Advocacy Priorities

City leaders throughout the state work hard every day to improve the quality of life for their residents and create an equitable and just future for all Californians.

In setting the League of California Cities annual advocacy priorities, cities remain committed to resiliency, response, and recovery to strengthen our cities and move our communities forward. We stand ready to work collaboratively with the state governments and other stakeholders to accomplish our advocacy priorities in 2023.

 


2023 Advocacy Priorities

 

Protect and expand investments to prevent and reduce homelessness.

1.  Protect and expand investments to prevent and reduce homelessness. Secure sustainable state funding that bolsters cities’ efforts to support individuals experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. While protecting existing resources, strengthen state and local partnerships to connect individuals with the care they need through coordinated care systems that provide access to wraparound services, including mental health and substance use treatment.

Increase the supply and affordability of housing while retaining local decision-making.

2.  Increase the supply and affordability of housing while retaining local decision-making. Secure long-term, sustainable funding tools for cities to jumpstart the construction of housing at all income levels and ensure cities retain flexibility to achieve local and state housing goals.

Improve public safety in California communities.
3. Improve public safety in California communities. Pursue strategies and resources to address crime and its underlying causes. Partner with all levels of government and diverse organizations to improve community safety through prevention and early intervention programming, workforce recruitment and retention, and improved re-entry services.
Safeguard essential local revenues and support fiscal sustainability.
4.  Safeguard essential local revenues and support fiscal sustainability. Protect, increase, and modernize revenue streams for local priorities. Oppose efforts that would reduce or eliminate funding for cities, including unfunded mandates.

 

Cal Cities also advocates for cities’ interests at the federal level. Those priorities will be considered by the board at a future meeting. 

Download the 2023 State Advocacy Priorities.

Download the 2023 Federal Advocacy Priorities.

 

 


Cal Cities Delivers

Together, with our members, Cal Cities delivers major victories for cities year after year – protecting local control, securing billions of dollars in new funding, and preserving existing city resources.

100 +

bills/ballot measures passed or defeated to retain local control

$13 Billion

in new funding for cities in the past five years

$8+ Billion

in federal recovery funding in 2021

Curious why Cal Cities supports or opposes certain bills or measures? Advocacy efforts are determined by Annual Conference Resolutions or the  Existing Policy and Guiding Principles.

Cal Cities' weekly hearings update — distributed via Cal Cities Advocate — highlights upcoming legislative hearings on the bills that matter most to cities. Read the report each Wednesday. 

Laws affecting cities are made in the courts, as well as in the Legislature. Consequently, Cal Cities advocacy efforts extend to the appellate courts. The organization weighs in on legal issues where its participation is likely to help advance the legal interests of all California cities. Learn more about our Legal Advocacy efforts.