Attending the 2023 City Leaders Summit? Here’s what to expect
In just one week, over 350 city officials from throughout the state will convene in Sacramento for the League of California Cities’ biggest advocacy event: the City Leaders Summit. Whether you plan to advocate for top city priorities, engage in education sessions — or both — here’s what you need to know about the summit.
Day one includes a press conference at the Capitol and joint summit with CSAC
The summit kicks off with a walkthrough of Cal Cities’ top advocacy priorities, followed by a press conference and member rally at the Capitol on Cal Cities’ budget asks. Late last year, Cal Cities began urging lawmakers to allocate $3 billion in the 2023-24 state budget to ongoing funding to support cities’ efforts to reduce homelessness and increase affordable housing.
City officials are encouraged to attend the press conference and make their voices heard. Cal Cities is strongest when its membership is united and vocal.
After a quick lunch, join the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) for a special joint convening on collective solutions for preventing and reducing homelessness. Attendees will hear from state lawmakers and local leaders as they share their perspectives on this challenging topic, as well as the roles, responsibilities, and resources needed to address this crisis.
Be sure to check in and grab your summit badge upon arrival. Individuals without badges will not be able to enter educational sessions and receptions. Equally important to note: Cal Cities will not provide lunch on the first day.
Meet your lawmakers during the summit
Attendees can meet state lawmakers throughout the summit, both during pre-scheduled meetings and an evening reception with CSAC on Wednesday. Printed packets with key information — including Cal Cities’ state budget ask and the top bills impacting cities — will be distributed during the summit.
Want to start prepping for the summit now? Consider reviewing previous Cal Cities Advocate articles. State Bills in Brief is a weekly primer on the bills and committee hearings with a direct impact on cities. Many of those measures were mentioned in a March article highlighting the bills with the biggest impacts on cities.
Cal Cities Advocate has also featured articles about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget, a potential organic waste grant clawback, a possible expansion to SB 35 (Wiener, 2017), and eight Cal Cities-sponsored bills.
Discover solutions and strategies for local challenges
Thursday and Friday will feature educational sessions on statewide topics, such as the Surplus Land Act, the future of Homekey, inclusionary housing, illegal fentanyl, organized retail crime, and emergency medical services. City officials can also discover new ways to enhance their communication skills and build more inclusive workplaces.
The summit will feature two exciting keynote presentations. On Thursday, Tracy Miller, a former prosecutor, will coach city officials on how they can increase trust, decrease divisions, and change perceptions by improving their communication skills. Closing out the summit is Scott Lesnick, who will discuss how city leaders can overcome obstacles to make a big difference in residents’ lives.
After the summit, the Cal Cities Board of Directors will meet to discuss new policy positions and other organizational priorities.
Online registration for the summit has ended, but officials can still register on-site if space is available.