Oakland CIty Council Meeting: Housing Related Items on the Agenda

The Oakland City Council will meet tomorrow at 1:00 PM, and several agenda items could have real and lasting impacts on rental housing providers, property owners, and property managers. While some items appear procedural, they carry important policy implications that EBRHA members should be aware of and prepared to weigh in on.

Key Housing-Related Agenda Items:

Consent Agenda

Item 5.4 – Declaration of Local Emergency on Homelessness

• Continues or declares a homelessness emergency. While not regulatory on its own, this type of declaration is often used to justify future housing policies, enforcement actions, or emergency measures that may directly affect rental housing providers.

Item 5.29 – Support for Zero-Emission (Gas) Appliance Rules

• Expresses City support for regional efforts to phase down gas-powered space and water heaters. This item signals future building electrification requirements, with potential retrofit costs, compliance challenges, and long-term operational impacts for rental housing.

Non-Consent Agenda

Item 6.2 – Delinquent Real Property Transfer Tax Liens

• Authorizes liens on properties with unpaid real property transfer taxes. This is especially relevant for members involved in property sales, transfers, or ownership changes, and raises concerns about enforcement and financial exposure.

Why This Matters

Even when items are placed on the consent calendar, they can shape future housing policy in Oakland. Silence today can lead to costly mandates tomorrow.

EBRHA strongly encourages members to attend the meeting, submit public comment, or monitor the discussion to ensure the voice of responsible rental housing providers is heard.