Steven Falk
@Steven_B_Falk
Followers
1K
Following
14K
Media
2K
Statuses
7K
Career city manager. CalBerkeley faculty. Portfolio manager. California Story writer. Painter who takes pictures. Once had a Velvet Underground cover band.
Oakland, CA
Joined November 2011
I’m excited to note that my California Story project has been published as a book!. More here:
2
0
4
@AnnieLinskey @seungminkim I didn’t know that Beyoncé was even interested but, yes, this will work.
2
10
422
build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build build
13
84
340
In the least newsworthy moment of this busy news day, I was sworn in as Oakland’s Interim City Administrator this morning. This is going to be a ride.
10
11
144
On a professional note, I have concluded my stint as #Oakland’s Interim City Administrator. Needless to say — having been appointed on the day that the World Health Organization issued its pandemic declaration — this assignment didn’t go as expected. 1/8
3
29
125
@MosesNYC 80th and Broadway because of everlasting heartache over the absence of H&H bagels. 315 Bowery because of everlasting heartache over the absence of CBGBs. 854 7th Avenue because of everlasting heartache over the absence of Carnegie Deli
8
3
106
The note said, “Bring in the law or fail to have the money and your kids will all die, one at a time. I'll start with your lovely daughter and work up in age.”
7
12
94
The remarkable thing about this picture isn’t the Claremont Hotel in the foreground but the barren unvegetated hillsides above it.
8
7
92
Former Lafayette city manager to be appointed as Oakland’s interim city administrator
8
9
75
It wasn’t what I expected. It was better than that. I’m grateful to @LibbySchaaf for giving me the opportunity to serve this remarkable Town, and wish all the best to my friend and partner Ed Reiskin who was sworn in yesterday as Oakland’s new City Administrator. /end
2
0
66
“I concluded I had a responsibility to use my position as a public official, when I could, to address the climate threat. Failing to do so would be failing my community, failing my family, and failing future generations.”
2
10
62
@MollieKatzen @HawleyMO First time I read this I thought you wrote “we have recipes.” . Which you do.
4
0
49
It would be a privilege to serve the most dynamic, exciting, interesting, and diverse big city in the Bay Area. #Oakland
2
4
54
@WenzlerPowers I continue to be grateful that she broke “I Will Always Love Jolene” into two songs. That was a key decision.
1
1
48
Professional update: I will be serving as Richmond’s interim city manager through the rest of the year. Today was my first day, and the people here greeted me warmly and seem both professional and truly nice. I’m looking forward to working with them.
5
3
46
@WarrenJWells I was in a Rotary Club for twenty years. It was great. Totally non-religious or political. The whole purpose was to network through volunteerism, and the money they raised paid for global efforts to eradicate polio. Can’t speak for the others but I completely recommend Rotary.
1
0
41
Developer spends $3M on entitlements for a project that meets all city standards then the Council rejects it. “It was an excruciating meeting and a heartbreaking result,” said Mike Ghilmetti.
5
7
40
Saw #Blindspotting at a sold out show in Oakland tonight! Huge ovation at the end. It’s a movie for our times, to be sure, one that burrows deeply into issues of gentrification, white privilege, family structure, implicit bias, and gun violence. Scary, funny, gripping. Well done.
1
14
40
I watched councilmembers rise fiercely and use their powers to protect the least fortunate in the community. I saw a tenacious mayor beat down doors to gather supplies and raise funds for pandemic relief, and saw her welcome the passenger ship that no other city would greet. 5/8.
1
2
38
@Fritschner We don't talk enough about how Bill Murray should play the part of LBJ when he grew his hair out after leaving office.
0
0
32
Quick professional note: I’m in #Richmond again, serving as the Acting City Manager for a month while the real city manager takes a little break. It’s great to be working again with this fine group of citizens, council members, and professionals. I’ll be here until ~November 6th.
0
0
34
@SecretaryCarson @realDonaldTrump It’s not the family and it’s not the dog, Ben. It’s the cars. If we don’t eliminate our carbon output by ~2050, our world will become a far less hospitable place to live. One of the best ways to do that is by encouraging people to use green electrified transportation systems.
1
5
28
RIP Wayne Thiebaud. I loved what and how this guy painted. One of California’s greatest-ever artists!
0
2
30
I stood to the side and merely watched as Oakland’s remarkable workers — unflinchingly dedicated to their city — reconfigured parks, created slow streets, tried to keep housing projects going, mobilized firefighters and police officers to protect the public. 6/8.
1
1
28
This piece tries to have it both ways — calling for SB50 but also saying, oh wait, let’s give cities one last chance. We don’t have time for that. California's extreme housing crisis calls for extreme measures. That includes SB 50 - Los Angeles Times
0
6
28
Outstanding!. This kind of deal might work at other BART stations, too.
0
2
25
@thehill Brent Scharff, summer intern from Grinnell College and only person at DOJ who is not recused, will be heading up the Russia investigation.
3
5
24
I support the new and improved #SB50. @Scott_Wiener @BuffyWicks @NancySkinnerCA @loridroste @RigelRobinson @JohnBauters @RashiKesarwani
2
3
26
. and courageously stood up food distribution programs, hotels and trailers for the unhoused, and multiple testing sites throughout town. And, time and again, I saw residents, faith communities, nonprofits, and businesses come together for the betterment of Oakland. 7/8.
