Oakland, Don’t Cut Homelessness Funding

We are deeply concerned that Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has proposed using funds raised by the recently passed Measure Q for police salaries. We supported Measure Q in the March election because it would raise funds to provide housing and services to alleviate Oakland’s homelessness crisis. We oppose this budget maneuver because it diverts resources away from the stated intention of the policy when we supported Measure Q in March.

We agree with the Measure Q oversight commission that police funding was not the purpose of the ballot measure. We also agree with advocates for unhoused Oaklanders that law enforcement is not an effective use of the limited funding we have to address the homelessness crisis. The measure’s funding is best used for its original purpose, providing housing and services for the city’s unhoused residents. While we understand that the economic downturn has made budget cuts an unfortunate reality, it is inappropriate to take money away from proven solutions to the homelessness crisis.

We urge the Mayor and City Council to reject this redirection of Measure Q funding away from providing housing and services for our unhoused neighbors.