Residents Pack Council Chambers Demanding City Block Sale of Historic Theater

A standing-room crowd turned Antioch's Sept. 8 council meeting into a referendum on the future of El Campanil Theater, the city's last dedicated performing-arts venue, as nearly 20 speakers urged the council to take legal action before a Sept. 29 close of escrow hands the 1928 landmark to a church. Beyond the theater fight, the council quietly advanced a pair of grant-funded violence intervention positions and pre-approved ADU plans designed to lower housing costs.

• Nearly 20 speakers demand city block the sale of historic El Campanil Theater to Legendary Movement Church, citing a 2003 reversion agreement and $750,000 in public investment
• Council approves two street outreach positions funded by state CalVIP grant to reduce gun violence — no general fund cost
• Pre-approved ADU plans adopted; council explores linking Antioch High School construction academy to donate student-built units
• BART could cut 70% of service and close the Antioch station without a November regional transit measure, council member warns
• Resident facing eviction describes four months of failed homeless prevention services through 211 and Catholic Charities

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Save El Campanil: A Community Draws Its Line

Antioch's El Campanil Theater — a 1928 performing-arts house in the heart of the Rivertown district — is three weeks from changing hands, and the people who built careers, childhoods and community bonds inside its walls are not going quietly.

The basics: The El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation, a nonprofit, has been selling the building through a private transaction. The current buyer is Legendary Movement Church, based in Pittsburgh, Calif. Close of escrow is Sept. 29. In 2003, the city invested $750,000 in redevelopment funds in the theater under an agreement with the foundation and Calpine Corporation that speakers say included a clause returning the property to the city if the foundation became insolvent.

Why it matters: If the sale closes, Antioch permanently loses its only dedicated performing-arts venue and a cultural anchor that speakers described as central to the city's identity and downtown economic vitality — with no guarantee the building will remain accessible for arts programming.

Where things stand: Eighteen in-person speakers and one caller flooded public comment with a single message: the city must act now.

Michael Gabrielson, a Rivertown business owner, laid out the core legal argument: "The stipulation was that if the El Campanil Theater ever became insolvent, that if their foundation ever became insolvent, that the theater would revert back to the city and to preserve the programming and thus ensuring that the facility would remain a community treasure."

Warren Lutz pressed the council to move immediately: "If the city has a legal claim to the property, now is the time to assert it in court and start the process of legally contesting the title and asking for a preliminary injunction to freeze the current sale until the claim is litigated."

Harry Thurston, Antioch Chamber of Commerce board president, reported that no arts organizations — including the Lesher Center, Maskers Playhouse, California Theater, Hewlett Packard Foundation, or Lesher Foundation — were notified the building was for sale. He warned the council bluntly: "When churches take over your prime economic retail space, cities die economically. We cannot have that happen. We have to preserve our economic vitality in this city."

Sharon Idel, president of the El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation and artistic director of Black Diamond Ballet Theater, argued the theater must remain under arts-organization control to run successful programming, noting she invests approximately $19,000 annually in theater rentals. Robert Davis raised questions about the buyer's nonprofit filings and a possible connection to a 60,000-square-foot property at 2515 Delta Fair. Danette Rodriguez cited the city's own 2019–2029 strategic plan, which calls for historic downtown revitalization. Mary Jo Mundy Bruce, a former El Campanil bookkeeper, said the 2023 sale should not have happened and called for an investigation. Nicole Faye Patak, a drama therapist, described the theater academy's impact on children and its mental health benefits.

Several speakers directed personal criticism at Mayor Ron Bernal, alleging he facilitated the sale and has a personal relationship with the church's pastor. Alan Payton, publisher of the Antioch Herald, called in via Zoom to press Councilmember Monica Wilson and Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker to answer questions about what they knew about the 2023 sale, citing former foundation director Rick Caraher's claim that the city was approached before the transaction.

The other side: The mayor acknowledged the community's passion but offered no commitment to specific legal action. "The city of Antioch in our current position is not able to speak to what's happening related to this escrow," Mayor Bernal said, adding the city is conducting its own research.

What's next: The Sept. 29 close of escrow is the hard deadline. Residents urged the city to seek a preliminary injunction, pursue historical preservation designation, or assert its legal claim under the 2003 agreement before the property permanently changes hands. The council took no formal action.

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Two New Street Outreach Workers Will Target Gun Violence

Why it matters: Antioch is shifting its violence intervention strategy from external contractors to in-house staff, giving the city direct control over a program that staff say is already producing results — at no cost to the general fund.

Where things stand: The council unanimously approved a new Community Resources Specialist classification and two limited-term positions funded by the CalVIP (California Violence Intervention and Prevention) Cohort 5 grant through the Board of State and Community Corrections. Funding runs through Sept. 30, 2029.

