How to Get Involved
Welcome to the League of California Cities!
Local city officials are the reason California's cities are resilient and diverse communities where our residents can live, work, and play. Cal Cities is here to help ensure you are the best city official you can be for your community.
To help you get started with Cal Cities, the resources below outline your membership benefits and how you can engage with and get the most out of your membership.
Learn More About Cal Cities
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Membership and Benefits
Get access to unmatched advocacy, updates about the latest policy issues, cutting-edge professional development, and more.
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Members' Roadmap
New to Cal Cities or want to get the most from your membership? We’ve created a roadmap to help you get started.
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2024 Advocacy Priorities
We stand ready to work collaboratively with the state and federal governments and other stakeholders to accomplish our strategic advocacy priorities.
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News
The League of California Cities engages with city officials through a variety of channels to keep them informed on the issues that matter most to cities.
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Western City Magazine
Dive deeper into big policy issues and trends and receive practical ideas for city officials in the monthly digital Western City magazine.
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Cal Cities Delivers
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.
Get Involved
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Departments
Functioning as professional societies with educational and networking opportunities, municipal departments play an essential role in forming Cal Cities policy and programs. Each department is represented on the Cal Cities’ board of directors and policy committees.
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Regional Divisions
Representing virtually every city and town in California, Regional Divisions are at the core of our advocacy efforts. City officials — both elected and career — help develop region-specific programs and carry out grassroots activities that support chosen legislative, regulatory, and ballot measure goals.
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Caucuses
Caucuses advocate for equitable state policies within Cal Cities’ internal committees and departments, ensure that the unique needs of their respective communities are responded to, and promote the advancement of officials from traditionally marginalized communities.
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Coastal Cities Group
Composed of 61 cities located within California's coastal zone, the Coastal Cities Group (CCG) collaborates on sea level rise mitigation efforts, land use regulations, and other issues of mutual interest.
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Rural City Information Exchange
Rural communities often face different challenges than their urban counterparts and, even when the issues are similar, the solutions can differ dramatically.
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Policy Committees
City officials actively debate, shape, and steer Cal Cities’ policy-making process and advocacy efforts. Over 400 officials collectively add their expertise and guidance to Cal Cities through one of seven policy committees.
Advocacy Tools
Cal Cities provides up-to-date information about the legislative process, lobbying, and which bills are scheduled for hearings. Hone your advocacy skills by diving into our Advocacy Tools.
Mission, Vision, and Beliefs
Our mission is to expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians. Our vision is to be recognized and respected as the leading advocate for the common interests of California's cities. Learn more about Cal Cities' core beliefs.
2024 Municipal Law Institute Symposium
February 16, 2024 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Southwestern Law School
RegisterCo-sponsored by: League of California Cities and Southerwestern Law School
5 hours of MCLE credits offered
Securing the Roof Over Our Heads: Developing Solutions to California’s Housing Needs
This one-day educational event, scheduled for February 16, 2024, will be held in-person at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. The symposium will provide an exploration of issues facing municipal lawyers in 2024, focusing on the legal, practical, political and compassionate considerations in addressing the unhoused crisis; the history, framework, and variety of rent “control” in California; how affordable housing projects are financed and developed; and, balancing the tension between state, local and developer goals.
The purposes of the annual symposium are to:
- Integrate the study and practice of municipal law in order to encourage and train students to work in municipal law as a profession.
- Promote, through research and scholarly exchange, an analysis of municipal law issues.
- Support the legislative and legal advocacy programs of the City Attorneys Department by acting as a resource to the state legislature and judiciary in the development of municipal law.
The symposium will include a keynote speaker, networking luncheon, and an informal meet & greet reception after the program, where attendees can meet members of the attorneys from the Municipal Law Institute and Attorney Development and Succession Committees, as well as attorneys who practice municipal and public law.
Register by Friday, Feb. 9th, 2024.
For more information, click here.
Cal Cities by the Numbers
476 Member Cities
57 Board Members
16 Regional Divisions
10 Municipal Departments
5 Diversity Caucuses
Cal Cities Bylaws
Cal Cities staff, boards, departments, finances, committees, and divisions are governed by an extensive set of bylaws.
FPPC Compliance
The League of California Cities is a “publicly funded nonprofit organization” for purposes of Government Code section 84222.5. This statute imposes several requirements, including posting Cal Cities’ FPPC ballot measure campaign filings on its website.