The Oakland YIMBY housing platform is a set of policy proposals to protect renters and to build as much high-density housing as possible on the theory that the primary cause of the housing crisis in the SF Bay Area, and in particular in the East Bay, has been the lack of building.
We call on the Oakland City Council to act now to implement the following:
Declare Housing State of Emergency
We call on city government to declare a Housing State of Emergency for the purposes of seeking emergency funding and solutions from the county, state, federal, and MTC and ABAG.
Immediately Accelerate Approval of New Projects
We call on city government to accelerate approval of all new projects as far as is possible. We ca ll on the city auditor to conduct a performance audit of the entire process and within one month report on ways the process can be streamlined and accelerated.
Require Three Months Notice for Rent Increases over 5%
We call on the city to immediately implement a requirement that landlords provide tenants with three months notice for any rental increase over 5%.
Relocation funds for tenants displaced due to rent increases
We call on the city to implement relocation funds, proposed $3000/household, for those displaced due to rent increases. These would be funded partially by landlords, partially by the tenants who will displace the original tenant.
Immediately Adoption of the Housing Equity Roadmap
The city council needs to immediately adopt an accelerated timeline to implement the Housing Equity Roadmap, including an inclusionary zoning ordinance.
Immediate Steps to Reduce the Cost of Building in Oakland
The city council and mayor will take all necessary steps to reduce the cost of building in Oakland, including: simplifying the government approval process; exclude residential infill from CEQA, allow by-right development of zoning-compliant projects. eliminate parking requirements, height limits, minimum unit size. We also call on the mayor and city council to create a contest or a workshop for suggestions on how to reduce the cost of building. We want to make Oakland the center of
Use 50% of Boomerang Funds for Affordable Housing
The City should increase the percent of proceeds received from former redevelopment funds from 25% to 50% to increase the number of affordable units that can be built.
Public Land for Public Good
Allocate un-used lands and properties currently supported by public tax dollars to affordable housing or mixed-usage for public good. This includes working with the Oakland Housing Authority to ensure that the 2530 9th Avenue property currently for sale and all properties purchased with public tax dollars remain affordable housing units.
Rental registry
We call on city government to implement a comprehensive rent control ordinance including a rental registry . We want the the Rent Board to have more than two seats held for tenants, as homeowners often side with landlords and the burden of proof put on the landlord rather than the tenant.
Tenant Protection Ordinance funding
We call for the implementation of the Tenant Protection Ordinance to be funded through public attorney assistance for tenants, because the majority of tenants cannot afford lawyers to file cases in Superior Court. All landlords should be required to provide a copy of Tenant Rights laws with all tenants, or be charged fines that go to funding the Tenant Protection Ordinance.
Pass an Anti-Speculation Tax
To prevent further displacement of residents resulting from the flipping of houses and properties for profit, the City should implement a higher tax on for-profit corporations that buy foreclosed properties or buyout current residents to make a profit. This should include any companies using services like AirBnB to take large numbers of rental units permanently off the market.
Revise Accessory Dwelling Unit Policy
Cities across the nation are revising policies to allow for more smart density as the country re-urbanizes. The City Council should pass an ordinance that allows homeowners to add accessory units on their open land, including allowing tiny homes and easing parking restrictions with the understanding that more and more residents are biking and taking public transit.
Enforce existing safety laws, provide relocation funds for those displaced from construction or substandard conditions
Building safety laws are currently not being uniformly enforced by the city of Oakland, resulting in calls to OSHA and the fire department to enforce building standards.
Join together with other cities to create a movement to reform Prop 13 to allow a Land Value Tax
Prop 13 needs reforms to allow cities to institute land value taxes, to capture the value of the land to use for the public good. Oakland should pass a sense-of-the-city resolution to urge the state legislature to reform Prop 13 to allow an LVT, and should join with other California cities to lobby the legislature to reform Prop 13.
