San Leandro council reviews public safety, housing and infrastructure work plans; stormwater, rent stabilization and Lake Chabot loom

Acting City Manager Mike Yuan told the San Leandro City Council on Monday that staff had updated priority work plans tied to the city’s recently adopted biannual budget and to council input from 2023–25. The presentations concentrated on public safety, infrastructure and housing and homelessness.

Police Chief Angela Averett outlined six public‑safety priorities, saying staffing remains the department’s top focus. "Our goal here is to increase sworn staffing, to a net of 78% by December of 2026," Averett said, adding a 2027 target of 82% and a plan to fill two traffic officer vacancies by July 2026 to boost traffic safety enforcement.

Averett also gave intake figures for animal control in fiscal 2025 and tied them to the city’s SPCA contract costs: "In fiscal year 25, we brought in 721 canines and 224 felines for a total of 945 animals," she said, and explained a tiered contract schedule that staff estimate could amount to roughly $509,000 for 750 animals. Staff proposed reducing intakes by about 10% in 2026 and 5% more in 2027 through shelter‑diversion strategies and outreach.

On infrastructure, city engineering staff said the city will explore up to two local revenue measures, with one effort timed for the November 2026 ballot if pursued, and that a separate citizen‑led revenue measure may appear. Acting City Manager Yuan flagged a funding shortfall in the stormwater fund: the fund is operating on 1993 rates and "has a hole in it," staff said, noting additional state mandates and insufficient revenue to cover 2025 requirements. Staff told council a stormwater fee update and public outreach will begin in October 2026 and could lead to placement of a measure if required.

City engineers reviewed asset projects and schedules including an all‑abilities playground at Memorial Park slated for September 2025, work on a Stephen Taylor pavilion due in November 2025, underground fuel tank replacement, a Cary Haas pedestrian bridge target in February 2027, and an awarded contract for the Mulford Marina branch library subject to state grant compliance.

On Lake Chabot Road, engineering staff said slides 1 and 4 repairs are underway but slides 2 and 3 remain on hold for lack of construction funding; a preliminary restoration estimate to address slides 2 and 3 and repave the corridor was given as about $8,000,000. Multiple council members and residents pressed staff for clearer geotechnical information and a timeline for when the road could be restored to two‑way traffic.

Housing staff described prevention and production strategies. Director Lobadon highlighted a planned permanent local housing allocation (rental assistance/shallow subsidy) with an RFP posted and a likely program launch in November 2025. Director Tom Liao said the city is implementing a rent registry approved earlier this year, pursuing a fee study and software implementation, and will present a preliminary draft rent stabilization ordinance for public review and committee consideration this week. "We expect a second reading by January," Liao said, and staff projected full program implementation by summer 2026 pending funding and staffing.

Liao also described a years‑long local‑preference disparate impact study the city plans to begin late this year, with data gathering into early next year and a draft ordinance expected in early 2027, explaining that state and federal funding rules limit the use of local preference until a study is completed.

Public comment that followed the presentations focused heavily on infrastructure funding. Several speakers, including organizers of a citizens bond effort, urged council support for a proposed $150 million bond to fund roads, Casa Peralta repairs and other capital needs, arguing that a revenue measure would require a higher voter threshold and might not be sufficient. One resident urged immediate geotechnical reporting and clearer cost estimates for Lake Chabot Road repairs. A caller participating by Zoom said the citizen committee will continue planning for a bond and asked the city to avoid duplicative staff efforts if the citizen measure advances.

The council’s discussion returned to several cross‑cutting themes: balancing near‑term deliverables with longer project timelines, adding clearer budget and progress metrics to work plan updates, and ensuring community‑facing dashboards or communications so residents can track high‑profile projects.

The council did not take formal votes on any ordinance or measure during the session; staff will return with further details, draft ordinances and implementation steps on the timelines described.

Ending

Staff were asked to provide additional analysis on state CEQA changes and to bring cost and funding breakdowns to future work sessions. Council members also requested a clearer public dashboard and budgeting metrics for priority projects. The council moved next to a contracting training session scheduled for the same meeting.