Do You Have the City of Richmond CA App on Your Phone?
If you are a little bit tech savvy, I encourage you to go to the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android) to download the “City of Richmond, CA” app to your phone. The app has lots of great information, but where it really shines is its “Report an Issue” feature. Choose a category that matches your issue and then send a message directly to city staffers who can help. You will get notified by email when a staff member responds, and the app keeps track of all your submissions and responses. To make sure you are downloading the correct City of Richmond app, look for the bird+arrow (???) city logo and the CA in the title.
What do you see in our logo?
Why I Voted Against New Security Cameras
At the City Council meeting on January 21, consent calendar item W.7.a proposed putting an additional $1 million dollars toward an existing city contract with Flock Security to purchase more license plate readers, Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) surveillance cameras, and microphones to place in undisclosed locations around Richmond. The item also allowed for the purchase of first-responder drones and mobile surveillance stations that the police can set up temporarily at public events.
Consent calendar items can be passed by the council without discussion, and usually are, but I pulled the item “off of consent” to ask questions. I eventually voted no on the item, along with Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Councilmember Claudia Jimenez.
The majority of the City Council voted yes on the item, so the police department will move forward with expanding this contract for purchasing and installing the surveillance equipment. My observation is that those voting in favor of it were satisfied that the technology would be used with appropriate restraint, and that it would help prevent and/or respond to crimes including car theft.
I was not comfortable adding this much new surveillance technology to the city at precisely the moment that the Trump administration is 1) enacting bold attacks on immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and many others and 2) building close connections with the tech billionaires who control the data collection industry. If you want to learn more about that line of thought, I invite you to read these pieces about Flock Security published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): ACLU 2022 Article, ACLU 2023 Article.
To be clear, I trust Chief Bisa French, the City Council, and City Staff to do everything in our power to adhere to the tenets of our Sanctuary City policy, which prohibits sharing this surveillance data with ICE and other federal agencies. However, because I can’t predict Flock Security’s willingness to stand up to federal pressure to share data, nor can I predict the political leanings of future city councils and police departments who will one day set the rules for this technology, I worry about what we have set ourselves up for by putting up so many hidden cameras and microphones in our own neighborhoods.
The contract that was approved by Council goes until 2026, so this issue will likely come up again during my term. I would love to hear what you think.
More on Street Sweeping
After my update about the installation of street sweeping signs in Marina Bay, the Annex, and some other areas of the city, I had a few follow-up questions. I will answer them here.
The City put a pole in front of my house, but no sign. Why is that?
Currently, the contractor has been delayed by an issue with the procurement of brackets for the signs. The City of Richmond is still targeting February 28th as the last day of sign installation.
Is the schedule for street sweeping changing?
Yes, some neighborhoods will be swept on a new day or time.
Should I move my car according to the old schedule or the new schedule?
The new schedule will start on March 1, 2025. Until then, the existing schedule will be followed. In February, the city website will be updated with the new schedule. The signs will also provide accurate, up-to-date information about the days and times your side of the street will be swept after March 1.
When will tickets start?
In February, Parking Enforcement will issue warnings to improperly parked vehicles letting them know ticketing will start again in March 2025. In March, ticketing will begin. The target date to start ticketing is March 1, but the actual start date depends on the final day of sign installation.
How much is the ticket?
$50
Where should I put my car when my side of the street is being swept?
Ahhh, this is the hard one. In some neighborhoods the answer is simple—if you don’t have driveway or garage space, move it to the other side of the street, which will have a different sweeping day. But in some areas I know it is hard to find empty street parking spaces. I am hoping that the return of tickets will inspire people to permanently relocate some of the vehicles they now store on the street—inoperable cars, trailered boats, etc.—and that will create more room. But I understand that in higher-density areas, finding parking might still be a problem. I hope people will give me updates about how this rolls out for them.
Survey: Where to Put E-bike Hubs in District 5?
The city is currently rebuilding its network of rental electric bikes. They are currently evaluating seven potential hub locations here in District 5, and community feedback will help make the final decision about where the bikes go. I encourage you to use the District 5 Electric Bikeshare Hub Survey to give your input!
How Richmond Protects Immigrants
Here’s an update about what is happening to protect our immigrant neighbors in Richmond.
