Vallejo Council Sends $162M Police Headquarters Back to the Drawing Board

Vallejo spent $6.4M designing a police headquarters for 200 sworn officers. The department has about 86. On Oct. 13, 2026, the City Council unanimously directed City Manager Harry Black to return with a smaller building and financing options at several price points, effectively ending the $156M–$162M version of the project. The council also approved $300,000 for a backlogged Housing Authority despite union objections, and heard residents demand answers over the Sept. 23 arrest of a longtime Mare Island Preserve volunteer.

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• Police headquarters reset: Council orders reduced-scope options after a $156M–$162M estimate
• $300,000 in Measure P funds for the Housing Authority backlog, with a subsidy-moratorium analysis to follow
• Four speakers condemn the arrest of senior Preserve volunteer Myrna Hayes and call for investigation
• Combined VMT and traffic guidelines adopted, replacing 2020 interim rules
• $464,000 Axon camera funding approved after staff confirm no money goes to Flock

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A Building for a Department Vallejo Doesn't Have

Why it matters: The proposed Vallejo Community Safety Center at 111 Amador Street is the city's largest facility project. It arrives as the city faces an estimated $30M budget hole, and any version will carry decades of debt service.

Where things stand: The city has a 100% construction drawing set and about $6.4M in design contracts. Staff estimated $83M in direct costs, $115M for all-in construction, and $156M–$162M once indirect costs and relocating the Corp Yard are included.

"We don't have the financial wherewithal to make those happen," said Public Works Director Jobe.

Staff laid out three paths:

• Value engineering: about $6M in savings.
• Option 3: build only the three-story building, saving about $36M.
• Alternative delivery: design-build and construction manager-at-risk were judged too late to use. A public-private partnership would cost about $15M a year.

Bruce Playo, project architect with Plale Indigo Hammond Architects, backed the leaner approach: "The value engineering option 3 offers a lot of advancement for the city." He said the facility was planned for 1.44 sworn officers per 1,000 residents, assuming a population of 139,000.

The staffing gap: That assumption drew the sharpest critique of the night. "We have 86 sworn staff, and we are designing a building for 200 sworn staff," said Mayor Andrea Sorce, who called the process "a master class on how not to go about doing something in the public sector."

Councilmember Peter Bregenzer traced the growth to an original $50M–$72M plan. "There is quite a bit of scope creep in the last 3 and a half years," he said. "But we can't build a $170 million building." He urged cutting community space and phasing construction.

Councilmember Alexander Matias said he would stick with Option 3 and demanded a financing analysis, including the status of talks with Sunstone Cities on a public-private partnership. Councilmember Charles Palmares asked whether the city could skip the third floor and roof the second.

Councilmember Helen-Marie Gordon asked, "What is the problem with Mare Island Way?" Assistant City Manager Nolingo Conley explained that the 400 Mare Island Way building is "being held as collateral for our debt service." Sorce said that site is off the table.

The other side: Vice Mayor Diosdado "JR" Matulac cautioned against cutting without the department's input. "First and foremost, we need to do right by our police department," he said, adding that council needs to hear what police are "willing and able to give up."

Public commenters were harsher. Rebecca Trimper asked who set the scope and why detailed drawings were commissioned before the project was ratified or financed. Ann C. urged separating wants from needs and questioned the community meeting space and firing range. Dave H. called the $162M project a failure of scope management and urged council to send it back and fire the architect.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: On Sorce's motion, council directed the city manager to return with reduced-scope options tied to projected department needs, plus financing alternatives. The vote was announced as unanimous (For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Black offered a financing prospectus at the $60M–$120M levels. The outcome means police get a smaller building, taxpayers gain leverage on cost, and the design team's work faces revision.

What's next: Staff will return to council with scaled options and financing scenarios. No date was set.

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Housing Authority Gets $300,000 as Union Cries Foul

Why it matters: Late recertifications and an estimated 23 to 26 pending hearings put voucher holders at risk of losing rental assistance. Dr. Christopher Adams, a voucher holder, told council his assistance faced termination Oct. 31 despite timely submissions.

Where things stand: The item, pulled from consent, allocates $300,000 in Measure P sales tax funds to the Housing Authority administration fund, including support from Alica Consulting. Councilmember Tonia Lediju questioned Alica's CEO and staff on the backlog, the hearing counts and staffing. Only 8 positions are filled, compared with 12 funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Black described the outside help as temporary. He said human resources is working to fill vacancies and the city is in a meet-and-confer process with the union. "This is critical path element number 1 to resolving the situation," he said.

The other side: Josh Davidson, shop steward and unit chair for IBEW Local 1245, urged council to pull the item. He cited missing vacancy data, no competitive request for proposals for Alica, and pending reviews by the Measure P Oversight Committee and the Housing Authority Board on Oct. 27. "Under AB 339, the city must give IBEW at least 45 days written notice before contracting out," he said.

