Activist Tools

Aside from joining the collective voice of WOBO members to advocate for safer and more accessible walking and bicycling facilities, here are a few simple and powerful tools for some do-it-yourself advocacy.

Email Your Councilmember

  • Email City Council
  • Dan Kalb – Oakland City Council District 1 (sign up for the District 1 newsletter here)
  • Nikki Fortunato Bas – Oakland City Council District 2/Council President (sign up for the District 2 newsletter here)
  • Carroll Fife – Oakland City Council District 3 (sign up for the District 3 newsletter here)
  • Janani Ramachandran Oakland City Council District 4 (sign up for the District 4 newsletter here)
  • Noel Gallo – Oakland City Council District 5
  • Kevin Jenkins Oakland City Council District 6 (sign up for the District 6 newsletter here)
  • Treva ReidOakland City Council District 7 (sign up for the District 7 newsletter here)
  • Rebecca Kaplan – Councilmember At Large and Vice Mayor (sign up for Councilmember Kaplan’s newsletter here)
  • Sheng Thao – Mayor (sign up for the Mayor’s newsletter here)

Don’t Know Which District You Live In? Locate your council district on this map.

Attend a City Council Meeting

The City Council meet the first, third and fifth Tuesdays of the month in Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of City Hall. Ceremonial presentations and non-controversial (consent) items will be heard at 5:30 pm. At 6:30 pm public hearings and discussion items are reviewed. Meeting schedule and agendas.

Participate in the City's Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC)

It’s a citizen’s Commission that meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at City Hall to vet projects undertaken by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities staff.  BPAC reports to the City’s Public Works Committee.

City Bike Ped Staff also produces the handy Bike Oakland Newsletter in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese every 6 months. To receive the newsletter by email, please Subscribe for Updates. To receive it by mail, please contact the Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Coordinator at (510) 238-3983 or bikeped@oaklandca.gov.

Neighborhood Council

Neighborhood Councils are established in each community so residents can get to know each other, identify problems, and work together to solve those problems in partnership with the Oakland Police Department to solve problems that lead to crime. Neighborhood Councils emphasize leadership development, skill building, and strengthening relationships among residents. There are 53 Neighborhood Councils in the City. Find your neighborhood council group.

Electric Bike Libraries In Oakland

From our friends at Grid Alternatives (https://gridalternatives.org/): “Hello clean! Electric bike libraries are coming to Oakland. Tell us what you want to see in our short 5 minute survey abit.ly/ebikelibrarysurvey and help us spread the word – share this with your friends, family, and colleagues! Get ready for access to e-bikes, cargo e-bikes, and adaptive e-bikes to keep you moving and riding into a cleaner future! Go to accesscleanca.org find other clean mobility benefits, including benefits for e-bikes.”

See-Click-Fix

You spot a pothole? Find a sidewalk was used as a dumpster? Sidestepping debris in a crosswalk? Traffic signal not working?  Report the issue to the 311 Call Center at 510-615-5566, report online, or use this fun mobile app: SeeClickFix to record your issue and track how long it takes to resolve the reported problem.

Public Works Committee

Meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 10:30 am – 12pm in Sgt. Mark Dunakin room, on the first floor of City Hall. Attend a meeting or Email the public works committee (Noel Gallo, Chair; Dan Kalb, Sheng Tao, Loren Taylor).

City Planning Commission

City Planning Commission meetings are held twice a month on Wednesdays, usually at 6:00 p.m., but occasionally earlier if there is a long agenda, at Oakland City Hall, One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room No. 1. Meeting schedules and agendas.

Oakland Boards and Commission

More than 40 boards and commissions provide an opportunity for residents to participate in the City’s decision-making process by advising the City Council on a wide range of issues. Directory of Boards and Commissions.

To Receive More Information from the City: