32] resolution for appointments to the Commission on Aging.

[1:40:35] Item 6.8 a resolution

[1:40:38] for the Settlement of Tiffany Not versus the City of Oakland.

[1:40:42] And 6.9 A resolution for a settlement for a State

[1:40:45] Farm general Insurance Company versus City of Oakland.

[1:40:50] Item 6.10.

[1:40:52] Apologies, Madam Clerk.

[1:40:54] We've lost quorum.

[1:40:57] If any council members can hear me.

[1:41:00] If you can, please return to the dais.

[1:41:03] If there are staff members present.

[1:41:18] Yeah. She said she needed five minutes.

[1:41:54] So. But can I say something to you?

[1:41:58] Chair?

[1:42:01] On 6.2, I had something to say about the, cannabis regulations.

[1:42:09] So when we come back, can I speak to that?

[1:42:16] 6.2 is about the cannabis.

[1:42:18] You know,

[1:42:20] it's 6.3 cannabis, 6.3.

[1:42:24] You know, he's saying,

[1:42:26] okay, I think.

[1:42:30] All right. We have quorum again. If,

[1:42:34] Council Member Wang, I request you to come back to your seat.

[1:42:37] We've lost quorum without you.

[1:42:39] Thank you.

[1:42:43] Okay. Continuing

[1:42:45] on with the consent calendar going back to 6.9,

[1:42:49] a resolution in regard to the State Farm

[1:42:51] General Insurance Company versus the city of Oakland.

[1:42:54] Item 6.10 A resolution for Goswami,

[1:42:59] Marquez, Miriam Hernandez versus the City of Oakland.

[1:43:02] Officer Tommy Winn, item 6.11

[1:43:06] A resolution in support of AB 1537.

[1:43:10] Item 6.12

[1:43:12] a resolution for the mayor's appointment

[1:43:15] to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

[1:43:17] Item 6.13

[1:43:19] and Information Reports for Fiscal year 25 through 28.

[1:43:23] Citywide Strategic Plan six month Update

[1:43:27] item 6.14 A resolution for a consultant contract

[1:43:31] amendment for the Fire Station four project

[1:43:36] item 6.15

[1:43:38] a resolution honoring Michael Ford.

[1:43:41] Item 6.16 a resolution for the SAMHSa Oakland

[1:43:46] Recast Program for Fiscal Year 25 through 26.

[1:43:50] And that concludes your consent calendar.

[1:43:53] And you do have eight speakers on this item.

[1:43:55] Thank you, Councilmember Houston

[1:44:01] Just had a general question about,

[1:44:03] 6.30 and, marijuana.

[1:44:08] Why do we still have that?

[1:44:10] And I don't know if I'll, order by saying, why do we still have

[1:44:13] that on as an emergency?

[1:44:18] And the lack of,

[1:44:21] regulations on these marijuana facilities,

[1:44:26] they don't even take care of the obligations that they're supposed to take,

[1:44:29] take care of in their in the documents that they signed.

[1:44:34] So I'm just trying to figure out why do we continue to have marijuana on this?

[1:44:38] As an emergency?

[1:44:42] I do not know the answer to that question, Councilmember,

[1:44:44] but I do know that any that any council has the power

[1:44:49] to remove declarations of emergencies.

[1:44:53] But these have been going on for a long time.

[1:44:55] And council members can pass resolutions to no longer

[1:44:59] have something as a declaration of emergency.

[1:45:02] Okay, I want to just to read something.

[1:45:04] Is it out of order if I read something from,

[1:45:07] that what a regulation

[1:45:09] that they were supposed to follow on 17 can I okay.

[1:45:13] It says cannabis operate operators must implement

[1:45:16] a community beautification plan to reduce illegal dumping,

[1:45:20] littering, graffiti blight and promote beautification

[1:45:24] of the adjacent community within 50ft of the cannabis

[1:45:29] facilities and cannabis facilities in my district.

[1:45:32] Do not do it right, and we have one right now

[1:45:35] being built in my district, near a school near,

[1:45:39] some houses that don't even have the permits

[1:45:42] for the remodeling and the permit to build it.

[1:45:44] So I'm on that right now.

[1:45:46] So I'm addressed this, this, this being an emergency.

[1:45:52] Thank you. Council member Brown.

[1:45:54] Excellent. Thank you so much.

[1:45:57] If you wanted to add time on the clock,

[1:46:00] so that I don't go over, I wanted to speak to two items.

[1:46:03] Item 611 and item 612.

[1:46:07] So first off, colleagues, I'm bringing this resolution

[1:46:10] in support of AB 1537, which,

[1:46:14] is from Assembly member Isaac Brian.

[1:46:17] And as you all are aware, there has been, you know,

[1:46:19] many troubling, incidences, both here,

[1:46:24] in the state of California as well as nationally

[1:46:27] as it relates to ice enforcement,

[1:46:31] specifically with the killing of Keith Porter,

[1:46:35] by a off duty Ice agent

[1:46:37] in Los in LA, as well as,

[1:46:41] Rene good in Minnesota as well as Alex Preti.

