Catch up on hot items from the last Richmond City Council meeting below. If you're interested in making public comments as a member of RPA or getting involved, contact us. Meetings are primarily held on the first, third, and fourth Tuesday of each month at 440 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804.

The Richmond City Council addressed significant topics during its December 17, 2024 meeting, including selecting a preferred developer for Nystrom Village, discussing updates to council rules, and receiving the annual State of the City address.

State Of The City Address By Mayor Eduardo Martinez

A Year Of Growth, Progress, And Community Impact

"Richmond is on the rise, and we’re rising together, " declared Mayor Martinez, as he joyfully recounted yet another year of progress in Richmond. Read a list of highlights from our progressive administration.

2024 State of the City Slides

Supporting Small Business Growth

• Launched a Mobile Vendor Program to promote small business sustainability.
• Relocated the Farmer’s Market to City Center and introduced a new location in Marina Bay.
• Distributed up to $10,000 in small business grants through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
• Partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to create data-driven marketing plans and policy tools for downtown development.
• Celebrated small business success stories like Johnny Boi Smash Burgers, El Jardín de los Sueños, and Richmond Eats.

Economic Development

• Helped close to 600 residents find employment through RichmondWORKS, YouthWORKS, and RichmondBUILD.
• Achieved a city unemployment rate well below California’s state average.
• Hilltop acquisition is poised to attract new businesses, including a new auto dealership and HD Supply.
• Partnered with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce to launch the "Best of Richmond Awards."
• Hosted the 2024 Taste of Richmond, spearheaded by the Economic Development Commission.

Public Spaces And Green Initiatives

• Entered into an agreement with the East Bay Regional Parks District to sell Point Molate, saving millions in infrastructure costs while preserving green spaces for future generations.
• Made public works improvements, including solar lighting installations, streetlight replacements, and extensive weed abatement efforts totaling over 17,000 hours.
• Invested millions into parks, libraries, and community centers, including the launch of Dirt World, a BMX and mountain bike park.

Public Safety And Crisis Response

• Launched the Community Crisis Response Program, officially known as ROCK (Reach Out with Compassion and Kindness) to provide alternative public safety resources.
• Saw a 1% increase in total indexed crimes, but continued focus on improving safety outcomes.

Affordable Housing

• Completed the Phase One rehabilitation of Nevin Plaza.
• Identified a developer for the Nystrom Village RFP.
• Rehabilitated Motel 6 into an affordable housing solution through the Housing First Program in partnership with the Richmond Community Foundation.

Landmark Agreements And Sustainability

• Secured a record-setting $550M Chevron settlement through efforts led by Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) and Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN).
• Continued success of the Richmond Moves on-demand transportation service, launched in 2022.

Code Enforcement

• Hired additional staff and with plans to ramp up efforts to pre-COVID standards.
• Passed the 2024 moratorium on new smoke shops.

New Housing And More At Nystrom Village

The Council voted unanimously, with Councilmember Willis absent, on approving a vendor to develop Nystrom Village. We can look forward to a vibrant mixed-use development redesign that includes affordable housing and multifamily housing units. Future phases will explore amenities like retail and spaces for community programs centered around youth, seniors, nonprofits, and more.

Throughout the discussion, Councilmembers expressed interest in keeping the neighborhood accessible and sustainable for current and future residents. Vice Major Jimenez uplifted the city's commitment to reviving the MLK Community Center. "The debt that we have to the black community is big. One of the things is that the city committed to redoing the community center. So I am glad that you are looking at that."

Meanwhile, Mayor Martinez encouraged incorporating the neighborhood’s history into the architectural vision and considering microgrids for energy resilience. He further emphasized the importance of integrating new housing into the surrounding community to create vibrant, connected neighborhoods. He noted the value of designs that make housing "a center for activity that can be extended out" and appreciated the plans presented, which incorporate the new development with adjacent areas of the city. "When we say housing, we’re not just talking about putting housing down — we’re talking about creating community with the housing that we create," he stated.

Councilmember Robinson expressed disappointment with the approach of CHDC dismissing community needs outright, stating that she was "turned off" by the clear stance of "this is just housing" and the refusal to consider amenities like a grocery store. She emphasized the importance of listening to the community and exploring possibilities, even if some ideas ultimately prove unfeasible. Robinson firmly stated, "I would not personally like to vote to go with the project, just for that reason," and called for a developer who values the neighborhood and prioritizes engaging with residents to determine what might be achievable.

