Articles

“We’re not just cleaning up the city; we’re changing how people feel about their community,” said Meghan Huber, the city’s economic development and community engagement director. “The Beautification Crew and our public outreach efforts have really made a difference.”

California is in the middle of an ambitious effort to overhaul its waste systems — chief among them organic waste. But reducing the million tons of organic waste thrown away each year has proven challenging. Here’s how three cities are successfully meeting the mandate.

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. 

“In an age when cynicism runs amok, fairly holding government accountable is more important than ever before,” says oversight expert Ben Goldblatt. ”Plus, doing so can result in a rewarding career close to home that directly impacts your community.”

“Trust in government isn’t built through authority alone,” writes civic facilitator Matt Lehrman. “Too often, local leaders focus on explaining decisions rather than engaging the public in shaping them. Governance works best when people see themselves as active participants, not outsiders to the process.”

Cal Cities CEO Carolyn Coleman honors the legacy of Helen Putnam, Cal Cities’ first woman president. Her motto, “full speed ahead,” still inspires leaders today, writes Coleman, as she muses on the rising number of women in local and state government in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Temecula is federally classified as a medically underserved community, with residents routinely traveling for hours even for primary care. But a city-run workforce program is working to change that.  

Most buildings use methane gas for heating, drying, and cooking. But methane is also a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. A program in Brisbane would slash tons of the city’s emissions equal to roughly 8 million miles driven in an average gasoline vehicle.

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.

In 2022, West Sacramento became the sixth city in the state to have an all-woman council. Voters didn’t set out intending to make history. It just so happened that the candidates that best represented their interests were all women. 

Bullying in general can have far-reaching consequences. And although there is no law that prohibits bullying at work, bullying comes at a cost — an emotional cost for employees and a financial cost for employers. When the bully is an elected official, the stakes are even higher. 

Incivility has become normalized at the local level. But these incidents don’t affect everyone equally. A study of local elected officials in San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial Counties gives us a clearer picture of who gets harassed in Southern California and why. 

“As president, I will engage with you at the division and caucus level,” writes Lynne B. Kennedy, the new Cal Cities President. “I will educate myself by learning with you and from you. And I will elevate Cal Cities — who we are, what we do, and what we have to say. This year, I am your champion!”

As every city knows, the combination of people living longer into retirement, underwhelming state pension returns, and lower discount rates are straining local budgets. But Cypress plans to wipe out its unfunded pension liability by 2030 — without taking on any new debt.

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.

Mirroring public attitudes, California lawmakers have instituted sweeping changes to the state’s cannabis laws. This has created challenges for fire departments, which must balance their mission of safety with the rights of their employees. 

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.

“You’re going to talk to consultants and experts who will try to make you something you’re not,” says Cal Cities President Daniel Parra. ”Be true to yourself. Don’t change your tune based on who you are talking to.” 

Assembly Woman Sharon Quirk-Silva sat down with Western City to talk about her long career in public service. According to the former Fullerton mayor, the jump from local office to statewide office was a big one. But, many of the lessons learned as mayor served her well in her new role.   

“Cities in the Inland Empire are battling severe traffic congestion and deteriorating air quality,” writes Chino Hills Council Member Ray Marquez. “But local governments, along with state and federal partners, are laying the tracks for innovative solutions for the region and beyond.”

Four years ago, Corona had thousands of missing trees and a disorderly forestry strategy. Today, the city is actively managing and planting trees, creating environmental, aesthetic, and social dividends in the process.

Unclear career pathways, inflexible scheduling, and complicated hiring processes can exacerbate workforce challenges. Many cities are turning to strategies used by private sector employers, like skills-based hiring and registered apprenticeships, to meet their workforce needs.

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.

The city of San Diego is leading Far South/Border North, a regional initiative for artists and cultural practitioners. The program provided grant funding to 78 recipients for outreach and awareness campaigns focused on everything from public health to civic engagement.

For decades, Santa Monica chipped away at water self-sufficiency. Now it’s on track to increase local water supplies to 90% by summer 2024. The project was recognized at the 2024 Global Water Awards, second only to the United Arab Emirates.

How public agencies collaborate and plan will be vital to how they weather climate change crises. This may mean forgoing traditional top-down emergency planning in favor of participative scenario planning, which can include a wider range of stakeholders. 

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.

For the past two years, Bakersfield has had more homeless people living in shelter than those without shelter. Yet as is the case across California, Bakersfield is staring down an inflow crisis. For every six people placed in permanent housing locally, another ten become newly homeless. 

