CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 26, 2024
DOCUMENTS RECEIVED AFTER
PUBLISHED AGENDA
Item # 10
WS 24-005
Russell City
Reparative Justice
Project
From: Francesca Thomas
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Public Comment for March 26, 2024; Meeting (Item No. 10) Date: Monday, March 25, 2024 4:41:20 PM
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Greetings Mayor Salinas and City Council,
My name is Francesca Thomas and I am a descendant of the Alves and Hightower Families as well as a member of the Russell City Reparative Justice Steering Committee. My Great-Great grandparents Leona and Manuel Alves resided in Russell City for over 25 years and they owned and operated Ideal Dining for over 20 years. Ideal Dining was a family-run establishment that was a restaurant by day and a nightclub (Miss Alves Club) in the evenings, where many renowned local and national blues musicians performed. In addition, my maternal grandparents met in Russell City and my mother and her 3 siblings (all living) were raised there.
When Russell City was destroyed, it impacted my family significantly. The Alves and the Hightowers not only lost their homes, they lost their livelihood, friends and strong community base. My grandmother, Leona Alves, was quite involved in the good fight to save Russell City and was active in numerous campaigns to save Russell City from destruction. In 1963, my grandmother, Leona, along with many other community members attempted to prevent the destruction of the City and attain basic human services, however the conspicuous climate of racism and discrimination prevalent at the time prevented any progress and their voices were ignored. Even amidst this turmoil, Leona tried to save her livelihood. Since she couldn’t keep her home, she tried to keep her beloved restaurant open to service the workers who would soon come to tear down Russell City, but her request was denied.
I write to you with a twofold perspective – as a concerned resident and as a Russell City Reparative Justice Steering Committee Member.
As a direct descendant and concerned resident, my roots run deep. I was born in Hayward, raised here and Hayward is still the place I call home. I even earned my Associate's degree from Chabot College and my Bachelor's from Cal State Hayward.
Growing up, my mother and her siblings shared stories of Russell City. It was shocking to learn that a thriving multicultural community over 100 years old could be simply wiped away.
Never seeing my grandmother's restaurant, my mother's childhood home, or even the school she attended was devastating. I find it unconscionable that American citizens living in America were denied permits to improve their properties and had no (or limited) access to sewage, water, fire and emergency services. A haunting account of my grandmother’s testimony can be found on pages 193-195 of the Transcript of Public Hearings on the Russell City Redevelopment Project. My grandmother, Mrs. Leona Alves, was not permitted to improve her property and felt that if her home was to be annexed then she should at least be provided with a home that was already paid for as both her home and restaurant were paid for and mortgage-free. Equally disturbing is that under the guise of eminent domain, these acquisitions were not and have not been used for any public purpose that benefits the residents of Hayward.
The City of Hayward’s "No Room for Racism" stance, which encompasses all forms of discrimination, has always been a source of pride for me, representing values I believe in and hold dear. What other Bay Area city openly displays this loud and proud, bold claim at its borders? Thank you for issuing an apology to the former residents of Russell City and their descendants, and for forming a Steering Committee to recommend reparative action.
As a member of the Steering Committee, I fully support and stand by the research and reports prepared by both the San Francisco Research Team and the Ceres Group. The San Francisco Research Team provided historical timelines, relevant historical news articles, and access to public records, then organized this data into an unbiased digestible, comprehensive report.
The Ceres Group facilitated team meetings, created and analyzed public surveys, provided numerous reports, and provided invaluable guidance and support to the Steering Committee.
I also fully support all 26 Steering Committee Draft Recommendations which align with UN Resolution 60/147 and offer fair and reasonable solutions for those whose lives were uprooted. Based on the reports received and on the comprehensive data provided by the San Francisco Research Team and the Ceres Group, it is undeniable that residents were not fairly compensated for their property, lost generational wealth, were disenfranchised, disconnected from their community and suffered psychological harm. This multicultural community deserves rehabilitation, compensation, restitution, guarantee of non-repetition, and satisfaction. The draft recommendations, however, are just the beginning. This work needs to continue for the Steering Committee to draft a collective statement and collective recommendations.
