Oakland opens up outdoor public spaces for dining and retail

Taking a note from San Francisco's similar initiative, Oakland has launched a program meant to make it easier for businesses to use outdoor public spaces for dining and retail activities. The program, known as the Flex Streets Initiative. is meant to streamline the permitting process to use sidewalk, parking lanes and roadway encroachments, allowing businesses to activate public space to reopen under social distancing guidelines. Businesses who are interested in receiving a permit for use of…