Hon. Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the report for the week ending May 31st, 2019.

• Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4th.
Closed Session begins at 5:00 P.M. followed by the Regular Meeting of the Richmond City Council at 6:30 P.M. 
The agenda may be found by clicking this link: June 4th City Council Agenda.

• Upcoming Events

Boorman Park Community Workshop - We Want Your Input!

The Community Services Department and Parks and Landscaping Division are teaming up with the West County Regional Group, First 5 Contra Costa, and Healthy and Active Before 5 for the Boorman Park Community Workshop on Monday, June 3rd at Boorman Park (S. 25th Street and Maine Avenue in Richmond). The workshop is free, with a light dinner, childcare, and interpretation provided.

The event is the latest in a series of community workshops as part of the Richmond Parks Assessment, which began in September 2018. Out of 25 Richmond parks, Boorman Park was identified by residents as a priority for improvement.

At the upcoming workshop, organizers will present the final proposed design for Boorman Park and guide participants through a walking tour of the park. The tour will allow participants to visualize and view the locations of recreational features and support amenities part of the park design. Participants will be asked to provide input on details of the final design.

The final design will provide a guideline for decision makers to allocate funding to improve, activate, and increase usage of Boorman Park.

RSVP online at https://boormanparkcommunityworkshop.eventbrite.com or by phone at (925) 771-7320.



ADA Compliance for Merchants Event- June 6, 2019

Merchants along the 23rd Street corridor have complained that they are being targeted by a local attorney for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  In many instances they have been threatened with litigation if they do not make a payment to this attorney.  Many of them have made payments to avoid the expense of litigation.  They see this practice as a form of extortion.  With the assistance of Darlene Drapkin they have organized a meeting scheduled for June 6th, 2019.  Bruce A. Soublet, Sr. Assistant City Attorney/ADA Coordinator will be making a presentation to the group on opportunities available through the City, funded by business license fees, to have their businesses inspected by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) who would provide them with a report informing them of what needs to be done to bring their property into compliance.  Under recent amendments to California law such an inspection and certification can offer them some protection from the practices of those who use the ADA to extract payments from small businesses.

Spring Clean-Up & Chess in the Park

Calling all green thumbs and chess lovers! Help Richmond Main Street get the Community Green Space ready for summer…then stay to enjoy community, lunch & chess play. The Spring Clean-Up & Chess in the Park will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2019, from 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. at the Community Green Space located at Harbour Way and Macdonald Avenue. Park beautification starts at 9:00 A.M.; Lunch and chess play is from noon – 1:00 P.M.

Groups are welcome. All ages. Community service hours honored. Tools, gloves & refreshments provided, and volunteers are also welcome to bring their own. For more information and to pledge to volunteer, visit http://www.richmondmainstreet.org/volunteer-sign-up/.

Questions? Contact Alicia at (510) 236-4049 or outreach@richmondmainstreet.org.
Hosted by Richmond Main Street Initiative & West Coast Chess Alliance, with generous support from City of Richmond.

Census 2020 Workshop in Richmond - June 8, 2019, 9:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
 
The 2020 Decennial Census is fast approaching, and we are hard at work to ensure that all of us in Richmond and Contra Costa are counted!

This effort is important because Census information is used to determine the number of Congress members each state will have and how $675 billion in federal funds flow to tribal, state and local governments. These counts are also crucial to decisions at state and local government levels that affect our communities, e.g. siting of schools, hospitals, libraries, and other public services. 

This is a collective effort! Join us to learn about the importance of the census and how you can make a profound difference in your community. We have two important meetings in West County in June. 

For more information, please visit http://www.cccounty.us/6999/Census-2020 or contact County Planner Kristine Solseng at Kristine.Solseng@dcd.cccounty.us

WHAT: West County 2020 Census Workshop
WHEN: Saturday, June 8, 2019, 9:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. 
WHERE: Richmond City Council Chambers, 440 Civic Center Plaza
MORE: Info and RSVP here

WHAT: Census 2020 Community Engagement Forum
WHEN: Thursday, June 13, 2019, 10:00 A.M. to noon 
WHERE: San Pablo Library, 13751 San Pablo Avenue
MORE: For more info, contact Joan Carpenter via email or (510) 231-8690

Community Budget Meeting- Tuesday, June 11th

The Finance Department will be hosting the second community budget meeting on June 11, 2019 at 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chamber. Citizens will receive an overview of the City’s budget process, information on the City’s finances including the current year’s budget and have a chance to ask questions to staff.

