Council Advances $300M Infrastructure Bond to November Ballot

Alameda's City Council took its biggest swing at the island city's mounting infrastructure crisis Tuesday night, voting 4-1 to place a $300 million general obligation bond on the November 2026 ballot — a measure that would fund sea level rise protection, fire station upgrades, and road repairs at a cost of $49 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The vote came after the council accepted a sobering facilities plan documenting $342 million in deferred needs, unanimously approved a $32.3 million contract to finally build a city pool, and placed two charter amendments before voters.

• $300 million infrastructure bond advances to November ballot on a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Daysog dissenting over lack of a specific project list
• $342 million facilities plan accepted unanimously, revealing fire stations that fail modern seismic standards and an animal shelter graded F
• $32.3 million construction contract awarded for long-awaited Aquatic Center at Gene Sweeney Park, bringing the total project to $40.5 million
• Ratio utility billing ban finalized for rental properties over landlord group objections about water conservation
• Two charter amendments placed on ballots: omnibus cleanup for 2027 and property lease streamlining for November 2026
• Firefighters, labor, environmental advocates, and residents turn out overwhelmingly in support of the infrastructure bond

Why it matters: Alameda sits on an island facing more than $800 million in deferred infrastructure needs — crumbling fire stations, rising seas, and roads that can't be fixed with existing revenue. This bond would be the city's largest-ever infrastructure investment, and it needs two-thirds voter approval to pass.