[1:46:45] And so I think I believe that right now is a pivotal moment

[1:46:48] to stand up for our immigrant communities,

[1:46:52] especially here in California.

[1:46:54] And so we've made we 100% made this fight very local.

[1:46:59] Given that last week, mayor Lee passed those two executive

[1:47:03] orders, one, creating a task force as well

[1:47:06] as ensuring public property isn't used,

[1:47:10] to aid in immigration enforcement.

[1:47:14] And then we also saw leadership

[1:47:15] at the Board of Supervisors with the ice free zones.

[1:47:19] And so, today, I'm encouraging my colleagues to,

[1:47:24] continue to take action in supporting,

[1:47:27] this critical piece of legislation.

[1:47:30] And so we know that officers,

[1:47:33] so I was disappointed to learn that law enforcement officers

[1:47:35] in California can also work as immigration enforcement

[1:47:39] when they're off duty.

[1:47:41] And we know that officers are entrusted with,

[1:47:43] sensitive personal information about members of our community.

[1:47:47] And so it is of utmost importance,

[1:47:50] that we support AB 1537.

[1:47:53] And if you read the, items in the packet,

[1:47:56] but at a high level, what does it do?

[1:47:59] It prohibits peace officers from engaging in secondary,

[1:48:03] secondary employment, with the Department of Homeland Security.

[1:48:07] It requires peace officers

[1:48:09] to report any authorized or a temp of said employment.

[1:48:13] It also creates accountability by defining violations

[1:48:18] and also promotes transparency by making records related to peace officers.

[1:48:22] Actually,

[1:48:26] second day of secondary employment under the Public Records Act.

[1:48:29] And so I really want to encourage my colleagues

[1:48:31] to support this so that, this item

[1:48:33] in the legislature right now is currently being scheduled to,

[1:48:38] one of the committees. And so, in passing this, the city of Oakland

[1:48:41] would be in support, right from the beginning.

[1:48:45] So we want to encourage everyone to vote yes on that.

[1:48:48] And then I wanted to also draw your attention to item, 6.2.

[1:48:54] I think it was back in November.

[1:48:55] The chair of the cannabis

[1:48:57] Commission came to us and let us know that,

[1:49:01] they have been unable to meet given a lack of quorum.

[1:49:06] And so there was a handful of office offices

[1:49:08] that were named with having vacancies.

[1:49:12] And so, you know, I followed a process in ensuring

[1:49:16] that, you know, applications, were received.

[1:49:20] I'm really grateful for the support of the office of the mayor,

[1:49:22] and so on that I'm really delighted to be appointing,

[1:49:26] artist Hay Millhouse to the cannabis Commission.

[1:49:29] And we know that this, commission

[1:49:31] plays an essential role in advocating for equity,

[1:49:35] in economic growth here in the city of Oakland.

[1:49:38] And we need people on the commission

[1:49:39] that, have experience and that are rooted in Oakland

[1:49:44] in the community and bring a strong vision for the future of cannabis.

[1:49:47] And so I'm really delighted to be appointing,

[1:49:50] today, to this body, as she has,

[1:49:55] an amazing nonprofit, focused on,

[1:49:58] providing mental health support to community members.

[1:50:02] She's an advocate.

[1:50:03] She's curated multiple, community spaces.

[1:50:06] Cultivated business partnerships in the cannabis

[1:50:09] industry, throughout Oakland and beyond.

[1:50:13] And so lastly, the last thing that I'll share

[1:50:16] is that I do believe that there are more applications for consideration.

[1:50:19] So if anyone else, actually has a vacancy on the Cannabis

[1:50:24] Commission, please feel free to reach out to, the office.

[1:50:28] I believe it's, you can either reach out to Preston or Dean.

[1:50:31] And they have more applications that you can also review.

[1:50:34] Thank you,

[1:50:36] thank you.

[1:50:39] We can move to public speakers,

[1:50:43] as I call your name. Please approach the podium in any order.

[1:50:45] Please state your name for the record before beginning.

[1:50:48] Zachary John Thayer, Mrs.

[1:50:50] Ida Ola Bhalla, Vanessa Wang,

[1:50:54] Ashanti millhouse,

[1:50:57] Derrick Barnes, Mr..

[1:50:59] Hazard, Mavis Carter, Griffin,

[1:51:03] Marvin ledet, a.

[1:51:10] Thank you, Mr.

[1:51:11] Houston, for bringing this issue up around cannabis

[1:51:17] use the same intensity about dealing with fentanyl.

[1:51:23] We went through this whole thing about

[1:51:27] human trafficking.

[1:51:29] Children are dying on fentanyl.

[1:51:33] A lot more than they're

[1:51:35] dying on this street for human trafficking.

