The Development Action Team's activities are now concluded

The following is a brief summary of the Development Action Team meetings. For each meeting, you can find the presentation materials in the right hand column under "Action Team Presentations".

• October 2020 / Meeting 1: Introduced the concept and work of the Action Teams
• November 2020 / Meeting 2 through February 2021 / Meeting 5: These four meetings focused on identifying issues and opportunities for a series of topics. Local and national experts helped to introduce topics, staff presented data from the Existing Conditions Report, input from the Summer 2020 online open house, and relevant materials from existing plans, particularly Oakland 2025.
• March 2021 / Meeting 6: Staff created a consolidated list of ideas that the group had generated during the four prior meeting. The group discussed the list and identified any missing elements. The list of draft ideas reviewed at that meeting can be found below.
• April 2021 / Meeting 7: Staff walked the group through next steps for the Action Team process which involved engaging the broader community and conducting research to refine the group's strategies.
• May through September 2021: Broader public engagement and research occurred. This included walking tours, workshops, and open house events, an Arts, Culture, and Design Technical Advisory Group (ACD TAG), and many public events during the month of September to get input from the broader community on the draft strategies.
• October 2021 / Meeting 8: The final meeting of the Action Team involved a review of the work of the ACD TAG, reviewing public comments on the draft strategies from September events, and a discussion changes to the strategies as a result of public input before they are forwarded on to the Steering Committee. Attendees asked to have this meeting recorded. You can view the video of the Zoom meeting here.

The Steering Committee will work with staff to pull together and further refine the draft materials from all four action teams in order to release a draft plan and related Zoning Code amendments in early 2022.

Archived: Draft Ideas from the Development Action Team

Hundreds of comments from Action Team discussions were organized into an initial draft list of ideas to develop into specific strategies through public engagements and research over the summer of 2021. These initial ideas have been archived below as they were reviewed at the March 2021 Development Action Team meeting. They are organized under the draft goals for each topic as they existed at that time.

Development goal and strategy language is being refined and will be updated on the main Development page. The content on this page will not be updated so that it can serve as an archive.

DRAFT GOAL A: High performing buildings. Existing and new buildings should strive for a positive impact on the Oakland community by reducing energy, water, and other resource uses in construction, materials and life cycle. Demonstration of impact should follow established programs such as Energy Star, 2030 Challenge, Passive House, LEED, or similar program.

1. Improve the environmental function and health of existing buildings through requirements, programs, and relationships with property owners, building managers, etc. Consider both the buildings (e.g., energy efficiency, air quality) and their grounds (e.g., stormwater management, tree canopy).
2. Establish requirements, incentives, and funding programs for new buildings that ensure they are as sustainable as possible. All buildings, including affordable housing, should meet the highest standards.

DRAFT GOAL B: Functional open spaces. Private and public investments in commercial and residential areas are leveraged to make the neighborhood more healthy, enjoyable, and sustainable. Open spaces and pedestrian connections should be designed to host exercise activities and other community programming to add amenities to the neighborhood.

1. Create a system of community gardens throughout the neighborhood that meet the needs of surrounding residents in terms of food and other functions. (Collaboration with Infrastructure Action Team)
2. Establish design guidance for the public realm that links community needs and transportation function for streets, sidewalks, and adjacent non-building areas. Balance traffic, pedestrian/wheelchair access, community and commercial uses, delivery services, multi-modal hubs, patient needs. (Collaboration with the Mobility and Infrastructure Action Teams)
3. Identify underutilized and vacant land such as parking lots and areas in the right of way that can provide environmental benefit such as native plant gardens (e.g., Craft Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies). This work should build on the successes of Schenley Plaza.
4. Identify locations such as Frazier Field/Fieldhouse and Herron Hill Pumping Station where open spaces can be combined with new or restored buildings to provide needed resident services such as daycares and community centers that have synergies with outdoor spaces. Work with residents, partners, and sponsors to fully develop the potential of the neighborhood service centers. (Collaboration with Infrastructure Action Team)

DRAFT GOAL C: Maximize use of solar resources. The form and massing of buildings make careful use of sunlight and shade to maximize energy efficiency while improving the comfort of building users and the experience of people in surrounding areas throughout the day and all seasons.

