Every day local leaders work to make their cities better places in which to live, work, and play. They approve projects to increase affordable housing, address homelessness, improve streets and roads, spur economic growth, and deliver essential services to protect citizens.
The Cal Cities #LocalWorks initiative shines the spotlight on examples of local actions that are making a difference to their communities. See below how local works and if you have a #LocalWorks story to share, please contact your Regional Public Affairs Manager or the Cal Cities Communications Department.
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City Projects
February 12, 2020
The world of municipal finance management can be complex and difficult to navigate. Cities face increasing fiscal challenges as they strive to effectively balance rising pension costs and other unfunded liabilities with providing services to keep their residents safe and their communities thriving.
- See more at: https://www.cacities.org/Top/News/News-Articles#sthash.uTrqTMsD.dpuf
February 12, 2020
The world of municipal finance management can be complex and difficult to navigate. Cities face increasing fiscal challenges as they strive to effectively balance rising pension costs and other unfunded liabilities with providing services to keep their residents safe and their communities thriving.
- See more at: https://www.cacities.org/Top/News/News-Articles#sthash.uTrqTMsD.dpuf
February 12, 2020
The world of municipal finance management can be complex and difficult to navigate. Cities face increasing fiscal challenges as they strive to effectively balance rising pension costs and other unfunded liabilities with providing services to keep their residents safe and their communities thriving.
- See more at: https://www.cacities.org/cms/getdoc/0361e858-1f1b-447e-bf17-12bb04ccca35/News-Articles.aspx?viewmode=3&showpanel=1&cmscontentchanged=false&lang=en-US&langobjectlifetime=request#sthash.i1jspoH5.dpuf
February 12, 2020
The world of municipal finance management can be complex and difficult to navigate. Cities face increasing fiscal challenges as they strive to effectively balance rising pension costs and other unfunded liabilities with providing services to keep their residents safe and their communities thriving.
- See more at: https://www.cacities.org/cms/getdoc/0361e858-1f1b-447e-bf17-12bb04ccca35/News-Articles.aspx?viewmode=3&showpanel=1&cmscontentchanged=false&lang=en-US&langobjectlifetime=request#sthash.i1jspoH5.dpuf
February 12, 2020
The world of municipal finance management can be complex and difficult to navigate. Cities face increasing fiscal challenges as they strive to effectively balance rising pension costs and other unfunded liabilities with providing services to keep their residents safe and their communities thriving.
- See more at: https://www.cacities.org/cms/getdoc/0361e858-1f1b-447e-bf17-12bb04ccca35/News-Articles.aspx?viewmode=3&showpanel=1&cmscontentchanged=false&lang=en-US&langobjectlifetime=request#sthash.i1jspoH5.dpuf
January 20, 2021
The City of Paramount took a proactive approach to support the efforts of local parents and teachers who are working diligently to provide high quality education through distance learning. The City worked with Paramount Unified School District (PUSD) to provide students with free, live virtual tutoring through a partnership with Paper Learning “My Tutor” program.
December 9, 2020
California cities have been working to find innovative ways to support their local businesses. Like many of the businesses impacted by the pandemic, the restaurant industry has struggled to keep their doors open. To assist local restaurants, the City of Pico Rivera launched an exciting new program called the Parklet Pilot Project, which creatively transformed street areas into outdoor dining spaces using shipping containers.
November 4, 2020
Although Halloween was celebrated differently this year, cities around the state worked hard to provide fun and creative activities and contests to help residents safely enjoy the holiday. From drive through trick-or-treating, to scarecrow contests, parades, and scavenger hunts – there was no shortage of safe Halloween festivities.
October 28, 2020
Three California cities – Chula Vista, Oakland, and Stockton – were selected to participate in the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Budgeting for Equity and Recovery program designed to help cities use data-driven best practices to address budget shortfalls and strengthen equity in the wake of COVID-19.
September 1, 2020
San Francisco has doubled down on its commitment to support Black-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19. The city just announced that its African American Small Business Revolving Loan Fund has grown to $3.2 million and will help at least 70 Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs access much-needed financial capital, with zero-interest loans of up to $50,000.
August 26, 2020
Under normal circumstances, individuals experiencing homelessness are some of the community’s most vulnerable residents, but during the COVID-19 pandemic they are an even greater at-risk population. The City of Whittier has set up an emergency shelter to provide lodging, hygiene facilities, meals, and community resources to those in need.
August 18, 2020
Realizing that peer-to-peer communication is often very effective in driving change, city officials in South Lake Tahoe recently launched a resident-led safety ambassador program. Residents who sign up to volunteer for the program are supplied with face masks from the city and then they hit the streets to encourage fellow residents and visitors to “mask up.”
August 11, 2020
As parents, teachers, and school districts adapt to new distance and hybrid learning models to start the new academic year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of San Jose is addressing one major hurdle to this new virtual learning, internet accessibility.
