Bay Area

Nat Bates, First Elected to Richmond Council in 1967, Bids ‘Final Farewell’

After serving this great City of Richmond twice as its mayor, several times as vice mayor, and many years as a councilmember since 1967, this day has very special meaning to me as I emotionally bid my final farewell.

Published

1 year ago

January 14, 2023

Oakland Post

Nat Bates. Photo by Mike Kinney.

By Nat Bates

(Former Richmond City Councilmember Nat Bates, who at age 91 was the nation’s oldest elected official, penned this farewell speech for his final day in office Jan. 10, 2023.)

Because of this historical Covid-19 pandemic swearing-in ceremony, I will try to be brief with my final statements as an elected official.

In 1967, when elected on my very first attempt as a city councilman, little did I realize the length of my tenure nor the many contributions I would be involved in making Richmond such a prosperous and quality city.

If I were to qualify my strongest commitments and contributions to the city and community, I would list in no preferable order my solid support for Public Safety, perhaps because of my 30+ years as an Alameda County Probation Officer.

Throughout this nation and universe, public safety of all residents is the number one priority the citizens demand from our government.

Second, no city can survive without a strong business community that includes all of our businesses (small, medium and large) because they contribute immensely to city employment opportunities for our residents, and significant and much needed tax revenue to the City.

I am very proud to have provided leadership roles in the development of the Hilltop Mall Shopping Center, which also included the Auto Row, which at the time, was one of the development showcases of the Bay Area negotiations in attracting Home Depot, Target, Foodco, Costco and other businesses that were frequently met with strong opposition — but the majority of the council stood firm and strong while approving these projects for the betterment of the city.

I am also very proud of my personal working relationships with almost every housing developer including the late Carl Dame (Carriage Hills), Bert Clausen (Brickyard Cove), along with Peterson/Moratti, Former Oakland A’s owner Steve Schott, the Ghilemetti Builders, Toll Brothers, Shea Homes, and the late Robert Poe and his son Richard (Marina Bay to name a few), for the high quality of beautiful housing developments that has made Richmond one of the most desirable places in the Bay Area to reside.

These developments have brought to Richmond a strong group of talented citizens who have contributed significantly to the city by becoming city staff members and or participating on our boards and commissions.

Needless to say, many of these business and housing developments oftentimes have received strong opposition from various members of the community, but we proceeded to move forward, and the city is richer and more prosperous than ever.

Additionally, I wish to thank the voters for their continued support over the years where it afforded me a personal opportunity to meet and work directly with several United States presidents, governors, United States senators, members of Congress and others.

Obviously, one of the highlights of my career was working personally with President Jimmy Carter and his administration in the construction of the John Knox Freeway.

Being the one and only City of Richmond elected official to have been invited to a White House Christmas Celebration by then President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama and personally meeting and communicating with them became the highlight of my political career. This occurred only because of the continued support of the voters, and I thank each of them very much.

Time does not permit me to mention all of those who have assisted me on the way, but I would like to acknowledge City Manager Shasa Curl, City Clerk Pamela Christian, Planning Director Lina Velasco, Community Services Director LaShonda White, Police Chief Bisa French, Fire Chief Angel Montoya, Housing Director Nannette Bechman, IT Director Sue Hartman, City Attorney Dave Aleshire and their entire staffs along with City Council Liaison Trina Jackson-Lincoln and several others — too many to name.

Staff plays such an important role while supporting elected officials in accomplishing their goals and aspirations, and Richmond has some of the best.

I would be derelict — as well as disrespectful — if I did not acknowledge the many who contributed to this five decades of political journey. First was my 1967 campaign committee where many are no longer with us including my late spouse Shirley Bates, the late Mayor George Livingston, a personal friend, along with then Supervisor Jim Kinney; businessman Elton Brombacher; Aileen Hernandez, perhaps the most intelligent and savvy political person I have known who was later elected to NOW (the National Organization of Women); longtime friend Louis Pierce; and Winters Calvin.

Very pleased to continue to have with us committee members are former Councilman Jim McMillan, Meckila Pierce and Willie Reed who has been my sports teammate from El Cerrito High School, Contra Costa College, and the Indian Head Rockets baseball team where the two of us were recently honored by being inducted into the Saskatchewan Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame this past August 2022.

I would also like to thank the many mom-and-pop, small and big business groups I have worked with over the years as well as the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, led by James Lee; Council of Richmond Industries, led by Katrinka Ruk; and the Contra Costa Realtors and Apartment Association. Also, many thanks to the labor unions, especially the Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council with Bill Whitney, Ché Timmons, Tom Hanson, Don Gosney, and Richmond’s Public Safety — Police and Fire Unions for their years of support.

