North Richmond, California
Encyclopedia
North Richmond is a community in Contra Costa County, California
, a census-designated place
(CDP) of 3,717 adjacent to and nearly surrounded by the city Richmond
, to which it is generally socially and culturally attached. North Richmond is the poorest community in Contra Costa County
.
and the surrounding marshlands and delta of Wildcat
and San Pablo
creeks. The majority of present day North Richmond was territory of the Karkin tribe
(or Carquinez) however the land lays on what was a border area with the Chocheño tribe and likely had influences of both groups. The tribes made great use of the salmon and trout runs on the rivers. However, today, culverting and damming has decimated the habitat for these species and they are rarely present ever at the opening of the watercourse.
In the early part of the 20th century, North Richmond was populated by Italian-Americans. During World War II, many African-Americans moved from the South
and Midwest and came to the Western United States
in order to find jobs helping the war effort. Many came to work in Richmond's shipyards and consequently, moved into North Richmond.
Subsequently many of the residents were employed in the petroleum, railway, and shipping industries.
To this day, most of the residents are African American. Today, the area retains the label of "The Ghetto
" due to its high crime rates, unemployment, and poverty. Since the 1970s, many Latino
s, especially Mexicans, have moved into the area. More recently, there has been an influx of Asian
immigrants. In the 2000s there was a mass exodus of businesses.
Currently the population is estimated to be about 2,300 by the county of Contra Costa and 2,500 by the Richmond Confidential.
was 2,399.6 people per square mile (926.5/km²). The racial makeup of North Richmond was 634 (17.1%) White, 1,239 (33.3%) African American, 23 (0.6%) Native American, 431 (11.6%) Asian, 18 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 1,191 (32.0%) from other races
, and 181 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,862 persons (50.1%).
The Census reported that 100% of the population lived in households.
There were 1,027 households, out of which 551 (53.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 412 (40.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 271 (26.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 95 (9.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 86 (8.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 4 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 184 households (17.9%) were made up of individuals and 70 (6.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62. There were 778 families
(75.8% of all households); the average family size was 4.02.
The population was spread out with 1,152 people (31.0%) under the age of 18, 456 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,187 people (31.9%) aged 25 to 44, 712 people (19.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 210 people (5.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.0 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
There were 1,237 housing units at an average density of 798.6 per square mile (308.3/km²), of which 471 (45.9%) were owner-occupied, and 556 (54.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.6%. 1,692 people (45.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,025 people (54.5%) lived in rental housing units.
.
At a community level the town does not have a city council nor its own neighborhood councils. North Richmond does though, have community council that represents the resident's voices at the county level known as the North Richmond Municipal Advisory Council.
also resonates in this community, especially among many young people who aspire to be rappers and singers. Hip hop
, Rap
, and R&B music, as with many areas densely populated by African Americans, is prominent among the area's youth.
bus lines 76, 71, and 376, that connect the community with Richmond BART & Amtrak station
, Contra Costa College
in San Pablo
, and Hilltop Mall
in addition to other areas of west county. The line 376 is an owl service and due to several assaults and other crimes committed on board during 2010 the bus is now escorted by a county sheriff's vehicle while its in the towns limits. In fact many bus drivers refuse to work this line because of how dangerous it can be. Richmond Parkway
, a connector between I-580
at Point Richmond
and I-80 at the Hilltop
area, runs through the west of North Richmond.
dealers and prostitutes
. The community has been described by county officials as a "magnet" for illegal dumping.
The community is one of the most dangerous in the state and nation.
in Richmond's Point Richmond District. The public health risks associated with emissions and chemical spills, especially of sulfur trioxide
, are major concerns for the entire area. A community warning system of loud sirens is in place to warn residents of chemical spills. This warning is tested on the first Wednesday of every month, and can be heard from miles away. The Richmond dump
is also in a tiny strip of Richmond that runs through North Richmond. The town is said to have an excellent climate.
The landfill pays into a mitigation fund used for community projects to offset how blight and pollution impact the town. In 2011 $56,000 were granted out of a $100,000 budget to building community gardens on vacant lots leased to the volunteer effort. The project aims to provide education and training for the cultivation and eating of healthful vegetables. The gardens will provide otherwise unavailable produce, North Richmonders must go to San Pablo or Richmond for groceries for the most part currently.
