Hayward City Council
June 6, 2023

SPECIAL JOINT

HAYWARD CITY

COUNCIL/HAYWARD

REDEVELOPMENT

SUCCESSOR AGENCY/

HAYWARD HOUSING

AUTHORITY MEETING
JUNE 6, 2023

DOCUMENTS RECEIVED

AFTER PUBLISHED
AGENDA
PUBLIC HEARING ITEM # 20
PH 23-022
FY 2024 Budget/CIP Public Hearing
and Adoption
From: Hayward Community Coalition
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Comments on PH 23-022 - FY 24 Budget
Date: Sunday, June 4, 2023 9:37:17 AM
Attachments: HayCoCoa FY 24 Budget Letter.pdf
CAUTION:This is an external email. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe.

Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
We hope you are well and enjoying your weekend.

Attached is a letter outlining our thoughts on the City's proposed FY 24 Budget. While we understand that a large reworking of the budget is unlikely, we know there is money available to continue to enact substantial positive change within our community.

The points in the attached document are areas we'd like to see investment from the City and areas we believe would most benefit Hayward Residents. These commonsense changes to the budget will yield big results in the coming Fiscal Year and, as such, we will be looking forward to the discussion on the dais with great interest.

We welcome discussion with members of Council and would be happy to elaborate on these issues further with any member of Council who would be interested in doing so. Only together can we make the change necessary to turn Hayward into the city we know its residents deserve.

United,
Hayward Community Coalition
DearMayorandCityCouncilMembers,
ThemembersoftheHaywardCommunityCoalition(HayCoCoa)believethatmunicipalbudgetsareinancialrepresentationsofwhatacityvalues.Tothatend,wefeelthatthereareplacesinthecurrentlyproposedFY24budgetthatcan,andshould,bealteredtobetterreflectthevaluesofthecommunityandbuildupontheforward-thinkingworkthecityhasalreadyembarkedontoimproveandre-imaginepublicsafetyinHayward.WeurgetheCityCounciltoaddressthefollowingpointsinthebudget:

1.InvestinginPrevention&UnarmedResponsesGiventhenumberofthelikelyunillablevacanciesinHPDthisyear,weurgeCounciltore-allocateHPDvacancyfundstowardsexpandingmentalhealth,counseling,andotherpreventionservices.WecontinuetofollowtheimplementationoftheMIHUprogramandaskthatfundscontinuetobeinvestedtowardsitsimplementationandsuccess.WewouldalsobeinterestedinexpandingtheroleYFSBcounselorsplayinourcommunitytohelpincreasestudenteducationaloutcomesanddivertHaywardyouthfromthecriminallegalsystem.

Additionally,WealsourgeCounciltounderillanyvacantOficerpositionswithnon-armed,CommunitySafetyOficerstorespondtonon-emergency/non-violentsituationsthatdonotrequireaswornOficer’spresence.SinceCSOtrainingtimesareshorterthanacademytrainingtimes,implementinganeectiveCSOprogramwouldsavetaxpayerdollars,allowustodeveloptalentfaster,andhaveHPDprovidebetterserviceandresponsetimestoourcommunitysooner.

WecontinuetostandbyourpreviousdemandforHaywardtoestablishitsownSocialServicesDepartmenttohousemanyofthepreventativeandcommunityservicescurrentlyoperatingwithinHPD(manydepartmentsacrossthecitycollaboratewithHPDwithoutneedingtobehousedwithinit). 1of 2

2.ContinueFundingtheHaywardPeople’sBudgetTheHaywardPeople’sBudgetwasoneofHayCoCoa’soriginaldemandsfrom2020andwewereincrediblyproudtoseetheinitiativegenerateanewcommunitygarden,thedevelopmentofanindependentmakerspace,bilingualtutoringforhundredsofstudents,andmore.Over1,000residentsparticipatedinthevotingprocessandcitystadeserveagreatdealofcreditfortheirfacilitationofthisprojectdespitetheirlimitedcapacity.

However,webelievetheHaywardPeople’sBudgethasthepotentialtoengagemoreresidentsanddirectlyaddresscommunityneedswiththeappropriateinvestment.WerequesttheCouncilindawaytosustainablyfundandoperatetheHaywardPeople’sBudgetgoingforward.TheprojectsunderwayrepresentthededicationanddesiresofmembersoftheHaywardcommunityanddeservetobecontinuallysupportedbytheCitysothatindividualneighborhoodscancontinuetobuildcommunitywhiledevelopingtheirownleadershipandlocalcharacter.

3.IncreaseStafingforStrategicRoadmapProjects.Onlyahandfulofstaareassignedtodevelopandmovenewinitiativesforwardoutsideoftheday-to-dayoperationsofourcity.LimitedstacapacitymakesitdificultforHaywardtoproactivelyimplementnewideaswiththequalityandattentiontheydeserve.Webelievethisisadisservicetoourstawhoaretaskedwithshoulderingmoreworkthanisreasonable,andtotheresidentsofHaywardwhowouldbeneitfromamoreresponsiveCity.

WeurgetheCityCounciltoincreasestafingthroughouttheCitytohelpbringtheStrategicRoadmapprojectstofruition.AdditionalstafingfocusedoncommunityandcouncilprojectswillhelpensurethatHaywardcontinuestobeacitythatisproactive,innovative,andresponsivetochangingresidentneeds. -
Thereisnoneedtogeneratenewrevenueorspendfurtherintoourreserves.Themoneyisalreadythere.WeencourageCounciltocontinuethesigniicantworkthatemergedfromtheGeorgeFloydprotestsandHayward’ssubsequentpublicsafetyworkshops.Itisnotenoughtonodattheideaofsocialandracialjustice,ourcitymustremaincommittedtoseeingitthrough.

HayCoCoa
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