BloombergHarvardLeadershipInitiativeClassof 2024:CollaborationTrackApplication I. Problemandopportunityfor impact
Q1. Pleasedescribeatop-priorityproblemthat youproposetoworkoninthetrack. Besuretodescribehowyouknowit isaproblemandhowit isconnectedtothemayoral priorities.
Despiteitscentralityandhightransportconnectivity,thePortofRichmondisanunderutilizedcityasset.Currently,thePortlacksaStrategicPlan,adequatestaffing,andasharedcommunityvision.
Nonetheless,thestate,developers,andBureauofOceanEnergyManagementcharacterizeRichmond’sPortasaprimelocationforgreenenergyproductionandskilledmanufacturingjobs.Thesitealsooffersenormoustourismpotential,withoperational ferryservicetoSanFrancisco,panoramicviews,andnumeroushistoricWWIIsites.
Mymayoral prioritiesstronglycenteralocal Green-BlueNewDeal andJustTransitionfromfossil fuels.RevitalizingRichmond’sPortalignsperfectlywiththismission.
Q2. List thepeopleandorganizationsneededtosolvetheproblem(Thismayincludecitydepartments/officials, nonprofit organizations, commercial enterprises, foundations, impactedparties, etc. whoarecurrentlyparticipatingor shouldparticipateinthecollaboration).
Mayor’sOfficeCityManager’sOfficeCommunityDevelopmentCityAttorney’sOffice(asneeded)CommunityServices,Employment&TrainingContraCostaLaborCouncilInternational LongshoremanWorkersUnionUnitedTeachersofRichmondCaliforniaAssociationofPortAuthorities(CAPA)DevelopersInfrastructureAdvisorsSanFranciscoBayConservationandDevelopmentCommission(BCDC)CaliforniaStateLandsCommissionCaliforniaCoastal CommissionCaliforniaEnergyCommissionPublicPrivatePartnershipsState’sEconomicGoBizOfficeSustainableFreightandSupplyChainDevelopmentBayAreaAirQualityManagementDistrict CaliforniaAirResourceBoardArmyCorpsofEngineersNational ParkServiceDepartmentofToxicSubstanceControlCongressmanGaramendi’sOffice Q3. Explainhowequityfactorsintotheproblem/project. For example, howwill youaccount fordiversity, equity, inclusion, andaccessibilityintermsof personsengagedandoutcomesachievedinthecommunity.
Richmondistrulyafrontlinecommunity,experiencingthe“firstandworst”consequencesofclimatechangeandtheeffectsofheavilypollutingindustries.Nearly80%ofresidentsarepeopleofcolorand25%livebelowthefederal povertylevel.Residentsalsocontendwithdisproportionatelyhighratesofcardiovasculardisease,cancer,andasthma.
TheChevronrefineryisthecity’slargestemployer,andourGeneral Funddependsheavilyonrefineryrevenue.Portrevitalizationmeansdiversifyingourcity’seconomy,particularlyviagreenmanufacturingandtourism;high-roadunionwork;cleanerairforBayAreachildren;andsignificantcontributiontotheState’sClimateActionPlan.
Q4. Haveyoutriedtosolvethisproblembefore?Aretherelessonslearnedthat weshouldbeawareof? MyassessmentisthattheCityhasnevertriedto“solve”thisproblem,buthasratherfocusedonstaunchingthebleeding—i.e.,makingsurethehistoricaspectsofthespacedonotfall intodisrepair,orthatsomeincomeisbeingderivedfromtheinfrastructure.
TheprimarylessonofthePortisonethatappliestomuchofRichmond’seconomicdevelopment.Asaworkingclasscity,wearesometimesstill miredinthesensethatRichmonddoesn’tdeservebetter.ButIbelievewearereadytoraiseourstandardsfordevelopmentandinfrastructureevenhigher.
Q5. Describewhat asolvedproblemlooksliketoyou.
Atrulysolvedproblemgrowsfromawell-definedprocess.Thatprocessentailsthoroughresearchandanalysistounderstandtherootcausesoftheproblem.Stakeholdersthencollaborateonacomprehensivesolutionthatcapturesdiverseperspectivesandneeds.
