Hon. Mayor and Members of the City Council:

This is the report for the week ending October 16th, 2020.

• Meeting Notes

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th, 2020. Closed Session begins at 5:30 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: October 20th City Council Agenda.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

The following information is an ongoing list of resources and significant updates regarding COVID-19.

• Upcoming Events

Virtual Spirit & Soul Festival Streaming Live October 17!

It’s time to celebrate, relax, and dance! The 12th annual Spirit & Soul Festival is going virtual on Saturday, October 17, from 10:30 A.M. -12:00 P.M., presented by LeChat Nail Care Products and Richmond Main Street Initiative. Tune in to KOFY TV20, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to watch LIVE for free.

Featuring phenomenal performances by Andre Thierry Accordion Soul Music,SambaFunk! Carnaval Explosion with King Theo, and talented Richmond youth artists. Don’t miss out on Exclusive Festival Specials from Richmond businesses and RSVP for your chance to win $500 cash prize. More info and RSVP at www.tinyurl.com/SpiritSoulFest2020.

Questions? Contact admin@richmondmainstreet.org
For more information visit  www.tinyurl.com/SpiritSoulFest2020 or contact admin@richmondmainstreet.org.

The Richmond Rent Program Community Workshop Webinar– Handling Habitability Problems (Tenant- Oriented)

As part of its continuing outreach to Tenants and Landlords who would like to learn more about rental housing rules and regulations, the City of Richmond Rent Program is offering the following workshop webinar:

Handling Habitability Problems (Tenant-focused Workshop)
Saturday, October 17, 2020
10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Please Pre-Register: https://bit.ly/33gcVWx

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

This community workshop webinar is designed for Tenants who would like to learn more about handling habitability problems under the Fair Rent, Just Cause for Eviction, and Homeowner Protection Ordinance.

Topics for discussion will include:

• Housing Inspections
• Relocation Payment Assistance (Substantial Repairs)
• Rent Adjustment Petitions
• Tenant Responsibilities Under the Law
• Termination of Tenancy for Breach of Lease/Nuisance
• Providing and Receiving Lawful Entry to Rental Units
• Documentation and Providing Written Notice
• Landlord Responsibilities Under the Law

Questions? Visit www.richmondrent.org to learn more about the Rent Program, or call or email the Rent Program at (510) 234-RENT (7368) or rent@ci.richmond.ca.us

Free Flu Shots from Contra Costa Health Services!

Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is offering free flu shots to all members of the community. CCHS will be offering these flu shots on October 18th from 12 NOON- 4:00 P.M. at the Tibetan Association of Northern California. The address, as well as dates for other locations around the county, are all listed on the flyer below. For more information, please visit www.cchealth.org/flu or call (925)313-6767.

Re-Design Shields-Reid Park

Community Services will be hosting sidewalk meetings to gather input on Shields-Reid Park. Let us know what you would like to see in the park, and where! There is one opportunity left for the community to provide their input about the re-design of Shields-Reid Park on Thursday, October 22nd from 3:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. Please contact jene_levine-snipe@ci.richmond.ca.us or stephanie_ny@ci.richmond.ca.us for more information.

Food Bank Drive-Thru Food Give-Away- Friday, October 30th

Read With Me: Richmond Police Department Virtual Storytime & Halloween Costume Contest!

Calling all kids and young people! Halloween is a little different this year and we wanted to make things a little bit more fun for everyone! We'll be hosting a Halloween Virtual Storytime with officers on October 30, 2020 at 4:00 P.M. In addition, we'll also be having a Halloween Costume Contest with winners announced during the live webinar!

Please see further costume contest details below and we can't wait to see your costumes!

Contest Rules

Photos must be submitted to rpdcommunity@richmondpd.net  by Monday October 26, 2020.

• Category #1: 0-5 years old
• Category #2: 6-11 years old
• Category #3: 12-17 years old
• Category #4: Best Homemade Costume

A total of five submission contestants will be accepted from each category for community judging (first come, first accepted). When submitting please let us know which category your child is in.

• No inappropriate costumes (i.e. cultural appropriation, racist, sexist, homophobic, too gory, sexualized etc.)
• No weapons of any kind (i.e. guns, knives, swords, bow and arrow, stars, Nunchucks etc. )
• Please no retouching or enhancing of photos.

Judging

Community led judging: On Tuesday October 27, 2020 photos from each category will be posted onto the Richmond Police Department’s Facebook page for voting. The photo from each category which gets the most likes, wins that category! Votes will be tallied and closed at 10:00 A.M. on October 30th. The winners will be announced on the live webinar on Friday October 30th at 4:00 P.M.