1. Address scale issues for smaller buildings and homes adjacent to new larger structures that protects access to light and air. In the Zoning Code, this is currently called "Residential Compatibility". Shadow studies are not enough, not believed.

DRAFT GOAL D: Prioritizing green spaces in development. New and existing buildings in all areas of Oakland make room for green spaces that provide shade, stormwater function, and habitat for non-human animal species. Green spaces that are available to the public are a priority, but these can also be provided on upper floors of development including green roofs. Where mature trees exist on parcels, their continued health is prioritized.

1. Establish Zoning Code incentive to create open spaces, particularly plazas that treat stormwater, as a part of new development projects and major building rehabilitation projects. (Collaboration with Infrastructure Action Team)
2. Create design guidelines that proactively communicate community desires for the public realm, open space, and public art as part of development projects.
3. Build on work of TreePGH, PPC, and OPDC around street trees to create a cohesive neighborhood-wide tree canopy strategy that includes preservation of existing trees, funding and planting of new trees, and maintenance. Look at street trees, trees on private property, and trees in open space. Work with long-time residents to overcome maintenance concerns that have resulted in tree canopy loss over decades. (Collaboration with Infrastructure Action Team)

DRAFT GOAL E: Community building through neighborhood greening. Oakland's institutions, non-profit organizations, businesses, students and residents work together to build up community initiatives that connect people while making the neighborhood more sustainable, healthy, and equitable.

1. Identify areas with topographical challenges and propose menu of options such as trails, steps, escalators, and in-building approaches that can be successfully deployed. (Collaboration with Mobility Action Team)
2. Establish a neighborhood identity linked to sustainability, equity, and resilience (e.g., Oakland Ecodistrict). Identify the partner organizations that would be involved and desired outcomes which should include improving livability of the neighborhood and changing perceptions of Oakland that have limited the number of long-term residents. (Collaboration with Community Action Team)
3. Development in residential areas should add publicly accessible amenities for children of all ages to help attract and retain families in Oakland (e.g., Allequippa Street in West Oakland).

DRAFT GOAL F: Buildings that belong in Oakland. Building design should speak to how it belongs in and is specific to the context of Oakland and consistent with the outstanding architectural heritage of the area. Well-designed buildings are appropriately scaled, use high quality materials, and are designed either to be consistent with historic fabric or bring innovative new ideas. Oakland needs buildings it can be proud of, not cookie cutter structures from other cities.

1. Create design guidelines that proactively communicate what the community considers desirable new development including scale, massing, materials, examples. Address compatibility issues for new buildings adjacent to existing 2-3 story buildings. Identify best practices for design of new structures adjacent to historic districts.
2. Preserve historic buildings to retain character of certain areas, sustainably reuse buildings, retain history, and aid in placemaking that attracts people to the neighborhood (e.g., Oakland Square, Panther Hollow). (Collaboration with Community Action Team)

DRAFT GOAL G: Potential goal around gateways to be developed.

1. Establish Oakland’s gateways as places of high quality building design, wayfinding, multi-modal hubs, and potentially pull off areas where visitors can orient themselves to find things. For Bates and Boulevard Gateway, overcome issues of pedestrian safety and lack of crossings of the Boulevard. (Collaboration with Mobility Action Team)

DRAFT GOAL A: Focused regulations and guidelines. Zoning, design guidelines, and other policy tools are deployed and regularly improved to ensure they effectively implement the plan’s vision and goals.

1. Coordinate major construction projects in and adjacent to streets to reduce impacts and make more efficient use of resources.
2. Review parking regulations. Understand and address illegal parking on private property that is taking up land that could be developed or provide environmental function. Address how multi-family projects access Residential Permit Parking Program and issues related to lack of connection between permits provided and spaces available.
3. Identify regulatory triggers that can be used to establish requirements for updating and improving existing structures (e.g., new occupancy permits, license renewals, changes of use).
4. Need a clear and communicable strategy for areas of the neighborhood where development is complex such as steeply sloped, landslide prone, and undermined areas.
5. Establish incentives that target desired amenities to specific parts of the neighborhood where they are needed most (e.g., open space, community gardens, community centers, food options, small business incubation spaces).
6. Density needs to be organized and planned for, located in buildings and places where it can be managed (e.g., multi-family near the major corridors and campuses). Address concerns from property owners that externalities are going to reduce their property values.
7. Determine whether there could be a regulatory tool or policy that holds developers accountable for what they promise communities they will provide in their ground floors?