When it comes to improving career readiness, West Sacramento is knocking it out of the park. A paid internship program has placed over 200 high school students in local internships that equip students with industry-specific and transferable skills.

“The legislative process produces better outcomes for cities when lawmakers are informed and educated by the united voices of city officials,” writes Cal Cities CEO Carolyn Coleman. “If we don’t show up — early and often­ — bills we oppose that hurt cities could become law, and bills we support could die.”

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.

There is no magic bullet for disengagement and polarization. But there are ways to tackle these issues that don’t require dramatic new investments. Petaluma used one such method to resolve a decades-old conflict over an iconic property.

Climate action planning and data are more important than ever. Funding programs are increasingly prioritizing projects that empower and benefit vulnerable populations. Some cities have found it beneficial to incorporate multiple layers of data into their systems.

It’s easy to think of anti-Asian hate as a red or purple state problem. But most incidents occur here in California. Even though anti-Asian hate decreased in 2022, experts are warning this could be an aberration. Here’s what cities can do to mitigate the next wave of hate.

“The power of our grassroots activities through the regional divisions statewide not only makes Cal Cities unique among advocacy organizations,” writes Cal Cities CEO Carolyn Coleman. “It is integral to our effectiveness on behalf of cities.”

In 2020, Marin County voters approved the state’s first JPA dedicated solely to local wildfire protection. The agency has a clear mission: Help Marin County co-exist with wildfire by adopting fire-adapted strategies. This starts with a “House Out” strategy that all cities can follow.

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.

The housing crisis in our communities is linked to our economic vitality. When residents are spending so much on housing that they can’t visit businesses, it puts a significant strain on the local economy. Low-income residents and communities of color are impacted the hardest.

Approximately 4,000 affordable housing units in Southern California’s Gateway region have stalled due to funding shortfalls. A group of cities has formed an affordable housing trust fund, which they hope can close funding gaps — especially in small, under-resourced communities.

Agoura Hills once faced a familiar conundrum: How do you bridge the communications gap between a city and the people they serve? The Good Life Agoura Hills podcast is helping the city close that gap in a fun, cost-effective, and accessible way.

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.

Access to transportation in under-resourced communities — both in rural areas and large central cities — has reached a critical juncture. In these neighborhoods, transportation isn’t just a convenience, it’s a lifeline.

Cities throughout California, including Ventura, are dealing with an uptick in hate speech during remote public meetings. But just knowing that vile, hateful comments can happen does not fully ready you for a well-organized hate campaign.

Like many cities, Moreno Valley grapples with a low college completion rate. A new set of low-cost programs aims to change that. Nearly two-thirds of participants have experienced an improvement in their GPA. Most have secured full-time jobs in their fields and reported positive changes in their wages.

Palmdale wanted to do something about the growing number of fentanyl-related deaths. City officials knew they could not enforce their way out of the crisis. Working with key stakeholders, they launched an initiative aimed at reducing drug overdose deaths through education and community engagement.

Victorville is preparing to open a low-barrier shelter with medical care, interim housing, and other supportive services. Officials hope the shelter can serve as a model for other cities looking for ways to offer better services and more shelter to homeless residents.

Tools like ChatGPT can produce incredible messages, but they don’t actually know anything. It’s best to think of them as very fluent parrots. You should fact-check everything, even if it sounds convincing. With that said, generative artificial intelligence can make some jobs easier.

It’s easy for people to mistrust cities when they are not privy to the day-to-day happenings within city hall. The wheels of government turn slow, and delivering information is a multilayered process. Enter the City of Redding Podcast, where no topic is too big or mundane.

A diversity of people and perspectives matters. That is the backbone of Cal Cities. Make no mistake, we face great challenges. But together, we are stronger.

The Public Trust Advisors Credit Team helps California CLASS evaluate the credit profile of investable entities and determine their suitability as counterparties. But what does that mean for cities reviewing their investment options?

Cal Cities has had many successes over its 125-year history. While the outcomes may not be resolved in one legislative cycle, our accomplishments will be felt by California residents for years to come. The key to Cal Cities’ effectiveness is the generations of city leaders committed to uplifting California’s communities.

Even many well-funded cities are unprepared for large-scale emergencies. This lack of preparedness can cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars. These crises will only grow worse and more frequent. The best way to mitigate this is to put time and effort into community preparedness.

Shell Beach Road is Pismo Beach’s oldest road — and one of its most important downtown connectors. What began as a community concept to make it a safe, efficient, and enjoyable street for all its users turned into one of the largest projects ever completed by the city.

