City Government

City of Richmond Invokes Eminent Domain to Save Homes

Published

13 years ago

August 5, 2013

Homeowners and local officials in Richmond are considering a radical idea to keep people facing foreclosure in their homes. Eminent Domain, traditionally used by cities and states to seize property from homeowners for the “common good” to build roads and shopping malls, is now being considered to seize underwater mortgages from lenders, reduce the mortgages to current market value and resell them back to the homeowner. Richmond could become the first city in the nation to use eminent domain to bail out distressed homeowners.

Saturday, over 100 residents attended a meeting at Nevin Community Center to hear presentations by project leaders from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE); Mortgage Resolution Partners (MRP), the investment firm providing funding and support to save residents’ homes; and Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles and Mayor Gale McLaughlin who are supporting the idea and willing to take on Wall Street banks who refused to modify loans and work with homeowners.

Amy Shur, ACCE’s campaign director states that “The banks have sold these loans to other investors and the people who peddled these loans no longer care if the loan succeeds. They don’t lose when the homeowner loses, and often loan servicers actually do better when the homeowner is foreclosed upon.”

Foreclosed home in Richmond

Roughly half of all homes in Richmond are underwater and some homeowners owe three or four times what the home is worth, and while housing prices are beginning to skyrocket in more affluent Bay Area communities, Richmond remains mired in underwater mortgages. Last year ACCE reported that 900 Richmond families lost their homes last year while 4,600 remain $700 million underwater on their mortgages.

MRP will pay off bond holders close to the current value, and then sell the new the new mortgage to the homeowner less than the previous amount. The city has sent 32 banks and other mortgage holders an offer to buy 624 mortgages. If the offers are denied the letter indicates that Richmond may use the power of eminent domain, condemn the mortgages, seize them, and pay court-determined fair market value. City leaders indicate that the purpose is to stabilize the community and prevent foreclosures.

Banks and investors are vehemently opposed to the idea and Chris Killian, managing director of the Securities and Financial Markets Association, a trade group that represents banks and securities firms says that “We think it is unconstitutional, illegal and very bad policy. Mortgage lending is a business, and lenders and mortgage investors have to say what kind of return they want and how much risk they can tolerate. That’s just the way markets work.”

Wells Fargo, the largest mortgage holder in Richmond release a statement: “We believe this approach will harm mortgage investors, the housing market, and the communities and borrowers that its proponents claim they would be helping.”

Mortgage Resolution Partners chairman Steven Gluckstern said, “In Richmond, I see political and community leaders courageous enough to wage this battle and make no mistake, it’s going to be a battle.” MRP who is facilitating the program will offer Richmond the technical assistance, financial backing including all legal costs. In return, the for-profit firm would receive a flat fee of $4,500 per mortgage.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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March 1, 2026

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 18 – 24, 2026

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February 20, 2026

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CITY OF SAN LEANDRO STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING DIVISION NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III

WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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PROJECT NO. 2020.0050

BID NO. 25-26.011

BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety. Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III/PROJECT NO. 2020.0050 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14^th Street, 2^nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.
OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project plans and Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at:https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Public Works Department Engineering division at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive.Bidders may also purchase the Project Plans and Contract Book from East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co., at 1745 14^th Street, Oakland, CA 94606; Phone Number: (510) 261-2990 or email: ebbp@eastbayblueprint.com.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE: A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM and on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM as follows:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 8752 6074
Passcode: 502955
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/88387526074?pwd=hZ5rjB8AWdLAUem3CtByFiZxqKarHj.1
And
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Zoom Meeting ID: 898 2672 0472
Passcode: 091848
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/89826720472?pwd=JgZX2nXMpLSRM5xDPr7EJUxl7QIznr.1The information presented at the conferences will be identical, all bidders must attend one of the pre-bid conference and sign the attendance sheet. A firm that didn’t attend the pre-bid conference isn’t qualified to bid on the project.Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.
VALUE OF WORK: The Engineer has estimated that the value of work is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.
SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation. A list of companies that hold a San Leandro business license is located on the City webpage under the finance department, here: https://www.sanleandro.org/340/Business-License
SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to the Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10.