Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Friday that the state has released $470 million to 302 school districts, charters and county offices of education to fund the Golden State Pathways program.
The program allows students to “advance seamlessly from high school to college and career and provides the workforce needed for economic growth.”
“It’s an incredibly historic investment for the state,” said Anne Stanton, president of the Linked Learning Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates giving youth opportunities to learn about careers.
Both the state and federal governments previously made big investments in preparing students for college or career at the K-12 level, but the Golden State Pathways program is different in that it challenges school districts, colleges, employers and other community groups to create “pathways” — or a focused series of courses — that prepare K-12 students for college and career at the same time. These pathways aim to prepare students for well-paying careers in fields such as health care, education and technology, while also ensuring that they take 12 college credits through dual enrollment courses and the A-G classes needed to apply to public four-year universities.
“By establishing career technical pathways that are also college preparatory, the Golden State Pathways Program provides a game-changing opportunity for California’s young people,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Thurmond said in a statement.
The Golden State Pathways are an important part of the new master plan for education — Newsom’s vision to transform career education in California — which is expected by the year’s end.
The state is distributing the vast majority of the funding — $422 million — to enable schools to implement their plans in partnership with higher education and other community partners. The remaining $48 million will assist those who still need grants for planning.
All sorts of schools throughout the state — rural and urban, large and small — benefited from the funding.
Schools in the rural Northern California counties of Tehama and Humboldt — whose K-12 enrollment is under 30,000 students — jointly received about $30 million to implement and plan pathways to help students stay on track for college and careers with livable wages.
“That’s a big deal to have that kind of influx going to that many small schools,” said Jim Southwick, assistant superintendent of the Tehama County Office of Education, which plans to expand career pathways in education, health care, construction, manufacturing and agriculture.
Schools in Tehama had previously begun to implement career pathways at the high school level in concert with local employers and Shasta College. However, many students struggled to complete the pathways because they were ill-prepared in middle school, Southwick said.
But one middle school pilot program did successfully introduce students to career education, he added, leading to an influx of funding through the Golden State Pathways that will expand the program to other middle schools.
Long Beach Unified, the fourth-largest district in the state, received about $12 million through the Golden State Pathways program. District spokesperson Elvia Cano said the funding will provide counseling and extra support for students navigating dual enrollment, Advanced Placement courses, college aid, externships and other work-based learning opportunities.
The district also plans to increase access to dual enrollment through partner Long Beach Community College and to create a new pathway in arts, media and entertainment at select high schools.
Advocates are celebrating the governor’s commitment to the program despite the uncertainty surrounding the budget this year.
Linda Collins, founder and executive director of Career Ladders Project, which supports redesigning community colleges to support students, said, “It’s an impressive commitment at a time that it’s desperately needed.”
Newsom said in a statement that this funding will help students even if they don’t go to college , saying it “will be a game-changer for thousands of students as the state invests in pathways to good-paying, high-need careers — including those that don’t require college degrees.”
UPDATE:
A total of almost $7.7 million in Implementation and Planning Grants were awarded to schools in Contra Costa County.
Antioch Unified Awarded Funding
Asked if the Antioch Unified School District has or will be receiving any of the funding, Acting Superintendent Dr. Rob Martinez shared, “While the District has not received formal notification as of yet from the California Department of Education, the information below has been listed on the CDE websites as reports of funding allocations.
The first link is for fund to districts as direct funding, which shows Antioch Unified School District receiving $522,500” for an Implementation Grant.
“There will also be an award to the Contra Costa County Consortium Grant which we opted to be part of which is listed at $1,775,000 (We anticipate that we will see a portion of those funds, to be determined by the consortium),” he added.
Other Contra Costa Districts, One School Also Awarded Grants
Sonia Ledo proudly announced today she is the only State Assembly candidate in District 15 who is endorsed by four local police associations and the Deputy District Attorneys Association in Contra Costa County.
Ledo secured endorsements from the Walnut Creek Police Association, Concord Police Association, Martinez Police Officers Association and BART Police Officers’ Association. The Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorneys Association also endorsed the Assembly candidate for her commitment to address low-level crime and keep dangerous criminals off the streets.
