Hayward Mayor Barbara Halliday

HAYWARD CITY COUNCIL
During a discussion over Hayward’s homeless count and possible solutions to housing them Tuesday night, Mayor Barbara Halliday offered a series of bizarre statements.

They involved a comment that appeared to opine the homeless are unable to responsibly maintain the upkeep of their subsidized housing. She later suggested it was a success the city is doing well finding shelter for families, while failing individuals. Halliday also lauded the city for its homeless count being stagnate over prior years, while the rest of Alameda County spiked.

Halliday prefaced her most peculiar statement on the homeless by saying the city should continue its efforts to help fund housing for the poor, before adding, “Everybody deserves a home, but homes–all of us who have homes have great responsibilities in connection with those homes. Having a home, it may be–I’m not trying to say I don’t want to see everybody have a home–but people have to understand there’s a responsibility, too.” (WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW)

She then proposed the county look into a model whereupon housing recipients contribute to the upkeep of their dwellings in order to receive substantial rental subsidies or free housing. “And that gives people self-worth,” she added.

Earlier in her comments, Halliday seemed impressed by data that showed Hayward’s homeless count was stagnate, even lower than previous years, while Alameda County’s numbers had risen. It was also noted in the report that Hayward has the third highest percentage of homeless in the county. Halliday, though, corrected the record to note it was, instead, the fourth.

In response to findings that showed Hayward has been successful in locating shelters for homeless families, but struggling to house individuals, Halliday responded, “In some ways, that’s good. Children should be a prime concern for all of us.”

Her comments, however, are not isolated events. In fact, Halliday has a history of peculiar statements, including a moment during her run for mayor in 2014 when she told a candidate forum that Hayward will never be able to replicate more affluent East Bay cities.

“Let’s face it, we probably never will in our lifetimes be a very wealthy city like, I don’t know, Piedmont, Palo Alto. We’re Hayward. I’m proud that we’re Hayward. We have a heart and we’ve shown it,” she said in April 2014. Despite the deflating comment, Halliday easily won the mayor’s race that year.

Then, last April, a public speaker told the council that her elementary school students greatly feared President Donald Trump will deport their parents and that a sanctuary city resolution should be adopted by the city.

However, Halliday did little to assuage their fears. “Unfortunately, though, I can’t tell you to tell them they’re safe because we are not in charge of the federal government,” said Halliday. Similarly, in March, Halliday offended a Latina American who was advocating for sanctuary city in Hayward.

Last year, Halliday lost control of council meeting and her own composure when she yelled out to opponents. “I am the mayor! I am in charge of this city council and I am always allowed to talk.”
https://hayward.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=390&starttime=6887&stoptime=6970&autostart=0&embed=1

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