Tie
If there is a tie, webinar attendees will vote live for the winner.

Prize
A prize will be awarded to the winners from each category.

• Acknowledgements

It’s a Boy

On 29 September at 11:33 A.M., a Richmond citizen called 911 as his wife had gone into labor and they were not going to be able to make it to the hospital. As Communications Supervisor Deana Koyl was answering their call the baby’s head was already visible. Using Emergency Medical Dispatch Protocols Supervisor Koyl walked the father through the delivery of the child, how to support the baby boy’s head, making sure the umbilical cord was not wrapped around the baby’s neck, and providing directions on how to tie off the umbilical cord. She continued to provide reassurance to the family until the fire department arrived seven minutes later.

Today, the family had the opportunity to stop by the Richmond Communication Center to meet and thank Supervisor Koyl. They shared a great conversation and met the precious baby boy.

Richmond dispatchers are trained in National Academics of Emergency Dispatch Standards and are certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers, which prepares them for these types of situations. The efforts of Supervisor Koyl are a perfect example of the excellent service provided every day by all the dispatchers in the Communications Center.

• City Clerk’s Office

Consider Voting By Mail

The Contra Costa County Elections Division is reaching out to voters who are currently registered as polling place voters. They are encouraging voters to consider the merits of requesting their ballot at home, as this may be a more convenient option for you due to COVID-19.  Register to Vote

Voting early and voting at home is the most cautious and securest way to keep everyone safe. Outdoor, non-contact drop boxes will be available across the county for returning ballots if voters do not want to drop them in the mail.  The City of Richmond's permanent Vote-by-Mail box is located at 450 Civic Center Plaza under the overpass just off the Council parking lot on 27th Street.  More information

Key Dates:

Help represent Richmond on the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees!

The application process is now open to represent the City of Richmond on the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees. The Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District is a tax-funded office that provides free services to all county residents for mosquitoes, rats and mice, ground-nesting yellowjackets, ticks, and skunks. The Richmond representative on the District’s Board of Trustees will represent the city’s interests on matters related to mosquito and vector control.  The first term of service will be two years and additional terms of service will be two or four years.  Regular board meetings are held on the second Monday of every other month starting in January. Meetings are held at the District office, 155 Mason Circle in Concord at 7:00 p.m., and the meetings are open to the public.  Trustees are not compensated for service but will be paid up to $100 per month for official business expenses.  Mayor Butt has been tasked with nominating an applicant for the trustee position and that individual must then be confirmed by the Richmond City Council.  Applicants must be a City of Richmond resident and at least 18 years of age.  Please use this link to complete the online application. Please submit your completed application via email to CityClerkDept@ci.richmond.ca.us.

• City Manager’s Office, Economic Development

Contra Costa County Housing Authority Announces Opening of the Listed PBV Waitlist

The Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa (HACC) announces the opening of the listed Project-Based Voucher (PBV) waiting list. The waiting list will be open from Monday, November 2, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. through Thursday, November 5, 2020, at 4:00 P.M.  From November 2nd through November 5th, pre-applications will be accepted for the property listed below only. Completed pre-applications must be submitted by 4:00 P.M., Thursday, November 5, 2020.  Please note that this is not for the Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List.

Note: There will not be any on-site applications and HACCC office locations will not be distributing pre-applications. All pre-applications must be submitted online.

Incomplete pre-applications or partially completed pre-applications will not be accepted.  Pre-applications received after the 11/05/2020 deadline will not be accepted.

Eligible families will be referred to units subsidized with Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa in partnership with non-profit housing owners.  The housing assistance is only available at the designated properties for families meeting the property restrictions as indicated in this notice.  After twelve months of residency, families will be eligible for a Housing Choice Voucher, subject to availability.
All requests for Reasonable Accommodation will be considered.  Pre-Applications are available in foreign languages. All questions can be directed to (925) 957-7081.

• To apply, you must be 62 years of age or older.
• Large households for three and four bedroom units are highly encouraged to apply.
• All non-elderly applications will be rejected.

NOTE:  After November 5, 2020, the waiting list for 3 and 4 BR units only at The Terraces will remain open on an on-going basis until further notice. Applicants will need to contact the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa at 925-957-7055 for an application.

Request For Qualifications for Hacienda Height Public Art Projects

Mercy Housing and the Community Housing Development Corporation are excited to announce the search for artists to respond to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Hacienda Heights site-specific art commissions that include a perimeter fence and a large exterior wall. The application deadline is November 6, 2020.

