• Implement a sustainable development strategy as an overarching principle guiding Oakland’s economic development program.
• Link the sustainable economic development strategy to a comprehensive approach to job training and continuing education.
• Encourage affordable in-fill housing, mixed-use development, and sustainable building practices.
• Make the City of Oakland’s operations and services a model of sustainable community development practices.
• Establish an on-going process of community participation on sustainable development initiatives by community organizations, businesses, unions, and education.

1. Implement a sustainable development strategy as an overarching principle guiding Oakland's economic development program.
   

2. Link the sustainable economic development strategy to a comprehensive approach to job training and continuing education.

3. Encourage affordable in-fill housing, mixed use development, and sustainable building practices.

4. Make the City of Oakland operations and services a model of sustainablecommunity development practices

5. Establish an on-going process of community participation/evaluation by community organizations, businesses, unions, and education institutions - using sustainable community development as a way to build the strengths of Oakland’s people.

Part One: Background

The Sustainable Community Development Initiative flows from prior actions by the City of Oakland. The Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy briefly discussed sustainable economics. Then, in July, 1997, the City Council addressed sustainable development more extensively and unanimously adopted the policy framework, Building the Sustainable Economy: An Opportunity for Oakland.

This policy framework presented a conceptual understanding of sustainable development, examples of success, the foundation of public and private programs that already exist in Oakland, 23 different initiatives that have been successful elsewhere, and an implementation timeline.

As a next step, the City Council established the Sustainable Community Development Working Group as a Sub-Committee of the Economic Development Committee of the Council and charged the Working Group with formulating a set of policy recommendations and action steps to guide sustainable community development efforts in Oakland.

The Working Group formed Sub-Committees dealing with City Operations and Services, Business, Community Based Organizations, and Education. These Sub-Committees reported on strengths and challenges in their areas and made recommendations. In association with the Working Group, a task force of City staff identified the large number of relevant programs taking place in the City and prepared the Matrix of City Programs and Services. (See attachment.)

Based on the recommendations of the Sub-Committees and the City staff task force, the Working Group formulated the Sustainable Community Development Initiative presented below. In preparing the Initiative, the Working Group followed the strategy of:

• Identifying and building on Oakland’s strengths and momentum.
• Formulating a small number of fundamental policy recommendations with more detailed action steps.
• Proposing that City government, in association with the business, community, and education sectors, implement the Initiative.

The Working Group held extensive discussions with Oakland Sharing the Vision (OSV) in relation to OSV’s decision to incorporate sustainable community development as a key principle in the new version of the Oakland Strategic Plan and to add a section on the environment.

The Working Group views the Sustainable Community Development Initiative as one of a series of steps in Oakland’s on-going effort to become a sustainable community - to be followed by a broadly participative process of community planning coordinated by OSV and other partner organizations leading to the new Oakland Strategic Plan.

Part Two: Approach to Sustainable Community Development

• At the Earth Summit in 1992, the assembled nations of the world accepted the United Nations definition of sustainable development as, "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
• The President’s Council on Sustainable Development and the Bay Area Alliance for Sustainable Development have further defined sustainable development as the accomplishment of three integrated goals which have been characterized as the "three Es" - economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental responsibility.
• The Sustainable Community Development Initiative views a sustainable community as one that benefits its people, building housing for its people, jobs and businesses for the benefit of its people, and a healthy safe environment for protection of its people.
• The following vision statement for the Initiative is based on these definitions: ‘We envision an Oakland, now and for future generations, where: the economy is robust, community friendly, and globally engaged; the natural ecosystem is protected and restored; and all people have equitable opportunities to share in the benefits of a good job, affordable housing, a prosperous economy, a healthy environment, a vibrant and diverse culture, continuing education, and a satisfying quality of life.’

Part Three: Policy Recommendations and Action Steps

Each policy recommendation is followed by a brief rationale and then a set of action steps.

Recommendation #1 - Implement a sustainable development strategy as an overarching principle guiding Oakland’s economic development program.

Sustainable development is enhanced economic development - economic development for the 21^st Century. Sustainable economic development is a strategy to produce more jobs and a healthier environment. By incorporating sustainable development into its economic development strategy, Oakland can combine economic prosperity, environmental responsibility, and social equity.

In the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy, Oakland has adopted an economic sector based orientation (telecommunications, biotechnology, software, multimedia, transportation, healthcare, food products, recreation, business services, and environmental services). These sectors should be assessed to determine their contributions to building a sustainable community in Oakland. This assessment may lead to the targeting of additional sectors. By assisting businesses in targeted sectors to adopt sustainable development practices, Oakland can become more effective at attracting/retaining desired businesses, and businesses can attain competitive advantage.