Our success lies in the fact that we are always evolving and in our passion for bettering the lives of Californians. I can guarantee you that 125 years ago, I would not be your Cal Cities President. We are all different and unique. But at our core, we care about the same things.

California’s youth are worried about the climate crisis. They face a long future of climate extremes, with consequences for their health, well-being, education, and livelihood. Many are experiencing a great deal of eco-anxiety and are looking for help or ways to take action.

Milpitas received global recognition for its energy and sustainability work last year. Its Smart City Infrastructure Program aims to generate over $1.5 million in annual energy and water cost savings for the city.

E-bikes became popular in Laguna Niguel during the pandemic, especially with younger riders. This led to heightened concerns about rider safety. But when the city began developing a safety plan, it found few case studies and strategies to pull from.

Reducing waste and pollution at the source is key to achieving an equitable, circular economy. A new law passed last year will phase out single-use packaging and food ware. It is the most stringent plastic reduction rule in the U.S. and the only comprehensive circular economy policy in the nation. 

Reducing emissions from heavy trucks and other large vehicles is key to California’s efforts to slow the impacts of climate change and improve the quality of the air we all breathe. However, reducing greenhouse gas emissions — particularly through the transition to zero-emission vehicles — does not come without significant challenges.

Some local agencies are considering making remote or hybrid meetings the new normal and recent changes to the Brown Act — including AB 2449 (Rubio, Blanca, 2022) — have given cities a new way to conduct hybrid meetings. However, this law has several restrictions and raises a host of administrative questions.

Public trust is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Just as our residents count on us to deliver services, they trust us to govern in a way that considers their best interests and improves their communities. At the core of this responsibility is advocating for our communities.

Fentanyl is behind an alarming spike in drug overdose deaths. While more can be done at the state and federal levels to end this tragedy, cities have at least one tool at their disposal to help reduce the number of overdose deaths: naloxone.

Like many cities across the country, Santa Monica was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city faced a projected revenue shortfall of about $225 million due to hotel and business closures. In response, the city invested more than $5 million in 25 city programs to accelerate local recovery.

Have you ever wondered what happens with the sales tax you pay at a retail counter or online? What can cities do with that money? Here are 10 things you should know — but may have been afraid to ask — about California’s sales and use tax.

Reducing methane emissions through SB 1383 is one of California’s primary climate change mitigation strategies. Municipal water resource recovery facilities could partner with the state for this, but some significant challenges need to be addressed first.

Two innovative infrastructure projects in the cities of Berkeley and Monterey received top honors from the Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Award program. The statewide program recognized Berkeley for its renovation of the “worst streets in town” and Monterey for a citywide adaptive traffic control system.

In 2018, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission placed stringent limits on local regulations that control the placement of small wireless facilities. Even if your city passed new regulations early on, it could be at risk due to changes in the law that favor the streamlined deployment of all types of wireless facilities. 

Statewide affordable housing production is not growing fast enough to close the state’s housing gap. However, it is not impossible to reverse the trends that got us here — so long as we can learn from our mistakes.

Seven in ten Californians view housing affordability as one of the top problems in their community. City officials understand this and are working hard to find solutions that ensure families of all income levels can afford to live in their communities.

There is no shortage of opinions as to what the Fed will or will not do. That said, the undeniable fact is that this recent and historical tightening of monetary policy has transformed cash into a compelling asset class.

As we settle into the new year, two new municipal finance laws need your attention. One law involves local Gann Limits and has a March 1 reporting deadline. The other adds new requirements for development impact fees.

Fiscal certainty is critical to the sustainability of local services that residents rely upon. In the face of economic uncertainty and a growing state deficit, Cal Cities is focused on pushing back against any proposals that would disrupt this certainty.

California’s massive state budget surplus dominated every legislative conversation this year and lawmakers competed fiercely to ensure their priorities were passed. Through it all, Cal Cities fought for the best interests of cities: Cal Cities tracked or engaged with 1,430 bills and protected cities’ interests in the courts, at the federal level, and in the regulatory arena.

Labor shortages and high staff turnover have created challenges for both employers and employees. Taking cues from other sectors, city governments have found creative and proactive ways to address workforce gaps and create sustainable organizations.

Many city leaders weathered the nonstop crises of the last few years by relying on the fundamental tenants of good governance. With nearly 90 years of experience between them, these six former mayors have invaluable advice for new council members or those who want to take their leadership to the next level. 