Hayward has a unique opportunity to not only live up to its non-discriminatory "No Room for Racism" motto but to become a shining national example. By actively addressing past harms to its citizens and supporting the Steering Committee's Draft Recommendations, Hayward can demonstrate a true commitment to justice for this generation and the next. I urge you to thoughtfully consider these Draft Recommendations, allocate necessary resources, and seize this pivotal moment to make history.
Please hear your community's voice this time and keep this good work moving forward.
Respectfully,
Francesca Thomas
To: Mayor Salinas and Members of the Hayward City Council From: Gloria Braton-Moore, Former Resident/Descendant of Russell City Date: March 19, 2024
Subject: Public Comment for March 26, 2024; Mee�ng (Item No. 10) (Revised)
Good evening, Mayor Salinas and City Council Members. My name is Gloria Braton-Moore. I am a former resident of Russell City, and a descendant of the James Sanders Family. In 1946, when I was three years old, my family relocated from Portland, Oregon to Russell City. My Mother, Doris Sanders, was employed as a cook at Russell City’s Elementary School. My Dad was a Long Shore man at Todd Ship Yard in Oakland. I lived in Russell City for 15 years un�l I was 18.
As a Member of the Russell City Repara�ve Jus�ce Project Steering Commitee (RCRJP), I am here today to support the 26 recommenda�ons set forth in the Ceres Policy Research Report submited to the Council for review.
First, I would like to thank the City of Hayward for being one of the first ci�es in the Na�on to issue an apology for the Harm to the residents and descendants who lived in Russell City. Also, for forming a Steering Commitee to recommend repara�ve ac�ons, and making an extraordinary effort to address the ramifica�ons of systemic and structural discrimina�on.
I would like to reference Atachment VIII, the “Reporters Transcript of Public Hearings on the RC Redevelopment Project, held on January 8, 1963 and share how we were able to provide a copy of the Transcript. Approximately two months following the “Apology” from the city of Hayward I was cleaning my garage and going through dozens of books. Lo and behold, one of the books fell to the floor. Unbelievably, it was a copy of the “Transcript” of the 1963 Public Hearings which had previously been apparently lost and unavailable. It was as though my Mother dropped a copy of the Transcript from Heaven and said to me, Gloria Jean, “This is What Happened to Russell City”.
Just as you read in the Transcripts, I too, as a former resident and descendant of Russell City, can atest to the long-term pain and suffering rooted in racially discriminatory, unjust ac�ons and policies. These decisions resulted in mul�-genera�onal financial hardship, economic inequity, psychological stress, health dispari�es, and social disintegra�on.
It is my hope that the City of Hayward will thoroughly consider and accept all 26 recommenda�ons contained in this comprehensive Report to demonstrate its commitment to achieving repara�ve jus�ce.
While an ideal solu�on would be to return property to its righ�ul owners, the provision of monetary repara�ons appears to be the most reasonable course of ac�on.
If you can refer to page 26 of the Report, please contemplate as a start, approving the recommenda�on to introduce a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) for former residents of Russell City. As stated in the recommenda�on: “This GBI Ini�a�ve, beyond financial assistance, stands as a symbol of acknowledgement and repara�on, aiming to benefit all individuals affected, regardless of their current financial standing.”
I strongly encourage you, Mayor Salinas and Members of the City Council, to keep up the good work moving forward and to take the concrete steps necessary as recommended on page 35 of the Report by hiring a RCRJP Coordinator to be housed at Hayward City Hall in order to “maintain open communica�on and to ensure the program is consistently implemented as intended.”
As an 81-year old African American woman, my prayer is for future genera�ons to thrive and to recognize the historical ac�ons taken by the Mayor and Council tonight, as an atempt to rec�fy the Harm we endured at the hands of our local government.
Thank you
[email protected]
From: HAYWARD CONCERNED CITIZENS
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Upcoming Russell City Reparative Justice Project agenda item for 3/26/24 City Council Meeting Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 10:02:49 PM
Attachments: REVISITING RUSSELL CITY.pdf
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Mayor Salinas and City Council,
I am writing to address this body’s upcoming decision regarding the Russell City Reparative Justice Project.
