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Article Local Works By Noah Altman

‘I didn’t have to adapt to the world; the world adapted to me.’ Burbank’s Adaptive Sports Expo is redefining recreation

Individuals in wheelchairs play basketball

For years, athletes with disabilities in Burbank faced steep hurdles: limited programs, high equipment costs, and social stigma. For families, this meant long drives to other cities or going without entirely. That changed in 2024, when the city’s Parks and Recreation Department launched the Burbank Adaptive Sports Expo.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot and Caleb Zimmerschied Valadez

‘We can’t call the President and say stop.’ California cities scrambled to respond to summer immigration sweeps

California city officials say the surprise immigration sweeps that started earlier this year have eroded public trust, strained local economies, and revived old fears. And although there are limited ways to respond, they are determined to take care of their residents.

Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

It’s 10 p.m. and a crisis has hit your city. Can you communicate with your residents effectively?

In recent years, cities across California have faced unprecedented challenges — wildfires, flooding, mass shootings, hazardous spills, and more. But the benefits of a good crisis communication plan go beyond emergencies.

Article Features By Arthur Goncalves

Being a mayor was like conducting ‘a symphony of voices,’ says Asm. Diane Papan

“As mayor, you can call on certain voices to lower the temperature on a particular issue,” says Asm. Diane Papan. “Everyone gets an opportunity to speak, but it’s about what order you have them speak. The order of things can affect the outcome of a decision.”

Article Features By John Lorinc

Does transit-oriented development lead to gentrification? It’s complicated

“Displacement can happen across any income group,” says planner Karen Chapple, “and it can happen with benefits or with losses. The policy issue is, is the diversity of the neighborhood that you had before as sustained as the new transit improvement comes in?”

Article Local Works By Caleb Zimmerschied Valadez

These two cities became biking oases. Could yours be next?

City officials in Davis and Emeryville found a way to make their communities happier, safer, and cleaner while also reducing carbon emissions: They made it easier to bike. “The point is to provide options,” said Jennifer Donofrio, Davis’ senior transportation planner. “People can choose to get around however they prefer.”

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

Want to end homelessness, recover faster from a disaster, or upskill workers? Call your library

According to State Librarian Greg Lucas, no other government-paid-for entity is as nimble or flexible as libraries. That makes them pillars of their community and well-positioned to tackle some of our biggest challenges — if they have the funding.  

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

These cities shifted gears to make big roadway changes

Elk Grove, Burbank, and San Pablo were some of the winners of the 2025 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Awards. Elk Grove dramatically improved its streets thanks to a systemic, fix-it-first maintenance approach. Burbank and San Pablo both overhauled major traffic corridors. 

Article Local Works By Jackie Krentzman

City officials work to keep South Lake Tahoe afforda-blue

Affordable apartments in South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe’s housing stock is controlled by regional growth limits. That stock became even more limited in 2020, as white-collar workers freed from downtown office commutes in pricier regions moved to the area. Home prices and rent soared by double digits, displacing many longtime residents and seasonal workers.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

How cities can respond to and heal from mass shootings

Even with the nation’s most effective gun laws, Californians experienced a mass shooting every six days in 2023. “It is a sad state of affairs for our country and our community that we’ve had so many mass shootings that a set of best practices have emerged,” said one expert.

Article Features Doug Levy, with David Oro, Brian Baker, and Alexa Davis

Harnessing AI’s power for cities while combating misinformation

Generative artificial intelligence can both enhance city services and cause great harm. This is where policies matter. You need to know exactly what data your AI tool uses and carefully review AI-generated content before publishing it.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

You’re probably not as good at talking and listening as you think, argues veteran NPR host

If you’re a politician, you most likely talk a lot. If you’re a good politician, you almost certainly listen a lot. But are you talking and listening well? Probably not, argues public radio host Celeste Headlee. And that has profound implications for our democracy.

Article Features By Tia Fleming

California cities now have mandatory water budgets. Here’s how to get ready

California’s new water standards become effective Jan. 1, 2025. The new rule shifts away from a one-size-fits-all approach to community-specific conservation management and will affect almost every city — including the 199 classified as urban water suppliers.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

Welcome to the first AI election. Here’s what local officials need to know and can do to prepare

Experts are warning that artificial intelligence (AI) could undermine this year’s elections. But just what does that mean? Here’s what AI can do, the threats it poses to election security, and how local officials can help their communities prepare.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

Hate campaigns are creating a ‘real legitimacy crisis’ says former Berkeley Council Member Rigel Robinson

At 27, Rigel Robinson’s political future was bright. His election to the Berkeley city council had broken barriers and his campaign for mayor won the endorsement of California Attorney General Rob Bonta. But earlier this year, he resigned, citing burnout and a long-running harassment campaign.

Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

This is ‘on the level of the Flint water crisis,’ warn advocates at California’s southern border

Toxic waste from the Tijuana River has created a public health, economic, and environmental nightmare for cities in San Diego County. The ongoing crisis is a classic example of a local issue that requires a bipartisan regional, state, and federal response.

Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

Gaining purchase: How three cities overcame the pandemic-fueled retail blues

Retail in California has struggled in recent years, especially businesses with smaller footprints. For some cities, this is just another potentially disastrous change they’ve turned into an opportunity. Here are some of the steps three cities have taken to support and grow their retail sector.

Article Local Works By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

In this rural city, a ‘nothing off the table’ mindset gets housing built

California’s housing crisis stretches from one end of the state to the other. For many small cities, the odds often feel insurmountable. Huron — located in the state’s agricultural heartland — shows that progress is possible. Cities just can’t do it by themselves.

Article Features By Jan Perkins and Dan Keen

Essential tips for effective city council meetings

A group of residents watching a Lakewood city council meeting in person..

Effective governance doesn’t happen by chance. There is a cadence to a successful meeting, with a long chain of steps that start well before the meeting starts. Here are some best practices for smoother, more effective council meetings that staff and elected officials alike can use.

Article Features By Brian Lee-Mounger Hendershot

Oakland and Sacramento city attorneys: Civilian oversight is crucial to policing

A group of commission members sitting at a long dais.

More cities are using civilian oversight organizations to reform and oversee their police departments. But what these organizations can do varies from city to city. Western City sat down with city attorneys from Oakland and Sacramento to discuss their cities’ approaches to civilian oversight.