[1:51:38] And y'all don't say a damn thing.

[1:51:41] Except for what Mr. Use.

[1:51:44] Houston, why are you keeping cannabis

[1:51:47] as a public health crisis?

[1:51:50] Let me tell you what the governor just noted yesterday.

[1:51:54] Newsome appeared before reporters

[1:51:58] at the Montgomery Gibs Executive Airport in San Diego,

[1:52:03] some 50.6

[1:52:05] million pills with an estimated total street

[1:52:09] value of $506 million have been seized.

[1:52:14] 11,000 arrests.

[1:52:16] And y'all don't say anything about children dying

[1:52:20] here in Oakland because of fentanyl.

[1:52:25] And you, Madam Chair,

[1:52:27] couldn't even ask answer the question

[1:52:31] that Council Member Houston said, I don't know.

[1:52:35] That's all you have to say.

[1:52:38] Why don't you, Council Member Wong, use the same intensity

[1:52:43] about fentanyl as you'd use with street traffic,

[1:52:47] and children are dying.

[1:52:52] Way younger than 13 on fentanyl.

[1:52:56] You had an arrest here two months ago.

[1:52:58] Right here in Oakland for drug trafficker fentanyl.

[1:53:04] And y'all say a damn thing.

[1:53:07] I gave you this copy

[1:53:11] of my Notice of motion

[1:53:14] regarding the raid I found on May 19th last year.

[1:53:19] Because that ballot measure is illegal.

[1:53:23] That was on April 15.

[1:53:27] The city attorney altered

[1:53:30] the text of the ballot measure to say it was a sales tax

[1:53:33] that went into effect on October 1st.

[1:53:38] But now I think I may get my day in court to be heard

[1:53:42] on the 19th of this month to overturn

[1:53:46] that special election ballot measure that

[1:53:50] you articulated that was going to raise

[1:53:52] $29 million annually for ten years,

[1:53:56] if I'm correct,

[1:53:58] and they nullify that ballot measure cast

[1:54:01] in that ballot measure.

[1:54:03] Provision. 4.26.130.

[1:54:06] You can't have a provision there that enjoins the voter from,

[1:54:12] seeking grievance.

[1:54:17] Cast off.

[1:54:18] Thank you, Mr. Hazzard.

[1:54:19] Your time is up.

[1:54:34] Hello, everyone.

[1:54:36] My name is Lee, that I am the district director to Councilmember Houston

[1:54:39] and of Oakland.

[1:54:40] And I wanted to just share

[1:54:41] a few things regarding the cannabis issue.

[1:54:43] District seven and having,

[1:54:46] Councilmember Houston touched on the beautification obligation, these industry,

[1:54:49] these individuals have or these businesses.

[1:54:52] But I wanted to share specifically on a business that's currently,

[1:54:55] doing a buildout, a girl house in district seven.

[1:54:57] I contacted the cannabis department.

[1:55:01] They're currently going through a permitting process with cannabis, the cannabis side of it.

[1:55:04] But when it comes to the actual building process,

[1:55:07] they're not going through any proper permitting.

[1:55:10] They got there.

[1:55:12] They got one part of the permitting process done,

[1:55:15] but the other parts they just have abandoned and they're going

[1:55:17] they're building out their infrastructure.

[1:55:18] So I brought this up just to say, we need enforcement.

[1:55:21] We need attention because, these businesses are popping up

[1:55:24] with no proper permitting process.

[1:55:26] Thank you.

[1:55:33] Sir, can I ask you a question?

[1:55:36] Do the chair.

[1:55:38] Is that to the parliamentarian?

[1:55:40] Can we ask questions, too?

[1:55:43] Because she's. She works for me and I had her to come up.

[1:55:47] I didn't want her to sign up. I was just going to bring her up to speak to this,

[1:55:48] because it's a serious issue

[1:55:50] that's happening in my district, and I hope maybe across

[1:55:53] the city.

[1:55:55] I just want to know if my breaking any rules,

[1:55:57] if I believe we can go through all the public

[1:56:00] speakers, then I can bring her up. Okay. All right.

[1:56:03] I'll bring you back up. Yes.

[1:56:06] I want to break no rules.

[1:56:07] I be breaking rules on this.

[1:56:11] Hello, I'm Ashton millhouse.

[1:56:14] I would first and foremost like to thank the council

[1:56:16] for appointing me to be on the Cannabis Commission.

[1:56:20] Thank you to both Councilwoman Brown and Mayor Lee.

[1:56:24] I'm really excited, as I have been an advocate

[1:56:26] within the cannabis industry for some years now.

[1:56:29] I have multiple affiliates within the industry as well.

[1:56:33] I am happy to be a part

[1:56:34] of the official conversation conversation

[1:56:36] as I plan to help with moving

[1:56:38] the Cannabis Commission forward to its greatest potential.