As most of you are already aware, a subset group of our organization, HAYWARD CONCERNED CITIZENS, began its own research into the key aspects involved in the relocation of the Russell City descendants, resulting in the creation of a collaborative “position paper” which we submitted to both the Hayward Historical Society and City Council meeting archives (see attachment). We became involved over concerns around what impact the outcome of possible financial restitution would have on our tax-paying residents, knowing that there were also discussions of reparations at the county, state and federal level.
We are not content experts by profession but we have enough collective life experience to know that gaining accurate knowledge around any subject matter requires thorough and meticulous research, and that it must be pragmatically conducted and verified rather than drawing conclusions based on limited information. Our city leaders erroneously drew such conclusions based on recommendations from the CSC prior to doing the due diligence of verifying information, with its drafted November 16, 2021 resolution, which states:
“WHEREAS, Russell City in unincorporated Hayward was home to a large and thriving Black, Indigenous, Californio, Mexicano, Latino, and Latinx population and a vibrant music scene and, following annexation into the City of Hayward, all residents were evicted and many were burned out of their homes and community without appropriate compensation in 1966…”
(https://www.hayward-ca.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/RES-21-223-City- Council-Appology-Resolution.pdf)
Clarification:
The annexation into the City of Hayward occurred in 1968, well after Russell City residents vacated the property.
The statement that residents were burned out of their homes is hearsay. The cause of the fires could not be determined.
The Russell City residents were not only compensated for their properties and moving costs, but were assisted with relocation by County Redevelopment Office social worker Harold Davis.
Moreover:
Russell City residents were a diverse group, not just Black and Hispanic.
The experience of the Russell City residents was not race-based, but income-based.
The eminent domain that took place in Russell City was a case of Industrialization that illustrates a period of progress, growth, and redevelopment occurring commonly in the Bay Area at that time; not collusion as one of the city research consultants inferred.
The bottom line:
Despite what Community Services Commission has conveyed to our council, the press that city staff released to news outlets across the nation, podcasts alluding to racial discrimination, “The Apology” movie’s portrayal of this as a race and reparations issue, misinformation passed onto Hayward residents by at least one realtor, biased teachings about Russell City to some of our HUSD students and what some of the Russell City descendants have purported themselves…
HAYWARD WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE.
Alameda County has since made its own apology for its role in disbanding Russell City.
We encourage those who have not already done so to read our position paper, and we ask that you exercise prudence and reflection with the decisions before you while balancing the needs of our entire diverse Hayward community.
Sincerely,
TJ
HAYWARD CONCERNED CITIZENS
REVISITINGRUSSELLCITY
AFTERMORETHAN50YEARS
INTRODUCTION:
OnNovember17,2021,theCityofHaywardsubmittedaformalapologyfortheCity’sroleinracialdiscriminationandmassdisplacementofRussellCityresidentsinthe1960’s. Followingtheapology,theCityCouncilheldavirtualmeetingonJanuary29,2022forprioritysettinganddevelopingastrategicroadmap. AmongitemsdiscussedwasthepossiblerestitutiontopreviousRussellCityresidentsandtheirdescendants.
InanefforttounderstandtheissuessurroundingRussellCity,acommitteemadeupofHaywardConcernedCitizens,undertookaninvestigationandstudyoftheunderlyingfactorsthatleduptotheoriginaldestructionofRussellCity,andthecurrentreemergenceofinterestinrevisitingitsdemiseafternearly60years.
