Oakland Divest Resolution Parked in Finance After Sharply Divided Hearing

Oakland's Rules & Legislation Committee spent more than half an hour on Nov. 12, 2026, hearing residents, unions and faith-based groups clash over whether the city should pull investments tied to defense industries and the Israeli occupation. In the end, the three members present took no position on the policy. They voted 3-0 to send it to the Finance Committee's pending list with no hearing date, and the committee's chair said the rule that brought it forward is about to change.

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• Ethical Investment Policy sent to Finance pending list, no date set, after a 3-0 vote with the Finance chair out sick
• CAIR, UAW Region 6 and Indivisible East Bay backed divestment; Oakland Jewish Alliance and JCRC Bay Area opposed
• Opponents cited a $100M structural deficit and a $47M corporate bond portfolio at risk
• Council President Kevin Jenkins says the Rule 24 public-sponsor provision will be rewritten
• Planning Commission nominee Deidra Somerville advances 3-0 to the Dec. 1 Council consent calendar

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Divest Resolution Lands in Finance Limbo

Why it matters: The public-initiated resolution (27-0103) would amend Oakland's investment policy to bar city investments in companies tied to state violence, mass incarceration, defense and military industries, and the Israeli occupation. It would also direct the City Administrator to review city holdings and report back in May 2027.

Where things stand: The committee never debated the policy's merits. Finance and Management Committee chair Councilmember Janani Ramachandran of District 4 was ill and unreachable, so the item went onto Finance's pending list with no date specific.

"We could put it pending in Finance, being that we cannot reach the chair," said Council President Kevin Jenkins, who chairs the committee. Councilmember Carroll Fife of District 3 asked which committee's pending list was meant, then called for "ensuring that we're connecting with the chair of the Finance Committee to get the item scheduled."

The rulebook fight: Before public comment, Jenkins read Rule 24, Section 4, which requires public sponsors to show they sought sponsorship from each councilmember. An Oakland Divest representative said the group emailed the city administration and Jenkins, and agreed to forward those emails to the other members. Jenkins stressed that the committee "may," not "shall," schedule public items, then signaled a change: "This is going to be the last Rule 24, Section 4. We will be changing the rules."

The case for: Supporters framed divestment as both an Oakland issue and a moral obligation. "The money that we get, that we pour into taxes here, is then being invested towards genocide," said Sarah, a teacher with the Nafir Collective, who also tied the issue to the war in Sudan. Kathy Saadeh Kenney said Indivisible East Bay's roughly 12,000 members back the effort. Yahya Abu Zayd, policy coordinator for CAIR San Francisco Bay Area, urged a yes vote. "We strongly support this policy, and I hope the council will schedule it for December 8th," said Aidan Kelly, elected officer, UAW Region 6.

The other side: "We support ethical investing, but Oakland Divest's proposal selectively targets Israel under the guise of ethical investing," said JB Leibovich of the Oakland Jewish Alliance. He noted that Alameda County's similar policy is on hold and that the implementation plan would come only after adoption. He asked that the item stay pending until finance staff, independent experts and the city attorney provide written assessments.

A JCRC Bay Area representative named David warned that the policy could force the sale of a $47M corporate bond portfolio while the city faces a $100M structural deficit. Resident David Lee cited risks to the city's credit rating and exposure to lawsuits. "Many Jewish residents feel increasingly unwelcome and unsafe," said resident Patty Joselowitz.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The vote was For: 3 (Rowena Brown, Carroll Fife, Kevin Jenkins), Against: 0, Absent: 1 (Ramachandran). One councilmember called Rules a scheduling body that should not dig into the details. Remarks from the dais also signaled interest in meeting both sides and reviewing investments broadly rather than singling out one country. Both camps leave without a hearing date.

What's next: Scheduling now runs through Ramachandran's Finance Committee. Supporters had pushed for Dec. 8, but no date was set.

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Planning Commission Pick Clears Measure EE Review

Why it matters: The Planning Commission makes quasi-judicial decisions on development projects and has recently struggled to reach quorum. This was the first commission nomination reviewed since Measure EE gave the council oversight of mayoral nominations.

Where things stand: The committee took the item first. Jenkins said that without an early exit he would have to leave and "we will not have quorum," so he cut public speaking time to one minute. A Mayor's office representative said the office coordinated with Jenkins' office and praised Somerville's diverse experience. Somerville said she serves on the Eastmont 30 Wide Neighborhood Council.

The other side: No one opposed the nominee. Ben Gould, a Budget Advisory Commission member speaking as an individual, took no position. He reminded members that "the role of council is to provide oversight and evaluation of the mayor's nominations to commissions," and flagged the commission's recent quorum problems. Public commenter Blair Beekman urged good planning for Oakland's future.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Jenkins moved and Councilmember At Large Rowena Brown seconded. The vote was For: 3 (Brown, Fife, Jenkins), Against: 0, Absent: 1 (Ramachandran). Filling the seat could ease the commission's quorum strain for developers and neighborhoods awaiting project decisions.

What's next: The appointment goes to the Dec. 1, 2026, City Council consent calendar.

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Minor Items

• ChildCare Careers: An $800,000 increase to the substitute-teacher staffing contract, raising its ceiling to $2.05M, goes to Life Enrichment on Nov. 17.
• Dec. 8 contracts and grants: The Working Solutions CDFI small-business lending contract (up to $900,000 over three years) and a $19,728 EPA brownfield subaward go to CED. A $100,000 BayREN grant to electrify Clinton Recreation Center goes to Public Works.
• Nuisance vessels: A Chapter 8.70 rewrite adding a four-hour anchoring cap, graduated fines and impoundment heads to Public Safety on Dec. 8.
• Agenda shuffle (3-0): The OPD/APD towing contract moves to Dec. 8 Public Safety, the cannabis report moves to Jan. 26 CED, and a prompt payment policy report is added to Nov. 17 Finance.
• Open forum: Blair Beekman urged a community process for replacing or dropping Flock license-plate readers and for cutting redundant surveillance technology.

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Looking Ahead

The Dec. 1, 2026, City Council meeting will take up Somerville's appointment and a ceremonial resolution marking the 10th anniversary of the Ghost Ship fire, which killed 36 people, both on consent. It will also hold a public hearing on liens for delinquent real property transfer taxes. Councilmember Brown's item honoring the Golden State Valkyries moves to the Jan. 19, 2027, Council meeting.