California Cities Helen Putnam Award for Excellence

In Concord, peregrine falcons flock to the sky, Aztec jaguars bare their teeth, and abstract flowers sparkle in the sun. Contemporary and bold, these murals put the city on the map for art in Contra Costa, a region with the lowest art budget of all the Bay Area counties. 

A program in Modesto is helping reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness. In 2023, the team received nearly 5,000 calls, with 71% of individuals accepting services. The program saves the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in staff time annually.

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.

The Shafter library was seemingly doomed to closure in 2020. Today, it is one of the busiest libraries in the state per square foot of space.

Success creates success, even for seemingly intractable issues. Modesto is at the forefront of a new system of care for homeless youth thanks to a strong public-private partnership. The city launched several related programs in recent years, including a navigation center and Homekey project for youth.

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.

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.

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.

Buellton residents have long pushed for more arts and culture opportunities to increase their quality of life. Many have come to view the arts as a way to incentivize economic development. Like many aspects of government, this is easier said than done, especially with just 20 full-time city employees.