A good place to start is this article by Richmondside (same article in Spanish) which gives a great overview of what’s going on locally. At the time that article was published, Richmond had not yet put out its own statement, but last week Mayor Eduardo Martinez and City Manager Shasha Curl reinforced Richmond’s sanctuary city status in a statement that said:
Our policies reflect our belief that all residents, regardless of immigration status, deserve to feel safe and supported in their community. We echo the recent statement from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and twelve other state attorneys general, which reaffirms that state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement. Under the U.S. Constitution and established legal precedent, state and local governments, including our city, cannot be required to enforce federal immigration laws, and we will not allow fear and intimidation to erode the trust we have built within our community.
The Richmond Police Department will continue to prioritize public safety and community trust, ensuring that our officers focus on keeping our neighborhoods safe for everyone.
The Richmond Police Department does not inquire about immigration status, and their commitment to uphold our sanctuary city policies remains unchanged.
At the January 28th Richmond City Council meeting we approved item N.2.a to direct City Staff to review and suggest improvements to our current Sanctuary City language. This is important because the anti-immigrant actions of the second Trump administration are far more aggressive than what we saw in 2016. I’m glad the City Council and Staff are staying ahead of the issue.
How Individuals Can Help
There are some concrete things you can do to make Richmond safer for immigrants. For more information, I urge you to go to the website for Stand Together Contra Costa, a coalition that includes attorneys from the Contra Costa Public Defenders.
Stand Together has created a 24-hour hotline that anyone can call to report ICE activity that they observe anywhere in Contra Costa County: (925) 900-5151.
In Alameda County to report ICE activity to the Alameda County Immigration Legal & Education Partnership (ACILEP): (510) 241-4011.
People are discouraged from interfering with ICE agents on their own. Just put the numbers in your phone so you can call the hotline; trained responders will be sent to help.
In addition to the hotline, Stand Together has a lot of information about immigrant rights translated into many languages, as well as opportunities to donate and volunteer to help. If you read through their website, you’ll find some easy activities to incorporate into your daily life. As an example, here’s what I am doing:
- I put the Stand Together Contra Costa hotline number (925-900-5151) in my phone and texted it to some friends so they could do the same.
- I signed up for email updates on the Stand Together website and the Rising Juntos website and made a donation to each.
- I did some research and learned that immigrant rights advocates are asking people NOT to share possible ICE sightings on social media, as it contributes to an atmosphere of terror that makes life worse for the affected people. As a Facebook page admin, I’ve started deleting posts about ICE sightings, and where I’m not an admin, I will comment asking people to call the hotline (925-900-5151) instead of posting about sightings.
- I’m going to buy some red cards (informational cards that help people assert their rights when encountered by immigration authorities) to share with people who might need them.
Two people were injured when their car (above) was hit by a stolen vehicle that was being chased down Carlson Boulevard by Contra Costa Sheriffs.
Carlson is Still Terrible
Join Me at a Public Meeting February 12th
If you hate travelling on Carlson Boulevard as much as I do, I hope you will join me on February 12th for a community event where we will learn about City plans to make the stretch from 23rd to Tehama safer. The details are below. I am also setting up meetings with the City Manager, Public Works and others to get up to get up to speed on the issue.
Community Meeting: Carlson Crosstown Project Phase 2
Join city staff at the Richmond Recreation Complex (3230 Macdonald Ave) for a community meeting about the Carlson Crosstown Project Phase 2 on Wednesday, February 12, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
- This project aims to enhance safety and improve traffic flow on Carlson Boulevard with new bike lanes, street lighting, paving, and more.
- Learn more and share your input at the meeting.
- Find out more about the Carlson Crosstown Project Phase 2 on the city website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4753/23033---Carlson-Crosstown-Project-Phase-
Sheriff Car Chase Results in Carlson Crash
On Saturday the 18th, three people were injured when Contra Costa County Sheriffs chased a stolen truck from North Richmond down Carlson Boulevard. The truck plowed into the side of a Prius, destroying it and injuring two occupants, before smashing into a pole in front of the gas station next to the 880 (the one with Halal King). It was sheer luck that no one was killed. Richmondside covered the accident.
If you’re like me, you might be wondering why law enforcement was conducting a high-speed chase through a busy neighborhood—our neighborhood—over a stolen vehicle. I learned that Richmond Police Department policy does not allow officers to chase stolen vehicles, but that our city policies do not apply to County Sheriffs.
I’m curious—what do you think about high-speed chases? Should County Sheriffs be allowed to chase cars through Richmond?