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A new law went into effect at the beginning of this year that creates new liabilities for public agencies when reporting compensation, shifting exposure for reporting mistakes from retirees almost exclusively to the employer. 

2021 was another year of considerable change and challenges for our cities, yet these leaders remained resilient and dedicated to keeping their residents safe, rising to challenges, and taking action to ensure a strong recovery. When many of these same leaders came together late last year to review the achievements and accomplishments that the League of California Cities delivered in 2021 and plan for the year ahead, it was clear that they were ready and more prepared than ever to lead their communities in the new year. 

Driven by unparalleled wind conditions, the 2017-19 wildfires — Tubbs, Thomas, Woolsey, Camp, Kincade, Tick, and in Orange County, Canyon II and Holy Fire — underscored the significant challenges facing police and fire agencies in these at-risk areas and the urgent need for enhanced planning measures.

On any given day in any newspaper across the country, you’ll most likely find a story chronicling how communities of color have been hit hardest by the pandemic, and how economic recovery in these same communities is occurring at a much slower rate. The facts make it very clear that the pandemic accelerated and exacerbated many of the already-existing inequities in our communities around income, housing affordability, and homelessness.

While Hayward had an anti-discrimination action plan in place since the 1990s, city officials realized five years ago that it was in dire need of updating. Hayward city leaders took immediate action to reassure the community that the city was in fact an ally. 

Countless studies have confirmed that bias, particularly unconscious bias, informs our interactions, even in people who are genuinely committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In the workplace, this is commonly expressed in who we prefer to hire.

In the wake of tragedies throughout the nation involving police officers, communities are asking for police reform and better de-escalation tools and training. The Chula Vista Police Department, serving a population of 270,000 in San Diego County, responded in part by developing an innovative drone program that can respond to emergencies and provide officers with the information needed to de-escalate situations.

In a decade, how might city leaders recall this period of policing in California? Will it be remembered as a period of great reform or one of great posturing? The evidence appears to support the former, as criminal justice reform in the domains of drug decriminalization and property crime have significantly affected the role and expectations of California law enforcement agencies.

Every day, cities deliver an array of public safety services to protect the residents and businesses within their communities. Recent events across the nation have sparked conversations around reimagining those services, particularly in the area of local policing.  However, in many cities in California, local leaders are also reimagining how to deliver public safety services when a wildfire strikes.

For many cities, a key component of addressing the affordable housing crisis includes planning for more high-density projects. However, cities must also ensure that community insight and feedback are front and center when deciding how and where affordable housing is constructed. Two Northern California cities — Elk Grove and Chico — have taken civic engagement to a whole new level.

Municipal budgets in California are experiencing significant new stressors. As cities and counties work to provide equitable access to public programs, address the growing homelessness crisis, and deal with the many other challenges facing their communities, public agencies are again forced to spread limited budget dollars across more programs.  

The League of California Cities Board of Directors elected Walnut Creek Council Member Cindy Silva to serve as 2021-2022 President during the Annual Conference and Expo. For Silva’s first “President’s Message,” she talks about the future of cities, and shares her view of Cal Cities as a place where local officials can work together to tackle challenges, capitalize on new opportunities, and move forward for the betterment of all communities.

To the uninitiated, public service seemed relatively straightforward. You run for office and serve your term or you apply for the position, just like any other job. However, due to the nature of their position, city officials are governed by a complex set of laws and principles that do not necessarily apply in the private sector. Moreover, many officials are part of unions or local employee associations, which are also governed by their set of laws and principles. 

After seeing thousands of San Luis Obispo residents march through the streets for George Floyd, the San Luis Obispo community and city council knew that more work needed to be done to create a diverse, inclusive community. While diversity and inclusivity have long been core values of the city government, it became clear that there was much more to be done. 

City leaders have more data and ways to interact with their residents than ever before. However, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Many leaders, especially those operating on shoestring budgets and staff, may have difficulty cutting through the noise to find the right data points, if they have the time to do so at all. Additionally, regardless of their ability to leverage data, all city leaders must contend with the legal challenges of an increasingly polarized, negative, and at times, hostile, public discourse on social media. 

