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Good afternoon and welcome to

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the City Council meeting of February 3rd, 2026.

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Before I call role, I will give speaker card instructions.

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If you like to speak on any item on this agenda,

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please follow speaker's card before the

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item is called or two hours after the start of this meeting.

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The meeting was called at 331.

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The last opportunity to turn on the speaker's card will be at 531

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or before the item is called, whichever comes first.

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You can fill out a speaker's car

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and return it to a clerk representative

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at the front of the chambers.

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If you are looking to turn in an online

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speaker card, their time has passed as they were due

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24 hours before the start of this meeting.

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Honor roll.

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Excuse me. We can't hear the debt.

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Okay.

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On honor roll.

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Council member Brown.

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Present. Council member five present.

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Council member. Gaya. Present.

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Remember, you don't have to get in the queue.

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I will unmute you.

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Council member. Houston.

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Council member. Ramachandran. Present.

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Council member. Unger.

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Here.

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Council member.

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Wong. Present.

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And chair. Jenkins. Present.

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Showing eight members present at this time.

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Going to item three.

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Modifications to the agenda.

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Before we send city staff home, is there any council member

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that wants to put pull anything off of consent?

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Yeah.

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Council member Houston.

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To the chair. I wanted to bring something up about, the fire station.

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They had, was doing some construction.

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I don't know what item it is. I talked to my chief of staff, and it was,

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they gave me some data back, and I just wanted them to explain

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the local participation on that item.

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And, Trinity, what item was that?

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It's just me. We.

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So, Trinity, can you work with Monica

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so that you can

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ensure that the proper staff person will still be here?

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If Monica from the city administrators office is here.

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Trinity. Working with you to ensure those questions are answered on the consent calendar.

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Thank you.

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So you want to pull?

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I speak to it.

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I wanted to, but you got to speak to it

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when it's on the consent calendar.

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We're not on the consent calendar.

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And what is it on? So right now we're on modifications to the agenda.

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So if you want to pull something right now, you can pull it.

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But if there's any staff that you would like to speak to.

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And I think what's the agenda number?

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Trinity.

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Is this agenda item is 6.14.

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Okay. So we'll make sure that

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the appropriate staff members are here.

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

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That's it. Okay. Thank you.

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Any other modifications to the agenda?

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Thank you. Going to item four. There are no public hearings at this meeting today.

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Going to item five which is action on all non consent items.

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We have one item which is item 5.1

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an ordinance amending the municipal code section

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9.008.260 to conform state law by repealing the offense

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of loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

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Adding loitering for the purpose of purchasing commercial sex as an offense.

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Allowing the administrative assessment of fines against sex

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purchasers,

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sex traffickers, and properties used for prostitution,

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and creating a human trafficking survivor support fund.

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We have 13 speakers.

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Please note as this item has been read into record,

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no more speaker cards will be accepted.

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Okay.

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Hey, everyone.

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I'm, proud to introduce this item to the full city

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council today.

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I wanted to start off by, playing a clip from,

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a documentary that was produced in 2013 about this very topic

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about human trafficking here in the city of Oakland.

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The history of slavery in our world isn't over.

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Prostitution, the world's oldest profession,

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is actually a horrific trade of human flesh.

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Over 80% of victims are women, and most of them are children.

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Most people only think that this is happening in Asia.

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In countries like India, Thailand

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and Vietnam and Cambodia.

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But in reality, hundreds of thousands of these children

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are at risk every single day for being trafficked

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into sex slavery here in the US, as well

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as girls living in the Bay area,

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where 40% of all of America sex trafficking takes place.

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We wanted to find out where the fastest growing

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criminal industry in the world all starts.

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You're in our backyard. We.

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On the average, some of these exploiters

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have as many as ten girls that they are exploiting.

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And it doesn't take very much

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for an exploiter to lure a child

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into his business

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by just saying a few nice things to them.

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There's this whole underground world

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that OPD basically discovered in 1999,

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of young girls being sold for sex in our own backyards.

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Really, when you look at how it's happening

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and the deprivation of liberty that that takes place in order

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to accomplish the crime. It is modern day slavery.

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These children are beaten and take their clothes away.

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They take all their

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their property, their phone, their identification.

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Don't move them to places

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where the child doesn't know where she is.

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These kids are sexually assaulted by the exploiters.

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They are raped and sodomized and children

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being chained to the heater vents.

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At the end of the workday, the kid's clothes

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are taken away from them and they're left naked in rooms

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so they can't escape.

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She needed money

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and she doesn't know any other way to get it.

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She thinks about it, and especially

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when times get tough at home,

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because home is not a place where she likes being.

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A woman's body is what is kind of what you barter on

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and is what we trade on.

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And that has is kind of cultured into, you know, part of our mentality.

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What ends up happening is once you strip all the makeup

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and you strip off the nails and you get back the layers,

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they're just a kid. People always ask us, you know, how does a 12 year old

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or 13 year old girl go from sitting in an eighth grade classroom to,

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you know, selling her body to 20 men per night?

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Most often times, the exploitation on the street

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is not the first act of rape that they've ever had.

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And so when you come from

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section of blacks and you come from such risk,

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and your uncle or a trusted family member

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has been molesting USAg for five years old,

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and you really, really believe that your body

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is a sexual object and that what it is, therefore

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what a 30 year old man, a pimp, comes along

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and tells you

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that you know he loves you and you're

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the most beautiful thing that he's ever seen.

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It's really easy for a grown man to talk to a 12

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or 13 year old girl who's been through the things

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that she's been through into doing that.

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Pimps, exploiters of human beings,

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take advantage of these girls and their histories of abuse

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to use them as economic pawns.

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Over 70% of all girls being trafficked for sex

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have escaped abusive home lives as runaways,

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and almost all of them have been sexually abused and raped before adolescence.

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They take girls who have never known love

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and trick them into selling their bodies.

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Girls are also abducted off the streets by pimps.

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They don't have any empathy for another human being.

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That exploiter will get tired of the child,

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so he'll sell her to another pimp or exploiter.

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Her psychology ability to even evaluate

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what's safe and what's not is completely diminished.

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She does not understand her victimization,

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and the only thing that we can really compare

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it to is Stockholm syndrome or battered wife syndrome.

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The fear and the guilt and the shame

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and the physical and emotional pain

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that comes along with having to be exploited

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every day, you know, by

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by grown adult males and

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for really for no gain, for no gain for them whatsoever.

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She stands there every day and takes all the risk.

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The risk of being killed, the risk of being infected

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with Aids, the risk of going to jail.

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She takes all the risk and has absolutely

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no power over her life or her decision.

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We have to try to to engage them

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and encourage them to get involved

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so we can find out who the pimps are,

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who are pandering them, who's

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who's forcing them into child exploitation,

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and try to find a reason why they're not in their homes

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and what their parents are doing.

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You know, when I first started over 20 years ago, you would see in the 20s and 30s

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what I see now as young as 13 years old, seven days a week.

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Human slavery isn't over today.

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Women and girls everywhere are suffering.

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They end up under the control of a pimp who promises

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to take care of them. Soon.

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However, the master and slave relationship is established

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and maintained through even more abuse and violence.

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And at that point,

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they're completely at the mercy of these men.

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The exploiters doing this need to be stopped.

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Help us bring an end to the abuse, to the pain,

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and to change society

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so that it is no longer alright to buy sex from a child.

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It all starts now.

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We can stop it.

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Thank you. And, clearly what we have is a human

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rights abuse happening right in our streets here in Oakland.

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The question, of course, is what we should do about it.

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So this is the proposal

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before Oakland City Council today.

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What you see here is a set of amendments.

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In summary, this is going to be a set of administrative fines.

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And I'll explain later why this concept is important.

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This is also about shifting the burden of responsibility,

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for this, this marketplace, to what we call the demand side.

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These are the buyers that ultimately drive and fuel this industry, while ultimately

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creating a sustainable restitution model for survivors.

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And this has to be key in order for this,

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type of program to be successful.

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The other thing that I want to note is that there is language that is within this ordinance.

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That is not my preferred language.

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It uses, you know, prostituted persons.

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It's my preferred language to use exploited persons. But,

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we have to conform to language per the California Penal Code.

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Otherwise we risk the, we risk preemption.

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And so I just want to acknowledge the language

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that is being used within this ordinance.

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Some context.

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Oakland is consistently among the top three cities in California.

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Is a hotspot for human trafficking.

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This is noted, in by the FBI

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and other national studies.

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As it relates to our use here, a couple of things.

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First.

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As noted in the video, there's a clear connection

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between a history of child abuse, including child

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sexual abuse, as well as, being, foster youth.

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You can see there that more than 55% of trafficking victims are

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or were foster youth. And so ultimately, what we're talking about

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is the exploitation of some of our young people

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who have suffered, the most horrific, abuses.

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And, this is why they're

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particularly vulnerable to being exploited,

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because all they've known is an abusive dynamic.

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

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In Alameda County, there's been, screenings

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that have done by, child providers.

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So 15, 8% of screened youth show

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clear signs of commercial sex exploitation.

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That is actually double the California average.

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It cannot not be stated that, this is an issue

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that disproportionately impacts black girls and women.

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Even though black residents are 20% of Oakland, black women

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and girls represent 61% of the recovered victims.

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And as you can see here

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right now, because it's this is an underground market.

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Whatever we're seeing in the OPD data,

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we're seeing far more, if not,

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00:15:14,801 --> 00:15:18,368
just far more numbers in the

260
00:15:18,368 --> 00:15:20,902
the youth that are screened by these child providers.

261
00:15:20,902 --> 00:15:22,969
But that still does not capture it.

262
00:15:22,969 --> 00:15:26,968
So, 900 youth in the county have been identified, but

263
00:15:26,968 --> 00:15:28,702
that number still understates

264
00:15:28,702 --> 00:15:31,935
how many youth that we have here in Oakland.

265
00:15:31,935 --> 00:15:34,302
That are showing signs of exploitation.

266
00:15:34,302 --> 00:15:38,335
I will note, too, that we hear all the time from whether it's

267
00:15:38,335 --> 00:15:42,435
principals of schools that we see traffickers literally

268
00:15:42,435 --> 00:15:45,200
circling our high schools and our middle schools

269
00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,201
looking for, again, a vulnerable young person

270
00:15:48,201 --> 00:15:50,435
that is disconnected from family,

271
00:15:50,435 --> 00:15:55,835
in order to pick them up into this trade.

272
00:15:56,134 --> 00:15:59,969
So I am, privileged to represent district two,

273
00:15:59,969 --> 00:16:03,969
but within district two is the blade.

274
00:16:03,969 --> 00:16:07,969
There are not just within district two, however,

275
00:16:07,969 --> 00:16:11,201
commercial sex exploitation happening in our streets.

276
00:16:11,201 --> 00:16:14,201
But in particular, this problem.

277
00:16:14,668 --> 00:16:16,502
And it was discussed in the video is happening here on the blade.

278
00:16:16,502 --> 00:16:19,602
And I want to discuss some of the characteristics.

279
00:16:19,602 --> 00:16:22,801
This is a community that has high levels

280
00:16:22,801 --> 00:16:24,368
of concentrated poverty.

281
00:16:24,368 --> 00:16:27,134
It's also a community that is, predominantly

282
00:16:27,134 --> 00:16:29,435
it's working class people, people of color.

283
00:16:29,435 --> 00:16:30,869
You can see that,

284
00:16:30,869 --> 00:16:34,968
in these maps that are shown that in the top left corner,

285
00:16:34,968 --> 00:16:36,168
there is the purple

286
00:16:36,168 --> 00:16:38,368
is where there's predominant Asian communities.

287
00:16:38,368 --> 00:16:42,235
In the middle slide is, you see, black residents throughout.

288
00:16:42,235 --> 00:16:43,568
And then you can see in the right slide

289
00:16:43,568 --> 00:16:45,350
that there's a high concentration

290
00:16:45,350 --> 00:16:48,668
of Latino communities on the right side of the blade.

291
00:16:48,668 --> 00:16:51,767
And it's just it's these families are fed up

292
00:16:51,767 --> 00:16:53,468
with this problem, frankly.

293
00:16:53,468 --> 00:16:55,268
You can also see that

294
00:16:55,268 --> 00:16:57,802
there are several elementary schools

295
00:16:57,802 --> 00:16:59,902
and middle schools that are along this corridor.

296
00:16:59,902 --> 00:17:03,435
And so these families regularly see this activity.

297
00:17:03,435 --> 00:17:06,602
It is essentially grooming this next generation

298
00:17:06,602 --> 00:17:08,435
of young people to normalize this.

299
00:17:08,435 --> 00:17:10,201
And it is not normal.

300
00:17:10,201 --> 00:17:12,201
The other thing I want to note is that

301
00:17:12,201 --> 00:17:15,680
if you walk along this blade,

302
00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,680
you can see

303
00:17:17,102 --> 00:17:20,690
when you go to a convenience store now, 1 or 2 of the convenience stores

304
00:17:20,690 --> 00:17:24,268
on each of these blocks is essentially selling lingerie.

305
00:17:24,268 --> 00:17:26,468
It's it's catering to this market.

306
00:17:26,468 --> 00:17:30,702
It's these convenience stores no longer sell grocery store,

307
00:17:30,702 --> 00:17:33,435
you know, market chips, things like that, that you would often

308
00:17:33,435 --> 00:17:35,768
find in a convenience store. It is. Absolutely.

309
00:17:35,768 --> 00:17:40,268
Now, a part of the profit that you get as running

310
00:17:40,268 --> 00:17:41,168
a convenience store.

311
00:17:41,168 --> 00:17:43,568
Councilmember Wong, I apologize.

312
00:17:43,602 --> 00:17:44,768
Your ten minutes has elapsed.

313
00:17:44,768 --> 00:17:47,535
Would for four minutes be okay? Yes. Thank you.

314
00:17:47,535 --> 00:17:49,268
I'll quicken this up.

315
00:17:49,268 --> 00:17:52,268
Okay. So why this legislation?

316
00:17:52,870 --> 00:17:56,100
First of all, as I mentioned, this is about one part of this is targeting demand.

317
00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:59,468
Part of why we need to target demand

318
00:17:59,468 --> 00:18:02,134
is because it is it is it

319
00:18:02,134 --> 00:18:04,268
there are challenges with targeting,

320
00:18:04,268 --> 00:18:06,401
the pimps as mentioned in the videos.

321
00:18:06,401 --> 00:18:10,101
And ultimately we will be here every single year discussing

322
00:18:10,101 --> 00:18:12,350
how do we provide services to victims

323
00:18:12,350 --> 00:18:15,350
when we don't ultimately address the source.

324
00:18:15,350 --> 00:18:17,969
The other thing is that this relies on administrative fines,

325
00:18:17,969 --> 00:18:21,169
or the same way that we have fines for illegal dumping.

326
00:18:21,169 --> 00:18:24,168
This is going to add another form of accountability

327
00:18:24,168 --> 00:18:26,690
that is faster and more certain

328
00:18:26,690 --> 00:18:29,802
than just relying on the criminal justice system alone.

329
00:18:29,802 --> 00:18:30,935
The other thing I want to mention

330
00:18:30,935 --> 00:18:33,901
is that this is also about conforming to,

331
00:18:33,901 --> 00:18:35,401
recent state law updates.

332
00:18:35,401 --> 00:18:38,768
So my colleagues, you might have some questions around,

333
00:18:38,768 --> 00:18:41,902
some of the significant updates in this ordinance.

334
00:18:41,902 --> 00:18:44,735
I'll tell you that sections A through D

335
00:18:44,735 --> 00:18:47,902
are essentially just, conforming to that state law.

336
00:18:47,902 --> 00:18:51,535
And in fact, if we, edit make edits to that,

337
00:18:51,535 --> 00:18:56,335
that we run the risk of preemption again.

338
00:18:57,435 --> 00:19:01,569
Okay. A little bit about, the expired demand.

339
00:19:01,569 --> 00:19:05,134
As you can see here that studies show that these are predominantly upperclassmen.

340
00:19:05,134 --> 00:19:07,635
Recent arrest data that comes from OPD.

341
00:19:07,635 --> 00:19:10,401
70% of those sex buyers are actually residents

342
00:19:10,401 --> 00:19:13,268
outside of Oakland commuting in from the suburbs.

343
00:19:13,268 --> 00:19:16,168
And so clearly, Oakland has got a name

344
00:19:16,168 --> 00:19:20,968
for basically serving this wider East Bay market.

345
00:19:20,969 --> 00:19:24,350
And so, here's in some some of the amendments.

346
00:19:24,350 --> 00:19:28,200
So again, this is mostly a page that explains, confirming

347
00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,702
or conforming, excuse me, to the state penal code.

348
00:19:31,702 --> 00:19:34,602
So and it also reflects some updates at the state level

349
00:19:34,602 --> 00:19:37,602
that distinguishes between prostituted persons

350
00:19:37,702 --> 00:19:40,101
and the victims, as well as the sex purchasers.

351
00:19:40,101 --> 00:19:43,101
It also includes, updates on,

352
00:19:43,468 --> 00:19:46,102
you know, what does it mean to, to,

353
00:19:46,102 --> 00:19:49,101
you know, the behaviors indicated of purchasing,

354
00:19:49,101 --> 00:19:53,100
trying to purchase someone for, for sex.

355
00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:54,268
This is really the heart of what

356
00:19:54,268 --> 00:19:56,435
the legislation is attempting to do.

357
00:19:56,435 --> 00:20:00,169
So these are penalties for buyers and traffickers as well

358
00:20:00,169 --> 00:20:03,935
as, property owners that help facilitate these sites.

359
00:20:03,935 --> 00:20:07,169
As you can see, the penalties is for sex

360
00:20:07,169 --> 00:20:11,502
purchasers, sex purchasers up to $4,000 for the first offense.

361
00:20:11,502 --> 00:20:15,702
And then with every subsequent offense that goes up to $8,000.

362
00:20:15,702 --> 00:20:19,302
For traffickers, this is up to $10,000

363
00:20:19,402 --> 00:20:22,169
for the first offense, and then every subsequent offense goes up to $20,000.

364
00:20:22,169 --> 00:20:26,368
And, each offense is noted as per victim per day.

365
00:20:26,368 --> 00:20:28,680
And these fines are then tripled

366
00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:29,969
for anything involving a minor.

367
00:20:29,969 --> 00:20:33,869
And just some context in terms of how these fines were defined.

368
00:20:33,869 --> 00:20:36,567
In short, they were designed to be,

369
00:20:36,567 --> 00:20:38,368
to, to be maximized,

370
00:20:38,368 --> 00:20:40,835
but in a way that would not be challenged in court.

371
00:20:40,835 --> 00:20:44,368
And we also have fines for property owners as well as,

372
00:20:44,368 --> 00:20:47,368
business proprietors that, facilitate this,

373
00:20:48,468 --> 00:20:51,668
with a fine of $2,500 per day.

374
00:20:51,668 --> 00:20:52,835
I also want to note that there's

375
00:20:52,835 --> 00:20:54,667
an affirmative defense provision in here.

376
00:20:54,667 --> 00:20:58,267
So anyone who was, you know,

377
00:20:59,802 --> 00:21:03,568
say guilty of some of these, these crimes,

378
00:21:03,568 --> 00:21:05,535
but they were a victim of sex trafficking at the time,

379
00:21:05,535 --> 00:21:09,135
would have an affirmative defense provision.

380
00:21:09,468 --> 00:21:12,869
This is really key here for the success of this.

381
00:21:12,869 --> 00:21:15,502
This is the restorative justice core of the ordinance.

382
00:21:15,502 --> 00:21:18,200
100% of the fines will be collected

383
00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,502
and deposited into a restricted special funds.

384
00:21:20,502 --> 00:21:22,668
This is how this differs from other fines

385
00:21:22,668 --> 00:21:26,503
that we have that typically go into our general fund.

386
00:21:26,503 --> 00:21:29,668
So really, because we've heard over and over again from the, local

387
00:21:29,668 --> 00:21:30,968
service providers here in Oakland,

388
00:21:30,968 --> 00:21:32,934
is that there is not enough funding.

389
00:21:32,934 --> 00:21:34,768
They are so challenged with meeting

390
00:21:34,768 --> 00:21:37,535
the extensive needs here in Oakland.

391
00:21:37,535 --> 00:21:41,268
This will ensure that it is our local providers,

392
00:21:41,268 --> 00:21:43,768
our local nonprofits, that can get the funding

393
00:21:43,768 --> 00:21:45,435
to provide such important services

394
00:21:45,435 --> 00:21:48,602
such as housing, mental health services, training,

395
00:21:48,602 --> 00:21:53,402
a job training, legal support and street outreach.

396
00:21:54,969 --> 00:21:57,834
Some notes on fiscal impact and enforcement.

397
00:21:57,834 --> 00:21:59,702
The projected revenue here,

398
00:21:59,702 --> 00:22:02,368
based off of current solicitation trends,

399
00:22:02,368 --> 00:22:04,768
would be 250,000 to 450,000 annually.

400
00:22:05,735 --> 00:22:08,934
I will say that in January, within two weeks, OPD

401
00:22:08,934 --> 00:22:12,368
has done, 20 arrests of sex buyers.

402
00:22:12,368 --> 00:22:14,435
Right now, since we don't have this in place,

403
00:22:14,435 --> 00:22:17,767
we don't have a way to then, enforce that with a fine

404
00:22:17,767 --> 00:22:21,367
that goes back to to survivors.

405
00:22:22,301 --> 00:22:25,435
And in conclusion, I ask my colleagues

406
00:22:25,435 --> 00:22:29,350
that we pass this with urgency because every day that,

407
00:22:29,350 --> 00:22:33,101
we don't, pass this, that especially with the Super Bowl

408
00:22:33,101 --> 00:22:34,401
and the World Cup coming up.

409
00:22:34,401 --> 00:22:37,834
And these are events that are so associated with,

410
00:22:37,834 --> 00:22:39,134
surges of human trafficking.

411
00:22:39,134 --> 00:22:40,768
We also lose the opportunity

412
00:22:40,768 --> 00:22:43,169
to implement this important enforcement model

413
00:22:43,169 --> 00:22:46,134
that can, again, channel much needed funds back to

414
00:22:46,134 --> 00:22:48,134
survivor services.

415
00:22:51,768 --> 00:22:53,702
Okay. I'll take questions.

416
00:22:53,702 --> 00:22:55,801
Thank you so much, Councilmember Bong.

417
00:22:55,801 --> 00:22:57,801
Colleagues questions.

418
00:22:57,801 --> 00:22:59,801
And Councilmember Unger.

419
00:22:59,834 --> 00:23:02,234
Councilmember Brown and Unger.

420
00:23:02,667 --> 00:23:03,635
Excellent.

421
00:23:03,635 --> 00:23:05,835
Thank you so much, Councilmember

422
00:23:05,835 --> 00:23:10,350
Hwang, for, your leadership on this item.

423
00:23:10,336 --> 00:23:13,200
Where are you going? To share out the amendments that we made as well.

424
00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,802
Or did you would you like me to highlight them?

425
00:23:15,802 --> 00:23:18,201
Yeah, absolutely. So, very quickly, in public safety,

426
00:23:18,201 --> 00:23:19,802
a couple of amendments were discussed,

427
00:23:19,802 --> 00:23:22,368
and they're now included at the package before you today.

428
00:23:22,368 --> 00:23:26,690
So first, there's an amendment that includes also

429
00:23:26,690 --> 00:23:30,601
the business proprietors and that $2,500 per day fine.

430
00:23:30,601 --> 00:23:31,701
The other thing

431
00:23:31,701 --> 00:23:32,634
that I want to mention is

432
00:23:32,634 --> 00:23:33,835
we do think that it's,

433
00:23:33,835 --> 00:23:35,401
as discussed, it's really important to

434
00:23:35,401 --> 00:23:37,301
do some tracking around the data

435
00:23:37,301 --> 00:23:41,350
to make sure that this is a fine or a this is a,

436
00:23:41,350 --> 00:23:43,535
this is a citation that is enforced equitably.

437
00:23:43,535 --> 00:23:47,335
And so we can track, not only the enforcement side of things.

438
00:23:47,335 --> 00:23:49,268
So, who is being arrested?

439
00:23:49,268 --> 00:23:50,335
Who is being cited?

440
00:23:50,335 --> 00:23:52,101
But on the other side of things,

441
00:23:52,101 --> 00:23:54,100
how are we going to fund these services?

442
00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:55,235
And are the services

443
00:23:55,235 --> 00:23:59,101
making an impact, especially to help people exit?

444
00:23:59,101 --> 00:24:00,335
I want to note that,

445
00:24:00,335 --> 00:24:05,134
for example, in San Francisco study that 85 to 95%

446
00:24:05,134 --> 00:24:06,335
of the sex workers

447
00:24:06,335 --> 00:24:08,902
that were surveyed wanted to exit,

448
00:24:08,902 --> 00:24:10,902
but they needed the support to do so.

449
00:24:10,902 --> 00:24:16,902
And that is exactly what this is designed to do.

450
00:24:17,168 --> 00:24:18,134
Excellent.

451
00:24:18,134 --> 00:24:19,969
Thank you so much for sharing that.

452
00:24:19,969 --> 00:24:23,635
I, I just know that, you know, during public safety,

453
00:24:23,635 --> 00:24:27,935
we heard so many stories, from community members

454
00:24:27,935 --> 00:24:31,969
that were impacted by this and just really,

455
00:24:31,969 --> 00:24:34,134
you know, applauding your leadership on this.

456
00:24:34,134 --> 00:24:35,368
I also want to thank you for that.

457
00:24:35,368 --> 00:24:37,368
As well. And,

458
00:24:39,102 --> 00:24:42,935
look forward to supporting and seeing the report

459
00:24:42,935 --> 00:24:46,502
that will come back to the council in about six months.

460
00:24:46,502 --> 00:24:48,902
I believe it is. Yeah. And that's right.

461
00:24:48,902 --> 00:24:52,535
And then also in the supplemental, it states

462
00:24:52,535 --> 00:24:56,502
there will be a community impact in equity review as well,

463
00:24:56,502 --> 00:24:58,169
just to ensure that

464
00:24:58,169 --> 00:25:02,668
as a result of this legislation, there are no, you know, we're

465
00:25:02,668 --> 00:25:06,602
keeping an eye out on any unintended consequences as well.

466
00:25:06,602 --> 00:25:10,202
So thank you. Content out there.

467
00:25:10,335 --> 00:25:12,690
This is excellent.

468
00:25:12,690 --> 00:25:13,468
Thank you. I want to make sure that the money is spent

469
00:25:13,468 --> 00:25:14,668
in the most impactful way.

470
00:25:14,668 --> 00:25:17,535
How do we decide how that money gets allocated?

471
00:25:17,535 --> 00:25:18,734
Yeah, that's a great question.

472
00:25:18,734 --> 00:25:20,702
So, this month,

473
00:25:20,702 --> 00:25:23,368
I will be working with Doctor Joshi on two things.

474
00:25:23,368 --> 00:25:25,468
Will actually be doing a focus group.

475
00:25:25,468 --> 00:25:26,502
We have a partnership

476
00:25:26,502 --> 00:25:29,202
also with the Oakland Fund for innovation.

477
00:25:29,202 --> 00:25:31,969
So we're actually going to be doing a focus group with current

478
00:25:31,969 --> 00:25:35,169
workers, on the blade to hear feedback from them.

479
00:25:35,169 --> 00:25:38,168
And then we're also going to convene, many of the current

480
00:25:38,168 --> 00:25:41,768
service providers to, to figure out what exactly is

481
00:25:41,768 --> 00:25:44,902
the type of service that would that is most critically needed.

482
00:25:44,902 --> 00:25:47,668
I will say that I am of the opinion, given that

483
00:25:47,668 --> 00:25:51,868
the fines could be anywhere from, say,

484
00:25:51,935 --> 00:25:53,735
you know, if a pessimistic estimate

485
00:25:53,735 --> 00:25:57,134
would be $100,000 to generating to, say, $1 million,

486
00:25:57,134 --> 00:26:00,134
that we need to plan for several scenarios.