Juneteenth Parade & Festival- Saturday, June 15th

The entire community is welcomed to join this year’s West County Juneteenth Parade and Festival! The event will take place on Saturday, June 15th from 10:00 A.M. -6:00 P.M. Please see the flyer below for more details.
                                                                                                                               

• Acknowledgments

Law Enforcement Appreciation Month

Richmond Police Department officers were honored during the City Council meeting this month in recognition of Peace Officers' Memorial Day and National Police Week from May 12th through May 18th, 2019.
Congrats to the 2019 Community Safety Academy Graduates!

After over eight weeks of courses and scenario based training, our 2019 Community Safety Academy students have graduated. During the ceremony the graduates were personally congratulated by Police Chief Brown and presented with pendants and certificates as Community Safety Ambassadors.

Congratulations, Officer Joseph!

We want to congratulate Officer Leah Joseph on her graduation from Inner Perspectives, a five-month leadership course for Law Enforcement. Officer Joseph attended the course along with 30 other students from agencies all over the East Bay. Congrats, Officer Joseph.

Neighborhood Ambassadors Tackle Spring Cleaning in Downtown

With the surprise May showers in the rear view mirror, Neighborhood Ambassadors Mary and Deonte began tackling the biggest Spring cleaning task last Thursday: weeding! They made good progress eliminating weeds and overgrowth from fence lines, tree wells, and planters along Macdonald Avenue. This week they are tackling overgrowth in the MetroWalk area and Nevin Avenue.

Mary & Deonte are Richmond residents and have been part of our team for many years, working hard to keep Downtown looking its best. Thank you Mary and Deonte!

The Neighborhood Ambassador program is made possible by the Downtown Richmond Property and Business Improvement District (DRPBID), a public-private partnership managed by Richmond Main Street Initiative (RMSI) and funded by annual assessments on commercial and non-profit housing parcels. DRPBID funds pay for services and activities designed to make Downtown economically viable, safe, and attractive. For more information, visit www.RichmondMainStreet.org.

• City Manager’s Office

Richmond Department of Children and Youth - Learning Session

On June 5, 2018, Richmond voters approved Measures E and K, known as the Richmond Kids First Initiative.  The measures approved a City of Richmond charter amendment requiring a portion of the General Fund to be set aside to fund youth programs and services and create a Richmond Department of Children and Youth (Department).

A Community Overview and Meet and Greet was hosted on April 10, 2019 by the Department, Richmond Kids First Committee, and Invest in Youth Coalition. The purpose of this meeting was to provide an overview of the Richmond Kids First Initiative and receive feedback on the development of the Department, Oversight Board, and Service Provider Working Group.

The Department, Richmond Kids First Committee, and Invest in Youth Coalition will collaboratively host a Learning Session on Tuesday, June 4th, from 1:30 P.M. – 3:00 P.M., at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (339 11th Street, Richmond, CA 94801).

The community is invited to join for a conversation with representatives from the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth and the Richmond Department of Children and Youth. We will learn more about how Oakland's Planning & Oversight Committee functions and receive updates from Richmond Department staff on work to-date and next steps.

For more information on the Department and upcoming Learning Session, please visit our website at www.richmondyouth.org.

Richmond Ferry to Bridge to Greenway Complete Streets Plan

The City of Richmond has begun initial steps towards completing the Ferry to Bridge to Greenway Plan. This plan is an exciting opportunity to improve active transportation to the new Richmond Ferry, the upcoming Richmond-San Rafael multi-use path, and the Richmond Greenway. The plan will incorporate abundant local community input, with creative engagement intended to bring a variety of voices to the planning process.