Language Accessibility During Council Meetings

Citing "budget concerns," Councilmembers Bana and Robinson expressed disinterest in discussing item V.3.c, which would have initiated a plan for simultaneous Spanish-English translation of Council meetings starting in 2025.

The decision to defer the item to a future meeting sends a troubling message to Richmond’s immigrant community that their needs are not a priority, warned Vice Mayor Jimenez. "We need a budget, but this is more about the values of how we want to serve our community. When there is a high population of Hispanic speakers [that] we are just talking about budget is not what this is about…This is something that we as City Council should be doing."

Councilmember Bana’s response reflected a significant disconnect from community needs. "There are many other services we owe to our Hispanic community. For example, we need to help them access medical services is a major issue in the city of Richmond."

This raises an important question: how can monolingual Spanish speakers access essential services like healthcare without first understanding what is being offered?

Special Thanks To Gayle and Melvin

Richmond residents and community leaders gathered to honor Councilmembers Gayle McLaughlin and Melvin Willis for their impactful leadership and service. Diana Wear expressed gratitude for Gayle's contributions, while Marilyn Langlois commended her 20 years of dedicated service. Kathleen Weimer and Emily Ross acknowledged both leaders for amplifying community voices through the Richmond Progressive Alliance, and Jeff Kilbreth praised Gayle's tireless dedication and tenacity.

BK Williams highlighted Gayle's influence on the arts community with a personal story, while Ruthie Dineen thanked both leaders for their support of the arts. David Sharples celebrated Melvin's advocacy for tenants and efforts to raise the minimum wage.

The tributes reflected the deep appreciation for Gayle’s and Melvin's transformative impact on Richmond’s growth and equity.

Redefining What It Means To Be A Sanctuary City

During the open forum, many community members voiced their support for a resolution to expand Richmond’s Sanctuary City status to include transgender individuals. This resolution would go beyond a symbolic values statement, potentially providing enhanced protections. These could include safeguarding service providers offering gender-affirming care and ensuring non-cooperation with jurisdictions that criminalize transgender identities.

"Richmond has an opportunity to model a government that cares for and protects its community," shared Ashley Scarborough Gonzalez, a Richmond resident and spouse of a trans man. "Taking a stand with the trans care community and adopting this resolution is a crucial act to counter harmful and unjust bans on health care for transgender people. We love Richmond. We hope you love us back."

BART Updates

Bradley Dunn, Manager of Local Government & Community Relations at BART, presented a report on how the agency is adapting to a changing ridership and improving the transit experience. The updates included progress on safety, cleanliness, and modernization, but also raised important questions about equity and how BART serves its most transit-dependent riders.

Presentation Highlights:

• Diverse Ridership: BART now serves a broader, more diverse population, including many lower-income, transit-dependent passengers.
• Safety and Cleanliness: Doubling police presence led to a 15% drop in crime in 2024 while cleaning schedules were increased and restroom access expanded.
• Extended Service Hours: Evening hours now better serve late-night workers.
• Next-Generation Fare Gates: Richmond is among the first stations to install new gates, aimed at enhancing security and fare enforcement.

Police Department

RPA is paying close attention to City investments that can potentially harm marginalized communities. These include a Sanctuary City Compliance Exception for software applications by LexisNexis and an up to $5,000,000 contract with Axon Enterprise, a law enforcement weapons and tech manufacturer.

Measure U Update

RPA-backed electeds are excited to keep holding polluting industries accountable to the people of Richmond through the updated business tax, Measure U, which passed in November 2020. 

While overwhelmingly supported by voters, a group of automotive dealers protested the new law as unconstitutional and discriminatory in June 2022. On July 2, 2024, the City settled and authorized staff to proceed with an update to the ordinance. As of today, a new business classification (Class Q – Automobile Dealerships) has been created with the following rates.

Appointments

The Mayor’s office is pleased to appoint the following individuals to City Boards and Commissions.

• Whitney Tipton, Richmond Rent Board 

• Xiomara Casias, Human Rights and Human Relations Commission

Events:

Zero Waste Training 

Date and Time: December 18, 2024 | 12:00-1:00 PM

Location: 440 Civic Center Plaza

Snow Day At Nicholl Park

Date and Time: December 23, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: 3230 Macdonald Ave, Richmond, CA 94804