On September 12, inside the Juntos Fruitvale Cultural Arts Center, 40 Oakland residents sat around tables, asked hard questions, and tried to imagine a city where empty storefronts and vacant lots could become places of belonging rather than daily reminders of neglect. Mayor Barbara Lee joined the delegates and listened as they pressed for details about funding, priorities, and what would happen after the assembly ends. Their guiding question was direct: “How do we transform vacant lots and commercial retail spaces to be sites of flourishing and resilience?” (KQED) [3]
This is Oakland’s first civic assembly, a democratic lottery bringing together residents to study roughly 3,500 vacant properties and develop recommendations for the Mayor and City Council. The process matters because vacant space is not just a real estate problem. It touches affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, small business opportunity, youth development, public safety, and who gets to shape Oakland’s future.
Here is what you will learn:
- How the 40 delegates were selected and what they are being asked to decide.
- Why the July 2026 Measure W audit makes this process especially urgent.
- What residents, nonprofits, donors, and local businesses can do next.
A democratic lottery puts lived experience at the center
The assembly began with letters sent to 20,000 randomly selected Oakland households. From residents who responded, organizers selected 40 delegates through a lottery designed to reflect the city’s geographic and demographic diversity. The group includes 12 delegates from deep East Oakland, 12 from central East Oakland, roughly equal numbers of renters and homeowners, and three people who are unhoused or living in institutional settings. (The Oaklandside) [1]
Delegates are being paid $1,350 for their participation. Childcare, eldercare, transportation, and translation support are part of the design because civic participation should not be reserved for people who can afford to miss work or arrange care. Proposals need support from at least 75% of delegates to become official recommendations. (The Oaklandside) [1]
That is the point of a civic assembly. It is not a focus group. It is not a public meeting where three exhausted residents speak into a microphone at 11:47 p.m. It is a structured process for learning, deliberation, and shared decision-making.
The Measure W audit exposes the implementation gap
The assembly is taking place against a blunt policy backdrop. Measure W, Oakland’s vacant property tax, passed in November 2018. The City Auditor’s July 9, 2026 performance audit found that Oakland collected $29.8 million from fiscal year 2020-21 through fiscal year 2024-25 and spent $26.8 million. About 66% of expenditures went toward illegal dumping cleanup, while roughly 4% went to Housing and Community Development and about 1% to Human Services. (Oakland City Auditor) [4]
The city is not necessarily violating Measure W by spending heavily on dumping cleanup. The measure requires at least 25% for code enforcement, blight elimination, and illegal dumping, but it does not set a maximum. Still, the numbers raise a fair question: if a tax is meant to discourage vacancy and support housing and homelessness services, how do we know whether it is changing vacancy patterns?
The audit recommended clearer definitions for administrative costs, baseline measurements, performance goals, and annual reporting. That is not bureaucratic fussiness. It is the difference between collecting a tax and knowing whether the tax is working.
Oakland’s flat tax is simpler, but weaker than other models
Oakland’s tax design also deserves a closer look. The city generally charges a flat annual amount based on the type of vacant property. Other cities use assessed value or higher rates to create a stronger financial incentive.
| Location | Vacancy tax design | What the comparison suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | Flat annual tax of $3,000 to $6,000 per property. Average revenue was $4,263 per property. (City Auditor) [4] | Predictable, but potentially too low to change behavior for high-value properties. |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | Average equivalent of $21,771 per property in 2023. Its Empty Homes Tax rose from 1% of assessed value in 2017 to 3% in 2024. (City Auditor) [4] | A value-based model can create a much stronger incentive to occupy or transfer property. |
| Washington, D.C. | Average vacancy tax revenue of $13,570 per property in 2015. (City Auditor) [4] | Higher rates may generate more resources for enforcement and housing strategies. |
| San Francisco | Vacancy-tax policy has faced court challenges, making implementation and revenue uncertain. (The Oaklandside) [5] | Legal durability matters as much as policy ambition. |
The civic assembly does not have to recommend a bigger tax. It might recommend better exemptions, stronger enforcement, public acquisition, temporary activation, or a combination. The useful question is not “Which city should Oakland copy?” It is “Which tools match Oakland’s housing needs, property patterns, and community priorities?”
