WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Give Thanks
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023
YEAR 35
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
Utility Boxes, Bus Changes Get Reviewed
On the RISE
RISE organization helps empower the unhoused through street outreach
By Amy Sylvestri
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
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PHOTOS BY MIKE McGUIRE
A Clear Vision
CV’s Maggie Francisco set her sights on career path from an early age
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The Avalon Mobile Home Park at 3970 Castro Valley Bouelvard, where residents are fighting a big rent increase.
Mobile Home Residents Face Massive Rent Hike Tenants at the Avalon Mobile Home Park at 3970 Castro Valley Boulevard who own their homes but not the land Dozens of Castro Valley mobile home park residents say under them got notices on October 31 from a relatively new they face big—and illegal— rent increases that might result owner, Three Pillars Communities. According to the notice, in their evictions early next rents on most of the 46 units year. By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
A Lot of Trees
The Scout Christmas Tree Lot opens this Friday in Castro Valley
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INDEX Calendar ................ 4 Classified Ads ......... 8 Crosswords ............. 9 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............... 11 Our Town ................. 3 Sheriff’s Report ...... 3 Sports .................. 12 Weather .................. 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
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are expected to rise sharply, for some units roughly doubling, on February 1, 2024. Three Pillars, headed by Daniel Weisfield, bought the park from the former family owners in February 2023. On its website, Three Pillars says it see HIKE on page 5
Get ready to spot foxes, chickens, hot air balloons, and more around town, as the next phase of the Alameda County Arts Commission’s utility box art and street banner project has taken another step towards fruition. The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) saw mockups from 11 artists whose artwork will be featured on utility boxes and banners throughout town. The new designs will replace the current designs on the County-controlled boxes around Castro Valley, which debuted in 2019. Previously, at meetings earlier this year, the MAC voted to support the new phase of designs and approved the individual artists. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved the artists’ contracts at a meeting late last month. The artists are Karen Berry of Fremont, Ekaterina Bazlakova of Castro Valley, Alice Beasley of Oakland, Rhonda Chase of Pleasanton, Yan Inlow or Alameda, Rekha Joshi of Pleasanton, Moonji Pickering of Albany, Hilda Robinson of Oakland, Sarah Sammis of Hayward, Azar Vaghefi of Castro Valley, and Kim Vanderheiden of Castro Valley. Installation of the artwork on vinyl wraps on the boxes and banners will begin in early 2024. The MAC also heard from AC Transit about the future of the bus system and how routes and schedules could be streamlined as a reflection of struggling ridership numbers. AC Transit reports that their rider demographics are 65 percent low-income, 75 percent people of color, and 29 percent people with limited English proficiency. People riding see MAC on page 11
Sheriff’s Office Discusses Military Equipment The presentation was prompted by AB 481, a 2021 California law requiring law Last Friday, Alameda Coun- enforcement to report to the public what it has and obtain ty Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez and her officers discussed the approval before purchasing any department’s inventory of mili- more. The Alameda County tary-grade equipment, what the Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) released its findings on October agency used in the last year, and the cost associated during 20 and is expected to present the 124-page report to the a town hall held at Castro Alameda County Board of Valley Library. By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Supervisors at its November 28 meeting. Sheriff Sanchez said the ACSO is ready to look at things with a different lens and involve the community to address their concerns. “Yes, this is a law that says that we have to come forth and bring this to your attention and have a discussion, but this isn’t going to be how we operate in
a ‘have-to’ type of mindset,” Sheriff Sanchez said. “Before we go to the board to acquire some new equipment, there’s going to be a dialogue as to what your concerns are, how we address them to make you feel more comfortable and have an understanding of why we’re doing or acquiring what we’re acquiring.” The “Military Equipment
Annual Report” covers actions between November 20, 2022, and September 30, 2023. The document outlines the agency’s military equipment use policy as approved by the Board of Supervisors and descriptions of each type of weapon. Among the sheriff’s office inventory, deputies have access to 101 aerial drones, 11 remotely pisee MILITARY on page 10