DRAFT GOAL B: Active and coordinated advocacy. Institutions, non-profits, businesses, and residents understand relevant policies and regulations and act as advocates for new projects consistent with them.

1. Identify new ways residents can engage productively with development projects. Report many bad experiences and when they try to intervene in ZBA and court cases they are unsuccessful and frustrated (e.g., don’t have standing). Feel they are impacted without a way to engage. Questions of what new zoning provisions will achieve when existing ones are not followed.
2. Resolve issues identified by recent experiences with Community Benefits Agreements. Dissatisfaction with how they are negotiated and the outcomes. Questions of how they are enforced. Result is taller buildings, but not clear what the community benefits actually will be.
3. Establish policy framework including targets that helps local institutions, organizations, and residents push policy with new development that may not be achievable through requirements or incentives in the Zoning Code (e.g., hiring local firms, hiring MWBE firms, hiring Oakland residents, tenanting local businesses, etc.). More info about these example policies in UPMC Presby Tower tenanting, Fifth and Halket OPDC space, etc. Also related to need for mentorship, apprenticeship, and other programs that improve pipeline. Should have explicit recommendations for incorporating these goals into RFPs for development projects, potentially other programs that major employers would run.

DRAFT GOAL C: Great experiences. Make Oakland an enjoyable, safe, and productive place to live, work, and study for all.

1. Establish a clear vision of a future Oakland that is pedestrian/wheelchair focused, beautiful, enjoyable. Related to design guidelines, open space work, tree canopy, and other projects that help to define what beautiful means to most people in Oakland.

DRAFT GOAL D: Potential new goal around enforcement to be developed.

1. Need to implement Rental Registration program, enforce limits.

DRAFT GOAL A: Live-work opportunities for all. Target workforce development programs and employment opportunities for existing residents to avoid displacement, and create affordable housing for lower income employees and students so they can walk to work and school and benefit from Oakland's amenities and resources.

1. Pipeline of rental and for sale (first home) housing is needed as part of a strategy to retain students in Oakland after they graduate. Need to understand trends about what young workers are seeking in terms of housing, location, amenities, etc. and how that changes over 20s and 30s. Part of cross-cutting initiative.
2. Work with major employers to establish Employer Assistant Housing Programs, consider if there are benefits of a shared program across institutions. Program(s) must be linked to those building and advocating for housing so needs of employees can be met. Might be possible to have waitlists for housing types at employers that are then used by developers as they establish projects and decide on units and look to lease/sell them. May be able to start by comprehensive survey of employees that ascertains what would draw them to live in Oakland. Can smaller businesses be part of this program?
3. Homeowner programs should be provided for existing residents to help them understand how to maintain and improve their homes. Helps overcome lack of investment and also sustainability, possibly also retaining historic character if they live in an older home.
4. Oakland is in the middle of most of the city’s employment zones, and could provide great teleworking opportunities in new housing, so that students can graduate, get teleworking job, but stay in Oakland.

DRAFT GOAL B: Housing diversity. Ensure a mix of rental and for sale housing is available at a wide range of income levels. Provide a variety of affordable and healthy housing options for students.

1. Establish flexible program that links the community with work at the universities to rethink student housing. Residents need to understand and have relationship to how the university thinks of student housing and the projects that it will develop as a result of this. Recognize that trends are changing and ongoing communication will be needed.
2. Expand City's Inclusionary Zoning regulations to Oakland.
3. Plan should include a “missing middle” strategy that can be implemented through zoning code provisions and developers. Builds on history of residential areas, but with modern designs and ideas including Accessory Dwelling Units. This could meet the needs of a diverse group including LGBTQ seniors, accessibility community, multi-generational living, first time homebuyers, students moving into independent living, etc. Linked to cross-cutting strategies around zoning and design guidelines.
4. Understand the role of housing options in nearby areas that have high levels of transit service as a way to meet Oakland housing needs (e.g., East End, Squirrel Hill, South Side Flats, Uptown, Downtown, riverfront areas). This is currently happening for many families and graduate students, but should there be a more intentional approach?
5. Plan needs to address that housing was built for large families but modern families are much smaller. Does the plan propose that existing homes should be retained but broken up into multiple units, replaced with modern structures that can make more efficient use of the land and provide other amenities, or some combination of the two? Need to make sure the zoning supports the answer of this question.