With the state foreshadowing some belt-tightening, things could get worse before they get better. Now more than ever, we need to keep fighting to ensure that the cities have the resources they need to help our most vulnerable residents.

Once a nearly all-white community, Lakewood has become one of California’s most diverse cities. When the murder of George Floyd made national news in 2020, the resulting public outrage shook the bedroom community and led to calls for change. The resulting 10-point action plan and first year of implementation are major milestones for the city.

Mountain View created the Spanish and Chinese Language Civic Leadership Academy programs as part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The eight-week programs improve participants’ understanding of local government and city services. Some graduates have even applied for boards and commissions or ran for city council.

In recent years, calls for police reform have mounted alongside calls to reduce the rise in crime. By understanding and addressing the root causes of crime, cities can address both concerns and create communities where everyone can feel safe and succeed. This requires a radical reshaping of how we understand public safety.

Everyone wants to feel safe where they live. And that feeling of safety is the foundation for creating thriving communities where residents, business leaders, and visitors alike feel a strong sense of belonging and connectedness.

In many ways, wildfires spread just like viruses, but faster. So, what can epidemiology teach us about making our communities safer against wildfires? It is a question worth investigating given our current fire conditions.

Like many communities, the cities and towns of Contra Costa County had a complex and fragmented system of behavioral health intervention and treatment. Behavioral health calls were routed through 911 and handled like fire, crime, or medical emergencies. By the end of 2023, anyone in the county experiencing a mental health crisis will be able to receive emergency care from a licensed clinician within 10 minutes.

In California, public agencies are legally required to disclose all audio and/or visual recordings related to critical incidents involving law enforcement. However, even cities where critical incidents are rare can benefit from using audio and video resources to improve transparency.

Despite bold steps from cities and historic investments from the state and federal governments, California’s digital divide persists. A 2021 survey on broadband adoption found that nearly 1.25 million households — 10% of the state’s total — remain unconnected to the internet at home. It is crucial that local governments continue to lead the way and advocate for swift action.

Retail development is a critical part of creating communities where people can grow and prosper. However, rural markets are often overlooked during initial retail expansion plans. The rural communities of Blythe, Clearlake, and Fortuna have each invested in proactive retail attraction strategies that raise their profile, creating tangible, positive results in the process.

The annual conference will showcase the creativity and innovation of cities, recognize city leaders who are moving their communities forward, and celebrate the success of our advocacy. We’ll also hear from two powerhouse keynote speakers about leading with courage and the economic future of the Golden State.

The Institute for Local Government will host sessions on a number of timely topics, including housing, climate change, and equity, at this year’s annual conference. 

Green spaces are a core part of Vista’s identity. So, when large, mature trees started dying, the city sprang into action. Today, the trees are thriving, thanks to a holistic approach to urban forestry and smart irrigation controllers from Calsense.

I started this year with just one goal: To help all of us, as city leaders, re-energize and put new vigor into our collective work to improve the quality of life of all Californians. Little did I know, the year would turn out to be so much more. I learned valuable lessons that will serve me well beyond this year as president.

The Annual Conference and Expo offers multiple ways to earn legal education credits. These practical, “how-to” sessions provide training on the most important legal issues for cities, such as land use, public safety, and public contracts.

Many cities hoped that the American Rescue Plan Act would both help address pandemic-related issues and build an inclusive future for communities. For the city of Norwalk, this hope is becoming a reality. Staff focused their efforts on one of the city’s oldest and most underserved neighborhoods: the One-Ways.

California Water Service takes a holistic and preemptive approach to water sustainability, safety, infrastructure, and equity to ensure their customers have access to water that is safe, clean, reliable, and affordable.

Sign Hill Park is South San Francisco’s last undeveloped refuge and the home of two endangered butterflies, the mission blue butterfly and the callippe silverspot butterfly, as well as a variety of rare wildflowers. For many years, the park suffered from habitat degradation, reduced funding, and a lack of public interest. 

Efforts to reverse this decades-long trend took off in 2018 when the city’s Parks and Recreation Department staff applied for and received a Measure K grant from San Mateo County, which awarded $75,600 to the city. This critical ecosystem is now thriving, and public engagement is strong thanks to an ongoing restoration program.

Following the drought in 2008, Oceanside knew it was time to act to ensure the community had a reliable water source. After nearly a decade of research, planning, and construction, the coastal city opened the first high-tech water purification facility in San Diego County, which will provide 30% of the city’s water supply. 

Using state-of-the-art technology to purify recycled water, Pure Water Oceanside produces clean, locally sourced drinking water that will help serve the community for generations to come.