487
00:26:00,134 --> 00:26:01,668
And I think,

488
00:26:01,668 --> 00:26:05,201
what would be really important in my opinion, is to fund out

489
00:26:05,201 --> 00:26:07,401
like street outreach, especially for people

490
00:26:07,401 --> 00:26:08,702
that are trusted by the

491
00:26:08,702 --> 00:26:11,168
the women and girls that are currently on the blade.

492
00:26:11,168 --> 00:26:12,435
And to help them plan

493
00:26:12,435 --> 00:26:15,302
like exit planning, similar to domestic violence or,

494
00:26:15,302 --> 00:26:19,101
survivors who need over a months long process to figure out

495
00:26:19,101 --> 00:26:22,701
how to plan their life ahead.

496
00:26:22,735 --> 00:26:24,301
Yeah, that that's all fantastic.

497
00:26:24,301 --> 00:26:26,702
I just want to, like, know what the process is like.

498
00:26:26,702 --> 00:26:29,368
Will we be doing an RFP for a provider?

499
00:26:29,368 --> 00:26:31,968
Will, is there a board that decides how the money is spent?

500
00:26:31,968 --> 00:26:34,400
Does DVP decide? Is OPD decide?

501
00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:35,634
Yeah.

502
00:26:35,634 --> 00:26:37,100
Most likely.

503
00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:38,902
And again, this is still in development.

504
00:26:38,902 --> 00:26:43,668
DVP will be issuing, an RFP or mini RFP, especially since

505
00:26:43,668 --> 00:26:47,401
the funding is continuously appropriated instead of,

506
00:26:47,401 --> 00:26:50,401
yeah, over one, one time.

507
00:26:52,568 --> 00:26:55,568
Yes. Councilmember Firestone, Councilmember Gail.

508
00:26:56,635 --> 00:27:00,535
Yeah, I want to also, applaud your leadership on this item.

509
00:27:00,535 --> 00:27:03,435
I hate that I wasn't able to be at the Public Safety

510
00:27:03,435 --> 00:27:07,269
Committee meeting, but in our public safety prep,

511
00:27:07,269 --> 00:27:12,690
that the discussion that we had about bringing the report back,

512
00:27:12,690 --> 00:27:14,834
I'm glad that you actually spent some time thinking about that.

513
00:27:14,834 --> 00:27:16,834
So, happy that,

514
00:27:18,502 --> 00:27:19,802
that is happening.

515
00:27:19,802 --> 00:27:21,802
And I also just wanted to lift up

516
00:27:21,802 --> 00:27:24,802
Doctor Joshi from that, documentary

517
00:27:25,335 --> 00:27:27,835
that was shown and her continued work in this process.

518
00:27:27,835 --> 00:27:31,835
She has many, many years in the field, lots of expertise,

519
00:27:31,835 --> 00:27:34,802
and I'm happy that you're working in partnership with her

520
00:27:34,802 --> 00:27:37,200
and continuing the work that council member bass

521
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,535
and many others were doing, and I just see this elevating

522
00:27:40,535 --> 00:27:43,502
and moving us forward in terms of enforcement.

523
00:27:43,502 --> 00:27:45,368
And so my question is,

524
00:27:45,368 --> 00:27:48,435
will there need to be additional staff resources

525
00:27:48,435 --> 00:27:49,668
in different departments

526
00:27:49,668 --> 00:27:53,868
to ensure that enforcement actually happens? And,

527
00:27:54,701 --> 00:27:57,701
what might that look like?

528
00:27:57,969 --> 00:28:01,368
Yeah, it should not. So, and Lieutenant Campos, I would invite him to come up,

529
00:28:01,368 --> 00:28:05,535
but, right now, how this will be enforced is,

530
00:28:05,535 --> 00:28:10,135
Lieutenant Campos, who heads up the vice operations unit, is,

531
00:28:10,135 --> 00:28:12,902
going to be a key part of the implementation of this.

532
00:28:12,902 --> 00:28:14,535
He's going to be training further more,

533
00:28:14,535 --> 00:28:16,435
the patrol officers in area three.

534
00:28:16,435 --> 00:28:19,969
And so it will essentially take the existing set of law

535
00:28:19,969 --> 00:28:23,568
enforcement resources in order to enforce this.

536
00:28:23,568 --> 00:28:26,201
They will be trade on how to issue these citations.

537
00:28:26,201 --> 00:28:30,502
And so, it should not add any it should not require

538
00:28:30,502 --> 00:28:34,702
additional staff in order to implement this.

539
00:28:36,435 --> 00:28:39,435
Councilmember Garcia, then Councilmember Houston.

540
00:28:39,634 --> 00:28:41,467
Yes. Thank you.

541
00:28:41,467 --> 00:28:41,968
Am I on?

542
00:28:41,968 --> 00:28:43,968
Thank you.

543
00:28:44,401 --> 00:28:46,635
You know, I appreciate you bringing up this item,

544
00:28:46,635 --> 00:28:49,101
but at the end of the day, it comes up.

545
00:28:49,101 --> 00:28:51,335
It's about enforcement, all right?

546
00:28:51,335 --> 00:28:53,340
I grew up here in Oakland and East Oakland

547
00:28:53,340 --> 00:28:55,368
and certainly have seen it all my lifetime.

548
00:28:55,368 --> 00:28:57,535
I still remember there was prostitution.

549
00:28:57,535 --> 00:29:00,350
Used to be on Telegraph and Broadway

550
00:29:00,350 --> 00:29:03,702
and but yeah, they got kicked out or moved to the Fruitvale.

551
00:29:03,702 --> 00:29:08,200
I kicked out of the Fruitvale through the FBI that I had.

552
00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,168
The FBI came and pushed the the activity out of my area.

553
00:29:12,168 --> 00:29:14,568
And then wound up in your district,

554
00:29:14,568 --> 00:29:17,435
the other side of 23rd Avenue on the international.

555
00:29:17,435 --> 00:29:21,902
So the bottom line it has to do with enforcement.

556
00:29:21,902 --> 00:29:23,435
You know, I've been I've been on the right along at four in the morning,

557
00:29:23,435 --> 00:29:25,768
five in the morning with the police.

558
00:29:25,768 --> 00:29:27,634
Who do you see picking up the girls,

559
00:29:27,634 --> 00:29:29,268
the guys going to work

560
00:29:29,268 --> 00:29:31,680
and their pickup trucks before they go to work.

561
00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:32,668
They picked up the young ladies.

562
00:29:32,668 --> 00:29:34,468
Five in the morning, six in the morning.

563
00:29:34,468 --> 00:29:35,535
We all see that.

564
00:29:35,535 --> 00:29:37,935
We all acknowledge that.

565
00:29:38,702 --> 00:29:41,868
But is that the end of the day is what does our police department

566
00:29:41,868 --> 00:29:44,169
do to enforce the law?

567
00:29:44,169 --> 00:29:47,768
One of the reasons we for historical Mister Hazard,

568
00:29:47,768 --> 00:29:50,568
we backed up because goes to a couple of the officers

569
00:29:50,568 --> 00:29:53,768
got involved with the girls on the street

570
00:29:53,768 --> 00:29:56,168
and that stopped a lot of the backup.

571
00:29:56,168 --> 00:29:57,602
Went to court, lost.

572
00:29:57,602 --> 00:29:59,934
Well, we all know what happened.

573
00:29:59,934 --> 00:30:02,869
So but the bottom line is

574
00:30:02,869 --> 00:30:05,602
I was working before you came on board

575
00:30:05,602 --> 00:30:08,602
with your district to push the prostitution

576
00:30:08,602 --> 00:30:11,969
out of that district, because they were around Saint

577
00:30:11,969 --> 00:30:17,369
Anthony's School, Saint Anthony's Church, which closed.

578
00:30:17,870 --> 00:30:20,268
Right. So the girls so the mom and dad would come to drop off their children,

579
00:30:20,268 --> 00:30:22,350
whether it be rubbers and needles

580
00:30:22,350 --> 00:30:26,135
all in the parking lot and the activity at night time.

581
00:30:26,135 --> 00:30:30,468
So but what happened there as an example for the public,

582
00:30:30,468 --> 00:30:35,135
the FBI was going to join once again, the city of Oakland

583
00:30:35,135 --> 00:30:38,735
to remove the prostitution, illegal trafficking.

584
00:30:39,202 --> 00:30:42,401
But some of the neighbors and some of the and the church

585
00:30:42,401 --> 00:30:47,835
did not want to locate cameras to capture the activity.

586
00:30:47,835 --> 00:30:50,868
And therefore the FBI says, well, unless I have something

587
00:30:50,868 --> 00:30:53,868
to document what's going on.

588
00:30:53,868 --> 00:30:56,502
And the FBI pulled out,

589
00:30:56,502 --> 00:30:59,535
arrest of the FBI is a key

590
00:30:59,535 --> 00:31:01,902
law enforcement because they do this

591
00:31:01,902 --> 00:31:06,102
federally, nationally, and not just in Oakland.

592
00:31:07,369 --> 00:31:09,768
So I think we need to get them involved, because at the end of the day,

593
00:31:09,768 --> 00:31:11,568
I mean, this has been going on daily,

594
00:31:11,568 --> 00:31:14,201
nightly, and I don't see our law enforcement,

595
00:31:14,201 --> 00:31:16,667
including the sheriff, enforcing it.

596
00:31:16,667 --> 00:31:17,767
We all see it.

597
00:31:17,767 --> 00:31:19,535
You see it, I see it.

598
00:31:19,535 --> 00:31:21,502
Everyone here sees it.

599
00:31:21,502 --> 00:31:24,235
But we have to enforce the laws

600
00:31:24,235 --> 00:31:27,235
because I was there when we made arrest

601
00:31:27,235 --> 00:31:31,350
and the individuals were not from Oakland.

602
00:31:31,350 --> 00:31:32,602
Yeah, right. And the only thing that we

603
00:31:32,602 --> 00:31:35,601
used to do that if I caught you on the street,

604
00:31:35,601 --> 00:31:37,201
I get a check, chain.

605
00:31:37,201 --> 00:31:40,102
I, you know, I could take your car from.

606
00:31:40,102 --> 00:31:42,400
You can have a lot of explaining to your wife what happened

607
00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:44,235
to your car.

608
00:31:44,235 --> 00:31:45,568
And so therefore.

609
00:31:45,568 --> 00:31:48,567
But it's all comes down to enforcement,

610
00:31:48,567 --> 00:31:49,568
and I don't disagree.

611
00:31:49,568 --> 00:31:50,869
Council member. Congressman.

612
00:31:50,869 --> 00:31:54,401
And you got to get the FBI involved

613
00:31:54,401 --> 00:31:57,902
to be able to make a difference when it comes to this issue.

614
00:31:57,902 --> 00:32:00,235
And so thank you for the information.

615
00:32:00,235 --> 00:32:01,468
But we got to get a law

616
00:32:01,468 --> 00:32:05,602
enforcement's I as a taxpayer, I'm looking for

617
00:32:05,602 --> 00:32:07,368
to enforce the laws that I have.

618
00:32:07,368 --> 00:32:08,768
And that's what Oakland right now

619
00:32:08,768 --> 00:32:12,602
is being challenged from one end of the city to the other.

620
00:32:12,602 --> 00:32:14,100
Yeah. No, I don't disagree.

621
00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:16,680
So that's why it's got to be included.

622
00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:17,735
Otherwise we're doing more policy,

623
00:32:17,735 --> 00:32:21,168
more talking, and more feel sorry and making excuses.

624
00:32:21,168 --> 00:32:22,201
I want to clear up something.

625
00:32:22,201 --> 00:32:24,100
So this is not intended to sort of

626
00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:26,202
downgrade the penalties on sex buyers.

627
00:32:26,202 --> 00:32:30,468
I will invite Lieutenant Campos to, talk on stage in terms

628
00:32:30,468 --> 00:32:32,767
of how he currently coordinates with FBI.

629
00:32:32,767 --> 00:32:34,268
I don't disagree at all.

630
00:32:34,268 --> 00:32:37,535
I will say that what we're seeing, though, is that,

631
00:32:37,535 --> 00:32:40,735
in the last two years, 51 people were charged

632
00:32:40,735 --> 00:32:43,767
or were arrested actually for purchasing sex.

633
00:32:43,767 --> 00:32:46,167
Only one was charged.

634
00:32:46,401 --> 00:32:48,435
And so part of what's key about this legislation

635
00:32:48,435 --> 00:32:51,102
is that it actually ensures accountability.

636
00:32:51,102 --> 00:32:54,168
And so because that is so often what happens with victims

637
00:32:54,168 --> 00:32:56,934
of sexual crimes, of sexual violence, is that

638
00:32:56,934 --> 00:32:58,268
it's very black and white.

639
00:32:58,268 --> 00:33:01,200
We rely on the criminal justice system alone,

640
00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,935
and then people don't get any restitution whatsoever.

641
00:33:03,935 --> 00:33:08,702
And so this is designed to fill that middle gap when,

642
00:33:08,702 --> 00:33:11,368
the the DA's office does not have the resources,

643
00:33:11,368 --> 00:33:14,767
what, for whatever reason, to make that charge.

644
00:33:14,767 --> 00:33:16,601
I hope that makes sense.

645
00:33:16,601 --> 00:33:18,401
Yeah,

646
00:33:18,401 --> 00:33:20,401
absolutely. Simple.

647
00:33:22,402 --> 00:33:25,201
Okay. 2 or 3 years ago, the girls were being flown into the Oakland airport.

648
00:33:25,201 --> 00:33:26,702
There were flown in.

649
00:33:26,702 --> 00:33:29,350
Come do your thing. Then they fly back out.

650
00:33:29,350 --> 00:33:31,690
And that's why you see the sheriff's department

651
00:33:31,690 --> 00:33:36,435
at the Oakland airport on a daily basis, day in, night out.

652
00:33:36,435 --> 00:33:38,869
To stop that behavior at the Oakland airport,

653
00:33:38,869 --> 00:33:40,568
the sheriff department stepped forward

654
00:33:40,568 --> 00:33:42,235
through the district attorney

655
00:33:42,235 --> 00:33:43,902
to make sure they had the contract

656
00:33:43,902 --> 00:33:49,804
with the airport to stop that activity out of that area.

657
00:33:49,804 --> 00:33:51,801
No problem. Thank you. Lieutenant Campos, you want to talk about the coordination with the FBI right now?

658
00:33:51,801 --> 00:33:54,201
Just, good afternoon, everyone.

659
00:33:56,236 --> 00:33:59,468
Marcos Campos, lieutenant of police, in charge of the Special Victims section,

660
00:33:59,468 --> 00:34:01,869
directly in charge of the human trafficking device.

661
00:34:01,869 --> 00:34:04,834
Narcotics. Sorry, vice child exploitation team.

662
00:34:04,834 --> 00:34:07,834
We no longer have narcotics.

663
00:34:08,169 --> 00:34:10,868
I've been the sergeant lieutenant for the last ten

664
00:34:10,868 --> 00:34:12,268
years.

665
00:34:12,268 --> 00:34:15,801
We've been in partnership with Agent Marty Parker,

666
00:34:15,801 --> 00:34:18,100
for the last 26 years.

667
00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:20,602
She has served in the FBI for 27.

668
00:34:20,602 --> 00:34:24,835
So during 26 years, she was in partnership with OPD

669
00:34:24,835 --> 00:34:28,968
as far back as when it was two officers in the vice unit.

670
00:34:28,968 --> 00:34:31,368
She we currently have,

671
00:34:31,435 --> 00:34:33,834
one sergeant and four investigators

672
00:34:33,834 --> 00:34:35,869
assigned to the vice unit.

673
00:34:35,869 --> 00:34:40,702
We currently have a project called the Blade Project, where,

674
00:34:40,702 --> 00:34:43,401
with the FBI, we've coordinated our efforts

675
00:34:43,401 --> 00:34:47,135
for some of the most violent, human trafficking suspects

676
00:34:47,135 --> 00:34:50,568
in the city of Oakland, or people coming to Oakland,

677
00:34:50,568 --> 00:34:54,467
where, we had two successful prosecutions federally,

678
00:34:54,467 --> 00:34:55,801
last year.

679
00:34:55,801 --> 00:34:58,401
So, to my knowledge, the FBI,

680
00:34:58,401 --> 00:35:01,680
for the last 26, has continued their partnership.

681
00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:03,340
Now, they may have changed,

682
00:35:03,340 --> 00:35:05,202
some certain aspects may have changed,

683
00:35:05,202 --> 00:35:08,535
but they've continued to have their partnership with us.

684
00:35:08,535 --> 00:35:12,335
And if I could just touch briefly on the Senate bill.

685
00:35:12,335 --> 00:35:14,335
653 .22

686
00:35:15,702 --> 00:35:19,335
oh, that was authored by, I think is Senator Scott Wiener.

687
00:35:19,335 --> 00:35:22,935
Several years ago, that took away the law of loitering,

688
00:35:22,935 --> 00:35:25,801
for the purposes of prostitution, which included

689
00:35:25,801 --> 00:35:27,568
sex workers.

690
00:35:27,568 --> 00:35:30,735
Several years ago, that was repealed.

691
00:35:30,735 --> 00:35:36,135
And now January 1st, 2026, we have the new law, 653

692
00:35:36,135 --> 00:35:41,680
.25, which is loitering for the purposes of commercial sex.

693
00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,668
At the beginning of the year,

694
00:35:44,767 --> 00:35:45,869
we began line up

695
00:35:45,869 --> 00:35:49,201
training with all of the patrol officers.

696
00:35:49,201 --> 00:35:52,468
We did a, a training portal,

697
00:35:52,468 --> 00:35:55,668
training for all the patrol officers, and now the vice unit,

698
00:35:55,668 --> 00:35:57,435
they're going out in the streets

699
00:35:57,435 --> 00:36:00,568
in the uniform capacity with these officers to make sure

700
00:36:00,568 --> 00:36:04,168
they're properly addressing and conducting,

701
00:36:04,568 --> 00:36:06,401
constitutional policing

702
00:36:06,401 --> 00:36:09,635
when it comes to this and to this enforcement action.

703
00:36:09,635 --> 00:36:14,435
As of this year, we've had 37 arrests during vice operations.

704
00:36:14,435 --> 00:36:16,335
24 of those subjects

705
00:36:16,335 --> 00:36:17,902
were outside of the city of Oakland

706
00:36:17,902 --> 00:36:19,901
from outside of the city of Oakland.

707
00:36:19,901 --> 00:36:21,101
And it's showing dividends

708
00:36:21,101 --> 00:36:24,502
because the patrol officers on their own,

709
00:36:24,502 --> 00:36:27,502
accounted for an additional 15, arrests,

710
00:36:29,401 --> 00:36:31,401
for six, 3 to 5,

711
00:36:31,502 --> 00:36:33,502
and that had to do hand in hand with the training.

712
00:36:33,502 --> 00:36:36,368
So we hope that's a multiplier of,

713
00:36:36,368 --> 00:36:39,602
proper and constitutional policing for the correct

714
00:36:39,602 --> 00:36:42,200
observations and training that we're providing them.

715
00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:46,268
So they'll be able to make these arrests or be able to address,

716
00:36:46,268 --> 00:36:48,200
these concerns.

717
00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,502
This model of us arresting the jaunes, is not a new model.

718
00:36:52,502 --> 00:36:54,468
It's just we haven't been able to do it in the past.

719
00:36:54,468 --> 00:36:57,802
I think the new law and this new ordinance,

720
00:36:57,802 --> 00:37:02,535
enables the police department to adjust, our strategies

721
00:37:02,535 --> 00:37:06,735
and our plan to remove the demand.

722
00:37:07,668 --> 00:37:10,401
And, I'd like to add that, actually.

723
00:37:10,401 --> 00:37:12,768
And I want to actually thank you, Council member Geier,

724
00:37:12,768 --> 00:37:14,668
because during the budget discussions,

725
00:37:14,668 --> 00:37:16,835
it was actually in part your voice

726
00:37:16,835 --> 00:37:20,301
that led to the budget team that was, chaired

727
00:37:20,301 --> 00:37:22,635
by Councilmember Ramachandran and Councilmember

728
00:37:22,635 --> 00:37:24,268
Brown and Councilmember Unger

729
00:37:24,268 --> 00:37:27,702
and I sat on that, that we actually,

730
00:37:27,702 --> 00:37:32,502
one of our amendments was $700,000 per year for,

731
00:37:32,568 --> 00:37:37,869
Lieutenant Campos to carry out those OPD headed vice

732
00:37:37,869 --> 00:37:41,168
unit operations. But this is really designed this ordinance is to ensure

733
00:37:41,168 --> 00:37:44,168
that it maximizes that funding.

734
00:37:44,635 --> 00:37:48,168
So that way, again, when only one out of 51 buyers

735
00:37:48,168 --> 00:37:49,568
ultimately gets charged,

736
00:37:49,568 --> 00:37:53,768
that there are still consequences and consequences

737
00:37:53,869 --> 00:37:59,401
that ultimately fund the exit services that are so desperately needed.

738
00:37:59,401 --> 00:38:02,690
And I will note this that in,

739
00:38:02,690 --> 00:38:05,502
the Nordic model has shown actually great decreases.

740
00:38:05,502 --> 00:38:08,935
This is the end demand model has shown great success, is

741
00:38:08,935 --> 00:38:14,567
actually in decreasing the level of, open air sex trafficking.

742
00:38:14,567 --> 00:38:16,567
Just one.

743
00:38:16,735 --> 00:38:19,102
And again, for me, this is a real key.

744
00:38:19,102 --> 00:38:23,969
And I you know, this has been going on for hundreds of years.

745
00:38:23,969 --> 00:38:26,535
All right. And it affects each one of us is sitting around in this room.

746
00:38:26,535 --> 00:38:28,835
So the other one is an example.

747
00:38:28,835 --> 00:38:31,268
And I'm glad law enforcement is here.

748
00:38:31,268 --> 00:38:32,435
It's not about what we say.

749
00:38:32,435 --> 00:38:34,935
It's what we do.

750
00:38:34,935 --> 00:38:37,235
All right. And enforcement is to increase

751
00:38:37,235 --> 00:38:40,201
around pushback on the street needs to happen.

752
00:38:40,201 --> 00:38:41,735
So is an example.

753
00:38:41,735 --> 00:38:46,602
A week ago I got a call from one of the mothers in San Diego,

754
00:38:46,602 --> 00:38:50,568
and her daughter was been over here doing prostitution.

755
00:38:50,568 --> 00:38:53,802
And she she's what, 18, 20 years old.

756
00:38:53,802 --> 00:38:55,935
But she got killed on our street.

757
00:38:55,935 --> 00:39:00,350
Somebody shot and killed her on the street.

758
00:39:00,350 --> 00:39:01,935
And she's. So the mom's calling, crying to me,

759
00:39:01,935 --> 00:39:04,735
saying that the police never responded to her

760
00:39:04,735 --> 00:39:07,602
in terms of who did the shooting and killing.

761
00:39:07,602 --> 00:39:11,502
And so we're looking to, And she's asking for assistance.

762
00:39:11,502 --> 00:39:15,502
And it's an example of mom and dad suffering pain, that price.

763
00:39:15,502 --> 00:39:17,968
And yet we're not responding as a city

764
00:39:17,968 --> 00:39:20,468
in terms of trying to address,

765
00:39:20,468 --> 00:39:23,535
this as an example, this mom, this in San Diego.

766
00:39:23,535 --> 00:39:24,702
But I'll share that with you

767
00:39:24,702 --> 00:39:27,368
so you can help with the follow up.

768
00:39:27,368 --> 00:39:29,680
Thank you. Thank you. Council member

769
00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:30,801
through the chair.

770
00:39:30,801 --> 00:39:33,201
Thank you. Council member Wang.

771
00:39:33,201 --> 00:39:34,801
I moved it to city.

772
00:39:34,801 --> 00:39:36,602
The public safety

773
00:39:36,602 --> 00:39:40,235
and my concern is that, I'm echo mayor council members here.

774
00:39:40,235 --> 00:39:41,502
This is embarrassing.

775
00:39:41,502 --> 00:39:43,668
I'm glad you brought this back up. Is embarrassing.

776
00:39:43,668 --> 00:39:45,602
Has been going on for 50 years.

777
00:39:45,602 --> 00:39:48,268
As long as I know was only one pho.

778
00:39:48,268 --> 00:39:49,568
Then it went to San Pablo.

779
00:39:49,568 --> 00:39:52,335
Did it in your district? My thing is this.

780
00:39:52,335 --> 00:39:53,969
I'm kind of saying similar, but.

781
00:39:53,969 --> 00:39:56,968
Council member, I'm Noel guy said the rest.

782
00:39:56,968 --> 00:39:58,568
We need to,

783
00:39:58,568 --> 00:40:02,568
arrest and and prosecute to the full extent of the law

784
00:40:02,568 --> 00:40:09,168
and where we have the shame, the shame campaign, you know,

785
00:40:09,269 --> 00:40:12,835
these guys are coming. And where did they get the percentage of 70%

786
00:40:12,835 --> 00:40:16,602
from outsiders? I like to find out, Officer Campos, where do we get that?

787
00:40:16,602 --> 00:40:19,368
70% of them from the outside.

788
00:40:19,368 --> 00:40:22,901
And then 20 of those buyers that you said you got

789
00:40:22,901 --> 00:40:23,534
where they from?

790
00:40:23,534 --> 00:40:25,534
Outside also,

791
00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:29,869
so year to date, just through January,

792
00:40:29,869 --> 00:40:33,901
the percentage prior to me coming to this meeting,

793
00:40:33,901 --> 00:40:35,535
it was 30 arrests.

794
00:40:35,535 --> 00:40:38,201
And that's when we had 70% of the arrests

795
00:40:38,201 --> 00:40:40,340
were from outside of Oakland.

796
00:40:40,340 --> 00:40:44,201
And then as of the end of January,

797
00:40:44,201 --> 00:40:47,201
the numbers have shifted to, 65%

798
00:40:47,401 --> 00:40:51,100
and 35% being from City of Oakland.

799
00:40:52,302 --> 00:40:54,435
Okay. Thank you. And through the chair, how are we dealing with this

800
00:40:54,435 --> 00:40:57,635
in this on transportation, on public transportation

801
00:40:57,635 --> 00:41:01,568
when it comes to the airport, the bus, how is that being

802
00:41:01,568 --> 00:41:05,134
transported here? How are we addressing that?

803
00:41:05,134 --> 00:41:05,834
Do you want to.

804
00:41:05,834 --> 00:41:07,200
Because that's huge.

805
00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:09,350
I mean, how did girls get in here? Right.

806
00:41:09,350 --> 00:41:11,168
How are they getting here? How are they being transported?

807
00:41:11,168 --> 00:41:13,101
Are we addressing that on public?

808
00:41:13,101 --> 00:41:15,101
Public transportation?

809
00:41:17,350 --> 00:41:20,535
So there are obviously national campaigns,

810
00:41:20,535 --> 00:41:24,668
to help educate everyone with human trafficking.

811
00:41:24,668 --> 00:41:27,535
There are the the banners are in the airport.

812
00:41:27,535 --> 00:41:30,535
We do partner with our,

813
00:41:32,301 --> 00:41:35,301
the, our national crisis line.

814
00:41:35,302 --> 00:41:38,202
And we, the Oakland Police Department does receive a lot of these,

815
00:41:38,202 --> 00:41:42,802
national, hotline tips in which someone is being trafficked,

816
00:41:42,802 --> 00:41:45,535
whether it's in public transportation settings,

817
00:41:45,535 --> 00:41:47,535
whether it's in an airport.

818
00:41:47,535 --> 00:41:54,536
We have received and follow up, on those calls in the past.

