Oakland needs a mayor who will listen to our communities and prioritize them over profit. The cabin community idea was really unheard of at the time, said Moss, who also served as Schaafs chief of staff for the first two years of her mayoralty. Under Schaafs watch, Oakland Public Works has downplayed and covered up toxic sewage leaks into city creeks and Lake Merritt. The Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf Net Worth as of 2020 At best, her tenure has been mixed, said Jim Ross, a political consultant based in Oakland. OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf says the city is working to deal with a spike in homicides with more than a dozen seen this year so far. The Mayors Housing Cabinets 17k/17k Housing Plan helped protect more than 36,000 low income Oakland households from displacement, roughly doubled affordable housing production, and built nearly 20,000 new homes Oaklands biggest building boom in more than a century! Despite the unrelenting challenges of these times, we made historic accomplishments together. 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. In addition to that, she's a former member of the Oakland City Council. 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. While controversial, she said she considers that an accomplishment that will one day be realized. Further, she is the mayor of Oakland, California, as of 2020. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Before winning the mayors seat, Schaaf served on the City Council for one term, representing part of the Oakland hills. Under her watch, Oakland has repeatedly and violently evicted residents of Oakland encampments closing as many as 12 encampments a month. If Im looking at (her) legacy, I dont think she left her successor in a particularly great spot, Lindheim added. There have been 13 homicides in Oakland . But she paid a price for her pragmatism. The mayor has only a seldom-used tie-breaking vote. That is understandable because that is what developers want to build, but thats not necessarily what Oakland needs.. 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. Despite those advances, some city leaders criticized Schaafs administration for failing to deliver basic city services. The numbers speak for themselves. It was fitting that her last press conference would be about a program for universal preschool access. In 2016, Schaaf wrote a voter-approved $600 million bond measure that helped fund street improvements. "There are moments of just unbelievable joy, like riding in that first Warriors' victory parade and seeing just the beauty of Oakland on full display. As a politician, she needs to maintain a healthy image in the crowd. [2][3] Schaaf won re-election in 2018 with a 27% margin. she exclaimed. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served on the Oakland City Council. There is no doubt with a million worth fortune; she holds several lavish properties; however, nothing official has been released on this topic. Street paving plans are held up by a shortage of 63 staff positions in the Department of Transportation. 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. It's been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Oakland's 50th Mayor during the eventful years of 2015-2022. 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. But she didnt galvanize that into a political force.. Libby had disappointed so many people., De La Fuente finished a distant third. Heres what political experts say, Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area. Come January, Thao, as the new mayor, and her labor allies on the council will no longer be able to use Schaaf as their political foil to hide their own failures to address the citys problems. Oakland Police Officers' Association I dont know whats fair, but my sense is that people are pretty unhappy at the moment with the state of issues in Oakland.. in political science from Rollins College and a J.D. They will now be fully in charge and accountable. We achieved OPD's long-sought compliance with court-ordered reforms with our new Police Commission. An Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll released in October shows that voters are largely dissatisfied with the city 64% of the polls respondents said they felt the city was headed in the wrong direction. We cannot afford another year of the Schaaf neoliberal nightmare. in political science from Rollins College and a J.D. He pointed out the citys facing the highest levels of crime and violence in a decade, a huge increase in homelessness, a potential financial collapse and the loss of more than a third of Oaklands Black population. As an Oakland native, the town is a road map of Schaafs life history: Its where she grew up as the daughter of a shoe salesman and a flight attendant, where she graduated from Skyline High School and where she raised her two kids. The mayor, on the other hand, never seemed to find her political message, vacillating between her progressive goals and claims of fiscal responsibility and unable to articulate a vision that captured both. Oakland officials are eyeing an expansion to the city's police force to confront the increase in violent crime, which has resulted in more than 115 homicides so far this year.Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (D) said her office is drafting a proposal to put before the City Council that would increase the number of active police officers and require the city to maintain a larger police force . And there are those on the far-left, such as incoming mayor Sheng Thao, who are politically underwritten by key city labor unions. And while crime in Oakland dipped to some of its lowest levels early in Schaafs tenure, the spike in violent crime is at an all-time high for the first time in nearly a decade. Oakland politics do not divide between Democrats and Republicans, or liberals and conservatives. Schaaf said the biggest challenges from her time in office are the problems she inherited from previous administrations from deteriorating roads with no plans to fix them to a non-existent. Schaaf has been mayor here for a year, a surprising victor who used an endorsement from Governor Jerry Brown to vault herself to a decisive 63 percent victory. 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. Your email address will not be published. Its a humanitarian crisis, Schaaf said. 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. The programs success is mixed. Her name wasn't 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. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani. For more news and updates about your favorite stars, please stay connected with us atFeatured Biography. For the first time in recent history, Oakland will have a progressive mayor and a progressive-majority City Council the outcome of the November election, which Ross called a repudiation of Schaafs time in office. As Schaaf exits on Jan. 2, she leaves behind a crime-ridden city with inadequate police staffing, unfunded retirement liabilities that have grown from about $2.4 billion a decade ago to $3. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf hugs supporter Tiffany Lacsado as Madison Lacsado Harvell, 5, looks on during Schaafs final news conference as mayor. But the 50-year-old former city councilwoman, whose profilers seem unable to describe her without mentioning her high school . built in 1966 and renovated in 1996, has been plagued by noted sewage issues over recent years, lighting problems and low attendance. The housing shortage in California is at the root of the states biggest problems,said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who wants to expand the use of local bonds to promote more building in one of the countrys priciest areas for real estate. Mayor Libby Schaaf was born and raised in Oakland, which she proudly describes as, "The most unapologetic Sanctuary City in America.". Before joining the Oakland City Council in 2010, Schaaf served as the Economic Policy Advisor for the council for a year. By nearly every metric, she has decreased community safety and increased human suffering of those already most marginalized. [38][39][40] She lives in Oakland with her husband Salvatore Fahey. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A mayor who serves all of Oakland, not just the wealthy few, someone with the courage to undo the Schaaf painful legacy and allow Oakland to heal. Her political allies on the council when she became mayor were all eventually ousted or opted not to seek reelection. She led Oakland through not easy times.. Schaaf said building housing at all income levels is key if the city hadnt, high income workers would have taken over the existing naturally affordable units. A city audit found that nearly half of the participants returned to homelessness. At best, her tenure has been mixed, said Jim Ross, a political consultant based in Oakland. During her tenure, Oakland has undergone an economic revitalization and building boom, as well as cut gun violence in half. I hope Im remembered as someone who fought for Oakland as we experienced this huge moment of growth, Schaaf said. But there were other problems that have proven far more difficult to repair. Cat Brooks is an award-winning actress, playwright, the executive director of the Justice Teams Network, the co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project and the host of "Law & Disorder" on KPFA. We fought against coal and for the planet, advanced public access to our waterfront while keeping our A's in Oakland, and became the first city to give municipal land back to our Indigenous people. gallery owner who sprayed homeless woman in viral video apologizes. Despite voters suggesting a different form of leadership, Schaaf said she hopes residents will remember her as a fighter. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Police are investigating an act of vandalism at Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf's house. But homelessness experts say its a quick and cost-effective way to get people indoors. Report a Problem to OAK 311. Your email address will not be published. When Oakland Mayor Elect Thao takes over, she may find -- as Schaaf did -- that in a city like Oakland, some problems are just too big for one person to fix. McManus: Are Americans ready for a long, frozen conflict in Ukraine? It was her most-consequential failing. Once again, lots of folks tout themselves as progressives, but just like Schaaf they are neoliberals co-opting language that they hope will fool voters and get them elected. She repaved 161 miles of the citys crumbling roadways, but residents complain about the amount of trash on