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Article Local Works By Jackie Krentzman

Coachella is building its way to an energy-efficient future

Meeting the demand for housing can be a formidable task for California’s desert communities. On top of the usual challenges of cost, resources, and land availability, these cities must contend with relentless heat and accompanying energy costs exacerbated by climate change.

Article Features By Simran Kohli

Assembly Woman Quirk-Silva on her 20 years of public service

Assembly Woman Sharon Quirk-Silva sat down with Western City to talk about 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.   

Article Local Works By Kerrie Romanow

Three ways San José leads in water resiliency and adaptation

Cities across California are looking for ways to keep their water supplies reliable even during droughts under a new water standard. San José’s wastewater treatment and municipal water system infrastructure can serve as a model for other cities.

Article News from the Institute for the Local Government By Christy Jewell and Rafael Aguilera

What is keeping public sector hiring pools low?

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.

Article Special to Cal Cities By Vanessa Luna

Opinion: Why cities should consider taking on an ACC AmeriCorps Member like me

“I couldn’t find anything that inspired me here in California, where I was rooted and wanted to stay,” writes Vanessa Luna, a former American Connection Corps AmeriCorps Member with the city of Santa Paula. “That all changed when ACC gave me an opportunity to serve right here in the town where I grew up.”

Article Local Works By Christine Jones

San Diego is driving change through an arts workforce program

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.

Article News from the Institute for the Local Government By Karalee Browne

So you have a climate action plan and a budget deficit. What now?

Many cities in California are planning for and mitigating the effects of climate change. Yet, many of those same cities are looking for ways to do more with less. Here’s how three budget-conscious cities are funding and developing local climate action plans — and a free, flexible framework for your own city. 

Article Features By Casey J. Day

How police can better plan for sea level rise

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.