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Castro Valley, in short
Can I connect a downspout or roof drain to the sewer in Castro Valley?
No, if your sewer is in the Castro Valley Sanitary District: its code bars anyone from discharging “roof run-off” into “any sanitary sewer,” and the camera inspection needed to sell a home looks for “improper or illegal connections to the building sewer such as sump pumps, down spouts, or area drainage facilities.” The County’s 2012 account says the Oro Loma Sanitary District serves the Hillcrest Knolls and El Portal Ridge neighborhoods; its page does not mention downspouts.
The story of Castro Valley
Castro Valley, “a populated valley surrounded by picturesque hills.”
The County’s 2012 plan says Castro Valley began as an area of cattle and poultry ranches and has evolved into a residential community. The Chamber of Commerce says it is named after Don Guillermo Castro, a soldier in the Mexican army and a rancher.
The County’s 2012 plan says archaeological research shows the planning area was probably once occupied by Ohlone people, who found the central basin of the San Lorenzo watershed, surrounded by rolling hills and steep canyons, to be an ideal location for hunting and fishing. The County’s 2008 survey says the Ohlone “tended to gather around water courses such as San Lorenzo Creek, San Leandro Creek, Dry Creek and Sulpher Creek and in the sheltered canyon lands like those around Castro Valley.”
Guillermo Castro owned the largest rancho in the area, Rancho San Lorenzo, the County’s 2008 survey says; his land ultimately totaled 28,000 acres and covered the areas of Castro Valley, the Castro Valley canyon lands, El Portal Ridge and Fairview, in addition to much of Hayward.
The County’s 2012 plan lists the Redwood Schoolhouse Site of 1866, “the first public school in Castro Valley”, on the original Don Castro Land Grant. A pioneer settler donated the site “for ‘educational purposes only'” and paid the teacher’s salary, and the plan gives it as State Landmark 776.
The County’s 2008 survey calls Lake Chabot, built in 1874-75, “the most monumental water project completed in Alameda County during the late nineteenth century.” The park district’s page says it was built “as a primary source of water for the East Bay.”
By 1878, the 2008 survey says, the few dirt roads in the Castro Valley and Hayward areas included Castro Valley Boulevard and Redwood Road, and “Redwood Road was originally a logging road used to transport lumber from the forests north of Castro Valley to the bay”.
The plan says what was “probably Castro Valley’s first business” stood in 1881 at the intersection of Redwood Road and Grove Way, with a storefront that served as a saloon, a barn and a fenced stockyard.
The County’s 2008 survey says that between 1910 and 1940 Castro Valley emerged “as the second most prominent chicken and egg producer in the state, after Petaluma”, with twelve hatcheries at its peak, and the County’s 2012 plan says that by the end of the 1920s it “was one of northern California’s primary poultry industry centers.”
The plan calls one neighborhood’s long, narrow lots, first used for chicken farming, “a testament to the agricultural heritage of Castro Valley.”
The County’s 2008 survey says the route of Foothill Boulevard, Castro Valley Boulevard and Dublin Road became part of the Lincoln Highway, “the first transcontinental highway”, which opened in 1913. With the rising popularity of the automobile, the survey says, suburban middle-class homes and roadside hotels began to crop up alongside the poultry farms.
The rodeo’s own page says Harry Rowell produced his first rodeo at his Dublin Canyon ranch in 1925, “the current site of the Rowell Ranch Rodeo Park”, and KQED’s article of 2018 agrees on 1925.
Water service from the East Bay Municipal Utility District came in 1930, the survey says, and a sewer system was created with the formation of the Castro Valley Sanitary District in 1939.
The County’s 2012 plan says Castro Village Center, built in 1949, “was one of the first shopping centers in Alameda County”, and the Chamber says it “replaced barns and tomato fields.”
With post-war population growth, the 2008 survey says, “the poultry farms became more valuable as homes sites than as farms. Many were subdivided and sold for residential development.” During the building boom that followed World War II, the plan says, most of Castro Valley’s 19th century structures, and some of those built in the first half of the 20th century, were demolished as the area changed from an agriculture-based economy to a suburban bedroom community.
In 1964 the Flood Control District dammed San Lorenzo Creek, creating the lagoon and lake at Don Castro Regional Park, the park district’s page says.
The park district’s page says the lake “was closed to recreation for 91 years” until the district opened Lake Chabot Regional Park to the public on June 18, 1966.
The park district’s page says the Cull Canyon lagoon won the “1966 Governor’s Design Award for Exceptional Distinction”.
Voters across the county approved Measure D in 2000, which established an Urban Growth Boundary; the plan says it “limits urban development in most of the rural areas of the county, including the canyonlands surrounding Castro Valley.”
In 2007, in response to residents’ requests, the Board of Supervisors voted to expand the planning area to include the El Portal Ridge and Fairmont Terrace neighborhoods, the plan says.
The Castro Valley Library and the restored Castro Valley Creek opened together on October 31, 2009. The County Arts Commission’s catalogue says the County “restored Castro Valley Creek, which was partially diverted through an underground concrete culvert, to a sunlit meandering stream lined with native trees and plants”, with a pedestrian bridge made from a converted railroad flatcar and a creekside amphitheater.
Fire safety
Your fire department
The Alameda County Fire Department provides fire and paramedic service to Castro Valley except for the Five Canyons area, according to the County’s 2012 plan. The department’s stations page lists four stations at Castro Valley addresses, on Cull Canyon Road, Villareal Avenue, San Marshall Avenue (an interim Station 25) and Lake Chabot Road.
Read Oct 14, 2026
Five Canyons: the Fairview district
In Five Canyons the fire district is the Fairview Fire Protection District; its page says its service area “encompasses 4.2 square miles, comprising the Fairview and Five Canyons communities” and that it “contracts with the City of Hayward Fire Department for fire and emergency services.” Hayward’s page for the district says the City has contracted with it since 1993, and Hayward Fire Station 8 stands on Five Canyons Parkway.
Read Oct 14, 2026
See 10 more
Where the fire risk is
The County’s 2012 account says that in Castro Valley “the areas with the greatest risk rim the community to the north, east, and south where residential neighborhoods border undeveloped wooded or grassy areas.”
The County’s 2012 account
Open land next door
The same account says the urbanized area is “immediately adjacent to East Bay Regional Parks land and permanent open space lands of Alameda County-areas with high fire risk due to the presence of combustible vegetation, the lack of fire breaks, and the limited access.”
The County’s 2012 account
Find out if you are in a fire hazard zone
The Alameda County Fire Department’s page for the Fire Hazard Severity Zones in its area has a viewer for the unincorporated Alameda County Fire District and says: “You can search for an address using the magnifying glass icon in the top right of the viewer.” Its Defensible Space page also links the State’s own page on the zones.