A $10 land transfer shows both possibility and limits
In July, Alameda County approved the transfer of 8215 MacArthur Boulevard to Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation for $10. The East Oakland parcel had sat vacant for approximately 30 years and carried around $1.7 million in back taxes, penalties, and liens against an appraised value of about $900,000. The Chapter 8 tax-sale process allowed the county to clear an otherwise uncollectable debt and move the land toward public benefit. (KQED) [7]
The $10 price is not the cost of the project. Black Cultural Zone estimates it will need roughly $40 million to build affordable housing and community space. In the meantime, the organization is cleaning and activating the site while pursuing development funds. That is the tradeoff: public agencies can unlock land, but community-led developers still need capital, technical support, permitting help, and patient partners.
This is neighborhood revitalization in its honest form. The land transfer is a breakthrough. It is not a finished building.
Milestones in Oakland’s vacancy debate
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| November 2018 | Oakland voters approve Measure W, the vacant property tax. (City Auditor) [4] |
| May 2020 | POOR Magazine purchases 7600 MacArthur Boulevard for its Homefulness housing and community vision. (The Oaklandside) [6] |
| July 9, 2026 | The City Auditor publishes the Measure W performance audit. (City Auditor) [4] |
| July 17, 2026 | The response deadline arrives for households invited to enter the civic assembly lottery. (The Daily Californian) [2] |
| July 2026 | Alameda County approves the $10 Chapter 8 transfer of 8215 MacArthur Boulevard to Black Cultural Zone CDC. (KQED) [7] |
| Late August 2026 | Delegates begin the first of three civic assembly weekends. (The Oaklandside) [1] |
| September 12-13, 2026 | Delegates deliberate at Juntos Fruitvale Cultural Arts Center, with Mayor Lee addressing the assembly on September 12. (KQED) [3] |
| Early October 2026 | The assembly holds its final scheduled deliberation weekend. (The Oakland Civic Assembly) [9] |
| October 2026 | Delegates are expected to send consensus recommendations to Mayor Lee and City Council. (KQED) [3] |
What smart critics argue
“Forty people cannot solve a citywide problem.” Correct. Forty residents cannot personally fix 3,500 properties. The assembly’s job is to develop tested, broadly supported recommendations, not perform municipal maintenance. Its value depends on whether city leaders respond clearly and publicly.
“Random selection is not the same as expertise.” Also true. Residents need good information, technical briefings, and time to deliberate. The assembly model addresses that by combining lived experience with research and facilitated discussion. (UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy) [8]
“A tax cannot solve ownership, permitting, and construction barriers.” Absolutely. The Measure W audit and the 8215 MacArthur example show that revenue alone is not enough. Oakland needs land records, enforcement, acquisition tools, development capital, and clear outcomes.
“Recommendations may be ignored after the cameras leave.” This is the sharpest concern. Mayor Lee said she wants to fund the work but acknowledged that funding depends on the budget and City Council approval. The public should expect a written response, a timeline, and measurable follow-through.
Key Takeaways
- Oakland’s first civic assembly brings 40 randomly selected residents into a major policy conversation.
- Delegates are paid and supported with childcare, eldercare, transportation, and translation.
- The assembly requires 75% support for official recommendations.
- Measure W collected $29.8 million over the audited period, but 66% of spending went to illegal dumping cleanup.
- Oakland’s flat vacancy tax generates less per property than comparable models in Vancouver and Washington, D.C.
- The $10 Black Cultural Zone transfer shows how tax-defaulted land can move toward affordable housing.
- The $10 price does not eliminate the need for tens of millions in construction funding.
- Strong public reporting will determine whether the civic assembly becomes a durable policy model.
- Residents who are not delegates can still submit ideas through the assembly’s public mapping tool. (Oakland Civic Assembly) [9]
Six ways to participate
- At work: Ask your employer whether it can provide pro bono finance, design, construction, legal, or fundraising support to Oakland community developers.
- At home: Identify vacant properties on your regular routes and learn whether they are privately owned, tax-defaulted, or city-controlled.
- In the community: Use the Oakland Civic Assembly mapping tool to submit a location and a practical idea for temporary or permanent use.
- In civic life: Attend a City Council meeting when the assembly’s recommendations arrive and ask for a written implementation response.