• Incorporate evaluation of sustainable development practices (e.g. pollution prevention, energy/resource efficiency, waste minimization, reuse, recycling, local hiring, livable wages, job training, continuing education, and community benefits) in identifying for-profit and non-profit businesses to attract/assist/retain; and develop a promotional campaign presenting Oakland as an optimal home for businesses using these practices.
• Establish a Community Economic Development Agency (CEDA) Business Attraction and Retention Unit staff person responsible for assisting businesses in Oakland to implement cost effective sustainable development measures and for attracting businesses with a sustainable development orientation to Oakland. (This may mean the City needs to hire a specialist in sustainable business development.)
• Meet with large, small, micro and non-traditional businesses systematically by economic sector (both currently targeted sectors and other sectors that may be targeted in the future) to learn what they need to become more sustainable; develop written materials for businesses which demonstrate the return on investment available from implementing sustainable development practices; provide referrals to technical assistance resources; and establish an educational program to encourage businesses to move toward sustainable development.
• Disseminate materials on sustainable development practices and technical assistance resources at the time businesses apply for business licenses or permits.
• Assist in implementing the City of Oakland Living Wage Ordinance establishing that employers should pay a living wage.
• Support Oakland’s local hiring and local purchasing initiatives and explore additional incentives to hire local residents and support local businesses.
• Encourage green retail in appropriate sites in Oakland (e.g. near the new IKEA store.)
• Work with the Ethics Commission and other appropriate bodies to assure that development encouraged by Oakland meets ethical standards for environmental safety, anti-violence orientation, and other relevant concerns; and explore methodology and feasibility for developing an impact analysis to assess targeted economic sectors and economic development projects in relation to community economic, environmental, and equity costs and benefits.

Job training is at the heart of sustainable development. Successful businesses need a well prepared workforce which requires appropriate job training and continuing education. Job training is essential to the achievement of social equity (a key to sustainable development) for welfare recipients, the unemployed, and people living below the poverty line.

• Use the Job Training Roundtable - a group of the educational organizations, businesses, unions, public agencies, and job trainers - to encourage collaboration and linkage among job seekers, job trainers, unions, and businesses.
• Research economic growth trends and future labor needs in Oakland.
• Identify the job skills that are requisite for the specific economic sectors Oakland is targeting now and additional sectors that may be targeted.
• Link job training programs to the City’s targeted prospective employers.
• Fund job training programs that focus on the economic sectors targeted now and in the future.
• Create a database of job training programs, listing placement and retention data.
• Evaluate all job training programs that the City funds.
• Encourage employers, unions, and educational institutions to expand apprenticeship programs and other forms of workforce development and continuing education.
• Work with the educational institutions in the city to improve quality basic education/basic literacy for children and adults.

Recommendation #3 - Encourage affordable in-fill housing, mixed use development, and sustainable building practices.

The Oakland General Plan encourages in-fill housing and mixed use development. Linking affordable housing with commercial, office, and (where appropriate) manufacturing development brings jobs in proximity to housing, reduces automobile dependence, and makes more livable communities. Sustainable (green) building practices are cost effective ways to benefit the environment, the quality of life, and the bottom line.

• Develop a systematic strategy for each of the city’s redevelopment areas that integrates affordable, rental, and owner-occupied in-fill housing construction with mixed use development of office, retail, and, where appropriate, manufacturing.
• Support the Fruitvale Transit Village and encourage Transit Villages at other transit centers such as the MacArthur and Oakland West BART stations and the proposed transit center at the Eastmont Mall.
• Organize a green builders program to encourage developers, architects, and construction firms operating from a sustainable community development perspective to locate and/or do business in Oakland.
• Formulate and provide information (a comprehensive check list as well as printed, web, and organizational resources) on sustainable building design, construction, and operation practices (e.g. use of fresh air, natural lighting, energy/resource efficiency, deconstruction, waste minimization, recycled materials, etc.) to for-profit and non-profit developers and builders as part of the permit application process.
• Establish sustainable development criteria (formulated also as a comprehensive check list); review building developments financed by the City of Oakland on the basis of these criteria; and include the criteria in scoring for selection of architects and contractors.
• Research and develop a "tool kit" of financial, code, and permitting incentives (such as location efficient mortgages and tax incentives) to encourage businesses to preserve existing buildings, undertake new construction, implement retrofits, and conduct operations in a more sustainable fashion.

Recommendation #4 - Make the City of Oakland operations and services a model of sustainable community development practices.

The City of Oakland has initiated a wide range of different specific sustainable community development programs. There are City programs in the areas of waste prevention/reduction, recycling, Recycling Market Development Zone, energy efficiency, clean air, transportation alternatives, environmental protection, hazardous materials treatment, Brownfield redevelopment, open space, parks, recreation, land use, and neighborhood quality. (See the matrix of sustainable community development municipal operations and city services.)