Read Nov 3 2026
Roofs and tree limbs
The County’s nuisance chapter for unincorporated property, whose rule opens with “any real property in the county”, lists among its duties to “Maintain roof of building or structure free of leaves, needles, twigs, or other combustible litter” and to “Maintain five feet of vertical clearance between roof surface and portions of trees overhanging any building or structure.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Defensible space and who must keep it
The department’s Defensible Space page says: “The Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) is conducting defensible space inspections for residents who live in our Very High Fire Severity Zones.” Its FAQ says: “Residents in Very High Fire Severity zones in unincorporated Alameda County are responsible for maintaining defensible space around their property.” The page’s clearances run by zone. Within 5 feet of the building: “Use gravel, pavers or concrete instead of combustible mulch” and “Clear dead weeds, grass and debris. Check roofs, gutters, and outdoor areas”. From 5 to 30 feet: “Clear and remove all dead leaves, plants, weeds, grass and pine needles from your yard, roofs and gutters”. From 30 to 100 feet or the property line: “Trim annual grass to a maximum height of 4 inches.” The page uses the label “Zone 0” and does not say whether its bullets are law.
Read Oct 7 and Nov 3 2026
Five Canyons: weeds and brush
The Fairview Fire Protection District’s abatement standards (the file name says 2019) say: “All weeds, grass, or other vegetation that is dry or will become dry during the months of May – November must be removed or otherwise abated from the entire parcel.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Five Canyons: the owner’s duty and the yearly survey
The district’s page says property owners have “a year-round responsibility and obligation to maintain vegetation on their property in a condition that will not contribute to the spread of fire.” It adds that “abatement ‘windshield’ surveys are conducted at least once per year.”
Page read once, Oct 14, 2026
Five Canyons: weed complaints
Hayward’s page for the district says that under the contract the City of Hayward takes care of weed abatement complaints within the district.
Read Oct 14, 2026
Homeowners’ associations
The County’s 2012 plan has an action to “Enforce the requirement that Home Owners’ Associations in Planned Unit Development areas are responsible for vegetation management by establishing a regular review schedule for areas subject to this requirement.” Its caption on Palomares Hills reads: “Homeowners’ Associations are responsible for vegetation management to minimize fire risk, as here at Palomares Hills.”
The County’s 2012 account
Zone Zero
The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Zone 0 page says: “The Board and Board staff continue to work with the Office of Administrative Law on a final review of the Zone 0 Regulations Rule Package.” The Board’s September 2026 guidance document says it was adopted on August 19, 2026, and leaves its effective date blank. Once in effect, it says, the rules “apply immediately to all new building permits” and “then to existing homes over a phased-in period”, with a first phase “within the first 3 years” and a second “within 5 years”. Its list for the first five feet includes “Remove all dead and dying debris on roof, gutters, and under decks”. It also says: “existing regulations still require the immediate removal of exposed firewood piles, combustible debris on roofs and rain gutters, dead tree branches, and branches within 10 feet of chimneys.” On gutters it says: “Installing metal gutter guards may help keep most debris out of the gutter and protect the roof edge from flammable debris. Regardless, all gutters require regular cleaning.”
Page read Oct 7 and Nov 5 2026; the rules are not in effect
Need a hand with this? Gutter guards
Castro Valley this month
Storm season: the County’s free sandbags, up to four per household, are self-serve around the clock at two Castro Valley fire stations.
The Castro Valley blog starts when there is enough local news to keep it current.
Culture and history
The Light Parade
The Chamber’s Light Parade comes down Castro Valley Boulevard from Lake Chabot Road to Redwood Road; its page lists November 14, 2026, from 3pm to 9pm, with “bands, food, and kids activities”.
November 14, 2026, per the page, which prints the year; read again Oct 20 2026
The Chabot Theater
The Chabot’s own page calls it “a pillar of art, entertainment, and culture” and “the only independent, single-screen theater offering first-run films within the East Bay”, and says its marquee and neon lights “have become an irreplaceable landmark on Castro Valley Boulevard.”
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
See 11 more
Chanticleers Theatre
The theatre’s own page says its story began in 1951, when a small group from the Castro Valley Woman’s Club formed a drama group that started rehearsing in “an old, cold chicken coop”; it now calls itself “Castro Valley’s Little Theatre in the Park.”
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
The Rowell Ranch Rodeo
The rodeo is held on the third weekend in May, the rodeo’s own page says, opening with a lone rider who carries the American flag from the hill into the arena. Its 2027 schedule of events lists the Rockin’ Bull Bash on Friday, May 14, and the PRCA pro rodeo on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16.
May 14-16, 2027, per the rodeo’s home page, which heads the list “2027 Schedule of Events”; read Oct 20 2026
The History Festival and Pro Rodeo Parade
The rodeo’s schedule of events lists the Castro Valley History Festival on Castro Valley Boulevard on Saturday, May 8, 2027, from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and the official rodeo parade the same day at 6:00 PM.
May 8, 2027, per the rodeo’s home page (2027 Schedule of Events); read Oct 20 2026
The Fall Festival
The Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce holds the Fall Festival on Castro Valley Boulevard every year on the weekend after Labor Day, with free admission; the Chamber calls it “one of the East Bay’s favorite community traditions”.
Annual, the weekend after Labor Day; the 2026 festival has passed; read Oct 20 2026
The Greek Festival
The Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church’s page calls its Castro Valley Greek Festival a “popular annual cultural celebration”, with food, dancing, a live band, church tours and a marketplace, free to enter.
Annual; the 2026 festival has passed and the page gives no date for the next; read Oct 20 2026
The first public school, 1866
A pioneer settler donated the site of Castro Valley’s first public school in 1866. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
The County’s 2012 account
Lake Chabot
Lake Chabot was built in the 1870s as a water supply for the East Bay. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
Read Oct 14, 2026
The Lincoln Highway came through
Castro Valley Boulevard was part of the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
The County’s 2008 account
Poultry country
Castro Valley was once one of northern California’s main poultry centers. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
The County’s 2012 and 2008 accounts
From farms to a suburb
After World War II many of the poultry farms were subdivided into homes. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
The County’s 2008 account
The library and the creek
The branch library opened in 2009 beside a restored creek. More in The story of Castro Valley, below.
Catalogue of 2009
Community
Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council
The County’s Unincorporated Communities page lists the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (Castro Valley MAC). The council’s page says its Land Use meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, beginning at 6:00 p.m., in the Castro Valley Library; its 2026 schedule lists one Land Use meeting in each of November and December, on Monday, November 9 and Monday, December 14.
