Hayward, Alameda Co. create 'Russell City Redress Fund' to compensate families for land seizure
HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- ABC7 News continues to uplift issues of Race and Social Justice.
On Thursday, there was a major update in the push for reparations for hundreds of families who had their land taken from them in the 1960s. It happened in a part of Hayward that was once called Russell City.
The City of Hayward and Alameda County have partnered up to create the "Russell City Redress Fund."
So far, $900,000 have been allocated from the city and county as a first step to make amends for a historic injustice.
WATCH: California's Case for Reparations: 'We are history in the making'
"I think it's very important to make sure that she gets to see that," said Jonathan Johnson, a descendant of Russell City.
Johnson is referring to his 85-year-old mother Jessie Mae Johnson.
She called the area of Hayward home when it was known as Russell City.
About 1,400 Black, Latino, Asian and poor white residents lived there up until 1964, when the city forced everyone out, paying property owners pennies on the dollar.
The city was full of homes, businesses, churches and bars -- all bulldozed to make way for an industrial park. In total, about 700 parcels of land were seized.
Now, the city of Hayward is taking the next step to make amends following an apology for the mass displacement issued in 2021.
MORE: Key CA reparations bills clear major hurdle, head for full floor vote
"The descendants of Russell City are aging, and we want to make sure that we acknowledge them, acknowledge what happened, and provide some kind of benefit," said Hayward Mayor Mark Salinas.
Hayward is now allocating $250,000 for the Russell City Redress Fund as a next step to acknowledge the harms committed against these residents.
Hayward issued an apology in November 2021 and Alameda County also issued an apology in June 2023. The county is now chipping in $650,000 to the fund -- $400,000 from District 2, represented by Supervisor Elisa Márquez, and $250,000 from District 4, represented by Supervisor Nathan Miley.
"It's really painful to know that it's taken over 60 years to get to this place," Márquez said. "This is the result of collective and local action. This is what happens when you have people in these positions that are rooted and come from the community."
Márquez said she is hoping to work with philanthropy and businesses that have benefited from the land to raise additional funds for affected families.
The city and county have yet to determine exactly who is eligible and how much those payments might be worth. Local leaders admit that these payments will not make affected families whole. Both county and city leaders acknowledged, however, that they are focusing on living seniors who once called Russell City home.
MORE: State Assembly approves bill to formally apologize to Black Californians for discriminatory policies
Márquez said she's hoping to make the criteria of eligibility retroactive to 2021, when the City of Hayward first issued its apology, realizing some elders have passed away in recent years.
County leaders are optimistic to have an update on when those payments could be made in the next couple of months.
Meanwhile, the push for reparations statewide is stalled after several bills didn't make it to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk last legislative cycle.
The Johnson family has pushed for reparations for this injustice for years, even exploring legal action.
"Apologizing is one thing. Acknowledging is one thing. But how are we going to make the individuals who suffered mightily whole in this process? $900,000? I don't even think you can really buy a nice home in the Bay area for that anymore," Johnson said.
The fight for repair for Russell City residents was featured in ABC7 News' Emmy-winning documentary "California's Case for Reparations." You can stream it now online wherever you watch ABC7.