On May 23rd, 2019, the Placeworks team facilitated the first stakeholder advisory committee meeting at Bridge ARTSpace Film Studio in Richmond, CA. The input collected at the key stakeholder meeting will help guide recommendations that will enhance the Richmond community and provide regional benefits by providing people bicycling and walking the safe, convenient access to important destinations. To learn more about the project, view upcoming events, and sign up to receive project updates, visit www.ferry2bridge2greenway.com.

For more information about this project, please contact the Transportation Division at (510) 620-6869.

Summer Youth Pass

511 Contra Costa is offering a $35 youth pass for youth ages 6-18. This pass gives youth rides on WestCAT, County Connection, and Tri-Delta from June 1st – August 31st. 

To purchase a summer youth pass visit: https://511contracosta.org/youthpass/
You can also purchase a Summer Youth Pass at the following in person sale locations:

If you prefer to pay by check and cannot visit a location you can download a mail order form to order by mail. https://countyconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/mail-order-english-050719.pdf

West Contra Costa County Express Bus Study Identifies Potential Routes and Stops for Public Review

In fall 2018, the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC) asked for community input on potential additional express bus service that would connect commuters from West Contra Costa County to destinations in west Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and San Francisco. The expanded express bus service would travel primarily along Interstate 80, to help reduce congestion along this busy corridor and improve direct connections to job centers.

WCCTAC incorporated public feedback and the results of a travel market analysis of existing commute trends to generate potential express bus stop locations. To determine preferred route(s) for implementation, WCCTAC wants input from all potential riders on their preferred bus stop locations. The ultimate express bus route(s) will be designed to serve the greatest number of riders with a minimal amount of pick-up and drop-off locations.

To share your ideas and learn more about this project please visit: bit.ly/wcctacbus. Help choose the future express bus stops! Take the online survey.

Help Spread the Word! Tell your friends and family about these opportunities to share your ideas.

To learn more about WCCTAC, please visit www.wcctac.org. To contact the project manager, Leah Greenblat, email LGREENBLAT@wcctac.org

El Estudio de Autobuses Exprés del Oeste de Contra Costa Identifica Rutas y Paradas Potenciales para su Revisión Pública

En el otoño de 2018, el Comité Asesor de Transporte del Oeste de Contra Costa (WCCTAC, por sus siglas en inglés) solicitó la opinión de la comunidad sobre un posible servicio adicional de autobús exprés que conectaría a los pasajeros del oeste del Condado de Contra Costa con destinos en Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland y San Francisco. El servicio expandido de autobuses exprés transitaría principalmente a lo largo del I-80 para ayudar a reducir la congestión en este corredor y mejorar las conexiones directas a los centros de trabajo.

WCCTAC incorporó la opinión pública y los resultados de un análisis del mercado de las tendencias de viaje existentes para generar las posibles ubicaciones de las paradas. Para determinar la(s) ruta(s) preferida(s) a implementar, WCCTAC desea saber las ubicaciones de las paradas preferidas de todos los pasajeros potenciales. La ruta (o rutas) final se diseñarán con el fin de brindar servicio a la mayor cantidad de pasajeros posible con un número mínimo de paradas.

Para compartir sus ideas y obtener más información sobre este proyecto, visite: bit.ly/wcctacautobus. ¡Ayúdenos a pasar la voz! Avíseles a sus amigos y familiares sobre estas oportunidades para compartir sus ideas. Tome la encuesta.

Para aprender más de WCCTAC, visite www.wcctac.org. Para contactar la directora del proyecto, Leah Greenblat, envíe un correo electrónico a LGREENBLAT@wcctac.org.

Recycling Tip of the Month!

Interested in starting recycling or compost services? Questions about what is recyclable or compostable? Please contact Republic Services at (510) 262-7100.

*Please note, paper towels and napkins are not recyclable.

For recycling and compost signs and outreach material visit, www.republicservices.com/municipality/wccc-ca

Free Green Waste Kitchen Pail

Richmond residents that subscribe to compost services may pick-up a free kitchen pail at the West Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility or Richmond City Hall.

West Contra Costa County Household
Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility:
     
101 Pittsburg Avenue                                                    
Richmond, CA 94801
Wednesday through Saturday
9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. (Closed Noon - 12:30 P.M.)