[1:56:42] I'm looking forward to what this year has to come for myself

[1:56:46] and the city of Oakland.

[1:56:47] And I thank you all.

[1:56:48] Thank you, Brown. Hi.

[1:56:56] I'm going to speak on behalf of the unhoused community of,

[1:57:00] Well, now we're on Willow Street,

[1:57:01] but the Wood Street People's Collective,

[1:57:04] in regards to cannabis,

[1:57:06] clubs and growers,

[1:57:09] we have a particular grower

[1:57:10] in our area that drives erratically.

[1:57:13] All of the people that work there, putting us in danger.

[1:57:16] We are, of course, on the street,

[1:57:17] but we have no other place to go.

[1:57:19] And I like what, Mr.

[1:57:20] Houston said in regards to having the cannabis clubs

[1:57:25] be contributing to the beautification

[1:57:26] in the neighborhood, not to eradicate us,

[1:57:29] but to help us with a better looking frontage,

[1:57:31] a better looking, better present presenting image of who we are

[1:57:35] because we're not taken seriously

[1:57:37] as citizens of the city, and we have very valid concerns.

[1:57:42] We might work, we want recognition,

[1:57:44] we want equalization, which is very important

[1:57:48] because we're not equal

[1:57:49] or there's no equitable anything for the unhoused.

[1:57:51] We are not able to, live in the same

[1:57:54] zones, do the same things.

[1:57:57] It's nothing. I mean, we don't get trash pickup.

[1:57:59] I mean, there's so many things right now.

[1:58:01] We have cannabis clubs and I'll call them that, driving

[1:58:04] erratically, doing 35, 45, 55, 60 miles an hour

[1:58:09] over one block just so they can turn left

[1:58:11] into their cannabis club with annoying recordings

[1:58:14] every time you walk by how you're currently being recorded.

[1:58:18] I got to hear that six times

[1:58:19] between my spot and the end of the block. Why?

[1:58:23] Okay, I'm not doing anything to them.

[1:58:25] If you stop for any second, alarms are going off like you're

[1:58:28] you're public enemy number one and you're breaching like

[1:58:30] the wall.

[1:58:31] And it's it's aggravating.

[1:58:33] It's very unnerving

[1:58:34] being unhoused as it is and overcoming hate

[1:58:37] and, and you know, people's preconceptions and stereotypes.

[1:58:40] Now we have to deal with being bombarded

[1:58:43] with recordings and erratic driving that might kill the cats

[1:58:45] that I've gotten to kill rats in the neighborhood

[1:58:48] and that I care about. And that'

[1:59:03] Good day again, Council.

[1:59:05] I'm here to address, not just the cannabis.

[1:59:09] I believe you guys grouped

[1:59:10] all of the things together under the 6.0.

[1:59:14] I wish to validate Simon property

[1:59:16] of the city of Oakland and comply it and Kelly.

[1:59:20] The Mattson and ask that in us we Carrington mortgage services

[1:59:25] us we orient insurance and us with, travelers insurance.

[1:59:31] That would be a valid application against the property land rights

[1:59:34] under Oregon, USDA, be the United States

[1:59:38] based on credit line, based on application.

[1:59:41] The same issue is wondered and parcel

[1:59:44] of certain tools for the United States

[1:59:46] as the property lease and deed holder and view of our location.

[1:59:53] This is what is wondered and Alto v the United States based on compliance

[1:59:58] and is being asked in view of the right

[2:00:00] to counsel under a Cardoza v the United States

[2:00:06] in this compliance, I ask that the state be held

[2:00:10] malice and negligent and fir v Preston

[2:00:13] and the wonderment to what is wondered in

[2:00:15] the county for is the right to seek counsel,

[2:00:18] and you have implied designation with this being identified.

[2:00:23] I believe that there is issues in the tri regional community,

[2:00:27] tied to land rights, a land rights as the depreciation

[2:00:31] or application of income generation based on Kub to Chime and Zell.

[2:00:35] I believe this is covered in the view of

[2:00:40] Frost. Manhattan and First Republic v SVP.

[2:00:43] This is tied directly to the Bank of Marin v

[2:00:46] the United States and the real estate holdings

[2:00:49] and bond ETFs of a tri regional county,

[2:00:52] including the AC transit and the Bart board.

[2:00:54] Based on the request

[2:00:56] and Smith v Castle, I did not move the fruit

[2:00:58] and after the town of five to re the United States or,

[2:01:03] what is known as the freedom of speech of Alameda County.

[2:01:07] Viewers, society, I ask that the state be held

[2:01:10] grossly, maliciously and intentionally negligent

[2:01:12] in the view of the city tied to chapter 13 bankruptcy

[2:01:16] and the view to the expression to view, pay for play,

[2:01:20] and under chapter 11, validating chapter seven to consulting

[2:01:25] and the view a day to day management under l to D holding

[2:01:28] enterprises and VR performance based

[2:01:31] pensions and view of land rights.