819
00:41:54,536 --> 00:41:57,236
Thank you. So my last thing is this. These young ladies, these boys and girls are victims.

820
00:41:57,236 --> 00:42:00,200
They are victims. We should go after those buyers. Period.

821
00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,268
And I moved it. I'll move it this time off.

822
00:42:02,268 --> 00:42:05,702
And I just wanted to mention that I have convened

823
00:42:05,702 --> 00:42:07,768
a working group, actually with AC transit.

824
00:42:07,768 --> 00:42:09,768
So we met just last month to discuss

825
00:42:09,768 --> 00:42:12,868
exactly that coordination between public transit,

826
00:42:12,868 --> 00:42:14,268
and the city of Oakland

827
00:42:14,268 --> 00:42:16,767
in terms of addressing the human trafficking problem.

828
00:42:16,767 --> 00:42:19,368
So the last thing before

829
00:42:19,368 --> 00:42:21,868
Nancy O'Malley left, we were talking about this

830
00:42:21,868 --> 00:42:23,435
transportation piece as a piece.

831
00:42:23,435 --> 00:42:25,668
I'll work with you on that. That had already started.

832
00:42:25,668 --> 00:42:27,802
We could kick it back up. Yes. That's right. But thank you.

833
00:42:27,802 --> 00:42:30,701
Thank you. Because you're you are also on the AC transit.

834
00:42:30,701 --> 00:42:32,268
You're one of the liaisons.

835
00:42:32,268 --> 00:42:33,834
Thank you, thank you.

836
00:42:33,834 --> 00:42:35,568
Just a couple of comments.

837
00:42:35,568 --> 00:42:39,802
Firstly, I very much appreciate the effort that you're taking.

838
00:42:39,802 --> 00:42:43,401
And I don't think there's anyone around here

839
00:42:43,401 --> 00:42:47,901
that will deny the importance of doing what we can to pursue.

840
00:42:47,901 --> 00:42:50,301
Addressing that demand side.

841
00:42:50,767 --> 00:42:52,668
My question is about

842
00:42:52,668 --> 00:42:56,202
how this legislation interacts with and intersects with an

843
00:42:56,202 --> 00:43:00,767
existing criminal investigation because these are civil fines.

844
00:43:00,767 --> 00:43:02,767
But you referenced

845
00:43:02,768 --> 00:43:06,102
you referenced a point that I, I'm curious about that.

846
00:43:06,102 --> 00:43:11,302
52 people were arrested last year, but only one was charged.

847
00:43:11,302 --> 00:43:14,101
How do you think that these civil penalties might change that equation?

848
00:43:14,101 --> 00:43:15,235
Yeah, absolutely.

849
00:43:15,235 --> 00:43:18,667
And so I brought this up during public safety.

850
00:43:18,667 --> 00:43:19,735
But it will work similar

851
00:43:19,735 --> 00:43:21,935
to how our illegal dumping fines work

852
00:43:21,935 --> 00:43:24,435
where there's actually a misdemeanor provision

853
00:43:24,435 --> 00:43:26,690
and there's also municipal fines.

854
00:43:26,690 --> 00:43:29,702
So it's it's really going to be an either or so.

855
00:43:29,702 --> 00:43:32,869
Lieutenant Campos, if you'd like to comment,

856
00:43:32,869 --> 00:43:35,468
he's free to do so. But essentially, after the Da makes a decision

857
00:43:35,468 --> 00:43:36,969
not to charge the city,

858
00:43:36,969 --> 00:43:41,168
then can take this up to then pursue essentially the fines.

859
00:43:41,168 --> 00:43:45,668
So it's going to be an either or.

860
00:43:45,668 --> 00:43:48,869
Thank you. So if the city pursues well

861
00:43:48,869 --> 00:43:51,235
the misdemeanor aspect of it, if the D.A.

862
00:43:51,235 --> 00:43:53,634
declines to pursue that, then the city will.

863
00:43:53,634 --> 00:43:56,340
Fine. But. Right. Okay.

864
00:43:56,435 --> 00:43:59,401
And what were the conversations with the DA's office

865
00:43:59,401 --> 00:44:01,468
like around this? Yes.

866
00:44:01,468 --> 00:44:03,668
So the DA's office is supportive of this,

867
00:44:03,668 --> 00:44:05,101
and they've been part of this,

868
00:44:05,101 --> 00:44:06,969
human trafficking task force that I chair.

869
00:44:06,969 --> 00:44:09,969
So, they're supportive of this, and they'll be working with us

870
00:44:09,969 --> 00:44:15,969
to ensure that, again, my my goal is not to downgrade the,

871
00:44:15,969 --> 00:44:18,534
the the penalties, the extent of the penalties

872
00:44:18,534 --> 00:44:19,801
on the sex buyers.

873
00:44:19,801 --> 00:44:20,935
But the intent is, again,

874
00:44:20,935 --> 00:44:23,935
to just ensure consistent accountability.

875
00:44:26,134 --> 00:44:28,335
Thank you. And then the last thing is,

876
00:44:28,335 --> 00:44:31,368
I'm, I figure you've been in touch with the state as well.

877
00:44:31,368 --> 00:44:33,768
And civil enforcement from that side.

878
00:44:33,768 --> 00:44:37,468
Do they currently do operations in the city of Oakland,

879
00:44:37,468 --> 00:44:41,668
and how might that intersect with this?

880
00:44:42,536 --> 00:44:46,568
You want to comment on the state and federal enforcement, but both of those sides,

881
00:44:46,568 --> 00:44:50,468
we have one federal agent assigned to us in our MOU.

882
00:44:50,468 --> 00:44:53,690
As far as state enforcement,

883
00:44:53,690 --> 00:44:55,968
at CHP has conducted high visibility enforcement,

884
00:44:55,968 --> 00:44:57,235
but they have not been part

885
00:44:57,235 --> 00:45:01,268
of the base operations or the strategic plan on,

886
00:45:01,268 --> 00:45:03,668
enforcing against, the demand.

887
00:45:04,235 --> 00:45:05,435
Thank you all.

888
00:45:05,435 --> 00:45:07,200
So I will welcome my colleagues

889
00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:09,568
to help me advocate, because we I certainly reached out

890
00:45:09,568 --> 00:45:12,768
to the FBI office in San Francisco and anyways,

891
00:45:12,768 --> 00:45:16,102
I didn't find them to be as, helpful as I'd like them

892
00:45:16,102 --> 00:45:21,735
to be to get more resources to support our city.

893
00:45:21,735 --> 00:45:23,568
Definitely. Councilmember Brown. Excellent.

894
00:45:23,568 --> 00:45:26,702
And I just wanted to make one last comment around,

895
00:45:26,702 --> 00:45:28,568
what Councilmember Houston brought up around

896
00:45:28,568 --> 00:45:31,835
like, the transportation piece and just really emphasized that,

897
00:45:31,835 --> 00:45:35,635
you know, this is kind of like one step of many more to come.

898
00:45:35,635 --> 00:45:38,168
And I know, Councilmember Wong, you've been,

899
00:45:38,168 --> 00:45:40,502
working, alongside AC transit.

900
00:45:40,502 --> 00:45:43,101
And I know one of the things potentially to come

901
00:45:43,101 --> 00:45:45,768
is around like a letter of support

902
00:45:45,768 --> 00:45:47,935
from the city to get access to the camera footage

903
00:45:47,935 --> 00:45:50,340
that you've been working on as well.

904
00:45:50,340 --> 00:45:51,635
And so potentially that could be one

905
00:45:51,635 --> 00:45:53,368
of the next steps, because I know that

906
00:45:53,368 --> 00:45:55,102
both of those things kind of go

907
00:45:55,102 --> 00:45:59,401
hand in hand in really assuring, ensuring accountability,

908
00:45:59,401 --> 00:46:03,100
and that we're also protecting the young women that,

909
00:46:03,100 --> 00:46:06,100
unfortunately, are impacted by this.

910
00:46:06,350 --> 00:46:08,602
Right. Yes. And that's exactly the topic that we discussed at the,

911
00:46:08,602 --> 00:46:11,602
working group meeting last month.

912
00:46:11,734 --> 00:46:13,468
Thank you.

913
00:46:13,468 --> 00:46:15,768
We can move to public comments.

914
00:46:15,768 --> 00:46:21,168
However, there is a motion from Councilmember Houston. And,

915
00:46:21,435 --> 00:46:25,201
if Councilmember Wong wants to second that,

916
00:46:25,201 --> 00:46:26,101
I will second that.

917
00:46:26,101 --> 00:46:28,101
Okay. Councilmember five

918
00:46:28,134 --> 00:46:31,235
I have heard a number of comments

919
00:46:31,235 --> 00:46:33,735
made tonight from my colleagues,

920
00:46:33,735 --> 00:46:37,335
and I fully agree with accountability,

921
00:46:37,401 --> 00:46:40,568
but something that Council member Gail said

922
00:46:40,568 --> 00:46:42,269
really sat with me.

923
00:46:42,269 --> 00:46:46,702
And that was the engagement of the Oakland Police Department

924
00:46:46,702 --> 00:46:49,702
and trafficking and underage girl,

925
00:46:50,435 --> 00:46:54,501
that we all know happened between 2015 and 2016.

926
00:46:54,501 --> 00:46:56,301
And with,

927
00:46:56,301 --> 00:46:59,535
sex trafficking and abuse of minors happening

928
00:46:59,535 --> 00:47:01,535
at the highest level of government

929
00:47:01,535 --> 00:47:05,135
right now, and the Executive office,

930
00:47:05,268 --> 00:47:07,835
it's not surprising to me that you're not

931
00:47:07,835 --> 00:47:12,200
getting support from Trump's FBI in San Francisco.

932
00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:16,200
That said, if we're talking about accountability

933
00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:20,602
and people in positions of power, what does the city do

934
00:47:20,602 --> 00:47:23,869
when or if, hopefully we won't experience

935
00:47:23,869 --> 00:47:26,869
what we experienced in 20 2015 and 2016

936
00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:29,468
with 28 law enforcement officers

937
00:47:31,401 --> 00:47:35,100
involved in trafficking and underage girl.

938
00:47:35,401 --> 00:47:37,801
But if we do.

939
00:47:38,768 --> 00:47:41,767
How do we hold city staff accountable?

940
00:47:41,767 --> 00:47:44,167
And who does that?

941
00:47:47,302 --> 00:47:50,690
And maybe that's a question for our city attorney,

942
00:47:50,690 --> 00:47:52,635
because if we're talking about civil penalties,

943
00:47:52,635 --> 00:47:56,602
I know that out of the 28 law enforcement officers

944
00:47:56,602 --> 00:47:58,668
that were involved in this sex scandal

945
00:47:58,668 --> 00:48:02,268
that made national news, national news.

946
00:48:03,802 --> 00:48:07,201
14 were from the city of Oakland.

947
00:48:07,201 --> 00:48:09,468
From what I understand, 11

948
00:48:09,468 --> 00:48:11,868
had some type of,

949
00:48:12,468 --> 00:48:15,468
accountability internally to the city.

950
00:48:15,603 --> 00:48:17,702
I don't know what happened to the other three, and maybe my numbers are off,

951
00:48:17,702 --> 00:48:23,435
but that would mean that we as a body or perhaps,

952
00:48:23,435 --> 00:48:25,835
the city attorney's office, the city administrator.

953
00:48:25,835 --> 00:48:28,935
I want to understand with those individuals also

954
00:48:28,935 --> 00:48:33,735
be liable for civil penalties under this, legislation.

955
00:48:34,102 --> 00:48:37,869
They would be because they were sex buyers, in essence.

956
00:48:37,869 --> 00:48:39,301
Right. And so no person,

957
00:48:39,301 --> 00:48:40,902
regardless of their law enforcement

958
00:48:40,902 --> 00:48:43,168
status, should be given special privileges.

959
00:48:43,168 --> 00:48:46,168
And what happened was abhorrent.

960
00:48:46,902 --> 00:48:55,302
And no one should be abusing their power the way that that that happened.

961
00:48:55,803 --> 00:48:59,468
Thank you, Councilmember Gail. Yes, madam chairperson, I'm going to have to excuse myself.

962
00:48:59,468 --> 00:49:03,802
At 430, the mayor, mayor Lee, had called a public safety

963
00:49:03,802 --> 00:49:06,368
meeting at the Fruitvale Transit Village,

964
00:49:06,368 --> 00:49:08,535
and I have to be there joining her.

965
00:49:08,535 --> 00:49:10,802
And that that meeting starts at 430.

966
00:49:10,802 --> 00:49:14,368
But you have, my full support and moving forward

967
00:49:14,368 --> 00:49:17,680
with this action. Thank you. Thank you,

968
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:18,735
thank you, Councilmember Gail.

969
00:49:18,735 --> 00:49:22,469
And we can move to public comment

970
00:49:22,469 --> 00:49:23,869
as I carry name. Please approach the podium in the order.

971
00:49:23,869 --> 00:49:26,435
Please state your name for the record before beginning.

972
00:49:26,435 --> 00:49:27,802
If you are participating via

973
00:49:27,802 --> 00:49:31,502
zoom, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you.

974
00:49:31,502 --> 00:49:32,635
And the chair is.

975
00:49:32,635 --> 00:49:35,934
Give me two minutes for this item.

976
00:49:35,934 --> 00:49:37,340
Janet.

977
00:49:37,340 --> 00:49:39,340
Jet king no.

978
00:49:40,235 --> 00:49:42,235
Okay. Vanessa Russell,

979
00:49:43,201 --> 00:49:45,601
Albert Bernal, Zach there.

980
00:49:46,968 --> 00:49:48,968
Amber Johnson,

981
00:49:50,201 --> 00:49:52,100
Davina.

982
00:49:52,100 --> 00:49:53,968
Cara. Lou.

983
00:49:53,968 --> 00:49:55,235
Carol. Lola.

984
00:49:55,235 --> 00:49:55,868
Megan.

985
00:49:55,868 --> 00:49:57,868
Scotto.

986
00:49:58,734 --> 00:49:59,335
Mrs.. Ida.

987
00:49:59,335 --> 00:50:00,467
Ola. Bala.

988
00:50:00,467 --> 00:50:01,680
Brianna.

989
00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:01,667
Katrina.

990
00:50:01,667 --> 00:50:03,667
Price.

991
00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:07,680
Mr.. Hazard.

992
00:50:07,101 --> 00:50:09,101
Wesley. Merkaba.

993
00:50:09,467 --> 00:50:11,467
Lynn. Truong,

994
00:50:11,734 --> 00:50:12,268
Annabelle.

995
00:50:12,268 --> 00:50:14,268
Velasquez,

996
00:50:14,901 --> 00:50:16,901
Edwin.

997
00:50:17,334 --> 00:50:18,101
Twan.

998
00:50:18,101 --> 00:50:20,101
Wynn, Vinnie.

999
00:50:20,235 --> 00:50:22,235
Nguyen.

1000
00:50:23,301 --> 00:50:24,680
Lynn.

1001
00:50:24,680 --> 00:50:26,467
That's a duplicate sponsor.

1002
00:50:26,467 --> 00:50:28,467
Ticket.

1003
00:50:29,634 --> 00:50:31,634
Jennifer. Tai.

1004
00:50:32,100 --> 00:50:32,567
Chin.

1005
00:50:32,567 --> 00:50:34,567
Wynn.

1006
00:50:34,667 --> 00:50:35,134
Jennifer.

1007
00:50:35,134 --> 00:50:37,134
Tran,

1008
00:50:37,667 --> 00:50:40,667
Amor de bras or adv

1009
00:50:40,734 --> 00:50:43,134
Yin Finn to latte.

1010
00:50:43,301 --> 00:50:46,301
In any order, please approach the podium in any order.

1011
00:50:46,301 --> 00:50:48,601
Please approach the podium

1012
00:50:48,601 --> 00:50:49,335
in any order.

1013
00:50:49,335 --> 00:50:51,200
Please approach the podium

1014
00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:54,835
and your time will be shown on the screen behind me.

1015
00:50:54,835 --> 00:50:58,435
Good afternoon, members of Safety Committee.

1016
00:50:58,769 --> 00:51:02,201
My name is Janet Jet. I grew up in Oakland and I am a long time Oakland resident.

1017
00:51:02,201 --> 00:51:04,602
I also work for Love Never Fails,

1018
00:51:04,602 --> 00:51:05,835
which you guys already know.

1019
00:51:05,835 --> 00:51:09,336
If love never fails, some of my colleagues are here

1020
00:51:09,336 --> 00:51:11,969
today. In the late 1980s, I worked at Oakland Hospital

1021
00:51:11,969 --> 00:51:15,835
on East 14th, now international on 27th Avenue.

1022
00:51:15,835 --> 00:51:17,934
I saw girls walk by the pharmacy.

1023
00:51:17,934 --> 00:51:19,335
When I arrived at work,

1024
00:51:19,335 --> 00:51:21,935
I was not aware they were victims.

1025
00:51:21,935 --> 00:51:26,169
It was unclear to me why they were out there.

1026
00:51:26,169 --> 00:51:29,301
They were fully clothed. The reality of trafficking was not widely understood,

1027
00:51:29,301 --> 00:51:30,869
at least not by me.

1028
00:51:30,869 --> 00:51:33,767
Today, because of my work with Love Never Fails,

1029
00:51:33,767 --> 00:51:35,401
I see the devastating impact

1030
00:51:35,401 --> 00:51:39,435
of commercial sexual exploitation of minors, children

1031
00:51:39,435 --> 00:51:42,969
whose lives are shattered by violence and demand.

1032
00:51:42,969 --> 00:51:46,736
Buyers come from other cities, other counties

1033
00:51:46,736 --> 00:51:49,435
and even other states. They come here to exploit our babies and then leave.

1034
00:51:49,435 --> 00:51:52,435
While Oakland bears the trauma.

1035
00:51:53,169 --> 00:51:56,350
That is why I am here to urge you to support

1036
00:51:56,350 --> 00:52:00,235
Council Member Charlene Wang and this ordinance.

1037
00:52:00,902 --> 00:52:03,835
This matters. You can send the message that Oakland will not be used

1038
00:52:03,835 --> 00:52:07,568
as a hunting ground for those who commit evil.

1039
00:52:07,568 --> 00:52:10,235
This council can be courageous to stand and protect

1040
00:52:10,235 --> 00:52:12,168
the children, victims and families.

1041
00:52:12,168 --> 00:52:13,835
Oakland is my beloved city.

1042
00:52:13,835 --> 00:52:16,701
Oakland is resilient and worth defending.

1043
00:52:16,701 --> 00:52:19,701
Oakland is home for my.

1044
00:52:20,202 --> 00:52:21,935
For many years, I have believed and prayed that God would open

1045
00:52:21,935 --> 00:52:24,268
heaven over Oakland and bring change

1046
00:52:24,268 --> 00:52:25,702
and people from everywhere

1047
00:52:25,702 --> 00:52:29,435
will ask how it happened and God will receive the glory.

1048
00:52:29,435 --> 00:52:32,101
By supporting this ordinance, you have the opportunity

1049
00:52:32,101 --> 00:52:33,968
to be part of a meaningful change.

1050
00:52:33,968 --> 00:52:35,968
Thank you.

1051
00:52:42,502 --> 00:52:45,100
My name is Ken Nook.

1052
00:52:45,100 --> 00:52:46,502
I work with Love Never Fails.

1053
00:52:46,502 --> 00:52:48,268
As the outreach coordinator,

1054
00:52:48,268 --> 00:52:51,201
I go on the blade every week with our team,

1055
00:52:51,201 --> 00:52:54,969
loving on these women that are being trafficked.

1056
00:52:54,969 --> 00:52:58,835
I wanted to say that this is not going to change

1057
00:52:58,835 --> 00:53:02,100
or solve the trafficking on the blade,

1058
00:53:02,100 --> 00:53:06,336
but this is going to add a hindrance.

1059
00:53:06,336 --> 00:53:10,134
Out of two years, 53 arrests, there is only one charge,

1060
00:53:10,134 --> 00:53:14,334
meaning they got off practically scot free,

1061
00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:16,400
he said.

1062
00:53:16,503 --> 00:53:21,235
The lieutenant said there's already been 37 arrests in the month of January.

1063
00:53:21,235 --> 00:53:23,235
So with this

1064
00:53:23,801 --> 00:53:25,602
for them to be charged,

1065
00:53:25,602 --> 00:53:28,734
the hope is for the people coming out of Oakland

1066
00:53:28,734 --> 00:53:30,335
knowing that our laws aren't

1067
00:53:30,335 --> 00:53:32,802
complete, that they can get away with this.

1068
00:53:32,802 --> 00:53:35,535
If they are even go up to the car,

1069
00:53:35,535 --> 00:53:39,135
they will be charged that $4,000 fine.

1070
00:53:39,301 --> 00:53:42,200
Again, I say it's not going to change or it's

1071
00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:45,902
not going to solve this problem, but it will add a hindrance.

1072
00:53:45,902 --> 00:53:49,567
What will help even more is to not to make it a misdemeanor.

1073
00:53:49,567 --> 00:53:51,567
To buy sex.

1074
00:53:51,568 --> 00:53:53,768
It will help when it's a felony.

1075
00:53:53,768 --> 00:53:56,368
And so I say that today, not just for you,

1076
00:53:56,368 --> 00:53:59,168
but in hopes of California changing that to make

1077
00:53:59,168 --> 00:54:02,567
it a felony to buy sex.

1078
00:54:02,567 --> 00:54:04,567
Thank you.

1079
00:54:09,301 --> 00:54:10,969
Good afternoon councilmembers.

1080
00:54:10,969 --> 00:54:13,100
My name is Albert Brunel, and I'm here to advocate

1081
00:54:13,100 --> 00:54:15,301
for the young girls we love never fails.

1082
00:54:15,301 --> 00:54:17,335
And the young girls who are still

1083
00:54:17,335 --> 00:54:21,680
being exploited right now as we speak.

1084
00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:22,602
These girls,

1085
00:54:22,602 --> 00:54:26,235
we have come directly from International Boulevard.

1086
00:54:26,235 --> 00:54:28,235
They are survivors of human trafficking.

1087
00:54:28,235 --> 00:54:31,168
I know their names. I know their stories.

1088
00:54:31,168 --> 00:54:32,767
I know their trauma.

1089
00:54:32,767 --> 00:54:35,167
They are not statistics.

1090
00:54:35,235 --> 00:54:38,667
They are deeply traumatized, among the most vulnerable

1091
00:54:38,667 --> 00:54:40,667
in our community.

1092
00:54:41,636 --> 00:54:45,350
Some of these girls were literally chained up for seven months or more.

1093
00:54:45,350 --> 00:54:48,601
They were groomed by trafficker traffickers who exploited

1094
00:54:48,601 --> 00:54:50,101
their vulnerability.

1095
00:54:50,101 --> 00:54:52,501
Many are still children.

1096
00:54:53,168 --> 00:54:55,168
Many are fatherless.

1097
00:54:55,368 --> 00:54:59,735
Many, many had no one to protect them when the abuse began.

1098
00:54:59,735 --> 00:55:02,680
These girls are our daughters,

1099
00:55:02,680 --> 00:55:05,680
our sisters and our granddaughters.

1100
00:55:06,503 --> 00:55:09,235
And for many of them, no one came to pick them up or stand in the gap.

1101
00:55:09,235 --> 00:55:12,235
Buyers deep in that absence,

1102
00:55:13,235 --> 00:55:15,767
buyers deepened on that absence.

1103
00:55:15,767 --> 00:55:18,680
Demand keeps the system alive.

1104
00:55:18,680 --> 00:55:20,602
We must protect the vulnerable.

1105
00:55:20,602 --> 00:55:23,602
We must protect the vulnerable.

1106
00:55:24,135 --> 00:55:27,834
We must protect the vulnerable by holding buyers accountable.

1107
00:55:27,834 --> 00:55:29,668
Eliminating demand

1108
00:55:29,668 --> 00:55:33,468
directly disrupts the supply of trafficked youth.

1109
00:55:33,468 --> 00:55:37,680
Protecting the vulnerable is not optional.

1110
00:55:37,702 --> 00:55:39,802
It is our moral responsibility.

1111
00:55:39,802 --> 00:55:43,235
As a community, I'm asking you to stand in the gap

1112
00:55:43,235 --> 00:55:46,501
and protect the vulnerable by going after the man.

1113
00:55:46,501 --> 00:55:48,501
Thank you.

1114
00:55:56,169 --> 00:55:58,702
Good afternoon. My name is Amber Johnson, and I'm the grant manager

1115
00:55:58,702 --> 00:56:00,602
for the Human Trafficking prevention

1116
00:56:00,602 --> 00:56:03,802
Grant for Oakland Unified School District.

1117
00:56:03,802 --> 00:56:05,968
Our grant is dedicated to prevention,

1118
00:56:05,968 --> 00:56:08,368
training all secondary staff,

1119
00:56:08,401 --> 00:56:10,869
providing age appropriate prevention education

1120
00:56:10,869 --> 00:56:13,350
for students, and equipping youth

1121
00:56:13,350 --> 00:56:16,235
serving staff to recognize and respond to trafficking

1122
00:56:16,235 --> 00:56:18,235
and exploitation. Human

1123
00:56:18,301 --> 00:56:22,336
trafficking touches students in every secondary school.

1124
00:56:22,336 --> 00:56:25,969
I'm not aware of a single school that hasn't been touched.

1125
00:56:25,969 --> 00:56:29,201
To give you a concrete example of what effective prevention

1126
00:56:29,201 --> 00:56:30,535
could look like,

1127
00:56:30,535 --> 00:56:32,635
earlier last year, I was asked to consult

1128
00:56:32,635 --> 00:56:35,435
with a school concerning a 13 year old girl

1129
00:56:35,435 --> 00:56:38,468
showing early signs of grooming that were recognized

1130
00:56:38,468 --> 00:56:40,301
because of the training.

1131
00:56:40,301 --> 00:56:43,268
Her family was in the middle of medical crisis, and adult

1132
00:56:43,268 --> 00:56:46,268
supervision, understandably, had been reduced

1133
00:56:46,468 --> 00:56:47,802
because the school was trained

1134
00:56:47,802 --> 00:56:49,835
to recognize signs they acted early,

1135
00:56:49,835 --> 00:56:52,602
but identification alone is not enough.

1136
00:56:52,602 --> 00:56:54,702
We were able to reach out to a community partner

1137
00:56:54,702 --> 00:56:57,268
with expertise and capacity to respond.

1138
00:56:57,268 --> 00:56:59,802
A trained staff member met with the student on campus

1139
00:56:59,802 --> 00:57:03,335
alongside her trusted adult and a school social worker.

1140
00:57:03,335 --> 00:57:04,735
Rather than interrogating

1141
00:57:04,735 --> 00:57:06,768
or alarming her, the nonprofit engaged her

1142
00:57:06,768 --> 00:57:08,969
in a conversation about her interests,

1143
00:57:08,969 --> 00:57:12,635
her talents, and a paid ensure internship opportunity

1144
00:57:12,635 --> 00:57:14,301
in their afterschool program.

1145
00:57:14,301 --> 00:57:16,401
That very day the met.

1146
00:57:16,401 --> 00:57:18,269
That moment mattered.

1147
00:57:18,269 --> 00:57:21,934
When we identify risk early before exploitation escalates,

1148
00:57:21,934 --> 00:57:23,101
and when there are partners

1149
00:57:23,101 --> 00:57:25,768
with the bandwidth and expertise to step in,

1150
00:57:25,768 --> 00:57:29,201
we change trajectories and we change lives.

1151
00:57:29,201 --> 00:57:31,602
Schools are ground zero for identification,

1152
00:57:31,602 --> 00:57:34,702
but schools are mandated to teach.

1153
00:57:34,702 --> 00:57:39,169
Even with all we do to support student health and safety,

1154
00:57:39,169 --> 00:57:42,340
we cannot provide the specialized, long term, trauma informed services

1155
00:57:42,340 --> 00:57:43,969
these young people need.

