Mission Statement

The Mission of the City of Oakland Planning and Building Department is to assist the residents of Oakland to enhance and improve the physical, cultural, and economic environments of their communities through sustainable development that embraces the core principles of health, opportunity, and equity.

The Planning & Building Department’s commitment is founded on the belief that people matter, neighborhoods matter, beauty, order, and a clean environment matter. Enriching people’s lives through helping them build communities that reflect their values matters. We are dedicated to the communities of Oakland through our service to the public.

To that end, we help the residents of Oakland to develop visionary plans that are community driven; we update the Zoning Code to reflect community needs and interests; we process development/building applications in an efficient and effective manner; and we enforce the Zoning Code, the Building Code, and other applicable laws to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all who choose Oakland as their place to live, work, and play.

Learn more about who we are and what we do here.

SERVICE IMPACTS & EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS

Enhancements

Housing Security & Homelessness Solutions

1. Adds 1.0 FTE Business Analyst III dedicated to PBD Accela implementation which will allow for more expedient implementation of enhancements to the digital platform. The Accela platform is a critical component of the City’s permitting and land use management processes, allowing residents and businesses to apply for permits and submit code complaints online, enabling department staff to review and track each stage of the application and inspection process, and facilitating payment of fees and inspections scheduling.
   • Equity Consideration: The addition of a Business Analyst III has the potential to increase racial equity by enhancing PBD’s ability to provide easier and more transparent access to services through our digital platforms. Reducing these barriers is likely to help Oakland’s lower income and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
2. Adds 1.0 FTE Public Services Representative and 1.0 FTE Senior Public Services Representative. Deletes vacant 3.0 FTE Office Assistant II. The Public Service Representative positions will be interacting with the public face-to-face around issues of code enforcement, permitting, and code inspections.
   • Equity Consideration: The addition of a Public Services Representative position and a Senior Public Services Representative has the potential to increase racial equity by enhancing PBD's ability to effectively serve Oakland's BIPOC residents by answering questions, assisting with applications, and scheduling code enforcement inspections.
3. Adds 1.0 FTE Planner III and Deletes vacant 1.0 FTE Planner III, Historic Preservation. The Planner provides recommendations regarding land use, zoning, urban design, environmental impact, and community needs.
   • Equity Consideration: The addition of a Planner III position to replace the Planner III Historic Preservation position has the potential to increase racial equity by providing recommendations of land use that will benefit Oakland’s BIPOC communities.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY CHANGES

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

POSITION INFORMATION