DRAFT GOAL C: Invest in affordability. Prioritize public housing investments in Central, South, and West Oakland.

1. Affordable housing should be built around bus stations, particularly on the Boulevard of the Allies. Establish partnerships between property owners, affordable housing developers, and public agencies that provide funding, to spur a first wave of projects. On some corridors, it may make sense for the housing to be a block or two back, such as Fifth and Forbes Avenues due to noise, traffic, employment demands. Linked to Transit Oriented Corridors and Nodes. Identify and initiate specific projects and partnership to deliver more affordable housing and commercial space for local businesses (e.g., Institutions, HACP, Parking Authority, OPDC, OBID, InnovatePGH).
2. Need to understand and meet the needs of frontline workers, lower income workers, etc. UPMC is part of national group working on investing in affordable housing within walking distance of hospitals so that all employees can walk to work. Can this serve as model or inform Employer Assisted Housing efforts more broadly?
3. Plan should reinforce that affordable housing must achieve high levels of sustainability, health, and design. Strong reaction to ACTION Housing projects and how they managed to meet these demands.
4. Plan and programs should dispel the myth that Oakland residents wouldn’t support new apartments and condos, but that they want them to be well designed, appropriately scaled, and come with affordable units. Online open house showed that 82.1% of attendees supported these kinds of buildings if they had affordable units in them and that they were needed in Central, South, and West Oakland.

DRAFT GOAL D: Family supportive housing. Regulations, policies, and programming supports the creation and improvement of existing buildings to provide housing options for families of all income levels.

1. Zoning code provisions and policies need to reinforce long-standing community desires to increase number of families in neighborhood. Mixed-income housing is needed that has three or more bedrooms and provides or is near to open space. Part of cross-cutting initiative that also looks at missing services, amenities, pedestrian safety, etc.
2. How can the plan identify areas where certain kinds of housing and residents are desired? For example, students are desired near the corridors in multi-family structures, graduate students and permanent residents as well as affordable housing are strongly desired in South and West Oakland. How does this message get conveyed to developers, landlords, potential residents?

DRAFT GOAL A: Welcoming Oakland. Oakland's institutions, non-profit organizations, and residents work proactively to welcome BIPOC, LGBTQ, immigrant and refugee, and disabled people to live, work, and play in the neighborhood.

1. Programs need to focus on Oakland’s African-American population to overcome unemployment and ongoing displacement. Part of cross-cutting initiative for Black Oaklanders.
2. Need to tap the full potential of students by retaining them, having them start businesses in Oakland, need to make the neighborhood more attractive to do so. Includes recognition of the highly diverse nature of this part of the community. Part of cross-cutting initiative.
3. Oakland needs to promote itself, dispel myths, present the image it wants to present. This could include establishing a brick-and-mortar Welcome Center like South Side Chamber of Commerce runs.
4. Need policies and programs that support locally owned businesses. Help with business plans, business structure, recognize long-standing businesses, business-to-business networks. Need to build up connections/networks with MWBEs and share them.
5. Expand use of employee resource groups at UPMC to other employers. Equips employees with skills for new jobs. Focus on entry level and those ready to move up. Requires mentors and trainees that both see benefits.
6. Implement the findings of the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation that show Oakland is the best location for Pittsburgh’s Hispanic entrepreneurs to start businesses. Overcome barriers to entry including lack of space and high rents.
7. Address how social and business networks include communities of color, international students, and immigrants.
8. Need to address health inequities in Pittsburgh, particularly racial ones.

DRAFT GOAL B: Space for everyone. New and existing buildings should create opportunities for renters and tenants with the intent of overcoming inequities.