1156
00:57:43,969 --> 00:57:46,200
This bill matters because it strengthens

1157
00:57:46,200 --> 00:57:50,502
the systems around our children, directing funds into survivor

1158
00:57:50,502 --> 00:57:54,902
services and prevention ensures that when a school identifies

1159
00:57:54,902 --> 00:58:00,302
a young person at risk, there's an effect.

1160
00:58:06,335 --> 00:58:08,268
Hello, my name is Anabel Velasquez.

1161
00:58:08,268 --> 00:58:10,680
I am a survivor of human trafficking,

1162
00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:12,435
sexual assault, and domestic violence.

1163
00:58:12,435 --> 00:58:15,368
Thank you to everyone who voted to move this ordinance forward.

1164
00:58:15,368 --> 00:58:16,869
That vote mattered

1165
00:58:16,869 --> 00:58:18,802
not just on paper, but in real life,

1166
00:58:18,802 --> 00:58:20,602
because these current laws have been

1167
00:58:20,602 --> 00:58:24,401
deciding who gets protected and who keeps getting ignored.

1168
00:58:24,401 --> 00:58:26,200
I'm not here speaking in theory.

1169
00:58:26,200 --> 00:58:28,735
I'm here because I was once the same age as the victims.

1170
00:58:28,735 --> 00:58:32,101
As I as I now seen being exploited on these streets,

1171
00:58:32,101 --> 00:58:35,201
I survived exploitation, I survived violence,

1172
00:58:35,201 --> 00:58:37,535
and I survived a system that statistically,

1173
00:58:37,535 --> 00:58:39,735
I was never supposed to make it out of.

1174
00:58:39,735 --> 00:58:43,535
So when I look at these victims minors, vulnerable adults, kids

1175
00:58:43,535 --> 00:58:45,435
in foster care, people without homes,

1176
00:58:45,435 --> 00:58:47,134
I don't see choices.

1177
00:58:47,134 --> 00:58:48,535
I see myself

1178
00:58:48,535 --> 00:58:52,368
and I see exactly what happens when demand is left unchecked.

1179
00:58:52,368 --> 00:58:55,634
And let me be clear, this ordinance is a game changer

1180
00:58:55,634 --> 00:58:56,802
for Oakland.

1181
00:58:56,802 --> 00:58:59,801
The way I see this from survivor standpoint,

1182
00:58:59,801 --> 00:59:02,801
this ordinance builds on AB 379.

1183
00:59:03,201 --> 00:59:06,568
It disrupts the demand, it holds buyers accountable,

1184
00:59:06,568 --> 00:59:09,335
and it creates real funding for survivor services

1185
00:59:09,335 --> 00:59:12,201
without arresting the people being exploited.

1186
00:59:12,201 --> 00:59:14,200
I know that there's opposition,

1187
00:59:14,200 --> 00:59:16,868
but some people will say victims chose this life.

1188
00:59:16,868 --> 00:59:18,235
I didn't choose violence.

1189
00:59:18,235 --> 00:59:20,401
I didn't choose coercion, addiction,

1190
00:59:20,401 --> 00:59:23,168
homelessness or survival. I chose survival.

1191
00:59:23,168 --> 00:59:25,668
But some will say this will also increase crime.

1192
00:59:25,668 --> 00:59:28,468
But criminalizing victims has never made us safer.

1193
00:59:28,468 --> 00:59:32,101
It's only made traffickers richer and survivors quieter.

1194
00:59:32,101 --> 00:59:33,901
This matters for public safety.

1195
00:59:33,901 --> 00:59:35,168
It's in the name.

1196
00:59:35,168 --> 00:59:38,350
It matters for vulnerable youth.

1197
00:59:38,350 --> 00:59:40,301
And every day that there is a delay, another victim becomes is just

1198
00:59:40,301 --> 00:59:41,568
a statistic.

1199
00:59:41,568 --> 00:59:43,968
Can Oakland continue to afford that?

1200
00:59:43,968 --> 00:59:45,535
This moment is historic.

1201
00:59:45,535 --> 00:59:48,350
No other city has this exact ordinance.

1202
00:59:48,350 --> 00:59:51,902
If Oakland passes this, other cities and counties will follow.

1203
00:59:51,902 --> 00:59:53,602
Oakland doesn't have a victim problem

1204
00:59:53,602 --> 00:59:55,168
and has a demand problem.

1205
00:59:55,168 --> 00:59:57,401
So don't just say you support survivors.

1206
00:59:57,401 --> 00:59:58,869
Prove it with your vote.

1207
00:59:58,869 --> 01:00:01,235
This ordinance does something powerful.

1208
01:00:01,235 --> 01:00:02,869
It makes people creating the harm,

1209
01:00:02,869 --> 01:00:05,901
paying for the healing, not the taxpayers.

1210
01:00:05,901 --> 01:00:07,901
Thank you.

1211
01:00:11,502 --> 01:00:13,268
Hello, my name is Vanessa Russell.

1212
01:00:13,268 --> 01:00:15,235
I'm the founding executive director of Love

1213
01:00:15,235 --> 01:00:18,668
Never Fails and I'm so grateful for this ordinance.

1214
01:00:18,668 --> 01:00:20,735
Thank you so much. Council Member

1215
01:00:20,735 --> 01:00:24,802
Wang, for your courage in bringing this forward.

1216
01:00:24,802 --> 01:00:28,102
I was just astonished by the 51 number

1217
01:00:28,102 --> 01:00:32,302
51 arrests, but only one was actually charged.

1218
01:00:32,368 --> 01:00:37,436
And it made me think about the fact that we've housed.

1219
01:00:37,436 --> 01:00:39,568
And I'm so grateful for the Department of Violence Prevention that has,

1220
01:00:39,568 --> 01:00:43,268
we have a grant there, and, and we've been able to house 56

1221
01:00:43,268 --> 01:00:45,102
women and children for the lack over

1222
01:00:45,102 --> 01:00:49,435
the last three years, survivors and what I want to say is the,

1223
01:00:49,435 --> 01:00:52,368
you know, it is our joy and our pleasure to house

1224
01:00:52,368 --> 01:00:56,168
those women and children, but think about the cost

1225
01:00:56,168 --> 01:00:59,168
to house those 56 women and children.

1226
01:00:59,168 --> 01:01:01,568
100% of those individuals needed

1227
01:01:02,934 --> 01:01:06,200
care, yet only one out of 51

1228
01:01:06,200 --> 01:01:09,902
buyers were held accountable for their behavior.

1229
01:01:09,902 --> 01:01:12,668
There's something wrong with those numbers.

1230
01:01:12,668 --> 01:01:15,668
If I have to pay for 56 survivors

1231
01:01:15,668 --> 01:01:18,835
to rebuild their lives, then 51 buyers

1232
01:01:18,835 --> 01:01:21,934
need to be held accountable for their actions.

1233
01:01:21,934 --> 01:01:23,934
There is $250,000.

1234
01:01:25,301 --> 01:01:28,301
250 to $400,000 is the average amount

1235
01:01:30,134 --> 01:01:34,568
that it costs for restitution or for aftercare

1236
01:01:34,568 --> 01:01:36,502
for every survivor in life

1237
01:01:36,502 --> 01:01:39,535
long medical and mental health services.

1238
01:01:39,535 --> 01:01:43,568
If we're only charging $4,000 for each incident,

1239
01:01:43,568 --> 01:01:47,768
and yet each individual has to bear 250

1240
01:01:47,802 --> 01:01:52,200
to $400,000 of cost on their own shoulders.

1241
01:01:52,201 --> 01:01:54,835
Because remember, Cal v CB might give them 20 K,

1242
01:01:54,835 --> 01:01:56,680
but that's not even going to get them

1243
01:01:56,680 --> 01:01:59,834
anywhere near what they need in restitution.

1244
01:01:59,834 --> 01:02:01,336
It just doesn't make sense.

1245
01:02:01,336 --> 01:02:05,869
And I'm so grateful that you all are doing something about this

1246
01:02:05,869 --> 01:02:10,690
so that survivors are prioritized. Thank you.

1247
01:02:15,635 --> 01:02:18,735
Megan Escobedo I'm a former foster youth.

1248
01:02:18,735 --> 01:02:21,834
I'm a survivor of domestic violence and labor trafficking.

1249
01:02:21,834 --> 01:02:23,502
After my escape in 2015,

1250
01:02:23,502 --> 01:02:25,767
I went on to work as a first responder.

1251
01:02:25,767 --> 01:02:27,268
I have lived it, I have seen it,

1252
01:02:27,268 --> 01:02:29,701
and I have responded to the aftermath of it.

1253
01:02:29,701 --> 01:02:30,935
The exploitation of women

1254
01:02:30,935 --> 01:02:32,902
and children does not exist in theory.

1255
01:02:32,902 --> 01:02:36,535
It devastates real lives in this city and across the country.

1256
01:02:36,535 --> 01:02:39,168
Every time a woman or girl gets into a car with a buyer,

1257
01:02:39,168 --> 01:02:41,401
it could be the last decision she ever makes.

1258
01:02:41,401 --> 01:02:43,101
Women in the sex trade are estimated

1259
01:02:43,101 --> 01:02:46,368
to be 60 to 100 times more likely to be killed

1260
01:02:46,368 --> 01:02:48,468
than women in the general population.

1261
01:02:48,468 --> 01:02:50,834
We cannot say that sex work is work,

1262
01:02:50,834 --> 01:02:52,101
or that there's no harm in it

1263
01:02:52,101 --> 01:02:54,102
when no other form of labor carries

1264
01:02:54,102 --> 01:02:57,201
the same likelihood of rape, disease, assault or other harms

1265
01:02:57,201 --> 01:02:59,268
that women are facing in the sex trade.

1266
01:02:59,268 --> 01:03:00,767
This is not adult entertainment.

1267
01:03:00,767 --> 01:03:02,902
It is lethal exploitation.

1268
01:03:02,902 --> 01:03:06,301
No one under 18 can consent, and anyone who pays to access

1269
01:03:06,301 --> 01:03:09,401
a minor's body is not a customer that is a rapist,

1270
01:03:09,401 --> 01:03:12,201
and he should be prosecuted as one.

1271
01:03:12,201 --> 01:03:14,335
This ordinance addresses loitering with intent

1272
01:03:14,335 --> 01:03:16,401
to solicit sex from anyone of any age.

1273
01:03:16,401 --> 01:03:18,468
So let's talk about consent.

1274
01:03:18,468 --> 01:03:21,502
Consent requires a conscious, self-directed decision.

1275
01:03:21,502 --> 01:03:24,502
It requires full understanding of what's being agreed to.

1276
01:03:24,502 --> 01:03:26,668
It requires real, accessible alternatives

1277
01:03:26,668 --> 01:03:29,902
and the ability to say no or change your mind at any time.

1278
01:03:29,902 --> 01:03:33,168
And if the only choices are sex or homelessness and starvation,

1279
01:03:33,168 --> 01:03:34,368
that's not consent.

1280
01:03:34,368 --> 01:03:37,690
It is coercion dressed up as commerce

1281
01:03:37,690 --> 01:03:40,902
across the country, advocates monitoring online buyer forums,

1282
01:03:40,902 --> 01:03:44,535
are watching men openly brag about how young the girls look.

1283
01:03:44,535 --> 01:03:45,969
They fetishize them.

1284
01:03:45,969 --> 01:03:48,768
They complain if she doesn't act enthusiastic enough,

1285
01:03:48,768 --> 01:03:51,635
they mid to pressuring women to go beyond the agreed acts

1286
01:03:51,635 --> 01:03:55,690
and they boast when she is drunk or high, which is also,

1287
01:03:55,690 --> 01:03:57,634
the crime of rape in California to have sex with somebody

1288
01:03:57,634 --> 01:03:59,680
under the influence.

1289
01:03:59,680 --> 01:04:01,168
These are not confused lonely men.

1290
01:04:01,168 --> 01:04:02,635
They are not harmless.

1291
01:04:02,635 --> 01:04:04,535
And what they're purchasing is not consent.

1292
01:04:04,535 --> 01:04:07,134
It's access to someone's desperation.

1293
01:04:07,134 --> 01:04:09,934
Stop giving these men a pass and start

1294
01:04:09,934 --> 01:04:11,435
holding them accountable.

1295
01:04:11,435 --> 01:04:13,535
Stand with the women and girls who are being bought,

1296
01:04:13,535 --> 01:04:15,435
pressured, threatened, and discarded.

1297
01:04:15,435 --> 01:04:21,435
And if we refuse to call this what it is.

1298
01:04:29,301 --> 01:04:31,269
Good afternoon.

1299
01:04:31,269 --> 01:04:34,200
My name is Brianna Price, and I'm a survivor of human trafficking.

1300
01:04:34,200 --> 01:04:36,435
I have given over two hours each time to be here

1301
01:04:36,435 --> 01:04:39,268
because Oakland is where I was trafficked as a child.

1302
01:04:39,268 --> 01:04:42,368
I am not here believing that trafficking will suddenly, in

1303
01:04:42,368 --> 01:04:45,335
this violence has existed since the beginning of time,

1304
01:04:45,335 --> 01:04:47,802
and it will likely exist until the end of time.

1305
01:04:47,802 --> 01:04:50,301
But what we can change, and what we must change

1306
01:04:50,301 --> 01:04:52,102
is who we hold accountable.

1307
01:04:52,102 --> 01:04:55,301
When I was being sold, I was broken, hurt and abused.

1308
01:04:55,301 --> 01:04:58,435
I was treated as a commodity, not as a human being.

1309
01:04:58,435 --> 01:04:59,634
At 31 years old.

1310
01:04:59,634 --> 01:05:00,668
My feet still hurt

1311
01:05:00,668 --> 01:05:02,335
when I stand too long because I was forced

1312
01:05:02,335 --> 01:05:05,368
to walk miles every day so buyers could purchase me.

1313
01:05:05,368 --> 01:05:08,468
I had to jump out of moving cars to survive.

1314
01:05:08,468 --> 01:05:12,735
The harm buyers caused did not end when the money is

1315
01:05:12,735 --> 01:05:16,168
exchanged. It lives on in the survivor long after.

1316
01:05:16,168 --> 01:05:17,368
But I am standing here today

1317
01:05:17,368 --> 01:05:19,401
because of organizations like Love Never Fails.

1318
01:05:19,401 --> 01:05:20,969
A local Bay area

1319
01:05:20,969 --> 01:05:23,602
anti-trafficking organization that believed in me

1320
01:05:23,602 --> 01:05:25,535
when I could not believe in myself.

1321
01:05:25,535 --> 01:05:27,635
They helped me get back on my feet.

1322
01:05:27,635 --> 01:05:31,503
They helped me get back into school and to graduate.

1323
01:05:31,503 --> 01:05:35,703
They gave me opportunities to speak, to share my story, and to let my voice be heard.

1324
01:05:35,703 --> 01:05:38,635
They stood beside me alongside survivors, senators and advocates to help past

1325
01:05:38,635 --> 01:05:41,869
several anti-trafficking bills over the last several years.

1326
01:05:41,869 --> 01:05:45,335
Because of that support, I am now a mom, a wife, a homeowner.

1327
01:05:45,335 --> 01:05:47,335
I have several businesses.

1328
01:05:47,335 --> 01:05:48,869
Without anti-trafficking

1329
01:05:48,869 --> 01:05:51,301
organizations, I would not be the woman I am.

1330
01:05:51,301 --> 01:05:53,335
Standing here before you today.

1331
01:05:53,335 --> 01:05:55,134
After being sold, I was broken.

1332
01:05:55,134 --> 01:05:56,602
But I am not beyond.

1333
01:05:56,602 --> 01:05:58,568
But I was not beyond restoration.

1334
01:05:58,568 --> 01:06:00,502
Holding buyers accountable matters.

1335
01:06:00,502 --> 01:06:02,368
It does not stop trafficking entirely,

1336
01:06:02,368 --> 01:06:03,802
but it curbs the demand.

1337
01:06:03,802 --> 01:06:06,802
It begins to cost the right people.

1338
01:06:06,802 --> 01:06:10,503
And when increased fines are imposed on buyers,

1339
01:06:10,503 --> 01:06:13,435
those funds are directed to anti-trafficking organizations that help restore lives

1340
01:06:13,435 --> 01:06:15,169
that were once broken, like mine.

1341
01:06:15,169 --> 01:06:17,768
Trafficking may not disappear, but today we can choose

1342
01:06:17,768 --> 01:06:20,535
who bears the cause. It should not be the victim.

1343
01:06:20,535 --> 01:06:25,335
It should not be the child. Thank you.

1344
01:06:31,680 --> 01:06:32,602
My name is Davina Curry, Lola.

1345
01:06:32,602 --> 01:06:34,200
And I'm here as a survivor

1346
01:06:34,200 --> 01:06:37,134
and someone who has trafficked right here in these streets.

1347
01:06:37,134 --> 01:06:39,368
And I'm in support of this ordinance.

1348
01:06:39,368 --> 01:06:41,568
I want to acknowledge what this bill gets right.

1349
01:06:41,568 --> 01:06:44,690
It recognizes that sex trafficking is real,

1350
01:06:44,690 --> 01:06:46,702
that black women and girls are disproportionately harmed,

1351
01:06:46,702 --> 01:06:50,201
and that buyers and traffickers must be held accountable.

1352
01:06:50,201 --> 01:06:51,735
Repealing loitering

1353
01:06:51,735 --> 01:06:54,668
for the purpose of prostitution is necessary.

1354
01:06:54,668 --> 01:06:57,568
Creating a survivor support fund is meaningful,

1355
01:06:57,568 --> 01:07:00,602
and shifting the focus towards the demand is an important step.

1356
01:07:00,602 --> 01:07:01,969
At the same time, I want to speak

1357
01:07:01,969 --> 01:07:06,101
honestly because honest honesty is a part of equity.

1358
01:07:06,101 --> 01:07:08,680
Oakland has a long history of laws

1359
01:07:08,680 --> 01:07:09,901
that were intended to protect communities,

1360
01:07:09,901 --> 01:07:11,201
but ended up overpolicing

1361
01:07:11,201 --> 01:07:13,502
the same communities they claim to help.

1362
01:07:13,502 --> 01:07:16,668
That history matters when we talk about enforcement,

1363
01:07:16,668 --> 01:07:19,268
because intention is not the impact.

1364
01:07:19,268 --> 01:07:21,435
Terms like loitering with the intent,

1365
01:07:21,435 --> 01:07:25,869
even when aimed at buyers, still rely on police discretion.

1366
01:07:25,869 --> 01:07:28,868
And we know that discretion is not neutral.

1367
01:07:28,868 --> 01:07:30,680
It has racial bias.

1368
01:07:30,680 --> 01:07:31,368
It has gender bias,

1369
01:07:31,368 --> 01:07:33,902
and it lands on the same communities every time.

1370
01:07:33,902 --> 01:07:38,202
I am also deeply concerned that survivors are expected

1371
01:07:38,202 --> 01:07:40,668
to prove that they were trafficked in order to avoid punishment.

1372
01:07:40,668 --> 01:07:44,868
I am I that is not survivor centered.

1373
01:07:44,868 --> 01:07:46,435
That is state centered.

1374
01:07:46,435 --> 01:07:49,969
Survivors should not have to perform their trauma or produce

1375
01:07:49,969 --> 01:07:53,134
documentation, or interact with systems that they may have

1376
01:07:53,134 --> 01:07:56,801
already been harmed by, just to be protected.

1377
01:07:56,801 --> 01:07:59,801
The Survivor Support Fund is

1378
01:08:00,101 --> 01:08:04,350
only as as just as who controls it.

1379
01:08:04,350 --> 01:08:07,200
If survivors and impacted communities do not have

1380
01:08:07,200 --> 01:08:11,101
real decision making power, then this becomes harm.

1381
01:08:11,101 --> 01:08:13,101
Recycled into bureaucracy.

1382
01:08:13,901 --> 01:08:15,634
We are busy,

1383
01:08:15,634 --> 01:08:16,401
not healing.

1384
01:08:16,401 --> 01:08:18,502
So yes, please pass this bill.

1385
01:08:18,502 --> 01:08:20,100
But don't stop there.

1386
01:08:20,100 --> 01:08:22,268
Building a racial equity. Safeguard.

1387
01:08:22,268 --> 01:08:25,368
Limit discretionary enforcement and guarantee survival

1388
01:08:25,368 --> 01:08:26,534
and governance.

1389
01:08:26,534 --> 01:08:28,534
Thank you.

1390
01:08:31,868 --> 01:08:33,534
Hi, everyone.

1391
01:08:33,534 --> 01:08:34,268
This is us.

1392
01:08:34,268 --> 01:08:35,868
My name is Lin Chong.

1393
01:08:35,868 --> 01:08:38,268
I live with two.

1394
01:08:38,335 --> 01:08:42,568
I came here second time to support the

1395
01:08:42,568 --> 01:08:44,968
council member Wong to.

1396
01:08:46,868 --> 01:08:49,134
To have the fang in the

1397
01:08:49,134 --> 01:08:52,567
to remove all the topics under it.

1398
01:08:52,567 --> 01:08:54,100
It's national.

1399
01:08:54,100 --> 01:08:55,401
I am deep here.

1400
01:08:55,401 --> 01:08:59,236
The 62 and I have been there for 30 years.

1401
01:08:59,236 --> 01:09:04,568
But I saw this time my my district two in Little Saigon.

1402
01:09:04,568 --> 01:09:08,301
Still bass know still a bit like any time

1403
01:09:08,301 --> 01:09:11,468
they stand at that front door, they bother me.

1404
01:09:11,468 --> 01:09:15,834
I can not call because nothing to do for the trafficking

1405
01:09:15,834 --> 01:09:17,200
and the pimp.

1406
01:09:17,200 --> 01:09:19,802
And also I have the problem for the homeless.

1407
01:09:19,802 --> 01:09:23,301
They travel, they get trouble for me every day.

1408
01:09:23,301 --> 01:09:24,668
Can do the basic.

1409
01:09:24,668 --> 01:09:28,468
Thank you for everyone to let me come in today

1410
01:09:28,468 --> 01:09:33,268
to talk about that. Thank you very much.

1411
01:09:37,536 --> 01:09:41,168
Good afternoon. My name is Edwin Hagler, community brothers. I'm,

1412
01:09:41,168 --> 01:09:43,969
so advocate to support wing and her movement.

1413
01:09:43,969 --> 01:09:46,835
But also, what I saw this morning was very amazing

1414
01:09:46,835 --> 01:09:49,335
that the police department in the sheriff's department

1415
01:09:49,335 --> 01:09:53,336
did stop workers and so-called pimps or whatever

1416
01:09:53,336 --> 01:09:56,169
we want to call themselves, but they did make action today.

1417
01:09:56,169 --> 01:09:59,690
And by the time we left the area, it was no pimps.

1418
01:09:59,690 --> 01:10:01,435
And there were no sex workers out there today.

1419
01:10:01,435 --> 01:10:04,680
So I kind of support you on that.

1420
01:10:04,680 --> 01:10:05,702
And I appreciate, you know, you guys

1421
01:10:05,702 --> 01:10:07,802
making efforts to make changes in Oakland

1422
01:10:07,802 --> 01:10:09,968
because Oakland needs big changes.

1423
01:10:09,968 --> 01:10:10,901
All right.

1424
01:10:10,901 --> 01:10:12,901
God bless.

1425
01:10:18,100 --> 01:10:19,702
Good afternoon, Council member.

1426
01:10:19,702 --> 01:10:25,269
My name is Jennifer Thai and I'm here to strongly support

1427
01:10:25,269 --> 01:10:28,235
this ordinance. Sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation

1428
01:10:28,235 --> 01:10:31,335
cause profound harm to our vulnerable,

1429
01:10:31,335 --> 01:10:36,269
our children, our young people and those who voice are often

1430
01:10:36,269 --> 01:10:38,869
ignored. This is not an issue that's happening somewhere else.

1431
01:10:38,869 --> 01:10:42,635
Is it happening here in Oakland affecting our neighborhood,

1432
01:10:42,635 --> 01:10:45,901
our family and our community, and it demands

1433
01:10:45,901 --> 01:10:47,602
our collective action?

1434
01:10:47,602 --> 01:10:50,935
I understand that this ordinance may not end sex trafficking,

1435
01:10:50,935 --> 01:10:54,568
however, is an important and necessary tool.

1436
01:10:54,568 --> 01:10:58,168
By holding by the traffickers and who profit from this

1437
01:10:58,168 --> 01:11:01,368
exploitation accountable, send a clear message

1438
01:11:01,368 --> 01:11:04,401
that Oakland will not tolerate this abuse.

1439
01:11:04,401 --> 01:11:06,502
It's also helped generate resources

1440
01:11:06,502 --> 01:11:09,268
to support the organization and the advocate

1441
01:11:09,268 --> 01:11:12,401
who work tirelessly with the victims and survivors.

1442
01:11:12,401 --> 01:11:16,134
I respectfully ask you to please just vote yes on this

1443
01:11:16,134 --> 01:11:19,235
ordinance and continue prioritize the safety,

1444
01:11:19,235 --> 01:11:22,101
the dignity and the future of our community.

1445
01:11:22,101 --> 01:11:23,735
Thank you very much for your leadership

1446
01:11:23,735 --> 01:11:29,735
and for your commitment to this important issue. Thank you.

1447
01:11:31,934 --> 01:11:33,835
Hi, my name is Youth and Fatality

1448
01:11:33,835 --> 01:11:37,668
and I am the program manager, Fund City Foundation.

1449
01:11:37,668 --> 01:11:42,602
We have served the East Oakland, community for over 20 years.

1450
01:11:42,602 --> 01:11:46,635
We've been, providing free mass tutoring to the Franklin

1451
01:11:46,635 --> 01:11:48,435
Elementary School students

1452
01:11:48,435 --> 01:11:51,468
and our tutors are high school and college students

1453
01:11:51,468 --> 01:11:55,435
who came here to serve with kindness and good intention.

1454
01:11:55,435 --> 01:12:00,134
However, we are deeply concerned about the presence of the sex

1455
01:12:00,134 --> 01:12:01,935
trafficking in this area

1456
01:12:01,935 --> 01:12:04,734
and the impact to our community safety.

1457
01:12:04,734 --> 01:12:06,401
Not only we worry about

1458
01:12:06,401 --> 01:12:10,100
their physical safety, our youth volunteers,

1459
01:12:10,568 --> 01:12:13,768
their mental and emotional well-being as well.

1460
01:12:13,768 --> 01:12:18,134
And we wish, you guys will pass this ordinance.

1461
01:12:18,134 --> 01:12:20,134
Thank you.

1462
01:12:23,934 --> 01:12:25,268
Good afternoon.

1463
01:12:25,268 --> 01:12:30,200
I'm a William Akiba and I teach in OSD.

1464
01:12:30,200 --> 01:12:33,335
I also am a producer of the MLK oratorical,

1465
01:12:33,335 --> 01:12:37,535
and I strongly vote 100% votes of. Yes.

1466
01:12:38,536 --> 01:12:42,100
I think that you can save lives, change lives, and also send a strong message.

1467
01:12:42,100 --> 01:12:43,968
Not in our town.

1468
01:12:43,968 --> 01:12:46,435
As a teacher, I teach drama.

1469
01:12:46,435 --> 01:12:49,268
I have had many students give testimony,

1470
01:12:49,268 --> 01:12:52,635
stories and try to problem solve

1471
01:12:52,635 --> 01:12:54,101
when the light is dark,

1472
01:12:54,101 --> 01:12:56,200
when they come to school, or when it's dark

1473
01:12:56,200 --> 01:12:58,801
when they return home of seeing cars parked

1474
01:12:58,801 --> 01:13:00,335
filling up their being watched.

