Union City, California
| Union City | ||
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| — City — | ||
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| Coordinates: 37°35′32″N 122°2′45″W / 37.59222°N 122.04583°WCoordinates: 37°35′32″N 122°2′45″W / 37.59222°N 122.04583°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | California | |
| County | Alameda | |
| Incorporated | January 26, 1959[2] | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council–manager government | |
| • Mayor | Carol Dutra-Vernaci[3] | |
| • State Senate | Ellen Corbett (D)[4] | |
| • State Assembly | Bill Quirk (D)[5] | |
| • U. S. Congress | Eric Swalwell (D)[6] | |
| Area[7] | ||
| • Total | 19.469 sq mi (50.425 km2) | |
| • Land | 19.469 sq mi (50.425 km2) | |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% | |
| Elevation[8] | 66 ft (20 m) | |
| Population (May 2012) | ||
| • Total | 70,646[1] | |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) | |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | |
| ZIP code | 94587 | |
| Area code(s) | 510 | |
| FIPS code | 06-81204 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 236787, 2412130 | |
| Website | www.ci.union-city.ca.us | |
Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. Alvarado was the original county seat of Alameda County, and the site of the first county courthouse is a California Historical Landmark (#503).[9] The city celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2009.[10]
Contents |
Geography[edit]
Union City is located in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area approximately 30 miles from San Francisco and 20 miles north of San Jose. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.5 square miles (51 km2), all land with no bay frontage. The Niles Cone aquifer, managed by the Alameda County Water District, supplies much of the water consumed by Union City. It is bordered by Hayward to the north and Fremont to the south. The three cities of Union City, Fremont, and Newark make up the "Tri-City" area.
Demographics[edit]
2010[edit]
The 2010 United States Census[11] reported that Union City had a population of 69,516. The population density was 3,570.6 people per square mile (1,378.6/km²). The racial makeup of Union City was 16,640 (23.9%) White, 4,402 (6.3%) African American, 329 (0.5%) Native American, 35,363 (50.9%) Asian, (20.0% Filipino, 11.5% Indian, 10.8% Chinese, 3.7% Vietnamese, 0.9% Korean, 0.6% Japanese, 0.6% Pakistani, 0.4% Burmese, 0.2% Cambodian), 892 (1.3%) Pacific Islander, 7,253 (10.4%) from other races, and 4,637 (6.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,895 persons (22.9%).
The Census reported that 68,998 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 422 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 96 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 20,433 households, out of which 9,066 (44.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 12,734 (62.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,761 (13.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,182 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 856 (4.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 128 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,740 households (13.4%) were made up of individuals and 1,002 (4.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38. There were 16,677 families (81.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.69.
The population was spread out with 16,847 people (24.2%) under the age of 18, 6,453 people (9.3%) aged 18 to 24, 20,360 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 18,146 people (26.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,710 people (11.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.2 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
There were 21,258 housing units at an average density of 1,091.9 per square mile (421.6/km²), of which 13,580 (66.5%) were owner-occupied, and 6,853 (33.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 46,272 people (66.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 22,726 people (32.7%) lived in rental housing units.
2000[edit]
As of 2000 the population was 66,869 and 15,696 families residing in Union City and a total of 17,130 jobs and 32,700 employed residents in 2000. The population density was 3,473.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,341.2/km²). There were 18,877 housing units at an average density of 980.4 per square mile (378.6/km²).
There were 18,642 households out of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.6% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% were non-families. 11.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.83. The median price of a house in Union City is about $400,000.
In the city the population varied widely in age, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $84,384, and the median income for a family was $87,114.[12] Males had a median income of $45,212 versus $35,085 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,890. About 4.8% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
History[edit]
The first community in what is now Union City was founded in 1850 by John and William Horner, also called "Union City."[13] In 1854, it merged with the nearby community of New Haven to form the town of Alvarado, named after the former Mexican governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado.[14] Alvarado was the first county seat of Alameda County, which it soon lost to San Leandro. Further east, the town of Decoto was founded in 1870. It became a railroad hub, with the transcontinental railroad running through it.[13]
In the 1950s, Alvarado and Decoto were annexation targets of the nearby communities of Newark, Hayward, and what became Fremont. In 1959, they decided to incorporate themselves into a single city, and named it after the Horners' original settlement, Union City.[13] The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail system came to Union City when the system opened in 1972.