1. Wayfinding and promotional programs are needed to drive foot traffic, cyclists, other visitors to local businesses, particularly when they are off the major corridors. Need to think about visitors to Oakland including patients and families, what they are looking for, how they get around, and how this can support local business development.
2. Increase diversity of businesses in Oakland to create places for all kinds of people to shop. Find out how the business community could support what is currently missing. Create / organize resources and opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses in Oakland. Use info from OBID, but also look at other commercial areas in Oakland. Likely need to survey businesses to understand the dynamics of their customers and compare to best practices elsewhere to understand the potential for change.
3. Build on recent work to tenant local businesses (UPMC, OPDC, OBID), by expanding this effort across all commercial property owners and relevant non-profit organizations, particularly the institutions. Establishing a committee that focuses on this effort, shares experiences, tracks progress, could be effective way to proceed. Think about how to engage developers of new projects.
4. Establish strategy that offsets need for major grocery stores, by establishing network of smaller businesses that can collectively meet food needs of residents. Could partner with community gardens and other local food producers. May happen organically already, but could use a push/funding from local organizations.
5. Boulevard of the Allies should be a place for local business entrepreneurship in existing and new transit oriented buildings. Businesses by community members for the community to use. Could be supported by reduced rents on ground floors that allow community to create businesses and express creativity. Homestead’s 8th Avenue is good local example for business mentorship, programs, and shared resources that support local business growth. Also OPDC space in Fifth and Halket.

DRAFT GOAL C: Inclusive hiring and contracting. Oakland employers and developers meet or exceed agreed upon targets for minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. Contracting Oakland-based companies is a priority along with programs that increase the supply and quality of neighborhood businesses.

1. Work with institutions to establish Oakland targets for hiring local firms, MWBE firms, hiring Oakland residents, tenanting local businesses, etc. What are emerging best practices elsewhere? How can this be enforced? Any project seeking funds from public sector or Oakland organizations or on institutional or public lands should meet these goals. Will also require mentorship and work to build up the pipeline of these businesses.
2. Set goals and work to increase representation of people of color in leadership positions in Oakland.
3. Map and understand the workforce pipeline programs in place, what works, what doesn’t, and the gaps. Understand how to get Oakland residents into Oakland jobs. Establish a workforce committee with all providers and major employers to continually share practices, opportunities, work together to launch new initiatives, share opportunities with residents. Could begin as a Technical Advisory Group during the planning process and then continue on after the plan is completed. Connecting residents to opportunities is a major goal. Connect this group to equity indicators and census data work.
4. Work with Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation and other minority advocacy organizations to connect people from these communities with job opportunities in Oakland. Identify and address barriers that currently exist.
5. Address the impact of qualification inflation at Oakland institutions on hiring of people with lower educational attainment into positions that provide a point of entry into the local workforce. Increase internships, apprenticeships, and other introductory experiences, but must make sure compensation is sufficient and doesn’t leave some people out.
6. Determine how the plan, zoning, and guidelines can be leveraged to set parameters for MWBEs in development projects including RFPs, construction sector guidelines, etc.

DRAFT GOAL A: Vibrant commercial corridors. Fifth and Forbes Avenues, the Boulevard of the Allies, Craig Street, and other smaller commercial corridors provide high quality and safe pedestrian experiences with inviting public realm improvements, open spaces, and complementary ground floor uses in buildings.

1. Establish a corridor approach to transit oriented development that considers how all the needs of the community can be met across a network of nodes along the major corridors. May include areas outside of Oakland (e.g., public schools on transit lines in adjacent areas).
2. Carefully consider the role of residential development in commercial corridors. Identify locations where it is needed on the corridor vs. areas where it is best located a block or two from the corridor. How does zoning and policy reinforce this strategy?
3. Study and develop network of kid safe streets following where parks and other family amenities are located or desired in the community. What needs to be added or improved to make this a reality?

DRAFT GOAL B: Boulevard of the Allies as connector. Investments in the Boulevard of the Allies and adjacent land supports a pedestrian and transit-oriented character that stitches together Central and South Oakland, provides needed amenities to both areas, and addresses environmental needs.

1. Develop clear strategy that is reinforced by regulation and policy for how the Boulevard of the Allies can be redeveloped to provide amenities to the adjacent areas while meeting thresholds needed to get more east-west transit and repair connections once provided by loop services.
2. Determine how residential development that occurs on the Boulevard can provide open space amenities (playgrounds, older kid activities, and services like daycares that are needed by families.

DRAFT GOAL C: Development that supports transit. The provision and design of private development and the public realm are coordinated to result in safer and more enjoyable transit experiences.

1. Work with developers to market new building’s transit access and how it can be a place to live even if you work in surrounding areas.
2. Plan for new transit oriented development that centers around the old Isaly’s building on the Boulevard of the Allies. Building must be retained. Residents desire local businesses, community center, other services in that building.

