Terminal One Single-Family Housing Development In Richmond Sent Back To The Drawing Board
How many times does a prospective purchaser of City of Richmond property for development have to fail before you show them the door? Once a bright prospect, Laconia Development is now trying to push through one of the worst-designed projects in Richmond history. The...
Stormin’ Norman and Sierra Club Celebrate Selling Point Molate for $400
Norman La Force, the voice of the Sierra Club, who likes parks (but without people or dogs) smugly celebrates what he deems a victory by selling Point Molate for $400 to an Indian tribe and a former casino developer. Not only has the City lost $22.5 million in instant...
MCE Virtual Holiday Party
Last night was MCE’s 2022 virtual Holiday party. Before the fun started, Executive Director Dawn Weisz, Vice-chair Shanelle Scales-Preston and I recalled the incredible acomplishmnents of MCE and thanked MCE staff and board members for their hard work. Launched...
First-ever California offshore wind auction nets $757 million
On December 5, 2022, I attended the California Climate Emergency and Energy Security Summit organized by Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) at the California Energy Commission, (Warren-Alquist State Energy Building) in Sacramento. Several energy-related...
Window School
Unlike some politicians, I still work for a living. One of the professional services I have been providing for years is peer reviews of other architects’ projects for building envelope water management and waterproofing. Construction defect litigation used to be a...
Housing First
I made a plea on December 2 for a landlord to step up and provide an apartment for a resident of the Castro Street RV Camp (Need Landlord with an Available 1-Bedroom Apartment, December 2, 2022). The stars have aligned, and we hope to have a single mom and daughter in...
Rotary Holiday Auction, Friday, December 9, 12-2 PM
We are 3 weeks away from our Annual Holiday Auction. Please plan to join us on DECEMBER 9 at the Richmond Country Club The Holiday Auction is the Richmond Rotary Club’s largest fundraiser of the year that funds tens of thousands of dollars for projects and programs in...
Need Landlord with an Available 1-Bedroom Apartment
As a result of a grant from Chevron, the Housing First initiative of the Richmond Mayor’s Office and Richmond Rotary can pay a year’s rent in advance for an apartment for a previously homeless couple or family. This would be a great Christmas present for someone. It...
The Lost Sierra and Sierra City
Almost everyone I talk to asks, “What will you do when you retire?” Thanks for asking, and I already answered that in What Will You Do Now, and a Mayor's Accomplishments and Regrets, November 5, 2022. When I cease being mayor on January 10, 2023, I will get about...
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike path enters final year of trial run (East Bay Times 12/2/2022)
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike path enters final year of trial run Cyclists ride on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toward San Rafael on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal) By WILL HOUSTON | whouston@marinij.com | Marin Independent...
City Manager’s Weekly Report for the Week Ending 12/02/2022
You can view the current City Manager's Weekly Report here: City Manager's Weekly Report 12/02/2022
There is a Lot Wrong With This Project
The story below is one of Katie Lauer’s best. This site, known as ”Terminal 1,” owned by the City of Richmond and originally a marine terminal, is right next to Miller Knox Regional Shoreline, shown below. It is a world class waterfront site with astounding views of...
Andrew Butt and Cesar Zepeda in District 2 Race Tie
Because it has never happened before in Richmond, city and county officials are still scratching their heads about how to resolve a tie vote between Andrew Butt and Cesar Zepeda. There is a Richmond City Council resolution that describes the process, but it may be in...
Richmond Hosts Contra Costa Mayors Conference at Riggers Loft
Figure 1 - Contra Costa Mayors Conference business meeting – mayors’ table Figure 2 - Contra Costa Mayors Conference audience Last night, the City of Richmond hosted the first live meeting in nearly three years of the Contra Costa Mayors Conference, which I have had...
Richmond and MCE
When I step down from the City Council in January 2023, one of the things I will miss most is MCE (Community Choice Energy). I have represented Richmond on the board of MCE since the City joined in 2013, and I have served as board chair and president for the last four...
What Kind of Mayor Will Eduardo Martinez Be??
On November 27, 2022, KQED published an interview with mayor-elect Eduardo Martinez, providing some insight as to how he perceives himself and his future plans as mayor. In the interview, Martinez comes off like he has a mandate, but exactly the opposite is true. He...
District 2 Vote Audit
Due to the number of the votes counted during the November 8, 2022, General Election being so close, the County Elections Department will be conducting an internal audit of the Richmond City Council Race for District 2 only, on Thursday, December 1, 2022, starting at...
What Measure U Looks Like
If you rent property in Richmond, this is what the City sends you. Like most City forms, it is totally unclear. Does it apply to 2022 taxes or 2023 taxes? When is it due? Looks like it was designed by the same people who design income tax forms.
Laconia Writes to Intimidate Butt and Livingston Over Terminal 1 Criticisms
At the end of the day, the Terminal 1 developer, Laconia will get what they want because of a naïve City Council that has no understanding or appreciation for good planning and urban design. See Terminal 1 Developer Proposes Single Family Subdivision, February 15,...
Board and Commission Vacancies
After I Posted “City Council Members Shut Down Appointments,” I read over 100 comments on social media, some from rabid RPA supporters suggesting that my ill-fated appointments to the Design Review Board and Planning Commission rejected by the RPA City Council members...