The goals of the selected artworks will be to enhance the neighborhood, celebrate the residents, complement the building architecture, and speak to the cultural diversity of the surrounding community.

For the RFQ application and project details, please go to this link.

Contra Costa County Micro-Enterprise Relief Fund Grants

Renaissance Richmond is administering the Contra Costa County Micro-Enterprise Relief Fund, funded by the Contra Costa County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The program aims to provide relief to micro-enterprises impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligibility Criteria:

• No more than 5 employees,
• Maximum of $100,000 in annual revenue,
• Registered and operating in Contra Costa County cities (except for Walnut Creek, Concord, Pittsburg, and Antioch)

Grants of $1,000 - $10,000 are available to cover costs such as COVID-19 precaution supplies (PPE), safety remodeling (plexi-glass, spacing tape, construction labor), facade improvements and signage, online platform fees and social media marketing, commercial rents, employee salaries, and other operating costs.

For more information on eligibility criteria and the application, visit https://tinyurl.com/ccc-micro-enterprise-fund. Applications are due Wednesday, November 11th at 12 MIDNIGHT PST. 

San Francisco Business Times Richmond Supplement

The City Manager’s Office, Economic Development Division in partnership with theSan Francisco Business Times (SFBT) is pleased to announce the publication of the SFBT Richmond Supplement – Richmond Leaders, Innovators & Change Makers. This Richmond-focused supplement highlights many of the assets and amenities that make Richmond one of the best options for businesses in the Bay Area, and profiles a variety of companies that call Richmond home.

Please share the publication with friends and businesses interested in Richmond. Follow the link to read this wonderful profile of Richmond! San Francisco Business Times Richmond  Supplement. Please contact Samantha Carr via email at Samantha_Carr@ci.richmond.ca.us if you would like a printed copy.

Special One-Day Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event

On Saturday, September 19th, through a partnership between RecycleMore, Republic Services, and the City of Richmond, a special one-day household hazardous waste collection event was held for West Contra Costa County residents. 806 residents attended the free event to properly dispose of paints, mattresses, aerosols, electronic waste (e-waste), batteries, and oil to keep our communities clean and safe. There were 450 mattresses and approximately 52,751 lbs. of HHW collected at the event.

A special thank you to the Richmond Police Department who were in attendance.

Couldn't attend the event? For more information about how to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste, visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1720/Hazardous-Waste.

• Information Technology

Transparent Richmond

Check out Transparent Richmond (www.transparentrichmond.org), the City of Richmond’s citywide open data and performance reporting system. The open data platform currently spans 11 city departments and contains over 300 datasets, visualizations, and performance measures, many of which feature monthly, weekly or daily updates.

Transparent Richmond aims to accomplish the following:

• Improve the collective understanding of all city services.
• Automate performance data to help track and meet budget and service goals.
• Leverage evidence-based analysis to develop innovative solutions that improve the quality of city services.

The city plans to add more datasets and visualizations over time and invites the community to propose additional information for the site. To nominate new data and visualizations, visit https://www.transparentrichmond.org/nominate.

Social Media Statistics for this Week

KCRT Datanet for the Week

KCRT TV Channel 28 – New Episodes of Current Programming

Upcoming Productions

KCRT is working on Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on Fire safety as well as more Wear Your Mask videos, including a Spanish version and a promotional video for the Snowball scholarship event planned in December 2020.
 
Programming

Current recent specials are “National Electric Drive Week”; eight specials derived from the Richmond Revolution / NAACP Youth Council Forums; San Pablo and El Cerrito City Council Forums (produced by CCTV), “Chat with Chief French,” ”NAACP Policing Forum,” the GRID Alternatives’ and City of Richmond’s “No-Cost Solar Workshop,” John Gioia’s video on two Census-related pieces, and the City’s Mask Videos.

New episodes of series programming are “The Jet Set,” ”Creature Features,” and “Sidewalks Entertainment.”

You may find the full schedule at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/3176/Schedule

• Internal Services

Finance

• Library and Community Services

Community Services (Recreation)

CSD Virtual Halloween Contests!

We have some spooktacular fun contests for you this Halloween! Participate in one or both of the CSD's Halloween contests!