Thanks to individual friends like Al Engel, Jim Levin, David Spatz, Bobbie Amos, Terry Kwong, Barbara O’Neil, Shawn Molberg, Steve Seher, and the Lompa Family, to name a few.

Lastly, to my devoted and loving family who has been with me each and every step of the way through the good and bad times. My only daughter Gale Bates Anderson, my eldest son Larry Nathaniel Bates, my youngest son Steven Bates as well as their spouses, in-laws, my grand- and great-grandchildren. I owe each of them my appreciation because my journey has also been their journey, and I love them very much.

To incoming Mayor Martinez and the new council, I wish you the very best in solving the many challenges you will be facing immediately and in the future. A city divided serves no purpose for our residents, and please be mindful the business community and their taxes are the life stream of a prosperous and successful city.

There must be some respectful resolution to Measure “U” which is creating and causing havoc in our business community. Remember, as Richmond prospers, we all prosper and as Richmond fails, we collectively also fail.

Finally, to my many loyal friends and supporters, Thanks again for five wonderful and memorable decades filled with love, respect, support and appreciation. We did it together, and I could not have done it without you.

Stay healthy and safe and may God continue to bless each of us and this great city of Richmond, the only home I know and love.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

4 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

MAYOR BREED ANNOUNCES $53 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S HOMELESS PROGRAMS

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the city a $53.7 million grant to support efforts to renew and expand critical services and housing for people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.

Published

4 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Mayor London Breed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org

***PRESS RELEASE***

MAYOR BREED ANNOUNCES $53 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT FOR SAN FRANCISCO’S HOMELESS PROGRAMS

HUD’s Continuum of Care grant will support the City’s range of critical services and programs, including permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, and improved access to housing for survivors of domestic violence

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded the city a $53.7 million grant to support efforts to renew and expand critical services and housing for people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.

HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) program is designed to support local programs with the goal of ending homelessness for individuals, families, and Transitional Age Youth.

This funding supports the city’s ongoing efforts that have helped more than 15,000 people exit homelessness since 2018 through City programs including direct housing placements and relocation assistance. During that time San Francisco has also increased housing slots by 50%. San Francisco has the most permanent supportive housing of any county in the Bay Area, and the second most slots per capita than any city in the country.

“In San Francisco, we have worked aggressively to increase housing, shelter, and services for people experiencing homelessness, and we are building on these efforts every day,” said Mayor London Breed. “Every day our encampment outreach workers are going out to bring people indoors and our City workers are connecting people to housing and shelter. This support from the federal government is critical and will allow us to serve people in need and address encampments in our neighborhoods.”

The funding towards supporting the renewal projects in San Francisco include financial support for a mix of permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, and transitional housing projects. In addition, the CoC award will support Coordinated Entry projects to centralize the City’s various efforts to address homelessness. This includes $2.1 million in funding for the Coordinated Entry system to improve access to housing for youth and survivors of domestic violence.

“This is a good day for San Francisco,” said Shireen McSpadden, executive director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. “HUD’s Continuum of Care funding provides vital resources to a diversity of programs and projects that have helped people to stabilize in our community. This funding is a testament to our work and the work of our nonprofit partners.”

The 2024 Continuum of Care Renewal Awards Include:

$42.2 million for 29 renewal PSH projects that serve chronically homeless, veterans, and youth
$318,000 for one new PSH project, which will provide 98 affordable homes for low-income seniors in the Richmond District
$445,00 for one Transitional Housing (TH) project serving youth
$6.4 million dedicated to four Rapid Rehousing (RRH) projects that serve families, youth, and survivors of domestic violence
$750,00 for two Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) projects
$2.1 million for three Coordinated Entry projects that serve families, youth, chronically homeless, and survivors of domestic violence

In addition, the 2023 CoC Planning Grant, now increased to $1,500,000 from $1,250,000, was also approved. Planning grants are submitted non-competitively and may be used to carry out the duties of operating a CoC, such as system evaluation and planning, monitoring, project and system performance improvement, providing trainings, partner collaborations, and conducting the PIT Count.

“We are very appreciative of HUD’s support in fulfilling our funding request for these critically important projects for San Francisco that help so many people trying to exit homelessness,” said Del Seymour, co-chair of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board. “This funding will make a real difference to people seeking services and support in their journey out of homelessness.”

In comparison to last year’s competition, this represents a $770,000 increase in funding, due to a new PSH project that was funded, an increase in some unit type Fair Market Rents (FMRs) and the larger CoC Planning Grant. In a year where more projects had to compete nationally against other communities, this represents a significant increase.

Nationally, HUD awarded nearly $3.16 billion for over 7,000 local homeless housing and service programs including new projects and renewals across the United States.