“As representatives of the Martinez Police Officers Association, we wholeheartedly endorse Sonia Ledo for the California State Assembly seat in District 15,” said Martinez POA Board President Sean Angoco. “Sonia Ledo’s unwavering support for law enforcement is unparalleled. Sonia’s commitment to addressing urgent issues such as public safety is deeply rooted in her understanding of the critical role law enforcement plays in safeguarding our communities.
We believe Sonia Ledo’s unwavering support for law enforcement, coupled with her fairness, transparency, and strong work ethic, make her the ideal candidate to represent us in the State Assembly. We urge you to join us in supporting Sonia Ledo on November 5th for a safer and brighter future for California.”
Concord Police Association Board President Paul Van Diver referred to Ledo as “a true champion for public safety and community well-being”. He believes Ledo is “an obvious and compelling choice for endorsement because her consistent dedication to upholding important values only solidifies her as an exceptional candidate.”
Shane Reiss, President of BART Police Officers’ Association said, “BART POA endorses Sonia Ledo because she’s the only candidate in this race that opposes Prop. 47 and she believes in enforcing laws and keeping dangerous criminals off the streets.”
“I am honored to have earned the endorsements of so many local law enforcement organizations within Assembly District 15”, Ledo said. “It says they believe in me to go to work on day one in Sacramento and address the failed policies of the last decade. Such failed state policies have made us less safe in our communities while shopping, enjoying public spaces, and even in our own homes. We need new direction in Sacramento and that’s what I will bring”, Ledo said.
Her plan for improving public safety is a comprehensive four-part approach that includes a focus on police, prosecutors, judges and rehabilitation.
Ledo will work for:
Better recruitment, training and technology programs for our police departments;
Tougher mandates for prosecution of criminals by our district attorneys;
Stricter sentencing guidelines for our judges; and
Mandated rehabilitation and transition services for first-time offenders and those who have served their time.
The 15th Assembly District includes all of Antioch. For more information, contact Sonia Ledo at info@SoniaLedo.com call 925-567-9988 or visit SoniaLedo.com.
Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe invites the public to join him for the first Antioch Salutes Ceremony that honors high school graduates who have chosen to serve our nation in the United States Armed Forces and become part of the 1% of Americans who serve in military uniform.
The ceremony will include entertainment and refreshments. Several elected city officials, military officers and Armed Forces veterans will be in attendance.
Student enlistees will be sworn in, receive a special Certificate of Commendation from the mayor and a special Thank You for their service to the nation.
The event will be held at Noon on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at 101 Waldie Plaza across from City Hall in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. To register for the free event visit Antioch SALUTES Tickets on Eventbrite.
Antioch Councilman Mike Barbanica speaks about the sideshow ordinance in a YouTube video on his supervisorial campaign’s Facebook page on June 3, 2024. (Screenshot) Sideshow in Antioch on Sept. 24, 2023. Herald file photo.
Following Saturday’s rash of events
Responds to mayor’s swipe about playing politics
“We should not tolerate our elected officials dodging the issues by watering down penalties or limiting the authority of the police to cite everybody involved. Push your elected officials to put a stop to this.” – Councilman Mike Barbanica
“Pittsburg has taken a different direction. They have this policy.” – Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe
Lack of ordinance due to council member absences at meetings it was discussed and voted on
By Allen D. Payton
In a video post on his county supervisorial campaign Facebook page on Monday evening, June 3, 2024, Antioch District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica urged the public to support including prohibiting spectators in the sideshow ordinance. He also responded to Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe’s swipe at him, Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock for not voting to pass the second reading of the sideshow ordinance in March. As previously reported, after the council voted 5-0 in February for the ordinance banning advertising and organizing sideshows, with the mayor and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker absent, no motion was made by the three council members in attendance to adopt the new ordinance. Barbanica and Ogorchock wanted a stronger ordinance with fines for spectators and greater penalties.