[2:01:34] I I agree

[2:01:36] I solely believe that this, tries directly

[2:01:40] with the legalization of marijuana and justifies it

[2:01:44] as the view to spill your kids compared to the view of what,

[2:01:48] is the on balance of,

[2:01:50] of your,

[2:01:51] of your enterprise as that is identified,

[2:01:54] I wish that there be a full audit

[2:01:56] and request that there be a Sunshine

[2:01:57] Act request in view of that.

[2:01:59] Thank you.

[2:02:13] You ready, Madam Clerk?

[2:02:14] Thank you.

[2:02:16] I do not understand why item 4.1 was remove

[2:02:20] the tree permit issue is three years

[2:02:23] it took to be brought to council.

[2:02:26] The experience of this being dealt with

[2:02:29] needs to happen soon.

[2:02:32] The declaration of a local emergency of homelessness.

[2:02:37] Obviously, you're not doing what you need to be doing.

[2:02:40] You should have been included in the $419 million

[2:02:44] that the governor allocated for homeless housing assistance.

[2:02:48] That money went to San Francisco, San Diego and,

[2:02:52] Los US, I think,

[2:02:56] San Diego, San.

[2:02:57] Do you

[2:02:58] appointment to the Commission of homelessness?

[2:03:02] That commission has not met since last September.

[2:03:06] And is the schedule that they have, boards and commission?

[2:03:09] They are not schedule.

[2:03:11] And it scheduling goes all the way up to November

[2:03:13] 30th of 2026.

[2:03:15] No schedule of meeting.

[2:03:17] And they are obligated to do an annual report

[2:03:20] on the encampment policy that hasn't happened.

[2:03:24] Item 610.

[2:03:28] You're looking at a lawsuit that includes the Oakland

[2:03:32] Police Department. Y'all gotta find some kind of way to sue somebody.

[2:03:34] This Oakland police officer who has owned over

[2:03:38] $493,000 salary.

[2:03:46] And overtime.

[2:03:48] Y'all need to address that.

[2:03:49] Some.

[2:03:51] Now, this thing on, s 11, it is insulting

[2:03:55] that you people keep talking about your sanctuary

[2:03:58] city status and protecting illegal immigrants.

[2:04:01] You need to do like the city of Oroville.

[2:04:03] If you're going to have a sanctuary city,

[2:04:05] at least have it

[2:04:07] saying that you don't protect violent criminals

[2:04:11] who are here illegally.

[2:04:12] At least do that.

[2:04:13] And how is it that you are so focused

[2:04:17] on protecting people from Ice

[2:04:21] who are racially profiling, using excessive force?

[2:04:24] What you think the hell is the NSA?

[2:04:27] Is your Oakland Police Department

[2:04:29] engaging in excessive force and racial profiling,

[2:04:32] and you can't fix it for over 22 years,

[2:04:36] but you can fix Ice doing the exact same thing

[2:04:39] to illegal immigrants.

[2:04:42] The hypocrisy of what you do.

[2:04:45] But of course, that illegal activity by your police

[2:04:48] department is targeting African-Americans as a group.

[2:04:54] Then you need to have

[2:04:56] an update related to 613 Yo strategic plan.

[2:05:01] You need an update on gentrification,

[2:05:03] which you have never done

[2:05:06] your sanctuary city status.

[2:05:08] You keep talking about you a sanctuary city, but you have never dealt with it

[2:05:11] in terms of how it impacts the city economically and housing.

[2:05:17] That's.

[2:05:21] Nice. Thank you, Miss Ola Barlow.

[2:05:22] Your time is up.

[2:05:26] If your name was gone, if you're on the zoom

[2:05:28] or on the room, please approach the podium or raise your hand.

[2:05:32] This time. I do not see any speakers in this.

[2:05:34] Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

[2:05:36] Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.

[2:05:42] Thank you, Madam Clerk.

[2:05:43] And greetings,

[2:05:44] Council members, Derek Barnes with the

[2:05:45] Experimental Housing Association

[2:05:47] as it relates to housing and homelessness priorities.

[2:05:50] I wanted to briefly share a reflection

[2:05:52] from this past weekend's annual Housing

[2:05:53] Collaborative, produced by Abra,

[2:05:55] but certainly powered by the community.

[2:05:57] The event brought together renters, homeowners,

[2:06:00] small housing providers, nonprofit service

[2:06:02] organizations, lenders and public agencies

[2:06:05] from across Alameda and Contra Costa counties under one roof

[2:06:08] with one goal to better understand

[2:06:10] who the housing stakeholders really are,

[2:06:13] how our housing system actually works,

[2:06:15] and what real support and resources

[2:06:17] are available to people in our community.

