Elizabeth Beckman Schaaf (born November 12, 1965) is an American politician who has been Mayor of Oakland, California since 2015. In 2016, Schaaf wrote a voter-approved $600 million bond measure that helped fund street improvements. When it came to the mayoral race this year, Schaafs popularity was so tarnished that business leaders who shared her concern about a labor takeover of city government failed to unify behind a candidate, and some dismissed Taylors candidacy because he was endorsed by Schaaf. Its the kind of foundational investments that she did in her tenure that will bear fruit for the city of Oakland in the long-term, Moss said. The persistent level of vacancies that Oakland has had in key departments, like public works, planning and building, has really impacted Oaklands ability to provide the basic services, Bas said. Schaaf won the November 4, 2014 Oakland mayoral election in the 14th round in ranked choice voting with 62.79% of the vote. McManus: Are Americans ready for a long, frozen conflict in Ukraine? Overall, since Mayor Schaaf took office while the total OPD budget grew by over 80% Oaklands Public Works budget has increased by only 38%. We must pay close attention to both the people and policies who get support at the upcoming city elections. Report a Problem to OAK 311. "And it will be for others to decide whether that was a good job or not.". Schaafs model is now used in other cities, said Tomiquia Moss, the CEO of All Home, a nonprofit that focuses on addressing homelessness as a regional issue. Bas said council members regularly hear from residents about their frustration with the lack of services trash, illegal dumping and sanitation and said its been a significant problem. she exclaimed. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf was a target of HBO's Bill Maher on Friday night over her handling of a controversy surrounding supposed nooses found at Lake Merritt. Oakland Mayor Schaaf touted the strides made in the last 8 years during her final State of the City address, while accepting responsibility for the current spike in crime, acknowledging that it . The department is tantalizing close to ending nearly 20 years under federal oversight in May, if it can continue to comply with court-mandated reforms. And there are moments of unbelievable tragedy and grief, like presiding over the Ghost Ship tragedy.". S.F.s Golden Gate Park has a new feature after storms: more lakes. When I became the mayor, it wasnt a top concern. Schaaf acknowledged her relationships with unions, calling herself a hard ass about the citys financial health and saying she prioritized paying down the citys pension obligations and creating a rainy-day fund in hopes of avoiding future layoffs. Most recently, Schaaf backed the mass eviction of a community at Wood Street, the largest encampment in the Bay Area, while not doing the work to provide enough housing or shelter to those evicted. Office chairs and a blue bird statue: Heres everything you can bid on Woman found dead near tree limb at Golden Gate Park identified as San S.F. [8] She then became the program director[9] for the Marcus A. Most famously, she sparred with former President Trump after alerting residents that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could conduct a raid. Libby has Stargardt's Mascular Dystrophy disease, which is a deteriorating eye condition that has left the athlete with only slight peripheral vision in her left eye. All housing helps the homeless crisis and all housing at all income levels has helped slow gentrification and displacement of Oaklanders, Schaaf said in a recent interview with The Chronicle. Dan Borenstein is an award-winning columnist for the Bay Area News Group and editorial page editor of the East Bay Times. It also lays out her political achievements and failures as the citys 50th mayor for the past eight years. By nearly every metric, she has decreased community safety and increased human suffering of those already most. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The states shortage of affordable homes threatens its golden-ness, Libby Schaaf says. Under her watch, Oakland has repeatedly and violently evicted residents of Oakland encampments closing as many as 12 encampments a month. We tackled the unsexy basics like finances and POTHOLES. 1965. Her name wasnt on the ballot, but the 2022 Oakland elections were a disaster for outgoing Mayor Libby Schaaf, the culmination of her eight-year fall from grace. With so much of Oaklands budget flowing to policing, the city has been hobbled in its response to questions of basic governance and infrastructure. From 2010 to 2020, the city population increased by 50,000, but the Black population shrank by 14% and the number of Black youth under 18 decreased by 29%. Before starting her political career, Schaaf was an attorney in Oakland at the law firm of Reed Smith LLP. Some leaders have pointed to Schaafs tenuous relationships with city unions, who have protested long hours and understaffing during tense contract negotiations, as a reason for the vacancies. There was a lot of criticism around the type of cabin, but the fact of the matter is she was thinking about interim housing before most jurisdictions in the region were thinking about it.. While making the rounds, she shooed a rat away from a blanket covering someone sleeping in the pergola. Moss said shes eager to see how Schaafs legacy will live on from her investments in education for Oakland children to implementing Ceasefire, the citys flagship anti-violence program. Police officers told them to keep to the sidewalks, and cited California Vehicle Code Section 2800, making it an arrestable offense not to comply with the police order. [22][23][24] In her announcement,[25] Mayor Schaaf said that the focus will be on, "sustainable strategies that can bring needed change quickly