Meeting schedule as the council’s page prints it; read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber, a business association, calls Castro Valley “the largest community in unincorporated Alameda County” and “a get-out-and-do-it community”. It puts on the Fall Festival and the Light Parade on Castro Valley Boulevard.
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
See 8 more
Hayward Area Recreation and Park District
The County’s 2012 plan says Castro Valley is part of the 64 square mile service area of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, formed in 1944 “to operate recreation programs on school playgrounds”.
The County’s 2012 account
Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center
The Park District runs it on Redwood Road, and its page says the center offers “a wide variety of classes, activities, and special interest programs.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Adobe Art Center and Adobe Park
The Park District’s pages list an Art Gallery and an Art Studio at the Adobe Art Center, and a 1.75 acre Adobe Park with a skate area, a bocce ball court and a play area.
Read Oct 14, 2026
East Bay Regional Park District
The County’s 2012 plan says Castro Valley residents have access to about 5,600 acres of East Bay Regional Park District facilities within or adjacent to the community. The District’s Five Canyons Open Space page says it has “more than 300 acres of open space”.
The County’s 2012 account; the open space page read once
Castro Valley Library and its Friends
The County library’s own page for the branch lists a Local History Collection, Community Display Cases, a Gallery Wall and the Friends of the Castro Valley Library.
Page read Oct 14, 2026
Castro Valley Arts Foundation
The Foundation’s page says it “raises funds to sustain and operate the Castro Valley Center for the Arts”, on the Castro Valley High School campus, which “is owned and operated by the Castro Valley Unified School District.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Castro Valley Unified School District
The County’s 2012 plan says that because Castro Valley is an unincorporated area, “its schools play a particularly important role in defining the community’s identity”, and that residents have approved a series of bond measures for the district.
The County’s 2012 account
The Valley
The Valley calls itself “A hyper-local news service” and “the free monthly celebration of local life”, and its masthead says it is delivered to all of Castro Valley and parts of Hayward, San Leandro and San Lorenzo.
Read Oct 14, 2026
City rules and regulations
Re-roofs: the permit type
The County’s “Work Exempt From Permit (2025 CBC)” handout lists the building work that needs no permit: fourteen items, among them small sheds, fences, painting and similar finish work, and window awnings. Replacing a roof is not on the list. The County’s building permit application form, dated 2010, lists “Re-Roof” among the kinds of permit.
Handout (effective January 1, 2026) read Nov 5 2026
Roof repairs
The County’s “Q&A Permit Exemptions (2025 CBC)” says under “Roof Repair”: “A building permit is not required for repairing of less than 200 sf aggregate roof area of the previously permitted roof.” It adds that approval from other County agencies “may be required even if the work is exempt from building permit.”
Read Nov 5 2026; effective January 1, 2026
See 13 more
Roof covering class
The County’s building code, in section 15.08.220, says: “Comply with Special Fire District Code for the roof covering classification requirements for the area designated by the fire chief as fire hazard zones.” Its residential-code chapter on roof assemblies adds nothing of its own: “{See CRC and AC Section 15.08.220 when applicable.}”
Read Oct 7 2026
Hillside overlay districts
Castro Valley’s own zoning chapter, 17.51, sets up hillside overlay districts (H-O) “in areas with steep slopes or near high fire hazard”, and says its requirements apply to “property located within an H-O district.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Roof run-off may not go to the sewer
The Castro Valley Sanitary District’s code says in its Section 501: “No person shall discharge, permit to be discharged or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, ground water, roof run-off, subsurface drainage, cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters into any sanitary sewer.” Its Section 502 says storm water and all other unpolluted drainage “shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the County.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
The building sewer is the owner’s
The same code says in its Section 405: “The owner of a building sewer shall at his own expense operate and maintain the building sewer in good repair at all times.”
Read Oct 14, 2026
Trees on private land
The County Planning Department’s slides of June 13, 2024, an informational item and not a rule, say: “There are currently no Countywide protections or other ordinances regulating trees on private property in unincorporated Alameda County.”
Slides of June 13, 2024
Trees between your property line and the street
The County’s code says that the planting, maintenance, removal or replacement of a tree in the right-of-way “between the private property line and the edge of the paved street” is “the responsibility of the adjacent property owner on whose frontage the tree is located”. It makes planting, maintaining or removing such a tree an encroachment that needs a permit, and says the work “shall be performed by a contractor holding a valid C27 or C61/D49 license”. Maintenance in this chapter “does not include the trimming, pruning, cutting or removal of tree branches one inch or less in diameter.” A tree that is an imminent danger may be handled “without a permit so long as the action taken in response to the emergency situation is reasonable under the circumstances”.
Read Oct 7 2026
When you buy or sell Sewer lateral certificate before a sale
The Castro Valley Sanitary District’s page says all properties being sold within its boundaries must have a valid Sewer Lateral Inspection Exemption Certificate before the close of escrow, effective July 1, 2019 (Ordinance No. 179, as the page cites it). The district’s code, in its Section 6421, says building sewers for existing buildings that are connected to the public sewer “shall be cleaned and pass a CCTV inspection” “prior to the close of escrow of the sale or, if there is no escrow, prior to recording the deed or the document transferring the title.”
Page undated, read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
When you buy or sell What the camera inspection checks
The district’s code, in its Section 6423, says a property qualifies for an Inspection Exemption Certificate if the camera inspection verifies, among other conditions, that “There are no improper or illegal connections to the building sewer such as sump pumps, down spouts, or area drainage facilities.” Another condition is that “The building sewer is free of roots, grease deposits, and other solids which may impede or obstruct the transmission of sewage.”
Read Oct 14, 2026; the second condition read once
When you buy or sell Who is exempt
The district’s page lists these exemptions: a property with a valid, unexpired Inspection Exemption Certificate; a building constructed 30 years or less before the sale with a CVSan-approved capacity permit; a full lateral replacement within the past 30 years, documented with a sewer repair permit; at least 50% of the lateral replaced within the past 10 years; foreclosure transfers to a bank; and inter-family ownership transfers.
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
When you buy or sell What the inspection costs and how long a certificate lasts
The district’s program page says you can book a $330 CCTV inspection or a $250 repair inspection through the permit portal, and that a contractor must obtain a $250 sewer repair permit before beginning work. It says a certificate lasts 10 years after a passed inspection with no work needed, 10 years after a partial repair of 50% or more of the lateral, and 30 years after a full replacement.
Page undated, read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
When you buy or sell If the certificate is not ready
The district’s code, in its Section 6426, says that if an Inspection Exemption Certificate cannot be obtained before title transfer, the buyer or seller may ask the District, in writing, for a time-extension permit of up to 180 days; it requires a refundable deposit of $4,500, and the permit is not renewable.
