Growth

Hayward needs to keep growing. 

More than 55 million U.S. children have started school this year. The most ever, and the most diverse. This also means more teachers. In Hayward, I know of at least two new teachers who plan a move to our city. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had some type of teacher homeownership program? We will have more children in our schools, and I’d rather have their teachers living with us. And, how about producing our own, in California – even here in Hayward – instead of importing or recruiting them from other countries?

Anyway, how things have changed. In 1978, 78 percent of school-age children were white, compared to 57 percent in 2004. California is one of five states that now have more minority students in our most ethnically and racially diverse schools.

We keep growing nationwide through immigration and home growth. At the moment, Latinos make up 14 percent of the U.S. population.

Growth has also happened in Hayward over the past seven years. We are probably closer to 150,000 people now. This can be seen by the new housing just built or about to be. A couple of weeks ago, as a matter of fact, and as reported in this newspaper’s Bay Homesite section, we held the grand opening of not one, but three, new Hayward communities. They were The Glen, near Second St., Midtown, near City Hall, and Ridgeview, up the hill a ways. And, you know what? The first releases have sold out! By the way, I agree with their publicists when they say that many people are “choosing to live large in newly revitalized Hayward.”

We certainly have been up to task in our city as we can’t simply shut the gate and stop people from moving to Hayward, especially the Latino, who has increased the most in numbers. On this, the magazine Impacto ran an article last month stating that, in 37 states, including ours, four of every 10 home buyers are Latino.

That is why we are about to annex properties east of Mission, and behind Chabot College. It is also the reason our Planning Commission and the City Council have worked diligently in the redevelopment of Mission, from Harder Road to Industrial Boulevard. And that is why we are on our way, with the award-winning Burbank project.

We are expecting, preparing for, and welcoming growth – ready for the new Haywardians.

People have taken note. Our city was placed 15th in a recent study by the Greenbelt Alliance that compared 101 cities in the Bay Area. What makes this noteworthy is the fact that it is based on smart, green growth, which takes into account several key points such as parks, affordable homes, mixed uses and correct densities. Not bad, huh?

We need our share of the projected Bay Area growth of 1 million people by the year 2020.

Why? Well, with no growth, there are fewer dollars in our coffers. Less money from home sales would mean fewer funds for our infrastructure, for city amenities, for city services such as sidewalks and fixing potholes in the streets, and for needed public service personnel such as police officers and firefighters. The last two are key for any city. Our heroes in blue, both of whom put their lives on the line for us, are an essential element of a prosperous city. And I feel we don’t have enough of them.

Simply put, a growthless city is one stuck in time, akin to the movie “Groundhog Day,” and one with unhappy, serviceless citizens.

Part of those million new folks will be those Central American youngsters who brave weather, robbery and worse as they work their way north through Mexico, in order to either join their parents here or help their families back home. The numbers are quite high. More than 6,000 were detained last year, meaning that there were quite a few who did slip through. Now, if they make it here, they are with family. Those who do not make it are cared for in Mexico before they are sent back to the border, in Guatemalan shelters, before they are picked up by their parents, if they have any.

Or maybe we’ll welcome new folks from all the way in Bolivia. They also brave dangers as they seek a better way of life. A staggering 1.5 million Bolivians live outside of their home country! It is the poorest country in Latin America, and this is one way they survive. The minimum wage is only $60 per month, but last year, nonresident Bolivians sent home almost $1 billion. They are all over the world, including more than 600,000 in Argentina. I wonder how many we’ll have in Hayward.

Of course, some of our future Latino Haywardians won’t be buying at Stonebrae, but that’s OK; I’ll come welcome them in the lowlands. Interestingly enough, Latino purchasing power in the U.S. is estimated at more than $561 billion, according to a report in the Spanish-language newspaper Vision Hispana. Let’s bring a couple of billion to Hayward, no?

Our business community will keep growing too, of course. At the moment, Luis and Rocío Solorio, owners of Auachtli store, are looking for a locale in Hayward, for their Mexican arts and crafts store, the first in Hayward. I’m for it, and am hoping it’s in downtown, where we are looking for diversity.

Women-owned businesses have grown at a faster rate too – 20 percent as compared to the overall percentage, 7 percent, and the Latinas rate almost 9 percent.

Why Hayward? Well, incredible location, diverse cultures, improving and interesting shopping, stomach-satisfying eating, and lively entertainment. The joys of our city can be seen at Ilovehayward.com, liveinhayward.com, Hayware.BAeGuide.com, and, of course, zermeno.com. 

Thank you. 
fjzc©27.ix.2006
Hayward on!