Richmond’s General Plan states, “After 30 years most housing units show signs of deterioration and need reinvestment to maintain livable conditions. Without proper maintenance, housing that is over 50 years old requires major reinvestment to maintain its quality and appearance. As of 2010, 70.4 percent of Richmond’s housing units were over 30 years old and 48.5 percent were over 50 years old.”

The saying goes, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” There is nothing that we can do about the lack of upkeep that our housing stock has received but we can begin to reverse that process today.

While many Richmond residents recognize the need to maintain their homes and community spaces, most do not have $400 lying around to spend on a jigsaw or shop vac. Since its opening on August 1, 2016, the Richmond Tool Library has provided free access to these kinds of tools, including those that are difficult to store and that users only need once. Additionally, local community organizations have continually used our tools to host volunteer-based neighborhood clean-ups, park builds, community garden construction, and more.

With the Richmond Tool Library, we are repairing our houses. We are maintaining our yards. We are taking ownership of our public spaces. We are collaborating with those from all walks of life. We are unifying the CIty of Richmond, residents, and community organizations into one Richmond, California, and we hope you will join us.