Activism

Richmond Fire Chief Advocates for Education Over Fines for At-Risk Properties

The City Council voted to form an ad-hoc committee of councilmembers and city staff to work on wildfire preparedness and mitigation, to conduct community outreach and to assess what is needed to best prepare city neighborhoods impacted by wildfires, including possible enforcement on at-risk properties.

Published

1 year ago

January 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Chief Aaron Osorio. Image via KCRT Media.

The Richmond Standard

Richmond Fire Chief Aaron Osorio advocated for community education over enforcement when it comes to city properties that are at risk for wildland fires.

The chief made this recommendation at Richmond City Council on Tuesday while summarizing how his department is addressing the potential for destructive wildfires, a topic that is on everyone’s minds amid the devastating Greater Los Angeles wildfires.

Osorio says a lot is already being done in terms of wildfire preparedness in the city. He advocated to increase community education on wildfire risks, prevention, and response, particularly at a time when the nation’s attention is on the subject.

“I think we need to balance what we’re seeing on TV, what we’re seeing in the media,” the chief said. “There’s a lot of misinformation that has gone on about how [the Greater LA fires were] handled. So, I think really being able to have the community ask questions would solve a lot of the concerns.”

According to the state, areas designated within the “high severity zone” for wildfires exist primarily in the Carriage Hills and May Valley areas of Richmond.

Areas considered at high risk for wildfires encompass about 8% of the city, Chief Osorio said. He noted other areas of the city face different emergency risks, such as industrial incidents, shoreline and marine responses and the impacts of earthquakes including liquefaction.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Federal Grants Freeze Exposes Disproportionate Impact on Red States, Showing Trump’s Willingness to Sacrifice His Own Supporters

Don't Miss

Attorney General Bonta Sues Trump Administration Over Unconstitutional Birthright Citizenship Order

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

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

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

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.