By highlighting existing programs, adding additional ones, establishing a process of coordination, adopting clear goals, and monitoring implementation, Oakland can become a model of sustainable community development - a community where all residents are treated with respect and nurtured to be productive members of the community.

• Launch a high profile, high level interagency City staff task force to guide Oakland’s sustainable community development programs and to report semi-annually to the City Manager and the City Council on progress.
• Establish a City staff person to coordinate the City’s interagency task force and other aspects of the City’s Sustainable Community Development Initiative and identify management level sustainable community development champions in each City Agency.
• Determine one year and two year goals for the City sustainable development programs described in the attached Matrix of City Programs and Services and monitor the accomplishment of those goals.
• Develop a City sustainable community development training workshop for City Council, Council Committees, City Commissions, and staff; and mandate participation in it.
• Create an Oakland Green Map to: present Oakland’s progress in sustainable development; promote for-profit and non-profit businesses, community organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies in Oakland who have adopted a sustainable development orientation; present environmental amenities and recreational opportunities; and describe sustainable community development resources/services.
• Support adoption and implementation of an Estuary Plan that preserves open space and an accessible waterfront.
• Create the City Council authorized Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan for Oakland which will identify Oakland’s contribution to greenhouse gasses and specify measures to reduce Oakland’s contribution such as a community energy/resource efficiency program.
• Cooperate with other public agencies to develop an integrated Transit Plan to promote walking, bicycling, public transit, and other non/low-polluting forms of transportation in Oakland, and ensure representation of the plan at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency.
• Encourage the Port of Oakland to adopt a sustainable development initiative addressing different aspects of the Port’s operations.
• Collaborate on sustainable community development with the Port, the Oakland Unified School District, AC Transit, BART, East Bay MUD, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, University of California, State Universities, Peralta Community College District, East Bay Regional Parks, Economic Development Alliance for Business (EDAB), Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Recycling Board, and other agencies.
• Use the Sustainable Community Development Initiative’s policy recommendations and action steps as a guide for budget priorities and allocations for the next two year budget cycle and investigate modification of the city’s accounting system to account for the impacts on environmental and social capital, costs, and benefits caused by City operations, services, and external policies and actions.

Recommendation #5 - Establish an on-going process of planning/participation/evaluation by community organizations, businesses, unions, and education institutions - using sustainable community development as a way to build the strengths of Oakland’s people.

Extensive community planning, participation, and evaluation will be needed as Oakland proceeds with its Sustainable Community Development Initiative.

Oakland’s community organizations can play a significant role in assessing, evaluating, and implementing the Initiative. There are already many educational programs in Oakland (K-12, community college, university, city, county, and private organizations) that are presenting different aspects of a sustainable development orientation. Through coordination, they can become strong resources for Oakland’s Sustainable Community Development Initiative..

Sustainable community development involves building the strengths of Oakland’s people by addressing people’s basic needs for food, clothing, transportation, health care, and education.

• Work with Oakland Sharing the Vision (OSV) and other partner organizations to encourage community participation in the Sustainable Community Development Initiative.
• Join with OSV to incorporate sustainable community development as a key principle and add a section on the environment in the Oakland Strategic Plan and to organize a broad community planning process including community groups, non-profit organizations, businesses, unions, educational organizations, and city departments, and other individuals; and collaborate with OSV and other organizations to obtain outside funding (federal, state, and foundation) for the Initiative and the Strategic Plan community planning process.
• Create a comprehensive inventory of community organizations, including description of their sustainability activities; assess city resources devoted to the non-profit sector; encourage formation of a coalition of community organizations to support sustainable community development efforts (e.g. a buyers club to promote purchasing from local stores that have a sustainable development orientation); and incorporate appropriate community organizations in the Initiative and Strategic Plan outreach effort.
• Organize outreach/educational forums/workshops/technical assistance for Oakland residents, businesses, and non-profits, leveraging the extensive environmental outreach the City already undertakes, to encourage understanding and implementation of sustainable community development practices.
• Support educational programs addressing sustainable community development, environmental literacy, and economic/environmental/equity education; and encourage formation of a consortium of educational institutions and public and private agencies to advance this type of education.
• Coordinate efforts with appropriate partners to address Oakland residents’ basic needs for food, clothing, housing, transportation, safety, and health care; determine services needed to build the strengths of Oakland’s people - encouraging, among others, services that facilitate physical exercise, community food security and community gardens, the arts, culture, and treatment of substance abuse.
• Determine how the arts can play a role in communicating the principles and practices of sustainable community development and encourage that expression.
• Collaborate with OSV and educational, community, union, and business organizations to present an annual city wide conference on sustainable community development.
• Cooperate with the Oakland Indicators Project to measure Oakland’s progress in becoming a sustainable community.