In 2007, ground broke at the Union City Intermodal Transit Station. The new station, equipped with solar electric panels, will be integrated into a pedestrian-friendly development including office space, retail space, a public plaza, and 1,784 new housing units including high-rise.
Economy[edit]
Union City is the location of the American Licorice Company's West Coast operations, having moved there in 1971 from San Francisco.[15]
Union City is home to three major health care providers: a Kaiser Permanente facility, a Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, and Washington Hospital's Nakamura Clinic.
Union Landing[edit]
the Union Landing Shopping Center is a 105-acre shopping center, adjacent to Interstate 880, with more than 30 shops and restaurants including anchor stores Walmart, Best Buy and Lowe's, and the 25-screen Century Theatre. The mall was completed in 1999.[16]
Top employers[edit]
According to Union City's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[17] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Axygen BioScience | 1,200 |
| 2 | New Haven Unified School District | 1,139 |
| 3 | Wal-Mart | 500 |
| 4 | Young's Market | 400 |
| 5 | American Licorice Company | 350 |
| 6 | Southern Wine & Spirits | 350 |
| 7 | City of Union City | 309 |
| 8 | San Francisco Chronicle | 300 |
| 9 | Rapid Displays | 300 |
Education[edit]
The New Haven Unified School District serves 13,000 students from Union City and parts of South Hayward .Union City contains six elementary schools, two middle schools, a Community (4,000 student) high school James Logan High School ,adult school and a home school program.[18] In 2013, the New Haven Unified School District renamed Alvarado Middle School Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School in honor of Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong; this school is the first school in the United States to be named for Filipino Americans.[19] This renaming has been linked to several instances of vandalism against a Filipino American business and a community center, which police have called hate crimes.[20]
Cornerstone International College, located at 725 Whipple Rd., is the first post-secondary institution established in Union City. It is currently housed at the former Bernard-White Middle School, which was closed in 2008.
Transportation[edit]
Several transit systems service Union City. AC Transit, the Dumbarton Express, and the city's own Union City Transit run bus lines through the city. BART has a station near the Decoto district. Union City is also served by a network of high-capacity streets, including Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and Highway 238 (Mission Boulevard).
Government[edit]
Union City runs a council–manager government,The City Council consists of five representatives, the Mayor and four Council members, each elected city-wide (no district elections). Mayor and elected Councilmembers serve a 4-year term, with a full 3-term limit. Neither the Mayor nor any member of the City Council shall serve in the same office for more than three (3) consecutive terms, following 3-term limit a former Councilmember or Mayor may again seek election to City Council or as Mayor after 2 years.Every year,City Councilmembers also select a Vice-Mayor from among themselves. Carol Dutra-Vernaci was elected as the fourth and first female Mayor of Union City on November 6, 2012 and she took office on December 11, 2012.
Media[edit]
Union City, Fremont, Newark (the Tri-Cities) has a daily newspaper called The Argus, which is part of the Bay Area News Group of newspapers. The paper will cease publication in November 2011, to be replace with a regional paper from the same company.
Cultural landmarks[edit]
| Site of the first county courthouse | |
|---|---|
 The center, two story building, is the original courthouse |
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| Location | 30977 Union City Blvd., Union City, California |
| Coordinates | 37°35′48″N 122°04′52″W / 37.596667°N 122.0811°W |
| Reference No. | 503[9] |
The Bay Area Flight 93 Memorial is in Sugar Mill Landing Park. It was the first monument completed in the United States which was designed specifically to honor the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, which was bound for San Francisco, but was hijacked and crashed in rural Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.[citation needed] The first sugar beet factory in the United States was located in Union City, called the California Beet Sugar Company.[9]
The Eden Landing Ecological Reserve is located at the bay shore of Union City and Hayward. Periodic waterfowl hunting is permitted.