1475
01:13:00,335 --> 01:13:02,935
Having men slowly follow behind them,

1476
01:13:02,935 --> 01:13:04,935
diverting their routes to different places,

1477
01:13:04,935 --> 01:13:07,502
are trying to go to a corner store for help

1478
01:13:07,502 --> 01:13:09,102
or trying to text.

1479
01:13:09,102 --> 01:13:11,767
Their parents to let them know what's happening.

1480
01:13:11,767 --> 01:13:13,767
I have,

1481
01:13:13,767 --> 01:13:15,635
heard data presented by the DEA.

1482
01:13:15,635 --> 01:13:17,568
When I was asked to come to the school board

1483
01:13:17,568 --> 01:13:20,701
meeting to give a report on the MLK oratorical,

1484
01:13:20,701 --> 01:13:22,101
because I arrived earlier.

1485
01:13:22,101 --> 01:13:23,702
I got privilege of this.

1486
01:13:23,702 --> 01:13:26,235
I was shocked to hear that in every middle school

1487
01:13:26,235 --> 01:13:28,268
and high school, we've had children snatched.

1488
01:13:28,268 --> 01:13:30,735
And how come, as an educator, I have not heard this?

1489
01:13:30,735 --> 01:13:32,468
Why hasn't there been any curriculum?

1490
01:13:32,468 --> 01:13:33,934
Where were the parent workshops?

1491
01:13:33,934 --> 01:13:35,767
How come this is not on a website

1492
01:13:35,767 --> 01:13:38,201
where the posters with QR codes?

1493
01:13:38,201 --> 01:13:39,735
How do we inform our community,

1494
01:13:39,735 --> 01:13:42,401
our churches, our youth development centers?

1495
01:13:42,401 --> 01:13:44,435
And so that's why I'm here.

1496
01:13:44,435 --> 01:13:47,435
I'm also wondering if we can have teens for teens

1497
01:13:47,435 --> 01:13:53,435
by teens to create PSR ways to educate each other.

1498
01:13:53,602 --> 01:13:57,268
I also have heard kids talk about hotel parties

1499
01:13:57,268 --> 01:13:59,768
and that there drugs and alcohol there.

1500
01:13:59,768 --> 01:14:01,702
And I'm trying to like what's a hotel party?

1501
01:14:01,702 --> 01:14:04,168
Who's throwing this party? Can I see the flier?

1502
01:14:04,168 --> 01:14:06,690
And so of course, it has to be some adult

1503
01:14:06,690 --> 01:14:10,968
involving inviting young people there with the intention not

1504
01:14:10,968 --> 01:14:13,368
to harm our kids.

1505
01:14:13,767 --> 01:14:17,134
What else do I want to say?

1506
01:14:17,134 --> 01:14:18,802
I was happy to see, for the first

1507
01:14:18,802 --> 01:14:21,969
time, a big billboard at the airport.

1508
01:14:21,969 --> 01:14:24,767
I would love to see more of those in our community,

1509
01:14:24,767 --> 01:14:25,634
not in our town.

1510
01:14:25,634 --> 01:14:27,634
How to get.

1511
01:14:37,901 --> 01:14:38,868
High.

1512
01:14:38,868 --> 01:14:41,134
My name is Vinnie Nguyen.

1513
01:14:41,134 --> 01:14:43,368
I live in the,

1514
01:14:43,368 --> 01:14:46,868
Little Saigon for over, almost 40 years.

1515
01:14:46,868 --> 01:14:49,268
I want to support,

1516
01:14:49,568 --> 01:14:53,734
Charlene Wang on on the things that you want to do.

1517
01:14:53,734 --> 01:14:55,734
Please pass.

1518
01:14:56,135 --> 01:15:01,436
And also, Ken Houston, you were asking about how people traffic, and travel.

1519
01:15:01,436 --> 01:15:05,135
Do the airport. A lot of these people, take private private jets.

1520
01:15:05,135 --> 01:15:08,502
You can take guns, cocaine, you take prostitution.

1521
01:15:08,502 --> 01:15:10,934
Do those those, private jet.

1522
01:15:10,934 --> 01:15:12,468
They don't check anything.

1523
01:15:12,468 --> 01:15:15,101
Then you travel to your Vegas, you go to different places,

1524
01:15:15,101 --> 01:15:16,401
you go to Houston and you.

1525
01:15:16,401 --> 01:15:18,101
And that's how people come

1526
01:15:18,101 --> 01:15:21,969
to the the that that lane go to Oakland.

1527
01:15:21,969 --> 01:15:24,202
They come down and get picked up by chauffeur.

1528
01:15:24,202 --> 01:15:29,702
And they do that stuff and they get back, and it's done.

1529
01:15:29,702 --> 01:15:33,340
As far as myself, I grew up in, the tenderloin.

1530
01:15:33,340 --> 01:15:35,235
Sam. Cisco. It was a hellhole.

1531
01:15:35,235 --> 01:15:38,834
And I was lucky to come to, to to Oakland in 1992.

1532
01:15:38,834 --> 01:15:39,868
And, heck, you know what?

1533
01:15:39,868 --> 01:15:42,301
It's almost the same.

1534
01:15:42,301 --> 01:15:44,835
But here I've been living in the,

1535
01:15:44,835 --> 01:15:47,535
you know, you call it the Blade District.

1536
01:15:47,535 --> 01:15:49,202
People are being sold here.

1537
01:15:49,202 --> 01:15:52,801
You know, the streets and, primarily, run by criminals.

1538
01:15:52,801 --> 01:15:54,801
No, drivers.

1539
01:15:55,969 --> 01:15:57,835
Actually, now I'm a real estate agent.

1540
01:15:57,835 --> 01:16:00,168
You know, I've been broker for almost 25 years,

1541
01:16:00,168 --> 01:16:01,869
and I've seen people

1542
01:16:01,869 --> 01:16:05,602
buying properties, and they staying away from,

1543
01:16:05,602 --> 01:16:09,235
so-called, the Blade district and real estate.

1544
01:16:09,235 --> 01:16:12,169
Have we have gone down a lot.

1545
01:16:12,169 --> 01:16:15,869
I mean, I walked, we drive a car down the street and I said, hey, you know what?

1546
01:16:15,869 --> 01:16:17,101
What's going on here? What's all this people doing here?

1547
01:16:17,101 --> 01:16:19,168
So this sign away real quick.

1548
01:16:19,168 --> 01:16:21,335
The a couple of things that we need is

1549
01:16:21,335 --> 01:16:24,435
we need a stronger, in a state federal coordinate.

1550
01:16:24,435 --> 01:16:26,134
We need to enhance parity.

1551
01:16:26,134 --> 01:16:29,734
To repeat offenders, a mandatory sentencing.

1552
01:16:29,869 --> 01:16:35,735
Do you remember the the use of seize cars and properties for

1553
01:16:35,735 --> 01:16:38,601
for poor people that come by property, buy stuff, do that again.

1554
01:16:38,601 --> 01:16:40,601
Okay. Thanks.

1555
01:16:45,134 --> 01:16:45,801
Good afternoon.

1556
01:16:45,801 --> 01:16:47,735
Councilmembers.

1557
01:16:47,735 --> 01:16:49,301
My name is Doctor Jennifer Tran and the president of the Oakland

1558
01:16:49,301 --> 01:16:51,702
Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, Oakland native.

1559
01:16:51,702 --> 01:16:54,169
I just want to start off by. Thank you all for this.

1560
01:16:54,169 --> 01:16:58,102
This really rigorous legislation led by, Councilmember Wang

1561
01:16:58,102 --> 01:17:01,134
and also the excellent questions that each of you posed

1562
01:17:01,134 --> 01:17:04,350
just reflects your commitment and dedication

1563
01:17:04,350 --> 01:17:07,902
to community driven processes, data driven processes,

1564
01:17:07,902 --> 01:17:10,235
and making sure our most vulnerable communities continue

1565
01:17:10,235 --> 01:17:13,468
to not just inform the policy, but drive the work.

1566
01:17:13,468 --> 01:17:17,535
And as I listen to our community members, our neighbors

1567
01:17:17,535 --> 01:17:20,350
speak, I'm just reminded of the ten year

1568
01:17:20,350 --> 01:17:22,302
old version of my when I was ten years old,

1569
01:17:22,302 --> 01:17:26,134
being solicited for sex, walking home from school in the blade.

1570
01:17:26,134 --> 01:17:29,969
So it has been going on for decades,

1571
01:17:29,969 --> 01:17:33,435
and it breaks my heart to this day to think that the victims of human trafficking

1572
01:17:33,435 --> 01:17:36,634
is not just the folks who are being exploited

1573
01:17:36,634 --> 01:17:38,268
against their will.

1574
01:17:38,268 --> 01:17:41,168
It's also the children who are walking to school

1575
01:17:41,168 --> 01:17:45,368
every single day, asking their parents questions

1576
01:17:45,935 --> 01:17:49,268
that no eight year old should be asking questions around human trafficking.

1577
01:17:49,268 --> 01:17:51,535
Questions around homeless encampments.

1578
01:17:51,535 --> 01:17:53,935
Questions around vandalize buildings.

1579
01:17:54,680 --> 01:17:56,468
Questions around illegal dumping.

1580
01:17:56,835 --> 01:17:58,635
We're all wearing this shirt today.

1581
01:17:58,635 --> 01:18:03,435
A refuge for all in Oakland, Little Saigon

1582
01:18:03,935 --> 01:18:06,602
a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

1583
01:18:06,602 --> 01:18:10,302
And each of you passed that we we appreciate,

1584
01:18:10,302 --> 01:18:13,268
you know, your commitment to continue to center community,

1585
01:18:13,268 --> 01:18:15,802
to continue to contribute every single day,

1586
01:18:15,802 --> 01:18:19,401
to ensure that Oakland continues to be that light

1587
01:18:19,401 --> 01:18:21,835
for the Bay area, for the state, for the country.

1588
01:18:21,835 --> 01:18:24,902
And so this ordinance will continue to send a message

1589
01:18:24,902 --> 01:18:26,634
to not just folks outside of Oakland

1590
01:18:26,634 --> 01:18:27,701
who are coming in

1591
01:18:27,701 --> 01:18:29,200
to do their dirty business,

1592
01:18:29,200 --> 01:18:31,535
but when we say that Oakland is open for business,

1593
01:18:31,535 --> 01:18:33,568
we're not open for that kind of business.

1594
01:18:33,568 --> 01:18:36,335
We're here to make sure that not just Little Saigon

1595
01:18:36,335 --> 01:18:38,435
or District two is free from violence,

1596
01:18:38,435 --> 01:18:41,335
but Oakland is free from violence, free from fear,

1597
01:18:41,335 --> 01:18:46,135
and free from exploitation. Thank you very much.

1598
01:18:53,835 --> 01:18:57,435
Hello. My name is Amadi Broad.

1599
01:18:58,435 --> 01:19:00,435
I would, I would reset.

1600
01:19:00,435 --> 01:19:02,100
My name is Amadi Broad.

1601
01:19:02,100 --> 01:19:04,435
I also go by Adi.

1602
01:19:04,435 --> 01:19:07,200
First of all, I want to thank,

1603
01:19:07,200 --> 01:19:09,368
Charlene Wang, council member and everybody else

1604
01:19:09,368 --> 01:19:11,335
in support of this ordinance.

1605
01:19:11,335 --> 01:19:14,268
This is need of the hour.

1606
01:19:14,268 --> 01:19:16,968
I'm here to represent Little Saigon,

1607
01:19:16,968 --> 01:19:18,434
also called the Red Light District.

1608
01:19:18,434 --> 01:19:20,434
Basically.

1609
01:19:21,350 --> 01:19:22,901
And I'm here to represent small businesses

1610
01:19:22,901 --> 01:19:25,667
and residents in Little Saigon.

1611
01:19:25,667 --> 01:19:27,335
We need the relief now.

1612
01:19:27,335 --> 01:19:30,340
It was supposed to be yesterday. Yesterday.

1613
01:19:30,340 --> 01:19:32,635
Little Saigon community is suffering due

1614
01:19:32,635 --> 01:19:37,690
to this pandemic of sapphic sex trafficking and prostitution.

1615
01:19:37,690 --> 01:19:39,535
I've been working there for about ten years now.

1616
01:19:39,535 --> 01:19:41,201
You know, up and down International Boulevard,

1617
01:19:41,201 --> 01:19:44,335
we see every day what we used to see in the night

1618
01:19:44,335 --> 01:19:47,334
hours is up there in broad daylight.

1619
01:19:47,334 --> 01:19:48,768
Girls.

1620
01:19:48,768 --> 01:19:50,401
It's not they're not even hiding the.

1621
01:19:50,401 --> 01:19:51,935
You see the pimps, you see drugs,

1622
01:19:51,935 --> 01:19:54,801
prostitution, homelessness, you name it.

1623
01:19:54,801 --> 01:19:56,680
It's all there.

1624
01:19:56,680 --> 01:19:58,101
A recipe for crime.

1625
01:19:58,101 --> 01:20:00,767
This doesn't affect just one group.

1626
01:20:00,767 --> 01:20:01,935
It affects us all.

1627
01:20:01,935 --> 01:20:05,468
There are multiple, schools with which

1628
01:20:05,468 --> 01:20:08,934
our kids are exposed to this issue.

1629
01:20:08,934 --> 01:20:10,934
Our police beat 19

1630
01:20:11,102 --> 01:20:14,801
has the highest crime rate of all the Oakland police beats.

1631
01:20:14,801 --> 01:20:17,801
For the last few years.

1632
01:20:19,335 --> 01:20:22,535
Thanks to blade disinfect, little Saigon,

1633
01:20:22,535 --> 01:20:25,834
San Antonio district, basically all district two.

1634
01:20:25,834 --> 01:20:28,468
And then it goes beyond.

1635
01:20:28,468 --> 01:20:31,868
We live in it every day.

1636
01:20:31,868 --> 01:20:34,268
There are multiple schools.

1637
01:20:35,235 --> 01:20:37,835
And this this district is basically

1638
01:20:37,835 --> 01:20:41,435
you have international airport, downtown Coliseum.

1639
01:20:41,869 --> 01:20:46,902
We are we are right there in the middle exposed.

1640
01:20:46,902 --> 01:20:49,969
You know, I wish you all to I urge and wish you all to pass this,

1641
01:20:49,969 --> 01:20:52,701
with an urgency and to put a stop to, sex

1642
01:20:52,701 --> 01:20:54,701
trafficking and prostitution.

1643
01:21:06,301 --> 01:21:08,702
Hi, my name is Chan.

1644
01:21:08,702 --> 01:21:12,735
I've been in, district two, and for about ten years.

1645
01:21:12,735 --> 01:21:17,836
I had this nice speech written up, but, Doctor Tran and AD took

1646
01:21:17,836 --> 01:21:21,268
most of that content already. So I'll just tell you what I go through on a regular basis.

1647
01:21:21,268 --> 01:21:24,101
Every Tuesday, I walk a group of kids

1648
01:21:24,101 --> 01:21:27,702
from Franklin all the way to, Clinton Park.

1649
01:21:27,702 --> 01:21:32,902
It's about three, four blocks, and we purposely ignore,

1650
01:21:32,902 --> 01:21:35,668
international just so we don't have to answer

1651
01:21:35,668 --> 01:21:39,200
those difficult questions that Doctor Tran alluded to.

1652
01:21:39,200 --> 01:21:41,901
But there are some cases, you know, we have to go

1653
01:21:41,901 --> 01:21:43,236
past international

1654
01:21:43,236 --> 01:21:46,468
just because we're located on some of the international.

1655
01:21:46,468 --> 01:21:49,468
And, you know, a group of kids,

1656
01:21:49,468 --> 01:21:54,468
they see ladies on the corner wearing little to no clothing.

1657
01:21:54,468 --> 01:21:56,101
They are saying, oh, don't look to the left,

1658
01:21:56,101 --> 01:21:57,268
don't look to the left.

1659
01:21:57,268 --> 01:21:58,934
But and of course, what are the kids

1660
01:21:58,934 --> 01:22:02,835
do they look to the left and,

1661
01:22:02,835 --> 01:22:04,535
you know, those are the types of things

1662
01:22:04,535 --> 01:22:05,801
that we have to go through.

1663
01:22:05,801 --> 01:22:07,668
And we have to try to explain on

1664
01:22:07,668 --> 01:22:09,468
why they're doing what they're doing.

1665
01:22:09,468 --> 01:22:11,668
You know, why do I have to, you know,

1666
01:22:11,668 --> 01:22:14,603
come up with those solutions?

1667
01:22:14,603 --> 01:22:17,502
That's is one incidence. I have another incidence where a young lady is hiding

1668
01:22:17,502 --> 01:22:20,535
in our community center because she's scared to death

1669
01:22:20,535 --> 01:22:22,535
from her exploiter.

1670
01:22:22,635 --> 01:22:24,902
Two hours ago, I had another sex worker

1671
01:22:24,902 --> 01:22:27,935
call me by my first name asking to use the bathroom.

1672
01:22:27,935 --> 01:22:29,934
Of course, you could use the bathroom.

1673
01:22:29,934 --> 01:22:30,868
You know what I mean? I'm.

1674
01:22:30,868 --> 01:22:34,340
This is a human basic, right?

1675
01:22:34,340 --> 01:22:35,801
And really, I want to be able to,

1676
01:22:35,801 --> 01:22:37,335
to help you in any manner

1677
01:22:37,335 --> 01:22:41,102
as any way I can, whether it's clothing, food,

1678
01:22:41,102 --> 01:22:44,168
you know, resources. I was able to help a sex worker get connected

1679
01:22:44,168 --> 01:22:45,668
back to her family.

1680
01:22:45,668 --> 01:22:47,201
Like, those are the types of issues

1681
01:22:47,201 --> 01:22:48,801
that we are dealing with just because

1682
01:22:48,801 --> 01:22:50,668
we're located on the plate.

1683
01:22:50,668 --> 01:22:53,901
But, you know, I, I commend, you know, Charlene, to

1684
01:22:53,901 --> 01:22:56,301
for bringing this issue

1685
01:22:56,736 --> 01:23:00,200
and making it a priority to our community because it's been ignored for so

1686
01:23:00,200 --> 01:23:03,335
long and, you know, this is I know it's not going to solve

1687
01:23:03,335 --> 01:23:11,135
all the issues, but it's a step in the right direction. And,

1688
01:23:18,235 --> 01:23:19,835
Good day.

1689
01:23:19,835 --> 01:23:22,236
I'm here to address the issue of the human

1690
01:23:22,236 --> 01:23:25,502
trafficking, also known as sphincter bone ridden troops.

1691
01:23:25,502 --> 01:23:27,768
I have been a male that is also.

1692
01:23:27,768 --> 01:23:31,135
Before you begin, what's your name? My name is Zach.

1693
01:23:31,135 --> 01:23:34,335
I also go by the name Patrick Anderson as a pen name

1694
01:23:34,335 --> 01:23:38,401
and Anderson v Trump as the impeachment agent.

1695
01:23:38,401 --> 01:23:40,401
I'd like the city to validate home.

1696
01:23:40,401 --> 01:23:45,201
Romero, Yang, Baker, Godwin and Kelly v Mattson

1697
01:23:45,535 --> 01:23:47,668
and requirements against the United States

1698
01:23:47,668 --> 01:23:50,135
and in her pool and and vacation and based on human

1699
01:23:50,135 --> 01:23:54,201
trafficking the same way you see voting credit fraud and,

1700
01:23:54,201 --> 01:23:57,168
mortgage fraud tied to lien rates

1701
01:23:57,168 --> 01:23:59,902
and the view of the state.

1702
01:23:59,902 --> 01:24:01,902
I do believe that there is an issue.

1703
01:24:01,902 --> 01:24:07,902
I believe that this community needs to address that narcotics.

1704
01:24:08,169 --> 01:24:11,100
I believe narcotics is a bigger issue than it is to human trafficking.

1705
01:24:11,100 --> 01:24:12,568
When you can prove that the police

1706
01:24:12,568 --> 01:24:13,869
and fire department are moving

1707
01:24:13,869 --> 01:24:17,768
ten kilos of cocaine and a half kilo of fentanyl,

1708
01:24:17,768 --> 01:24:21,968
I did heck with a group of inter pulling agents.

1709
01:24:21,968 --> 01:24:23,869
Not, in nine languages and

1710
01:24:23,869 --> 01:24:27,902
prove a movement and view of Texas.

1711
01:24:27,902 --> 01:24:31,268
I do submit as an a request the FBI director, John

1712
01:24:31,268 --> 01:24:35,169
Kevin Anderson, and, deputy FBI Director Jeffrey Ames

1713
01:24:35,169 --> 01:24:39,101
be put against the record for against the community.

1714
01:24:39,101 --> 01:24:40,368
I have an issue.

1715
01:24:40,368 --> 01:24:42,535
The carriage of the castle over 18.

1716
01:24:42,535 --> 01:24:44,702
Are you related and not impaired?

1717
01:24:44,702 --> 01:24:46,968
Is seen as a complementary state.

1718
01:24:46,968 --> 01:24:48,802
And Q on muon energy. Energy.

1719
01:24:48,802 --> 01:24:51,835
And when that is wondered the same way and say, hi,

1720
01:24:51,835 --> 01:24:55,601
I'm a man, I'm willing to prostitute myself,

1721
01:24:55,601 --> 01:24:57,535
no one picks it up.

1722
01:24:57,535 --> 01:25:00,301
I ask that this community take an honest vote

1723
01:25:00,301 --> 01:25:02,134
and view against the state,

1724
01:25:02,134 --> 01:25:04,969
that the building that is right across from,

1725
01:25:04,969 --> 01:25:08,868
the distribution of PepsiCo be looked at as a deja vu

1726
01:25:08,868 --> 01:25:10,168
and that two blocks down

1727
01:25:10,168 --> 01:25:12,535
be used as a parking and take out and bars that

1728
01:25:12,535 --> 01:25:16,335
is there and view compliance and begin full enforcement.

1729
01:25:16,335 --> 01:25:18,567
Thank you and have a great day.

1730
01:25:18,567 --> 01:25:20,567
But. You ready?

1731
01:25:27,567 --> 01:25:28,767
Okay.

1732
01:25:28,767 --> 01:25:31,167
This year makes 18 years.

1733
01:25:31,767 --> 01:25:34,868
I have been sitting in this room

1734
01:25:34,868 --> 01:25:36,834
18 years?

1735
01:25:36,834 --> 01:25:39,301
You don't know how many time

1736
01:25:39,301 --> 01:25:42,635
in 18 years this subject matter has come

1737
01:25:42,635 --> 01:25:46,235
before a city council for resolve

1738
01:25:47,801 --> 01:25:49,801
numerous times.

1739
01:25:51,968 --> 01:25:54,368
In 2024, Chief Mitchell declared

1740
01:25:56,435 --> 01:26:00,468
that he was going to crack down on sex trafficking.

1741
01:26:00,468 --> 01:26:03,468
It was a top priority

1742
01:26:03,601 --> 01:26:05,235
in 2024.

1743
01:26:05,235 --> 01:26:08,101
And so I looked at some data in 2014,

1744
01:26:08,101 --> 01:26:10,101
2010, 2015, 2017.

1745
01:26:11,269 --> 01:26:14,969
There have been partnerships with Alameda County and Hayward.

1746
01:26:14,969 --> 01:26:19,635
There has been FBI stings related to this subject matter.

1747
01:26:19,635 --> 01:26:22,635
In 2003, the FBI doubled Oakland,

1748
01:26:22,768 --> 01:26:26,368
a high intensity child prostitution area,

1749
01:26:26,635 --> 01:26:29,235
and some effort was needed to end

1750
01:26:29,235 --> 01:26:31,635
child trafficking, sex, prostitution.

1751
01:26:32,635 --> 01:26:35,801
And here we are today and 2026

1752
01:26:35,801 --> 01:26:37,801
with an ordinance.

1753
01:26:39,401 --> 01:26:40,802
At the same time,

1754
01:26:40,802 --> 01:26:45,602
when I see 61% African-Americans being the the victims,

1755
01:26:46,568 --> 01:26:48,235
I begin to question, because I come here

1756
01:26:48,235 --> 01:26:50,268
all the time talking about African-Americans,

1757
01:26:50,268 --> 01:26:54,368
and that's always dismissed no matter what level.

1758
01:26:54,368 --> 01:26:59,236
So you have an ordinance on racism that you put in place.

1759
01:26:59,236 --> 01:27:02,502
Nothing's happened. You have an all on an emergency ordinance on homelessness.

1760
01:27:02,502 --> 01:27:04,101
Nothing's happening.

1761
01:27:04,101 --> 01:27:06,134
You have a department race and equity.

1762
01:27:06,134 --> 01:27:08,340
Nothing is happening.

1763
01:27:08,340 --> 01:27:10,335
You have a N.S.A.

1764
01:27:10,335 --> 01:27:12,335
22 years

1765
01:27:13,340 --> 01:27:13,667
in place.

1766
01:27:13,667 --> 01:27:14,901
Nothing is happening.

1767
01:27:14,901 --> 01:27:16,768
Sideshows. Nothing is happening.

1768
01:27:16,768 --> 01:27:20,100
So tell me, why is this going to be an issue

1769
01:27:20,100 --> 01:27:23,134
where something is going to happen

1770
01:27:23,134 --> 01:27:24,134
of significance?

1771
01:27:24,134 --> 01:27:26,534
Clare House came here

1772
01:27:26,902 --> 01:27:29,634
with a support from the then district attorney,

1773
01:27:29,634 --> 01:27:31,634
and this body.

1774
01:27:44,835 --> 01:27:48,680
Wanted to start a fund for ambassadors.

1775
01:27:48,680 --> 01:27:50,602
This is a commercial corridor.

1776
01:27:50,602 --> 01:27:54,768
You got ambassadors and corridors around the city

1777
01:27:54,768 --> 01:27:58,368
in Chinatown and certain areas around.

1778
01:27:59,468 --> 01:28:03,834
Why don't you have, ambassadors walk from Fifth

1779
01:28:03,834 --> 01:28:06,234
Avenue to 22nd Avenue

1780
01:28:08,340 --> 01:28:09,834
De in light

1781
01:28:09,834 --> 01:28:13,534
rain or shine, they're out there

1782
01:28:13,534 --> 01:28:15,534
with umbrellas.

1783
01:28:16,101 --> 01:28:19,101
Ambassadors have them go in.

1784
01:28:19,534 --> 01:28:21,534
Teams

1785
01:28:21,701 --> 01:28:23,868
that have stopped that

1786
01:28:23,868 --> 01:28:26,667
they walk down the street

1787
01:28:26,667 --> 01:28:28,168
on international.

1788
01:28:28,168 --> 01:28:29,702
You gotta slow up.

1789
01:28:29,702 --> 01:28:33,201
I know, because I drive up and down there,

1790
01:28:33,201 --> 01:28:36,901
I can tell you, look what happened on Sonoma

1791
01:28:36,901 --> 01:28:38,535
a couple of weeks ago.

1792
01:28:38,535 --> 01:28:41,134
Two shop owners got shot cans.

1793
01:28:41,134 --> 01:28:43,534
They sell these string,

1794
01:28:45,369 --> 01:28:49,434
whatever. It's not clothing that they use on the street

1795
01:28:49,434 --> 01:28:51,434
ambassadors

1796
01:28:51,502 --> 01:28:54,502
and also changed the penalty

1797
01:28:55,335 --> 01:28:58,868
from a misdemeanor to a felony.

1798
01:28:58,868 --> 01:29:01,335
That's what you gotta do.

1799
01:29:01,335 --> 01:29:04,635
You're going to tell me that,

1800
01:29:04,635 --> 01:29:07,635
officers said they made 30 arrests.

1801
01:29:07,801 --> 01:29:10,435
They get out on and bail.

