This week, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12) announced $1,031,000 in Community Project Funding (CPF) for Mills College at Northeastern University Oakland (MCNUO). This federal funding will be used to purchase new emergency blue-light phone towers and security cameras that will help to improve public safety on campus and in the surrounding community.
Simon announced the funding alongside Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, Dean of Northeastern University Oakland Dan Sachs, Associated Vice President for Global Site Security Regina Coppa, and other Northeastern University leadership. This federal investment is part of Simon’s commitment to bringing federal resources back to the East Bay and supporting students, educators, and educational institutions who are creating the next generation of leaders in the East Bay.
This Community Project Funding (CPF) is a part of the $11.2 million that Simon secured for 15 projects across the East Bay in Fiscal Year 2026. Each fiscal year, members of Congress can submit Community Project Funding requests for consideration with the House Committee on Appropriations.
“Mills College at Northeastern University is one of the jewels of Oakland. I came to this campus as a student and young, single mother and walked these paths with my child. I know this campus is home to far more than a university.
“It is home to the little ones at the preschool, the girls at Julia Morgan, the neighbors who swim in the pool and walk the trail, and the faculty and workers who keep it all running,” Simon said. “This funding invests in every one of them and in the simple things that make a place safe: light, open paths, updated equipment like call booths.
“NE’s leadership is committed to a campus that takes responsibility for its neighbors as much as its own. Safety is a public good, and that is exactly the kind of investment Oakland deserves. Thank you to Mayor Barbara Lee for her partnership on this funding.”
“This campus changed my life when I came here as a single mother on public assistance, and this million-dollar investment continues that legacy of support by keeping our students, families, and neighbors safe,” said Mayor Barbara Lee. “Before leaving Congress, I requested federal funding for this project, and I am deeply grateful to Congresswoman Lateefah Simon for carrying it forward so we can build the safe, thriving community Oakland deserves.”
“We’re grateful to Congresswoman Lateefah Simon for her leadership in securing this funding for our Oakland campus,” said Renee Jadushlever, vice president for Campus Administration and Strategic Initiatives at Northeastern University. “It’s a place where students learn, do research, build community, and gain real-world experience with our industry partners across the region. This investment will help maintain the safety of our campus community while we continue to welcome our neighbors and deepen our connections across Oakland.”
U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon’s media relations office is the source of this story.