Jack-o-Lantern Contest: Color in or carve your own Jack-o-Lantern and share your gourd-geous creations with us on either our CSD Facebook or Instagram by tagging @richmondcsd, using #RichmondVirtualHalloween. Find a coloring page here, draw your own, or carve a real pumpkin! Please tag us in your photo/post and also Direct Message us your post if your profile is private to make sure we can see it! Ten people will be randomly selected to win Halloween treats!

Guess the Halloween Theme Challenge: If you're up for a challenge, visit some of our community centers to guess what our theme decorations are. The list of participating community centers is here. Submit your guesses on the Google form here or direct message us your guesses on Facebook or Instagram by tagging @richmondcsd). Guess at least three correctly and you will be entered for a chance to win one of 10 of our Halloween treat bags!

Contest begins today and ends, Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. One submission per social media account per day. Winners will be announced on our social media accounts on Thursday, October 29 by 5:00 P.M. Ten people will be randomly selected to win Halloween treats for the Jack-o-Lantern Contest. Ten people who guess at least three themes correctly will be randomly selected to win a Halloween treat bag for the Guess the Halloween Theme Challenge (a total of 20 treat bags for both contests).

Library and Community Services

An Exploration of Our History:  Zoom Reception/Dialogue

On Thursday, October 7th,, Supervisor John Gioia hosted a Zoom reception/dialogue for the photo/video exhibit, “An Exploration of Our History: The Black Experience in North Richmond.”  The event was co-hosted by librarian Angela Cox and featured Vice Mayor Nat Bates, Dr. Henry Clark, Richmond Museum of History Director Melinda McCrary and other panelists.  Thirty participants preregistered for the reception dialogue.  The exhibit was a product of award-winning filmmaker Doug Harris, in partnership with the Richmond Public Library and the Richmond Museum of History funded through a Neighborhood Public Art grant awarded by the City of Richmond’s Arts and Culture Commission.

The Zoom reception/dialogue can be viewed by clicking on the zoom reception/dialogue.  To view the photo/video exhibit click on photo/video exhibit

New Resources for Job Seekers!

Brainfuse JobNow & VetNow offers assistance with job skills, resume preparation, live tutoring, and live interview practice, all accessible with a library card!  Go to www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4017

(Need a library card?  Apply online at rosie.ci.richmond.ca.us/selfreg or call 510-620-6559.)

New Resources for Homework Help!

ProQuest Homework Central offers resources for K-12 homework, from social studies to research skills.  All accessible with a library card: www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4018
(Need a library card?  Apply online at rosie.ci.richmond.ca.us/selfreg or call 510-620-6559.)

Branches are Open for Tableside Service – Tuesdays & Thursdays!

The Bayview and West Side Branch Libraries are thrilled to be open for Tableside Service on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.!  You can request items for pick up at any branch through the catalog (rosie.ci.richmond.ca.us) or by contacting the librarians:

• Phone: 510-620-6561 (Adult Reference) or 510-620-6557 (Children’s Reference)
• Email: rpl_reference@ci.richmond.ca.us
• Text: 510-621-7346

Not sure what to read next?  Contact the librarians or fill out the My Next Read form at www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4003

Check out some seeds!

The Library invites you to plant some veggies, courtesy of the Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library – call 510-620-6559 to request and arrange pick up!

October Craft Kits – Color a canvas bag

Get your Adult/Teen craft kit – call 510-620-6559 to reserve.

Tableside Service Update

The Richmond Public Library began its Tableside Service on June 15th in an effort to make library materials available to the community while our buildings themselves remain closed.  Since this service has been available, the Richmond Public Library has had 1,176 successful appointments, getting thousands of books, magazines, DVDs, craft kits, and more into the hands of our community.

Remember: our Tableside Service is available by appointment 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday at the Main Library and 1:00 P.M., to 4:30 P.M. at the Bayview and West Side branches.  Call us at 510-620-6561 for more information or visit us online at http://richmondlibrary.org.

Below are representations of our running total of appointments and the daily totals for the first 17 weeks with a 5-day running average.

Tableside Service Statistics

• Police Department

Badge #44

Meet Officer Steve Purcell. Officer Purcell has been an officer here at RPD for 19 years and today we’d like to share a special story about him.

Officer Purcell followed in his father’s footsteps, as his dad was a Richmond Police Officer for 31 years. Officer Purcell’s father (Steve Purcell, Sr) was hired in 1969 and wore badge #44. Just one year after he was hired, Purcell Jr was born. Officer Purcell, Sr was a well-respected patrol officer, working almost every investigator position imaginable. Just one year after his retirement in 2001, Purcell, Jr. was hired at RPD.

