Redwood City Council Meeting: Youth and Senior Proclamations, Anti-Displacement Policies, and Police Benefits, August 28, 2023
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Redwood City City Council Meeting Summary - August 28, 2023
The Redwood City City Council held a regular hybrid meeting on August 28, 2023, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included proclamations for International Youth Day and Senior Citizens Day, public comments on an anti-displacement strategy, and approval of a side letter for police supervisor benefits. The council heard extensive public testimony and debated anti-harassment and right-to-return policies, ultimately voting to accept staff recommendations. The meeting lasted approximately three hours, and public comment alone featured 44 speakers.
Proclamations
- International Youth Day (August 12, 2023): The council recognized the PACE program, which has created 65 jobs for youth and provides weekend and evening activities. Speakers included PACE founders, PAL Center staff, and a youth participant who shared their positive experiences.
- National Senior Citizens Day (August 21, 2023): The council honored seniors and highlighted ongoing efforts, including new senior programming in Redwood Shores, a transportation survey, and the construction of a new senior center. Senior Affairs Commissioner Hal Drager and staff liaison Bruce Utech spoke.
Public Comments on Anti-Displacement (Item 9A)
The council heard from 44 speakers, including tenants, landlords, and advocacy groups. Positions were divided:
- Support for anti-harassment and right-to-return policies: Faith in Action, Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, Housing Leadership Council, and several tenants and faith leaders spoke in favor. They cited stories of harassment, lack of enforcement, and the need for local protections. Deacon Lauren McCombs stated, "provide protections for tenants from landlords who illegally evict their tenants for improvements so that they can in turn get more rent." Tenant advocate Mark Molyneau said he was "displaced through a renovation several years ago" and that a right-to-return could have helped him.
- Opposition to new policies: Park owners, the California Apartment Association, the San Mateo County Association of Realtors, and several small landlords spoke against. They argued existing state laws are sufficient, and new policies would be costly and discourage investment. Greg Evans from Harbor Village said including mobile home parks is "redundant." Landlord Jen Folio said the policies are "bad for tenants as well as for housing providers."
- Neutral/Data concerns: A few speakers, such as landlord Constantine Kipness, called for more data and clarity on gaps in existing laws.
Discussion Items
- Anti-Displacement Strategy (Item 9A): Staff from the City Manager's office presented research on anti-harassment and right-to-return policies. The council debated whether to pursue these policies immediately or after further research. Vice Mayor Espinoza Garnica and Councilmembers Sterkin and Martinez Saballos advocated for a comprehensive just cause ordinance and anti-harassment measures, while Councilmembers Aiken and Howard supported the staff recommendation to phase the work. Councilmember Aguirre emphasized the need to continue outreach and rely on staff expertise.
- Police Supervisors Association Side Letter (Item 9B): Human Resources Director Michelle Katsuyoshi presented a side letter to restructure industrial disability retirement (IDR) retiree health benefits. The change introduces a 1.8% salary contribution for employees hired on or before January 30, 2023, and creates a second tier for those hired after that date, consistent with the Police Officers Association. The city has an unfunded liability of $49.5 million for retiree health benefits. No public comments were received.
- Matters of Council Interest: The council designated Mayor G and Councilmember Sterkin as voting delegate and alternate to the League of California Cities annual conference. Vice Mayor Espinoza Garnica reported on the personnel subcommittee and an interagency council meeting, including updates on homeless outreach and services.
Key Outcomes
- Anti-Displacement Strategy (9A): The council voted 5-2 to accept the staff recommendations, which include continuing research and not drafting new ordinances. Councilmembers Sterkin and Espinoza Garnica opposed, preferring to deprioritize mobile home work to study anti-harassment and right-to-return policies.
- Police Supervisors Side Letter (9B): Approved unanimously (7-0).
- Consent Calendar: Approved all items with two roll call votes (one for most items, one for items 7i, 7L, and 7U with Councilmember Aiken recused). Items requiring five affirmative votes were noted.
- Next Meeting: September 11, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
All right, we'll get started. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to our August 28th regular meeting of the Redwood City City Council. We are holding our meetings in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation. Well, hold on for a second. We have a thank you, Councilmember Stirken for that assist. Appreciate it. Items will be taken in order that they are listed on our agenda. With our hybrid meeting format, the public comment procedures are as follows. In-person speakers must turn in a speaker card to the interim city clerk at the DS to be recognized to speak. Please be sure to indicate the agenda item number you wish to speak on. In-person speakers will be called first in the order in which speaker cards are turned in. Virtual attendees who join us by Zoom must raise their hand to be recognized to speak and would be called after the in-person comments have been given. Detailed instructions will be provided on the screen when the time for public comment begins. We ask that you please sign up for public comment as soon as possible after the relevant agenda item has begun, other by submitting a speaker card to our interim city clerk or by raising your hand on Zoom. Once the public comment period has begun, no additional speakers will be allowed to join the list of speakers. We are also offering Spanish interpretation for tonight's meeting. To hear the meeting in Spanish, please pick up a headset from our staff at the back of the room. Instructions are also shown on the screen, and I will now ask our interpreter to give the instructions in Spanish. Buenas noches. Thank you, Mayor, and good evening. Councilmember Aguirre. Councilmember Aiken here. Councilmember Howard. Here. Councilmember Martina Saballos? Here. Councilmember Stirkin. Here. Vice Mayor Espinosa Carnica? Here. And Mayor G. Here. Thank you. Uh item number three, I'd like to invite Councilmember Sturkin to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Councilmember Sturkin, for the assistant or interim city clerk. If I can ask our IT to help with Councilmember Getty's um voting. Thank you. Uh given that all council members are present and Councilmember Howard is joining us in the traditional Brown Act. Uh, we will not have any we don't have any AB 2449 requests for this evening. So we'll go on to item number five, presentations and acknowledgments. Our first proclamation this evening is recognizing International Youth Day. I'd like to now read a few excerpts of the proclamation that we're presenting tonight. Whereas the City Clerk seeks to improve the lives of Redwood City's children and youth by increasing the number and affordability of child care spaces, opportunities for family entertainment, family-friendly businesses, and youth activities, as well as opportunities for youth to provide meaningful input. And whereas the purposeful action creation and engagement, known as the PACE program, was co-developed with youth in our community and in partnership with the City of Redwood City, the Police Activities League, PAL Center, Redwood City together, and community-based partners in order to respond to community concerns about disruptive youth behavior in downtown and foster positive relationships between community members, community leaders, law enforcement, and the bike life movement youth in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks. And whereas the PACE program and the PACE team has supported youth by creating 65 jobs, providing weekend and evening activities, and is now launching community-based organization advisory spaces for youth. And the team continues to partner with new organizations in the city of Redwood City to support children and youth. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I'm the mayor and of Redwood City on behalf of the City Council and the people of the City of Redwood City do hereby proclaim August 12th, 2023 as International Youth Day. I'd like now to introduce the founders of the PACE program, executive director of River C together, Rafael Albondano, PAL Center Directors Ivan Martinez, Jade Martinez, and Ileana Garcia, PACE Program Manager Roberto Alvarez, and a PACE Youth Participant, Ibis Baratu. If you all like to join the podium and share some of your remarks. Hello, community.
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