Government
It’s Wednesday morning, and Demnlus Johnson III works diligently in his office. The sounds of footsteps echo in the hall as students, teachers and staff make their way to where they need to be before the morning bell rings. After finishing up emails, securing a new gym floor covering, and methodically searching for students’ schedules, Johnson stands up and buttons his brown tweed suit. It’s time to hand-deliver 30 applications for the Rising Scholars program, an initiative that helps young…
Nikki Beasley is executive director of Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, a nonprofit developed in the 1980s to address housing inequities, particularly those created by practices such as redlining and discriminatory lending. She’s served in her current position for little more than a year, but in that time she’s made it clear she’ll be showing up and speaking her mind when it counts.
The Richmond Police Department reports up to 800 live on the streets of Richmond every night, but there is currently no dedicated fund for the homeless in the city. Local advocate Kathy Robinson is the head of the city’s new homeless task force, and she’s determined not to let it go on like this.
Underutilization of the CalFresh program in Contra Costa County resulted in a projected loss of nearly $94 million in annual economic impact. Five years later, the federal aid remains untapped.
Veterans’ Voices offers alternative coverage of issues veterans face while adjusting back to civilian life.
Ada Recinos, 26, recently became the youngest city councilmember in Richmond’s history. She has faced doubt due to her age and perceived lack of policy knowledge, but is ready to leave her mark on the position.
Opponents – and even supporters – of Tom Butt say Richmond’s mayor is guilty of what one critic described as a “flagrant abuse of power” and a council member called “highly inappropriate” actions. Emails between the mayor and residents indicate that many in the community were alarmed when the mayor used his regular “e-forum” to doxx political adversaries, sharing their home addresses and accusing them of violating Richmond’s rent control ordinance.
Twenty out of Richmond’s 25 city-based commissions and committees currently have empty seats, resulting in an approximately 30 percent vacancy rate. For these committees, this means more work and fewer opportunities to engage the public.
The Transient Occupancy Tax, typically paid by hotels, motels and tourists homes, may soon impact unincorporated areas like El Sobrante, Kensington and North Richmond, where there are no existing restrictions on short-term rentals, or the rules are not enforced.