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A California county facing a $91 million budget shortfall has become the first in the state to approve a sweeping reparations plan for black residents calling for major changes to housing, education, healthcare and criminal justice - while leaving the door open to cash payments.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on June 30 to accept the comprehensive plan after more than two years of research and community engagement.

The plan largely centers on institutional and policy changes rather than immediately handing out direct payments, though officials have not ruled out eventually putting cash in the hands of eligible residents.

4 The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on June 30 to accept the comprehensive reparations plan. Getty Images

The ambitious push comes after Alameda County officials warned during this year's budget process that they were confronting a projected $91 million gap for fiscal year 2026-27.

4 Supervisor Nate Miley told Fox News that cash payments remain among the possibilities under consideration. MediaNews Group via Getty Images

The county ultimately adopted a balanced $6.7 billion budget in June amid what officials described as significant fiscal challenges.

Supervisor Nate Miley - who represents District Four and was a leading force behind the reparations initiative - told Fox News that cash payments remain among the possibilities under consideration.

 We haven't ruled it out. It's one of the items in the action plan. It's not the only item. 

 I think if it were the only item, or if it was a priority item, it might be more challenging,  Miley said.  But I do think there's some low-hanging fruit - some immediate things we can do, and some things we're already doing.

 And then there might be the more challenging things. A cash payment might be one of those more challenging things. 

The reparations framework calls for expanding affordable housing, supporting black economic development, increasing investments in education and healthcare, and pursuing criminal justice reforms.

Supervisor

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