HAYWARD, Calif., Aug. 19, 2026—The Hayward City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a

HAYWARD, Calif., Aug. 19, 2026-The Hayward City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a formal agreement with the County of Alameda to jointly administer a Russell City Redress Fund for the benefit of residents who had property seized during redevelopment of Russell City.

Earlier this month, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the same agreement. The Board also authorized the Alameda County Auditor-Controller to issue redress payments on behalf of the Redress Fund to eligible recipients pursuant to the agreement between the two local government agencies.

The Russell City Redress Fund is an outgrowth of the Russell City Reparative Justice Project, initiated by the City of Hayward in June 2022 to determine appropriate redress for inequitable treatment of Russell City residents who were displaced and had property seized for redevelopment by Alameda County and eventual annexation into the City of Hayward.

The action on Tuesday by the Hayward City Council means a Joint County/City Russell City Redress Fund Working Group can begin accepting applications for Redress Fund payments-with an initial focus on aging Russell City residents whose properties were taken by and under threat of eminent domain during the 1960s.

As the Redress Fund Working Group works to finalize the application process-including documentation requirements-it has set up a telephone number, (510) 272-6684, and email address, [email protected], for former Russell City residents, family members and descendants to ask questions and sign up to receive updates.

The Working Group also will hold in-person office hours to answer questions and provide Redress Fund application support on select Thursdays at Hayward Public Library's Downtown Library, 888 C Street, starting this Thursday, Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on select Thursdays and Saturdays at the Library's Weekes Branch, 27300 Patrick Avenue, starting this Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Today, the Russell City Redress Fund stands at $1.3 million-with contributions totaling $950,000 from the County of Alameda, $250,000 from the City of Hayward and $100,000 from the Alameda County Office of Education.