The influx of development in the Bay Area, soaring housing costs, and a lack of affordable housing, have all contributed to the displacement of Oakland residents. Displacement is difficult to measure, but the three Indicators in this Topic serve as proxies for this larger, more complex issue. Homelessness is one possible consequence of displacement, and it is also a possible consequence of eviction, which is measured in the third Indicator. The second Indicator in this Topic is a measure of housing stability, which may help to prevent displacement among homeowners.

Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s past and the lives of its residents to this day. It is, therefore, not surprising that Oakland was chosen in 2017 to be among the first cohort of five cities to develop local Equity Indicators tools in partnership with the City University of New York’s Institute for State and Local Governance (CUNY ISLG) and with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation.

The Achievement Topic includes three Indicators that measure racial and ethnic disparities in 3rd grade ELA (English Language Arts) proficiency, high school readiness, and A-G completion. The first Indicator measures disparities in 3rd grade ELA proficiency between Latinos and Whites. The second Indicator measures disparities in high school readiness between African Americans and Asians. The third Indicators measures disparities in A-G completion between African Americans and Whites.

The Enrollment Topic includes three Indicators that measure racial and ethnic disparities in preschool enrollment, chronic absenteeism, and high school on-time completion. The first Indicator measures disparities in preschool enrollment between Latinos and Whites. The second Indicator measures disparities in chronic absenteeism between African Americans and Asians. The third Indicators measures disparities in how many high school students are still enrolled after four years between Latinos and Whites.

The Staffing Topic includes three Indicators that measure racial and ethnic disparities in OPD sworn staff representation, attrition from academy, and attrition from field training. The first Indicator measures disparities in how well OPD sworn staff represent the demographics of Oakland, specifically between Whites and African Americans. The second Indicator measures disparities in attrition from academy between African Americans and Whites. The third Indicator measures disparities in attrition from field training between Latinos/Asians and Whites.

The affordable housing crisis affects communities around the country, and Oakland is no exception. While many Oaklanders struggle to afford their homes, racial and ethnic minorities face particular challenges in access to affordable housing. The three Indicators in this Topic measure access to stable housing through homeownership, access to financial resources in the form of home loans, and access to rental housing that does not cost more than 30% of household income.

Access to high quality housing is an important component of the Housing Theme. Substandard housing can have negative impacts on residents’ health and their ability to engage in different aspects of their lives outside of the home. The three Indicators in this Topic measure geographic disparities in housing habitability complaints, and racial and ethnic disparities in complete kitchen facilities and overcrowded conditions in Oakland housing units.

The Civic Engagement Topic measures three different aspects of an engaged community working to improve conditions and collectively shape the future of Oakland. The first Indicator compares the percents of drains that have been adopted in majority Asian and majority White census tracts through the Adopt a Drain program. The second Indicator compares voter turnout rates among residents in Council District 7 and Council District 1. Finally, the third Indicator compares the percent of the population that is Spanish-speaking with limited English proficiency (LEP) and the percent of city public contact position (PCP) employees that are bilingual in Spanish and English to ensure that LEP status does not inhibit access to city services.

Wellness, physical activity, and nutrition are essential for children as they prepare for a healthy lifestyle and positive health outcomes as adults. The Child Health Topic includes three Indicators that measure different aspects of child health and wellness: childhood asthma emergency department visits, physical fitness, and SNAP recipiency. The first Indicator measures asthma-related emergency department visits and is related to the environmental and housing conditions that affect children’s health. The second Indicator, physical fitness, a measure of student fitness levels assessed in schools, tracks physical aptitude and activity. The third Indicator, SNAP recipiency, shows whether families have adequate income to provide healthy food for their children.

A lack of essential services can have a significant impact on the daily lives of residents. The three Indicators in this Topic measure three different types of essential services: plumbing facilities, energy (i.e., electricity, gas), and high-speed Internet. Plumbing facilities are necessary for the basic functions of a home, energy costs should not place too large a burden on households and families, and high-speed Internet has become a crucial component of work, school, and social life.