DRAFT GOAL D: Connectivity to surrounding areas. Development activities around transit stations include safe and enjoyable pedestrian and bicycle connections through buildings to surrounding areas.

1. Need to recognize and plan for how COVID has changed transit service from hub and spoke to a need to serve neighborhoods where people are living and working in the same spaces.
2. Utilize Oakland’s transit access and location at the center of employment areas as a way to connect Oakland residents to jobs throughout the area. This is part of cross-cutting initiative.
3. Pedestrian connections to and from transit oriented development need to be comfortable and enjoyable for everyone. Should consider these as safe routes for children to as part of cross-cutting initiative around attracting and retaining families in Oakland.
4. Consider combining infrastructure for pedestrians (e.g., pedestrian bridges, safer crossings) with gardens and landscaping that provides park-like amenities to the neighborhood.

DRAFT GOAL E: Local food hubs. Local food options are provided as a part of transit-oriented developments and investments, particularly when they take place on publicly owned property or receive public investments.

1. Look at best practices from other cities to understand how transit oriented development can support community desires for expanded access to grocery stores, particularly in North and South Oakland.

DRAFT GOAL F: Transition parking. Development that incorporates significant amounts of parking is carefully design so that parking structures can be converted to other uses and circulation between buildings can be efficiently reprogrammed for non-auto uses.

1. Need to stop building parking that isn’t being used. Most apartment buildings have large percentages that are vacant. Parking is an important resource in Oakland, but it’s not being developed or used effectively. Part of larger parking strategy, but also may require changes to zoning code.

Note: The ideas below each theme are copied and pasted from the topics on the other tabs. These are not new ideas, but a different way to think of them that aligns more with the work to develop specific strategies.

Design Guidelines:

• Urban Sustainable Design B2: Establish design guidance for the public realm that links community needs and transportation function for streets, sidewalks, and adjacent non-building areas. Balance traffic, pedestrian/wheelchair access, community and commercial uses, delivery services, multi-modal hubs, patient needs. (Collaboration with the Mobility and Infrastructure Action Teams)
• Urban Sustainable Design C1: Address scale issues for smaller buildings and homes adjacent to new larger structures that protects access to light and air. In the Zoning Code, this is currently called "Residential Compatibility". Shadow studies are not enough, not believed.
• Urban Sustainable Design D2: Create design guidelines that proactively communicate community desires for the public realm, open space, and public art as part of development projects.
• Urban Sustainable Design F1: Create design guidelines that proactively communicate what the community considers desirable new development including scale, massing, materials, examples. Address compatibility issues for new buildings adjacent to existing 2-3 story buildings. Identify best practices for design of new structures adjacent to historic districts.
• Urban Sustainable Design G1: Establish Oakland’s gateways as places of high quality building design, wayfinding, multi-modal hubs, and potentially pull off areas where visitors can orient themselves to find things. For Bates and Boulevard Gateway, overcome issues of pedestrian safety and lack of crossings of the Boulevard. (Collaboration with Mobility Action Team)
• Housing D1: Zoning code provisions, policies, and design guidelines need to reinforce long-standing community desires to increase number of families in neighborhood. Mixed-income housing is needed that has three or more bedrooms and provides or is near to open space. Part of cross-cutting initiative that also looks at missing services, amenities, pedestrian safety, etc.

Zoning Code provisions:

• Urban Sustainable Design A1: Improve the environmental function and health of existing buildings through requirements, programs, and relationships with property owners, building managers, etc. Consider both the buildings (e.g., energy efficiency, air quality) and their grounds (e.g., stormwater management, tree canopy).
• Urban Sustainable Design A2: Establish requirements, incentives, and funding programs for new buildings that ensure they are as sustainable as possible. All buildings, including affordable housing, should meet the highest standards.
• Land Use Policy and Regulations A2: Review parking regulations. Understand and address illegal parking on private property that is taking up land that could be developed or provide environmental function. Address how multi-family projects access Residential Permit Parking Program and issues related to lack of connection between permits provided and spaces available.
• Land Use Policy and Regulations A3. Identify regulatory triggers that can be used to establish requirements for updating and improving existing structures (e.g., new occupancy permits, license renewals, changes of use).
• Land Use Policy and Regulations A5: Establish incentives that target desired amenities to specific parts of the neighborhood where they are needed most (e.g., open space, community gardens, community centers, food options, small business incubation spaces).
• Housing B2: Expand City's Inclusionary Zoning regulations to Oakland.