Purcell, Jr. inquired about wearing his retired father’s badge number #44 when he was sworn in but unfortunately it was back in circulation and assigned to another officer. Purcell Jr, being a new officer, didn’t pursue it beyond that and never looked back. Kind of surprising because Purcell, Jr. was #44 when he played baseball as a youth and even now as a softball player for Team Richmond. Purcell Jr. is a decorated pitcher who has led our team to many championships. In Steve’s own words, “#44 was my lifetime favorite number.”

At some point, unbeknownst to Purcell, Jr, badge #44 was retired again and placed back into circulation. It was issued to lateral Officer Chip Waters. At some point, Officer Purcell noticed that Officer Waters was wearing badge #44, so he educated Officer Waters of the rich 31 year history of badge #44.

On March 1, 2016 Officer Waters put a plan in motion to transfer badge number #44 to Officer Steve Purcell, Jr. On a morning like so many others, Steve walked into morning briefing ready to start his shift. But he was surprised when he was called up in front of lineup and presented with badge #44. How he held back tears is still a mystery as he was so moved by the gesture. In Officer Purcell Jr’s words, “It was a complete surprise!!!!! What an honor, I wear that badge proudly!!!”

Recently, Purcell assembled his new vest carrier and needed a new name tag. Purcell Jr., in possession of Sr’s original 1969 cloth name tag, added Velcro to it and attached it to his new vest. Purcell Jr said, “It was meant to be.”

Purcell Jr, explained when he told Purcell Sr of his uniform changes, Sr was overwhelmed with emotions. And for those who know Sr., overwhelming him is hard to do.

The Purcell’s have a combined service to the City of Richmond, of 50 PLUS years! We are excited that badge #44 made it back onto the uniform of a Purcell and who knows, maybe one day one of Officer Purcell’s daughters will represent the badge number as well.

A DUI Leads to a Cache of Illegal Items

On October 9, at 6:28 A.M., officers responded to the 12000 block of San Pablo Avenue for a report of a car accident. A driver crashed into two parked cars while driving intoxicated. The driver was arrested for DUI. The suspect's car was impounded and marijuana, Xanax pills, $10,000 in counterfeit money, and a loaded handgun were found in the vehicle.

We thank the community members who reported the collisions. They helped get an intoxicated driver off the streets and firearms out of the wrong hands. Together, we will continue to keep our streets safe.

1. Public Works

Abatement

Abatement staff hosted the bi-annual Metro/Richmore Village Neighborhood Clean-up event and collected 12 40-yard dumpsters of debris, provided assistance for seniors and disabled citizens, continued maintenance along the Bay Trail, weed abatement around the Port,  removed illegally dumped debris and abated graffiti from various locations.

Neighborhood Clean-Up/Seniors Assistance

Bay Trail/Port Maintenance

Illegal Dumping Removal

Graffiti Abatement

Facilities Maintenance

Stationary Engineers performed daily pool maintenance and daily Civic Center Plaza boiler inspections, repaired a toilet the Auditorium, replaced water relay on the 3rd boiler in 440 Civic Center Plaza, fixed the air conditioner in the computer room in 450 Civic Center Plaza, hung brackets for condenser units at Fire Station #63, cleared clogged drain at Fire Station #67 and responded to a call at the Dispatch Center.

Sump Pump Cleaning

Utility Workers performed pest control at the Communication Center, assisted Housing Authority with maintenance, pressure washed the Transit Center, cleaned exterior windows of the Police Department, cleaned vents at the Police Department, performed daily disinfecting and maintenance of 29 city owned facilities.

Vent Cleaning

Parks and Landscaping

General fund crews mowed the west side of Richmond parks, weed abated Nevin Park, performed maintenance at Market Square, conducted irrigation repairs at Atchison Park, performed pest control at multiple parks, removed debris at multiple parks, performed maintenance at John F. Kennedy Park and removed illegal dumping at Carlson Boulevard and Bayview Avenue.

      Nevin Park                                  John F. Kennedy
Weed Abatement                             Park Maintenance

Tree crews cut or trimmed trees at/on; 22nd Street, 29th Street, Belmont Avenue., Garvin Avenue, McBride Avenue and at Booker T. Anderson Park.

Marina District crews continued maintenance of all parks and parking lots, edged lawns at Marina Bay Park, continued removal of dead blooms along the Marina Bay Trail, manually removed weeds from planters, continued with the replenishing of granite along the Bay Trail, and removed debris throughout the area.