Read Oct 14, 2026 (the code’s page bars Claude’s request; the figure was not re-read on Oct 20)
When you buy or sell If your street is in the Oro Loma district
The Oro Loma Sanitary District’s page names Castro Valley in its service area. Its program page says that effective August 1, 2026, all properties sold within the district must have a valid Sewer Lateral Compliance Certificate prior to transfer of title, for sales that enter escrow on or after that date, and that the certificate costs $450.
Effective August 1, 2026; read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
When you buy or sell The State’s sale-time fire document
The Alameda County Fire Department’s FAQ says: “In California, a Defensible Space Real Estate Disclosure is required for residential property sales in high or very high fire hazard severity zones. This means the seller needs documentation of a compliant Defensible Space Inspection for the property.” Its Defensible Space page links a form to request an inspection.
Read Oct 7 and Nov 3 2026
Need a hand with this? Roofing
Storms, flood and drainage
County-wide Free sandbags, self-serve
The County Public Works Agency’s page says that if you live in unincorporated Alameda County it can provide your household with up to four sandbags, free of charge, and that “Sandbags are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (while supplies last)”. The stations are self-serve and not attended regularly by staff, so bring your own shovel and a way to transport the sandbags. The page names two Castro Valley sites, Station 6 on Cull Canyon Road and Station 25 on San Miguel Avenue, and calls California’s storm season typically October through March.
Page undated, read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
Report a clogged storm drain
The County Public Works Agency’s page says that for “concerns about clogged drains, blocked grates, or other storm drain-related issues” in unincorporated areas of Alameda County you can submit a Service Request Form.
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
See 5 more
Where the water goes
The County’s 2012 account says stormwater “flows down from Castro Valley and the Hayward hills to storm drains, channels, and pipelines leading to San Lorenzo Creek and on to San Francisco Bay.”
The County’s 2012 account
Castro Valley Creek
The plan says Castro Valley Creek “flows year round from the hills through the urbanized portion of the community” and is “primarily contained in incised or concrete channels but a portion flows through earthen channels.” It adds that Chabot Creek and Castro Valley Creek “have been improved over the years to convey adequate flows to avoid or reduce flooding.”
The County’s 2012 account
Flood-prone ground
The County’s 2012 account says flood-prone areas “are generally located in topographic lows and in close proximity to streams and creeks”, and that in larger storms flooding “could occur primarily as sheet flow in streets and along stream channels.” Reading FEMA’s flood maps of its day, it says the Castro Valley area “is most prone to flooding along Chabot and Castro Valley Creeks.” FEMA’s own list of final determinations puts new flood maps for “Alameda County (Unincorporated Areas)” into effect on May 26, 2026 (the letter is dated November 26, 2025), which replaces the December 21, 2018 date the County’s 2021 plan gives as current.
The County’s 2012 account; FEMA list read Oct 7 2026
Landslides on the hillsides
The County’s 2012 account says the areas with the highest susceptibility to landslides are “in the upland areas in the northern and eastern parts of the planning area and in steep hillside areas above Foothill Boulevard and Hillcrest Knolls in the El Portal and Fairmont Ridge neighborhoods”, and that landslides are least likely “in topographically low alluvial fans and at the margin of the San Francisco Bay.”
The County’s 2012 account
Two dams for flood control
The Flood Control District’s page lists Cull Canyon and Don Castro as the reservoirs of its Zone 2, “two lakes that were created in the early 1960s with the construction of Cull Creek Dam and Don Castro Dam.”
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
Need a hand with this? Gutter cleaning
Programs, loans and insurance
Sewer lateral reimbursement, $4,000
The Castro Valley Sanitary District’s Lateral Reimbursement Opportunity Program (LROP) pays $4,000 toward replacing a private sewer lateral: “Once documentation has been reviewed and approved, reimbursement of $4000 will be issued within 30 days.” The program page gave Monday, October 19, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. as the opening of the application window. The page gives the year’s funding, not how much of it is left. To qualify you must own residential property within the district’s service area and take part in a qualifying assistance program, such as CalFresh (SNAP), Medi-Cal, SSI or the PG&E CARE Program; the page says the program helps residents with fixed incomes who have owned their homes for more than 15 years. It says: “Do not begin construction before receiving written approval.” Funding goes first-qualified, first-served until the money is allocated or June 30, 2027, whichever comes first, and the work must be completed before June 30, 2027; fiscal year 2026/27 has $76,000 available. It is for a sewer pipe: no roof, gutter or drainage work is part of it.
Program page: application window opening October 19, 2026; read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
Habitat for Humanity home repairs, roof repairs included
Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley’s Home Repair page lists Castro Valley among the Alameda County places where its services are currently available, and names “roof repairs, upgrading electrical systems, replumbing, flooring replacement, replacing windows” among its critical repairs. The page says the program “preserves homeownership for low-income residents”, and that “All home repairs are performed by licensed contractors and overseen by our skilled construction staff.” It lists Home Repair Orientation sessions on Tuesday, November 10 and Tuesday, December 8, 2026, both at 1 p.m.; the session pages call each a 30-minute online presentation on how to apply. Habitat’s Alameda County page, read November 1, 2026, says “Applications are Closed” and that Habitat “has awarded all funds”; Castro Valley appears in its city picker.
Orientation sessions November 10 and December 8, 2026 (the year is in each session page’s address); read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026; Alameda County page read Nov 1 2026
See 17 more
County-wide Minor home repair grants (Healthy Homes Department)
The Alameda County Healthy Homes Department’s Homeowner Minor Home Repair Program “serves the cities of Albany, Dublin, Emeryville, Oakland, Newark, Union City, and the unincorporated areas of Ashland, Cherryland, Castro Valley, Hayward Acres, Hillcrest Knolls, Fairview, San Lorenzo, and Sunol.” Its grant “can be used to make minor plumbing, carpentry, electrical repairs and can be used for railings, grab bars, toilets, water heaters, doors, locks and more”; roofs and gutters are not named. You must “Have a household income at or below the HUD income limits” and “Own your own home or mobile home in one of our services areas”; the page shows 2024 income limits. Services are available only once in a two year period (a longer period applies in Union City), and you apply by phone, the page says.
