Vallejo, California:
The Death and Life of
a Common American City
L. Carlos Freire-Gibb, PhD Candidate
Visiting UC Berkeley from Aalborg University (Denmark)
JUST METROPOLIS CONFERENCE
University of California, Berkeley. 13-16 June 2010
1
“Because this recession has been deeper
and more painful than any in 70 years,
our state and local governments face a
vicious cycle.”
Barack Obama, 12 June 2010 in a letter sent to the
Senate and Congress
Outline
1. Vallejo
2. 4 Historical Key Points
3. Lessons and Policy Suggestions
3
Vallejo, CA
120,000 inhabitants
-1/3 white
-¼ black
-¼ Asian (Filipino)
-Rest: brown and mixed
•Bedroom community
•Working class
•Bad reputation in the Bay Area
•Bankrupt since 2008
4
San Francisco Bay Area
Evolution of Vallejo
4 key points
•
•
•
•
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1868 – 1879.
1939 – 1945.
1959 – 1965.
2000 – Today.
The Train arrives
WWII Shipyards & Navy town
Extreme Downtown Redevelopment
Bay Area Growth & Bankruptcy
BOOM 1: The train arrives (1869)
6
Railroad Map, Rand McNally, c. 1878
BOOM 2: 1940's
7
BOOM 3:
Extreme
Downtown
Redevelopment
Early 1960’s
8
Area destroyed
116,7 acres
Vallejo Downtown
9
Compare with: UC Berkeley
BOOM 4:
Naval Base Closed 1996
Bay Area Growth
& Bankruptcy 2008
10
Political tension because of the local budget
But.... 80% of the budget goes to cops and firefighters salaries
50% of firefighters make over $150,000
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Conclusion: Understanding Vallejo
Place… and history matters
1.City has strong relationship on a broad scales: global (II,
IV), national (II, III, IV) regional (I, II, III, IV)
2.Beware of megaprojects (III, IV)
3.Avoid focus on 'The Experience Economy' (I, III, IV)
4.Home-ownership can be dangerous (IV)
5.Negative aspects of “more independent communities”
6.Recognize federal subsidies (e.g. military) and diversify
economy.
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Conclusions: Crucial areas
1.Beware of consultants -Economists, lawyers,
entrepreneurs, academics, planners, etc.- (I, III, IV)
2.Tough choices with environment
3.Actors need constant dialogue... or
4.Interest Groups (E.g. Public Safety Unions)
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14
50% of firefighters make over $150,000
2008 Salaries
Source: Vallejo Independent Bulletin.
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16
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Base Closure (1996)
“[After 150 years] nobody thought that the base will be closed”
(City Manager)
But still... Housing Growth
and
#1 in 'Best Cities for Entrepreneurs in America Middle Sized Cities'
(Entrepreneur Magazine, Oct. 2003)
#5 in 'Best Places for Business in California' (Forbes, 2002)
#9 in 'Top 20 Medium Size Cites Doing Business in the U.S.' (INC
Magazine Best Cities, 2004)