1802
01:29:10,435 --> 01:29:13,835
If you're going to charge them $3,000, then

1803
01:29:13,835 --> 01:29:18,350
you should have about $90,000 in the kitty.

1804
01:29:18,502 --> 01:29:20,701
You don't have that.

1805
01:29:20,701 --> 01:29:22,701
They bail out

1806
01:29:23,134 --> 01:29:26,868
and they continue to do what they do best.

1807
01:29:26,868 --> 01:29:29,268
Yeah, it's traffic.

1808
01:29:30,269 --> 01:29:33,735
Look how many times I bet you out of those 30 arrest.

1809
01:29:33,735 --> 01:29:38,335
How many times those folks being in and out

1810
01:29:38,335 --> 01:29:40,735
until their hearing occurs.

1811
01:29:41,535 --> 01:29:46,935
Ambassadors let them walk up and down the street.

1812
01:29:54,434 --> 01:29:55,801
That.

1813
01:29:55,801 --> 01:29:56,701
Thank you, Mr. Hazzard.

1814
01:29:56,701 --> 01:29:59,101
Your time is up.

1815
01:30:05,201 --> 01:30:08,468
For way, way too long we have watched

1816
01:30:08,468 --> 01:30:10,268
modern servitude

1817
01:30:10,268 --> 01:30:14,101
and children being bought off the streets of Oakland.

1818
01:30:14,101 --> 01:30:16,135
This is not a new problem.

1819
01:30:16,135 --> 01:30:20,235
Before was an international boulevard in Little Saigon.

1820
01:30:20,235 --> 01:30:22,201
I've heard about this for years.

1821
01:30:22,201 --> 01:30:24,601
Being in the community,

1822
01:30:24,701 --> 01:30:26,701
kids walking

1823
01:30:27,168 --> 01:30:29,869
naked, broad daylight, being sold.

1824
01:30:29,869 --> 01:30:32,201
And there are no consequences in Oakland

1825
01:30:32,201 --> 01:30:35,200
for Johnson and buyers and pimps

1826
01:30:35,200 --> 01:30:38,302
to do whatever they want to kids and to exploit them.

1827
01:30:38,302 --> 01:30:44,502
And the council and the mayor watched and really did nothing.

1828
01:30:44,502 --> 01:30:46,902
How is this different?

1829
01:30:47,680 --> 01:30:50,468
You have to ask yourself, will you provide

1830
01:30:50,468 --> 01:30:53,668
dedicated resources to make a difference here?

1831
01:30:53,668 --> 01:30:56,569
Because before that, an international

1832
01:30:56,569 --> 01:31:00,901
was in the Fruitvale and before that Broadway, Telegraph, San Pablo, Alcatraz.

1833
01:31:00,901 --> 01:31:03,301
It just gets shoved around

1834
01:31:03,301 --> 01:31:06,301
where we want community ambassadors.

1835
01:31:07,436 --> 01:31:09,435
Well, I'm sorry we don't have police officers because what do we do?

1836
01:31:09,435 --> 01:31:13,268
We have a severe staffing police shortage.

1837
01:31:13,268 --> 01:31:17,835
There's no code, there's no traffic enforcement.

1838
01:31:17,835 --> 01:31:20,268
We cut that. There is no community resource officers.

1839
01:31:20,268 --> 01:31:21,101
We cut that.

1840
01:31:21,101 --> 01:31:22,368
There's no crime prevention.

1841
01:31:22,368 --> 01:31:24,368
We cut that.

1842
01:31:25,735 --> 01:31:28,335
There's no homicide investigations

1843
01:31:28,335 --> 01:31:30,401
for cold murder cases. No.

1844
01:31:30,401 --> 01:31:32,801
We are severely understaffed.

1845
01:31:32,934 --> 01:31:35,834
We need to bulk up

1846
01:31:35,834 --> 01:31:38,234
OPD and police academies.

1847
01:31:38,902 --> 01:31:42,368
In the meantime, girls are walking our streets.

1848
01:31:42,368 --> 01:31:44,668
51 people arrested, nobody charged.

1849
01:31:44,668 --> 01:31:46,468
What's happening with the new D.A.?

1850
01:31:46,468 --> 01:31:48,535
Pamela Price didn't charge them. What?

1851
01:31:48,535 --> 01:31:50,801
What did she do? Who supported them?

1852
01:31:50,801 --> 01:31:53,201
Who supported Pamela Price?

1853
01:31:54,502 --> 01:31:56,301
So I ask you to do a different

1854
01:31:56,301 --> 01:32:00,168
to do something different and have two enforcement

1855
01:32:00,168 --> 01:32:05,568
to make it a felony to buy young children.

1856
01:32:09,501 --> 01:32:10,400
Like.

1857
01:32:10,400 --> 01:32:11,335
No, ma'am.

1858
01:32:11,335 --> 01:32:12,401
Thank you, Mr. Twan.

1859
01:32:12,401 --> 01:32:14,801
Your time is up.

1860
01:32:17,201 --> 01:32:18,434
Our names have been called.

1861
01:32:18,434 --> 01:32:20,434
If you

1862
01:32:20,869 --> 01:32:23,901
if your name was Connie, you wish to speak, please approach the podium

1863
01:32:23,901 --> 01:32:25,101
as part.

1864
01:32:25,101 --> 01:32:26,301
Okay. Thank you.

1865
01:32:26,301 --> 01:32:28,802
Colleagues, any comments or questions?

1866
01:32:28,802 --> 01:32:32,235
Councilmember Wong, I think you raised your hand.

1867
01:32:32,235 --> 01:32:35,340
Councilmember Wong, did you raise your hand?

1868
01:32:35,340 --> 01:32:36,502
Oh, yeah, I did.

1869
01:32:36,502 --> 01:32:39,735
I just wanted to respond to some of the public comments

1870
01:32:39,735 --> 01:32:44,969
around, adjusting things to, you know, felony level charges.

1871
01:32:44,969 --> 01:32:49,802
We, as the city council do not have the power to change

1872
01:32:49,802 --> 01:32:51,701
penal code. I really want to make that clear to the public.

1873
01:32:51,701 --> 01:32:52,935
That is why I also made

1874
01:32:52,935 --> 01:32:56,269
clarifying remarks that sections eight through,

1875
01:32:56,269 --> 01:32:59,535
d of this ordinance change or just reflect conformity.

1876
01:32:59,535 --> 01:33:03,135
So if you have issues with,

1877
01:33:03,869 --> 01:33:07,100
the penal code, please make that advocacy at your state legislature.

1878
01:33:07,100 --> 01:33:09,100
Legislature. Thank you.

1879
01:33:09,668 --> 01:33:11,667
Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

1880
01:33:11,667 --> 01:33:13,667
Thank you.

1881
01:33:15,201 --> 01:33:17,201
To the chair.

1882
01:33:17,401 --> 01:33:19,801
To Council Member Charlene.

1883
01:33:20,301 --> 01:33:22,401
What about repeat offenders?

1884
01:33:22,401 --> 01:33:25,835
Do they have anything about if it's a repeat offender?

1885
01:33:25,835 --> 01:33:28,968
On how the charge goes for misdemeanor felony?

1886
01:33:28,968 --> 01:33:32,568
What does it say about that?

1887
01:33:33,768 --> 01:33:36,168
It is my understanding, for example,

1888
01:33:36,168 --> 01:33:40,235
that the, for example, right now, as of January

1889
01:33:40,235 --> 01:33:42,301
1st of this year, there's, there's a few things.

1890
01:33:42,301 --> 01:33:45,268
So it is a it is a felony

1891
01:33:45,268 --> 01:33:48,768
to purchase a minor under the age of 15.

1892
01:33:48,768 --> 01:33:52,102
And then now through the ages of 16

1893
01:33:52,102 --> 01:33:55,602
and 17 year olds, it is a felony to purchase, them.

1894
01:33:55,602 --> 01:33:57,168
It's a wobbler, so-called.

1895
01:33:57,168 --> 01:34:00,635
So the basically the Da can charge it as either

1896
01:34:00,635 --> 01:34:04,435
a misdemeanor or as a felony for anyone who is above,

1897
01:34:04,435 --> 01:34:09,101
three, three years of, that the the trafficked child.

1898
01:34:09,101 --> 01:34:11,101
So but

1899
01:34:11,735 --> 01:34:15,435
and perhaps Lieutenant Campos, who also has more familiarity

1900
01:34:15,435 --> 01:34:17,435
with the penal code than I do, can comment on this.

1901
01:34:17,435 --> 01:34:21,401
But again, this is these are things that must be

1902
01:34:21,401 --> 01:34:24,401
legislated at the state level.

1903
01:34:26,200 --> 01:34:27,802
And through the chair, I got it I like it.

1904
01:34:27,802 --> 01:34:30,301
You saying that a felony can be charged.

1905
01:34:30,301 --> 01:34:32,635
So I need to know those ages again.

1906
01:34:32,635 --> 01:34:38,350
And, captain, Officer Campos, can you answer my question?

1907
01:34:39,350 --> 01:34:41,768
Yes, sir. So some of the provisions did change on the purchasing,

1908
01:34:41,768 --> 01:34:43,802
which is ordinarily a misdemeanor.

1909
01:34:43,802 --> 01:34:46,835
So there are enhancements that make it a felony.

1910
01:34:46,835 --> 01:34:49,969
As council member, Wong brought up the under 15,

1911
01:34:49,969 --> 01:34:53,335
and certain convictions can make it.

1912
01:34:53,335 --> 01:34:56,535
What was formerly a misdemeanor can make it a felony.

1913
01:34:56,535 --> 01:34:58,201
And that's for theft for youth.

1914
01:34:58,201 --> 01:34:59,368
That's for under 18.

1915
01:34:59,368 --> 01:35:02,169
So under 18 they can be charged as a felony.

1916
01:35:02,169 --> 01:35:05,602
Is that from the purchaser that purchase, say a kid

1917
01:35:05,602 --> 01:35:09,202
or child male female from 15 to 18.

1918
01:35:11,169 --> 01:35:13,201
Yes, sir. If it reaches some of those elements that were added in law.

1919
01:35:13,201 --> 01:35:15,201
Okay.

1920
01:35:19,869 --> 01:35:23,769
I'll just note that in my review of some of the state laws

1921
01:35:23,769 --> 01:35:26,435
that North Carolina did make it a felony to purchase anyone, regardless of age.

1922
01:35:26,435 --> 01:35:28,835
A couple years ago.

1923
01:35:32,802 --> 01:35:35,701
Okay, there is a motion and a second on the floor.

1924
01:35:35,701 --> 01:35:37,468
Just,

1925
01:35:37,468 --> 01:35:40,135
wanted to say thank you to all of

1926
01:35:40,135 --> 01:35:43,935
the the very courageous public speakers who came out today

1927
01:35:43,935 --> 01:35:49,502
to speak in support of an issue that is very close to my heart.

1928
01:35:49,502 --> 01:35:53,636
Thank you for the work that you do for our communities

1929
01:35:53,636 --> 01:35:57,869
on the street, for young women, and also oftentimes our young men and other folks

1930
01:35:57,869 --> 01:36:02,669
who are victims of this incredible human tragedy.

1931
01:36:03,435 --> 01:36:08,835
Like author Councilmember Wong said, you know this alone.

1932
01:36:08,869 --> 01:36:12,702
And many of you all said, this alone is not going to end

1933
01:36:12,702 --> 01:36:16,301
human trafficking, but it is a very important step

1934
01:36:16,301 --> 01:36:18,634
to get to where we start to need to be.

1935
01:36:18,634 --> 01:36:20,200
I hope that

1936
01:36:20,200 --> 01:36:24,201
because human trafficking is clearly a regional issue,

1937
01:36:24,201 --> 01:36:27,735
that other cities continue to do what they can,

1938
01:36:27,735 --> 01:36:32,602
that we can see changes at every level of government and

1939
01:36:32,602 --> 01:36:34,401
that we can, as a city,

1940
01:36:34,401 --> 01:36:37,468
start to make real progress on every front.

1941
01:36:37,468 --> 01:36:39,435
Yes, we have to address enforcement.

1942
01:36:39,435 --> 01:36:43,340
Yes, we have to address changing, changing penalties.

1943
01:36:43,340 --> 01:36:44,935
Yes, we have to see what the DEA can do,

1944
01:36:44,935 --> 01:36:47,268
evidence collection, all of these things.

1945
01:36:47,268 --> 01:36:51,200
But I hope that this is one of many actions

1946
01:36:51,200 --> 01:36:54,768
that this council can take on this issue moving forward

1947
01:36:54,768 --> 01:36:59,568
and be able to garner the resources to and tailor

1948
01:36:59,568 --> 01:37:03,468
them to the individual needs of survivors.

1949
01:37:03,468 --> 01:37:07,568
So again, thank you for everyone who have come and spoken

1950
01:37:07,568 --> 01:37:09,869
today. I know this is an issue close to many of our hearts.

1951
01:37:09,869 --> 01:37:12,568
I worked very closely with domestic violence and human

1952
01:37:12,568 --> 01:37:16,135
trafficking survivors for over a decade as a case manager

1953
01:37:16,135 --> 01:37:19,735
and specifically pregnant human trafficking survivors.

1954
01:37:19,802 --> 01:37:24,102
And there are so, so, so many pregnant trafficking

1955
01:37:24,102 --> 01:37:27,702
survivors on the streets today and through the ages.

1956
01:37:27,702 --> 01:37:30,868
And my utmost gratitude to those doing

1957
01:37:30,868 --> 01:37:32,268
powerful work on the ground,

1958
01:37:32,268 --> 01:37:34,869
as well as our Department of Violence Prevention,

1959
01:37:34,869 --> 01:37:39,690
who takes a nuanced approach to these very complex issues?

1960
01:37:39,690 --> 01:37:41,869
We have a motion on the second, on the floor

1961
01:37:41,869 --> 01:37:45,302
and through the chair to the mover in the second

1962
01:37:45,302 --> 01:37:48,535
row of the motion. We're clarifying that we are you all are adopting.

1963
01:37:48,535 --> 01:37:51,235
Well, the motion is to adopt the supplemental legislation.

1964
01:37:51,235 --> 01:37:53,635
Is that correct? Yes.

1965
01:37:53,667 --> 01:37:54,969
Thank you.

1966
01:37:54,969 --> 01:37:58,836
On the motion to approve the recommendation

1967
01:37:58,836 --> 01:38:03,602
of the supplemental in the packet, Councilmember Brown I Councilmember five,

1968
01:38:03,602 --> 01:38:06,468
Councilmember Guy, I was excuse Councilmember Houston,

1969
01:38:06,468 --> 01:38:10,680
I Councilmember Ungar I Councilmember Wang

1970
01:38:11,201 --> 01:38:15,268
I Councilmember Jenkins is also excuse and chair

1971
01:38:15,268 --> 01:38:20,134
Ramachandran a motion passes with a vote of six eyes.

1972
01:38:20,134 --> 01:38:22,368
This item is approved on introduction.

1973
01:38:22,368 --> 01:38:25,968
Final passage will be February 17th.

1974
01:38:34,569 --> 01:38:37,635
And through the chair. Before I call in the consent calendar,

1975
01:38:37,635 --> 01:38:40,468
I'd like to draw your attention to item 6.12,

1976
01:38:40,468 --> 01:38:42,680
which was added to this agenda

1977
01:38:42,680 --> 01:38:44,690
at the three day portion of this agenda.

1978
01:38:44,690 --> 01:38:46,902
That being the supplemental, and you do need an urgency

1979
01:38:46,902 --> 01:38:49,935
finding and vote to hear the item.

1980
01:38:49,935 --> 01:38:53,101
This item was added to the agenda.

1981
01:38:53,101 --> 01:38:55,235
Because action is necessary to ensure

1982
01:38:55,235 --> 01:38:58,368
a quorum for the February meeting

1983
01:38:58,368 --> 01:39:01,368
of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

1984
01:39:08,201 --> 01:39:10,680
Councilmember Brown. Yes.

1985
01:39:10,680 --> 01:39:11,635
I will happily make that motion,

1986
01:39:11,635 --> 01:39:15,101
and then I'll hold on my comments on on this item.

1987
01:39:15,101 --> 01:39:18,902
Thank you. And I'll second that.

1988
01:39:18,902 --> 01:39:21,869
Thank you for the urgency motion for this item moved

1989
01:39:21,869 --> 01:39:26,690
by Councilmember Brown, seconded by Councilmember Ramachandran.

1990
01:39:27,336 --> 01:39:29,602
Excuse me. Councilmember Brown I Councilmember five

1991
01:39:29,602 --> 01:39:31,802
I Councilmember Guy I was excused.

1992
01:39:31,802 --> 01:39:34,802
Councilmember Houston I Councilmember Ungar

1993
01:39:35,868 --> 01:39:37,868
I Councilmember Wang.

1994
01:39:39,734 --> 01:39:41,235
Excused is excused.

1995
01:39:41,235 --> 01:39:43,834
Councilmember Jenkins is also excused.

1996
01:39:43,834 --> 01:39:45,834
Councilmember Ramachandran I.

1997
01:39:45,835 --> 01:39:48,335
Motion passes with a vote of five eyes.

1998
01:39:48,335 --> 01:39:49,668
Three. Excuse me.

1999
01:39:49,668 --> 01:39:54,202
Now going to the consent calendar in its entirety,

2000
01:39:54,202 --> 01:39:58,134
starting with item 6.1, which is approval of the draft,

2001
01:39:58,134 --> 01:40:01,635
is from the meeting of January 20th, 2026.

2002
01:40:01,635 --> 01:40:03,835
6.2 A resolution regarding the declaration

2003
01:40:03,835 --> 01:40:06,235
of a local emergency due to Aids.

2004
01:40:06,235 --> 01:40:09,767
Item 6.3 A resolution regarding the declaration

2005
01:40:09,767 --> 01:40:11,568
for Medical Cannabis Health.

2006
01:40:11,568 --> 01:40:13,968
Emergency item 6.4 A resolution

2007
01:40:15,200 --> 01:40:18,301
for the declaration of Emergency on Homelessness.

2008
01:40:18,301 --> 01:40:21,835
Item 6.5, a resolution for the mayor's appointment

2009
01:40:21,835 --> 01:40:24,168
to the Commission on Homelessness.

2010
01:40:24,168 --> 01:40:27,568
Item 6.6 a resolution for the mayor's appointment

2011
01:40:27,568 --> 01:40:30,568
to the Cultural Affairs Commission.

2012
01:40:30,601 --> 01:40:32,301
Item 6.7 a

2013
01:40:32,301 --> 01:40:35,801
resolution for appointments to the Commission on Aging.

2014
01:40:35,801 --> 01:40:37,801
Item 6.8 a resolution

2015
01:40:38,535 --> 01:40:42,335
for the Settlement of Tiffany Not versus the City of Oakland.

2016
01:40:42,335 --> 01:40:45,969
And 6.9 A resolution for a settlement for a State

2017
01:40:45,969 --> 01:40:50,769
Farm general Insurance Company versus City of Oakland.

2018
01:40:50,968 --> 01:40:52,667
Item 6.10.

2019
01:40:52,667 --> 01:40:54,401
Apologies, Madam Clerk.

2020
01:40:54,401 --> 01:40:56,801
We've lost quorum.

2021
01:40:57,735 --> 01:41:00,101
If any council members can hear me.

2022
01:41:00,101 --> 01:41:03,535
If you can, please return to the dais.

2023
01:41:03,535 --> 01:41:07,135
If there are staff members present.

2024
01:41:18,502 --> 01:41:22,702
Yeah. She said she needed five minutes.

2025
01:41:54,668 --> 01:41:58,968
So. But can I say something to you?

2026
01:41:58,968 --> 01:42:00,968
Chair?

2027
01:42:01,102 --> 01:42:07,102
On 6.2, I had something to say about the, cannabis regulations.

2028
01:42:09,435 --> 01:42:15,435
So when we come back, can I speak to that?

2029
01:42:16,268 --> 01:42:18,634
6.2 is about the cannabis.

2030
01:42:18,634 --> 01:42:20,335
You know,

2031
01:42:20,335 --> 01:42:22,335
it's 6.3 cannabis, 6.3.

2032
01:42:24,502 --> 01:42:26,467
You know, he's saying,

2033
01:42:26,467 --> 01:42:28,467
okay, I think.

2034
01:42:30,869 --> 01:42:34,236
All right. We have quorum again. If,

2035
01:42:34,236 --> 01:42:37,435
Council Member Wang, I request you to come back to your seat.

2036
01:42:37,435 --> 01:42:39,868
We've lost quorum without you.

2037
01:42:39,868 --> 01:42:41,868
Thank you.

2038
01:42:43,340 --> 01:42:45,340
Okay. Continuing

2039
01:42:45,568 --> 01:42:49,200
on with the consent calendar going back to 6.9,

2040
01:42:49,200 --> 01:42:51,735
a resolution in regard to the State Farm

2041
01:42:51,735 --> 01:42:54,735
General Insurance Company versus the city of Oakland.

2042
01:42:54,735 --> 01:42:57,735
Item 6.10 A resolution for Goswami,

2043
01:42:59,690 --> 01:43:02,968
Marquez, Miriam Hernandez versus the City of Oakland.

2044
01:43:02,968 --> 01:43:05,368
Officer Tommy Winn, item 6.11

2045
01:43:06,401 --> 01:43:10,100
A resolution in support of AB 1537.

2046
01:43:10,268 --> 01:43:12,268
Item 6.12

2047
01:43:12,635 --> 01:43:15,100
a resolution for the mayor's appointment

2048
01:43:15,100 --> 01:43:17,734
to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

2049
01:43:17,734 --> 01:43:19,635
Item 6.13

2050
01:43:19,635 --> 01:43:23,340
and Information Reports for Fiscal year 25 through 28.

2051
01:43:23,340 --> 01:43:26,634
Citywide Strategic Plan six month Update

2052
01:43:27,169 --> 01:43:31,369
item 6.14 A resolution for a consultant contract

2053
01:43:31,535 --> 01:43:35,735
amendment for the Fire Station four project

2054
01:43:36,400 --> 01:43:38,400
item 6.15

2055
01:43:38,568 --> 01:43:41,568
a resolution honoring Michael Ford.

2056
01:43:41,802 --> 01:43:46,200
Item 6.16 a resolution for the SAMHSa Oakland

2057
01:43:46,134 --> 01:43:49,734
Recast Program for Fiscal Year 25 through 26.

2058
01:43:50,668 --> 01:43:53,350
And that concludes your consent calendar.

2059
01:43:53,350 --> 01:43:55,702
And you do have eight speakers on this item.

2060
01:43:55,702 --> 01:43:58,102
Thank you, Councilmember Houston

2061
01:44:01,168 --> 01:44:03,634
Just had a general question about,

2062
01:44:03,634 --> 01:44:05,634
6.30 and, marijuana.

2063
01:44:08,734 --> 01:44:10,202
Why do we still have that?

2064
01:44:10,202 --> 01:44:13,435
And I don't know if I'll, order by saying, why do we still have

2065
01:44:13,435 --> 01:44:16,435
that on as an emergency?

2066
01:44:18,100 --> 01:44:20,401
And the lack of,

2067
01:44:21,702 --> 01:44:24,702
regulations on these marijuana facilities,

2068
01:44:26,503 --> 01:44:29,102
they don't even take care of the obligations that they're supposed to take,

2069
01:44:29,102 --> 01:44:34,269
take care of in their in the documents that they signed.

2070
01:44:34,269 --> 01:44:38,667
So I'm just trying to figure out why do we continue to have marijuana on this?

2071
01:44:38,667 --> 01:44:40,667
As an emergency?

2072
01:44:42,236 --> 01:44:44,435
I do not know the answer to that question, Councilmember,

2073
01:44:44,435 --> 01:44:49,680
but I do know that any that any council has the power

2074
01:44:49,680 --> 01:44:52,680
to remove declarations of emergencies.

2075
01:44:53,468 --> 01:44:55,702
But these have been going on for a long time.

2076
01:44:55,702 --> 01:44:59,702
And council members can pass resolutions to no longer

2077
01:44:59,702 --> 01:45:02,802
have something as a declaration of emergency.

2078
01:45:02,802 --> 01:45:04,902
Okay, I want to just to read something.

2079
01:45:04,902 --> 01:45:07,801
Is it out of order if I read something from,

2080
01:45:07,801 --> 01:45:09,535
that what a regulation

2081
01:45:09,535 --> 01:45:13,335
that they were supposed to follow on 17 can I okay.

2082
01:45:13,335 --> 01:45:16,435
It says cannabis operate operators must implement

2083
01:45:16,435 --> 01:45:20,468
a community beautification plan to reduce illegal dumping,

2084
01:45:20,468 --> 01:45:24,680
littering, graffiti blight and promote beautification

2085
01:45:24,835 --> 01:45:29,201
of the adjacent community within 50ft of the cannabis

2086
01:45:29,201 --> 01:45:32,602
facilities and cannabis facilities in my district.

2087
01:45:32,602 --> 01:45:35,335
Do not do it right, and we have one right now

2088
01:45:35,335 --> 01:45:39,435
being built in my district, near a school near,

2089
01:45:39,435 --> 01:45:42,200
some houses that don't even have the permits

2090
01:45:42,200 --> 01:45:44,934
for the remodeling and the permit to build it.

2091
01:45:44,934 --> 01:45:46,535
So I'm on that right now.

2092
01:45:46,535 --> 01:45:52,535
So I'm addressed this, this, this being an emergency.

2093
01:45:52,968 --> 01:45:54,934
Thank you. Council member Brown.

2094
01:45:54,934 --> 01:45:57,340
Excellent. Thank you so much.

2095
01:45:57,340 --> 01:46:00,635
If you wanted to add time on the clock,

2096
01:46:00,635 --> 01:46:03,834
so that I don't go over, I wanted to speak to two items.

2097
01:46:03,834 --> 01:46:05,834
Item 611 and item 612.

2098
01:46:07,301 --> 01:46:10,535
So first off, colleagues, I'm bringing this resolution

2099
01:46:10,535 --> 01:46:13,535
in support of AB 1537, which,

2100
01:46:14,502 --> 01:46:17,102
is from Assembly member Isaac Brian.

2101
01:46:17,102 --> 01:46:19,902
And as you all are aware, there has been, you know,

2102
01:46:19,902 --> 01:46:22,902
many troubling, incidences, both here,

2103
01:46:24,668 --> 01:46:27,768
in the state of California as well as nationally

2104
01:46:27,768 --> 01:46:31,368
as it relates to ice enforcement,

2105
01:46:31,401 --> 01:46:35,201
specifically with the killing of Keith Porter,

2106
01:46:35,201 --> 01:46:37,667
by a off duty Ice agent

2107
01:46:37,667 --> 01:46:41,690
in Los in LA, as well as,

2108
01:46:41,690 --> 01:46:45,269
Rene good in Minnesota as well as Alex Preti.

2109
01:46:45,269 --> 01:46:48,568
And so I think I believe that right now is a pivotal moment

2110
01:46:48,568 --> 01:46:52,134
to stand up for our immigrant communities,

2111
01:46:52,134 --> 01:46:54,534
especially here in California.

2112
01:46:54,835 --> 01:46:59,202
And so we've made we 100% made this fight very local.

2113
01:46:59,202 --> 01:47:03,802
Given that last week, mayor Lee passed those two executive

2114
01:47:03,802 --> 01:47:06,835
orders, one, creating a task force as well

2115
01:47:06,835 --> 01:47:10,368
as ensuring public property isn't used,

2116
01:47:10,368 --> 01:47:13,368
to aid in immigration enforcement.

2117
01:47:14,134 --> 01:47:15,735
And then we also saw leadership

2118
01:47:15,735 --> 01:47:19,768
at the Board of Supervisors with the ice free zones.

2119
01:47:19,768 --> 01:47:24,235
And so, today, I'm encouraging my colleagues to,

2120
01:47:24,235 --> 01:47:27,301
continue to take action in supporting,

2121
01:47:27,301 --> 01:47:30,301
this critical piece of legislation.