Page undated; read Oct 7 and Oct 14 2026
County-wide Free weatherization for income-qualified households (Spectrum)
Spectrum Community Services’ Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program lists “Heater Replacement, Water Heater Replacement, Attic and Floor Insulation, Window and Exterior Door Repair or Replacement, Low-flow Showerheads and Faucet Aerators, Fridge Replacement or Repair, Range Replacement or Repair, Weather-Stripping, Energy-Saving Light Bulbs, Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Microwaves”; no roof, gutter or drainage item is on the list. To qualify you must “Live in Alameda County. Provide a complete PG&E bill or other electric & gas bill. Provide proof of monthly income for the entire household”, and “Own the residence or get approval from the owner for weatherization services.” Its income table, headed “2026 Weatherization Gross Income Guidelines” (“Income before taxes are deducted.”), lists monthly limits of $3,331.66 for 1 person and $6,407.16 for 4 people; the page lists the other household sizes, up to 10. The page says: “Priorities are placed on households with seniors (60+), disabled, and children under 6.” Heater, water heater, and weatherization services are available “every five years.”
Page updated 30 December 2025; read Oct 7 and Oct 20 2026
County-wide Check back Lead paint hazard repair grants: check back
The Healthy Homes Department’s lead paint hazard repair grants are “Grants of up to $12,000 per unit for lead paint hazard repair work.” The work listed includes safely repainting deteriorated lead-based paint, repairing conditions such as rubbing doors that contribute to lead hazards, replacing damaged components such as rotted siding or windows that have deteriorating lead-based paint, landscaping over bare lead-contaminated soil and specialized cleaning of lead dust; roofs and gutters are not named. The page says: “Properties must be pre-1960 residential property in Alameda County.” Owner-occupied units “must be home to a child under six years old or a pregnant person, or be regularly visited by a child under six at least 2 visits per week of at least 3 hours each visit.”
Page shows 2024 income limits; read Oct 7 2026
BayREN EASE Home: weatherization for moderate-income homes
BayREN’s EASE Home page says: “BayREN covers 80% of the cost for essential weatherization upgrades, including insulation and duct sealing.” To qualify you “Have a household income under or at 120% AMI.”, “Live in a single-family home (four or fewer units) built before 2010.” and “Are a PG&E customer.”; Alameda is on the page’s list of nine counties. The page adds that “all participants must use a BayREN partner contractor.”
Page footer 2026; read Oct 7 2026
Check back PG&E Energy Savings Assistance: check back
PG&E’s page says the program lets you “Upgrade or repair heat pump water heaters, furnaces, lighting-even refrigerators.” “All at no charge.*” It says participants “must live in a house, mobile home or apartment that is at least five years old.” The page’s income guidelines are marked “Valid through May 31, 2027.”
Read Oct 7 and Nov 5 2026
Near Castro Valley Check back Hayward Fire Department’s no-cost chipping program: check back
The City of Hayward Fire Department runs a no-cost residential chipping program for the Fairview Fire Protection District: “This program is a free chipping service to residents in the Hayward Hills and Fairview Fire Protection District, aimed at helping property owners create defensible space by removing dry vegetation and tree limbs near their homes.” The district’s June 2026 newsletter says it “supplements this program for Fairview and Five Canyons when our budget allows, and if grant funds are depleted.” The Hayward page lists the fall 2026 application period as August 10 through October 1, 2026, and the district’s newsletter as September 1 through October 1, 2026; both ended on October 1, 2026. The page says: “The chipper cannot chip piles of needles or leaves.” The page does not say when the next application period opens.
Fall 2026 application period ended October 1, 2026; read Oct 14 and Oct 20 2026
Near Castro Valley Hayward Fire’s Residential Assistance Program
Hayward Fire Department’s Residential Assistance Program is aimed “to help the residents of the Fairview Fire District create defensible space around their home to help slow down the spread of wildfire.” The page says: “Grant funding may be available to help senior, disabled, and low-income residents with expenses associated with cutting, trimming, and stacking limbs and branches through our Residential Assistance Program (RAP).” and “The program is not for tree or trash removal.” It adds: “Whether any services are ultimately provided will be at the sole discretion of the Hayward Fire Department.” The page names the Fairview Fire District and shows Five Canyons only in its footer address.
Page undated, read Oct 14 2026
Alameda County Fire Department’s community chipper program
The Alameda County Fire Department’s Chipper Program page links a sign-up form. The sign-up page says the department is running a “FREE community wood chipping program for the 2025 season” for “material produced in amounts too large for green bins and too small for commercial chipping providers”; you enter your address to make a reservation, and “It is REQUIRED that you submit photo of your green waste”. The department’s FAQ says only vegetation can be chipped, “No grass, hay, leaves”, and “Piles of leaves, pine needles or yard clippings cannot be chipped.” Neither page lists which addresses qualify or says whether sign-up is open now.
Read Nov 3 and Nov 5 2026
State-wide Check back Earthquake Brace + Bolt: check back
The program page says Earthquake Brace + Bolt “provides up to $3,000 toward a code-compliant seismic retrofit to a qualifying house.” Eligibility is by ZIP code: the 2025 list for Northern California names Castro Valley with 94546 and 94552, and the page’s own date is “As of January 15, 2025”. The page says an EBB retrofit “is only done on wood-framed, pre-1980 homes with a raised foundation.” and “EBB does not cover any work done on chimneys”. Supplemental grants “may pay up to 100 percent of the cost of the retrofit as long as funds are available”, for households with an “income of $94,480 or less”. It says registration “is open for a limited time each year”, and on Oct 20 2026 its page offered “Sign Up to be Notified When Registration Opens”.
Read Oct 7 and Oct 20 2026
State-wide Check back California Safe Homes: check back
The Department of Insurance’s own release says the California Safe Homes Act (AB 888) establishes “a new grant program within the Department of Insurance to assist qualifying residents in obtaining new or replacement fire-safe roofs and implementing fire-safe mitigation measures within five feet of their homes”, and that the law took effect January 1, 2026. No Department of Insurance page read says applications are open, so check the Department’s site before counting on it.
Release read Nov 5 2026
Check back Free Energy Saving Toolkit: check back
BayREN’s page says Rising Sun Center for Opportunity delivers the toolkit through the Green House Calls program in partnership with BayREN; the kit lists energy efficient light bulbs, water-saving aerators, advanced power strips or smart plugs, LED nightlights, weatherstripping tape and window film. The page says: “Eligibility for our services is on a ‘while supplies last’ basis and only for addresses that have not received Rising Sun’s services within the last 5 years.” No roof, gutter or drainage item is on the list.
Read Oct 7 2026
EBMUD rebates
EBMUD’s rebates page says its rebates are available to both residential and non-residential customers with potable water service. It lists a Lawn Conversion Rebate of up to $2.00 per sq. ft., a Treebate Pilot Rebate of up to $100, a Landscape Design Assistance Program Rebate of $200, Efficient Irrigation Rebates, a Flowmeter Rebate of up to $200, a Graywater Rebate of up to $100, and free Mulch and Compost Coupons and Water-Saving Devices; no rain barrel or cistern rebate is on the page.
