CITY COUNCIL MEETING
FEBRUARY 17, 2026
DOCUMENTS RECEIVED AFTER PUBLISHED AGENDA
Item 5 - CONS 26-039
Adopt an Ordinance of the City of Hayward, California, Amending Chapter 12, Article 1 of the Hayward Municipal Code Relating to Residential Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protection
From: BC4AD
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Council meeting 2/17/26 CONS 26-039
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026 2:04:49 PM
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Dear City Council,
It is much appreciated that the city is doing more for renters and I thank you for this endeavor.
As I have previously written I urge the city to make more robust standards for habitability to protect renters.
Many landlords refuse to replace old and worn out carpet, sometimes letting renters live in carpeting as old as 20 years. This is unacceptable and poses a danger to public health and safety. Old carpeting can be a tripping hazard, either due to carpet wrinkles, or worn out carpet padding. Additionally, old carpet can contribute to allergies, asthma, or carry various pests.
I urge the city to revise and update its Residential Rental Inspection Program (RRIP), particularly ending the "self-certification program". That program has been a failure and it is time to end it and the city needs to start enforcement quickly. Too many properties are in disrepair and the majority of residents do not know their rights or refuse to report violations from fear of retaliation or perhaps their immigration status. The city needs to be the voice for them. Everyone deserves to live in good conditions especially since they pay their end of the bargain by paying their rent.
And also the taxpayer and neighbors do not get to suffer from the blight.
The city should do more to educate landlords to still take advantage of rebates or grant opportunities for upgrading windows. Too many old single pane windows in the city that accumulate moisture and mold and require massive heating and cooling inefficieny . Some landlords believe they do not qualify and are mistaken that those programs are only for residential homeowners.
There has been an uptick in pests in Hayward and the city must start strengthening and enforcing its codes. My understanding is that Vector Control is within the jurisdiction of the county, but whatever the city can do to strengthen that as well will be much appreciated. Perhaps the blight and street vendors are exacerbating the issue.
Some examples of terrible land management & stewardship: peeling paint, cracking facades, piles of garbage, empty commercial lots, boarded up, windows with mold, some properties do not even look structurally safe, even the brand new construction has fading paint due to poor workmanship and cheap quality paint, which is why we need robust design standards to enhance and preserve aesthetics.
Best,
John
Item 7 - CONS 26-047
Adopt a Resolution Approving Agreement with Philanthropic Ventures Foundation as Fiscal Sponsor for the Russell City Redress Fund and Authorize the City Manager to Execute the Agreement
DATE: February 13, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Attorney
THROUGH: City Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Approving Agreement with Philanthropic Ventures Foundation as Fiscal Sponsor for the Russell City Redress Fund and Authorize the City Manager to Execute the Agreement CONS 26-047
The staff report includes three errors, as follows:
1. Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas is incorrectly referred to as Supervisor Nikki Bas Fortunato;
2. Supervisor David Haubert’s pledge is $100,000, not $100; and
3. The City of Hayward and County of Alameda will jointly screen, review, and approve applicants based on agreed criteria; the Office of Education will not be involved in this process.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council accept an amendment to CONS 26-047, as reflected above.
Recommended by: Michael Lawson, City Attorney
Approved by:
_________________________________
Jennifer Ott, City Manager
From: HAYWARD CONCERNED CITIZENS
Date: February 15, 2026 at 8:00:52 PM PST
To: Michael Lawson <[email protected]>
Cc: Mark Salinas <[email protected]>, [email protected] Subject: Feb. 17, 2025 City Council Meeting, Consent Item CONS 26-047 City Attorney Lawson,
We are reaching out as the HCC subset group that initially researched the history of Russell City and the residents’ relocation since the inception of the Reparative Justice Project in 2021. We noted the inclusion of the consent item for Philanthropic Ventures Foundation as Fiscal Sponsor for the Russell City Redress Fund on the 2/17/26 City Council agenda and wish to include this email for public record.
We are disheartened that the City of Hayward, despite it’s demonstrated fiscal irresponsibility and despite proven to not be directly responsible for the dismantling of Russell City, would continue to perpetuate and prioritize the need to monetarily compensate those that were unfortunately impacted by the industrialization efforts taking place at that time. It should be emphasized that many individuals and families of all ethnicities in the Hayward area were forced to move through the years in the name of progress, yet Hayward has chosen to compensate the only group that was assisted through a county relocation program for both renters and owners in Russell City.
We are equally troubled that the Reparative Justice Project, which began as merely listening sessions and became a series of long delays and inconsistent public outreach, was not by any means a democratic process, an inclusive process, or a transparent process when it began to involve our taxpayer funds. We engaged in the virtual town hall meetings coordinated through Regina Youngblood and completed the subsequent proposal surveys conducted from August to December of 2024 with no public results provided on those surveys to date, per our knowledge. We were also part of the cited 254 respondents on a subsequent conducted survey that closed 10/3/25 with no results provided to the public to date.
