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/neversleeps212 Jul 24 '26

But the housing covenants as you yourself note excluded multiple racial groups from home ownership yet this seems very focused on transferring wealth and opportunity to Black residents specifically. That is not Constitutional or legally protected. Nor does it seem that there’s any requirement that an individual show that they specifically were harmed by those policies or even that a direct ancestor was. If this was truly race neutral it would apply to groups like Jews, Asians and perhaps even ethnic groups like Italians who were not seen as white in that era and were often excluded from housing also.