California Cities Helen Putnam Award for Excellence

In the city of Benicia, a budget crisis almost unraveled community life. What sets this story apart isn’t just the challenge Benicia faced, but how city leadership turned a financial crisis into an opportunity for unprecedented community engagement and transparency.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

When the city of Riverside was looking for a way to reuse its historic library building, it turned to an unlikely ally: the comedian Cheech Marin. The tired structure was reborn in 2022 as “The Cheech,” a national cultural center for Chicano art.

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.

Just three years ago, Pleasanton police were placing over 350 people per year in psychiatric detentions when they were judged to be a danger to themselves or others. There were no follow-ups after initial evaluations. Today, someone experiencing a mental health crisis in Pleasanton has a much different experience.

Youth throughout California are struggling with mental illness — a trend made worse during the pandemic. As lawmakers advance major changes to the state’s behavioral health system, students in Gonzales are also making changes to their own systems of care.