Dave H. argued from the other direction. He reminded council it can declare an emergency to skip the two-step process when residents' well-being is threatened.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Lediju moved to add a moratorium on suspending subsidies. "I want the letters to stop going out," she said. The city attorney and city manager said a moratorium was not on the agenda and needed legal review. Sorce then friendly-amended the motion to adopt the resolution as written, with a moratorium analysis to return. It passed unanimously (For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 0).

Voucher holders get backlog help but no immediate stop to termination notices. The union's contracting-out dispute remains unresolved.

What's next: The moratorium analysis returns at a coming meeting. The Housing Authority Board meets Oct. 27.

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Speakers Demand Answers on Preserve Volunteer's Arrest

Why it matters: Four speakers used the first community forum to condemn the Sept. 23 arrest of Myrna Hayes, the 70-year-old volunteer who closes the Mare Island Preserve gate. The criticism came on the same night council weighed spending on police facilities.

Where things stand:

• Askari Sawande said the arrest video brought him to the meeting and asked council to train officers and show care for the community.
• Rascal C., a former elected official, called for a state investigation and the release of related communications.
• Liz King accused council of failing to demand police accountability.
• Carrie Swing said Hayes has volunteered for 16 years and demanded answers.

What's next: Neither council members nor staff responded on the record. Residents seeking follow-up can press the Police Oversight and Accountability Commission or raise the issue at future forums.

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New Rulebook for Traffic Review

The basics: SB 743, a state law, shifted environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) from level of service (LOS), which measures intersection congestion, to vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Vallejo's new guidelines combine both measures in one document and replace interim rules from 2020.

Where things stand: Planning & Development Services Director Kristin Pollot said the Planning Commission "voted 7-0 to recommend that the City Council adopt the updated guidelines as presented and with no changes" on Sept. 9. "We're still analyzing LOS to make sure that intersections are operating correctly," she added.

Gordon raised high asthma rates and highway pollution in South Vallejo. Consultant Bill Burton of Farron Peers said the guidelines "don't exempt anything from CEQA." Palmares asked about impact-fee incentives for infill development. Staff said the fee schedule is not tied to VMT and that fees can be deferred but not waived.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council adopted the General Plan amendment unanimously (For: 6, Against: 0, Absent: 1, Lediju). Developers now get both reviews specified up front. Vallejo-specific VMT thresholds will apply to upcoming projects such as Blue Rock Springs and Borges Ranch.

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Axon Cameras Funded, Flock Stays on Ice

Where things stand: Council approved $464,000 for Axon Enterprise: $256,022 from the Monsanto fund balance and $207,978 from Measure P. This was step 2 of 2.

"I just want to make sure that there's no shell game happening," Bregenzer said. "The answer to your question is no," replied Deputy Chief of Police Sanjay Ramaraka, who said no funds were spent or allocated for Flock license-plate cameras.

Sorce asked that body-worn and car cameras move from Measure P into the regular police budget. Black said all of it would be considered in the next budget cycle.

The other side: Public commenter RJ urged canceling the Flock contract before an upcoming joint meeting of the Surveillance Advisory Board and the Police Oversight and Accountability Commission. Richard Hybels defended Flock, citing arrests of murder suspects, and urged a poll rather than a town hall.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The appropriation passed unanimously (For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Flock remains unfunded pending the joint review.

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Minor Items

• Warming center: Council advanced step 1 of $76,400 in Measure P funding for the Vallejo Navigation Center (For: 6, Absent: 1). Last season logged 221 overnight stays over 75 days.
• Permit fee pilot: A roughly one-year building permit fee cut for low-income homeowners takes effect immediately (For: 6, Absent: 1).
• North Bay rail: The Solano Transportation Authority recommended phased Napa-Vallejo rail with a ferry link, at a cost estimate beginning with a "B."
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month: VEST announced Cal OES funding for supervised visitation in Vallejo, launching Nov. 2.
• Short-term rentals: Kirk Smith, CEO and president of Visit Vallejo, asked council to engage HDL to audit short-term rentals and RV parks.

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Looking Ahead

Council continued items 9B and 9F because of the late hour. The warming center needs a second vote, and the Housing Authority moratorium analysis is due back. The rail study goes to the Napa Valley Transportation Authority on Oct. 21.

Councilmembers also floated future items: Matias's request to "evaluate a $1 million appropriation for a storefront facade improvement program," a data center ban or moratorium, an updated seniority policy for district elections, and a staff memo on attracting a grocery store to South Vallejo. Sorce moved to add the requests in one block. She said she would vote no on additions until the referral process changes. The outcome of that motion was not announced before adjournment.