Vision for a Revitalized Hayward

By Joseph "Joe" Hilson

After many years of hard work and planning, Hayward is on the move! A new City Hall, three new Fire Stations, a new Parking and Retail Structure, new housing in the downtown, new High Tech businesses opening, and opportunities to build new gateways into Hayward along the Foothill/Mission Blvd. corridors. Let's keep Hayward Moving Forward!

Hayward cannot move forward without a vision. I have a vision for Hayward that provides an array of housing, business, jobs, recreational activities and neighborhood improvements that will provide an opportunity for everyone to share in the economic prosperity that is happening all around us. Hayward is improving its image and has become a desirable place for people to locate. We need to build on that opportunity by adding a variety of infill housing and places of business. Established cities like Hayward must continually reinvent and rejuvenate themselves if they are to adequately serve their citizens. That is our challenge. To regenerate ourselves so everyone has an opportunity to a good job, decent and affordable housing and an enjoyable quality of life. We can provide for the future by rebuilding older areas that no longer serve their neighborhoods with new or refurbished housing, appropriate businesses to serve resident needs and provide jobs, quality schools and adequate recreational services for a changing population. We can do this and still preserve our heritage. Many older or historic structures can be refurbished and put to new uses preserving and extending their life and service to the community using the concepts of "Smart Growth Planning Development." I have been a leader in smart growth planning development" for more than a dozen years, before many people had heard the term. I initiated and led the effort to rewrite all of our Design Guidelines to address those issues and ensure quality development in Hayward. It has been a successful effort. The quality of development has improved significantly since implementing the new guidelines. I am proud to have led that effort and grateful to everyone who supported and assisted in the project. We are all the beneficiaries; it has been good for Hayward. But we aren't finished; much is left to be done. Help me keep Hayward moving forward by re-electing Joe Hilson on March 7, 2000.

Keep Hayward moving forward, providing jobs and residential opportunities for everyone. My Vision Priorities are:

• Maintain a strong economic policy and protect the city's revenue sources
• Redevelop additional downtown areas and bring new businesses and jobs to Hayward
• Revitalize the "West of Grand" area with new business and residential infill projects
• Expand the redevelopment area to include the Foothill/Mission Blvd. corridors, adding new office, commercial and retail businesses to our major gateways
• Partner with Hayward Schools to enhance school safety and the quality of education with a goal to raise test scores and educational excellence for all our children
• Develop additional Campus Business Parks bringing more high technology, high paying jobs to Hayward
• Protect and improve Hayward's neighborhoods by expanding Neighborhood Preservation efforts citywide
• Increase Public Safety and Community Policing in the neighborhoods and encourage new Neighborhood Watch areas
• Expand the Sidewalk replacement program citywide
• Bring additional funding for transportation projects and street maintenance to Hayward
• Expand Neighborhood input at the planning phase, before the project is designed, so citizens have meaningful input
• Improve Library services at existing Libraries and explore more neighborhood branches
• Expand Hayward Home Page to include more interactive service options for customers
• Initiate new technology services into city government to better serve citizens
• Ensure senior citizens have adequate services to meet their needs