[2:06:19] We engage vibrant, loud table discussions

[2:06:21] that focused on clarity over conflict,

[2:06:24] demystifying some of the housing challenges

[2:06:26] that we have like eliminating barriers

[2:06:28] to homeownership, thriving through funding reductions,

[2:06:31] and improving housing policy while reducing complexity.

[2:06:35] The second year collaborative connected residents

[2:06:38] to about 30 community organizations offering renter

[2:06:41] assistance and support, home repair grants, energy

[2:06:44] rebates, fair housing, education and other things.

[2:06:48] I want to thank Emily Weinstein and Michelle Starr at our HCD

[2:06:53] leaders in the city and County,

[2:06:54] Patricia Wells and Joseph Villareal,

[2:06:57] our Housing Authority folks, for engaging in productive panel

[2:07:00] discussions that day.

[2:07:02] I also want to acknowledge, District Supervisor Leonor Lena

[2:07:06] Tan and her staff,

[2:07:07] as well as Council members Brown, Gail Unger, and Wong,

[2:07:11] as well as staff from Councilmember

[2:07:13] Ramachandran s office for attending and engaging

[2:07:15] directly with constituents and exhibiting organizations.

[2:07:19] I mean, your presence really matters,

[2:07:21] and it sent a signal that crucial housing

[2:07:24] conversations don't happen just in chambers.

[2:07:28] They happen in community.

[2:07:29] And we need more events like this.

[2:07:31] We know we can't solve our housing challenges overnight,

[2:07:34] but events like this helped to build

[2:07:36] understanding, trust, and engagement.

[2:07:39] And that's where equitable and durable solutions begin.

[2:07:43] Thank you so much for all your support in the event.

[2:07:47] And look forward to working with you more in 2026.

[2:07:51] Thank you.

[2:07:54] At this time, our names have been called.

[2:07:58] Thank you. Council member Houston.

[2:08:01] And, as I've been,

[2:08:04] advised by the city attorney, any questions?

[2:08:06] And back and forth that you ask will be counted

[2:08:09] part of your time

[2:08:11] because typically we all have two minutes on consent.

[2:08:14] But because Councilmember Brown

[2:08:16] had six minutes, everyone is going to have six minutes today.

[2:08:19] So that's all.

[2:08:20] That's fine, thank you.

[2:08:24] Chair, I just wanted to ask some direct questions to have it on the record so everyone knows what's happening.

[2:08:27] And through the chair, the dead.

[2:08:29] Who did you report?

[2:08:30] That building?

[2:08:33] Their building,

[2:08:33] putting new units

[2:08:35] on top of the roof. They don't even know

[2:08:36] the structural soundness of the unit.

[2:08:39] Without a permit.

[2:08:41] Who did you contact? So I originally went across the street to permitting.

[2:08:45] They shared with me what, has been issued, what has not been issued,

[2:08:48] and what they should not be working on.

[2:08:49] And I escalated to enforcement.

[2:08:52] They will be paying a visit tomorrow to put a stop order,

[2:08:55] as it was not permitted.

[2:08:56] And then, who did you report to to find out

[2:08:59] if they had the proper licenses to sell or grow cannabis?

[2:09:03] So I reached out to our cannabis department,

[2:09:05] who has a list of, who works on the permitting process.

[2:09:09] And they gave me the information

[2:09:11] that they are going through the process.

[2:09:12] And once they are done with construction,

[2:09:14] they should be able to get their permit.

[2:09:15] But what makes it challenging

[2:09:16] is that they're not meeting the building permit,

[2:09:19] but they're going to be issued a cannabis permit

[2:09:21] without meeting the minimum on the other side.

[2:09:24] So I just wanted to say, since we have this committee

[2:09:28] for cannabis, if it is, is somewhere that their scope of work

[2:09:31] could be regulating and making sure that they follow

[2:09:37] what they signed about beautification efforts

[2:09:40] and doing it the proper way, because they just feel that they can do whatever they

[2:09:42] want to do in district seven.

[2:09:43] And that's not going to happen any longer.

[2:09:45] So thank you for that.

[2:09:51] Yeah. You have four and a half more minutes

[2:09:52] if you wanted to say anything.

[2:09:54] See my time to council member, I'm brown.

[2:09:56] She knows she had a lot to say. No, just say it.

[2:09:59] I I'm good. I appreciate that

[2:10:02] she is good.

[2:10:04] Thank you. Councilmember. Thank,

[2:10:07] thanks to the chair.

[2:10:08] I just wanted to comment that

[2:10:11] in, you know, related to the human trafficking problem.

[2:10:14] That's something that I have been looking at

[2:10:17] is like a lot of these nuisance businesses that they're not licensed.

[2:10:20] It's the smoke shops I went to, like a youth led town

[2:10:22] hall by Doctor Aisha mays through the Dream Youth Clinic.

