Housing Campaign
Richmond residents have been hit hard by the foreclosure crisis. With nearly 2000 foreclosed homes owned by banks and more likely to come, heighborhoods are being torn apart.
This crisis illustrates the need for accountability from financial institutions the need for more effective policies at all levels of government that will stabilize communities by keeping families in their homes, revitalizing neighborhoods, and promoting affordable housing for Richmond residents.
REDI's Housing Campaign builds off of our existing housing work ()that has focused on quality, long-term affordable housing, tenant protections and the development of a community land trust. That work has even greater urgency now.
REDI has developed a comprehnsive housing platform to address these issues and the host of problems stemming from the foreclosure crisis, including:
- The need for loan modification programs
- The need to hold banks accountable for the blight they create by failing to maintain their foreclosed properties
- The opportunity to acquire foreclosed properties, training residents to green rehabilitate them and include them in a community land trust, guarenteeing access to homeownership and long-term affordability
- The need for a city-based revolving home loan fund for victims of predatory lending
Richmond News via RP&E
A message to the Richmond Chamber Membership and the Community
Correspondence with the Mayor: A message to the Richmond Chamber Membership and the Community
As residents of Richmond, we know that jobs and the economy are the most important issues we face today in the City of Richmond. As I believe this is an important message, I want to take this opportunity to bring you up to date as to our on going conversations with the Mayor. Below, you will find our correspondence with the Mayor's office. If you should have any questions or comments please email me at judy@rcoc.com.
Judy Morgan comments to Mayor McLaughlin, 2-3-2010
Mayor McLaughlin response to Judy Morgan, 2-8-2010
Josh Genser, Genser & Watkins, letter to Mayor McLaughlin, 2-11-2010
Bob Connolly, RCOC Board Chair, letter to Mayor McLaughlin, 2-11-2010
Judy Morgan
President/CEO
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Chevron Threatens To Leave Longtime Home
Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approx. 7:00 p.m. ET
The biggest producer of greenhouse gases in California is the Chevron Corp.'s oil refinery in the Bay Area town of Richmond, just east of San Francisco.
The refinery opened more than a century ago, and in spite of the bad air, Richmond has always been a loyal company town.
Until lately.
The refinery is nestled on a bank of hills right next to the San Francisco Bay. It's a Byzantine complex of tanks, steam boilers and 8,000 miles of piping. The refinery produces jet fuel, gasoline and diesel.
Over the past century, the Richmond refinery has prospered, helping Chevron make billions in profits.
Chilly Climate for Oil Refiners
Only a few years ago, a cry went up that the United States needed more oil refineries. The perceived shortage was so acute that George W. Bush, president at the time, even offered disused military bases as sites for building them.
Not only did that never come to pass, but the reverse is now happening. The business of oil refining is mired in a deep crisis, with five refineries having shut down this year, including plants in Delaware, New Jersey, California and New Mexico.
