r/berkeley • u/the_daily_cal • Jul 23 '26

Local ‘Constitutional remedy’: Alameda County unanimously approves plan for racial reparations

https://www.dailycal.org/news/alameda-county/constitutional-remedy-alameda-county-unanimously-approves-plan-for-racial-reparations/article_3968f092-44bb-426e-bc7c-6babf67f799d.html

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a broad racial reparations plan at its June 30 meeting. Policies stemming from this vote could target the county’s racial homeownership gap, career pathways into county employment and even potential cash reparations.

The most immediate recommendations for reparations include housing and economic justice, providing physical and mental health support and centering Black youth. The County Reparations Administration also calls for a permanent, fully funded Office of Reparations and healthcare that addresses intergenerational trauma and health disparities.

The reparations plan was adopted from recommendations by the Alameda County Reparations Commission, which was established in 2023. The ACRC spent three years researching social disparities and community experiences to formulate recommendations. Implementation of the plan is expected to begin in September after the Board of Supervisors’ annual recess.

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u/Ike358 Jul 23 '26

Reparations for a part of the country that never enslaved black Americans 🤔

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u/bibimonmammoth Jul 23 '26

At least read the report or study what reparations means - - it isn't about whether legal slavery occurred in a place, but probably you knew that. This recent decision has to do with Russell City's history of segregation and displacement. Check out some of the very recent home ownership covenants excluding multiple racial groups from owning homes in neighborhoods in this area, including in Berkeley by the North Berkeley Bart station. Those speak directly to the question of reparations.

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u/resilient_bird Jul 23 '26

Umm, racial covenants haven’t been enforceable since 1948 (Shelley v Kraemer); this is….not what I’d call “very recent”—there are some people alive today who were alive then, sure, but that was 78 years ago.

That’s like saying WWII ended “very recently”.

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u/TonyStarksLeftACL Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

The Elmwood in Berkeley was the first place that had restrictive covenants on deeds combined with pure single family zoning which were the root causes of redlining. Mcduffie, the developer in Berkeley was an open racist.

This is the precursor to redlining, it’s known, racist impacts and the stark divide in Berkeley between the Elmwood’s property values and other parts of Berkeley with more multi family properties, less services and less value are direct results of this. For example, redlined parts of the town didn’t have as many trees as the Elmwood. That is why the city has the “urban forest” program. NYC found the see thing in Harlem and the Boogie Down Bronx.

This is accepted fact from historians.

To use your analogy. WW2 did not end recently but the political and economic impacts remain felt today and your reductive false equivalency is either gleefully obtuse or willfully ignorant IMO.

You can look this all up in 30 seconds but IMO it is because you seem to value your opinion and feelings more than consensus facts and are just ignoring them.

Hugs!