Fred Blackwell, the executive director of San Francisco’s Redevelopment Agency, was named Oakland’s assistant city administrator on Thursday.
Blackwell, an Oakland native, will take over the position effective Oct. 17, according to the office of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.
State legislation is threatening to eliminate or reshape local redevelopment agencies, a move Blackwell criticized at an unrelated news conference in San Francisco Thursday prior to the announcement of his new job.
As the head of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, Blackwell has overseen the adoption of the Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Naval Shipyard redevelopment plan and recently helped the city win a $30.5 million federal grant for its redevelopment of the Alice Griffith public housing complex.
“Fred’s accomplishments mesh with my commitment to growth with equity, and engaging all sectors of the community in building our future,” Quan said in a statement.
Blackwell will report to new Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana and will oversee community and economic development, among other responsibilities.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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