Coordinated affordability and jobs strategy:

• Housing C1: Affordable housing should be built around bus stations, particularly on the Boulevard of the Allies. Establish partnerships between property owners, affordable housing developers, and public agencies that provide funding, to spur a first wave of projects. On some corridors, it may make sense for the housing to be a block or two back, such as Fifth and Forbes Avenues due to noise, traffic, employment demands. Linked to Transit Oriented Corridors and Nodes. Identify and initiate specific projects and partnership to deliver more affordable housing and commercial space for local businesses (e.g., Institutions, HACP, Parking Authority, OPDC, OBID, InnovatePGH).
• Housing D1: Zoning code provisions and policies need to reinforce long-standing community desires to increase number of families in neighborhood. Mixed-income housing is needed that has three or more bedrooms and provides or is near to open space. Part of cross-cutting initiative that also looks at missing services, amenities, pedestrian safety, etc.
• Equitable Economic Development C3: Map and understand the workforce pipeline programs in place, what works, what doesn’t, and the gaps. Understand how to get Oakland residents into Oakland jobs. Establish a workforce committee with all providers and major employers to continually share practices, opportunities, work together to launch new initiatives, share opportunities with residents. Could begin as a Technical Advisory Group during the planning process and then continue on after the plan is completed. Connecting residents to opportunities is a major goal. Connect this group to equity indicators and census data work.
• Equitable Economic Development C4: Work with Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation and other minority advocacy organizations to connect people from these communities with job opportunities in Oakland. Identify and address barriers that currently exist.
• Land Use Policy and Regulation B3: Establish policy framework including targets that helps local institutions, organizations, and residents push policy with new development that may not be achievable through requirements or incentives in the Zoning Code (e.g., hiring local firms, hiring MWBE firms, hiring Oakland residents, tenanting local businesses, etc.). More info about these example policies in UPMC Presby Tower tenanting, Fifth and Halket OPDC space, etc. Also related to need for mentorship, apprenticeship, and other programs that improve pipeline. Should have explicit recommendations for incorporating these goals into RFPs for development projects, potentially other programs that major employers would run.

NOTE: As Hill District Plan process progresses, look for connections between job opportunities in Oakland and needs in Hill District. May be relationship between housing in the two areas.

Family-supportive elements:

• Housing D1: Zoning code provisions and policies need to reinforce long-standing community desires to increase number of families in neighborhood. Mixed-income housing is needed that has three or more bedrooms and provides or is near to open space. Part of cross-cutting initiative that also looks at missing services, amenities, pedestrian safety, etc.
• Housing D2: How can the plan identify areas where certain kinds of housing and residents are desired? For example, students are desired near the corridors in multi-family structures, graduate students and permanent residents as well as affordable housing are strongly desired in South and West Oakland. How does this message get conveyed to developers, landlords, potential residents?
• Transit Oriented Corridors and Nodes B2: Determine how residential development that occurs on the Boulevard can provide open space amenities (playgrounds, older kid activities, and services like daycares that are needed by families.
• Urban Sustainable Design B4: Identify locations such as Frazier Field/Fieldhouse and Herron Hill Pumping Station where open spaces can be combined with new or restored buildings to provide needed resident services such as daycares and community centers that have synergies with outdoor spaces. Work with residents, partners, and sponsors to fully develop the potential of the neighborhood service centers. (Collaboration with Infrastructure Action Team)
• Transit Oriented Corridors and Nodes A3: Study and develop network of kid safe streets following where parks and other family amenities are located or desired in the community. What needs to be added or improved to make this a reality?
• Equitable Economic Development B4: Establish strategy that offsets need for major grocery stores, by establishing network of smaller businesses that can collectively meet food needs of residents. Could partner with community gardens and other local food producers. May happen organically already, but could use a push/funding from local organizations.

