Ranked one of the most dangerous cities in California, street gangs and disruptive groups play a central role in driving Vallejo’s crime and escalating gun violence. Situated amid the larger, high-crime cities of Oakland and Richmond, Vallejo has similar crime but far fewer officers. Crime rates in Vallejo are 96 percent higher than the national average, with one’s chance of being a victim of violence a staggering one in twenty. Vallejo’s population is 121,000, evenly split between White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents. An estimated 15.4 percent of households (22.6 percent of children) live in poverty, but California’s high cost of living means the federal poverty guideline underestimates that percentage. The alternative metric of the California Self-Sufficiency standard pegs the minimum income needed in Vallejo at three times the federal poverty level for a typical family, or approximately $60,000. An estimated 47 percent of Vallejo households fall below that level.  

The two target neighborhoods are Greater South Vallejo, and the Crest area and surrounding community. Together these encompass most of the 50-square miles of Vallejo, since crime occurs not just in one neighborhood or area but throughout the city in multiple focus areas.  

Analysis shows that criminal street gangs and disruptive groups are central to driving Vallejo’s escalating crime. As Oakland and Richmond added sworn officers, non-resident criminals and gangs have crossed into Vallejo, where they feel less likely to be apprehended because of a less-resourced police force. Gang prevalence has been intensifying since 2013 when gang wars erupted in nine shootings in three months and three murders. Police rarely receive cooperation in these incidents. Gang activities such as buying and selling drugs and weapons, armed robberies, car theft, and financial crimes have plagued Vallejo for decades, with some gangs controlled from inside prisons, fueling a resistance to assist law enforcement in fear of retaliation. There are about 1,000 members in 40 gangs citywide. Eight of the 28 homicides in 2020 were caused by gang-related gun violence. Murders remained high in 2021, with 21, and 2022 has already surpassed that number with 22 homicides as of September.  

In addition to problems with gang-related narcotics sales, Vallejo has the highest rates of substance abuse-related hospitalizations (312 per 10,000 residents) and emergency room visits (1,480 per 10,000 residents) in Solano County—up to double the State and County averages.  

The relationship between Vallejo Police Department (VPD) and the community is still struggling to recover from officer-involved shootings, use of force complaints, and the impact of Vallejo’s 2008 bankruptcy. VPD staffing went from a high of 160 officers to a low of 76 in 2012, to the current level of 87 sworn officers (132 positions authorized), with 20 officers on long-term disability leave or modified duty, causing more dangerous working conditions and affecting morale. In addition to facing staffing shortages, VPD has been under public scrutiny and has undergone several internal and external investigations, impacting the relationship between VPD and the community.  

Following the Justice Department’s priorities, Project HOPE (Harm-focused Outreach, Prevention, and Education) will include a comprehensive violence reduction framework to address gun and gang violence and community-police relations. By pursuing the BCJI objectives, Project HOPE will prevent crime before it happens and prioritize Vallejo’s urgent needs by interrupting violence through comprehensive, community-based, and equitable access to justice and services. Our innovative approach to community-based policing involves centering strategies on youth and families in focus area communities through place-based programming designed to prevent, interrupt, and mitigate violence. By bringing Community Violence Intervention (CVI) services directly to residents’ city blocks and using CVI services for youth as an entry-point into each family and micro-community, we will re-orient community views of VPD and demonstrate through actions a partnership with the community in health and safety.  

Project program objectives, and our vision in target neighborhoods, are to:  

• Reduce youth (aged 14-24) justice involvement by 10 percent. 

• Reduce Part I and II crimes by 10 percent in target neighborhoods and by 15 percent in focus areas. 

• Reduce gun violence by 10 percent. 

• Increase non-enforcement police activities by 20 percent and decrease complaints by 5 percent.  

Baselines for each measurable objective will be determined during the Planning Phase. Project HOPE has measurable output measures that can indicate effectiveness. They include: 

• Finalizing a CVI Framework and creating data-driven needs assessment tools and testing processes.  

• Developing a community survey to distribute.  

• Identifying crime patterns using public health crisis models.  

• Finalizing a plan to address violence.  

During the Planning Phase, the grantee site and its Multi-disciplinary Project Management Team (MPMT), which includes representatives from local government agencies, universities, and community-based organizations, developed a comprehensive intervention plan. To achieve these goals outlines in the intervention plan, the grantee site and its project partners will implement the following strategies: 

• Create Three Learning Centers Directly in Focus Area Apartment Complexes: Project HOPE will support three learning centers directly in focus area apartment complexes offering after-school programming with role models, tutoring, enrichment, and service referrals. 
• Bring New Social Services and Victim Services Directly to Focus Area: Project HOPE will work with Leaven Kids Inc., Solano County Health and Human Services (SCHHS), and Solano County Behavioral Health (SCBH) to hire experienced and trauma-informed site directors and community outreach coordinators at learning center locations to provide access to individualized wraparound case management for youth and families. 
• Create Safe Spaces for Youth via Family Visitation Centers and Safe Exchange Zones: In partnership with SCHHS, two of the Learning Centers will serve as Family Visitation Centers during off-peak weekend times for families to enjoy supervised visits in a safe and discreet environment, thus promoting positive family relationships. 
• Deploy Targeted Programs to Address Youth Gang Involvement, Including the Cure Violence Model and the Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program: Project HOPE will use the evidence-based Cure Violence Model, which is shown to be effective at resolving violent disputes and preventing deadly gun violence, especially among gang members and those at risk of gang involvement. Project HOPE community outreach workers will be trained to identify conflicts and help resolve disputes before they spiral into gun violence. 
• Enhance Focus Area Enforcement and Prevention Activities: Vallejo Police Department (VPD) will deploy two officers two days a week to sporadically patrol focus areas based on VPD crime analysis. Following emerging evidence on effective non-traumatic crime reduction strategies, VPD will also create a new Private Security Camera Rebate Pilot Program in focus area neighborhoods for cost rebates, using BCJI funding, of up to $400 per property. 
• Improve the Livability of Focus Area Communities: Private property owners can participate in Vacant Lot Beautification by registering their vacant lot and participating in beautification efforts and forgo an existing $400 vacant lot fee. 

Leaven Learning Centers, SAVV, Courage Center, NorthBay Trauma Center, Solano County Health and Human Services, Solano County Child Welfare Services, Vallejo City Unified School District, NAACP, SAFEQUEST, Victory Outreach, Impact Bible Ministries, NAMI, Solano County District Attorney, Solano County Probation, Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Vallejo, the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, 25 local churches