Incarryingoutourstudy,wewanttoemphasizethatitisnotourintenttodenigrateordisparageanyone’sfeelingsormemoriessurroundingtheirexperiencesinRussellCity. Weare,however,currentlyinadifferenteraofsocialawareness,wherepastdecisionsandhistoricaladvancesarebeingviewedthroughadifferentlens. Ourworldevolves,andwillcontinuetoevolve. Changeisafactandiseverpresentinourlives.Thatbeingsaid,thelate50’sandearly60’swasatumultuoustimeofchangeinourcountry. Theemphasiswasongrowthanddevelopmentafterthewar.Haywardwentfromapopulationof6,777in1940to72,700in1960andhadtotransitionfromamostlyagriculturalareatoanindustrialareatoprovidejobsforthecommunity.ManyofthehomeshereinHaywardwereconstructedduringthatperiodoftime,andmuchoftheacquisitionofadditionallandthroughannexationalsooccurredduringthisperiodoftime. Thesechangeswerenotjustbeingmadeinlocalgovernments,butitwasalsoaperiodofgrowthforprivateindustries,manyofwhichrelocated,openednewbranches,anddisplacedemployeesbyinsistingthattheymovetothenewarea,orlosetheirjobs.
BACKGROUND
ThehistoryofRussellCityhasbeenwelldocumentedinseveraltexts: Mt.Eden,CradleoftheSaltIndustrybyJohnSandoval(onceknownasourHaywardHistorian);ImagesofAmerica,RussellCitybyMariaOchoa,andMeganWilkerson’sWhatEverHappenedtoRussellCity.Wewillnotattempttorepeatallofthatinformation,butwanttohighlightsomepointsthathavebeenmade,aswellasciteinformationgatheredfromtheHaywardDailyReviewandOaklandTribunenewspapersfromthedecadeprecedingthedemiseofRussellCity.ItshouldalsobenotedthatmuchofthemorerecenthistorywasgatheredfrominterviewswithafewoftheformerRussellCityinhabitants,mostofwhomwerechildrenorteenagersatthetime,orfromoralhistoryhandeddownthroughgenerations. Assuch,wemustremainmindfulofidyllicsofteningthatmayoccurthroughtimeandnostalgicreminiscence. Surely,manyofuswhogrewupinthe50’swillrecallthewarmthofcommunitieswhereneighborsknewoneanotherandchildrenplayedoutsideuntilafterdark. Mostdidnothavetelevisionsthen,andcertainlynottheInternetorsocialmedia. Thosefactorspromotedcommunalbonds. -1-
TherearethosewhobelievethatRussellCitywasapartofHayward. However,infact,itwasanunincorporatedpartofAlamedaCounty. Itsresidents,byallaccounts,wereastrongandresourcefulgroupofpeoplewithstrongbondstotheircommunity. Theirpopulationwasmixed,withthemajority,47%,beingofLatinorigins,34%AfricanAmericanandtheremainderwhiteormixedethnicities[DailyReview2/24/1966]. ItsdiversityspoketotheaffordabilityandnearnesstolocaljobsintheBayAreafollowingthewar. Therewassomevariabilityinlivingconditionsinthearea,butmanyofthehomeswererundownandlackedessentialservicessuchassewersystemsandcleanrunningwater. Severaloftheresidentsendeavoredtoimproveandcreateabetterenvironmentforthemselves,howevertheUniformBuildingCodewentintoeffectin1946whichprohibitedbuildingonlandwithoutsewersystemsinplace,sofurtherdevelopmentwasnotpossible. TheresidentspetitionedAlamedaCountyforcleanwatersystemsandsewers. However,theCountyrefusedtointervenesayingthatthelowassessedvaluationofthelandprohibitedtheexpenseofbringingituptocode. Thesituationdidnotimproveduringthe50’swhentheCountywasexperiencingabuildingboominhousing. TheyalsohadpressurefrommultipleGrandJurieswhichrepeatedlyaskedthemtodosomethingaboutthe“blightedconditions”ofRussellCity. Afterseveralyears,andtheurgingfromvariousentities,theCountymadethedecisiontoacquirethepropertiesandtoreadythelandforsale. ARedevelopmentAgencywasformedtooverseethepurchaseoflandfromtheowners,andthey,alongwithrenters,werepaidtomovetootheravailablehomesinseveralcommunitieswithintheCounty,includingHayward,SanLorenzo,SanLeandro,Newark,Fremont,UnionCity,OaklandandasfaroutasLivermore. TheCountythenproceededtoclearthelandwhichwasthensoldtoaprivatedeveloper,Cabot,CabotandForbes.Followingthesale,thepropertywasannexedtoHaywardonAugust6,1968.
