About Oakland Unite

All Oakland Unite’s programs target our highest risk community members and neighborhoods, with a particular focus on interrupting violence now as it is occurring and preventing future violence.

Overview of Measure Z

Oakland Unite is funded primarily by tax-payer dollars through the Oakland Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act (Measure Z).  Passed by Oakland voters in November 2014, Measure Z provides approximately $24 million every year for ten years to fund violence prevention and intervention programs, additional police officers, and fire services. Measure Z funds are generated through a parcel tax along with a parking surcharge in commercial lots in order to support the following objectives:

• Reduce homicides, robberies, burglaries and gun-related violence;
• Improve police and fire emergency 911 response times and other police services; and
• Invest in violence intervention and prevention strategies that provide support for at-risk youth and young adults to interrupt the cycle of violence and recidivism.

The annual allocations of the revenues are as follows:

Audit, Evaluation and Commission support: 3% of total funds are set aside annually for audit and evaluation of the programs, strategies and services funded by this measure, and to support the work of the Oversight Commission

Fire Safety:  $2 million annually for maintenance of adequate personnel resources to respond to fire and medical emergencies including, but not limited, response to homicides and gun-related violence and investigate fire causes.

Police Services: 60% of remaining Measure Z revenue (approximately $12 million annually) for maintenance of sworn police personnel and Geographic Policing (including Crime Reduction Teams, Community Resource Officers, intelligence-based violence suppression operations, domestic violence and child abuse intervention, and Operation Ceasefire).

Community-Focused Violence Prevention and Intervention Services and Strategies:  40% of remaining Measure Z revenue (approximately $8 million annually) for investment in collaborative strategies that focus on youth and young adults at highest risk of violence such as: (a) Street outreach and case management; (b) Crisis response, advocacy and case management for victims of crime; (c) Reentry programs; and (d) Young children exposed to trauma or domestic and/or community violence.

For more details, read the full text of the Measure Z Legislation Part 1 | Part 2