The City of Oakland Allocates Largest Investment Ever Made into Violence Prevention

$19.3 Million directed to reduce crime violence, as part of community safety strategy.

Media Contact:

Candace Reese Walters

Public Information Officer III

Department of Violence Prevention

(510) 679-8175

crwalters@oaklandca.gov

Oakland, CA – Members of the Oakland City Council voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the City administrator to execute grant agreements with non-profits and public agencies to implement and execute violence prevention and intervention services, in accordance with The 2014 Oakland Public Safety And Services Violence Prevention Act for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. The total amount, not exceeding $19,350,000, with a one-year, six-month option to renew through December 31, 2024, is the largest investment into violence prevention programs and services in Oakland's history.

"Once again, Oakland shows bold leadership in allocating its largest level of funding ever, to add a sustainable, balanced, and holistic public health approach to its community safety strategy. This $19.3M will directly help individuals, families, communities, and schools to address the challenges of ongoing multi-generational violence, and the root conditions that perpetuate it," states Guillermo Cespedes, Chief of the Department of Violence Prevention.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf further expressed, “Community-driven initiatives are a key element of Oakland’s holistic approach to reducing crime and violence. Neighborhood-based programs, gender violence prevention, and life coaching are some of the programs that we know can be successful in promoting a safer city. Oaklanders can look forward to deep investments over the next two years to address violence at its roots.”

The Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) report was presented to the Public Safety Committee and approved by the Oakland City Council. The DVP plans to utilize the funding in the following community outreach:

• More than doubles the amount of funding for community-based violence interrupters
• Enhances Youth and Adult Life Coaching to include deeper family engagement-both biological and chosen
• Invests $2.4 million in school safety in partnership with Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)
• Increases funding for gender-based violence (GBV) responses by more than 50 percent, with roughly half of the funding awarded to grantees not currently receiving funding
• Provides $500,000 in available funds for mini-grant projects by Oakland residents to address violence and promote community healing
• Supports training to build the natural leadership and capacity of Oakland residents to address trauma and violence in their neighborhood
• Makes deep, historical investments in neighborhood-based violence prevention efforts in areas identified by the DVP

“We’re now better resourced to uproot violence from the source. Whether it is providing trauma-informed counseling, building social cohesion, or implementing early intervention strategies, these dollars will help curtail violence in our community,” comments Councilmember Loren Taylor, District 6.

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