ISSUES:
*Separatinganemotionalissuefromabusinessdecision.
ThedestructionofRussellCitywasclearlyanemotionalissueforsomeofitsresidents. Theywereaclose-knitgroupofpeoplewhohelpedeachotherout,whofoughttokeeptheircommunityintactandacquirethehelptheyneededtokeeptheircommunitygoing. Manyothersmallcommunitiesinthe50’salsoexperiencedthesamesenseofcloseness,whereneighborsknewneighborsandchildrencouldplaysafelyoutdoors. Those,unfortunately,arebygoneerasthathaveleftuswithfondmemoriesofbettertimes. TheRussellCityfamiliesarefortunateinthattheyhavebeenabletocontinuethosecloseconnectionsbymeetingtogetheryearly,anopportunitythatmanyofushavelongsincelost.
Inunderstandinghistory,however,wemustrealizethatthe50’sand60’swereaperiodthatwasdominatedbygrowthandbusinessdecisionsthatweremadeforthepurposeofimprovingcommunitiesforallofitsinhabitants. Theintentionwasnottosetouttodestroylowincomeproperties,althoughinsomecases,thathappened. Theintentionwastoimprovethecommunityforallofitscitizens.Annexationwasprevalentthen,andinmanycases,itimprovedtheservicesfortheresidentslivingthere. TheHaywardAirportwascreatedthrougheminentdomainoffourlargeproperties. SeveralpropertiesweredisplacedwiththeadventofBART,thebuildingofSunsetHighSchool,andthewideningofAstreet. EventhefailedFoothillfreeway,displacedpeopleashomeswereacquired. Theseoccurrencesdidnothappenjustinourlocalarea. Similaroccurrenceswereprevalentthroughoutthecountry. -2-
*Theracialissue
Inthiseraofsocialjustice,wetendtoviewissueswithadifferentlensthanthatwhichwasprevalentmanyyearsago. Thatbeingsaid,thedestructionofRussellCityhadrepercussionsonallracesandethnicitiesresidingthere,notmerelyaselectfew. Thiswasanissueofpoverty,butalsoofrelativesandneighborslocatinginanareatogetherwhichwasaffordableandaccessibletojobs. Theresidentsmayhavehadlimitedresources,buttheyviewedthemselvesasacohesivegroupwithnoracialdivides(aconditionwhichwouldbenefitallofustoadoptintoday’sworld).InMeganWilkinson’sbook,Mr.GarronsaidthattherewerenoprejudicesinRussellCity,thateveryonetreatedeachotherwithrespect.(p.80).ReverendGreenrecalledthattherewasnoracialtension,thateveryonegotalongwellwitheachother. HealsostatedthattoooftentheBlack/HispanicpresenceofRussellCityisplayedupwhiletheWhitesgetoverlooked.(p.86) In1959,theCityofHaywardpassedaunanimousresolutionaffirmingthat“nopersonapplyingtobuy,rentorleasequartersinanyhousinginHaywardconstructedwithpublicassistance,eitherdirectorindirect…shallbesubjectedtodiscriminationorsegregationbecauseofhisrace,creed,color,nationalorigin,religiousorpoliticalopinions,oraffiliation. BusterBrooks,aRussellCityresident,calledtheresolution,“agreatachievementineliminatingdiscriminationinhousinginourarea.”[OaklandTribune,6/14/1959]. *TheissueoftheeffectonRussellCityresidents
Atthispoint,welackanyrealevidencethatpeople’sliveswerenotimproved(forthemostpart)bybeingrelocatedtoothercommunities. Infact,theoppositeismostlikelytrue. Inthiswriter’sexperience,twoformerRussellCityfamiliesrelocatedtomyneighborhood. Thehomeswerenewlybuiltin1951andweresmall,wellbuilt,3bedroomhomesonaquietstreet.AnotherRussellCityfamilymovedintotheneighborhoodinthe1950’sandweremyneighborsformanyyears.
