2013 Historic Alameda High Community Meetings

INTRODUCTION

In January 2012,  structural engineers discovered that  Historic Alameda High School (HAHS) was not seismically safe.  Specifically, the engineers noted in a memo (PDF) to AUSD, the building had "deficiencies that have the potential to lead to collapse of these buildings during a large earthquake." Because of the risk to human safety, the buildings were closed.  Full Structural Investigation Report

The following year, the Board of Education conducted a series of meetings to gather community input on possible options for HAHS. Jeff Cambra and Alice Lai-Bitker, both respected community leaders and mediation specialists, managed the community engagement process.

Meeting topics included a history of HAHS, explanation of the state seismic safety standards that school buildings must meet, options for the future of the site, and the financial costs of restoring the buildings. In their final report (PDF), the mediators wrote,  "Many community member comments reinforced the stakeholder’s interest in seeing the buildings rehabilitated and returned to school use."