Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction: the problem and promise of cities -- "The power of the people beat the power of the machine" : recruiting a mayor -- The national context : the racial wealth gap : and the history of urban governance -- Who ran Oakland? : the history of the first machine -- Participatory action on a grand scale : a thousand residents make policy -- Homicide rate drops 40% : how a progressive deals with public safety -- Economic engines for old industrial cities : the port of Oakland -- Jobs : three local policies that make a difference for the 99% -- Economic development : progressives and the chamber of commerce -- Education and the city -- Reflections of an activist / Kimberly Mayfield Lynch -- The Oakland experience and what academics call "participatory action research" -- Electoral innovation : instant run-off voting and the election of the first Asian woman mayor in the U.S. / J. Douglas Allen-Taylor -- Three on-going campaigns -- Gentrification and the racial wealth gap in a national context -- Organizing to change a city : revisiting the tactics -- Organizing to change a city : taking space -- Organizing to change a city : strategic necessities -- Appendices -- Appendix one: Documents of the task force process -- Implemented task force recommendations -- Roles and responsibilities of task force conveners -- Working agreements for participants -- Sample questions guiding individual task forces -- Appendix two: Sample documents demonstrating the changing approach to economic development -- "Oakland oks industrial land-use policy" -- Oakland army base community benefits agreement on jobs -- Appendix three: Some relevant web sites -- Appendix four: A brief oakland time line -- References.