SMALL BUSINESS & DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

secondary-logo-image-2025-SMALLER

THE DETAILS

1. Establish Dedicated OPD Unit For Retail & Property Crime

RATIONALE:

The biggest burden on commercial corridor revitalization is the real and perceived amount of crime occurring in Oakland.  Walgreens is closing down three stores in Oakland this year due to high amounts of thrift, stores like Lucky’s and 7-eleven are being crashed into by criminals to steal liquor and ATM machines. With a dedicated OPD unit to tackle retail and property crime in and around commercial corridors, Oakland can better hold perpetrators accountable and restore a greater sense of safety and security.

KEY STRATEGIES:

1.1 Dedicate officers toward this new Retail and Property Crime unit

1.2 Connect OPD’s retail and property crime unit to similar units in other jurisdictions (e.g., neighboring cities, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, CHP, CA Department of Justice, etc.)

1.3 Establish strong partnership between this new unit and the various community ambassador programs (e.g., Downtown Streets, Chinatown’s Blue Angels, and Black Cultural Zone’s 40×40 Community Ambassadors)

1.4 Expand Surveillance technology network to increase visibility and ability to solve crimes

At a Glance

  1. Dedicated OPD unit for retail crime & property crimes
  2. Eliminate tax for businesses with less than $1.5M rev
  3. Create small business concierge service
  4. Establish Economic Development Corporation 
  5. Implement vacant-to-vibrant program
  6. Increase funding for festivals, concerts and eliminate permits and fees
2. Eliminate Business Tax for Small Businesses Earning Less Than $1.5M per year

RATIONALE:

For a relatively small cost (foregoing less than $1.5M) Oakland can be the primary destination for people across the bay area to start and grow their business. This will not only create the greater vibrancy that small businesses bring, but also create greater jobs for Oaklanders and increase the number of tax paying medium and larger businesses we have here because of how we telegraph that we are open for business, and because the small businesses that grow will more likely stay in Oakland given the stickiness of the business ecosystem they will have created. This policy will exclude rental properties.

KEY STRATEGIES:

2.1 Adopt policies to waive business taxes for small businesses earning less than $1.5M

2.2 Conduct aggressive campaign to register unregistered small businesses and

2.3 Modify database systems to monitor and communicate with these businesses regarding their performance and their needs

2.4 Partner with entrepreneur support organizations to match and align them with small businesses to provide resources and support

3. Create Business Concierge Service

RATIONALE:

Businesses of all size frequently complain about the high amount of bureaucracy that they need to wade through to do simple things in Oakland compared to other cities. They also complain of the limited resources that exist. One of the biggest complaints businesses have about operating in Oakland is all of the bureaucracy and red tape that exists. They also complain about the limited resources that exist to support local businesses

KEY STRATEGIES:

3.1 Create a Business Concierge Position within the Economic Development Department

3.2 Establish a small business support line for small businesses to call when attempting to navigate city processes and steps

3.3 Establish a process to streamline interactions between the business concierge and internal City of Oakland partners

4. Create Oakland’s First Economic Development Corporation

RATIONALE:

The existing economic development and business support entities in Oakland are focused on supporting existing businesses versus attracting new ones. There is no entity with primary responsibility to attracting new businesses to Oakland, and create Oakland-based jobs in emerging businesses and industries, supporting existing ones, and improving infrastructure, ultimately aiming to create jobs and stimulate economic activity in a community that might otherwise struggle with development.

KEY STRATEGIES:

4.1 Prioritize funding for public safety and other charter-mandated services over other budget items

4.2 Prioritize funding for revenue generating investments (staff and technology that bring in direct revenue greater that their cost/salary

4.3 Evaluate all GPF funded projects vs total remaining cost, percent completion, alignment with core priorities, and equity impact.

5. Activate Oakland’s Streets and Commercial Corridors

RATIONALE:

The close of the Coliseum development deal should have never been tied to the city budget. It is time to unwind that irresponsible decision.

KEY STRATEGIES:

5.1 Implement Vacant to Vibrant Program

5.2 Increase funding for festivals, concerts and eliminate permits and fees

5.3 Bring City Hall workers back into the office to model for other downtown employers and catalyze workday vibrancy downtown.