2122
01:47:30,834 --> 01:47:33,202
And so we know that officers,

2123
01:47:33,202 --> 01:47:35,869
so I was disappointed to learn that law enforcement officers

2124
01:47:35,869 --> 01:47:39,168
in California can also work as immigration enforcement

2125
01:47:39,168 --> 01:47:41,200
when they're off duty.

2126
01:47:41,200 --> 01:47:43,668
And we know that officers are entrusted with,

2127
01:47:43,668 --> 01:47:47,635
sensitive personal information about members of our community.

2128
01:47:47,635 --> 01:47:50,301
And so it is of utmost importance,

2129
01:47:50,301 --> 01:47:52,701
that we support AB 1537.

2130
01:47:53,268 --> 01:47:56,869
And if you read the, items in the packet,

2131
01:47:56,869 --> 01:47:59,401
but at a high level, what does it do?

2132
01:47:59,401 --> 01:48:03,402
It prohibits peace officers from engaging in secondary,

2133
01:48:03,402 --> 01:48:07,734
secondary employment, with the Department of Homeland Security.

2134
01:48:07,734 --> 01:48:09,268
It requires peace officers

2135
01:48:09,268 --> 01:48:13,268
to report any authorized or a temp of said employment.

2136
01:48:13,268 --> 01:48:17,468
It also creates accountability by defining violations

2137
01:48:18,169 --> 01:48:22,335
and also promotes transparency by making records related to peace officers.

2138
01:48:22,335 --> 01:48:24,335
Actually,

2139
01:48:26,202 --> 01:48:29,301
second day of secondary employment under the Public Records Act.

2140
01:48:29,301 --> 01:48:31,368
And so I really want to encourage my colleagues

2141
01:48:31,368 --> 01:48:33,735
to support this so that, this item

2142
01:48:33,735 --> 01:48:38,603
in the legislature right now is currently being scheduled to,

2143
01:48:38,603 --> 01:48:41,835
one of the committees. And so, in passing this, the city of Oakland

2144
01:48:41,835 --> 01:48:45,668
would be in support, right from the beginning.

2145
01:48:45,668 --> 01:48:48,935
So we want to encourage everyone to vote yes on that.

2146
01:48:48,935 --> 01:48:54,268
And then I wanted to also draw your attention to item, 6.2.

2147
01:48:54,268 --> 01:48:55,767
I think it was back in November.

2148
01:48:55,767 --> 01:48:57,935
The chair of the cannabis

2149
01:48:57,935 --> 01:49:01,768
Commission came to us and let us know that,

2150
01:49:01,768 --> 01:49:06,235
they have been unable to meet given a lack of quorum.

2151
01:49:06,235 --> 01:49:08,668
And so there was a handful of office offices

2152
01:49:08,668 --> 01:49:12,690
that were named with having vacancies.

2153
01:49:12,690 --> 01:49:16,200
And so, you know, I followed a process in ensuring

2154
01:49:16,200 --> 01:49:19,602
that, you know, applications, were received.

2155
01:49:20,369 --> 01:49:22,568
I'm really grateful for the support of the office of the mayor,

2156
01:49:22,568 --> 01:49:26,102
and so on that I'm really delighted to be appointing,

2157
01:49:26,102 --> 01:49:29,901
artist Hay Millhouse to the cannabis Commission.

2158
01:49:29,901 --> 01:49:31,468
And we know that this, commission

2159
01:49:31,468 --> 01:49:35,301
plays an essential role in advocating for equity,

2160
01:49:35,301 --> 01:49:38,301
in economic growth here in the city of Oakland.

2161
01:49:38,301 --> 01:49:39,568
And we need people on the commission

2162
01:49:39,568 --> 01:49:44,336
that, have experience and that are rooted in Oakland

2163
01:49:44,336 --> 01:49:47,350
in the community and bring a strong vision for the future of cannabis.

2164
01:49:47,350 --> 01:49:50,968
And so I'm really delighted to be appointing,

2165
01:49:50,968 --> 01:49:55,168
today, to this body, as she has,

2166
01:49:55,401 --> 01:49:58,401
an amazing nonprofit, focused on,

2167
01:49:58,668 --> 01:50:02,340
providing mental health support to community members.

2168
01:50:02,340 --> 01:50:03,134
She's an advocate.

2169
01:50:03,134 --> 01:50:06,734
She's curated multiple, community spaces.

2170
01:50:06,935 --> 01:50:09,602
Cultivated business partnerships in the cannabis

2171
01:50:09,602 --> 01:50:12,602
industry, throughout Oakland and beyond.

2172
01:50:13,690 --> 01:50:16,736
And so lastly, the last thing that I'll share

2173
01:50:16,736 --> 01:50:19,702
is that I do believe that there are more applications for consideration.

2174
01:50:19,702 --> 01:50:24,690
So if anyone else, actually has a vacancy on the Cannabis

2175
01:50:24,690 --> 01:50:28,102
Commission, please feel free to reach out to, the office.

2176
01:50:28,102 --> 01:50:31,502
I believe it's, you can either reach out to Preston or Dean.

2177
01:50:31,502 --> 01:50:34,734
And they have more applications that you can also review.

2178
01:50:34,734 --> 01:50:36,734
Thank you,

2179
01:50:36,834 --> 01:50:38,834
thank you.

2180
01:50:39,134 --> 01:50:42,734
We can move to public speakers,

2181
01:50:43,569 --> 01:50:45,169
as I call your name. Please approach the podium in any order.

2182
01:50:45,169 --> 01:50:48,868
Please state your name for the record before beginning.

2183
01:50:48,868 --> 01:50:50,934
Zachary John Thayer, Mrs.

2184
01:50:50,934 --> 01:50:53,934
Ida Ola Bhalla, Vanessa Wang,

2185
01:50:54,767 --> 01:50:56,767
Ashanti millhouse,

2186
01:50:57,401 --> 01:50:59,401
Derrick Barnes, Mr..

2187
01:50:59,435 --> 01:51:01,835
Hazard, Mavis Carter, Griffin,

2188
01:51:03,868 --> 01:51:05,868
Marvin ledet, a.

2189
01:51:10,534 --> 01:51:11,969
Thank you, Mr.

2190
01:51:11,969 --> 01:51:16,769
Houston, for bringing this issue up around cannabis

2191
01:51:17,135 --> 01:51:21,935
use the same intensity about dealing with fentanyl.

2192
01:51:23,368 --> 01:51:27,680
We went through this whole thing about

2193
01:51:27,680 --> 01:51:29,680
human trafficking.

2194
01:51:29,134 --> 01:51:32,134
Children are dying on fentanyl.

2195
01:51:33,667 --> 01:51:35,368
A lot more than they're

2196
01:51:35,368 --> 01:51:38,635
dying on this street for human trafficking.

2197
01:51:38,635 --> 01:51:41,734
And y'all don't say a damn thing.

2198
01:51:41,734 --> 01:51:44,340
Except for what Mr. Use.

2199
01:51:44,340 --> 01:51:47,634
Houston, why are you keeping cannabis

2200
01:51:47,767 --> 01:51:50,468
as a public health crisis?

2201
01:51:50,468 --> 01:51:54,802
Let me tell you what the governor just noted yesterday.

2202
01:51:54,802 --> 01:51:57,202
Newsome appeared before reporters

2203
01:51:58,735 --> 01:52:03,634
at the Montgomery Gibs Executive Airport in San Diego,

2204
01:52:03,634 --> 01:52:05,634
some 50.6

2205
01:52:05,802 --> 01:52:09,802
million pills with an estimated total street

2206
01:52:09,802 --> 01:52:13,402
value of $506 million have been seized.

2207
01:52:14,968 --> 01:52:16,902
11,000 arrests.

2208
01:52:16,902 --> 01:52:20,735
And y'all don't say anything about children dying

2209
01:52:20,735 --> 01:52:24,335
here in Oakland because of fentanyl.

2210
01:52:25,335 --> 01:52:27,735
And you, Madam Chair,

2211
01:52:27,768 --> 01:52:31,135
couldn't even ask answer the question

2212
01:52:31,135 --> 01:52:35,734
that Council Member Houston said, I don't know.

2213
01:52:35,734 --> 01:52:38,236
That's all you have to say.

2214
01:52:38,236 --> 01:52:43,201
Why don't you, Council Member Wong, use the same intensity

2215
01:52:43,201 --> 01:52:47,868
about fentanyl as you'd use with street traffic,

2216
01:52:47,868 --> 01:52:50,268
and children are dying.

2217
01:52:52,680 --> 01:52:55,680
Way younger than 13 on fentanyl.

2218
01:52:56,335 --> 01:52:58,735
You had an arrest here two months ago.

2219
01:52:58,735 --> 01:53:03,535
Right here in Oakland for drug trafficker fentanyl.

2220
01:53:04,468 --> 01:53:07,435
And y'all say a damn thing.

2221
01:53:07,435 --> 01:53:10,435
I gave you this copy

2222
01:53:11,168 --> 01:53:14,168
of my Notice of motion

2223
01:53:14,668 --> 01:53:19,535
regarding the raid I found on May 19th last year.

2224
01:53:19,535 --> 01:53:23,135
Because that ballot measure is illegal.

2225
01:53:23,868 --> 01:53:26,268
That was on April 15.

2226
01:53:27,535 --> 01:53:29,935
The city attorney altered

2227
01:53:30,468 --> 01:53:33,735
the text of the ballot measure to say it was a sales tax

2228
01:53:33,735 --> 01:53:37,935
that went into effect on October 1st.

2229
01:53:38,301 --> 01:53:42,468
But now I think I may get my day in court to be heard

2230
01:53:42,468 --> 01:53:46,350
on the 19th of this month to overturn

2231
01:53:46,350 --> 01:53:49,635
that special election ballot measure that

2232
01:53:50,969 --> 01:53:52,735
you articulated that was going to raise

2233
01:53:52,735 --> 01:53:55,735
$29 million annually for ten years,

2234
01:53:56,401 --> 01:53:58,502
if I'm correct,

2235
01:53:58,502 --> 01:54:01,767
and they nullify that ballot measure cast

2236
01:54:01,767 --> 01:54:03,235
in that ballot measure.

2237
01:54:03,235 --> 01:54:05,235
Provision. 4.26.130.

2238
01:54:06,535 --> 01:54:12,680
You can't have a provision there that enjoins the voter from,

2239
01:54:12,680 --> 01:54:14,680
seeking grievance.

2240
01:54:17,400 --> 01:54:18,602
Cast off.

2241
01:54:18,602 --> 01:54:19,667
Thank you, Mr. Hazzard.

2242
01:54:19,667 --> 01:54:22,670
Your time is up.

2243
01:54:34,201 --> 01:54:36,201
Hello, everyone.

2244
01:54:36,536 --> 01:54:39,100
My name is Lee, that I am the district director to Councilmember Houston

2245
01:54:39,100 --> 01:54:40,201
and of Oakland.

2246
01:54:40,201 --> 01:54:41,602
And I wanted to just share

2247
01:54:41,602 --> 01:54:43,435
a few things regarding the cannabis issue.

2248
01:54:43,435 --> 01:54:45,835
District seven and having,

2249
01:54:46,636 --> 01:54:49,535
Councilmember Houston touched on the beautification obligation, these industry,

2250
01:54:49,535 --> 01:54:52,735
these individuals have or these businesses.

2251
01:54:52,735 --> 01:54:55,169
But I wanted to share specifically on a business that's currently,

2252
01:54:55,169 --> 01:54:57,968
doing a buildout, a girl house in district seven.

2253
01:54:57,968 --> 01:55:00,968
I contacted the cannabis department.

2254
01:55:01,903 --> 01:55:04,535
They're currently going through a permitting process with cannabis, the cannabis side of it.

2255
01:55:04,535 --> 01:55:07,502
But when it comes to the actual building process,

2256
01:55:07,502 --> 01:55:10,134
they're not going through any proper permitting.

2257
01:55:10,134 --> 01:55:12,134
They got there.

2258
01:55:12,602 --> 01:55:15,569
They got one part of the permitting process done,

2259
01:55:15,569 --> 01:55:17,168
but the other parts they just have abandoned and they're going

2260
01:55:17,168 --> 01:55:18,869
they're building out their infrastructure.

2261
01:55:18,869 --> 01:55:21,269
So I brought this up just to say, we need enforcement.

2262
01:55:21,269 --> 01:55:24,602
We need attention because, these businesses are popping up

2263
01:55:24,602 --> 01:55:26,501
with no proper permitting process.

2264
01:55:26,501 --> 01:55:28,501
Thank you.

2265
01:55:33,535 --> 01:55:36,634
Sir, can I ask you a question?

2266
01:55:36,634 --> 01:55:38,680
Do the chair.

2267
01:55:38,680 --> 01:55:40,168
Is that to the parliamentarian?

2268
01:55:40,168 --> 01:55:43,168
Can we ask questions, too?

2269
01:55:43,269 --> 01:55:47,169
Because she's. She works for me and I had her to come up.

2270
01:55:47,169 --> 01:55:48,968
I didn't want her to sign up. I was just going to bring her up to speak to this,

2271
01:55:48,968 --> 01:55:50,301
because it's a serious issue

2272
01:55:50,301 --> 01:55:53,667
that's happening in my district, and I hope maybe across

2273
01:55:53,667 --> 01:55:55,168
the city.

2274
01:55:55,168 --> 01:55:57,568
I just want to know if my breaking any rules,

2275
01:55:57,568 --> 01:56:00,301
if I believe we can go through all the public

2276
01:56:00,301 --> 01:56:03,134
speakers, then I can bring her up. Okay. All right.

2277
01:56:03,134 --> 01:56:06,680
I'll bring you back up. Yes.

2278
01:56:06,680 --> 01:56:07,502
I want to break no rules.

2279
01:56:07,502 --> 01:56:11,101
I be breaking rules on this.

2280
01:56:11,101 --> 01:56:14,101
Hello, I'm Ashton millhouse.

2281
01:56:14,602 --> 01:56:16,768
I would first and foremost like to thank the council

2282
01:56:16,768 --> 01:56:20,635
for appointing me to be on the Cannabis Commission.

2283
01:56:20,635 --> 01:56:24,200
Thank you to both Councilwoman Brown and Mayor Lee.

2284
01:56:24,200 --> 01:56:26,869
I'm really excited, as I have been an advocate

2285
01:56:26,869 --> 01:56:29,401
within the cannabis industry for some years now.

2286
01:56:29,401 --> 01:56:33,201
I have multiple affiliates within the industry as well.

2287
01:56:33,201 --> 01:56:34,435
I am happy to be a part

2288
01:56:34,435 --> 01:56:36,602
of the official conversation conversation

2289
01:56:36,602 --> 01:56:38,735
as I plan to help with moving

2290
01:56:38,735 --> 01:56:42,835
the Cannabis Commission forward to its greatest potential.

2291
01:56:42,835 --> 01:56:46,168
I'm looking forward to what this year has to come for myself

2292
01:56:46,168 --> 01:56:47,534
and the city of Oakland.

2293
01:56:47,534 --> 01:56:48,502
And I thank you all.

2294
01:56:48,502 --> 01:56:50,902
Thank you, Brown. Hi.

2295
01:56:56,602 --> 01:57:00,368
I'm going to speak on behalf of the unhoused community of,

2296
01:57:00,368 --> 01:57:01,702
Well, now we're on Willow Street,

2297
01:57:01,702 --> 01:57:04,235
but the Wood Street People's Collective,

2298
01:57:04,235 --> 01:57:06,635
in regards to cannabis,

2299
01:57:06,734 --> 01:57:08,734
clubs and growers,

2300
01:57:09,368 --> 01:57:10,568
we have a particular grower

2301
01:57:10,568 --> 01:57:13,102
in our area that drives erratically.

2302
01:57:13,102 --> 01:57:16,101
All of the people that work there, putting us in danger.

2303
01:57:16,101 --> 01:57:17,668
We are, of course, on the street,

2304
01:57:17,668 --> 01:57:19,100
but we have no other place to go.

2305
01:57:19,100 --> 01:57:20,969
And I like what, Mr.

2306
01:57:20,969 --> 01:57:25,101
Houston said in regards to having the cannabis clubs

2307
01:57:25,101 --> 01:57:26,735
be contributing to the beautification

2308
01:57:26,735 --> 01:57:29,201
in the neighborhood, not to eradicate us,

2309
01:57:29,201 --> 01:57:31,902
but to help us with a better looking frontage,

2310
01:57:31,902 --> 01:57:35,902
a better looking, better present presenting image of who we are

2311
01:57:35,902 --> 01:57:37,869
because we're not taken seriously

2312
01:57:37,869 --> 01:57:42,268
as citizens of the city, and we have very valid concerns.

2313
01:57:42,268 --> 01:57:44,235
We might work, we want recognition,

2314
01:57:44,235 --> 01:57:48,268
we want equalization, which is very important

2315
01:57:48,268 --> 01:57:49,568
because we're not equal

2316
01:57:49,568 --> 01:57:51,802
or there's no equitable anything for the unhoused.

2317
01:57:51,802 --> 01:57:54,901
We are not able to, live in the same

2318
01:57:54,901 --> 01:57:57,201
zones, do the same things.

2319
01:57:57,201 --> 01:57:59,134
It's nothing. I mean, we don't get trash pickup.

2320
01:57:59,134 --> 01:58:01,169
I mean, there's so many things right now.

2321
01:58:01,169 --> 01:58:04,802
We have cannabis clubs and I'll call them that, driving

2322
01:58:04,802 --> 01:58:07,802
erratically, doing 35, 45, 55, 60 miles an hour

2323
01:58:09,680 --> 01:58:11,301
over one block just so they can turn left

2324
01:58:11,301 --> 01:58:14,468
into their cannabis club with annoying recordings

2325
01:58:14,468 --> 01:58:18,602
every time you walk by how you're currently being recorded.

2326
01:58:18,602 --> 01:58:19,969
I got to hear that six times

2327
01:58:19,969 --> 01:58:23,902
between my spot and the end of the block. Why?

2328
01:58:23,902 --> 01:58:25,802
Okay, I'm not doing anything to them.

2329
01:58:25,802 --> 01:58:28,902
If you stop for any second, alarms are going off like you're

2330
01:58:28,902 --> 01:58:30,968
you're public enemy number one and you're breaching like

2331
01:58:30,968 --> 01:58:31,868
the wall.

2332
01:58:31,868 --> 01:58:33,168
And it's it's aggravating.

2333
01:58:33,168 --> 01:58:34,802
It's very unnerving

2334
01:58:34,802 --> 01:58:37,802
being unhoused as it is and overcoming hate

2335
01:58:37,802 --> 01:58:40,768
and, and you know, people's preconceptions and stereotypes.

2336
01:58:40,768 --> 01:58:43,635
Now we have to deal with being bombarded

2337
01:58:43,635 --> 01:58:45,735
with recordings and erratic driving that might kill the cats

2338
01:58:45,735 --> 01:58:48,101
that I've gotten to kill rats in the neighborhood

2339
01:58:48,101 --> 01:58:52,301
and that I care about. And that'

2340
01:59:03,435 --> 01:59:05,802
Good day again, Council.

2341
01:59:05,802 --> 01:59:09,401
I'm here to address, not just the cannabis.

2342
01:59:09,401 --> 01:59:10,902
I believe you guys grouped

2343
01:59:10,902 --> 01:59:14,802
all of the things together under the 6.0.

2344
01:59:14,802 --> 01:59:16,902
I wish to validate Simon property

2345
01:59:16,902 --> 01:59:20,435
of the city of Oakland and comply it and Kelly.

2346
01:59:20,435 --> 01:59:25,869
The Mattson and ask that in us we Carrington mortgage services

2347
01:59:25,869 --> 01:59:31,269
us we orient insurance and us with, travelers insurance.

2348
01:59:31,503 --> 01:59:34,435
That would be a valid application against the property land rights

2349
01:59:34,435 --> 01:59:38,602
under Oregon, USDA, be the United States

2350
01:59:38,602 --> 01:59:41,869
based on credit line, based on application.

2351
01:59:41,869 --> 01:59:44,340
The same issue is wondered and parcel

2352
01:59:44,340 --> 01:59:46,435
of certain tools for the United States

2353
01:59:46,435 --> 01:59:53,635
as the property lease and deed holder and view of our location.

2354
01:59:53,969 --> 01:59:58,168
This is what is wondered and Alto v the United States based on compliance

2355
01:59:58,168 --> 02:00:00,935
and is being asked in view of the right

2356
02:00:00,935 --> 02:00:06,335
to counsel under a Cardoza v the United States

2357
02:00:06,602 --> 02:00:10,502
in this compliance, I ask that the state be held

2358
02:00:10,502 --> 02:00:13,368
malice and negligent and fir v Preston

2359
02:00:13,368 --> 02:00:15,301
and the wonderment to what is wondered in

2360
02:00:15,301 --> 02:00:18,802
the county for is the right to seek counsel,

2361
02:00:18,802 --> 02:00:23,435
and you have implied designation with this being identified.

2362
02:00:23,435 --> 02:00:27,350
I believe that there is issues in the tri regional community,

2363
02:00:27,350 --> 02:00:31,536
tied to land rights, a land rights as the depreciation

2364
02:00:31,536 --> 02:00:35,335
or application of income generation based on Kub to Chime and Zell.

2365
02:00:35,335 --> 02:00:40,368
I believe this is covered in the view of

2366
02:00:40,368 --> 02:00:43,301
Frost. Manhattan and First Republic v SVP.

2367
02:00:43,301 --> 02:00:46,935
This is tied directly to the Bank of Marin v

2368
02:00:46,935 --> 02:00:49,735
the United States and the real estate holdings

2369
02:00:49,735 --> 02:00:52,200
and bond ETFs of a tri regional county,

2370
02:00:52,200 --> 02:00:54,901
including the AC transit and the Bart board.

2371
02:00:54,901 --> 02:00:56,134
Based on the request

2372
02:00:56,134 --> 02:00:58,935
and Smith v Castle, I did not move the fruit

2373
02:00:58,935 --> 02:01:03,635
and after the town of five to re the United States or,

2374
02:01:03,635 --> 02:01:07,301
what is known as the freedom of speech of Alameda County.

2375
02:01:07,301 --> 02:01:10,502
Viewers, society, I ask that the state be held

2376
02:01:10,502 --> 02:01:12,935
grossly, maliciously and intentionally negligent

2377
02:01:12,935 --> 02:01:16,768
in the view of the city tied to chapter 13 bankruptcy

2378
02:01:16,768 --> 02:01:20,602
and the view to the expression to view, pay for play,

2379
02:01:20,602 --> 02:01:25,402
and under chapter 11, validating chapter seven to consulting

2380
02:01:25,468 --> 02:01:28,468
and the view a day to day management under l to D holding

2381
02:01:28,468 --> 02:01:31,468
enterprises and VR performance based

2382
02:01:31,802 --> 02:01:34,567
pensions and view of land rights.

2383
02:01:34,567 --> 02:01:36,567
I I agree

2384
02:01:36,802 --> 02:01:40,902
I solely believe that this, tries directly

2385
02:01:40,902 --> 02:01:44,236
with the legalization of marijuana and justifies it

2386
02:01:44,236 --> 02:01:48,680
as the view to spill your kids compared to the view of what,

2387
02:01:48,680 --> 02:01:50,501
is the on balance of,

2388
02:01:50,501 --> 02:01:51,802
of your,

2389
02:01:51,802 --> 02:01:54,802
of your enterprise as that is identified,

2390
02:01:54,802 --> 02:01:56,301
I wish that there be a full audit

2391
02:01:56,301 --> 02:01:57,934
and request that there be a Sunshine

2392
02:01:57,934 --> 02:01:59,335
Act request in view of that.

2393
02:01:59,335 --> 02:02:01,335
Thank you.

2394
02:02:13,468 --> 02:02:14,567
You ready, Madam Clerk?

2395
02:02:14,567 --> 02:02:16,335
Thank you.

2396
02:02:16,335 --> 02:02:20,201
I do not understand why item 4.1 was remove

2397
02:02:20,201 --> 02:02:23,268
the tree permit issue is three years

2398
02:02:23,268 --> 02:02:26,100
it took to be brought to council.

2399
02:02:26,100 --> 02:02:29,100
The experience of this being dealt with

2400
02:02:29,100 --> 02:02:31,401
needs to happen soon.

2401
02:02:32,335 --> 02:02:37,135
The declaration of a local emergency of homelessness.

2402
02:02:37,568 --> 02:02:40,201
Obviously, you're not doing what you need to be doing.

2403
02:02:40,201 --> 02:02:44,102
You should have been included in the $419 million

2404
02:02:44,102 --> 02:02:48,201
that the governor allocated for homeless housing assistance.

2405
02:02:48,201 --> 02:02:52,934
That money went to San Francisco, San Diego and,

2406
02:02:52,934 --> 02:02:55,334
Los US, I think,

2407
02:02:56,680 --> 02:02:57,168
San Diego, San.

2408
02:02:57,168 --> 02:02:58,869
Do you

2409
02:02:58,869 --> 02:03:02,200
appointment to the Commission of homelessness?

2410
02:03:02,200 --> 02:03:06,202
That commission has not met since last September.

2411
02:03:06,202 --> 02:03:09,601
And is the schedule that they have, boards and commission?

2412
02:03:09,601 --> 02:03:11,135
They are not schedule.

2413
02:03:11,135 --> 02:03:13,901
And it scheduling goes all the way up to November

2414
02:03:13,901 --> 02:03:15,801
30th of 2026.

2415
02:03:15,801 --> 02:03:17,368
No schedule of meeting.

2416
02:03:17,368 --> 02:03:20,468
And they are obligated to do an annual report

2417
02:03:20,468 --> 02:03:24,901
on the encampment policy that hasn't happened.

2418
02:03:24,901 --> 02:03:26,901
Item 610.

2419
02:03:28,401 --> 02:03:32,369
You're looking at a lawsuit that includes the Oakland

2420
02:03:32,369 --> 02:03:34,802
Police Department. Y'all gotta find some kind of way to sue somebody.

2421
02:03:34,802 --> 02:03:38,235
This Oakland police officer who has owned over

2422
02:03:38,235 --> 02:03:40,235
$493,000 salary.

2423
02:03:46,168 --> 02:03:48,168
And overtime.

2424
02:03:48,602 --> 02:03:49,701
Y'all need to address that.

2425
02:03:49,701 --> 02:03:51,134
Some.

2426
02:03:51,134 --> 02:03:55,802
Now, this thing on, s 11, it is insulting

2427
02:03:55,802 --> 02:03:58,368
that you people keep talking about your sanctuary

2428
02:03:58,368 --> 02:04:01,802
city status and protecting illegal immigrants.

2429
02:04:01,802 --> 02:04:03,835
You need to do like the city of Oroville.

2430
02:04:03,835 --> 02:04:05,801
If you're going to have a sanctuary city,

2431
02:04:05,801 --> 02:04:07,690
at least have it

2432
02:04:07,690 --> 02:04:11,100
saying that you don't protect violent criminals

2433
02:04:11,100 --> 02:04:12,601
who are here illegally.

2434
02:04:12,601 --> 02:04:13,968
At least do that.

2435
02:04:13,968 --> 02:04:17,134
And how is it that you are so focused

2436
02:04:17,134 --> 02:04:20,134
on protecting people from Ice

2437
02:04:21,102 --> 02:04:24,101
who are racially profiling, using excessive force?

2438
02:04:24,101 --> 02:04:27,101
What you think the hell is the NSA?

2439
02:04:27,101 --> 02:04:29,435
Is your Oakland Police Department

2440
02:04:29,435 --> 02:04:32,802
engaging in excessive force and racial profiling,

2441
02:04:32,802 --> 02:04:36,168
and you can't fix it for over 22 years,

2442
02:04:36,168 --> 02:04:39,435
but you can fix Ice doing the exact same thing

2443
02:04:39,435 --> 02:04:41,435
to illegal immigrants.