Site of the first county courthouse[edit]
Alameda County's first courthouse was located in Union City, starting on June 6, 1853. The original courthouse was a two-story wooden building that was originally a mercantile that included a post office.[9][21] It was built by A.M. Church and Henry C. Smith. In 1865 the county seat was moved to San Leandro.[9] With the widening of Union City Blvd., the original site has since been paved over.[22] The site is listed on the California Historical Landmarks list.[9]
Masonic homes[edit]
Masonic Homes, a senior living community, has as its centerpiece a large brick building, built in the 1930s, visible from Mission Boulevard.[23] The building was identified as a significant historic property in the 1974 Historic Resource Inventory of Washington Township.[24]
Climate[edit]
| Climate data for Union City, California | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
62 (17) |
65 (18) |
67 (19) |
71 (22) |
75 (24) |
77 (25) |
77 (25) |
77 (25) |
73 (23) |
64 (18) |
58 (14) |
68.7 (20.3) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 42 (6) |
45 (7) |
48 (9) |
50 (10) |
53 (12) |
56 (13) |
58 (14) |
59 (15) |
57 (14) |
54 (12) |
48 (9) |
42 (6) |
51 (10.6) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 2.95 (74.9) |
3.02 (76.7) |
2.34 (59.4) |
1.02 (25.9) |
0.48 (12.2) |
0.11 (2.8) |
0 (0) |
0.03 (0.8) |
0.17 (4.3) |
0.81 (20.6) |
1.70 (43.2) |
2.56 (65) |
15.19 (385.8) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[25] | |||||||||||||
Sister cities[edit]
The Human Relations Commission, an advisory board to the Union City city council, recommends and maintains relations with international sister cities. As of 2012, five sister cities were represented:
Afghanistan, Asadabad[26]
India, Jalandhar in Punjab
Mexico, Santa Rosalia in Baja California Sur[27]
Philippines, Pasay
Thailand, Chiang Rai
Notable people[edit]
- Otis Amey - Professional football player
- Vicky Galindo - USA Softball player
- Eddie House - Professional basketball player
- Aaron Ledesma - Former Major League Baseball player
- SuChin Pak - MTV VJ
- Kelli White - American sprinter
- Roy Williams - Professional football player
- Stephen Abas - Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling
- Nate Robinson - Professional basketball player
- Darren Lewis - Former Major League Baseball player
References[edit]
- ^ Union City population data
- ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date" (Word). California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^ "Mayor and City Council". City of Union City, CA. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
- ^ "California's 15th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ U.S. Census
- ^ "Union City". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ a b c d e f "Site of the first Alameda county courthouse". Office of Historical Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ 50 Years: Union City. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
- ^ All data are derived from the United States Census Bureau reports from the 2010 United States Census, and are accessible on-line here. The data on unmarried partnerships and same-sex married couples are from the Census report DEC_10_SF1_PCT15. All other housing and population data are from Census report DEC_10_DP_DPDP1. Both reports are viewable online or downloadable in a zip file containing a comma-delimited data file. The area data, from which densities are calculated, are available on-line here. Percentage totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. The Census Bureau defines families as a household containing one or more people related to the householder by birth, opposite-sex marriage, or adoption. People living in group quarters are tabulated by the Census Bureau as neither owners nor renters. For further details, see the text files accompanying the data files containing the Census reports mentioned above.
- ^ "Fact Sheet: Union City, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ a b c "History of Union City". City of Union City, California. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ The Union City Historical Museum Letter 2 (5). Union City Historical Museum. September 2000. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ "Candy"; Modern Marvels; History Channel; 2006; Viewed July 15, 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ City of Union City CAFR
- ^ Zoneil (April 2013). "new haven unified school-district sities". Union City patch. Retrieved Apirl 2013.
- ^ Chris De Benedetti (19 April 2013). "Union City school is nation's first named after Filipino-Americans, but acrimony over decision remains". Mercury News. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ Natalie Neysa Alund (1 May 2013). "Union City: Graffiti scrawled on Filipino businesses investigated as hate crime". Contra Costa Times. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
Alan Wang (30 April 2013). "Racist graffiti in Union City targets Filipinos". KGO-TV. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
"Anti-Filipino graffiti slams Fil-Ams; police probing it as hate crime". Philippine Inquirer. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013. - ^ Swenson, Timothy. "Union City History Collection". Museum of Local History. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- ^ Timothy Swenson (27 February 2008). Union City. Arcadia Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-7385-5809-7. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
- ^ "Union City Community". Masonic Homes. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ^ "Masonic Home Independent Living Apartments". DHA Case Studies. Douglas Herring & Associates. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ^ "Monthly Averages for Union City, CA". Weather.com. May 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-12.
- ^ "Union City adds new 'sibling' to its list of sister cities", Insidebayarea.com-The Oakland Tribune/The Argus, accessed 18 August 2012
- ^ "Sister City Subcommittee", Human Relations Commission, Union City city government, union-city.ca.us, accessed 24 November 2010
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Union City, California |
- Official website
- Lions Club of Union City
- Union City Chamber of Commerce
- Union City Library
- Union City's 50th Anniversary Celebration
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