Richmond Equitable Development Initiative

What’s at Stake?

In many of our nation’s metropolitan regions, the outer edges enjoy growth and prosperity, while central cities and inner suburbs experience overall population loss, a declining tax base, and increasing concentrated poverty. This reality mirrors Richmond—a tale of two cities. For those families with stable employment and income above 115% of the area median, Richmond represents a ripe opportunity for new urban development—upscale apartments, condo subdivisions and townhouses, with Starbucks thrown in, are attracting families who are able to afford the high-end market amenities. For families with incomes below 80% of the area median income, the majority of whom are people of color and immigrants, Richmond is more often than not an area of high crime, poor schools, limited employment opportunities and a diminishing affordable housing stock.

Due to its access and proximity to Marin, San Francisco, Alameda and Santa Clara counties, as well as several world-class universities, Richmond is prime for economic development, and speculators are eager to profit from West County's available land and transportation infrastructure. Without effective community participation in local and regional decision-making processes, future growth management, land use, transportation and economic development policies may result in gentrification and displacement of Richmond’s low-income residents.

Vision and Goals

In November 2003, The Ford Foundation launched a 4-year initiative in Richmond to support a coalition of organizations committed to the principles of equitable development. The Ford Foundation selected Urban Habitat, Contra Costa Faith Works! and the Richmond Improvement Association to guide the design and development of the Initiative. The Initiative is partnering with the following organizations to implement our priority campaigns: East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, East Bay Housing Organizations and the Institute for Urban and Regional Development, University of California, Berkeley.

The Partners’ vision for Richmond is a community in which every resident has access to affordable housing, and safe, reliable public transit that connects them to living-wage jobs, quality education, a clean environment, health care and other essential services. A place where community-driven economic development puts existing residents’ needs first, where urban revitalization provides opportunities for local businesses to thrive, and where local policies are part of a regional plan for achieving an equitable and sustainable Bay Area.

To help translate this vision into reality, the Initiative supports research, advocacy, organizing, and policy efforts to promote equitable development in Richmond. Our aim is to create clear alternatives to current planning and development practices that often result in gentrification and displacement. We want to ensure that the current and future development of Richmond benefits the city’s low-income/low-wealth residents.

Current Campaigns (click for more info):

1) Richmond General Plan Update
2) Just Cause and Fair Rent Campaign
3) Local Employment Program

Looking Ahead:

Affordable Housing Campaign

East Bay Housing Organizations is completing a report on the current housing crisis and possible policy solutions. The Initiative will be reaching out to key players in Richmond to form an affordable housing working group. We will analyze the existing policies in Richmond and identify a campaign to promote affordable housing as an economic development tool.

Development of Congregation-owned land

We will expand our current land inventory to cover land owned by members of RIA and FaithWorks! We will work with willing partners who have expressed an interest in developing their land in ways that will benefit the community. We will offer trainings that will support their engagement throughout the various stages of the development process. Our goal is to develop congregation owned land in ways that model the principles of equitable development.

If we succeed in passing a stronger Local Employment Program, there will be new challenges associated with implementation and enforcement of the policy. Initiative partners and community groups will have to make a long-term commitment to this program to ensure that the City enforces the new policy. Initiative partners realize that an LEP policy will not be enough to bring about real change. To ensure that Richmond residents benefit from the new policy, we will be examining the current systems and programs that address job readiness training, apprenticeship programs, and job placement.