MAYORS FROM MAJOR CITIES across the state this week gathered in San Francisco for the first-ever California Big City Mayors C13 summit.
“This summit shows mayors from across the state standing together to achieve our shared goals,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie in a speech.
California Big City Mayors is a bipartisan coalition of 13 mayors from cities such as Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, Stockton, Bakersfield, and Los Angeles. The group works together to advocate for state funding and legislation that helps address the most pressing issues within California’s largest cities.
Addressing homelessness, building more housing, and supporting economic development were at the forefront of the day’s discussions.
“At the heart of these challenges lies the issue of affordability,” said California Big City Mayors Chair and Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson.
“The path forward is clear,” she said. “We must continue to fund programs that keep people housed, and we must accelerate the construction of new homes. Expanding supply is essential to restoring affordability and stability for our residents.”
In nearly an hour of speeches, almost every mayor spoke, touting the successes their cities in tackling the biggest issues and what could use more work.
One resource that the coalition said is crucial for tackling homelessness and the lack of housing is $1 billion in ongoing funding from the state for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, or HHAP.
With this funding, more than 17,700 shelter beds and nearly 2,300 permanent housing units have been created across the 13 cities represented in the California Big City Mayors coalition. Additionally, 5,000 more housing units are in the pipeline using HHAP funds.
“We’ll be opening more shelter units than any other city on the West Coast this year,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “But here’s the truth: we cannot solve a statewide crisis if the state won’t show up.”
Across the board, the mayors emphasized the need for stronger regional collaboration and accountability for measuring progress in reducing homelessness, constructing housing at all income levels, and supporting businesses and industry.
“When 13 mayors representing more than 11 million Californians stand united, we send a powerful message,” Lock Dawson said. “Local leaders are aligned in our determination to confront the state’s most pressing challenges together.”
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