Page footer 2026; read Oct 14 2026
One free bulky pick-up a year
The Castro Valley Sanitary District’s hauler page says: “Single and multi-family residents will receive one annual on-call Bulky & Reuse Pick-Up at no charge.”
Read Oct 14 2026
Check back RenewAC home improvement loans: check back
Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley’s Alameda County page, read November 1, 2026, says “Applications are Closed” and that Habitat “has awarded all funds”. The page gives no date for the closing.
Read Nov 1 2026
County-wide Check back Diablo Firesafe Council cost-share: check back
The Diablo Firesafe Council’s page offers “Up to $3,500 of cost-share funds” to reduce fire risk and says: “DFSC has temporarily closed the applications for the Partners in Wildfire Prevention fuel reduction grant match. No new applications can be submitted at this time.” It adds: “We will reopen the application form when new funding is available.” The notice is headed “Update May 2025”.
Read Nov 3 2026
Check back Clean HEET wood stove and fireplace insert replacement
The Air District’s Clean HEET grants help offset “the cost of switching from wood-burning or pellet-burning stoves, fireplace inserts or open-hearth fireplaces to an electric heat pump”; its news release of January 20, 2026 announced that applications were open. Its program page, read November 5, 2026, says: “The Clean HEET Program application period is currently open for all Bay Area homeowners. The deadline to apply is March 10, 2027 at 5:00pm PST.” The same page lists base grants of $15,000 for a free-standing wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert made in 2014 or earlier, $10,000 for one made from 2015 to 2019, and $12,000 for an open-hearth or free-standing fireplace, plus $10,000 more for qualifying low-income participants.
News release and program page read Nov 5 2026 (program page shows “Updated 11/3/2026”; refresh before use)
Insurance The County’s place in FEMA’s flood insurance rating
The County’s 2021 plan says: “Alameda County is recognized as Class 7 in CRS, thereby saving properties owners 15% in flood insurance premiums in Unincorporated Alameda County.” FEMA’s Community Status Book for California, dated October 7, 2026, gives the same for the unincorporated areas: class 7 and a 15 percent discount.
Read Oct 7 2026
Who serves your home in Castro Valley
- Fire: The Alameda County Fire Department, which has four stations in Castro Valley; in Five Canyons, the Fairview Fire Protection District, which contracts with the City of Hayward Fire Department.
- Water: East Bay Municipal Utility District; its annual financial report names Castro Valley in its service area, and its Board’s page lists Castro Valley in Ward 7.
- Sewer: The Castro Valley Sanitary District collects the wastewater of most of Castro Valley; in the County’s 2012 account the Oro Loma Sanitary District serves the Hillcrest Knolls and El Portal Ridge neighborhoods, and its own page names Castro Valley in its service area.
- Garbage: The Castro Valley Sanitary District runs the refuse collection franchise; Alameda County Industries, its contractor, collects and is the exclusive franchised hauler for the district through June 30, 2029.
- Electricity: Ava Community Energy, the default electricity provider for most of Alameda County; its service-area table lists Unincorporated Alameda County, and its About page says: “We supply electricity to all accounts (residential, business, and municipal) and PG&E delivers it.” PG&E’s service-area page lists Castro Valley under Alameda County’s “Electric Service Territory”.
- Gas: PG&E: its service-area page lists Castro Valley under Alameda County’s “Gas Service Territory”.
- Air: The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, whose page gives its coverage as “Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano, and southern Sonoma counties.”
- Flood control: Zone 2 of the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District; the District’s page names Castro Valley, Fairview, the Eden Area and parts of Hayward and San Leandro as Zone 2.
- Storm drains: The County’s 2012 account says the Flood Control District owns and manages most storm drains in Castro Valley; the County Public Works Agency’s page says its Maintenance and Operations Department maintains the thousands of storm drains and dozens of pump stations of the county’s flood control system.
- Permits: The County’s Permit Portal says its building permits serve “Alameda County’s Unincorporated Areas”, “(Community incl. Ashland, Castlewood, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Happy Valley, Hillcrest Knolls, San Lorenzo, and Sunol)”. The Public Works Agency’s page says you can “Apply for building permits, submit plans, schedule inspections and check permit status through the Alameda County Permit Portal.”
- Property tax appeals: Property tax appeals in Alameda County go through the County Clerk’s Assessment Appeals Unit. The State Board of Equalization’s letter of June 2, 2026 gives September 15 as the end of Alameda’s regular 2026 filing period.
- Schools: The Castro Valley Unified School District, with its office in Castro Valley; the County’s 2012 account says most of Castro Valley’s residential areas, Five Canyons included, are within it.
- Parks: The Hayward Area Recreation and Park District runs the local parks, and the East Bay Regional Park District runs Lake Chabot, Cull Canyon, Don Castro and Five Canyons Open Space.
Useful links: Castro Valley Unified School District · Alameda County’s Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council · Hayward Area Recreation and Park District · East Bay Regional Park District (Lake Chabot, Cull Canyon, Don Castro and Five Canyons) · Castro Valley Sanitary District · Oro Loma Sanitary District · Alameda County Fire Department · Fairview Fire Protection District (Five Canyons) · Alameda County Public Works Agency (sandbags and storm drains) · Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce · Castro Valley Library (Alameda County Library) · Alameda County emergency site (AC Alert sign-up)
The homes of Castro Valley
Castro Valley’s median home was built in 1966. About 41.0 percent of its housing units were built before 1960 and about 67.6 percent before 1980, and about 73.3 percent are detached single-family houses, our own calculations from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 tables. The County’s 2012 account says most of the neighborhoods around the downtown are single-family and were built from the early 1950s to the late 1990s.
About 1860-1900
Farmhouses and Victorian-era homes
The County’s 2012 plan calls the Stanton House (1860) “the oldest surviving residence in Castro Valley” and lists the Jensen House (1872, a “salt box” farmhouse) and the Herrick-Strobridge House (1894) among the notable sites; the County’s 2005-2008 list of landmarks and contributing buildings adds farmhouses and barns.
About 1900-1920s
California bungalows and Victorian cottages
The plan calls the California or Craftsman bungalow one of the most prevalent older building types in Castro Valley; the County’s 2007 list of structures of merit also names Victorian cottages, English cottages and Craftsman houses by street.
The plan describes the bungalow as “typically a one-story structure with a low-pitched roof and front porch.”
1920s-1940s
Period Revival
The plan says neighborhoods dating from the 1920’s to 1940’s have Period Revival houses, with “stucco walls and tile roofs”, and Tudor-style cottages with half-timbered upper floors.
