May 6 City Council Meeting Preview: Key Topics, How to Participate
On May 6, City Council will receive an update on the Community Assessment Response and Engagement (CARE) Team program, which responds to nonviolent mental health crises, and will consider authorizing a new agreement with Alameda Family Services to continue providing clinician and case management services.
Council will consider re-adopting the City’s Third-Party Food Delivery Services Ordinance, which caps third-party delivery fees at 15% for restaurants, and accepting the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) work plan to address homelessness, create a welcoming city, and prevent domestic violence.
Below is a summary of what will be discussed on the Regular Agenda and how to participate.
Alameda Family Services and the CARE Team
Fire Department staff will provide an update on the Community Assessment Response and Engagement (CARE) Team program and request City Council’s authorization to execute a new agreement with Alameda Family Services (AFS) to continue providing clinician and case management services for the CARE Team for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with a total not-to-exceed cost of $1,681,886.
The CARE Team, managed by the Alameda Fire Department (AFD), was established in 2021 to provide an alternative response to nonviolent mental health crises, reducing reliance on police and emergency rooms. AFS was initially contracted to supply clinical support and has since been integral to the CARE Team’s success. In 2024, the CARE Team managed 1,332 calls, a 41.7% increase from 2022, and was named Program of the Year by Alameda County Emergency Medical Services. AFD considers AFS to be critical to the CARE Team’s continued effectiveness and client care.
Third Party Food Delivery Services Ordinance
Economic Development staff propose that the City re-adopt its Third-Party Food Delivery Services Ordinance, which caps third-party delivery fees at 15% for restaurants. Originally adopted in September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect local restaurants from high fees charged by companies like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub, the ordinance was extended in 2023 and is currently set to expire May 1, 2025.
Given the ongoing post-pandemic challenges for restaurants and economic uncertainties, City staff recommend re-adopting the ordinance for one additional year to allow time for further research and engagement with Alameda’s food service industry. After this review, staff may recommend future amendments.
Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) Work Plan
Housing and Human Services staff will recommend that the City Council accept the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) Work Plan (link downloads document) for Fiscal Year 2025–26. SSHRB’s focus is on addressing homelessness, creating a welcoming city, and preventing domestic violence. It also oversees recommendations for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.
How you can participate
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 6, at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public may participate in person or over Zoom and may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides a chance to address the Council regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Council has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is intended for routine items approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, where each issue receives a presentation and time for Council discussion and public comment.
Requests for reasonable accommodations can be made by emailing the City Clerk’s office at clerk@alamedaca.gov or calling 510-747-4800.
For Zoom registration, click here. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128, and the Meeting ID is 834 8889 8933.
Information to assist with remote participation is available online in the Public Comment and City Council Meeting Guide. The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page. Please note that comments posted on Facebook are not monitored.
For each issue, public speakers will have three minutes to speak if there are fewer than five speakers or two minutes to speak if there are five or more speakers.
Community members may also email Council Members on issues of interest before meetings.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post. Contact her via karin@alamedapost.com. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen.