TheCountyoversawtherelocationandmadesurethateachfamilywasplacedinasafe,decentandsanitaryhome[DailyReview,3/15/1961). Theywerealsointerviewedayearlatertofindouthowtheyweredoing. MeganWilkinson,inherbook,WhatEverHappenedtoRussellCity,interviewedafewformerresidentsorchildrenofformerresidentsin2002. Whenaskedthequestionabouttheirfeelingsabouttherelocation,responsesweremixed. DaveBassardsaidhethoughtthechangewasgoodforalotofpeople. Itforcedthemtore-evaluatetheirlivesandadjust. Thetransition’seffectwasdependentonhowyoulookedatthesituation,howyourattitudewastowardthesituation.(page74). ReverendGreenthoughtthatwhathappenedtoRussellCitymayhavebeenablessingindisguise. HesaidnooneshouldlivethewaytheydidinRussellCity-thebuildingsandsanitationsystemswereseriousproblems.Hesaidthattherelocationpotentiallyforcedsomepeopletogetoutoftheircomplacencyandevaluatewhattheycoulddowiththeirlives. ManypeopledidverywellafterleavingRussellCity.(p.88). Mrs.Tingleysaidthatshefeltthemovewasgoodforherparentsbecausetheyweregettingoldandtheranchwastoobigforthem.
Therewerealsothosewhofeltthemovewasdifficult,mainlyforemotionalreasons. Mrs.Morenosaidthatitwashardbecauseshehadtomakenewfriends. Shefeltitwasharderonolderpeoplebecausetheydidn’thaveaplacetofeelcomfortableanymore,aplacewhereeveryoneknewthem(p.131). -3-
TheresidentsweredispersedtoseveraldifferentlocationsthroughouttheCountyduringtheirrelocation,andthismayalsobeafactorintheircurrentstatusandwell-being. However,basedonthe2020census,atleastinHayward,thepovertyrateisamere8.35%,belowthenationalaverage. Andifwebreakitdownbyraceorethnicity,thepovertyrateofBlackswasat9.72%,Whites9.55%andHispanics9.24%. Allofthoseratesaresimilartooneanother. ItwasalsonotedthatHighSchoolgraduationrateswereslightlyhigherforBlacksthanWhites,andwithBlacksonlyslightlybehindWhitesforBachelor’sDegrees. Thesestatisticsappeartoindicatethatthegapsinequalityarenarrowing,andthatpeople,ingeneral,aresucceedingintheirlives. *Theissueofcompensation.
Again,thereweremixedresponsestothequestionofwhetherpeoplewerefairlycompensated. Therewerethosewhofelttheywerenotproperlypaidfortheirproperties;amountsstatedinMeganWilkinson’sbookvariedwidely. ABoardappointedCitizen’sCommitteewasformedwithrecommendationsthattheboardcarryoutitsavowedintentionofbasingthepricespaidforlandona“teamofindependentappraisers.”(DailyReview11/23/1962)Onecommentmadein1964statedthat22propertieshadbeenpurchased,allwithintheappraisedvalue(DailyReview7/29/64).
MarvinCasalina,theindividualwhowashiredtohandlethebuyingofRussellCityproperties,wasinterviewedinanOaklandTribunearticle. Hestatedthat“manypeoplehaveamisconceptionofthevalueoftheirpropertyandthatisalmostalwaysonthehighside.” Healsopointedoutthatwithallofthepublicagencieshehadrepresented,hedidnotrecallasingleonewhichhadattemptedtoobtainthepropertyforlessthanfairmarketvalue. Hestatedthattheamounttobepaidforthepropertywasgenerallydeterminedbytheagency,usuallyonthebasisofatleasttwoindependentappraisalswherehe,Casalina,wasretained. (OaklandTribune11/7/1965) *Hayward’spartinthedemiseofRussellCity
EvidenceclearlyshowsthatHaywardwasnottheresponsiblepartyinthedestructionofRussellCity,althoughitsproblemswerewellknowntoHayward. Asfarbackasthe1940’s,RussellCityresidentswereseekingtogetcleanwaterfromHayward,buttonoavail. TheproblemwasthatHayward’swaterpipelinesonlycamewithin2000feetofRussellCity,andtheresidentsofRussellCitycouldnotaffordtomakethenecessaryconnectionstoextendthepipeline. In1949,HaywardofferedtobringwatertoRussellCityifAlamedaCountywouldpay½thecost.[DailyReview9/14/1949]. TheresidentsofRussellCityevenwrotetotheGovernor,EarlWarren,seekinghissupportinurgingtheCountytopayitsshare,buttheCountydidnot.