Thisprocessmustbefollowedbyactual implementationofeffectiveinitiativesthataddresstheissueinasustainablemanner.Theseinitiativesshould,inturn,showmeasurableimprovementsthatarecommunicatedclearlyandtransparently.Mostimportantly,asolvedproblemincitygovernmentcontributestotheoverall well-beingandqualityoflifeforresidentsandreinforcestheCityCouncil’sreputationasaresponsivegoverningbody.
Q6. Pleasedescribeasecondproject that couldbeconsideredasanalternativeoptionasafocusfor thistrack.
LikemanyMainStreets,Richmond’sdowntownwasdecimatedbytheshoppingmall boomofthelate20thcentury.Furtherissuesincludedsuburbanization,publicsafetyconcerns,anddecreasedfoodtraffic.Thesefactorsperpetuatedanegativecycleofdisinvestmentanddecreasedappeal.However,withstrategicplanningandcommunityinvolvement,IbelieveRichmond'sdowntowncanregainitsvitality.
OurdowntownisalsosituatedinourmostworkingclassandhistoricallyAfricanAmericanandLatinxneighborhoods,whereinresidentshavefacedoverpolicing,highpollution,andlimitedretail andrecreation.Prioritizingthisareawouldhelprectifysomeeconomicandracial harmsinourCity.
II. Capacityfor thework
Q7. Tobesuccessful inthecollaborationtrack, teamswill needtomakeacommitment totheproject. Pleasechecktheboxesbelowtoconfirmyour city'sabilitytomakethefollowingcommitments:
TheMayorwill identifyacoreteamofeightcityleaders,consistingofaminimumoffourcitystaffandincludingoneBloombergHarvardSeniorLeader,whowill committobeingpartofthecollaborationteamforthedurationoftheprogram. Theteamofeightwill havesufficienttimetocommit,onaverage,fourtosixhoursperweekforthedurationofthetrackandwill travel toNewYorkCityforfivedaysinSpring2024. Themayorwill makeher/himselfavailabletomeetwiththeteamforregularprojectupdatesfromtheteam. Thecitywill activelyspreadthenewcollaborationskillsinyourcitybothduringthetrackandbeyondbysharingtoolswithadditional staffmembersandapplyingthetoolstoothercollaborationsinthefuture. Q8. WhichBloombergHarvardSenior Leader areyounominatingtobepart of thetrackteamandwhy?TheBloombergHarvardSenior Leader will serveasacrucial linktotheMayor andensurethat communicationandalignment betweentheMayor andteamremainintact andwillspendapproximately6-8hoursaweekduringtheprogram.
IamnominatingbothSeniorLeaderstojointhecoreteamofthisproject.ShasaCurl,Richmond’sCityManager,hasanoutstandingtrackrecordmanagingcomplex,massiveprojects.Herhistorical knowledgeofthecityiswide-ranging,andthiscollaborativeprojectwillundoubtedlystrengthenourworkingrelationship.
TonyTamayo,myDeputyChiefofStaff,bringstwoessential qualitiestothisproject.Hisrobustcommunicationsskillsetiscrucial inpromotingourPort.Hehasapenchantfornavigatingdifficultrelationshipswithmultiplestakeholdergroups,andthistrackoffersanopportunitytobothusehiscollaborativetalentsanddevelopthemfurther.
III. Excitement for andcommitment todevelopingthecapability Q9. Whyiscross-boundarycollaboration(i.e., workingacrosssectors, jurisdictions, agencies, oracombination) askill that your cityisinterestedinbuildingat thistime? TheRichmondCityCouncil andCitystaffarenationallyrecognizedfordevelopingpromisingpracticesrelatedtoviolencepreventionandHealthinAll Policies.TheMayorseekstoleveragethisstrongfoundationofcollaborationto "ReimagineRosietheRiveter"(asignificantlegacyinRichmond)bydevelopinganinnovativeStrategicPlanforthePortofRichmond.Moreover,manyofthechallengesRichmondcontendswith—sealevel rise,developmentwithoutdisplacement,affordablehousingandpublicsafety—crosssectoral andjurisdictionalboundaries.Bysharinginformationandresourcesacrosssectorsandagencies,Richmondcanbothoptimizeresourceallocationandavoidduplicationofefforts.