Students as long-term residents:

• Housing A1: Pipeline of rental and for sale (first home) housing is needed as part of a strategy to retain students in Oakland after they graduate. Need to understand trends about what young workers are seeking in terms of housing, location, amenities, etc. and how that changes over 20s and 30s. Part of cross-cutting initiative.
• Housing A4: Oakland is in the middle of most of the city’s employment zones, and could provide great teleworking opportunities in new housing, so that students can graduate, get teleworking job, but stay in Oakland.
• Housing B1: Establish flexible program that links the community with work at the universities to rethink student housing. Residents need to understand and have relationship to how the university thinks of student housing and the projects that it will develop as a result of this. Recognize that trends are changing and ongoing communication will be needed.
• Housing B3: Plan should include a “missing middle” strategy that can be implemented through zoning code provisions and developers. Builds on history of residential areas, but with modern designs and ideas including Accessory Dwelling Units. This could meet the needs of a diverse group including LGBTQ seniors, accessibility community, multi-generational living, first time homebuyers, students moving into independent living, etc. Linked to cross-cutting strategies around zoning and design guidelines.
• Housing D2: How can the plan identify areas where certain kinds of housing and residents are desired? For example, students are desired near the corridors in multi-family structures, graduate students and permanent residents as well as affordable housing are strongly desired in South and West Oakland. How does this message get conveyed to developers, landlords, potential residents?
• Equitable Economic Development A2: Need to tap the full potential of students by retaining them, having them start businesses in Oakland, need to make the neighborhood more attractive to do so. Includes recognition of the highly diverse nature of this part of the community. Part of cross-cutting initiative.
• Equitable Economic Development A7: Address how social and business networks include communities of color, international students, and immigrants.

Black Oaklanders:

• Land Use Policy and Regulation B3: Establish policy framework including targets that helps local institutions, organizations, and residents push policy with new development that may not be achievable through requirements or incentives in the Zoning Code (e.g., hiring local firms, hiring MWBE firms, hiring Oakland residents, tenanting local businesses, etc.). More info about these example policies in UPMC Presby Tower tenanting, Fifth and Halket OPDC space, etc. Also related to need for mentorship, apprenticeship, and other programs that improve pipeline. Should have explicit recommendations for incorporating these goals into RFPs for development projects, potentially other programs that major employers would run.
• Equitable Economic Development A1: Programs need to focus on Oakland’s African-American population to overcome unemployment and ongoing displacement. Part of cross-cutting initiative for Black Oaklanders.
• Equitable Economic Development A2: Need to tap the full potential of students by retaining them, having them start businesses in Oakland, need to make the neighborhood more attractive to do so. Includes recognition of the highly diverse nature of this part of the community. Part of cross-cutting initiative.
• Equitable Economic Development A4. Need policies and programs that support locally owned businesses. Help with business plans, business structure, recognize long-standing businesses, business-to-business networks. Need to build up connections/networks with MWBEs and share them.
• Equitable Economic Development A5. Expand use of employee resource groups at UPMC to other employers. Equips employees with skills for new jobs. Focus on entry level and those ready to move up. Requires mentors and trainees that both see benefits.
• Equitable Economic Development A7: Address how social and business networks include communities of color, international students, and immigrants.
• Equitable Economic Development A8. Need to address health inequities in Pittsburgh, particularly racial ones.
• Equitable Economic Development C1. Work with institutions to establish Oakland targets for hiring local firms, MWBE firms, hiring Oakland residents, tenanting local businesses, etc. What are emerging best practices elsewhere? How can this be enforced? Any project seeking funds from public sector or Oakland organizations or on institutional or public lands should meet these goals. Will also require mentorship and work to build up the pipeline of these businesses.
• Equitable Economic Development C2. Set goals and work to increase representation of people of color in leadership positions in Oakland.
• Equitable Economic Development C3. Map and understand the workforce pipeline programs in place, what works, what doesn’t, and the gaps. Understand how to get Oakland residents into Oakland jobs. Establish a workforce committee with all providers and major employers to continually share practices, opportunities, work together to launch new initiatives, share opportunities with residents. Could begin as a Technical Advisory Group during the planning process and then continue on after the plan is completed. Connecting residents to opportunities is a major goal. Connect this group to equity indicators and census data work.
• Equitable Economic Development C4. Work with Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation and other minority advocacy organizations to connect people from these communities with job opportunities in Oakland. Identify and address barriers that currently exist.
• Equitable Economic Development C6. Determine how the plan, zoning, and guidelines can be leveraged to set parameters for MWBEs in development projects including RFPs, construction sector guidelines, etc.