OAKLAND — Residents in the Elmhurst East Oakland area, the city's largest district, struggle daily with the issues of crime and the need for more economic development in their neighborhood.

These hot-button issues are part of the reason, along with other unfinished projects, incumbent Larry Reid is seeking his fourth term on the City Council. He is running against Clifford Gilmore, son of Carter Gilmore, the first African-American to sit on the council.

Reid said he is determined to continue to push for progress in the 7th District, which runs from MacArthur Boulevard and 82nd Avenue to Keller and Skyline streets, and from Sobrante Park to Oakland International Airport and from McAfee Coliseum to San Leandro.

"When I first ran, I wanted to give my constituents a sense of hope that things could change and would change,'' said Reid, who took office in 1996. A former U.S. Marine and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Reid was once the chief of staff to former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris.

During his time on the council, Reid has been responsible for the building of the Hegenberger Gateway project, a $40 million retail center, in the district. He also helped to bring Lexus, Infiniti and Toyota Scion auto dealerships into the city in an effort to generate job growth and sales tax revenue. Next year, Reid said he is looking forward to breaking ground on a new sports complex on Edes Avenue.

"I'm working with an empowered

community, and I have brought more resources into my district,'' Reid said.

Gilmore, an Oakland native, is challenging Reid for his council seat because he is concerned about the decline of the quality of life in the city. He also points to other issues plaguing the district such as violent crime and the lack of basic needs and services.

"I do not see the transformation in my district in the way it should be occurring,'' said Gilmore. "Our beautification projects have gone unmaintained, streets are dirty, crime is gripping everyone and people don't feel safe.''

Gilmore also pointed out that for the district's population of 100,000, there is only one grocery store and two banks.. He said that many residents are forced to shop in neighboring cities such as San Leandro for their basic services.

In addition, Gilmore said that many of the projects Reid has worked on generate sales tax dollars that go into the general fund, but the benefits and resources are not coming back into the district.

"Nothing is happening in the heart of the district where the issues are most prevalent,'' Gilmore said.

However, some of Reid's unfinished projects include building a connector bridging the BART line to the airport. He said he's optimistic about possibly breaking ground on the project by the end of the year.

Reid would also like to see his vision come to fruition for a Coliseum Transit Village with hundreds of new homes and dozens of new shops and restaurants. Reid views the development as a chance for African-Americans to remake East Oakland and inspire hope in an area often terrorized by crime. Developing housing units and retail space at the former Oak Knoll Naval Hospital property in the Oakland hills is another project he wants to complete. It is a key project to help revitalize the MacArthur corridor and Foothill Square area, Reid said.

Gilmore is the executive director of the Oakland Coalition of Congregations and has used his position to make improvements in the community. In 2000, he worked on an economic reinvestment campaign with major banks, including Bank of America, to lend $50 million in the flatlands of East Oakland over a three-year period. As a result, many African-Americans were able to become first-time home buyers and get auto loans. Through OCC, Gilmore also helped design one of the first reports to grade Oakland public schools.

Both candidates agree that focusing on reducing crime in the area is their top priority and that residents deserve a better quality of life. Gilmore says the cycle of violence can be broken with more innovative programs geared toward children in grammar school.

"I think we should begin to invest on the front end to channel children in the right direction so they don't go into juvenile hall or into prison,'' Gilmore said.

Reid has used money to put up cameras along International Boulevard to monitor crime and other activity such as sideshows. He also has funded a pilot project for shot spotter technology, which is a listening device used by police to determine the difference between gunfire and other noises.

"Crime is a real serious issue,'' Reid said. "But the corridors in East Oakland are not going to change over night, as it took 40 to 50 years to deteriorate."

Reid has raised $50,000 in campaign funds, and Gilmore has raised $21,000. City Council elections are scheduled for June 3, and the 7th District seat is one of five on the ballot.

Contact Kamika Dunlap at 510-208-6448 or kdunlap@bayareanewsgroup.com.