Issues of equity and inclusion have taken center stage since 2020, with calls for increased diversity, parity, and social justice in every aspect of government and civic life. City leaders are on the frontlines of creating policies and procedures that create an equitable environment both at city hall and in their community. 

One-third of California’s TK-12 students perform below grade level, including students in Moreno Valley, Riverside County’s second-largest city. The city recognized the need to support students, parents’ need to work, and the community overall. Realizing this, Moreno Valley collaborated with local school districts to create an expanded afterschool learning program.

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated California’s housing crisis, adding even more urgency and complexity to an already dire situation. Land availability and housing affordability continue to dominate local policy discussions, while at the same time city leaders grapple with the best way to implement regulations for the growing short-term rental industry. Moreover, all of these decisions require significant public input. During the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo, hear from city leaders and industry experts about ways in which cities throughout the state can tackle the myriad of housing issues facing their communities.

Through sports leagues, camps, recreation centers, ball fields, courts, and parks, local governments play a large role in providing opportunities for youth recreation. To ensure they can continue to offer such valuable programs for youth in their communities, local governments should also take steps to minimize potential liability risks associated with youth recreation.

Since 1949, the National Civic League has celebrated the best in American civic innovation by awarding the prestigious All-America City Award to ten communities nationwide. This year, Livermore was the only city in California to receive this honor. The award celebrates the city’s inclusive engagement efforts to improve equity and resilience.

The stakes are high as cities engage in major planning efforts and adopt new budgets to ensure that they have the planning, infrastructure, and resources to adapt to this new normal. But how do we ensure that the new plans and policies we create will actually make our communities more equitable, environmentally resilient, and economically vibrant? The Institute for Local Government (ILG) offers five strategies for cities, based on recent research, as well as the technical assistance, and capacity-building support.

It’s hard not to get immersed in the surreal experience of northern California’s latest attraction: Eureka’s Redwood Sky Walk. Incredibly, the city didn’t invest a dime in the $4 million project. While redwood education and conservation are at the heart of the initiative, the potential economic benefits for the area were a huge factor behind community support and funding. 

When the opportunity arose to create a model program with students and local businesses, the city of Santa Maria stepped up. The city partnered with a local ag-related businesses to create a successful hands-on educational program, from work of planting pumpkins, and networking with community members, to creating fun events.

At Redlands — where Chief Catren has spent his entire career — building trust is as simple as being transparent and following through on every call or complaint, no matter how mundane they may seem. To put it another way, “They know you’re going to do what you say you’re going to do, because you always do it.” There’s practically a non-zero chance that someone will have a neutral encounter with the police. It’s either positive or negative. Every department must “outweigh a single negative experience with hundreds of positive ones.” 

Open house celebrations at Santa Clarita City Hall, documentary-style videos, and articles about what it took to become a city appealed to adult residents. At the same time, a small, stuffed horse named Sammy Clarita quickly became the city’s unofficial mascot and messenger to engage the city’s younger residents. The “I Found Sammy Clarita” campaign introduces the next generation of residents to their local government and teaches them the importance of being an engaged resident. 

The post-pandemic recovery will require city leaders to address significant challenges and make difficult decisions about the allocation of scarce funding, possible reductions in services, and reprioritizing city initiatives. Elected leaders and staff cannot effectively address such challenges without a strong foundation of good government — trust, accountability, responsiveness, and transparency. Now is the ideal time to ensure that your city’s foundation is solid.

As COVID-19 positivity rates continue to decline and vaccination rates increase, California city leaders are shifting from around-the-clock pandemic response to developing plans for long-term economic recovery. The resurgence of local economies is key to our nation’s recovery from a devastating yearlong pandemic, and as city officials map out equitable recovery efforts in their communities, inclusive economic development strategies must be a core component of these long-term plans. 

California city officials may want to take a close look at their 2021 travel and holiday plans. In addition to personal check lists — COVID-19 vaccinations and tests, pet sitters, and passport renewals — you’ll need to reserve plenty of time this fall and winter for the monumental redistricting effort which will be required to align voting districts with 2020 Census data.  