Earlyin1960,RussellCitywassaidtohaveposedaheadacheforofficialsoftheCountyandanassortmentofotherpublicagencies. TheMayorofHaywardfeltthatHaywardhadamoralobligationtotaketheproblemon,andurgedtheCountytodosomething.
Lateron,in1960,ataHaywardCityCouncilmeeting,theissueofRussellCityagainemerged. MayorDettenreiderwantedtoappointacommitteefocusedonthe“interestinthewelfareofthesepeople,thewelfareofthepeopleofthecityofHayward,andthewelfareofthepeopleoftheCounty.”[DailyReview8/23/1960]. -4-
Itwasnotuntil1961thattheCounty,afterurgingfromHayward,multipleGrandJuries,andotherentities,finallyapprovedaFederalUrbanRenewalProject. Theobjectwasto“transformRussellCityintoathrivingindustrialparkandtorelocateresidentsinhomesthatweredecent,safe,andsanitary”.[DailyReview3/15/1961]. Undertheact,familieswereeligibletopurchasehomescostingupto$10,000ona40-year-mortgage. Atthattime,itwasnotedthat212residentswereonwelfare,andrentswereapproximately$15amonthonsubstandardhousing. HaywardwasnotworkingintandemwiththeCountyontheredevelopment,because“theUrbanRenewalAdministrationwouldnotlookwithfavoronajointexerciseofpowersbyHaywardandAlamedaCountyasaRenewalAgency. Itwantstolooktoonejurisdictionforresponsibility.[BangtTorssell,representativeoftheFederalHousingandHomesFinanceAgency;DailyReview3/15/1961] TheCountyhiredHaroldDavistooverseetheredevelopmentprojectandAttorneyMarvinCasalinahandledthebuyingofpropertiesfromRussellCityresidents. Eachresidentreceivedastipendformovingexpenses(upto$200)andrelocationtoasuitablehomewithinseveralcitieswithintheCounty.Outof186familiesthatwererelocated,86wenttoHayward,38toEastOakland,and28toNorthOakland.ThereminderwasspreadthroughouttheCounty,inCastroValley,Fremont,Livermore,Newark,SanLeandro,SanLorenzoandUnionCity.
Tosumup,RussellCitywasunincorporatedlandownedbyAlamedaCounty,notHayward. TheCountywastheentitythatpurchasedtheproperties,thatrelocatedresidents,andthensoldthepropertytoaprivateindustrialfirm,Cabot,CabotandForbes. ItwasnotuntilAugustof1968thattheareawasannexedtoHayward. *Theissueofreparations:
TheCityofHaywardofferedanapologyinNovemberof2021forthepartthattheymayhaveplayedinthedestructionofRussellCityandfor“institutionalracism”. Inthiseraofsocialjustice,itshouldbenotedthatinrereadingtheCity’sapology,theyclearlyleftouttheWhitefamilieswhoresidedthere,anditwouldappeartosuggestthatthereisstillaracialbiasinourcommunity. TheCityofHaywardhasalsocertainlyhonoredthepeopleofRussellCityinnumerouswaysovertheyears. ThereisayearlyRussellCityBluescelebrationfundedbytheCity,amuraldepictingRussellCitystandsinthedowntownarea,a$15,000plaqueisbeingplacedinHeritagePark,andthereareaseriesofhistoricalsignserectedinapocketparkintheIndustrialAreawhereRussellCityoncestood. HowmanyofuswhohavelivedorgrownupinatreasuredHaywardneighborhoodhavebeenhonoredinsuchaway? Inourviewpoint,Haywardhasbeenexperiencingatremendousamountofguiltforsomethingthattheyarenotguiltyof.Noamountofgivingcanundopasthistory. Aspreviouslystated,weliveinaneraofsocialjustice,butsocialjusticeshouldnotbeatermrelegatedtojustoneraceoronepeople.Ifwearetolivetogetherasacommunity,wemustlearntoconsiderallpeopleaspartofthatcommunity.Allofusascitizensexperiencetherepercussionsofdecisionsmadeinyearspast. Peopledeserveequalandfairopportunitiestobettertheirlives,butallofuswillhavedifferentoutcomes,manyofwhicharebeyondourcontrol.
