July 22, 2020
Executive Director's Message

The COVID-19 global pandemic continues to grip our communities, the state, and the nation, and has disrupted nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Often in the name of serving others and managing through a crisis, leaders forget to make their own health and well-being – physical and mental – a priority. However, failure to put on your own “oxygen mask” first, may disrupt your ability to lead. I encourage you as leaders to make sure to also prioritize your health and well-being especially when leading through a crisis.   Read more
League News

The Senate and Assembly will return to Sacramento on Monday, July 27 to enter the final stretch of this year’s legislative session, which ends Aug. 31. These final weeks are the last opportunity for cities to weigh in on legislation for this year. Read more

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. Read more

There’s still time to participate in the League’s new Wildfire Response and Recovery Webinar Series to help city officials prepare for the upcoming wildfire season. In the next webinar, attendees will learn best practices on Running Emergency Operation Centers. Read more

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the availability of $600 million in Homekey grant funds , a new funding opportunity for local public agencies to purchase motels and a broad range of other housing types in order to respond to homelessness and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, new state guidance was released to clarify which services can be conducted outside, and the Governor announced his plan for school instruction prior to the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.  Read more
Education and Conferences 

Wednesday, July 29 at 3:30 p.m. – Join the Attorney Development and Succession Committee in an interactive minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) webinar looking at the City Attorney-City Manager relationship. Using real-life scenarios and instant polling technology, explore the different lenses through which city attorneys and city managers may look at city issues and how to foster good communications. Read more
 
The State Budget for FY 2020-21 authorized the Department of Finance (DOF) to allocate $500 million of CARES Act funding directly to cities to address the public health and public safety impacts of COVID-19. The League hosted a webinar July 14 with DOF, providing an overview of the process for allocating these funds, verifying compliance with state public health requirements issued by the California Department of Public Health, state and federal reporting requirements, and retaining records associated with eligible expenses. View video ; View slides
Opportunities for Cities
 
The California Department of Housing and Community Development announced the release of $600 million in Homekey grant funds. Building on the success of Project Roomkey, Homekey is the next phase in the state's response to protect Californians experiencing homelessness or who are also at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Read more

The California State Library announced the launch of the California Grants Portal, a single website to find all state grant and loan opportunities offered on a first-come or competitive basis. The new portal will connect millions of Californians with the funds they need and provides grantseekers a one-stop-shop to search for a grant by category type, subscribe to email updates about new grant opportunities, and find information about how to apply for each grant. Visit grants.ca.gov

The California State Archives is seeking personal story submissions to document Californians living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Your submission will serve as an important contribution to the California COVID-19 Archive project and will be a critical primary source for future generations. City leaders are encouraged submit their stories and to share this opportunity on their social media channels, in newsletters and on their website. Submit your story now .
More News and Events

Wednesday, July 29 at 11 a.m. – Join the Institute for Local Government and partners to learn innovative strategies for using high-tech and low-tech virtual platforms to engage with residents and ensure inclusive public participation. Register now  

The United States Supreme Court has several cases of interest to local governments on its docket for the 2020-21 term. The State and Local Legal Center wrote a recent summary of those cases of interest to cities. Read More
 
Along with reducing car emissions, and advancing sustainability and energy efficiency programs, removing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is also an important factor to help fight climate change. In Alameda County, 17 cities are working with public agency StopWaste to implement carbon farming practices to remove carbon dioxide. Read how carbon farming is working for these cities in the July issue of Western City magazine.
League in the News
Nicolas Romo, a legislative representative with the League of California Cities, said cities are losing a collective $7 billion in projected revenue this fiscal year. The league is asking the state to give more funding to cities to make up for that, Romo said, so cities don’t have to make cuts to public services.

California could reinstate affirmative action. Here’s what that means for hiring , July 20, The Sacramento Bee (also appeared in The Fresno Bee, The San Luis Obispo Tribune, Merced Sun-Star)
Aside from unions, the initiative also has support from for government employers, including the University of California Board of Regents and the League of California Cities. “This measure is fundamentally a local control issue in so far as its passage and approval by the voters would allow cities the flexibility to craft programs that could meet the employment and contracting needs of their communities,” a legislative representative wrote  in a letter to California lawmakers .

Santa Barbara County Public Works Receives Top Honors, July 19, Public CEO (also appeared in Edhat Online Magazine)
The awards program – sponsored by The League of California Cities, the County Engineers Association of California, and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) – recognizes cities and counties in California for creative and cost-effective projects that improve local streets, roads and bridges.

The League of California Cities, County Engineers Association of California and the California State Association of Counties announced Wednesday the winners of its 2020 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Awards.

The awards program — sponsored by The League of California Cities, the County Engineers Association of California and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) — recognizes cities and counties in the state for creative, cost-effective projects that improve local streets, roads and bridges, said the news release.