For more information about this and additional solid waste programs available to Richmond residents, please visit: www.richmondenvironment.org

Fill out a survey to prioritize $60 million in funding for Contra Costa County

The Contra Costa County HOME/CDBG Consortium has begun planning for the expenditure of over $60 million in federal funds in Contra Costa County over the next five years.

The priorities contained in the Consolidated Plan will guide the investment of over $12 million each year in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding. These versatile federal funding sources can build new affordable housing, rehabilitate existing affordable housing, modify and rehabilitate homes for lower income and senior homeowners, construct or improve public facilities and parks, improve infrastructure in lower income neighborhoods, provide employment training to lower income workers, offer financial and other assistance to small business owners, fund services to homeless persons, provide funding for a wide variety of services for lower income families and individuals; and much, MUCH more!

Fill out the survey for your voice to be heard:

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N9CKWX7
Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KNB2GJ5

If you need any other accommodations, please call Teri House at (925) 779-7037.

• City Manager Chronicles

Below are some of the topics for meetings that I attended during the past week in the hope that it provides an idea of the many issues we deal with routinely.

Meetings and events of note during this week included:

• Along with Finance and Water Resource Recovery staff, I participated in various meetings regarding the city’s Wastewater Revenue Bonds. In addition to this, I am happy to announce that City’s issuer credit rating was upgraded three notches from A- to AA- and the lease revenue bond rating from BBB+ to A+.  Thus, the Civic Center and Point Potrero bond financings will carry an underlying rating of A+. This is great news for Richmond !
• Participated in a monthly meeting with Tim Higares, Infrastructure Maintenance and Operations Director to discuss updates related to maintenance of parks, landscaping, code enforcement operations, facilities maintenance, and the reduction of illegal dumping and blighted properties.
• Met with department directors and other senior staff members to discuss contracts and other items to be considered at the upcoming City Council meeting, and continued discussions to find ways to close the City’s General Fund budget gap. The budget gap as of May 7, 2019 reflected a shortfall of $7,6M, with revenue totaling $172,8 million and expenditures totaling $180.4 million. By May 28, City staff had reduced the shortfall to $3.3 million. As a result of continued efforts, the budget gap was reduced by approximately $1.3 million.  However, there is still a gap of $2 million that so far it could only be closed through staffing reductions that will impact services.  I’m optimistic that in the month of May we made substantial progress, and hope during the next month of June, we’ll continue meeting with staff and union leaders to find ways to balance the budget without impacting the level of services to the community.
• Met with Human Resources Director Lisa Stephenson to discuss and provide direction on personnel matters.

• City Clerk’s Office

Election News!

Contra Costa Elections is now offering a super simple texting option for polling place voters to switch to Vote by Mail.  Simply text COCOBALLOT to 28683 (or 2VOTE).
The service was launched on Friday, May 10, 2019; see this East Bay Times article for more information.

Apply for Your U.S. Passport at Richmond City Hall!

The City of Richmond City Clerk’s Office is accepting passport applications on behalf of the United States Department of State. United States citizens planning international travel may apply for their passport at 450 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 300, during the following hours by appointment only:

Monday: 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Wednesday: 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Friday: 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
(Closed 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. – days of operation only)

Please recognize that the area is an operational executive office, and a quiet zone. No drop in service for same day appointments or scheduling future appointments is available at this time; you must call (510) 620-6786 to schedule all appointments.

For application forms, information on documentation required, fees, and a wealth of other passport and international travel information, visit the only official website for passport information – travel.state.gov.

For more information about the City of Richmond Passport Acceptance Facility, please visit http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/passports.

• Community Services Department

Aqua Zumba!

Aqua Zumba is a fun class available at both City of Richmond pools. It's a drop-in class for ages 18+. No experience or swimming ability is required, but participants should feel comfortable in chest-high water. Fees are $8 for Richmond residents and $10 for non-Richmond residents. 

At the Richmond Plunge (1 E. Richmond Avenue in Pt. Richmond), classes are held on Mondays from 6:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M., and Saturdays from 10:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.

At the Richmond Swim Center (4300 Cutting Boulevard @ S. 45th Street) classes are held on Fridays from 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

For any questions regarding Aquatics program, please call either pool during open hours. For more information and pool schedules, visit the Aquatics page on the City of Richmond’s website.