There are very few commercial businesses in the town but there are two small grocer's and a liquor stores remaining.
A Native American
tribe, the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of Lake County, has proposed and received approval for Sugar Bowl Casino
on a 28 acre (≈11 hectare) site that they have purchased. Although some local clergy have allegedly expressed feelings of disapproval, the impoverished community has generally welcomed the project as a potentially good source of revenue. The tribe's proposal includes an outreach program that focuses on the similarity between the struggles of their own people and that of African Americans.
The county government has plans to improve the community with new mixed used residential developments on brownfields, new businesses, parks and open spaces.
There are currently no restaurants or markets in the town. The city of Richmond
's redevelopment agency and Contra Costa County
have been trying to revitalize the community's main roads, 3rd and Filbert Streets. In 2010 a thirty-six town home development was under construction to provide ultra low income housing that is planned to be kept affordable over time through a low equity scheme.
A county assessment has stated that the town is ideal for warehousing businesses due to its strategic location between Marin County, Sacramento
, and the Silicon Valley
in addition to its easy access to major freeways, railways, and an available workforce with affordable housing
.
North Richmond is home to the Las Deltas Projects, a crime ridden and dilapidated public housing complex. The county wishes to demolish it in favor of a mixed-income village but does not have the funds. In its current state Las Deltas puts the county $600,000 in the red every year and has a 70% vacancy rate.
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
, a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) of 3,717 adjacent to and nearly surrounded by the city Richmond
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
, to which it is generally socially and culturally attached. North Richmond is the poorest community in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
.
History
The area of North Richmond was became populated by Ohlone tribes which settled the area in the 6th century. However Hokan speaking people may have inhabited the area even earlier, and archaeological evidence shows human settlement to have began at least by 4000 BC. The Ohlone tribesmen subsisted from hunter-gatherering the bountiful amount of land and sea life of the area. Especially the great amounts of seafood made available along the coastline of Castro CoveCastro Cove
Castro Cove is an embayment of the San Pablo Bay in Richmond, California between Point San Pablo and the confluence of Wildcat Creek into Castro Creek.-Overview:...
and the surrounding marshlands and delta of Wildcat
Wildcat Creek
Wildcat Creek may refer to:* Wildcat Creek * Wildcat Creek * Wildcat Creek * Wildcat Creek...
and San Pablo
San Pablo Creek
San Pablo Creek is an creek in Contra Costa County, California, United States, which drains the canyon or valley between the San Pablo Ridge and the Sobrante Ridge, parts of the Pacific Coast Ranges east of San Francisco Bay....
creeks. The majority of present day North Richmond was territory of the Karkin tribe
Karkin language
Karkin is a name of one sub-group of the indigenous Ohlone people of California, as well as the name of the language they spoke....
(or Carquinez) however the land lays on what was a border area with the Chocheño tribe and likely had influences of both groups. The tribes made great use of the salmon and trout runs on the rivers. However, today, culverting and damming has decimated the habitat for these species and they are rarely present ever at the opening of the watercourse.
In the early part of the 20th century, North Richmond was populated by Italian-Americans. During World War II, many African-Americans moved from the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
and Midwest and came to the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
in order to find jobs helping the war effort. Many came to work in Richmond's shipyards and consequently, moved into North Richmond.
Subsequently many of the residents were employed in the petroleum, railway, and shipping industries.
To this day, most of the residents are African American. Today, the area retains the label of "The Ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
" due to its high crime rates, unemployment, and poverty. Since the 1970s, many Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s, especially Mexicans, have moved into the area. More recently, there has been an influx of Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
immigrants. In the 2000s there was a mass exodus of businesses.
Currently the population is estimated to be about 2,300 by the county of Contra Costa and 2,500 by the Richmond Confidential.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that North Richmond had a population of 3,717. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,399.6 people per square mile (926.5/km²). The racial makeup of North Richmond was 634 (17.1%) White, 1,239 (33.3%) African American, 23 (0.6%) Native American, 431 (11.6%) Asian, 18 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 1,191 (32.0%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 181 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,862 persons (50.1%).
