2021 Advocacy in Action

This year, we are focused on delivering for cities by advancing our member-driven and board-approved 2021 strategic advocacy priorities.

This month's highlights:

• Endorsed H.R. 1319 (2021), the federal Coronavirus State Local Fiscal Relief Fund with $65 billion going directly to cities and $7 billion+ for California cities. Passed by Congress; signed by President Biden on 3/11/21.
• Cal Cities, along with a coalition of public agency associations, opposed SB 278 (Leyva) that would require all public agencies to make unconstitutional payments to retirees who have a portion of their retirement allowance determined to be illegal by CalPERS. 
• Issued support for the $9.6 billion COVID-19 relief package to provide urgent relief to Californians experiencing pandemic hardship, but with a call for direct and flexible funding to cities which have not received any state aid to address revenue loss. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom  on 2/23/21.
• Cal Cities opposed unless amemded SB 9 (Atkins) that would require a local government to ministerially approve a housing development containing two residential units in single-family residential zones and urban lot splits, eroding local control.  
• Took support positions on broadband measures AB 14 (Aguiar-Curry) and SB 4 (Gonzalez) that seek to close the digital divide and advance broadband deployment.
• Surveyed cities on solid waste and recycling rates, demonstrating the range of rate increases anticipated and which factors are contributing to the expected rate hikes. Check out the Cal Cities infographic.

2020 highlights:

• Opposed SB 50 (Wiener) that would have eroded local control and provided/given new rights to developers. Bill was defeated.
• Opposed AB 1484 (Grayson) that would have limited the ability of cities to impose housing development fees. Bill was defeated.
• Supported AB 434 (Daly) that streamlined the Multifamily Housing Program. Bill was passed.
• Sponsored AB 1286 (Muratsuchi) that requires scooter providers to get city permission to operate. Bill was passed.