Western City magazine invited California cities of different sizes and different economies to share their top priorities for economic development as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. As California reopens for business, municipal economic development offices are busy analyzing strategies to best position their communities to not only survive – but thrive – as resilient, inclusive, and vibrant places to live. Regardless of size and geography, these cities had a number of priorities in common.

As city leaders worked around the clock to lead their communities through a global pandemic, they also dealt with devastating budget shortfalls that forced cuts in local services and delays in much-needed infrastructure projects. However, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. The supply of vaccine doses is growing, eligibility is expanding, and assistance for cities in the recently enacted American Rescue Plan is on the way. Cities will now have resources to begin to recover and rebuild from the pandemic. 

One of the primary points of contention between cities and water boards has been the cost of achieving water quality goals – the water boards have steadily imposed more restrictive requirements in municipal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, while expecting cities and counties alone to bear the costs. This article covers two court decisions affecting cities and the key takeaways for local government officials.

The city of Alameda is an island community in the San Francisco Bay Area that faces an existential threat from sea level rise. The city responded to this challenge by developing a cutting-edge Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, including a roadmap for a “Climate Safe Path,” in which Alameda aggressively reduces its own greenhouse gas emissions as well as raise climate awareness.

Over the past year, cities have implemented a variety of programs to help keep vulnerable populations housed, but cities need to look beyond short-term relief. Local planning and policy decisions present some unique opportunities to remedy longstanding inequities, specifically through the housing element update process and activities related to AB 686.

El Centro was one of the first recipients of funding under Homekey, a statewide program designed to house those experiencing homelessness. Through a partnership between the city and a local college, the funding was leveraged to construct 26 tiny homes that will provide two years of permanent housing for college students who are former foster youths and are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Graffiti destroys property, costs cities hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and can blight entire communities. To address graffiti issues, the City of Escondido created a custom designed smartphone app to crowdsource information from the community to help keep their city clean and free of graffiti. 

California cities have been on the front lines for nearly a year taking action to protect their residents and businesses and maintain the delivery of essential city services, despite unplanned expenses and revenue shortfalls brought about by the pandemic. Three California city managers reflect on the past year and how on earth one manages a city budget with so much uncertainty, and so little support from the state and federal governments.

The coronavirus recession has eroded city budgets in many ways, leaving many tax revenue streams damaged and lasting impacts on cities that will continue to cut deep in the fiscal year ahead. As local governments grapple with the revenue loss and spending increases associated with the pandemic, it’s important to review the trends and forecasts of the revenue streams upon which a city most heavily relies and adjust accordingly. 

Many have called this year “unprecedented,” but even that does not seem to capture the unequaled disruption that 2020 wrought upon us all, the California State Legislature included. The the normal legislative calendar was constricted and fierce debates took place over how to legislate during a pandemic. In the end, the number of bills sent to the Governor’s desk for his signature was a mere fraction of what the Legislature typically passes in a year. 

Americans’ confidence in government is at an all-time low. Leaders in every level of government will need to do their part to address this trend, but local governments in particular can play a unique and important role to help stem eroding confidence in democratic institutions and principles.

The powerful foundation that Western City has built over the last century positions the magazine perfectly to transform and evolve into a new version of itself that will inspire its audience in new ways.

This plan is the result of advocacy and a collaborative process with city staff, community-based organizations, and residents that increased public engagement, public dialogue, and trust and brought new leadership into planning processes.

Long Beach established its Office of Equity in January 2017 to address and improve equity, community health, and safety for those most underserved in its communities.

It’s helpful to remember that leadership isn’t always about remaining stoic and displaying optimism. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable is both human and acceptable, especially in relentlessly difficult circumstances.

In many ways, 2020 has been incredibly difficult for California’s public servants. Learn from city managers and a mayor on the front lines.

California’s appellate courts have delivered three very significant decisions involving municipal revenues.

Get practical tips for a valuable and memorable experience.