to city streets. Political experts say that while Oakland is grappling with major issues the housing and homelessness crises and violent crime Schaaf deserves credit for leading the city through some of its toughest times, including the pandemic. The number of units the city was supposed to build is greater than the number of unhoused people, while the Town spends 10 times as much on police as it does on housing. Required fields are marked *. In 2016, Schaaf wrote a voter-approved $600 million bond measure that helped fund street improvements. Dear Abby: I kept this secret for 30 years, and now I'm devastated by the outcome. [32][33] She responded, "I was sharing information in a way that was legal and was not obstructing justice, and it was an opportunity to ensure that people were aware of their rights." A key component of Schaafs strategy to addressing homelessness is the community cabin program, which moves unhoused people into temporary structures. [37], Schaaf is Jewish. In May 2015, Mayor Schaaf instituted a ban on un-permitted nighttime marches on public roadways in Oakland, citing existing city policies. Born and raised in Oakland, Ive always felt such pride in our beautiful, diverse city. If Im looking at (her) legacy, I dont think she left her successor in a particularly great spot, Lindheim added. Hear the latest economic, business and market news, as well as global, national, and local news. It was fitting that her last press conference would be about a program for universal preschool access. var year = today.getFullYear(); Schaaf nodded her head and told the woman that the city has nearly quadrupled its shelter bed capacity over the last eight years. Schaaf has also been a strong advocate for locating a ballpark for the A's at Howard Terminal in the Port of Oakland. Residents are mostly split in their opinions of Schaaf. In addition to repaving, Schaaf created a Department of Transportation and a 311 system that residents can call to report potholes and damaged roads. She also built and ran the first centralized volunteer program for Oakland public schools at the Marcus Foster Institute. By October, that had plummeted to 35%. "As far as frustrations and disappointments? document.write(sentence); Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (left) and her assistant, Sun Kwong Sze, wave to honking motorists as they stand at the intersection of 82nd and Bancroft avenues during a Ceasefire Night Walk in 2020. Im writing this piece as a warning to every voter in Oakland. Thank you to everyone who helped us leave Oakland a more vibrant, equitable city. We created several public-private partnerships to test innovative approaches with private dollars, like the Cabin Community Shelter Model and Keep Oakland Housed that prevented 1800 families a year from entering homelessness and won HUD's National Partnership Award. Grab all the details about Jane Pauley, her net worth, and married life, Diane Sawyers Massive Net Worth from ABC Network. She is right that the contentious environment on the council discouraged prospective candidates. 311 is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects you with highly trained City of Oakland Call Center representatives who are ready to help you with requests for non-emergency City services. In the citys housing element from 2015 to 2023, which lays out how a city will plan for new homes, Oakland reached 174% of its goal for above-moderate-rate housing. In addition to repaving, Schaaf created a Department of Transportation and a 311 system that residents can call to report potholes and damaged roads. A year later, her Drake-backed fried chicken chain opens first Oakland restaurant this week. Rather they split between progressives. The IRS announced you can file your taxes starting Jan. 23. All housing helps the homeless crisis and all housing at all income levels has helped slow gentrification and displacement of Oaklanders, Schaaf said in a recent interview with The Chronicle. That first year, 24% of likely voters said the city was on the wrong track and 61% said it was headed in the right direction, according to the Chamber of Commerce annual poll. Profile: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf Then, during one of Schaaf's own volunteer experiences with Oakland Carestutoring children at a local schoolshe hit a tipping point. Before winning the mayors seat, Schaaf served on the City Council for one term, representing part of the Oakland Hills. The outcomes and conditions in the city arent as positive as anybody would like. Controversial Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland, Calif., is touting her opposition to President Trump's policies against illegal immigration -- while mayoral challengers criticize her for the. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We made PROMISES to our children, by leaving transformative new resources for the next generation of Oaklanders, including: The Oakland Promise, nationally recognized as the most comprehensive cradle-to-career initiative of its kind, will provide all OUSD students with scholarships, college access and completion support. With former President Trump after alerting residents that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could conduct a.! On public roadways in Oakland, California since 2015 ban on un-permitted nighttime marches public... About a program for Oakland public schools at the Marcus Foster Institute became the Mayor, it wasnt top... Columnist for the Bay Area news Group and editorial page editor of the Oakland Hills to! The Marcus Foster Institute married life, Diane Sawyers Massive net worth, and I. Residents of Oakland, California since 2015 Marcus Foster Institute, Libby Schaaf says 4, 2014 Oakland election. If Im looking at ( her ) legacy, I dont think she left her in. 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