- With a youth or neighborhood organization: Invite young people to map vacant spaces and imagine uses connected to arts, recreation, mentorship, or small business.
- Extra step: If you have development, grantmaking, property, or organizing expertise, offer time or funding to a community-led project with a clear public benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a civic assembly?
It is a democratic process in which residents are selected through a lottery, study an issue, deliberate together, and develop recommendations. Oakland’s assembly uses a 75% threshold for official proposals. (Oakland Civic Assembly) [9]
Who are the 40 delegates?
They are Oakland residents selected from a pool created through invitations to 20,000 randomly selected households. The group was designed to reflect the city’s geography, housing situations, and demographics. (The Daily Californian) [2]
What is Measure W?
Measure W is Oakland’s voter-approved vacant property tax. Its allowable uses include blight cleanup, code enforcement, homelessness services, and housing assistance. (City Auditor) [4]
Why did Black Cultural Zone pay only $10?
The parcel’s tax debt and liens exceeded its appraised value. A Chapter 8 transfer allowed Alameda County to move the property to a qualifying community developer for a nominal price and public purpose. (KQED) [7]
Will Mayor Lee fund the recommendations?
She said she wants to see funding, but she did not make a final commitment. Funding would depend on the city budget and City Council approval. (KQED) [3]
How does this connect to MFFCE’s work?
Oakland community enrichment requires more than symbolic investment. It requires supporting local leaders, affordable housing, education, youth development, arts and culture, and neighborhood revitalization. Those priorities align with MFFCE’s community leadership and investment work and affordable housing focus.
If you want MFFCE to keep supporting community-centered research and local changemakers, donate to the Foundation’s Oakland-focused work.
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Sources
[1] The Oaklandside, “40 randomly selected Oakland residents will try to solve commercial vacancies,” The Oaklandside, August 21, 2026, https://oaklandside.org/2026/08/21/oakland-civic-assembly-vacant-storefronts-lots/, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[2] The Daily Californian, “Oakland invites residents to weigh in on future of vacant lots, storefronts in UC Berkeley collaboration,” The Daily Californian, July 17, 2026, https://www.dailycal.org/news/city/communities/oakland-invites-residents-to-weigh-in-on-future-of-vacant-lots-storefronts-in-uc-berkeley/article_1ebf1a20-59d4-40c5-ae43-74b7df166466.html, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[3] Samantha Kennedy, “Oakland Mayor Lee Says She Will Try to Fund Civic Assembly’s Vacant-Lot Ideas,” KQED, September 13, 2026, updated September 14, 2026, https://www.kqed.org/news/12099311/oakland-mayor-lee-says-she-will-try-to-fund-civic-assemblys-vacant-lot-ideas, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[4] City of Oakland Office of the City Auditor, “Performance Audit of the Vacant Property Tax,” City of Oakland, July 9, 2026, https://www.oaklandauditor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/20260709-Performance-Audit-of-the-Vacant-Property-Tax-1.pdf, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[5] The Oaklandside, “Oakland’s Measure W vacancy tax audit raises questions about housing spending,” The Oaklandside, July 15, 2026, https://oaklandside.org/2026/07/15/oakland-measure-w-vacancy-tax-audit-housing/, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[6] The Oaklandside, “Nonprofit run by homeless people says it was unfairly taxed for trying to build housing,” The Oaklandside, October 20, 2021, https://oaklandside.org/2021/10/20/nonprofit-run-by-homeless-people-says-it-was-unfairly-taxed-for-trying-to-build-housing/, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[7] KQED, “Alameda County Sells Black Housing Developers Abandoned East Oakland Lot for $10,” KQED, July 15, 2026, https://www.kqed.org/news/12090992/alameda-county-sells-black-housing-developers-abandoned-east-oakland-lot-for-10, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[8] UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, “Democracy Policy Initiative: Oakland Civic Assembly,” UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, 2026, https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/policy-initiatives/democracy-policy-initiative/research-labs/oakland-civic-assembly, Accessed September 16, 2026.
[9] Oakland Civic Assembly, “Oakland Civic Assembly on Transforming Vacant Spaces,” Oakland Civic Assembly, 2026, https://oaklandcivicassembly.org/, Accessed September 16, 2026.
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