• Employment and Training (E&T)

RichmondWORKS receives a grant award in the amount of $300,000 to serve English Language Learners

RichmondWORKS received a grant award from the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the California Workforce Development Board and the Employment Development Department in the amount of $300,000 to fund Project IMPACTO.  Project IMPACTO (Immigrant Participants Accessing Career Training Opportunities) will serve 75 English Language Learners.  RichmondWORKS is partnering with Weigh of Life, LEAP, and the West Contra Costa Adult Education on the grant application to provide 75 limited English speakers with basic skills, GED and High School Diplomas, career technical education in growth sectors, job placement and support services.  The City of Richmond received one of four awards made statewide that include Los Angeles County, Tulare County, and Orange County.

Anyone interested in applying for Project IMPACTO should contact RichmondWORKS at (510) 307-8014.

• Engineering & Capital Improvement Department (ECIP)

Streets Division

Paving crews installed a new guardrail at the 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue overpass, repaired concrete in front of 3200 Blume Drive, made base repairs and worked from the outstanding pothole list in various locations around the City.

New Guardrail Installation

Concrete Repair on Blume Drive

Street sweeping staff performed commercial and residential sweeping services for the fourth Monday and Tuesday and the fifth Wednesday through Friday in the Santa Fe, Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Coronado, Metro Richmore Village, Pullman, Cortez/Stege, Park Plaza, Laurel Park, City Center neighborhood areas as well as the Richmond Parkway medians.

Signs and Lines staff installed six new signs and poles at various locations, reset seven poles, painted 524’ of curbs and zoning, and installed 53.5’ of thermoplastic for pavement messaging.

Pavement Marking Refresh

New Sign Installation

• Finance Department

Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Budget Update

This week, the City Council received a presentation on the five-year financial forecast from Russ Branson of Public Financial Management (PFM) Group. The forecast included a recession scenario and recommendations for organizational restructuring. The presentation can be found on the website using the following link:
http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1427/Presentations.

The City Council received an overall status of the draft FY 2019-20 budget in which the budget gap has been reduced from $7.5 million to $3.3 million. Also, the remaining City departments presented an overview of their budgets. These presentations can be found on the website using the following link: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1427/Presentations.

Staff continues implementing various strategies to close the budget gap which has been reduced from $7.5 million to $3.3 million. On June 4, 2019, the City Council will receive a balanced budget proposal for FY 2019-20.

Open Requests for Bids/Request for Proposals   

• Fire Department

Richmond Fire Community Wildfire Protection Plan Project

The Richmond Fire Department received a California Fire Foundation grant to team with the Diablo Fire Safe Council to develop our Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). We welcome members of the Richmond community to attend on the dates listed below. Location of the work sessions is in City Hall, 440 Civic Center Plaza, Basement-Multi-Purpose Room; work sessions are from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M.

• Projects & Priorities - July 10, 2019
• Action Plan & assessment strategy -  August 21, 2019
• Plan Review - October 4, 2019

A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a collaboratively developed plan that identifies wildland fire hazards, prioritizes ways to reduce those hazards, and recommends measures for homeowners and communities to mitigate the ignitability of structures.

Diablo Fire Safe Council will assist Richmond Fire Department to build off the adopted Contra Costa County Plan. Plan development will be during 2019, with the collaboration of our community members and agency partners.

As a stakeholder or agency land manager, Richmond Fire would like your help to identify areas with high fire hazards, and input on prioritizing future projects.  This action plan will build off agency plans and the Contra Costa Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to develop joint strategies for future activities and grant funding efforts.

Our working session will summarize wildfire assessments, recent projects, and future project ideas. Please bring current plans and preliminary designs for future projects or programs.

We hope you can join us to update this action plan to reduce the impact of wildfire in Richmond.

Should questions arise, please contact Fire Marshal Eric Govan via email eric_govan@ci.richmond.ca.us or call (510) 307-8038.

