Hayward is in the early stages of a proposal to begin looking at the feasibility of annexing nearby unincorporated Cherryland and its roughly 15,000 residents, according to sources.

The plan is likely to appear as a Hayward City Council referral at its next meeting on Oct. 15. and backed by Mayor Barbara Halliday and Councilmember Aisha Wahab.

Adding Cherryland, which has no elected municipal government, but is instead is overseen by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, would fill out the western portion what is now North Hayward and extend three major thoroughfares, including Mission Boulevard.

Outreach to Cherryland residents and community activists is also in the beginning stages, said the sources. A local Cherryland community group will hear the proposal Tuesday night.

In recent years, residents in unincorporated Alameda County, which also include Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Ashland, and Fairview, have been restive in terms of a desire for greater political representation.

Talk of incorporation has again quietly bubbled up in Castro Valley, and the proliferation of Municipal Advisory Councils, boards appointed exclusively by the county supervisor, has served to quell some of the anxiety for greater control over the future of their communities.

Whether or not, Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents Cherryland, will support, in essence, losing a portion of his power in the overall district, is an open question.

When Castro Valley sought to have its Municipal Advisory Council become an elected board, Miley took a neutral stance. Some of his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors, meanwhile, blasted the idea, and its was shelved.

It’s also unclear why Hayward is seeking Cherryland and its roughly 1.2 sq. miles of territory at this time. The city has struggled financially in recent years. Although, its general fund has somewhat stabilized, a recession is predicted sooner than later.  While Cherryland, by many accounts, has great potential for development, it might take decades for this to actually take place.

The one attribute that appears to be a good fit for Hayward is demographics. Like Hayward, Cherryland’s racial make up is predominately Latino.

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