Issue highlights:
Read below for more news and events.
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The deadline for the Legislature’s policy committees to send fiscal bills to the appropriations committees is this Friday, April 30. Several bills are scheduled to be heard in the Senate and Assembly today and tomorrow to meet this deadline, including many key bills that would impact cities. Read more
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During the pandemic, San Diego's creative industry was suffering. By September 2020, 14,500 local artists and creative professionals had lost their jobs. The city acted fast and purchased 100 pieces of visual art by area artists – the largest such acquisition in the city’s history. Read more
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Coalition calls on the state to address statutory deadlines to allow cities ample time to redraw districts and inform the public of changes prior to the next election. Concerns arose about meeting redistricting deadlines when the U.S. Census Bureau announced delays of up to six months in distributing the data. Read more
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Today, the League of California Cities hosted the latest installment of its new Guide to Local Recovery webinar series, focused on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cost reimbursement for eligible programs and services under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program. The webinar featured leaders with representatives from FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to provide an opportunity to ask questions and get clarity on reimbursable costs. The webinar recording and slides are available online.
Next week, the White House is hosting regional briefings on the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, and the briefing for California is Monday, May 3 at 2 p.m. All cities are invited to attend, and the briefing will be hosted by Daniel Hornung, special assistant to the president for Economic Policy. Register for the briefing.
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The Spring Conference has a rich tradition of excellence in providing California city attorneys with education on the latest municipal law issues and opportunities to connect with colleagues from across the state. The conference will take place on Fridays, April 30, May 7, 14, and 21, and will include a special peer-to-peer meet and greet followed by a City Attorneys Department meeting on Thursday, April 29. Read more
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Tuesday, May 4, 9:30-11:30 a.m. — Join the League of California Cities legislative team for a briefing on critical issues facing cities in the 2021 legislative session. Lobbyists will provide detailed information on key bills pending in the Legislature, including measures pertaining to COVID-19 response and recovery; local land use authority and affordable housing; homelessness issues and funding opportunities; disaster response funding and policy; public safety, cannabis, and police reforms; budget proposals; and other issues of importance to cities. Presenters: Deputy Executive Director Melanie Perron; Assistant Legislative Director Jason Rhine; Legislative Representatives Derek Dolfie, Nick Romo, Bijan Mehryar, Elisa Arcidiacono; and Policy Analysts Johnnie Piña and Caroline Cirrincione. Register now
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May 12-13, 10-11:30 a.m. — Join hundreds of your fellow League of California Cities members for this two-day free virtual advocacy event. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this special opportunity to address local priority issues with the California State Legislature and Administration. Advocacy topics will include COVID-19 response and recovery, affordable housing, homelessness, critical infrastructure, and other legislation of importance to cities. Register now
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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. Read more
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The National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF) is now accepting cities' applications to join their Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative. The YEF Institute will provide technical assistance and up to $100,000 in grant funds to selected cities to help them plan and implement economic mobility strategies grounded in racial equity. The initiative comes at a crucial time as both cities and families work to recover and rebuild after the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and as new opportunities emerge from federal recovery packages such as the American Rescue Plan Act. An informational session is May 6, and the deadline to apply is May 26. Learn more
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The 2021 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program applications have been submitted and now it is time to determine who the winning cities are for each of the 12 categories. Each year, Cal Cities invites fellow city officials to volunteer as a judge to review and select the winning programs. If you would like to volunteer to participate, submit an application by May 7. Read more
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Cal Cities affiliate, the Institute for Local Government (ILG), along with the California Strategic Growth Council, recently announced the successes of the BOOST Pilot Program designed to help California local governments advance climate and equity goals. The 18-month pilot program, which included 10 cities and two regions, was designed to provide flexible and responsive technical assistance to under-resourced local governments by helping them address their varying and evolving capacity challenges, while also sharing best practices and lessons learned to help inform future state programs. Read more
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Thursday, May 6, 2 p.m. — The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted economic opportunity and the ability for California residents to afford housing costs. While the pandemic has created a number of challenges, local governments have formed partnerships and explored unique strategies to help their residents stay housed. Participants will hear about programs and tactics local governments have put in place, including rental assistance, tenant protection, and anti-displacement practices. This webinar is part of ILG’s new leadership series, Tackling California’s Housing Crisis, to help local governments better address housing issues in our communities. Presenters: City of Arvin Grant Writer Christine Viterelli, Lift to Rise President and CEO Heather Vaikona, Riverside County Economic Development Agency Assistant Director Carrie Harmon, and City of Oakland Deputy Director Housing and Community Development Maryann Leshin. Read more
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CSCDA is a joint powers authority founded by the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties, to enable local government and eligible private entities access to tax-exempt financing for projects that provide a public benefit or contribute to social and economic growth.
According to the League of California Cities, cities have lost $5 billion in revenue due to the pandemic and are expected to lose another $1 billion over the next year. The legislature should give municipalities access to every revenue-generating option, especially one that simultaneously improves public health outcomes.
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May 12-13
May 18
May 24
Sept. 22-24 SAVE THE DATE
Municipal Finance Institute
Sept. 22-24 SAVE THE DATE
Annual Conference & Expo
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