Latest news with #AlamedaCounty
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alameda Supervisors allocate $170 million a year to help the homeless
The Brief The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to allocate $170 million annually to addressing homelessness in the county. Those funds come from Measure W, a 2020 .5% sales tax. The tax faced legal challenges that were resolved earlier this year, which allowed the funds to be disbursed. OAKLAND, Calif. - The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to allocate over $1.4 billion toward homeless initiatives across the county. The money, pulled from Measure W funds, will fund shelter, permanent housing, services for the unhoused and strategies to prevent homelessness. "Homelessness is one of the greatest challenges facing Alameda County. My office engages hundreds of residents and advocates who joined our call for seizing this moment to invest deeply in proven solutions to homelessness," Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bass said in a press release. "I am proud that our collective advocacy achieved this historic investment. No one should have to live on our streets or in their vehicle, or be one unexpected expense away from being unhoused." The board directed 80% of anticipated Measure W revenues — $170 million per year — to be allocated to homelessness solutions, and the remaining 20% go toward essential county services, including some responses to recent state and federal budget shortages. Bas requested that any additional Measure W funds go toward homelessness, to which the board agreed. Those extra funds could mean up to an additional $120 million for homelessness solutions, based on previous revenue collections. Money in the making The backstory Measure W is a .5% general sales tax approved by voters in November 2020, which is projected to raise over $1.8 billion over 10 years. The county began collecting the tax, but the disbursal of those funds was held up by a legal challenge filed following the measure's passage. An anti-tax group sued over the tax, arguing that Measure W was a "special tax," which legally requires a two-thirds vote to pass. Campaign literature for the measure stated the tax revenue was specifically intended to address homelessness. Measure W passed with 50.09% of the vote. The courts ruled earlier this year that W was in fact a general tax, and that the county could use the funds for anything it wanted. Tuesday night's Board of Supervisors meeting saw heavy attendance from county residents, who filled three overflow rooms. City leaders, services providers, advocates and members of the public spoke in favor of using the money for its intended purpose. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Alameda County supervisors approve selling its share of Oakland Coliseum
Late Tuesday afternoon, the final roadblock to the sale of the Oakland Coliseum was cleared. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to sell its share of the property to AASEG (African American Sports and Entertainment Group). The city of Oakland approved the sale of its share of the property almost a year ago, but Alameda County needed additional time. Once the sale closes, AASEG will pay $125 million to the city of Oakland and the same to Alameda County for their respective interest in the property in exchange for the entire site. AASEG eventually wants to invest more than $5 billion into the redevelopment of the entire Coliseum site with entertainment, retail, restaurants, and housing. During the discussion ahead of the Board of Supervisors' vote, they noted they were excited to see the investment in the area. A cheer erupted from the packed house at the Board of Supervisors meeting as the four supervisors in attendance voted unanimously to approve the sale. The meeting was standing room only, with two overflow rooms set up at the law library across the street. AASEG founder, Ray Bobbitt, was met with hugs, handshakes and high-fives immediately after the vote. "We have a lot of work to do and a lot of steps to take, but the most important thing for today, we're just excited this new step is here," said Bobbitt. The discussions about what to do with the Coliseum have been going on since 2015, when the city of Oakland created the Coliseum Specific Area Plan, a blueprint for what the city and community groups want to see for the site. "Our whole concept and approach has been really community-based, which I think is one of the reasons why people have been so supportive," says Bobbitt. The plan includes 4,000 units of high-density housing, with a quarter of those slated for low-income residents. "This is the biggest day of District 6 and District 7 and Oakland as a whole," exclaimed Oakland City Council member Ken Houston. He represents the area around the Coliseum site and says that with all the professional sports teams leaving, the Hegenberger corridor has really suffered. He noted the number of hotels, restaurants and other businesses that have closed recently. "We want to do like an LA Live area. We want to embrace that whole area, bring in jobs and make it a beautiful, world-class destination," said Houston. The final development plans are still a ways off. While this was an important step forward, this wasn't the final step. The group still needs to complete the sale. which means getting through escrow and actually paying both the city and the county for the property. They have until June 30, 2026, to close the sale. The city of Oakland has final approval over any redevelopment plans, and the city will require engagement with community groups during that process.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Alameda County supervisors deciding if tax increase targeted for homelessness can be used elsewhere
