On the agenda: State of the City, housing, police recruitment, and BART updates
Richmond's City Council will cover a full agenda during its meeting on December 17, with highlights including Mayor Eduardo Martinez's annual State of the City Address, which will outline the city's progress, challenges, and future goals.
The council will also hear presentations on tiny home village initiatives, BART's regional transit updates, and police recruitment programs. Among other items, a proposal for Spanish-English translation at council meetings, a resolution declaring Richmond a sanctuary city for transgender individuals, and funding for several key housing projects, including a Motel 6 conversion for affordable housing.
State of the City address by Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez will deliver the annual State of the City Address. In it, Martinez will discuss Richmond's achievements, ongoing projects, and future initiatives. Key topics include economic development, public safety, finances, and community engagement.
"This is an opportunity to reflect on our progress and share our vision for the future," Martinez said in a statement. "Richmond has made significant strides in various areas. I am excited to share the state of our city with our community and how we can build on our successes and lessons learned for the betterment of Richmond."
Another push for tiny home villages for unhoused residents
The Richmond's Village Development Team will give a presentation on empowerment villages for the unhoused community.
According to an agenda report by Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin, villages involve relationship-building and motivating real personal changes over time, not just getting people into subsidized housing before they are ready.
McLaughlin said the villages will play an important role in getting people off the streets and preparing them for the next stage of their journey from tent to home.
Soren Hemmila
BART report on the transit agency’s role in the region
Bay Area Rapid Transit officials will give a presentation on the transit agency's role in the San Francisco Bay Area.
BART says it has doubled police presence system-wide, leading to a 15 percent drop in crime this year, and installed modern fare gates at 11 stations to deter fare evasion and improve accessibility. These gates, set to expand system-wide by 2025, are part of broader safety and security improvements under BART’s “Safe & Clean Plan.”
Service enhancements include increased evening and weekend trains and expanded cleaning measures, such as doubling train car deep cleanings and adding restroom attendants. The transit system is also collaborating with Richmond officials to address fires and encampments beneath trackways, which pose safety risks during cold and wet weather.
Despite these efforts, BART faces financial challenges due to declining ridership and overreliance on passenger revenue. Officials warn that service cuts—including reduced train frequencies, early closures, and potential station shutdowns—may be necessary without a stable funding source, impacting regional traffic and transit connectivity.
Police officer retention and lateral recruitment program
According to a report by Richmond Police Chief Bisa French, the department continues to face challenges with recruitment and retention. From 2020 to 2024, the department saw 55 new hires but experienced 84 separations, leaving staffing levels strained. To address these issues, police officials are proposing a $500,000 incentive program targeting experienced lateral police officers.
The proposed program includes hiring bonuses of up to $45,000 for lateral officers, paid in three installments, and a $5,000 referral incentive for current employees who successfully recruit new hires. It also recommends aligning vacation accrual rates with prior service and retention bonuses for existing staff. Similar programs in neighboring jurisdictions, such as Alameda's $75,000 incentive, underscore the competitive landscape for police talent in the Bay Area.
Consent calendar
(Non-controversial items grouped for a single vote to streamline proceedings)
Considering cutting back on council meetings
The council will consider amendments to its Rules of Procedure and Order. Proposed changes include:
- Limiting council meetings to two per month.
- Shifting the summer recess to align with school vacations.
- Revising deadlines for councilmembers to submit agenda items.
City officials say the adjustments aim to improve efficiency and align Richmond with other California cities' practices. The recommended changes also enhance staff morale by allowing adequate time for agenda review and avoiding meetings during city-observed holidays.
If approved, the new rules would take effect next year, with meetings proposed for the first and third Tuesdays each month. Further procedural updates will reflect how meetings are currently conducted.
Creating new business tax classifications for auto dealerships
The financial impact of creating this new classification and rate structure will decrease approximately $500,000 in Business Tax Revenue in the General Fund. No adjustment is proposed to the FY2024-2025 Business Tax Budget, as staff believes the decrease in this class will be made up in tax revenue collected from businesses in other classes.
Soren Hemmila
$500,000 GRIP loan
An item to execute an emergency, short-term, no-interest loan agreement for $500,000 with GRIP to ensure uninterrupted family homeless shelter and emergency warming center for Richmond's unhoused residents
GRIP (Greater Richmond Interfaith Program) is experiencing a $500,000 funding gap, which threatens to shut down and/or dramatically decrease the much-needed unhoused services it provides in Richmond. The city manager will determine the terms of the $500,000 loan, which will be repaid in full to GRIP. This will give GRIP the time it needs to fundraise successfully to fill this funding gap.
Spanish-English translation during council meetings
This item seeks to develop a plan to offer in-person and online translation so all Richmond residents can directly access and fully participate in council meetings.
According to the US Census Bureau, 38.3 percent of Richmond's population speaks Spanish at home, and more and more residents are monolingual Spanish speakers. Staff says it is important to ensure that these residents can fully participate in civic life, discussions, and decision-making that affect their families, homes, and neighborhoods.
Declaring the City of Richmond a sanctuary city for transgender people
A resolution to declare the City of Richmond a sanctuary city for transgender individuals seeking gender-affirming care and to extend protections to providers who offer gender-affirming care and that no city resources - including staff time - would be used to detain individuals seeking or providing care, or otherwise to cooperate with jurisdictions seeking to enforce laws criminalizing gender-affirming care in other jurisdictions.
Appropriation of Hellman Foundation grants
A resolution accepting and appropriating two $250,000 Hellman Foundation grants received by the city to support the development of an asset management system for parks and recreation centers and supporting the design development of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Over the past year, the Hellman Foundation has been partnering with Rich City Rides, PlaceWorks, the Trust for Public Land and the RichPEP Advisory Group to build a community-driven investment strategy.
Richmond to convert Motel 6 into permanent housing
Richmond is moving forward with the Motel 6 affordable housing project, supported by a $14.5 million Homekey grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Soren Hemmila
The grant, awarded to Richmond, 425 Civic Center LP, and Trinity Center Walnut Creek, will fund the conversion of the former Civic Center Motel into housing. The city is also contributing $4.9 million toward the project's conversion and operations.
Richmond must comply with California's Surplus Lands Act to finalize the acquisition and establish a ground lease for the site. The law, designed to address the state's housing crisis, requires public agencies to declare public land as "surplus" or "exempt surplus" in a public meeting before its sale or lease.
$55K to board up Miraflores historic structures
A $55,698.50 contract amendment with CSW/ST2 to the board up and secure historic structures at the Miraflores site.
The city has been receiving complaints regarding squatters occupying the space under and within certain boarded-up historic structures at the Miraflores property awaiting rehabilitation. The original board-up of the structures has been compromised, and staff is seeking a contract amendment with CSW/ST2 to board up the Miraflores historic structures.
Soren Hemmila
Residential rental inspection program amendments
The council will consider amendments to the Residential Rental Inspection Program to improve housing quality and tenant safety. The ordinance eliminates self-certification by landlords, expands inspections to include more rental units, and clarifies habitability standards.
Staff says the changes align with the city's strategic goal of enhancing low-income housing and reducing homelessness. Under the new rules, all rental units will undergo inspections every three years, with Section 8)units exempt due to existing federal oversight. Public workshops shaped the amendments, addressing concerns about costs to landlords and tenant protections during repairs.
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