The Census reported that 100% of the population lived in households.
There were 1,027 households, out of which 551 (53.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 412 (40.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 271 (26.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 95 (9.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 86 (8.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 4 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 184 households (17.9%) were made up of individuals and 70 (6.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62. There were 778 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(75.8% of all households); the average family size was 4.02.
The population was spread out with 1,152 people (31.0%) under the age of 18, 456 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,187 people (31.9%) aged 25 to 44, 712 people (19.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 210 people (5.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.0 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
There were 1,237 housing units at an average density of 798.6 per square mile (308.3/km²), of which 471 (45.9%) were owner-occupied, and 556 (54.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.6%. 1,692 people (45.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,025 people (54.5%) lived in rental housing units.
Government
The West Contra Costa Housing Authority of Contra Costa County is located in North Richmond. The area is policed by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's department. The community is governed by the county of Contra Costa and the current representative is supervisor John GioiaJohn Gioia
John Gioia is an American politician. He has been the Democratic county supervisor for Contra Costa County, California District 1 since 1998 and was re-elected in 2002.-Overview:...
.
At a community level the town does not have a city council nor its own neighborhood councils. North Richmond does though, have community council that represents the resident's voices at the county level known as the North Richmond Municipal Advisory Council.
Recreation
Sports such as baseball and basketball are important activities in the neighborhood, especially for young men. Baseball is played at the North Richmond Ballfield Complex and at Shields-Reid Park. Baseball has been a long tradition here and has been played by residents for decades. The Bay Area's Hyphy sceneHyphy
The word hyphy is Conor Devlin's preferred short word meaning "hyperactive." It was created by Bay Area rapper Keak Da Sneak when he used the term on an album he recorded in 1994. From the USA Today article: "Every record label was getting at us at that time, but we fumbled the ball," says E-40,...
also resonates in this community, especially among many young people who aspire to be rappers and singers. Hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, Rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, and R&B music, as with many areas densely populated by African Americans, is prominent among the area's youth.
Transportation
This area is served by AC TransitAC Transit
AC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
bus lines 76, 71, and 376, that connect the community with Richmond BART & Amtrak station
Richmond Station (California)
Richmond Station is an at-grade Bay Area Rapid Transit and Amtrak station located in Richmond, California. Each system is served by an island platform. The Capitol Corridor, San Joaquins, California Zephyr, and Coast Starlight stop here and connect to BART. The station is currently being rebuilt...
, Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College, in San Pablo, California, is the west campus of the Contra Costa Community College District. It is part of the California community colleges system, one of the three college systems in California.- History :...
in San Pablo
San Pablo, California
San Pablo is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city of Richmond surrounds nearly the whole city. The population was 29,139 at the 2010 census. The current Mayor is Paul V. Morris, and the current Vice Mayor is Cecilia Valdez. Current Councilmembers include Arturo M....
, and Hilltop Mall
Hilltop Mall
Hilltop Mall is a mall in the Hilltop neighborhood of Richmond, California. Hilltop is managed and co-owned by Simon Property Group, and is anchored by longtime tenants JC Penney, Macy's, Sears, and lastly Wal-Mart, a 2007 addition. -History:...
in addition to other areas of west county. The line 376 is an owl service and due to several assaults and other crimes committed on board during 2010 the bus is now escorted by a county sheriff's vehicle while its in the towns limits. In fact many bus drivers refuse to work this line because of how dangerous it can be. Richmond Parkway
Richmond Parkway
The name Richmond Parkway may refer to:*In California:**Richmond Parkway in Richmond, California, planned as State Route 93**Richmond Parkway Transit Center, a bus hub in Richmond, California*In New York:...