Library staff throughout California put on masks and gloves and transformed their work with new processes and procedures and with safety and community service as their top priorities.

Twelve cities in northern Orange County collaborated to create a system of regional centers providing safe shelter and supportive services.

The Moraga-Orinda Fire District and tech partners developed innovative software to help meet residents’ and first responders’ critical needs.

City libraries and parks and recreation departments have transformed their operations to serve and support their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These projects can be challenging, but they improve traffic and support healthy lifestyles.

Many cities have employed code enforcement staff in unique ways to protect the public and advance pandemic protocols.

A city can save hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by reducing fees on these legacy plans.

It is a common misconception that old insurance policies are good only for museums and archival research; some old policies are capable of providing substantial coverage even today.

As our communities move through the phases of recovery, cities are benefiting from new ways of doing the public’s business and also confronting the challenges associated with COVID-19’s impacts.

Project Green Space is a robust urban forestry and green infrastructure program convened by the city and driven by residents. The program empowers community members to actively reshape the future of their neighborhoods by adopting new trees and planting and maintaining rain gardens.

In an area that lacked basic infrastructure, two mixed-use affordable housing developments brought improvements including new streets, drainage, and lighting. A complex mix of federal, state, and city funding, matched with private-sector loans, covered the costs.

This increasingly popular program bridges the digital divide and fosters intergenerational communication.

“Missing middle” housing helps to address the growing demand for walkable communities, respond to shifting household demographics, and meet the need for more housing choices.

City leaders worked hard to ensure that local government remained accessible and residents were able to participate in council meetings and obtain essential services.

California cities are experiencing a $7 billion general revenue shortfall over the next two fiscal years from the sharp downturn in economic activity and additional pandemic related expenses.

The city retooled its existing zoning and standards to make it easier for property owners to add accessory dwelling units, also known as granny flats. Encinitas also successfully sponsored state legislation to make the changes possible.

With “safer at home” orders in effect in an attempt to flatten the curve of COVID-19 spread, cities were on the front lines maintaining essential services and working to protect residents who were out of work or lost their job because of the crisis.

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.

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.

With the state’s tourism industry on the cusp of unprecedented growth in 2020, there’s no better time to harness your region’s tourism economy.

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.

The League board of directors, joined by leaders from each of the League’s divisions, departments, policy committees and diversity caucuses, convened in early December to reflect on city accomplishments in 2019, discuss current challenges and establish the League strategic priorities for 2020.

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?”

Communication and collaboration are cornerstones of the ability to lead, and the League’s positive relationships with legislators are key to cities’ successes in the Capitol. Cultivating open two-way communication with our state leaders is essential to protecting the interests of cities and our residents.

It was just another quaint suburban neighborhood, but something was missing. On Demonte Way in Elk Grove, no children played together on the sidewalks or rode their bicycles along the street.

Local government leaders are adopting codes of conduct to set the rules and expectations for how they govern their cities. Such codes help foster a civil and respectful governing culture consistent with best practices.

Any city can increase public safety without major impacts to its budget. An engaged and informed public can help.

Until a disaster strikes, many communities don’t realize that it may be 72 hours to five days before first responders can reach everyone who needs help. A new program in Yountville helps residents be prepared to assist each other in the initial aftermath of a disaster.

A summary of insights and issues from League divisions statewide.

The city is changing the lives of local youth at risk for obesity.

High school students serve as mentors for younger students.

Key facts and trends city officials need to understand.

Learn the latest and hear speakers with inspiring ideas.

Help shape the statewide policies that directly affect your city.

Extreme heat events now affect communities statewide and present resiliency planning challenges.

Partnerships can help local communities attract investments that advance sustainability and boost local economies.

Approximately 2,000 elected officials and staff will meet, network and attend sessions designed to educate and inform.

Cities and counties are using new technology to improve system efficiency and safety for motor vehicle drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. These projects also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping to meet statewide goals designed to address climate change. And a safe, well-maintained and environmentally friendly local transportation system saves money over the long term for cities, counties and taxpayers.