Richmond Fire Conducts Hazardous Materials Training with Regional Partners

The Richmond Fire Department hosted regional Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) Response training at the Fire Training Center on May 20th through the 24th. The training included a tactical course that response team members completed in timed sessions. Emergency responders completed the course wearing “Level A” fully encapsulated vapor protection suits, with internal self-contained breathing apparatus. Haz Mat from Contra Costa Health Department, Contra Costa Regional Fire Protection District and San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District also participated in the event.

These training exercises enable the Richmond Fire Department and its regional partners to prepare for hazardous material emergencies, such as chemical spills, leaks, or rail car accidents. Richmond Fire Department staffs the only Type I HazMat team in West Contra Costa County, and is one of three in the county, with the capability to respond to biological, nuclear/radiological, incendiary, chemical and explosive emergencies.

• Housing Authority (RHA)

Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Transfer (Section 8)

The Richmond Housing Authority’s (RHA) Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) will be transferred to the Housing Authority of Contra Costa County (HACCC) effective July 1, 2019.  A formal public announcement of the transfer will occur on June 1, 2019.  Through June 30, RHA staff will continue to administer the program in accordance with their current job duties.

The following key activities are scheduled for the upcoming weeks:

• June 1, 2019

Public Notice of the program transfer will be posted.  Additional
Information can also be found on the RHA website including FAQs.

• June 1, 2019

Individual notices from HACCC will be mailed to all affected
applicants, participants and landlords.  FAQs will also be posted on HACCC’s website as of this date.

• June 12, 2019: 10:00 A.M. -11:30 A.M.

An Informational Meeting for the general public will be held in the City Council Chambers.

• June 12, 2019: 5:00 P.M.-6:30 P.M.

An Informational Meeting for Landlords will be held in the City Council Chambers.

• June 13, 2019: 5:00 P.M.-6:30 P.M.

An Informational Meeting for current RHA voucher holders will be held in the City Council Chambers.

• July 1, 2019 

A satellite office is being opened for Richmond residents at 2324 College Lane, San Pablo, CA 94806.
If you have questions regarding the HCV Program Transfer, please call (510) 621-1300.

• Information Technology

City of Richmond Business License Online Payment Process

Improvements are underway to create a simplified Business License process that will improve the walk-in application process and allow for new applications to be made online. City staff subject matter experts continue to meet to refine the process to help develop workflow and a streamlined online application in the City’s TRAKiT system. These planned improvements are targeted to go live in July 2019.  Please stay tuned.

Website and Facebook Statistics

• Video views increased by 150%
• Actions on page increased by 100%
• Page views increased by 30%
•  

Website Statistics for the week of May 31, 2019

KCRT HISTORY PHOTO FOR THE WEEK

The City of Richmond City Hall located at 210 Washington Avenue in Point Richmond was the first City Hall building. This building was built by John Nichol in 1906. John Nichol had offices upstairs and leased the ground floor to the City for $50 a month. This building was considered a more proper place for the City Council to meet. Prior to this building being built, the City Council met in a room at the Critchett Hotel just down the block on Washington Avenue.

The bank building to the right, “The Bank of Richmond” was built in 1902 and also housed the City’s first newspaper, “The Point Richmond Record”. In 1914, Dr. Abbott operated his emergency hospital in this same building.

KCRT DATANETS FOR THE WEEK

• Infrastructure and Maintenance Operations (DIMO)

Abatement

Abatement crews removed weeds from city properties, abated sidewalks/walkways, installed a fence around one of a vacant area to prevent illegal dumping, and removed trash and graffiti throughout the City.

Before

After


Alleys Clean-Up

Walkways Clean-up

Illegal Dumping

Weed Abatement

Graffiti Abatement

Code Enforcement

Code Enforcement received a complaint about overgrown vegetation and debris on a vacant lot.  Staff sent a Notice of Violation letter to the property owner. Staff later met with the contractor hired by the property owner, and the vacant lot was brought into compliance.

Before                                          After

Code Enforcement received a complaint about an apartment complex dumping and storing items on the property.  Staff sent a Notice of Violation letter and the property was brought into compliance.

Before                                                     After

Code Enforcement received a complaint about garbage and debris in a landscaping area near a bank.  Staff sent a Notice of Violation letter and several Administrative Citations before the property was brought into compliance.

