Latest News From Richmond City Hall

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.

Concerns About RPD’s Military Equipment Use Policies

The Council reviewed an annual report on 2023 military equipment use from the Richmond Police Department (RPD). Vice Mayor Jimenez emphasized the need for accountability and real-time data to address concerns, rather than relying solely on anecdotal accounts. She also highlighted the disturbing trend of over-militarizing police departments and unnecessary force.

Concerns About Over-Militarization

"A District Six resident has been coming to City Council and the Community Police Review Commission to describe her incident where people knocked, like [a] police officer knocked at her door with rifles that were really big. And she got really scared, and they were telling her that there was this situation with a person who was a terrorist," she recounted.

Types of military equipment currently in use by the RPD include remote aerial and ground vehicles; breaching shotguns; patrol rifles; flash-bangs; chemical agents; and kinetic energy weapons and munition.

The Council’s recommendations included policy publication on the RPD website; gaining approval prior to purchases (Mayor and City Council); publishing a detailed annual report; an annual review; and meaningful engagement with the public.

Due to limited staffing, RPD requested the following support to be able to comply with Council recommendations: 

• Data management reporting system/software
• Additional Crime Analyst staff position(s)
• Additional RPD training
• Additional budget for mandatory overtime (The actual dollar amount is unknown. RPD will request an additional $500,000 during the mid-year budget process for FY 2024-25). 

The Need for Transparent Data

Chief French and other RPD representatives responded to the Council’s concerns in a generally informative manner but differed in their perceptions of the importance and feasibility of data gathering and the time it requires.

Councilmember Willis suggested providing councilmembers with examples of actual police reports to better understand the time and capacity required for additional reporting. He also recounted the personal trauma of having a firearm pointed at him—proposing a compromise where incident reports could include a notation when military equipment is accessed or used.

Ultimately, the council accepted the 2023 report, which included detailed recommendations on supporting the police department with the tools it needs and reporting on the use of military equipment.

RPD Attempting To Overlook Sanctuary City Protections

Problematic LexisNexis Software

While this item was withdrawn from the agenda, RPA is noting The Richmond Police Department’s request to the City to overlook its commitment as a Sanctuary City—permitting the use of LexisNexis software. LexisNexis is widely used by various jurisdictions and ICE to surveil and deport noncitizens. RPD claims that the only use of this software is to streamline staff time and effort, including collecting cell phone data, traffic collision reports, and insurance filing.

Richmond’s First Tiny House Village

The City is collaborating with Tiny Village Spirit (TVS) and Hope Solutions on an exciting project to support youth experiencing homelessness. Renee Gutierrez and Sally Hindman from Tiny Village Spirit, along with Deanne Pearn, CEO of Hope Solutions, expressed gratitude to the council for its unanimous support and funding.

Located at 175 23rd St., the Tiny House Village Farm and Garden project will consist of 7 tiny houses inhabited by six Richmond residents, with one unit for a residential manager. An additional 6 houses are planned for construction. Supporters of the project include surrounding Neighborhood Councils, The Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP), and other organizations.

Funding Sources and Applications

$300,000 in city funds will be provided for the project from the Reimagining Public Safety fund. Transitional housing applicants aged 18-24 will be processed through Contra Costa County’s Coordinated Entry system and offered the opportunity to live in the village as they seek more permanent housing.

"Why are villages so important? Villages provide a safe and welcoming environment where people can feel secure. They also foster community, addressing the fundamental need for connection. Living alone in an encampment is vastly different from being part of a supportive community where you know and trust the people around you." — Darren Daniels, Resident, Richmond, CA.

Salary Changes For The Mayor And Councilmembers

Citing equity, diversity, and the ability to attract qualified candidates, the council unanimously voted to increase their salaries. These positions have not received a cost-of-living increase since 2007.

The current rates are $1,402 per month for Councilmembers, plus a $300 allowance, and $3,875 per month for the Mayor, plus a $350 allowance. The proposed changes would result in an anticipated General Fund impact of $117,984, with salary increases of $6,975.00 for the Mayor and $2,524.50 for each Councilmember.

In response to community members who expressed concern about an 80% pay increase, Mayor Martinez offered a holistic view of the exact hours he has put into the role. "It's really difficult to say how many hours I put in," he explained. "A lot of us end up staying here till past midnight, and it takes time to prepare to be able to sit here and stay till midnight. And the reason we stay here till midnight is because we do our homework and we have a lot of questions to ask."

Mayor Martinez cited working even during vacation hours. For example, an ad hoc committee consisting of Mayor Martinez, Vice Mayor Jimenez, and Councilmember Robinson negotiated a historic $550 million settlement with Chevron. "On that two-month vacation, we did negotiations. We got the city $550 million during that period. We negotiated Point Molate during that time."

Councilmember Willis echoed the Mayor’s sentiments, asking the audience to raise their hands if they could live off the current salary provided to Councilmembers. "How many people can sustainably live year in, year out with $1,401?" he asked. "I've had to hold down another job and have my time split just so I can sustain myself while I serve a community that I love."

Vice Mayor Jimenez added, "If we want people who are connected the community, who are close to the pain, who understand the needs and the things that the community needs and they serve, then let's make sure that these people are being paid well so they can be here and do their job and be successful."

Residential Rental Inspection Program Ordinance Amendments

The City is removing the option to self-certify and clarifying standards for habitability to ensure safe housing for all. This will increase the number of inspection fees a landlord will pay every inspection cycle (triennially or every three years). There is no anticipated impact on the General Fund.

David Sharples, Director of ACCE, expressed his support, stating, "It's important that rental units get inspected regularly in the city of Richmond to make sure no tenant is living in uninhabitable conditions."

Closing Words From Gayle Mclaughlin

Councilmember McLaughlin expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to serve Richmond. Her recent highlights included the launch of the Marina Bay Farmers Market with Urban Tilth, the neighborhood-scale electric project with ACCE, and efforts to combat sea level rise.

"You'll see me around, continuing to engage with the council, city staff, and, of course, community members," she added.

Stay Updated With RPA

We hoped you enjoyed this week’s highlights from the city council. Contact us if you’d like to join us at the next meeting.