Our Projects
MACRO Survey Project
When Oaklanders call for help, does the right response show up? Black Solutions Lab is asking the neighborhoods MACRO was built to help.
Homelessness & the Encampment Abatement Policy
Sweeps are ineffective. They do not end homelessness, they harm the people they displace, and they cost the city millions. Oakland needs real solutions that give people somewhere safe to sleep and a path toward lasting housing.
C.R.I.S.E.S. Act
The C.R.I.S.E.S. Act invests in community-based organizations so they can grow crisis response programs that meet the specific needs of their communities. Black Solutions Lab is a part of a statewide coalition fighting to extend the legislation.
Civilianization
Oakland's City Council has voted for years to move 38 police positions to civilian staff. The city administration has never followed through, and sworn officers still fill those roles on overtime Oakland cannot afford.
Police Overtime
Oakland has blown past its police overtime budget in all but one year since 2010 despite two decades of warnings from city auditors. The most recent gap: $55 million spent against a $24 million budget.