Before                                                 After

Parks and Landscaping

General fund crews weeded the following locations:  Civic Center Plaza, Richmond Swim Center, RichmondWORKS parking lot, Judge Carroll Park, and the Greenway Trail from 2nd Street to 4th Street. In addition, the General Fund crews assisted the tree crew with fallen branches, repaired irrigation in San Pablo Avenue medians, and removed illegal dumping along the Greenway.

Weed abatement at Civic Center Plaza

Hilltop District crews mowed turf at Country Club Vista and Bay Vista Park, and performed weed abatement at Country Club Vista Park, Hilltop Lake, Hilltop Drive, and the on/off ramps from Giant Road to the Richmond Parkway.

On/off Ramp from Giant Road

Marina District crews conducted weed abatement on the Bay Trail, debris removal, lawn maintenance and irrigation auditing of parks throughout the district.

Weed abatement on the Bay Trail

• Planning & Building

Automated Phone Inspection Scheduling System - Planning and Building Services

The Building Division has expanded its permit inspection scheduling services to include an Automated Phone Inspection Scheduling System. This new system allows our customers to call (800) 231-6881 and schedule or cancel inspections as well as retrieve inspection results via touch-tone telephone. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Instructional pamphlets are available at the permit services counter and on the Building Division webpage.

• Police Department (RPD)

Throwback Thursday

Last Thursday, the Richmond Police Department shared this iconic photo for Throwback Thursday on social media. The Scuba Team from 1968!

Miguel Angel Ramirez

On May 22nd, members of the community came together in support of the family of Miguel Angel Ramirez, a Richmond resident who was tragically murdered last week. Richmond was fully represented as the community marched through the neighborhood, spreading the message of bringing an end to gun violence.

Thank you for keeping up with the activities in the City of Richmond.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about these or any other items of interest to you.

Thank You!

Carlos Martinez
City Manager
City of Richmond
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, California 94804
(510) 620-6512

You can sign up to receive the City Manager’s weekly report and other information from the City of Richmond by visiting: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/list.aspx

See below for options to connect with the City of Richmond.

Connecting with the City of Richmond

Using the City of Richmond Mobile Application:
The City of Richmond mobile app provides Richmond’s community members with one-stop access to City services and information via mobile devices. The app allows quick and real-time reporting of neighborhood-related issues; viewing the City’s events calendar; finding addresses and phone numbers of local businesses, city departments and council members.  The City of Richmond’s mobile phone app is available on the Apple App store and Google Play store.

We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

To contact us by phone:

The City’s website (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/) provides a department and staff directory at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/Directory.aspx.

If you’re not sure which department you need to contact, we encourage you to phone the City Manager’s office at (510) 620-6512.

Using the CORConnect Application on the City’s Website:
You can use the CORConnect button on the City’s website (http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/) to report any comments, questions or concerns regarding the work being done by City staff.  The CORConnect issues go directly to the responsible department, and the city manager reviews reported issues on a regular basis to determine if City staff members are responding appropriately.  If you do not feel that you have received a satisfactory response, please contact the City Manager’s Office at (510) 620-6512.

To access CORConnect select the CORConnect button on the homepage of the City website.


Alternatively, you can select the COR Connect button on any other webpage on the left hand side of the page.


On the next screen under Report an Issue select Report Issue/Concern to create a report or Search Issue/Concerns to look up a previously reported issue.  You can also look up previously submitted issues to check on the current status if you provided you name, phone number or email when you submitted it. 


On the page, you can also look up information on a parcel, see permits issued and look up business license information.  If you have a current business license you can pay to renew it online with a credit card.

The recommended browsers are: Microsoft Edge, or Microsoft Internet Explorer version 11 using the compatibility mode. It can be found in the upper
right corner of Internet Explorer: click on the "gear" icon and select Compatibility View Settings, then add the site to the list and click "Close".
The City of Richmond is looking forward to feedback from the community on CORConnect. We welcome your comments at webservices@ci.richmond.ca.us

Carlos Martinez
City Manager
450 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 300
Richmond, CA 94804
Phone: (510) 620-6976
Fax: (510) 620-6542