, a connector between I-580
Interstate 580 (California)
Interstate 580 is an 80-mile east–west Interstate Highway in Northern California. The heavily traveled spur route of Interstate 80 runs from San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay Area to Interstate 5 near Tracy in the Central Valley...
at Point Richmond
Point Richmond
Point Richmond, also sometimes referred to locally as The Point, is a neighborhood in Richmond, California, USA, near the eastern end of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, between Interstate 580 and the San Francisco Bay...
and I-80 at the Hilltop
Hilltop, Richmond, California
Fairmede-Hilltop, more commonly known simply as Hilltop, is a neighborhood located in the northeastern area of Richmond, California.-Overview:...
area, runs through the west of North Richmond.
Crime
North Richmond has a reputation for being extremely dangerous. It is often vilified in the media, as its citizens are often the victims or perpetrators of gang violence, shoot-outs and drive-by shootings. Drug dealing and drug possession are common. The area is also worked by crackCrack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
dealers and prostitutes
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. The community has been described by county officials as a "magnet" for illegal dumping.
The community is one of the most dangerous in the state and nation.
Environment
North Richmond is next to Chevron Richmond RefineryChevron Richmond Refinery
The Chevron Richmond Refinery is a petroleum refinery in Richmond, California, on San Francisco Bay. It is owned and operated by Chevron Corporation and employs more than 1,200 workers, making it the city's largest employer. The refinery processes approximately of crude oil a day in the...
in Richmond's Point Richmond District. The public health risks associated with emissions and chemical spills, especially of sulfur trioxide
Sulfur trioxide
Sulfur trioxide is the chemical compound with the formula SO3. In the gaseous form, this species is a significant pollutant, being the primary agent in acid rain. It is prepared on massive scales as a precursor to sulfuric acid.-Structure and bonding:Gaseous SO3 is a trigonal planar molecule of...
, are major concerns for the entire area. A community warning system of loud sirens is in place to warn residents of chemical spills. This warning is tested on the first Wednesday of every month, and can be heard from miles away. The Richmond dump
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
is also in a tiny strip of Richmond that runs through North Richmond. The town is said to have an excellent climate.
The landfill pays into a mitigation fund used for community projects to offset how blight and pollution impact the town. In 2011 $56,000 were granted out of a $100,000 budget to building community gardens on vacant lots leased to the volunteer effort. The project aims to provide education and training for the cultivation and eating of healthful vegetables. The gardens will provide otherwise unavailable produce, North Richmonders must go to San Pablo or Richmond for groceries for the most part currently.
Economy
North Richmond has an extensive industrial history. Today, an important industry in this town is Action Recycling, which purchases bulk scrap metal in addition to more traditional plastics, bottles, cans, and cardboard from patrons. The community is home to many farms and greenhouses; thousands of flowers both within and surrounding these greenhouses can be seen from the Richmond Parkway.There are very few commercial businesses in the town but there are two small grocer's and a liquor stores remaining.
A Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribe, the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of Lake County, has proposed and received approval for Sugar Bowl Casino
Sugar Bowl Casino
The Sugar Bowl Casino is a planned 2,000 slot gambling hall in North Richmond, California. The project has met little opposition for area residents that believe it will provide jobs and added police presence allowing for reduced crime.-History:...
on a 28 acre (≈11 hectare) site that they have purchased. Although some local clergy have allegedly expressed feelings of disapproval, the impoverished community has generally welcomed the project as a potentially good source of revenue. The tribe's proposal includes an outreach program that focuses on the similarity between the struggles of their own people and that of African Americans.
The county government has plans to improve the community with new mixed used residential developments on brownfields, new businesses, parks and open spaces.
There are currently no restaurants or markets in the town. The city of Richmond
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
's redevelopment agency and Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
have been trying to revitalize the community's main roads, 3rd and Filbert Streets. In 2010 a thirty-six town home development was under construction to provide ultra low income housing that is planned to be kept affordable over time through a low equity scheme.
A county assessment has stated that the town is ideal for warehousing businesses due to its strategic location between Marin County, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, and the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
in addition to its easy access to major freeways, railways, and an available workforce with affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
.
North Richmond is home to the Las Deltas Projects, a crime ridden and dilapidated public housing complex. The county wishes to demolish it in favor of a mixed-income village but does not have the funds. In its current state Las Deltas puts the county $600,000 in the red every year and has a 70% vacancy rate.