[2:10:26] And like, five of the young people

[2:10:28] there brought up that it was smoke shops,

[2:10:30] likely unlicensed, that have been the vehicles

[2:10:35] of human trafficking. So I think this is not just limited to cannabis shops,

[2:10:39] but this is more of a broader

[2:10:40] question that we should tackle with, administrator,

[2:10:45] Assistant City Administrator Chuck Baker on that.

[2:10:48] The wrong type of economic development

[2:10:51] that we have in some of our corridors,

[2:10:53] you know, as, as was said, I think, by Doctor

[2:10:56] Tran, Oakland is open for business,

[2:10:57] but this is not these are not the type

[2:10:59] of businesses that we want here, here with that,

[2:11:05] Thank you.

[2:11:07] If there are no other comments,

[2:11:09] I will entertain a motion.

[2:11:12] For so moved.

[2:11:15] Second council.

[2:11:21] On the motion by Council member Brown.

[2:11:23] Seconded by Council member Ungar to approve this

[2:11:27] consent calendar, Council member Brown I,

[2:11:30] Council member five and Guy or excuse.

[2:11:33] Council member, Houston.

[2:11:34] Council member.

[2:11:35] Ungar I.

[2:11:38] Council member. Wong I chair Jenkins is excused.

[2:11:43] Council member. Ramachandran I motion passes with a vote of five eyes.

[2:11:47] Three excused. Five for and Jenkins.

[2:11:54] Now we're and Council member.

[2:11:58] Excuse me. Acknowledgments and announcements.

[2:12:01] Colleagues. Any announcements?

[2:12:02] Councilmember Wong

[2:12:04] yeah, I just have an announcement related to,

[2:12:08] I'm joining council member five tomorrow in district two.

[2:12:11] There's going to be a forum on the Costco effort

[2:12:14] in West Oakland at the East Bay Asian Youth Center,

[2:12:17] that the address is two 2025 East 12th Street.

[2:12:20] And representatives from Costco are there.

[2:12:23] And I think this is an exciting opportunity and folks

[2:12:26] should come and ask their their pointed questions.

[2:12:29] So, just invite my colleagues as well as members of the public

[2:12:33] who are watching this.

[2:12:34] It's at 5:30 p.m.

[2:12:36] tomorrow. Thank you.

[2:12:39] Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

[2:12:41] I like to, to the chair.

[2:12:43] I like to adjourn this meeting in the memory of Bridget Cook.

[2:12:49] I'm not sure.

[2:12:53] Who knew her? But Bridget Cook was a beautiful. So,

[2:12:59] She kept me in control.

[2:13:00] She always guided me to call me Councilmember Houston.

[2:13:03] You can't be doing that.

[2:13:05] So, just just I wish.

[2:13:07] Want to adjourn this in the memory of her?

[2:13:08] Because she has been a force, for Oakland.

[2:13:11] And she loved our city so much.

[2:13:13] She loved it so much.

[2:13:16] Thank you, Councilmember Hughes.

[2:13:17] And we will adjourn in her memory.

[2:13:20] Other council members.

[2:13:22] Okay.

[2:13:24] And, Madam Clerk, that is all.

[2:13:28] Moving to open forum, as I call your name.

[2:13:30] Please approach the podium in any order.

[2:13:32] Please state your name for the record.

[2:13:33] You will be given one minute to address the council.

[2:13:37] Miss Assad, Alabama.

[2:13:39] Mr. hazard, Tim Allen Ferreira, Annabelle.

[2:13:45] Velasquez, Mave. Carter. Griffin.

[2:13:50] I think maybe Benjamin Smith.

[2:13:55] Brother Ted or Dominique.

[2:13:56] We're okay.

[2:13:59] Go ahead. Mr.. Has

[2:14:01] you could go to clean oakland.com

[2:14:03] and look at my website.

[2:14:05] These are four case laws that will

[2:14:08] support my allegation that the September April

[2:14:12] 15th special election ballot measure A was illegal.

[2:14:18] Rossi v Brown nine California

[2:14:21] courts retain exclusive

[2:14:23] authority to determine the validity

[2:14:25] the enforcement of ballot measures.

[2:14:27] A ballot measure cannot pre decide

[2:14:30] or foreclose do judicial review.

[2:14:33] And that's what 4.26.130

[2:14:36] people versus Vaughn Bond 27 count.

[2:14:39] The legislator may not impair

[2:14:41] the core functions of the judiciary

[2:14:43] and joining lawsuits impairing judicial function.

[2:14:47] Mendocino County versus Superior Court 13

[2:14:50] cal for access to the court

[2:14:52] says fundamental constitutional rights.

[2:14:55] Any restriction is subject

[2:14:56] to strict scrutiny and almost always fail.

[2:15:00] Housing authority versus superior court statutes made.

[2:15:09] Thank you, Mr.

[2:15:10] Hazzard. Your time is up.

[2:15:25] You. In 1994, Barbara

[2:15:29] Jordan led the US Commission on Immigration Reform.

[2:15:33] The report was supposed to look at the impact of immigration

[2:15:37] on the average worker in the future.