Additionally, we find the hypocrisy in Hayward moving forward with contributing to the redress funds appalling, given that your own council stated “we are deep trouble” (in Council Member Goldstein’s words, with regard to the $30 million budget shortfall). This is the same council that robbed close to $9 million from our Measure C funds as well as walked back AND withheld funding from our vital nonprofits (that provide community support in the present day) for 2025 and 2026.
And to state that “this agenda item is a routine operational item and does not relate to any of the six priorities outlined in the Council’s Strategic Roadmap” also comes as a surprise, as it was included in the city’s FY 2022-23 proposed Strategic Road Map under “Enhance Community Safety and Quality of Life”.
In conclusion and going forward, we have questions that we hope you can answer for us:
Are there tabulated data results for the aforementioned surveys that the general public can access and easily interpret?
Who determines eligibility to receive the funds, and how have they been prioritized? Per the staff report, the city’s $250,000 contribution “was absorbed into the City’s existing supplies and services budget for Fiscal Year 2026..” What does this mean, and what supplies and services will be impacted?
Why is the City Manager the authorized agent for disbursement requests when there are three separate entities who have contributed to the redress fund? Will the amount being distributed be the only and final payment expected by the individuals in the Russell City RJP group, and how much will it be? How long will PVF’s services be retained to hold the funds being authorized and administered to the residents/descendants?
Knowing that “PVF will charge a 2% annual administrative fee, totaling approximately $24,000 deducted from the fund”, has it been projected how many years this fee will be incurred, and what portion will Hayward be expected to pay? I know that Mayor Salinas has taken umbrage to my overuse of the word transparency, but in the case of the Russell City Redress it does apply. When any governmental process lacks transparency and oversight, trust is lost from your Hayward residents. With our city skating on the brink of bankruptcy, it is essential to earn that trust back.
Sincerely,
TJ for HCC
HAYWARD CONCERNED CITIZENS
501(c)(4) nonprofit, public benefit organization
(#5924297)
Item 8 - LB 26-004
Hayward Municipal Code Update: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Sections 8-18.20 to 8-18.40, 8-18.120 to 8-18.170, and 8-
18.190 to 8-18.200, of Article 18, Chapter 8 of the Hayward Municipal Code Related to the Utility User Tax
From: BC4AD
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Council Meeting 2/17/26 LB-26-004
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026 11:13:44 AM
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Dear City Council,
The City should consider raising the UUT to 7.5% in light of the massive inflation in recent years that was not anticipated in 2016. Also, I did not see whether solar is taxed in the ordinance, and I would appreciate staff clarification whether it is or isn't, and if it isn't then solar should also be taxed for equity.
The cost of solar installation has been exponentially decreasing over the years so it is time to also tax this type of use.
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"Solar panel prices have plummeted by over 70% in the past decade, transforming from a luxury investment into an accessible home upgrade that pays for itself. In 2000, residential solar installations averaged $12 per watt; today, homeowners pay just $2.50 to $3.50 per watt, making it possible to power an average home for under $20,000 before incentives. This dramatic cost reduction, driven by manufacturing efficiency, technological advances, and increased market competition, has revolutionized home energy economics."
Solar Panel Prices Have Dropped 80% - Here's What That Means for Your Home - Residential Solar Panels
Best,
John
Item 9 - RPT 26-010
Informational Report: Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) Improvements Phase II Project Update
From: BC4AD
To: List-Mayor-Council
Subject: Council meeting 2/17/26 - RPT 26-010
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026 4:12:52 PM
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Dear City Council,
I commend the city on such a complex and monumental project and would like to extend gratitude and appreciation for everyone involved, I know you all worked very hard at this.
I have written to the city previously about exploring the idea of incorporating the facility with a desalination plant. There was an interagency feasibility study conducted several years ago that determined that a desalination plant would be feasible. However, the study only looked at a standalone desalination plant. My vision would be to incorporate the waste facility, power plant, and desalination plant for a cumulative effect which could make it even more feasible, they could feed off each other for cooling and other purposes. Hayward is unique with that regard.
Furthermore, this would open up the opportunity to have a world class nutrient and mineral extraction facility all working in harmony reducing operating costs. I urge the city to see if it is possible to incorporate this into the design or at least incorporate the ability to retrofit in the future. Because this research is new and cutting edge, it has national interest and could open up more federal funding to help reduce the cost for the city.
Moreover, since data centers are looking for creative solutions, perhaps one of the benefit packages for the city could be a package that includes the construction of such a facility. But the city must maintain control of such a facility. This could also bring investment from Stanford & Berkeley (imagine satellite/lab campus) this could help augment CSUEB, as there are a few studies in Stanford regarding nutrient extraction from desalination plants. The main goal should be for the city to have a mechanism to retain the mineral rights.
Milwaukee created a fertilizer from wastewater and generates roughly $10-15million in annual revenue to help offset wastewater treatment costs. San Francisco does something similar but does not publish the data as a line item. I'm personally not for using this for crops, but perhaps other industrial uses.
Finally, $500 million is a lot of money, and it would be prudent to try and see if something like this could work and open funding opportunities.
Best,
John
General 1 — Bay Area Regional Desalination Project
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