The plan’s caption: “Stucco residences with tile roofs, are typical of Period Revival architecture.”
1940s-1950s
Post-war starter homes
The plan says “Postwar ‘starter’ homes laid out on a street grid can be found both west of the high school and south of I-580.” The 1950s are the largest decade of building: 5,541 units, 24.1 percent of the housing units, and the 1940s and 1950s together 8,706 units, 37.9 percent, our own calculation from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 tables.
1960s-1990s
Curvilinear subdivisions and planned developments
The plan says lot sizes in subdivisions developed from the 1960s through the 1990s “tend to be fairly regular; street layouts are curvilinear, with a preponderance of cul-de-sacs”, and that many, like Columbia and Palomares Hills, are planned developments.
About 1963
Eichler homes on the slopes
The plan says Castro Valley “boasts a number of well-preserved homes built by Joseph Eichler in the Greenridge development, which is one of the only Eichler neighborhoods built on slopes” (the plan’s claim). The County’s 2008 survey says Joseph Eichler designed a tract of around 200 homes in Crow Canyon in 1963.
1999-2004
Five Canyons
The plan says two large planned unit developments were built, “Palomares Hills in the late 1980s and Five Canyons from 1999-2004”, and that close to half of the newest units of its day were in Five Canyons.
Today
Few new homes
About 7.2 percent of the housing units were built in 2000 or later and 3.2 percent in 2010 or later, our own calculation from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 tables; the margins of error on those parts are large.
Older roofs and gutters need a different hand: Gutter Repair · Roof Repair · Gutter Installation
The story of Castro Valley
History and character
The County’s 2012 plan says archaeological research shows the planning area was probably once occupied by Ohlone people, who found the central basin of the San Lorenzo watershed, surrounded by rolling hills and steep canyons, to be an ideal location for hunting and fishing. The County’s 2008 survey says the Ohlone “tended to gather around water courses such as San Lorenzo Creek, San Leandro Creek, Dry Creek and Sulpher Creek and in the sheltered canyon lands like those around Castro Valley.”
Guillermo Castro owned the largest rancho in the area, Rancho San Lorenzo, the County’s 2008 survey says; his land ultimately totaled 28,000 acres and covered the areas of Castro Valley, the Castro Valley canyon lands, El Portal Ridge and Fairview, in addition to much of Hayward.
The County’s 2012 plan lists the Redwood Schoolhouse Site of 1866, “the first public school in Castro Valley”, on the original Don Castro Land Grant. A pioneer settler donated the site “for ‘educational purposes only'” and paid the teacher’s salary, and the plan gives it as State Landmark 776.
The County’s 2008 survey calls Lake Chabot, built in 1874-75, “the most monumental water project completed in Alameda County during the late nineteenth century.” The park district’s page says it was built “as a primary source of water for the East Bay.”
By 1878, the 2008 survey says, the few dirt roads in the Castro Valley and Hayward areas included Castro Valley Boulevard and Redwood Road, and “Redwood Road was originally a logging road used to transport lumber from the forests north of Castro Valley to the bay”.
The plan says what was “probably Castro Valley’s first business” stood in 1881 at the intersection of Redwood Road and Grove Way, with a storefront that served as a saloon, a barn and a fenced stockyard.
The County’s 2008 survey says that between 1910 and 1940 Castro Valley emerged “as the second most prominent chicken and egg producer in the state, after Petaluma”, with twelve hatcheries at its peak, and the County’s 2012 plan says that by the end of the 1920s it “was one of northern California’s primary poultry industry centers.”
The plan calls one neighborhood’s long, narrow lots, first used for chicken farming, “a testament to the agricultural heritage of Castro Valley.”
The County’s 2008 survey says the route of Foothill Boulevard, Castro Valley Boulevard and Dublin Road became part of the Lincoln Highway, “the first transcontinental highway”, which opened in 1913. With the rising popularity of the automobile, the survey says, suburban middle-class homes and roadside hotels began to crop up alongside the poultry farms.
The rodeo’s own page says Harry Rowell produced his first rodeo at his Dublin Canyon ranch in 1925, “the current site of the Rowell Ranch Rodeo Park”, and KQED’s article of 2018 agrees on 1925.
Water service from the East Bay Municipal Utility District came in 1930, the survey says, and a sewer system was created with the formation of the Castro Valley Sanitary District in 1939.
The County’s 2012 plan says Castro Village Center, built in 1949, “was one of the first shopping centers in Alameda County”, and the Chamber says it “replaced barns and tomato fields.”
With post-war population growth, the 2008 survey says, “the poultry farms became more valuable as homes sites than as farms. Many were subdivided and sold for residential development.” During the building boom that followed World War II, the plan says, most of Castro Valley’s 19th century structures, and some of those built in the first half of the 20th century, were demolished as the area changed from an agriculture-based economy to a suburban bedroom community.
In 1964 the Flood Control District dammed San Lorenzo Creek, creating the lagoon and lake at Don Castro Regional Park, the park district’s page says.
The park district’s page says the lake “was closed to recreation for 91 years” until the district opened Lake Chabot Regional Park to the public on June 18, 1966.
The park district’s page says the Cull Canyon lagoon won the “1966 Governor’s Design Award for Exceptional Distinction”.
Voters across the county approved Measure D in 2000, which established an Urban Growth Boundary; the plan says it “limits urban development in most of the rural areas of the county, including the canyonlands surrounding Castro Valley.”
In 2007, in response to residents’ requests, the Board of Supervisors voted to expand the planning area to include the El Portal Ridge and Fairmont Terrace neighborhoods, the plan says.
The Castro Valley Library and the restored Castro Valley Creek opened together on October 31, 2009. The County Arts Commission’s catalogue says the County “restored Castro Valley Creek, which was partially diverted through an underground concrete culvert, to a sunlit meandering stream lined with native trees and plants”, with a pedestrian bridge made from a converted railroad flatcar and a creekside amphitheater.
Castro Valley, roof and gutters
Castro Valley is a valley ringed by hills. The County’s 2012 plan calls its topography “a ring of hillsides surrounding a sloping bowl”, and says its steep topography, creeks and canyons “can pose risks related to soil erosion, landslides, and flooding; and can create difficulties for emergency vehicle access.” It puts the elevations between about 100 feet and over 700 feet on Fairmont Ridge.
Castro Valley is not a city. The County’s 2012 plan says it “relies on Alameda County and a variety of single- and multi-purpose special districts” for its services. Castro Valley here means the County’s planning area, which the plan says takes in the Castro Valley Census Designated Place “as well as the Five Canyons neighborhood”, and which also took in Hillcrest Knolls when the Board of Supervisors expanded it.
