61% local hiring reached at Port of Oakland’s Army Base development

Oakland residents represent nearly 30% of hires

Oakland, CA – April 22, 2015: The Port of Oakland said today that 61 percent of the workforce at the Port’s Army Base redevelopment project comes directly from neighboring communities. Twenty-eight percent of the workers live in Oakland. The numbers indicate that the Port’s efforts to generate jobs locally are paying off.

“Due to our partnerships and programs with contractors, labor, local non-profits and residents, the Port is able to ensure that the community also benefits from this project,” said Port Social Responsibility Director Amy Tharpe. “And the real evidence of our impact is when the Port puts its closest neighbors to work.

Local companies have benefited too, as contractors on the Army Base project. The Port said 60% of the funding spent with contractors has gone to businesses in these categories: Local Impact Area, Local Business Area, Small Business Enterprises and Very Small Business Enterprises. Oakland-based companies have received 47% of the contracting dollars.

The Port began construction at the old Army Base in 2013. Nearly two years later, 460 employees have worked on the project. Thirty-three percent of those workers live in the Port’s Local Impact Areas: Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda and Emeryville. Another 28 percent are from the Local Business Areas: Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

When the former Army base closed in 1999, the land was divided and transferred to both the Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland. The Port’s development area is approximately 185 acres of land, which is subject to state laws that restrict development to maritime-serving uses. The development on the Port’s portion includes creating rail yards, providing warehouse space, and adding a recycling center.

Local hiring is central to the Port’s mission. The Port has a Maritime Aviation Project Labor Agreement (MAPLA) that was intended to cover capital improvement programs at Oakland International Airport and the Oakland seaport. The underlying philosophy of MAPLA is to ensure that the Port hires local workers on its projects.

About the Port of Oakland:
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, or with the Port on Twitter, YouTube, and at www.portofoakland.com.