2444
02:04:42,701 --> 02:04:45,690
The hypocrisy of what you do.

2445
02:04:45,690 --> 02:04:48,835
But of course, that illegal activity by your police

2446
02:04:48,835 --> 02:04:53,350
department is targeting African-Americans as a group.

2447
02:04:54,634 --> 02:04:56,468
Then you need to have

2448
02:04:56,468 --> 02:05:00,668
an update related to 613 Yo strategic plan.

2449
02:05:01,680 --> 02:05:03,535
You need an update on gentrification,

2450
02:05:03,535 --> 02:05:06,134
which you have never done

2451
02:05:06,134 --> 02:05:08,534
your sanctuary city status.

2452
02:05:08,969 --> 02:05:11,602
You keep talking about you a sanctuary city, but you have never dealt with it

2453
02:05:11,602 --> 02:05:17,100
in terms of how it impacts the city economically and housing.

2454
02:05:17,100 --> 02:05:19,100
That's.

2455
02:05:21,401 --> 02:05:22,567
Nice. Thank you, Miss Ola Barlow.

2456
02:05:22,567 --> 02:05:24,967
Your time is up.

2457
02:05:26,468 --> 02:05:28,350
If your name was gone, if you're on the zoom

2458
02:05:28,350 --> 02:05:32,690
or on the room, please approach the podium or raise your hand.

2459
02:05:32,690 --> 02:05:34,168
This time. I do not see any speakers in this.

2460
02:05:34,168 --> 02:05:36,268
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

2461
02:05:36,268 --> 02:05:40,468
Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.

2462
02:05:42,100 --> 02:05:43,168
Thank you, Madam Clerk.

2463
02:05:43,168 --> 02:05:44,502
And greetings,

2464
02:05:44,502 --> 02:05:45,801
Council members, Derek Barnes with the

2465
02:05:45,801 --> 02:05:47,602
Experimental Housing Association

2466
02:05:47,602 --> 02:05:50,100
as it relates to housing and homelessness priorities.

2467
02:05:50,100 --> 02:05:52,340
I wanted to briefly share a reflection

2468
02:05:52,340 --> 02:05:53,968
from this past weekend's annual Housing

2469
02:05:53,968 --> 02:05:55,568
Collaborative, produced by Abra,

2470
02:05:55,568 --> 02:05:57,802
but certainly powered by the community.

2471
02:05:57,802 --> 02:06:00,468
The event brought together renters, homeowners,

2472
02:06:00,468 --> 02:06:02,768
small housing providers, nonprofit service

2473
02:06:02,768 --> 02:06:05,269
organizations, lenders and public agencies

2474
02:06:05,269 --> 02:06:08,702
from across Alameda and Contra Costa counties under one roof

2475
02:06:08,702 --> 02:06:10,935
with one goal to better understand

2476
02:06:10,935 --> 02:06:13,301
who the housing stakeholders really are,

2477
02:06:13,301 --> 02:06:15,602
how our housing system actually works,

2478
02:06:15,602 --> 02:06:17,268
and what real support and resources

2479
02:06:17,268 --> 02:06:19,568
are available to people in our community.

2480
02:06:19,568 --> 02:06:21,968
We engage vibrant, loud table discussions

2481
02:06:21,968 --> 02:06:24,435
that focused on clarity over conflict,

2482
02:06:24,435 --> 02:06:26,635
demystifying some of the housing challenges

2483
02:06:26,635 --> 02:06:28,768
that we have like eliminating barriers

2484
02:06:28,768 --> 02:06:31,902
to homeownership, thriving through funding reductions,

2485
02:06:31,902 --> 02:06:35,635
and improving housing policy while reducing complexity.

2486
02:06:35,635 --> 02:06:38,301
The second year collaborative connected residents

2487
02:06:38,301 --> 02:06:41,335
to about 30 community organizations offering renter

2488
02:06:41,335 --> 02:06:44,935
assistance and support, home repair grants, energy

2489
02:06:44,935 --> 02:06:48,869
rebates, fair housing, education and other things.

2490
02:06:48,869 --> 02:06:53,101
I want to thank Emily Weinstein and Michelle Starr at our HCD

2491
02:06:53,101 --> 02:06:54,702
leaders in the city and County,

2492
02:06:54,702 --> 02:06:57,690
Patricia Wells and Joseph Villareal,

2493
02:06:57,690 --> 02:07:00,435
our Housing Authority folks, for engaging in productive panel

2494
02:07:00,435 --> 02:07:02,690
discussions that day.

2495
02:07:02,690 --> 02:07:06,235
I also want to acknowledge, District Supervisor Leonor Lena

2496
02:07:06,235 --> 02:07:07,768
Tan and her staff,

2497
02:07:07,768 --> 02:07:11,401
as well as Council members Brown, Gail Unger, and Wong,

2498
02:07:11,401 --> 02:07:13,201
as well as staff from Councilmember

2499
02:07:13,201 --> 02:07:15,802
Ramachandran s office for attending and engaging

2500
02:07:15,802 --> 02:07:19,402
directly with constituents and exhibiting organizations.

2501
02:07:19,568 --> 02:07:21,702
I mean, your presence really matters,

2502
02:07:21,702 --> 02:07:24,235
and it sent a signal that crucial housing

2503
02:07:24,235 --> 02:07:28,168
conversations don't happen just in chambers.

2504
02:07:28,168 --> 02:07:29,468
They happen in community.

2505
02:07:29,468 --> 02:07:31,802
And we need more events like this.

2506
02:07:31,802 --> 02:07:34,468
We know we can't solve our housing challenges overnight,

2507
02:07:34,468 --> 02:07:36,502
but events like this helped to build

2508
02:07:36,502 --> 02:07:38,902
understanding, trust, and engagement.

2509
02:07:39,690 --> 02:07:43,702
And that's where equitable and durable solutions begin.

2510
02:07:43,702 --> 02:07:47,335
Thank you so much for all your support in the event.

2511
02:07:47,335 --> 02:07:51,101
And look forward to working with you more in 2026.

2512
02:07:51,101 --> 02:07:53,101
Thank you.

2513
02:07:54,368 --> 02:07:58,468
At this time, our names have been called.

2514
02:07:58,468 --> 02:08:01,468
Thank you. Council member Houston.

2515
02:08:01,701 --> 02:08:04,201
And, as I've been,

2516
02:08:04,201 --> 02:08:06,935
advised by the city attorney, any questions?

2517
02:08:06,935 --> 02:08:09,834
And back and forth that you ask will be counted

2518
02:08:09,834 --> 02:08:11,702
part of your time

2519
02:08:11,702 --> 02:08:14,435
because typically we all have two minutes on consent.

2520
02:08:14,435 --> 02:08:16,269
But because Councilmember Brown

2521
02:08:16,269 --> 02:08:19,801
had six minutes, everyone is going to have six minutes today.

2522
02:08:19,801 --> 02:08:20,968
So that's all.

2523
02:08:20,968 --> 02:08:23,968
That's fine, thank you.

2524
02:08:24,403 --> 02:08:27,168
Chair, I just wanted to ask some direct questions to have it on the record so everyone knows what's happening.

2525
02:08:27,168 --> 02:08:29,734
And through the chair, the dead.

2526
02:08:29,734 --> 02:08:30,934
Who did you report?

2527
02:08:30,934 --> 02:08:32,934
That building?

2528
02:08:33,340 --> 02:08:33,968
Their building,

2529
02:08:33,968 --> 02:08:35,368
putting new units

2530
02:08:35,368 --> 02:08:36,835
on top of the roof. They don't even know

2531
02:08:36,835 --> 02:08:39,235
the structural soundness of the unit.

2532
02:08:39,235 --> 02:08:41,235
Without a permit.

2533
02:08:41,302 --> 02:08:45,436
Who did you contact? So I originally went across the street to permitting.

2534
02:08:45,436 --> 02:08:48,101
They shared with me what, has been issued, what has not been issued,

2535
02:08:48,101 --> 02:08:49,668
and what they should not be working on.

2536
02:08:49,668 --> 02:08:52,102
And I escalated to enforcement.

2537
02:08:52,102 --> 02:08:55,368
They will be paying a visit tomorrow to put a stop order,

2538
02:08:55,368 --> 02:08:56,735
as it was not permitted.

2539
02:08:56,735 --> 02:08:59,602
And then, who did you report to to find out

2540
02:08:59,602 --> 02:09:03,502
if they had the proper licenses to sell or grow cannabis?

2541
02:09:03,502 --> 02:09:05,969
So I reached out to our cannabis department,

2542
02:09:05,969 --> 02:09:09,602
who has a list of, who works on the permitting process.

2543
02:09:09,602 --> 02:09:11,134
And they gave me the information

2544
02:09:11,134 --> 02:09:12,735
that they are going through the process.

2545
02:09:12,735 --> 02:09:14,201
And once they are done with construction,

2546
02:09:14,201 --> 02:09:15,767
they should be able to get their permit.

2547
02:09:15,767 --> 02:09:16,935
But what makes it challenging

2548
02:09:16,935 --> 02:09:19,301
is that they're not meeting the building permit,

2549
02:09:19,301 --> 02:09:21,869
but they're going to be issued a cannabis permit

2550
02:09:21,869 --> 02:09:24,602
without meeting the minimum on the other side.

2551
02:09:24,602 --> 02:09:28,536
So I just wanted to say, since we have this committee

2552
02:09:28,536 --> 02:09:31,902
for cannabis, if it is, is somewhere that their scope of work

2553
02:09:31,902 --> 02:09:37,201
could be regulating and making sure that they follow

2554
02:09:37,201 --> 02:09:40,801
what they signed about beautification efforts

2555
02:09:40,870 --> 02:09:42,701
and doing it the proper way, because they just feel that they can do whatever they

2556
02:09:42,701 --> 02:09:43,869
want to do in district seven.

2557
02:09:43,869 --> 02:09:45,701
And that's not going to happen any longer.

2558
02:09:45,701 --> 02:09:48,701
So thank you for that.

2559
02:09:51,269 --> 02:09:52,668
Yeah. You have four and a half more minutes

2560
02:09:52,668 --> 02:09:54,468
if you wanted to say anything.

2561
02:09:54,468 --> 02:09:56,902
See my time to council member, I'm brown.

2562
02:09:56,902 --> 02:09:59,635
She knows she had a lot to say. No, just say it.

2563
02:09:59,635 --> 02:10:02,134
I I'm good. I appreciate that

2564
02:10:02,134 --> 02:10:04,134
she is good.

2565
02:10:04,901 --> 02:10:07,301
Thank you. Councilmember. Thank,

2566
02:10:07,701 --> 02:10:08,602
thanks to the chair.

2567
02:10:08,602 --> 02:10:11,635
I just wanted to comment that

2568
02:10:11,635 --> 02:10:14,435
in, you know, related to the human trafficking problem.

2569
02:10:14,435 --> 02:10:17,436
That's something that I have been looking at

2570
02:10:17,436 --> 02:10:20,169
is like a lot of these nuisance businesses that they're not licensed.

2571
02:10:20,169 --> 02:10:22,869
It's the smoke shops I went to, like a youth led town

2572
02:10:22,869 --> 02:10:26,235
hall by Doctor Aisha mays through the Dream Youth Clinic.

2573
02:10:26,235 --> 02:10:28,401
And like, five of the young people

2574
02:10:28,401 --> 02:10:30,935
there brought up that it was smoke shops,

2575
02:10:30,935 --> 02:10:35,135
likely unlicensed, that have been the vehicles

2576
02:10:35,902 --> 02:10:39,134
of human trafficking. So I think this is not just limited to cannabis shops,

2577
02:10:39,134 --> 02:10:40,702
but this is more of a broader

2578
02:10:40,702 --> 02:10:44,902
question that we should tackle with, administrator,

2579
02:10:45,535 --> 02:10:48,969
Assistant City Administrator Chuck Baker on that.

2580
02:10:48,969 --> 02:10:51,100
The wrong type of economic development

2581
02:10:51,100 --> 02:10:53,335
that we have in some of our corridors,

2582
02:10:53,335 --> 02:10:56,335
you know, as, as was said, I think, by Doctor

2583
02:10:56,335 --> 02:10:57,768
Tran, Oakland is open for business,

2584
02:10:57,768 --> 02:10:59,335
but this is not these are not the type

2585
02:10:59,335 --> 02:11:04,735
of businesses that we want here, here with that,

2586
02:11:05,235 --> 02:11:07,235
Thank you.

2587
02:11:07,435 --> 02:11:09,201
If there are no other comments,

2588
02:11:09,201 --> 02:11:12,201
I will entertain a motion.

2589
02:11:12,868 --> 02:11:14,868
For so moved.

2590
02:11:15,701 --> 02:11:17,701
Second council.

2591
02:11:21,134 --> 02:11:23,935
On the motion by Council member Brown.

2592
02:11:23,935 --> 02:11:27,168
Seconded by Council member Ungar to approve this

2593
02:11:27,168 --> 02:11:30,668
consent calendar, Council member Brown I,

2594
02:11:30,668 --> 02:11:33,680
Council member five and Guy or excuse.

2595
02:11:33,680 --> 02:11:34,868
Council member, Houston.

2596
02:11:34,868 --> 02:11:35,834
Council member.

2597
02:11:35,834 --> 02:11:37,834
Ungar I.

2598
02:11:38,602 --> 02:11:43,402
Council member. Wong I chair Jenkins is excused.

2599
02:11:43,736 --> 02:11:47,268
Council member. Ramachandran I motion passes with a vote of five eyes.

2600
02:11:47,268 --> 02:11:50,868
Three excused. Five for and Jenkins.

2601
02:11:54,767 --> 02:11:58,135
Now we're and Council member.

2602
02:11:58,135 --> 02:12:01,680
Excuse me. Acknowledgments and announcements.

2603
02:12:01,680 --> 02:12:02,634
Colleagues. Any announcements?

2604
02:12:02,634 --> 02:12:04,634
Councilmember Wong

2605
02:12:04,902 --> 02:12:08,335
yeah, I just have an announcement related to,

2606
02:12:08,335 --> 02:12:11,568
I'm joining council member five tomorrow in district two.

2607
02:12:11,568 --> 02:12:14,301
There's going to be a forum on the Costco effort

2608
02:12:14,301 --> 02:12:17,368
in West Oakland at the East Bay Asian Youth Center,

2609
02:12:17,368 --> 02:12:20,869
that the address is two 2025 East 12th Street.

2610
02:12:20,869 --> 02:12:23,735
And representatives from Costco are there.

2611
02:12:23,735 --> 02:12:26,802
And I think this is an exciting opportunity and folks

2612
02:12:26,802 --> 02:12:29,869
should come and ask their their pointed questions.

2613
02:12:29,869 --> 02:12:33,435
So, just invite my colleagues as well as members of the public

2614
02:12:33,435 --> 02:12:34,335
who are watching this.

2615
02:12:34,335 --> 02:12:36,667
It's at 5:30 p.m.

2616
02:12:36,667 --> 02:12:38,667
tomorrow. Thank you.

2617
02:12:39,668 --> 02:12:41,602
Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

2618
02:12:41,602 --> 02:12:43,350
I like to, to the chair.

2619
02:12:43,350 --> 02:12:49,501
I like to adjourn this meeting in the memory of Bridget Cook.

2620
02:12:49,501 --> 02:12:51,901
I'm not sure.

2621
02:12:53,869 --> 02:12:59,368
Who knew her? But Bridget Cook was a beautiful. So,

2622
02:12:59,368 --> 02:13:00,768
She kept me in control.

2623
02:13:00,768 --> 02:13:03,368
She always guided me to call me Councilmember Houston.

2624
02:13:03,368 --> 02:13:05,235
You can't be doing that.

2625
02:13:05,235 --> 02:13:07,100
So, just just I wish.

2626
02:13:07,100 --> 02:13:08,602
Want to adjourn this in the memory of her?

2627
02:13:08,602 --> 02:13:11,335
Because she has been a force, for Oakland.

2628
02:13:11,335 --> 02:13:13,101
And she loved our city so much.

2629
02:13:13,101 --> 02:13:16,101
She loved it so much.

2630
02:13:16,268 --> 02:13:17,668
Thank you, Councilmember Hughes.

2631
02:13:17,668 --> 02:13:20,568
And we will adjourn in her memory.

2632
02:13:20,568 --> 02:13:22,568
Other council members.

2633
02:13:22,767 --> 02:13:24,767
Okay.

2634
02:13:24,801 --> 02:13:28,235
And, Madam Clerk, that is all.

2635
02:13:28,235 --> 02:13:30,301
Moving to open forum, as I call your name.

2636
02:13:30,301 --> 02:13:32,535
Please approach the podium in any order.

2637
02:13:32,535 --> 02:13:33,802
Please state your name for the record.

2638
02:13:33,802 --> 02:13:37,801
You will be given one minute to address the council.

2639
02:13:37,801 --> 02:13:39,801
Miss Assad, Alabama.

2640
02:13:39,935 --> 02:13:43,535
Mr. hazard, Tim Allen Ferreira, Annabelle.

2641
02:13:45,680 --> 02:13:47,468
Velasquez, Mave. Carter. Griffin.

2642
02:13:50,701 --> 02:13:53,701
I think maybe Benjamin Smith.

2643
02:13:55,680 --> 02:13:56,934
Brother Ted or Dominique.

2644
02:13:56,934 --> 02:13:58,934
We're okay.

2645
02:13:59,535 --> 02:14:01,435
Go ahead. Mr.. Has

2646
02:14:01,435 --> 02:14:03,268
you could go to clean oakland.com

2647
02:14:03,268 --> 02:14:05,168
and look at my website.

2648
02:14:05,168 --> 02:14:08,902
These are four case laws that will

2649
02:14:08,902 --> 02:14:12,902
support my allegation that the September April

2650
02:14:12,902 --> 02:14:17,702
15th special election ballot measure A was illegal.

2651
02:14:18,401 --> 02:14:21,401
Rossi v Brown nine California

2652
02:14:21,635 --> 02:14:23,134
courts retain exclusive

2653
02:14:23,134 --> 02:14:25,301
authority to determine the validity

2654
02:14:25,301 --> 02:14:27,468
the enforcement of ballot measures.

2655
02:14:27,468 --> 02:14:30,201
A ballot measure cannot pre decide

2656
02:14:30,201 --> 02:14:33,201
or foreclose do judicial review.

2657
02:14:33,201 --> 02:14:35,601
And that's what 4.26.130

2658
02:14:36,168 --> 02:14:39,168
people versus Vaughn Bond 27 count.

2659
02:14:39,801 --> 02:14:41,602
The legislator may not impair

2660
02:14:41,602 --> 02:14:43,802
the core functions of the judiciary

2661
02:14:43,802 --> 02:14:47,350
and joining lawsuits impairing judicial function.

2662
02:14:47,350 --> 02:14:50,350
Mendocino County versus Superior Court 13

2663
02:14:50,834 --> 02:14:52,835
cal for access to the court

2664
02:14:52,835 --> 02:14:55,134
says fundamental constitutional rights.

2665
02:14:55,134 --> 02:14:56,702
Any restriction is subject

2666
02:14:56,702 --> 02:15:00,268
to strict scrutiny and almost always fail.

2667
02:15:00,268 --> 02:15:04,468
Housing authority versus superior court statutes made.

2668
02:15:09,100 --> 02:15:10,168
Thank you, Mr.

2669
02:15:10,168 --> 02:15:13,168
Hazzard. Your time is up.

2670
02:15:25,101 --> 02:15:27,101
You. In 1994, Barbara

2671
02:15:29,869 --> 02:15:33,735
Jordan led the US Commission on Immigration Reform.

2672
02:15:33,735 --> 02:15:37,768
The report was supposed to look at the impact of immigration

2673
02:15:37,768 --> 02:15:40,102
on the average worker in the future.

2674
02:15:40,102 --> 02:15:42,602
The recommendations were to reduce immigration

2675
02:15:42,602 --> 02:15:46,102
by one third, because immigration was hurting

2676
02:15:46,102 --> 02:15:50,168
the low skilled workers, specifically black men

2677
02:15:50,168 --> 02:15:53,768
without college degrees, she said immigration

2678
02:15:53,802 --> 02:15:57,301
should be about the interests of the American worker.

2679
02:15:57,301 --> 02:16:01,768
First, she called for a crackdown on illegal labor.

2680
02:16:01,768 --> 02:16:04,768
Bill Clinton buried the report.

2681
02:16:04,935 --> 02:16:09,768
So now what you have today is a report

2682
02:16:09,768 --> 02:16:13,635
that was purposely buried by the Democratic Party,

2683
02:16:13,635 --> 02:16:16,935
and now you have 9% of unemployment in Oakland.

2684
02:16:16,935 --> 02:16:20,535
Black workers, low skilled workers impacted.

2685
02:16:20,835 --> 02:16:24,268
Barbara Jordan called for this not to happen.

2686
02:16:24,268 --> 02:16:25,901
The Democrats allowed it.

2687
02:16:25,901 --> 02:16:27,635
And you are allowing it.

2688
02:16:27,635 --> 02:16:30,635
We are impacted by illegal.

2689
02:16:37,968 --> 02:16:39,301
Okay.

2690
02:16:39,301 --> 02:16:40,602
Good afternoon, Megan Carter.

2691
02:16:40,602 --> 02:16:44,268
Griffin, I'm speaking upon for my behalf

2692
02:16:44,268 --> 02:16:48,901
as an unhoused person, and I'm asking for, support.

2693
02:16:48,901 --> 02:16:51,301
Last month, Ivan Satterfield,

2694
02:16:51,401 --> 02:16:55,340
who is running the DPW, came into the sweep of Willow Street

2695
02:16:55,340 --> 02:16:57,668
and I had purchased finally, after a year

2696
02:16:57,668 --> 02:17:02,302
from previous, where he he towed one of my trailers

2697
02:17:02,302 --> 02:17:05,535
that I was living in. I've been living outside, completely outside, in a shack

2698
02:17:05,535 --> 02:17:09,401
built out of cardboard and and foam, trying to do my best.

2699
02:17:09,401 --> 02:17:12,768
I almost died of pneumonia this following year.

2700
02:17:12,768 --> 02:17:16,568
I've been saving with Social Security being $900 for me

2701
02:17:16,568 --> 02:17:18,701
a month, and it's very hard to do that with

2702
02:17:18,701 --> 02:17:20,869
having to pay for food, etc.

2703
02:17:20,869 --> 02:17:23,934
and I purchased a trailer in 1947, Spartan Trailer,

2704
02:17:23,934 --> 02:17:25,168
and it was parked on Wood Street,

2705
02:17:25,168 --> 02:17:27,201
which is not part of his plan.

2706
02:17:27,201 --> 02:17:29,869
He saw me buy that, and he gave me an offer

2707
02:17:29,869 --> 02:17:31,568
that I could choose between the city

2708
02:17:31,568 --> 02:17:32,968
that I live in with my cats

2709
02:17:32,968 --> 02:17:34,201
and had been using

2710
02:17:34,201 --> 02:17:35,802
have all of my life support systems

2711
02:17:35,802 --> 02:17:37,535
that I've recovered over the past year,

2712
02:17:37,535 --> 02:17:39,934
and he was ready to tear down and put in the dumpster

2713
02:17:39,934 --> 02:17:44,134
along with the cat that he just.

2714
02:17:44,268 --> 02:17:45,534
Apologized for.

2715
02:17:45,534 --> 02:17:47,680
Your time is up.

2716
02:17:47,680 --> 02:17:50,680
So you are with us.

2717
02:17:50,868 --> 02:17:53,268
And stuff like that.

2718
02:17:53,502 --> 02:17:57,702
So, Before you came, is it there?

2719
02:17:57,802 --> 02:18:00,668
I do not have a card for you for this item.

2720
02:18:00,668 --> 02:18:03,934
If your name was called, please step to the podium.

2721
02:18:03,934 --> 02:18:05,934
Podium? Excuse me.

2722
02:18:06,703 --> 02:18:09,834
As I said, mister, they are. You did not sign up for this particular item.

2723
02:18:09,834 --> 02:18:12,834
Moving to the zoom speakers.

2724
02:18:13,435 --> 02:18:15,668
I do not have a card for you.

2725
02:18:15,668 --> 02:18:17,568
I have a card for you. For all the other items

2726
02:18:17,568 --> 02:18:22,368
you signed up for, not for open forum.

2727
02:18:29,534 --> 02:18:31,534
Yeah.

2728
02:18:32,680 --> 02:18:34,680
A little.

2729
02:18:40,101 --> 02:18:43,101
Moving to the zoom speaker.

2730
02:18:43,868 --> 02:18:45,868
I think Dwayne.

2731
02:18:47,968 --> 02:18:49,134
Yeah. Dominic.

2732
02:18:49,134 --> 02:18:52,340
Yes? Please begin your comment.

2733
02:18:52,340 --> 02:18:54,569
Yeah. So my name is Dominic.

2734
02:18:54,569 --> 02:18:57,401
Where coming from? Brookfield village, the champion of community green schools.

2735
02:18:57,401 --> 02:18:58,767
And I'm speaking as a member of the 40

2736
02:18:58,767 --> 02:19:00,702
by 40 People's Advisory Council.

2737
02:19:00,702 --> 02:19:04,602
In with the pet brings residents together each month

2738
02:19:04,602 --> 02:19:07,735
a focus on community safety, public health, youth development

2739
02:19:07,735 --> 02:19:10,735
and overall quality of life in Deep East Oakland.

2740
02:19:10,735 --> 02:19:12,802
We serve as a space where residents can share

2741
02:19:12,802 --> 02:19:14,768
concerns, offer solutions and stay informed

2742
02:19:14,768 --> 02:19:17,350
about what's impacted our neighborhood.

2743
02:19:17,350 --> 02:19:20,401
The pet is a resident led body that meets monthly,

2744
02:19:20,401 --> 02:19:22,401
and was instrumental in supporting efforts

2745
02:19:22,401 --> 02:19:23,502
that led to the establishment

2746
02:19:23,502 --> 02:19:25,690
of the Office of Violence Prevention.

2747
02:19:25,690 --> 02:19:27,602
IBP support supporting the launch of Peace committees.

2748
02:19:27,602 --> 02:19:30,969
What I'm on a community based conflict resolution model

2749
02:19:30,969 --> 02:19:35,340
and aligned in our work with the virus is $100 million

2750
02:19:35,340 --> 02:19:36,468
investment strategy

2751
02:19:36,468 --> 02:19:40,268
of Learn and grow, working well, and health and well-being.

2752
02:19:40,268 --> 02:19:41,869
Our members also regularly attend

2753
02:19:41,869 --> 02:19:43,802
and contribute to the bi monthly meeting

2754
02:19:43,802 --> 02:19:47,402
and it keeps safe keeping meetings.

2755
02:19:47,469 --> 02:19:49,201
Thank you. D6 Council Member for agreeing to attend future

2756
02:19:49,201 --> 02:19:51,834
pact means tonight we respectfully academic Council

2757
02:19:51,834 --> 02:19:53,834
members of seven.

2758
02:19:55,168 --> 02:19:56,268
Thank you for your comments.

2759
02:19:56,268 --> 02:19:58,668
Unfortunately, your time was up this time.

2760
02:19:58,668 --> 02:20:01,668
Our names have been called.

2761
02:20:04,680 --> 02:20:06,680
Thank you.

2762
02:20:06,268 --> 02:20:08,268
Tonight,

2763
02:20:12,502 --> 02:20:15,968
Think I can, I can sorry.

2764
02:20:15,968 --> 02:20:17,734
Today we adjourn in the memory

2765
02:20:17,734 --> 02:20:19,734
of Bridget Cook.

2766
02:20:59,802 --> 02:21:04,200
Thank you. Everyone. The meeting is adjourned.