As previously reported, in the mayor’s Facebook video post on Saturday night about the sideshows, he said about the three council members, without naming them, “Unfortunately, the council decided to play politics and not pass the sideshow ordinance.”
Asked “didn’t you vote against targeting spectators,” Hernandez-Thorpe responded, “No. I proposed a sideshow ordinance that targeted organizers and spectators. When it got to council there was only consensus for organizers. I defended the use of camera technology assuring the public that we did a good job of determining who was a side show spectator and who was legitimately stuck in traffic created by sideshows. It had consensus (not a vote) from the council. When it came back for first reading vote as a proposed ordinance only targeting organizers it had unanimous support (5-0). The second reading of the ordinance on consent was pulled and failed. That’s called playing politics because as you know…laws can be easily modified later. I don’t always expect to get 100% of what I propose.” (See related article)
District 1 Councilman Mike Barbanica speaks during the second reading of the proposed sideshow advertising and organizing ban while Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker were absent for the Antioch City Council meeting on March 12, 2024. None of the three council members in attendance made the motion to pass the ordinance which caused it to die. Video screenshot
All three council members were asked if they had a response to the mayor’s comments about their lack of action in March. Only Barbanica responded saying he would post a video on the matter.
Barbanica Urges Public to Contact Council Members to Give Police All Needed Tools
In the post of a YouTube video on his Facebook page entitled, “Side Shows and what we can do”, Barbanica wrote, “Last weekend, Pittsburg and Antioch both experienced side shows. Push your elected officials to do everything we can to give officers every tool possible to put a stop to these.”
In the video he said, “Many of you are aware I retired as a police lieutenant, I did 21 years with the Pittsburg Police Department,” I’ve been on scene where we’ve had large groups of individuals and had to work…to break up that activity. I will tell you from experience if you hear that all we have to do is cite the organizer and the whole thing will come crumbling down. That is ridiculous.
“We should be giving our officers the tools…to be able to go out and cite anybody who is there, depending on the situation,” he continued. “I’m not talking people that are stuck in their cars waiting to get through a sideshow. I’m talking active participants. These are causing havoc within our communities.”
Barbanica shared about firefighters telling him about an engine stuck in a backup caused by a sideshow on their way to an emergency. “It’s a matter of time before somebody is seriously hurt or worse,” he stated.
“I’m asking you to push your elected officials…and tell them, ‘Enough. We’ve had enough and to stop playing games and taking a potentially, a very strong ordinance and watering it down.”
“I proposed that we not only cite anybody involved with a sideshow but active participants, the folks with the video cameras, cheering it on, surrounding the sideshows. Obviously there to participate,” Barbanica stated. “And that met with resistance from politicians. For the life of me I can’t understand why we would not want to give our officers the tools to do that.”
“It doesn’t mean they’re going to cite everybody that’s there,” he explained. “It means it’s a tool that they have when they get there, and they need to break up a sideshow. Start handing out citations and see how fast that breaks up.”
“But what happens, we have elected officials that say, ‘ah, what we need to do is just cite the organizers’,” Barbanica stated. “Do we want to sign the one organizer sitting behind their computer the many who are out there causing these issues. I say both. We do both.”
“Don’t let your elected officials fool you. Put pressure on them to enact these municipal codes to give our police the authority and the ability to take action,” he stated. “So, as long as we continue to tolerate this and as long as we accept this from our elected officials, we’re going to see this continue.”
“Push your elected officials to put a stop to this, please,” Barbanica concluded.
District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica discusses the proposed sideshow ordinance with the other council members as District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock’s seat sits empty during the council meeting on Nov. 14, 2023. Video screenshot.
