Residents, City Workers and Community Groups Call for Greater Investment in Oakland’s MACRO Program After Successful Rollout
Coalition opposes Mayor Schaaf’s budget that neglects community services and overspends on policing
Oakland, CA — The Oakland Progressive Alliance (OPA) will call on the City to expand funding of the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) — a non-police emergency response program — when the City Council meets on Tuesday, June 21 for a special meeting to review and adjust the mid-cycle budget allocation. The community coalition will also be calling on the City Council and Mayor to step up efforts to invest in Housing for Transitional Age Youth and preserving affordable housing.
Since the pilot program launched in April, MACRO has surpassed expectations. Projected to receive 7-10 calls a week, the program is actually receiving 7-10 calls per hour. In just eight weeks, MACRO has already helped or reached out to more than 1,100 people on the streets — offering care, connecting to resources, avoiding contact with the police, and saving lives.
By handling low-level, non-violent matters, MACRO is also preserving police and fire resources, saving Oakland millions in unnecessary expenses.
What: Support MACRO funding and expansion at the Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency/City Council
Where: Virtual Tele-conference via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83313360429
Phone-in instructions and other details via the meeting agenda
Meeting ID: 833 1336 0429
When: June 21, 2022, 10:30 AM PST
Who: Oakland Progressive Alliance, CURYJ and Anti Police-Terror Project
MACRO was created after years of organizing by community groups like the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP), CURYJ and other OPA members. Its goals are to provide more appropriate responses to calls that don’t involve serious crime or violence, including those related to mental health, wellness checks, noise complaints, disorderly conduct, and panhandling. This limits community engagement with police on matters that the police have no business handling, and redirects police and fire department resources to public safety priorities.
Instead of investing in the expansion of MACRO, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has proposed an $11 million budget increase to the Oakland Police Department (OPD) — even though the department is under budget this year because of vacant positions. Despite receiving more than $300 million every year, OPD has failed to reduce crime or prevent violence. Police spending does nothing to address the root causes of violence.
“The Oakland Police budget increased over $38 Million during the pandemic while at the same time crime went up, with even more reel funds planned for this year. The safest communities don’t have the most police presence, they have the most resources. Continuing AND expanding funding for MACRO is a first step in investing in community solutions that authentically achieve public safety in Oakland.” said George Galvis, Executive Director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
Community and labor are calling on the City Council not to wait for the MACRO pilot to end, and instead to scale up MACRO funding so that it can expand services to other neighborhoods and extend its operating hours for the many Oakland community members who desperately need these services.
“We’re demanding the City Council double-down on police alternatives like MACRO, which has already helped hundreds of people and made our communties safer by offering compassion and resources to vulnerable community members — not a badge and a gun,” said James Burch, policy director for the Anti Police-Terror Project. “It’s time to make MACRO permanent by mapping out concrete steps and investments in growth and sustainability for the program."
Additionally, the Oakland Progressive Alliance and homeless advocates are demanding that City Council invest in solutions that address the root causes of crime, particularly increased funding towards youth programming, early childhood education, transitional housing, and housing security.
The Oakland Progressive Alliance is a coalition of community groups, labor and other allies fighting for a progressive future for Oakland. Groups include Oakland Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Oakland Rising, Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP), Parent Voices Oakland (PVO), Black Arts Movement Business District, (BAMBD, CDC), Community Ready Corps (CRC), Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), SEIU 1021, IFPTE Local 21, IAFF Local 55, Trades, Alameda Labor Council, Oakland Education Association (OEA), UNITE HERE, Build Affordable Faster - TODCO, and EBASE.
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