Youth and Community Services

Overview

Youth and Community Services

Article Local Works by Jill Oviatt

League Launches Initiative Showing City Projects Making a Difference in Their Communities

Collectively, California cities are creating hundreds, if not thousands, of projects each year that improve the lives of residents. While many people often lament that other levels of government do not always seem to work, California cities can show powerfully through #LocalWorks that local government works.

Fontana Motivates Residents to Walk More and Improve Health

The city faced alarming rates of obesity in its community and launched an innovative effort to improve fitness among residents of all ages. The program exceeded its goals, and its popularity continues to increase.

Article Executive Director's Message by Carolyn Coleman

Census 2020: What’s at Stake and Why Every City Needs to Drive Participation

California faces unique challenges to achieving an accurate count — 75 percent of its residents are considered “hard to count” and have been historically undercounted in the census.

Napa Lighted Art Festival Draws January Crowds

The Napa Lighted Art Festival takes a bold, contemporary approach to the visual arts by bringing emerging light technologies into the city’s streets, where buildings function as large outdoor canvases and attract crowds.

Article Features by Maria West

What Cities Need to Know About SB 1383 and Funding Organic Waste Management

Cities should immediately begin planning for and implementing the required organic waste collection and edible food recovery services. This work includes assessing and securing adequate capacity for organics processing and edible food recovery, which can be done individually or in conjunction with counties, other cities and regional agencies.

Article News from the Institute for the Local Government by Nicole Enright

Scrap Your Fears About Food Waste Regulations: Preparing for SB 1383

California cities are preparing to comply with new targets to reduce statewide emissions of short-lived climate pollutants and reduce organic waste in landfills. To help cities with this, the Institute for Local Government is partnering with CalRecycle to raise awareness and connect local governments with resources and expertise.

Article City Forum by Jill Oviatt

Lessons Learned From Utility-Initiated Power Shutoffs

Since October 2019, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company has cut power to Californians more than half a dozen times, with the smallest power shutoff affecting about 30,000 people and the largest affecting nearly 2.5 million. But cities have made it clear that this cannot be the new normal, and power shutoffs are in fact putting residents at real risk.

Article Features by Dan Carrigg

2019 Legislative Year in Review

When the 2019 legislative session began, Democrats had gained historic supermajorities in the Legislature. Yet progress for the progressive Democratic agenda was muted. And in the face of multiple attacks on local zoning authority and other challenges, the League and cities emerged surprisingly well.

San Rafael’s Employee-Driven Effort Focuses on Meeting the Community’s Changing Needs

San Rafael asked city employees, “How would you design your department if you could create it today, rather than as it was created decades ago?”

Rancho Cucamonga’s Community Champions Engage Latino Residents

This program plays a critical role in developing health-related policies and programs that improve residents’ quality of life.

Article Features by Ken Striplin

Tackling Homelessness

Cities do not have to wrestle with this issue alone.

Article Features by Margery Haupt, LaWayne Hearn and Kevin Townsend

ABCs of Safety, Communications and Large Events

Tips developed by the team that coordinates an annual event drawing 750,000 visitors.

Article City Forum by Doug Linkhart

Gauging Your Community’s Capacity to Solve Problems and Thrive

Explore the National Civic League’s Civic Index, a self-assessment tool.

Article Features by Charlotte Dickson

Villages and Resilient, Age-Friendly Cities

Villages build connections, support and social capital among older adults.

Article Features by Andrew Powers

Resiliency Wins: Our Community’s Response to Two Tragedies

How Thousand Oaks coped with a mass shooting and two major wildfires in a single day.

Fresno Youth Commission Addresses Key Issues

This program shows the value of youth as a community and policy resource.

Article Features by Nina Alcaraz

Supporting Our Future: Early Childhood Policies in General Plans

Investing in early childhood helps create safe and healthy communities. Learn how one city customized its Health and Wellness Element to meet its residents’ unique needs.

Article News from the Institute for the Local Government by Randi Kay Stephens

Sparking a Student’s Lifelong Interest in Local Government

The recently revised Picture Yourself in Local Government curriculum is now available at no charge for local agencies to use with students of all ages.

Article President’s Message by Jan Arbuckle

Focusing on Youth and a Vibrant Future

Our young residents play a critically important part in the future of our cities — they are tomorrow’s leaders, workers and innovators. Cities statewide are engaging youth in numerous ways.