Alameda County Homelessness Falls 13% as Vella Leads Mayoral Race

Countywide housing assessments, municipal ballot returns, and community business programming highlighted East Bay civic news this week. Alameda County Health's Housing and Homeless Services reported a 13% two-year decline in overall homelessness in its final 2026 Point-in-Time count, while early election returns in the City of Alameda showed Malia Vella leading the mayoral race alongside major transit and infrastructure bond approvals and the West Alameda Business Association staged its second annual Howl-O-Ween pet adoption showcase at Webster Park.

Alameda County Homelessness Declines 13% as Unsheltered Count Drops 18%

Released on October 28 following the January 21 survey in which more than 1,300 volunteers interviewed 2,074 unhoused residents, the final 2026 Alameda County Point-in-Time count confirmed a second consecutive biennial reduction. Overall homelessness declined 13% from 9,450 people in 2024 to 8,201 in 2026, while unsheltered homelessness fell 18% from 6,343 to 5,202.

Housing and Homeless Services Director Jonathan Russell and Board of Supervisors President David Haubert credited Measure W—a 10-year, 0.5% countywide sales tax approved by 50.09% of voters in 2020—after supervisors committed $136 million per year in Measure W funds in July 2025 for the next 6 years. Between 2024 and 2026, Oakland's share of unsheltered residents declined from 57.7% to 51.8% and the City of Alameda's share dropped from 4.7% to 2.5%, while Livermore's share increased from 2.7% to 4.6% (with males representing 67.1% of the count and Black residents representing 42.4% compared with 9.6% of the county population).

Malia Vella Leads Alameda Mayoral Race as Voters Back Measures RTM and L

In the City of Alameda's municipal election to succeed Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, early returns showed Malia Vella leading with 43% of the vote—ahead of Tracy Jensen by 13.5% and Tony Daysog by 16.5%. For City Council, Thushan Amarasiriwardena led the field with more than 25% of the vote, while the second council seat remained tight between Tyler Savage at 17.5%, Amos White at 16% (about 400 votes behind), and Marcie Johnson trailing White by fewer than 100 votes. Incumbents Carrie Hahnel and Gary Lym led the Board of Education race.

On the ballot measure slate, voters backed the regional Measure RTM sales tax—projected to raise $480 million over 14 years for BART, AC Transit, and nine-county transit service—as well as Alameda's Measure L infrastructure bond, which reached 70% support to help address an $800 million city infrastructure funding gap. Voters also favored charter cleanup Measure M and property-lease threshold Measure N (lowering lease approvals from 4 votes to 3 votes).

West Alameda Business Association Hosts Second Howl-O-Ween at Webster Park

Community spirit was also on display at Webster Park on October 31, where West Alameda Business Association Executive Director Elissa Glickman hosted the second annual Howl-O-Ween pet costume contest benefiting Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS). Local skincare business owner Liliana Aranda of Faces by Liliana provided custom pet portraits and donation photos, while judges awarded prizes across 5 categories. Oakland costume designer Kade Simola and their recently adopted 10-year-old chihuahua, Splash, won Best in Show.