1
1
22
@dillonliam We have the smartest people in California — Nobel Prize winners and MacArthur Geniuses. And yet, in the midst of a housing and climate crisis, we continue to distribute land use and transportation authority out to hundreds of local boards and then wonder why nothing works right.
2
1
24
@Richard_Florida Let's not forget city managers!
“The power of mayors right now is that they’re seen as the last functioning form of American government . "
0
15
19
Yes, this. Bravo, @Scott_Wiener. “Cities across the United States face issues similar to those in California, too many of which have largely closed the doors to new residents. ”. via @NYTOpinion.
0
3
20
@MJGerson is the voice of conscience and clarity in this election cycle. Every column feels like essential reading.
1
7
18
@byJoshuaDavis Meanwhile, Richmond— a city with 120,000 residents located in the middle of one of the world’s wealthiest metro regions — doesn’t have a single major dedicated grocery store. Not one Safeway. Not one Whole Foods. Not one Lucky’s. Not one Raley’s. It’s wrong is what it is.
6
1
20
@paranoiacs This is the tweet I’ve been waiting for but didn’t know it. I’ll die a happy man if I never hear Obladioblada again, but I’ll die a sad man if I don’t listen to the White Album straight through in its entirety every once in a while.
1
1
16
Kind of a late Thanksgiving blessing but I’m thankful to/for whoever it was that dreamed up hot and sour soup.
4
1
17
Yesterday I figured out (YIFO) that, Long Beach excluded, 1.5M people live in the so-called Gateway Cities - Downey, Lakewood, etc. If they had incorporated as one city instead of 25 cities, Gateway would be the sixth largest city in the U.S. Larger than San Diego and Dallas.
2
3
18
Little bit of #NewUrbanism from the lovely town of #Hercules, where I’m currently serving as Interim City Manager.
0
0
18
@MosesNYC Right? Also: the Chobani Cafe in SOHO. There should not be a cafe entirely devoted to yogurt in SOHO. It goes against natural law.
3
0
16
#AB1401 would remove minimum parking requirements within a half-mile walk of a train station, ferry terminal, or frequent bus line.
0
5
16
Local officials should think hard about who they are, what they stand for, and what they are willing to do — or not do — in service of an organization that flouts the law so as to exclude other, usually poorer, people from living in their community.
2
1
15
Instead, on my second day in office, I ordered the closure of all libraries, senior centers, and recreation centers, and on my third day I sent city hall workers home and opened the emergency operations center. It’s what happened next, though, that made an impression. 4/8.
1
0
15
We should be thankful every day for the brilliant and courageous service of our first responders — but never more than now as they step up to undertake challenges the likes of which none of us ever have seen before. #police #publicworks #fire #publicservice @oakland
2
11
14
I have two issues with this person’s car window message. First, while you may not like him, there’s no practical way to recall Jesus. Second, Newssolini may indeed live, but I’m pretty certain that his name is spelled with two S’s.
0
5
14
Remember that time when there was a virus and we developed a vaccine for it and everybody took it and we (almost) completely eradicated the virus from the earth?
2
1
14
@IDoTheThinking Hercules’ Baywood neighborhood is probably the Bay Area’s best example of so-called New Urbanism, and there’s even a plan for an intermodal train/ferry station. It just needs $30m in funding; c’mon Amtrak Joe!. (Disclaimer: I’m currently Hercules’ Interim City Manager).
1
0
14
I wasn’t sure whether driving to Sacramento today for the #SB50 hearing would be worth it but it mos def was. Well done @Scott_Wiener & Co.
0
0
16
There’s a reason why we don’t use an abbreviation for the Secret Service.
Our great National Guard Troops who took care of the area around the White House could hardly believe how easy it was. “A walk in the park”, one said. The protesters, agitators, anarchists (ANTIFA), and others, were handled VERY easily by the Guard, D.C. Police, & S.S. GREAT JOB!.
1
0
15
If I’m reading this correctly, the article suggests that letting a patchwork of local agencies make independent decisions regarding big life and health issues for people across the region and state can lead to catastrophic and inequitable outcomes.
0
4
15
@Scott_Wiener Raise the gas tax and use the proceeds to subsidize free electrified transportation!.
1
0
13
My plan at this point is to go to bed, sleep for a while, then wake up tomorrow AM just in time for the twenty seventh inning. #sfgiants.
0
5
11
This is what happens when your daughter the choreographer comes home and lives with you during the pandemic. #IWouldDieForYou
1
2
14
I thought I’d spend my months in Oakland discussing the important issues of the day with the Mayor and councilmembers in their offices and districts; eating lunches in Oakland’s many restaurants; riding along with police, fire, and public works crews; browsing libraries. 2/8.
1
0
12
@moseskagan And while we’re at it, let’s thank those agencies for delivering the transportation, clean water, and public safety services that allow us to do our jobs. Without them we can’t function. Without them we’re nothing.
5
0
15
@GavinNewsom should appoint a single czar to oversee both housing and climate change because the problems are inseparable and the solutions are complementary. @Ann_OLeary .@Scott_Wiener .@DavidChiu .@NancySkinnerCA
1
5
13
@conorsen I demand more Junior Mints!. And there should be municipal ordinances that somehow ensure at least one wax harmonica in every halloween bag.
1
0
11
@RobertGammon @EastBayExpress A bunch of top sports writers have created a national paywall site called The Athletic, betting that people will pay $ to read about their favorite teams. How about a national paywall site called The Local, staffed by top reporters covering local beats? I’d pay $ to read that.
0
0
13