Last month, I traveled to Napa for the League of California Cities City Managers Conference, where over 700 city leaders came together for three days of connecting and learning from experts and each other. During the conference, I noticed a common theme running through many of the sessions: the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships inside and outside of city hall. Yes, it’s true that city officials spend their days planning for new housing, addressing homelessness, mitigating traffic congestion, developing and implementing strategies to prevent crime, building thriving downtowns, and planning for disasters. But the driving force in ensuring success in executing these plans and delivering? Strong relationships.

Whether it is responding to an emergency, advocating for city priorities at the state or federal level, or mobilizing voters to support a local transportation measure, strong relationships fuel a city’s success.

In recent years, California cities have faced unmatched climate and disaster-related emergencies. From wildfires to floods to droughts to mudslides, cities in every corner of the state have had to learn how to quickly and effectively respond when a crisis hits their community. The general consensus among city officials is that a crisis communications plan — one that is in place well before a disaster strikes — is critical to ensuring city officials and first responders can respond rapidly and efficiently.

The number one component of a good crisis communications plan? Strong relationships with community and intergovernmental partners. And building those connections begins today, not after a disaster hits. Responding to a crisis effectively is all about meeting residents in their neighborhoods where they are, working with trusted messengers who can quickly get out messages with updates and information about resources and assistance. It also means knowing your counterparts in neighboring jurisdictions, the county and state government, since disasters rarely fall neatly within jurisdictional boundaries: You’ll need each other to coordinate an effective response. That means having a roster of messengers with deep connections and the ability to proactively communicate with residents, community groups, local nonprofits, and state counterparts. 

Productive relationships are also the X factor in successfully advocating for your city at the state and federal levels. I often say, “If you aren’t at the table, you’re on the menu.” What I mean by that is city officials — alongside Cal Cities — have a responsibility to ensure they are part of the policy-making process, so that statewide and federal policy reflects the needs of cities. Without your voice, you risk being left out of the policy and budgetary decision-making by state and federal lawmakers — decisions that impact your communities and that you will be called upon to implement. 

For that reason, make it a priority to build productive relationships with your state and federal leaders. If you’re not already, invite them to your community to tour a project or attend a town hall meeting. Visit them in their district and Sacramento offices. Communicate with them in writing or by phone about what is working — and what isn’t — for your shared constituents. If you wait until you have an ask or want something from a lawmaker, you’re too late. Build that relationship now before you need them to take a key vote or sponsor a bill your community needs. 

The need for strong relationships extends to other organizations that are essential to advancing projects in your community that have real impacts on residents’ day-to-day lives. In this month’s issue of Western City, we highlighted Crescent City’s partnership with a real estate developer and how the two leveraged state and federal resources to build several mixed-income and use developments that will help bring more activity downtown to boost the city’s overall economy. 

Strong relationships and the success they bring help demonstrate to voters that local governments are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, which can pay dividends when you ask voters to support a local revenue measure or weigh in on your next budget proposal. 

For years, Americans have viewed local government as the most trusted level of government. That is no accident. Day in and day out, city officials are building and maintaining the relationships necessary to get the job done for their communities. 

Across California’s 483 cities, I continue to be inspired by city officials leveraging the X factor of strong relationships with residents, community partners, state and federal partners, and inside city hall to effect positive change in our communities and the lives of our residents.