Ordinance Discussed During Nov. 14, 2023 Council Meeting When Ogorchock Absent
However, the lack of consensus for including prohibiting spectators in the ordinance was due to Ogorchock’s absence for the council meeting on Nov. 14, 2023. During discussion of the proposed ordinance that night, two of the four council members present, Torres-Walker and Wilson, expressed opposition to including enforcement against spectators. (See 2:35:20 mark of November 14, 2023 council meeting video)
Proposed Ordinance Included Banning Spectators at Sideshows
The section on spectators in the city staff’s proposed ordinance presented at that meeting reads:
“(I) ‘Spectator’ means any individual who is present at an illegal motor vehicle sideshow, speed contest, exhibition of speed, or at a location where preparations are being made for such events, for the purpose of viewing, observing, watching, or witnessing the event as it progresses. The term ‘spectator’ includes any individual at the location of the event without regard to whether the individual arrived at the event by driving a vehicle, riding as a passenger in a vehicle, walking, or arriving by some other means.
VIOLATIONS; BEING A SPECTATOR AT AN ILLEGAL MOTOR VEHICLE SPEED CONTEST, EXHIBITION OF SPEED, OR SIDESHOW IS PROHIBITED.
(A) It is unlawful for any person to:
1. Be knowingly present as a spectator at an illegal motor vehicle speed contest, exhibition of speed, or sideshow on a public street or highway or in an offstreet parking facility
2. Be knowingly present as a spectator where preparations are being made for an illegal motor vehicle speed contest, exhibition of speed, or sideshow conducted on a public street or highway or in an offstreet parking facility
(B) An individual is present at an illegal motor vehicle speed contest, exhibition of speed, or sideshow if that individual is on a public street or highway, public property, or on private property without the consent of the owner, operator, or agent thereof, and is within two hundred (200) feet of the location of the event or within two hundred (200) feet of the
location where preparations are being made for the event.
(C) Local law enforcement shall also have the authority to cite any spectator in violation of this chapter with an administrative citation.”
During the council discussion during the Nov. 14th meeting Barbanica said, “This is a tool our officers can use to break up sideshows. Torres-Walker responded with, “We’ve given this particular police department tools in the past and they have misused them and often abused their authority. So, to trust an individual to make the determination at a scene in this instance when we couldn’t trust some folks in our department to make the determination whether they would actively not violate somebody’s civil rights or participate in racism, I think, like for me it’s a real concern to say, ‘hey, here’s an ordinance, go, we’re going to trust your judgement when we haven’t been able to trust your judgement in the past. I’m not saying in the future we won’t have a department that we can fully trust. But at this point I’m not sure if, you know, if I support that. Tonight, we’re not voting for an ordinance, anyway. I have no problem supporting something coming back for review.”
Barbanica responded, “Based on what’s going on with our police department, here, the officers that are involved in this situation are being dealt with. To say that we can’t give an officer a policy to enforce an infraction because what other groups of officers are accused of doing, I do not follow that logic path. It doesn’t mean the officers out there working should be stripped of every enforcement technique they can use.”
“Saying that like something is within policy can mean that the policy in itself is problematic,” Torres-Walker then responded. “And so, when we provide policies to individuals in law enforcement with the authority to like, enforce those policies in our community we have to make sure that those policies don’t, in turn, intent versus impact is important. You can’t keep implementing policies that could also profile and harm people rather than provide an actual solution. That is why I am concern about this policy because I’m concerned about every policy in our police department that has not yet gone under review.”
“I’ll just say that, you know, we had gotten a handle on sideshows. The reality is it all falls back to the fact that our traffic division was basically decimated as a result of the racist text messaging scandal,” Hernandez-Thorpe said. “The policy, I thought it was punitive from the very beginning. I thought it was too much. But I thought it was important to send, you know, a very clear message to people who conduct and organize these sideshows as we have done in the past. So, I’ve kind of gone back and forth and I kind of scratched my head and I hear all the concerns everybody has expressed.”
In response to a question from Wilson about coordinating with neighboring cities, the mayor said, “Pittsburg has taken a different direction. They have this policy. In terms of what works, I don’t think anybody would say anything has worked. We can say what worked…when we had a sideshow traffic detail and it had nothing to do with any policy. It had to do with the methods and techniques our officers were using to find people who are organizing these sideshows. They were preventing them from happening and it worked when we had officers. So, this maybe, this may not work. I don’t know. What does give me comfort is the times we have had to cite people they’ve used our camera systems to validate whether anything was right.”