city streets in the span of one year, enough garbage landed on city streets to cover the length of 13 football fields. And the pandemic has undercut the growth in business migration to Oakland that was so promising just a few years ago. This year violent deaths are nearly on par with last year as of Tuesday. Invest in our communities to ensure housing as a human right, good jobs to support Oakland families, mental health care and youth programs, safe roads and clean streets. Grab all the details about Jane Pauley, her net worth, and married life, Diane Sawyers Massive Net Worth from ABC Network. Travel | The tiny Bay Area town modern life forgot: Canyon, CaliforniaTahoe| The wondrous story of Tahoe's most eccentric tycoonLocal| The story behind that odd pantry in the wall in old SF homesHistory| Remembering the ugliest thing San Francisco ever built, Libby Schaaf will go down as one of the worst mayors in Oakland history, Rainfall totals for parts of the Bay Area so far are staggering, Tenn. burger boss says who should be scared of In-N-Out's arrival, Worst yips in sports history might be key to 49ers-Cowboys, 10 ephemeral waterfalls appear in Yosemite after Calif. storms, Shanahans onetime best friend calls Purdy lesser Mac Jones, WW II structure falls 200 feet from cliff onto SF beach, McDonalds in San Francisco tourist hub permanently closes, The hidden Bay Area school that always has a waitlist, Global pop star announces SF show at Chase Center, Horoscope for Wednesday, 1/18/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Mudslides trigger evacuations, close roads in Berkeley Hills, Fox maybe-accidentally shows PG-13 sign about 49ers' Purdy, United Nations condemned Schaafs treatment of the unhoused, Oaklands affordable housing requirements, issued permits for 22% of the mandated affordable housing, the Town spends 10 times as much on police as it does on housing, closing as many as 12 encampments a month. And there are moments of unbelievable tragedy and grief, like presiding over the Ghost Ship tragedy.". 1965. has a bold reparations 17 cars broken into on a single night in this San Francisco neighborhood. Not only the lovely couple enjoy a blissful life together, but they are also blessed with two beautiful children,DominicandLena. 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 . People tend to be remembered by the end of their administration and if that Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll is any indication, shes not being well-remembered, said Dan Lindheim, a former city administrator and current professor at UC Berkeleys Goldman School of Public Policy. from Loyola Law School.[7]. They are literally the antithesis of everything we say we stand for. 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.. Despite voters suggesting a different form of leadership, Schaaf said she hopes residents will remember her as a fighter. 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. Schaaf presided over a city that has gone through a complete transformation, from a housing boom to exploding homelessness. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Elizabeth Beckman Schaaf (born November 12, 1965) is an American politician who has been Mayor of Oakland, California since 2015. If we follow her actions, we think we can feel she loves what she does. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Borenstein: Libby Schaafs devastating political fall from grace, Borenstein: Oakland school trustee seated even though he probably lost election, Borenstein: Seeno v. Seeno becoming building empires War of the Roses. Oakland is a challenging city to govern, said Doug Linney, a political consultant in the East Bay. Some of the highest vacancy rates are in key city functions about 30% of jobs in the building department and nearly a third of positions in the transportation department are open. She could have given speeches decrying the "defund" movement as the lie it was, and calling out the likes of . Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Our Ceasefire Partnership gave Oakland its lowest 5-year homicide rate on record. 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. [21], In June 2015, Mayor Schaaf announced the formation of Oakland's first Department of Transportation. Some political experts say Oakland is a tough city to be in charge of balancing the different interests of residents. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The chambers poll also found that 97% of respondents said homelessness is either an extreme or very serious problem. 31. Her style was that of a practical progressive; vocal on social justice issues, but also determined to deal with real-world problems. Major companies, including Credit Karma, Blue Shield and PG&E, expanded to Oakland, further boosting the citys economy. articles a month for anyone to read, even non-subscribers! Her mother was a flight attendant. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". I did not feel he had a path to victory, no matter how much money was spent.. 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. She is the mayor of Oakland, further boosting the citys economy an American politician who has plagued... Restrictions across Bay Area atFeatured Biography her high school for a long, frozen conflict Ukraine. 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