[2:15:40] The recommendations were to reduce immigration

[2:15:42] by one third, because immigration was hurting

[2:15:46] the low skilled workers, specifically black men

[2:15:50] without college degrees, she said immigration

[2:15:53] should be about the interests of the American worker.

[2:15:57] First, she called for a crackdown on illegal labor.

[2:16:01] Bill Clinton buried the report.

[2:16:04] So now what you have today is a report

[2:16:09] that was purposely buried by the Democratic Party,

[2:16:13] and now you have 9% of unemployment in Oakland.

[2:16:16] Black workers, low skilled workers impacted.

[2:16:20] Barbara Jordan called for this not to happen.

[2:16:24] The Democrats allowed it.

[2:16:25] And you are allowing it.

[2:16:27] We are impacted by illegal.

[2:16:37] Okay.

[2:16:39] Good afternoon, Megan Carter.

[2:16:40] Griffin, I'm speaking upon for my behalf

[2:16:44] as an unhoused person, and I'm asking for, support.

[2:16:48] Last month, Ivan Satterfield,

[2:16:51] who is running the DPW, came into the sweep of Willow Street

[2:16:55] and I had purchased finally, after a year

[2:16:57] from previous, where he he towed one of my trailers

[2:17:02] that I was living in. I've been living outside, completely outside, in a shack

[2:17:05] built out of cardboard and and foam, trying to do my best.

[2:17:09] I almost died of pneumonia this following year.

[2:17:12] I've been saving with Social Security being $900 for me

[2:17:16] a month, and it's very hard to do that with

[2:17:18] having to pay for food, etc.

[2:17:20] and I purchased a trailer in 1947, Spartan Trailer,

[2:17:23] and it was parked on Wood Street,

[2:17:25] which is not part of his plan.

[2:17:27] He saw me buy that, and he gave me an offer

[2:17:29] that I could choose between the city

[2:17:31] that I live in with my cats

[2:17:32] and had been using

[2:17:34] have all of my life support systems

[2:17:35] that I've recovered over the past year,

[2:17:37] and he was ready to tear down and put in the dumpster

[2:17:39] along with the cat that he just.

[2:17:44] Apologized for.

[2:17:45] Your time is up.

[2:17:47] So you are with us.

[2:17:50] And stuff like that.

[2:17:53] So, Before you came, is it there?

[2:17:57] I do not have a card for you for this item.

[2:18:00] If your name was called, please step to the podium.

[2:18:03] Podium? Excuse me.

[2:18:06] As I said, mister, they are. You did not sign up for this particular item.

[2:18:09] Moving to the zoom speakers.

[2:18:13] I do not have a card for you.

[2:18:15] I have a card for you. For all the other items

[2:18:17] you signed up for, not for open forum.

[2:18:29] Yeah.

[2:18:32] A little.

[2:18:40] Moving to the zoom speaker.

[2:18:43] I think Dwayne.

[2:18:47] Yeah. Dominic.

[2:18:49] Yes? Please begin your comment.

[2:18:52] Yeah. So my name is Dominic.

[2:18:54] Where coming from? Brookfield village, the champion of community green schools.

[2:18:57] And I'm speaking as a member of the 40

[2:18:58] by 40 People's Advisory Council.

[2:19:00] In with the pet brings residents together each month

[2:19:04] a focus on community safety, public health, youth development

[2:19:07] and overall quality of life in Deep East Oakland.

[2:19:10] We serve as a space where residents can share

[2:19:12] concerns, offer solutions and stay informed

[2:19:14] about what's impacted our neighborhood.

[2:19:17] The pet is a resident led body that meets monthly,

[2:19:20] and was instrumental in supporting efforts

[2:19:22] that led to the establishment

[2:19:23] of the Office of Violence Prevention.

[2:19:25] IBP support supporting the launch of Peace committees.

[2:19:27] What I'm on a community based conflict resolution model

[2:19:30] and aligned in our work with the virus is $100 million

[2:19:35] investment strategy

[2:19:36] of Learn and grow, working well, and health and well-being.

[2:19:40] Our members also regularly attend

[2:19:41] and contribute to the bi monthly meeting

[2:19:43] and it keeps safe keeping meetings.

[2:19:47] Thank you. D6 Council Member for agreeing to attend future

[2:19:49] pact means tonight we respectfully academic Council

[2:19:51] members of seven.

[2:19:55] Thank you for your comments.

[2:19:56] Unfortunately, your time was up this time.

[2:19:58] Our names have been called.

[2:20:04] Thank you.

[2:20:06] Tonight,

[2:20:12] Think I can, I can sorry.

[2:20:15] Today we adjourn in the memory

[2:20:17] of Bridget Cook.

[2:20:59] Thank you. Everyone. The meeting is adjourned.

* Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency and the City Council on 2026-02-03 3:30 PM

Agenda

Transcript