Alicia Spinoza, public safety manager, described the new hires as the city's frontline team: "These would be your street outreach team, teams providing de-escalation, responding after shootings, giving program participants, which we call fellows, wraparound services, whether that be to employment, stable food source, housing."

Spinoza reported the program is working: "The grant has shown that since its implementation, gun violence has actually been on the downward trajectory in Antioch."

Councilmember Monica Wilson credited Councilmember Torres-Walker for championing the grant and pressed staff on accountability: "How are we going to track this? Because I know, when the time comes and council needs to make a decision, we're going to ask that." Spinoza described multiple layers of evaluation including a UC Berkeley database, quarterly state reports, and an independent evaluator, Evident Change.

Councilmember Louie Rocha confirmed these would be internal city hires rather than external contractors. Mayor Bernal asked to see the CalVIP Cohort 4 final evaluation report — due Oct. 1 — before it goes to the state.

Decisions: Approved 3-0 (For: Rocha, Wilson, Bernal; Absent: Torres-Walker, Freitas).

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ADU Plans Adopted — and a High School Pipeline Takes Shape

Why it matters: Pre-approved accessory dwelling unit plans can cut thousands of dollars in design fees for homeowners looking to add housing. Councilmember Rocha saw a bigger opportunity.

Where things stand: Rocha pulled the ADU Accelerator item from the consent calendar to discuss linking the city's new pre-approved plans with Antioch High School's BIDA (Building Institute for Technology Academy) construction program, which builds state-compliant ADUs as a hands-on learning project. He asked whether student-built units could align with the city's specifications and whether a process exists for donating completed ADUs to families in need.

"I just like to kind of get a process in place where the program can benefit the city in some way, shape or form," Councilmember Rocha said.

The acting CED director clarified that the pre-approved plans do not supersede any ADU that meets California building code and offered to visit the high school campus with the chief building official. On the donation question, staff noted the city could help make community connections but that directly facilitating handoffs would raise complications.

Decisions: Approved 3-0 (For: Rocha, Wilson, Bernal; Absent: Torres-Walker, Freitas).

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A Broken Safety Net: Resident Describes Months of Failed Help

Melissa Johnson, an Antioch resident facing eviction in six days, called in via Zoom to describe navigating the county's homeless prevention system. She contacted 211 on May 1 while still housed, completed intake with Catholic Charities on July 15, and followed up repeatedly — but no support materialized by Sept. 8, her eviction trial looming on Sept. 14.

"The homeless prevention process has been slow, arduous and profoundly dehumanizing," Johnson said. "Asking for help requires a person to surrender her privacy and dignity one painful detail at a time."

Johnson challenged stereotypes about homelessness, noting her three decades of professional experience including executive HR leadership, and asked the council to connect her with housing partners.

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BART Warning: 70% Service Cuts Without November Vote

Councilmember Rocha reported from the Aug. 26 Tri-Delta Transit Board meeting that a regional transit measure on the November ballot — spanning Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties — is critical to BART's survival in East Contra Costa.

"Without new funding, BART could be forced to cut as much as 70% of its service, close as many as 15 stations and shut down as early as 9 p.m., returning our system to what it looked like back in 1976," Councilmember Rocha said. He specifically warned the Antioch and Pittsburg BART stations could be at risk, which would create severe Highway 4 congestion.

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Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 3-0 (Items A through H); Torres-Walker and Freitas absent for all votes throughout the meeting.
• Department renamed: An ordinance was introduced renaming the Public Safety and Community Resources Department to the Community Services Department, with the director's title changing to Community Services Director and the public safety manager title to Community Engagement Manager. First reading waived; approved 3-0. Staff confirmed the changes are administrative only with no new programs or expanded authority.
• Proclamations: Council proclaimed September as Suicide Prevention Month, recognizing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the Peer Connection Center. Megan Shinkle of Peer Connections accepted the proclamation and shared her own lived experience with mental health challenges. A second proclamation commemorated the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001; Captain Bittner of the Antioch Police Department accepted on behalf of APD and Contra Costa County Fire personnel. Approved 3-0.
• Community events announced: California Coastal Cleanup Day, Teens Gate Night, a coat drive, El Campanil theater shows, and a poetry open mic series.
• Board vacancies: The city is seeking residents for the Board of Administrative Appeals and the Sales Tax Citizens Oversight Committee; deadline Sept. 18, 2026.
• Downtown security: Councilmember Rocha reported the Chamber of Commerce held a Sept. 2 lunch-and-learn with Chief Vigil, Acting City Manager Cortez, and Mayor Pro Tem Freitas on downtown safety, with hopes of forming a joint Chamber–Downtown Association task force.
• Contra Loma Park: Mayor Bernal announced a Sept. 22 community meeting at the community center to discuss the closed lagoon and pool at Contra Loma Park, which has been shuttered for nearly four years.