Hilltop District crews continued general maintenance around the business area, removed debris from all parks, continued the replanting project at Bay Vista Park, continued shrub removal on Giant Road off/on ramps, spread mulch at Hilltop Lake, removed debris from the hillside of Hilltop Mall Road and repaired irrigation on Blume Drive.

      Giant Road                                                    Hilltop Mall Road
Ramp Maintenance                                   Hillside Debris Removal

Pavement Maintenance

Paving crews paved on Virginia Avenue, performed base repairs on 24th Street, addressed complaints and worked from the outstanding pothole list.

Paving on Virginia Avenue

24th and Rheem Avenue Base Repair

Street Sweeping crews swept the following Neighborhood Council districts on the second Tuesday and Wednesday and the third Thursday and Friday in; Clinton Hill II – III, Atchison Village, South Belding Woods, Santa Fe, Coronado, Marina Bay and Point Richmond.

Traffic Signs and Lines crews fabricated 4 signs, installed 18 signs, repaired 1 sign, installed 6 poles, painted white pavement markings and installed white and yellow pavement delineators.

Carlson Boulevard Pavement Markings

Pole & Sign Installation

Wastewater Treatment Plant – Fats, Oils, & Grease (FOG)

Please do not put grease down the drain! Heavy grease has been reported at Richmond's sewer treatment plant. Grease clogs pipes and can be detrimental to the function of the plant.

For more information about Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG), please call 510-620-6594.

Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales – Aceites y Grasas (FOG)

¡Por favor no ponga grasa por el drenaje! Se ha reportado grasa pesada en la planta de tratamiento de alcantarillado de Richmond. La grasa obstruye las tuberías y puede ser perjudicial para la función de la planta.

Para obtener más información sobre aceites y grasas (FOG), llame al 510-620-6594.

Sewer Lateral Grant Program

The City of Richmond’s Water Resource Recovery Department administers the Sewer Lateral Grant Program. The program reimburses eligible homeowners in the Richmond Municipal Sewer District (RMSD No. 1) for some of the cost to replace their sewer lateral.

The program is open and accepting applications for the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year for sewer lateral work completed between 7/1/2020-6/30/2021.

For more information about the Sewer Lateral Grant Program, please visit www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2130/Sewer-Lateral-Grant-Program or call 510-620-6594.

Macdonald & Virginia Wet Weather Improvement Projects

Local contractor is continuing work on this project. See pictures and descriptions below.

Local contractor is installing a new manhole and new sewer pipe adjacent to Maine Avenue.

1. Richmond Promise

Richmond Promise 2020-2021 Scholarship Application NOW OPEN!

October 1st marks the opening of the Richmond Promise Scholarship, the opening of the Free Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application for financial aid (CADAA) for the 2021-22 academic year!

High School Seniors and GED students who live in Richmond and attend public, private, or charter schools under the age of 24  in West Contra Costa County are highly encouraged to apply by March 14th! Students must also complete the FAFSA or CADAA by March 2, 2021 (Cal Grant Deadline) to be eligible for the Richmond Promise Scholarship. Visit richmondpromise.org to find our application, make an appointment with our college access team for one on one support, and view a list of our college readiness workshops for Fall 2020.

Near Peer Ambassador Program Now Open!

Our Near Peer Ambassador application is now live! This internship is a paid opportunity for our Richmond Promise college scholars to support Richmond high school students in learning about post-secondary options and applying to our scholarship. Applications are due by October 30th, 2020, at 11:59 P.M.

To apply, please visit bit.ly/npa_app20, or learn more at bit.ly/rp_npajd20. For questions or concerns contact Miguel Molina at mmolina@richmondpromise.org.

Learning Alongside the National League of Cities

As of September 2020, the Richmond Promise, in partnership with the City of Richmond and Contra Costa College, has been selected to join a new peer-learning cohort led by the National League of Cities (NLC) to remove barriers to basic needs that often prevent college students from successfully completing postsecondary degrees, certificates, or other credentials needed to gain access to careers. Through the Community of Practice on Addressing the Basic Needs of Postsecondary Students initiative, the Richmond team will engage in learning and action-planning alongside city teams from all across the country. Read more about Richmond City’s commitment to meeting the needs of its youth at https://www.nlc.org/program-initiative/cities-addressing-basic-needs-of-postsecondary-students

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!

Steven Falk
Acting 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

Irene Perdomo
Executive Assistant to the City Manager
City Manager’s Office
450 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA  94804
Email: Irene_Perdomo@ci.richmond.ca.us
Direct: 510-621-1264
Main: 510-620-6512