The article copied below from the
Richmond Standard describes a realization and call to action by Soheila Bana and Doria Robinson about ongoing dangers to historic buildings in Richmond. While their concern is much appreciated, the action plan they advocated is largely in place. The
problem is not lack of a plan; it is a lack of motivation by the City to fund and use the toolkit they already have.
The two historic structures that burned were not secured, and the presumption is that fires were started by homeless trespassers. The City has robust ordinances that requires
securing, maintenance and monitoring of vacant buildings. From the City website:
Securing Vacant Buildings
For these reasons, a property owner is required to board up a building or structure if it becomes vacant and is not secure. Accessory buildings and structures on
the property, such as storage sheds and garages, must also be secured to City specifications. A boarding permit from the City of Richmond Building Regulations Division is required. No building shall remain boarded for more than six months. Vacant property
owners shall post a notice in a conspicuous place on the front of the building stating the name, address, and contact number, and, if applicable, the owner’s agent in control of the building.
Code Enforcement Officers have the authority to issue Tier Two Administrative Citations ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to owners of vacant properties who violate this
regulation.
The Richmond Municipal Code section 6.38 and
2.62.040 establishes regulations related to the Maintenance and Monitoring of Vacant Dwellings or Buildings. According to the Richmond Municipal Code, vacant properties must be registered with the Code Enforcement Division within 30 days of becoming vacant.
Please note the annual registration fee of $239.00 for vacant properties must be included in the form of a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable
to the City of Richmond at the time of registration to avoid invoicing, service charges, and potential late fees. Registration forms submitted without payment will not be processed.
Foreclosed Residential Properties
The main issues with foreclosed residential properties, as with the vacant buildings described above, are the lack of property maintenance and the increase of garbage,
debris, weeds, and broken windows. The theft of wiring and plumbing from interior and the use of the vacant and unsecured houses by transients and squatters contribute to the increase of criminal activity.
These foreclosed properties violate numerous City ordinances and are considered public nuisances under the Richmond Municipal Code. The Code Enforcement staff have
the authority to impose civil fines of $1,000 per day for each day the bank/owner fails to maintain the property. Prospective buyers of vacant and/or foreclosed properties are advised to check with the Contra
Costa County Tax Assessors Office to determine if there are any outstanding fines or assessments against the property.
For more information about foreclosed properties, civil fines, fees, and assessments, please refer to Richmond Municipal Code section 2.63.
RMC 15.04.303.141, in particular, incudes a duty to maintain historic structures.
The problem is that the City does not enforce these ordinances, thereby extending an open invitation to vandals and trespassers.
The plan advocated by Bana and Robinson calls for, “creating a verified public inventory of both city-owned and
privately held historic structures, clearly specifying ownership status. It also proposes a structured process to nominate and install commemorative signage—such as plaques or markers—on city-owned sites and to support marker installation on private properties
where owners agree.”
We already have all this. RMC 15.04. 303 established “Historic Districts and Landmarks Overlay Districts” to implement
most of what Bana and Robinson are advocating, including 15.4.303.090, which established the “Richmond Register” to recognize and list historic properties.. RMC 15.04.802 established the Historic Preservation Commission. Unfortunately, the mayor has failed
to appoint new members of the Historic Preservation commission, so it has only five of its seven authorized members, which leads to periodic failures to establish a quorum for meetings. There has been a dearth of funding and staff support in recent years to
enable the Historic Preservation Commission to do its job.
The article goes on to say, “ To sustain these efforts, the city will pursue grants and partnerships with local
history organizations, such as the Richmond Museum of History, and, where needed, establish a staff-led process for recommending site-specific protections with associated budget requests.” There was no mention of the Historic Preservation Commission, which
is the City’s go-to organization for historic preservation and has virtually no funding and little staff support,
Probably the most endangered historic property in Richmond right now is Winehaven, which, by federal court order, the City has a responsibility to maintain and secure.
Ironically, Doria Robinson does not appreciate the historic significance Winehaven, saying “Winehaven doesn’t have the same multilayer historical resonance, was only operating a few years and is removed from community members.”
Jeff Kilbreth, acknowledged by the RPA and PMA as their go-to guru on Point Molate real estate economics told the
Grandview Independent that Winehaven should be “bulldozed.”
Part of the problem of moving toward a resolution is an illusion that Winehaven can be turned into a successful development and cover renovation costs, said Jeff
Kilbreth. “I honestly suspect that the best thing that could happen would be if we bulldozed Winehaven and made it all a park. Call me crazy, but I actually think that it’s so deteriorated and so expensive to make that place work as any kind of normal development,”
Kilbreth said.
Again, we appreciate this reawakening to Richmond’s rich historic resources, but we need funding and commitment to utilize existing tools rather than any new programs.
Historic structure fires prompt call to enhance preservation
June 16, 2025
Fires at Miraflores (left) and the International Hotel (right) prompt calls for preservation. (Photos courtesy of Richmond Firefighters Local
188).
The devastation of two historic landmarks by fires is prompting Richmond city leaders to push for enhanced preservation
measures.
On April 25, 2023, the International Hotel—a privately owned structure built around 1900 to house Black Pullman
porters and serve as a hub of labor organizing and cultural gathering— was entirely destroyed by fire. Then, on May 23, 2025,
a fire damaged an historic building at the Miraflores site, a location tied to Japanese American agricultural heritage.
The fire erupted during a volunteer-led cleanup at Greenbelt Park. The cause of the fires wasn’t immediately known, although both properties reportedly attracted squatting.
In response to the blazes, Councilmembers Soheila Bana and Doria Robinson are introducing a resolution for the
City Council to consider on Tuesday that calls for a comprehensive strategy to safeguard Richmond’s historic assets.
The plan includes creating a verified public inventory of both city-owned and privately held historic structures,
clearly specifying ownership status. It also proposes a structured process to nominate and install commemorative signage—such as plaques or markers—on city-owned sites and to support marker installation on private properties where owners agree.
To enhance site protection, the resolution advocates for fire-resistant landscaping, improved lighting, fencing,
and surveillance. The initiative favors case-by-case assessments of each structure—considering historical significance, community interest, and resource availability—instead of imposing uniform maintenance mandates.
To sustain these efforts, the city will pursue grants and partnerships with local history organizations, such
as the Richmond Museum of History, and, where needed, establish a staff-led process for recommending site-specific protections with associated budget requests.
If the proposal receives council report, city staff will be directed to provide a status update to the City Council
within 180 days to detail progress made, challenged encountered and the next steps for implementation.
Want to receive TOM BUTT E-FORUM delivered to your email address?
Click here to sign-up to receive the E-Forum.
Tom Butt is the former mayor of Richmond, CA, having served over 27 years, eight years as mayor. Tom Butt is also the founder and president of Interactive
Resources, an architecture-engineering firm founded in Richmond in 1973.
Subscription to this service is at the personal discretion of the recipient and may be terminated by selecting “unsubscribe from this list” at the bottom
of this email.
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section
107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For
more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|