Oakland gets $9M from SF foundation to crack down on illegal dumping

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and city officials on Thursday announced a $9 million, three-year investment by San Francisco foundation Crankstart to help address illegal dumping.

"This is going to lead to more economic activity also in our city," Lee said at a City Hall news conference. "The partnership with Crankstart shows what's possible when we refuse to accept the status quo."

Money from Crankstart to fund cameras, aerial imaging, larger trash bins

What we know:

The investment will more than double the city's illegal-dumping cameras from 35 to 85, deploy AI-assisted aerial-imaging technology to identify dumping hotspots and boost the size of residential trash bins as part of a pilot program. 

"We're not naive at Crankstart, at least we'd like to think we're not," said Eli Bildner, the company's vice president of operations. " We know that this is a maddeningly hard problem. We know that success isn't guaranteed."

Oakland Deputy Police Chief Anthony Tedesco had this warning: "We are going to end your anonymity. We're going to pull you out of the shadows, and we are going to take the problems that you are dumping on our doorstep back to your doorstep."

Barbara Lafitte-Oluwole of Faith in Action East Bay said, "This is about more than trash. It's about dignity. It's about respect. It's about showing Oakland residents their neighborhoods matter."

Councilmember weighs in

Local perspective:

KTVU met with Oakland City Councilmember Ken Houston near the trash-strewn corner of 75th Avenue and Hawley Street in the shadow of the Coliseum. 

"It's for cleanup but deterrence at the same time. And we also have to use the prosecution piece of that," said Houston, adding he welcomes the funding.

"If you're going to give me $9 million, I'm gonna take it," he said. "They give us $9 million, in the best interests of the city, we use it in the best interests of the city, the right way, for illegal dumping, for eradication, education and enforcement, yes I accept it."

Volunteer lauds effort

What they're saying:

KTVU also caught up with Andy Wang, who's known for coming from Livermore to pick up trash in Oakland. Earlier this year, he was robbed while on one of his volunteer cleanups.

"I think that this $9 million will hopefully help address some of the illegal dumping that's been like such a burden on people and taxpayers," Wang said.

Henry Lee is a KTVU reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan 

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