August 4, 2020
For the past 26 years, the City of Madera has enjoyed multiple cultural exchanges and explored business, trade, and educational opportunities with its sister city Yilan in Taiwan. But a recent donation of much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) demonstrated the strength of the cities’ bond.
July 28, 2020
In an effort to reduce coronavirus transmission, the cities of Vallejo and Benicia collaborated to secure hotel and motel rooms for vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in their area, providing shelter and wraparound services to 125 residents so far through the Vallejo/Benicia Project Roomkey initiative.
July 22, 2020
Economic recovery is vitally important to cities as they navigate the challenges of the ongoing health pandemic and resulting economic downturn. The City of Vista is providing businesses with the tools and resources they need to adjust to new ways of doing business and help their local economy recover.
July 15, 2020
The beginning of July usually kicks off National Parks and Recreation month, however summer during a pandemic is tough on everyone, especially children and working parents. Fortunately, many city parks and recreation departments quickly adapted in-person camps so children could participate in hands-on activities in small clusters. Many cities are offering a series of creative virtual camps and programs, keeping kids active, engaged, and educated over the summer.
July 8, 2020
Libraries are a staple of the community and many residents, however with COVID-19 disrupting all aspects of life libraries have transformed their services to provide as many resources as they can to communities, including resources not typically associated with libraries.
June 30, 2020
Balancing the need to protect public health and stimulate local economic activity has been at the forefront of city leaders’ minds.They have been hard at work creating plans for how businesses could safely reopen while remaining fluid and flexible due to changing conditions and state guidelines.
June 26, 2020
The City of Novato city council approved the Novato Small Business Relief Fund to help small business owners retain local jobs, keep storefronts populated, and support the local economy in light of COVID-19.
June 12, 2020
The seaside City of Grover Beach may be small, but it’s community spirit is abundant. City leaders launched the #GBtogether initiative to encourage residents and businesses to have some fun and stay strong while staying the course during the pandemic and phased reopening.
June 9, 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomita city officials launched a campaign called “Lift Up Lomita” in hopes of amplifying and multiplying the grassroots acts of neighborliness across the community. The campaign celebrates community members supporting one another and helps facilitate and direct resources toward individuals in need.
June 3, 2020
With beaches closed, San Diego lifeguards were asked to step into a new role to help the homeless population staying at the convention center during the pandemic, by maintaining a clean environment, taking temperatures, and building connections.
May 22, 2020
Recognizing that students would not be able to participate in traditional graduation ceremonies, the City of Lancaster launched its “Turn your Tassel” campaign which rolled out a series of ways to publicly recognize students graduating this year.
May 22, 2020
The City of Folsom created "Stop, Pop, and Go" to make donations easy for community members to help gather food and supplies for residents in need.
May 13, 2020
A first person account by Temecula City Manager Aaron Adams
May 5, 2020
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and safe at home guidelines, the city launched its Oakland Slow Streets program to support safe physical activity by creating more space for physical distancing for its residents.
May 5, 2020
The Town of Yountville Neighbors Network encourages connections with neighbors to meet new needs that developed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 1, 2020
The City of Goleta is working to uplift spirits and promote positive images within their community by launching the #GoodLandGoodPeople photo campaign to share how families and residents are staying busy and positive during this time.
April 29, 2020
The swearing in of new mayors and council members is normally a widely attended event. Family, friends, and residents often pack the council chambers as witness to their newly elected officials taking oath to begin their term in service to the community. However, in the age of COVID-19 and under stay-at-home orders, the scene of this once typical event looks quite different.
April 17, 2020
The City of Watsonville brought joy to families in their community through a virtual Easter egg hunt, which took place Easter morning. Since families were unable to gather Easter Sunday, the city brought Easter to residents.
April 16, 2020
Cities are recognizing and finding ways to keep their communities safe and boost morale during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Burbank came up with a campaign called Burbank Together at Home, encouraging the community to Be Supportive, Be Local, Be Active, Be Smart, and Be Kind.
April 13, 2020
Tony Elliot, City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Director, shared a video message on ways to help keep families and the community safe by adhering to the stay-at-home order, physical distancing guidance, and all posted department notices during the pandemic.
April 10, 2020
The Culver City Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department converted their on-site meal program for seniors to a pick-up and delivery service. The program serves hundreds of meals while practicing safety guidelines and physical distancing.
April 8, 2020
The City of Sacramento has joined a broad coalition of public, private, nonprofit, labor, and philanthropic partners to launch a fundraising effort to help those hurt economically by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign, called Donate4Sacramento, leverages and deepens support for families, small businesses and their employees, unhoused residents, and nonprofits.
April 7, 2020
City leaders are stepping up with solutions for protecting those that are experiencing homelessness in their communities during the pandemic. San Diego converted its convention center into a shelter for the homeless population in the county to reduce the chance of virus transmission.