OntheissueofRussellCity,thereisnoevidencethatHaywardisresponsiblefor,orthatitshouldcontinueitsguiltplaguedeffortstomakeitupto,RussellCityresidents. ThecitizensofRussellCitywereproperlyreimbursedfortheirproperties,hadtheirmovingexpensespaidfor,andweregiven -5-
additionalhelpinlocatingandobtainingnewandbetterhomes.Thesepeopleareandwillcontinuetobetheresilient,hardworkingpeoplethattheyare,andwillcontinuetoembracetheiroldcommunityanditsconnections.
CONCLUSIONS:
Itisourbeliefthathistoryisateacher. Wecannotchangeit,butourjobistolearnfromit. ThedemiseofRussellCitywasclearlyanissuethattouchedpeopleinanemotionalway. ItcameaboutduringaperiodofgrowthinAlamedaCounty,andbecameaprojectoftheCounty’sRedevelopmentAgency.However,asaphysicalreality,thelivesofmanyoftheresidentswereimprovedastheywerefullycompensatedfortheirland,offeredgoodpropertypurchaseoptionsandwerehelpedtofindnew,saferandmoresanitaryhomesthroughouttheCounty.
Indealingwiththepresentissueofreparations,wehopethattheCitywillclearlyconsiderthestatementsbeingmadehere,andwillnotfallpreytounreasonableexpectationsofanyone,especiallythosewhoarenotfromnorhaveeverresidedinRussellCity. Ithasbeenmorethan50yearssincetheeventsofRussellCitytookplace,andnowithasreemergedasacurrentevent. BeingthattheCitywasnotresponsibleforwhathappened,andthattheCityhasgoneaboveandbeyondinhonoringtheRussellCitycommunity,alongwiththefactthatRussellCitycitizenswerealreadycompensatedbytheCountymanyyearsago,wearestronglyopposedtoanydirectfinancialreparationsbeingmadebytheCityofHayward.
Respectfullysubmitted,
HaywardConcernedCitizens
-6-
From: junkintofunk
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: WS 24-005
Date: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 12:42:00 PM
CAUTION:This is an external email. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe.
Good afternoon City Council,
I have read through the multitude of comments and suggestions by former residents and descendants of Russell City and I have also talked with descendants over the past few years.
One of the suggestions that strikes me as something that Hayward could easily offer is a community center, recreational space, and community art and education. Hayward owns the perfect parcel for this and this parcel is located in the same census tract as the former Russell City.
This census tract today has much the same demographic as Russell City had in 1963. This census tract is in dire need of open space, recreational opportunities, a community center, and educational opportunities.
The parcel of land I am referring to in the census tract is the former Skywest Golf Course and Clubhouse. When I go for walks in the former Skywest Golf course, I see people from all over the surrounding neighborhoods walking, riding their bicycles, and enjoying the beautiful open space that is Skywest. I talk to people when I'm out on the trail and they do indeed come from all over the Hesperian corridor and the Winton corridor.
I believe retaining Skywest as open space as part of your package of reparations for the Russell City eminent domain disaster would be appropriate.
Please do not make the same mistake that was made in 1963. Please do not let development decisions be led by the almighty dollar and heavily influenced by people who do not live here in our communities.
Thank you.
Mimi Dean