“I will give you the example of a woman who reached out to us and said, ‘hey, my son was just standing there doing absolutely nothing’ and we went out of our way as a city to say we will look into that,” Hernandez-Thorpe continued arguing in favor of including spectators in the ordinance. “And turns out not only was he there he was one of the people vandalizing the police car. So, not only was his car towed, not only did he get a citation but then he, now is being charged criminally, with a crime by the DA. So, what gave me some level of trust in having this policy is the fact we have a camera system in areas where we tend to see the highest number of sideshows, large-scale sideshows in the city.”
“If we don’t want to move forward with this, I’m personally fine,” the mayor then said sharing concerns about staff time. “And it’s clear we’re seeing in other cities it may not be working. This policy exists in Pittsburg. It exists in San Jose. I think Oakland is working on the policy, as well.”
“I’ve spoken with officers over in Pittsburg on the effectiveness of the program over there,” Barbanica interjected. “Most of the time they don’t even have to use it. They show up to these sideshows and say, ‘we will cite you, we will tow your cars, you’re not going to do this,’ here and the sideshows generally move on. I’m not saying they don’t get them. But that is a tool that they use to actually deter this, as a deterrent. And our staffing, we may not have capacity today but I’m betting we will at some point. Again, this is a tool for deterring this from occurring.”
“Isn’t it already somewhere in the traffic code…is this going to add an additional layer to something,” Torres-Walker asked City Attorney Thomas L. Smith.
“You are correct, for the drivers in the sideshows there are multiple ways they can be held accountable,” he responded. “What this is doing is looking at the people who are not the drivers but people who are either bystanders, watching, participating in the sideshow or planning the sideshow. So, it is another layer, as you said.”
“We all know who spectators are. I mean, they’re standing out there with cameras, they’re cheering and yelling and screaming. Some of them have fireworks,” Hernandez-Thorpe stated. “Someone sitting in a car is not going to be confused with a spectator.”
Wilson then shared her thoughts saying, “The organizer piece is really what I have the most interest in. The rest are concerning with the same concerns in this argument over here,” as she pointed toward Torres-Walker. “The organizer piece I do want.”
“Maybe we can look at an ordinance that specifically looks at organizers, for now…if we decide, ‘hey, that wasn’t strong enough we need to go after spectators we can always add that to the ordinance,” the mayor suggested.
Barbanica responded echoing the mayor’s previous concerns about wasting City staff time saying, “Doing two of these is really taking up a lot of staff time. I guess I’m just not following the logic of why…somebody standing out there cheering on a sideshow destroying the neighborhood and destroying city property, why we’re adverse to citing people for doing that.”
“Concern for some people…is that there’s a risk of, one, abusing that and two, confusing people who may not be need to be there,” Hernandez-Thorpe responded, “There have been instances where we decided, you know what, that tool, for now we’re just going to put it on the back seat,” while referring to the council majority’s vote against purchasing new tasers after a suspect died following being tazed by Antioch police officers.
Torres-Walker then reiterated the past police efforts to focus on the organizers and “preventing the sideshow from happening before it even happened. So, I wouldn’t be against coming back with something focused on organizers but not spectators.
“We can try that,” the mayor responded.
As a result, city staff returned in February with the ordinance focused only on banning advertising and organizing sideshows. See proposed sideshow ordinance.
Hernandez-Thorpe Won’t Include Spectators Ban When Ordinance Returns for Next Tuesday’s Meeting
Asked if he will now bring back the ordinance and include banning spectators as other cities like Modesto, Clovis and San Diego have done and state law allows and since he, Barbanica and Ogorchocck support including spectators if he will bring back the original ordinance staff proposed, Hernandez-Thorpe responded, “Top of FormBottom of FormThere was NO original ordinance proposed by staff. The Nov. 14th meeting was a discussion about my original proposal to focus on spectators and organizers. The time to make changes was at the meeting that EVERY COUNCILMEMBER was present for and nobody did and the proposed ordinance got a FIVE-ZERO VOTE. Then at the next meeting the same THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS who voted for it, then turned around and voted against it. THAT’S PLAYING POLITICS. Stop misinformation and get the facts. Thank you!”