In 2020, Alameda County voters thought they were approving a special tax to fight homelessness, but a judge says the county can use the hundreds of millions in sales tax dollars however it wants. Now, the Board of Supervisors is facing pressure to spend the money on what the voters intended. "Measure W was supposed to address homelessness, and we're here today to make sure that the will of the voters is upheld," said Supervisor Nikki Fortunado Bas, as she joined a group of homeless activists Tuesday outside the county administration building in Oakland. Measure W was a half-cent sales tax that, in virtually all of its campaign literature, sounded like funding to help with solutions to the homeless crisis. It barely passed with 50.09% of the vote and got held up in court, but the county continued to collect the tax. Earlier this year, a judge ruled that it was, in fact, a general tax increase and could be spent on anything the county wanted. But that's not going over well with homeless advocates. "Let's let this board know that they're out of line if they let this go another direction," said Rev. Arlington Tugwell, with Faith in Action, East Bay. "Let them know that we are the people that put that in place. Now we're asking them to do what they're supposed to do. We trusted them with it." Tugwell is just one of many who are suspicious of statements from the county that the money could be used for something else. And he's not having it. "We see you. We trusted you," he said. "We want you to honor that trust. And if it is a true rumor, then we want to kill it." The Supervisors were meeting on Tuesday to discuss the use of the money, which over the years has grown to nearly $700 million. The mayors from all 14 cities in the county joined in a letter urging that all of that money go to homelessness services. Outside the board chambers, the advocates offered their suggestions. "Measure W was passed to end homelessness," said Mae Chan, with the Real People's Organizing Collective. "Investing 100% of Measure W funds in housing and care is a win-win for all of us." "I'm proposing we dedicate 90% of Measure W funds towards homelessness solutions," said Fortunado Bas, "and the remaining 10% to critical safety net services, like food assistance, health care, and mental health care." "Voters trusted us with Measure W because they wanted action on homelessness, action," said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. "And so, we urge the county to direct, we say 100%, of course, our supervisors [say] at least 90%" However the supervisors decide to carve up the pie, those who voted for it - and those who have been paying for it - will be watching. Rev. Sophia DeWitt, a member of East Bay Housing Organizations, was reluctant to say she had doubts about the county's intentions. "Uh, I don't want to, I don't want to say that," she said, "But, you know, I also don't know exactly the thinking of every supervisor on the issue." The judge ruled that, despite all the campaign ads that spoke only about homeless funding, the actual ballot language of the measure included the words "and other general fund services," making it a general tax increase. The irony is that if Measure W truly was a tax specifically meant for the homeless, it never would have passed. General tax increases only need a simple majority. A tax for a special purpose requires 2/3 for approval. In that case, it would have gotten trounced.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Oakland Coliseum Is Sold as Developer Plans $5 Billion Overhaul
An Oakland-based developer has assumed full ownership of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, paving the way for the revitalization of the deteriorating California complex. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $125 million deal to offload a 50% stake in the property to an affiliate of the African American Sports & Entertainment Group on Tuesday, giving the developer complete control of the Coliseum. The group purchased the other 50% stake earlier this year.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Lawsuit says Clorox hackers got passwords simply by asking
WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - Bleach maker Clorox (CLX.N), opens new tab said Tuesday that it has sued information technology provider Cognizant (CTSH.O), opens new tab over a devastating 2023 cyberattack, alleging that the hackers pulled off the intrusion simply by asking the tech company's staff for employees' passwords. Clorox was one of several major companies hit in August 2023 by the hacking group dubbed Scattered Spider, which specializes in tricking IT help desks into handing over credentials and then using that access to lock them up for ransom. The group is often described as unusually sophisticated and persistent, but in a case filed in California state court on Tuesday, Clorox said one of Scattered Spider's hackers was able to repeatedly steal employees' passwords simply by asking for them. "Cognizant was not duped by any elaborate ploy or sophisticated hacking techniques," according to a copy of the lawsuit, opens new tab reviewed by Reuters. "The cybercriminal just called the Cognizant Service Desk, asked for credentials to access Clorox's network, and Cognizant handed the credentials right over." Cognizant did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the suit, which was not immediately visible on the public docket of the Superior Court of Alameda County. Clorox provided Reuters with a receipt for the lawsuit from the court. Three partial transcripts included in the lawsuit allegedly show conversations between the hacker and Cognizant support staff in which the intruder asks to have passwords reset and the support staff complies without verifying who they are talking to, for example by quizzing them on their employee identification number or their manager's name. "I don't have a password, so I can't connect," the hacker says in one call. The agent replies, "Oh, ok. Ok. So let me provide the password to you ok?" The 2023 hack caused $380 million in damages, Clorox said in the suit, about $50 million of which were tied to remedial costs and the rest of which were attributable to Clorox's inability to ship products to retailers in the wake of the hack. Clorox said the clean-up was hampered by other failures by Cognizant's staff, including failure to de-activate certain accounts or properly restore data.
