Oakland

With West Coast States Blocking Coal Export Projects, Proponents Keep Pushing

Environmental and public health concerns have doomed some proposals. But the volatile economics of sending coal overseas calls into question how much it can help struggling mines.

  • By Bill Lucia

Childhood Asthma: A Lingering Effect of Redlining

New research shows that disparities in housing contribute to disparities in one of the most common chronic diseases afflicting children.

  • By Kriston Capps, CityLab

‘Cannabis Equity’ Runs Into Roadblocks

While cities aim to help people of color become pot entrepreneurs, getting programs off the ground has proved difficult.

  • By Scott Rodd

The Benefits of Being a Mayor Between Separate Stints as Governor

Something that paved the way for the success of Jerry Brown’s second tour as California governor: His eight years at Oakland City Hall.

  • By Michael Grass

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of California Ruling on Lead Paint Remediation

A coalition of cities and counties sued manufacturers under the state’s “public nuisance” law. They have won a $400 million fund to help treat housing.

  • By Laura Maggi

California Mayors Slam Increased Fee to Abandon Utilities as Corporate ‘Giveaway’

Switching to an environmentally friendly community choice energy program will cost customers a bit more every month.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Oakland’s Website Overhaul Is Underway

A new Design League embedded with city departments is helping identify which services to digitize.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Inequality in the Bay Area Makes Preparing for Climate Change Impacts Harder

But a design challenge focused on resiliency currently underway hopes to change that.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

‘I Am Saddened to Hear This. I Can’t Defend Their Actions.’

Oakland’s acting fire chief pledges inquiry into new revelations about the role firefighters may have played in failing to report safety hazards at the site where 36 people died in December.

  • By Route Fifty Staff

NFL Commissioner Sends ‘Grim’ Letter to Oakland Mayor

Also in our State and Local Weekend Digest: Drone crashes into Buffalo City Hall; Iowa’s awful repeat drunk-driving record; and county supervisor in Virginia attacked by deer.

  • By Route Fifty Staff

Bolstering the Bay Area Against Climate Change Impacts

Rebuild by Design and The Rockefeller Foundation’s latest competition represents a shift in focus from disaster response to resilience planning.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

A Grim Task Following Oakland’s Deadly Fire; New Airbnb Regs in New Orleans

Also in our State and Local Weekend Digest: NYPD’s Smart Car fleet; predatory towing in Philadelphia; and drawing “geo-tourists” to eastern Montana.

  • By Route Fifty Staff
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‘Equity Is Critical to Oakland’s Resilience’

Disparities in educational and job opportunities across short distances have the city thinking about how it can improve underserved communities’ access to government services.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

San Francisco's Plan to Get Entrepreneurs Working With Government

The city aims to solve its biggest problems with some of the world's smallest startups.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Creating a ‘Digital Front Door’ at Oakland City Hall

Watch Oakland Communications Director Karen Boyd discuss the city’s digital strategy during the 2015 Code for America summit.

  • By Michael Grass

California Mayors Champion Statewide Minimum Wage Increase

About 3.2 million residents, mostly women, could see a pay raise between now and 2021 if a proposed ballot measure passes.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Oakland Sues Wells Fargo, Alleging Predatory Mortgage Lending to Minorities

The lawsuit claims foreclosures cost the city tax revenue and caused blight.

  • By Bill Lucia

Why Hybrid Data Storage Might Be Best When Expanding Police Body Camera Use

Demand for high-definition body cameras is at an all-time high, but the resulting data can be too much for some departments to handle.

  • By Dave Nyczepir