When reminded of the proposed ordinance in the city staff report for the Nov. 14, 2023 meeting and his arguments in favor of including enforcement against spectators, Hernandez-Thorpe was again asked if he will include it as written in the city staff’s proposed ordinance when he brings it back to council for another vote. The mayor was also asked if the ordinance will return to the agenda for next Tuesday night’s council meeting.
UPDATE 1: Thorpe responded, “The proposed ordinance or any discussion around it that came to council was based on my initial call for the new law. It was literally all over the news. Further, I said on several occasions that I didn’t bring an ordinance forward after my initial call for the ordinance because we were doing SO well on the proactive side. So, any ordinance or discussion that came back was based on my request not something that came out of thin air from staff.”
For clarification, the mayor was asked if he is now claiming that he wrote and provided the proposed ordinance to the city attorney and his office didn’t develop any of what was in the city staff report for the council discussion. Hernandez-Thorpe was also asked, again if it will be brought back for next Tuesday’s council meeting agenda and will it include a provision prohibiting spectators.
Please check back later for his responses or any other updates to this report.
8 more active officers since April 12; at least 4 have been terminated; Chief shares names of all 75 sworn in report to Oversight Commission
By Allen D. Payton
In response to requests for information on police staffing and the number of officers in the racist text scandal who were back to work Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington shared today the report provided to the Antioch Police Oversight Commission for their meeting yesterday, Monday, June 3, 2024. In his report Addington wrote, “The Antioch Police Department is currently authorized 115 sworn police officer positions. The department currently has 75 sworn police officers and 40 vacant sworn police officer positions. Of the 75 sworn police officers, 58 are actively working, and 17 are inactive.” In response to the commission’s request he also provided the complete list of names for all 75 officers including the 17 currently inactive.
Addington was asked by the Herald for whatever information he could share about the Antioch Police Officers who were caught up in the text scandal and are now back to work, specifically for the total number of officers from the text scandal who have returned to work, as well as total on the force currently active, plus any demotions in rank and title, as well as any who have been terminated.
He responded, “Based on your request…this is the available information that I can provide” which was the report to the commission.
On May 20, 2024, Mike Rains, attorney for the Antioch Police Officers Association whose firm represented 17 officers who were placed on paid leave during the investigation of the text scandal shared additional information.
“I think all the cases where we have represented Antioch officers have been resolved. Some are back to work, some they terminated,” he said.
“They screwed up the entire case,” Rains stated. “The 745 motion made by the lawyers representing Pugh, Windom and McGee” referring to three of the four suspects convicted of murder, last month. (See related article)
“At the most that was 12 officers. They released the entire report without a protective order,” he complained, speaking of the redacted report that listed all the officers and inadvertently revealed all their names and cell phone numbers. “Someday I’m going to sue the DA in the county for doing that.” (See related article)
“Four officers have been terminated. We’re going to go to arbitration on those,” Rains said. My office represents maybe one or two more. Julia Fox (his associate) represents them.”
Rains added, “The names of the officers who went back to work” could be shared. “But not the disposition of their individual cases.”
Bullet casing markers at the scene of the shooting on Macauley Street in Antioch on Monday, June 3, 2024. Photo courtesy of Bay News Video
Police seek suspect
By Lt. D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau
On June 3, 2024, at approximately 6:00 PM, Antioch police officers responded to the 1100 block of Macaulay Street on the report of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they located a male near the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers immediately administered first-aid to the male, and he was ultimately transported to a local area hospital by paramedics where he was pronounced deceased. The male was later identified as 18-year-old Henry Granado II of Pittsburg.
The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.
Any tips or other information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Adam Duffy at (925) 779-6884 or by email mailto:aduffy@antiochca.gov.
