Survey highlights the lasting impacts on relocated Russell City families

Alameda keeps capital improvement pass-throughs; DA Price recall receives another large donation

After annexation, Hayward transformed Russell City into a industrial business park.

CITY NEWS

HAYWARD

—RUSSELL CITY REPARATIONS—A vast majority of former Russell City residents said the forced relocation of the unincorporated area later annexed by Hayward in the 1960s greatly affected the health and wealth of mostly minority families and hindered the transfer of intergenerational wealth, a new survey found.

—The survey results were revealed Wednesday night at a Russell City Reparative Justice Project Steering Committee meeting.

—The survey attracted 377 respondents. Among them 78 percent said the relocation caused a major financial hardship for their families, 84 percent said they have not received any relocation assistance from the county, and 84 percent said the loss of property and businesses affected their ability to transfer wealth to the next generation.

—More than two-thirds strongly support the City of Hayward providing them with financial compensation. More than one-third support the restoration of property rights, and one-quarter would like to see Russell City restored to its original boundaries.

—“The results reinforce what happened to my family. I am not happy. I am discouraged by the city’s effort.” said James Knowles, who is also a member of the Alameda County Reparations Commission.

—The Russell City Reparative Justice Program hopes to provide its recommendations to the Hayward City Council next spring, and is likely to greatly inform the county’s own Reparations Commission, which has yet to have its first meeting, but hopes to have its own recommendation sometime in early 2025.

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