Yearly rain runs from about 16 to 25 inches at the two nearest federal weather stations to the Census Bureau’s centre point for Castro Valley, Hayward Air Terminal (16.00 inches) and Upper San Leandro Filters (25.25 inches), by our own calculation from NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals. At both, November to April holds about 89 to 90 percent of the year’s rain, and July is dry.
The County’s 2012 account puts most of Castro Valley in the San Lorenzo Watershed, with Chabot, Castro Valley, Cull, Crow and Sulphur Creeks, and the west in the San Leandro Watershed. The Flood Control District’s page calls the creeks of the watershed’s middle part “a highly fragmented combination of natural creeks, culverts, and concrete channels”.
Roof water matters here. The County’s 2012 account says half of the water entering the sewers in wet weather comes from private laterals, downspouts and yard area drains, “all of which are the responsibility of owners.”
The County’s 2012 account has the Hayward Fault running through the western part of Castro Valley, crossing Highway 238 west of the I-580 interchange.
The same plan lists “mature trees in front yards and along streets” among Castro Valley’s features. The park district’s 2019 plant checklist for Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, on the boundary between Hayward and Castro Valley, names coast live oak, valley oak, blue gum, Monterey pine, coast redwood, California bay, California buckeye, western sycamore and bigleaf maple among its trees. The Forest Service says bigleaf maple is “a large, deciduous tree” whose seeds disperse from October to January, and the University of California says California sycamores drop “copious amounts of yellow to brown leaves each fall”; both are pages on the species, not on Castro Valley.
We have been working on Bay Area roofs and gutters since 2002. If yours hasn’t had a look in a while, we’d be glad to come by.
Landmarks and parks
Castro Valley Library and Creek
The County library branch and the restored Castro Valley Creek beside it.
Chabot Theater
A single-screen cinema on Castro Valley Boulevard that its own page says opened in 1950.
Lake Chabot Regional Park
A 315-acre reservoir that now serves as a standby emergency water supply, the park district’s page says.
Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area
A swim complex off Cull Canyon Road that the park district’s page says is closed and will reopen for the 2027 swim season.
Don Castro Regional Recreation Area
A 101-acre park on the boundary between Hayward and Castro Valley, with a lagoon and a lake.
Rowell Ranch Rodeo Park
A special event facility run by the Park District, with a special event capacity of up to 1,000 people.
Adobe Art Center
A 1938 adobe built by the Works Project Administration as headquarters for the Castro Valley Elementary School District, the County’s 2012 plan says.
Redwood Schoolhouse Site
The site of the first public school in Castro Valley.
How we can help in Castro Valley
Why Sunshine Gutters and Roofing
- Family-owned since 2002, trusted by thousands of returning Bay Area homeowners
- Licensed (CSLB #1053780), bonded, with $2 million in general liability coverage
- Our own crew, never subcontractors
- We keep track of local regulations, fire safety rules and insurance programs
- We show you what we found, with photos, so you decide what happens next
The year in Castro Valley
| April | Fire season typically begins (the Fairview district’s and Hayward’s pages) |
|---|---|
| May | Castro Valley History Festival and Pro Rodeo Parade on Castro Valley Boulevard (2027: May 8) Rowell Ranch Rodeo, the third weekend in May (2027: May 14-16) |
| July | No rain in July: 0.00 inch at both of the nearest federal weather stations |
| September | Fall Festival on Castro Valley Boulevard, the weekend after Labor Day |
| October | Sandbag season: the County’s page calls storm season typically October through March |
| November | Light Parade (2026: November 14) Rainy season: November to April holds about 89 to 90 percent of the year’s rain at the two nearest federal weather stations Fire season typically ends (the Fairview district’s and Hayward’s pages) |
Castro Valley questions
What Castro Valley homeowners ask us
Do I need to have my sewer lateral inspected before I sell my Castro Valley home?
If your property is inside the Castro Valley Sanitary District, yes. The district’s page says “All properties being sold within CVSan’s boundaries must have a valid Sewer Lateral Inspection Exemption Certificate before the close of escrow.” The district’s code says building sewers for existing buildings that are connected to the public sewer “shall be cleaned and pass a CCTV inspection” “prior to the close of escrow of the sale or, if there is no escrow, prior to recording the deed or the document transferring the title.” Part of Castro Valley is in the Oro Loma Sanitary District instead, which requires a Sewer Lateral Compliance Certificate for sales that enter escrow on or after August 1, 2026.
Which fire department covers my street in Castro Valley?
The Alameda County Fire Department provides fire and paramedic service to Castro Valley except for the Five Canyons area, which is within the Fairview Fire Protection District, according to the County’s 2012 plan. The district’s own page says its service area “encompasses 4.2 square miles, comprising the Fairview and Five Canyons communities” and that it “contracts with the City of Hayward Fire Department for fire and emergency services.”
What must I keep clear on my roof, and how close may tree limbs come to it, in Castro Valley?
Alameda County’s nuisance chapter, section 6.65.030, applies to “any real property in the county”. It says to “Maintain roof of building or structure free of leaves, needles, twigs, or other combustible litter” and to “Maintain five feet of vertical clearance between roof surface and portions of trees overhanging any building or structure.” It also says to “Keep all trees, shrubs, and other vegetation or portions thereof adjacent to or overhanging any building or structure free from dead limbs, branches, and other combustible materials.”
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Castro Valley?
To replace it, yes: the County’s list of work that needs no building permit does not include a roof, and its permit application form lists “Re-Roof” among the kinds of permit. For a repair, the County’s Q&A says: “A building permit is not required for repairing of less than 200 sf aggregate roof area of the previously permitted roof.” If you wish, we can also pull the permit for you, as most of our customers ask us to.
What our customers say
Get a free estimate
We usually respond promptly within the day. Phone first for emergencies: (510) 525-0880.
Where we work
Castro Valley neighbourhoods we serve
Five Canyons
A planned unit development in the Fairview Fire Protection District.
Palomares Hills
A planned unit development whose homeowners’ association manages its vegetation, the County’s plan says.
Columbia
A hillside subdivision in the County’s plan; the Chamber of Commerce lists it among the housing developments on the eastern side of town.
Downtown Castro Valley
The Central Business District, which the County’s plan says covers more than 350 acres and is Castro Valley’s downtown, with Castro Valley Boulevard as its “Main Street.”
El Portal Ridge
The County’s minutes of a public meeting in 2007 record speakers saying they identify with Castro Valley.
Also serving nearby: Hayward · Fairview · Ashland · San Leandro · Oakland · Cherryland · Dublin