Proposed $20 billion regional November bond measure seen as way to close the gap
By Kate Hartley, BAHFA & Justine Marcus, Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) and the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) released the Bay Area Affordable Housing Pipeline 2024 Report, last month, which analyzes affordable housing projects in various stages of predevelopment and identifies solutions for moving them toward completion. The updated research reveals there are now 433 projects in various stages of predevelopment that would create more than 40,896 affordable homes across the nine-county Bay Area. These would account for nearly a quarter of the 180,000 affordable homes the state’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Plan determined are needed in the Bay Area by 2031. (See related articles here and here)
Affordable housing developments typically are supported by a capital “stack” investment that includes a commercial mortgage; Low-Income Housing Tax Credits; tax-exempt bonds; and additional local, regional and state dollars that fill the gap between the cost of the development and the financing secured through debt and equity. The new report calculates that the hundreds of Bay Area projects now in the predevelopment pipeline need $9.7 billion in public funds to move forward, and that a $20 billion regional bond measure proposed for the ballot in Bay Area counties this fall would help close this gap.
“We’ve been stuck in an affordable housing crisis that has overwhelmed the region. The November ballot presents an opportunity to unlock thousands of affordable homes for Bay Area residents,” said Heather Hood, VP and Northern California Market Leader at Enterprise. “We expect voters to have a chance to end our housing crisis and deliver the dignified, healthy homes the Bay Area community needs and deserves.”
Source: Enterprise Community Partners
The predevelopment pipeline includes projects in all nine Bay Area counties. These include more than 10,000 units in both Alameda and Santa Clara counties, with another 8,400 affordable homes pending development in San Francisco and more than 3,000 units in both San Mateo and Sonoma counties. Project pipelines in other Bay Area counties range from over 300 affordable homes in Solano County to 1,173 units in Marin County; nearly 1,500 homes in Napa County; and over 2,500 units in Contra Costa County. Each Bay Area city, town or county currently is working on its own to meet the challenges of housing affordability and homelessness.
“The need for affordable housing transcends jurisdictional boundaries. BAHFA’s proposed bond measure would finally allow our Bay Area to take a regional approach to a regional problem,” said BAHFA Director Kate Hartley. “With significant new resources for every county, we can build at scale, deliver equitable solutions, and create a better way to deliver the affordable homes Bay Area residents need.
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $54 billion and created 873,000 homes across all 50 states – all to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging.
About the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority
Established by the state legislature in 2019, BAHFA’s mandate is to create regional solutions that meet the Bay Area’s affordable housing needs. It is the first regional housing finance authority in California. BAHFA works together with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).
People and police could be seen at the sideshow at Cavallo Road and Wilbur Avenue (above) and video screenshots of cars turning north onto Cavallo Road from eastbound E. 18th Street toward Wilbur Avenue (below) about 5:35 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Provided courtesy of an Antioch resident who chose to remain anonymous.
Spectators, participants challenged and threw items at police, opened fire hydrants, evidence of gunshots; CHP assists
Mayor vows to bring enforcement matter back to council after failure to pass any new ordinance in the past 9 months
By Allen D. Payton
According to witnesses, Facebook posts by Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and a Sunday night report by Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington, there were multiple sideshows in Antioch Saturday afternoon and evening, June 1, 2024. The mayor pegged the figure at 10 and said there were other sideshows in other East County cities, as well. Many times, participants in and spectators at a sideshow will relocate following police response, so, some of the sideshows most likely consisted of the same individuals just in different locations as mentioned by Addington.
The Chief wrote, “From about 2 pm to 9 pm, APD responded to about a dozen reports of sideshows at differing locations throughout the city. Officers responded to each report and continued to disrupt the activity, and the participants continued to different places, including areas outside of the city. Sideshow activity was also reported in Pittsburg.
As the afternoon wore on, the behavior of the sideshow participants and spectators took a turn for the worse. Their increasing belligerence was evident as they began to challenge our officers, even throwing items at them and opening fire hydrants. This unacceptable behavior was captured in several videos that have been posted online.
APD impounded six vehicles (30-day impound), and 11 were arrested/cited for sideshow activity or possession of a stolen vehicle. We also have evidence of gunshots during some of the events, and two stolen vehicles were recovered. No injuries were reported. Additional follow-up is being conducted, and additional impounds and arrests may occur. We are also actively working to identify the organizers.
APD Officers and dispatchers demonstrated exceptional professionalism in handling these calls. We thank our law enforcement partners in East County, including CHP, the Sheriff’s Office, Brentwood Police, and Pittsburg Police, for their support.”
Mayor Comments While on Trip in So Cal, Vows to Bring Back Ordinance for Council Adoption
Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe speaks about the Antioch sideshows from hotel room on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Facebook video screesnshot.
In a video posted on his official Facebook page on Saturday night from his hotel room while on a trip to the California water policy leadership summit – hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California which included a visit to the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, according to a post on his Instagram account – the mayor vowed to bring the matter back for the council to address it. The Facebook post reads, “Unprecedented Number of Sideshows Early Saturday Evening. I’m Urging the Antioch City Council to Quickly Pass Previously Rejected Sideshow Legislation.”
“This is very disappointing as this is an unprecedented event that has taken place in Eastern Contra Costa County,” he stated. “I asked the Chief to specifically zero in on what’s happening in Antioch. Since two o’clock our police officers have worked to combat 10 sideshows in the City of Antioch. They have successfully shut those down. While for some it may appear they may have gotten away, don’t forget Antioch has very, very good technology that…the police department utilizes in finding people, then arresting them then prosecuting them at the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.”
“This is a priority. No one has been immune from this. I received calls from several neighbors today who told me of a sideshow on Wildhorse by my home,” the mayor continued. “This is a good example of why the sideshow ordinance is so key. Unfortunately, the council decided to play politics and not pass the sideshow ordinance. This…gives law enforcement the tool to prosecute individuals on the front end who are organizing these types of events. Right now, the police department does not have that tool in place and I’m going to be bringing this back…so that we can get this ordinance passed.”
“I’ve been particularly disturbed by some of the videos I’ve seen. It’s unfortunate to see so many young people running around on the streets,” Hernandez-Thorpe stated. “All I can say is parents have a responsibility, too, and that is to ensure your young people have a respect for the law but more importantly have respect for other people’s quality of life. It’s not fair that we have to live with this kind of nonsense in our community. I know I’m not going to stand for it…I’m exceptionally proud of the Antioch Police Department for responding to these sideshows and trying to take them down as quickly as possible.”
“So, parents will be held accountable, too because in many of these instances these cars are registered to parents. So, you will be paying some hefty fines, as well, when we eventually find you and hold you accountable for these actions,” he added.
Post on Hernandez-Thorpe’s official Facebook page post on Sunday afternoon, June 2, 2024.
Then in a post on Sunday afternoon, Hernandez-Thorpe shared some of the details Addington reported above and additional information in a “2nd Update Regarding Unprecedented Number of Large Scale Sideshows Early Saturday Evening.” He wrote, “Yesterday’s unprecedented number of large scale sideshows were combated [sic] by the APD with support from CHP by around 9:00 p.m. As a result of APD’s efforts, 6 vehicles have been impounded and include fines, citations and impound fees. 11 individuals were arrested for sideshow activity, possession or [sic] (of) stolen cars. 2 stolen vehicles were recovered. Lastly, APD will be making additional arrests, issuing additional citations and impounding additional vehicles.”
Background
CORRECTION: Although a majority of council members, including Hernandez-Thorpe, supported targeting sideshow spectators when first discussed last October, during their Nov. 14, 2023, meeting, Ogorchock was absent, Torres-Walker questioned including making it illegal to be a spectator at a sideshow and Wilson opposed to it. Yet, the District 1 Councilwoman said, “at this point I’m not sure if, you know, if I support that. Tonight, we’re not voting for an ordinance, anyway. I have no problem supporting something coming back for review.” But at the end of the discussion she said, “I wouldn’t be against coming back with something focused on organizers but not spectators.” So, the mayor only had city staff return with an ordinance banning advertising and organizing sideshows.
