EXPANDING HOME OWNERSHIP WORK GROUP

Creating wealth through racial and geographic equity in affordable home ownership

Homeownership has traditionally been the primary vehicle for middle class prosperity, an investment that creates opportunity for future generations. In California, however, homeownership is increasingly out of reach for all but the highest earners in the state. A history of systemically racist policies coupled with a present day housing shortage has driven up the cost of housing overall and put homeownership out of reach for far too many.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Issue data-driven recommendations to inform state and local agencies, and other stakeholders to meet production targets as required by the Regional Housing Needs Assessments process. The analysis will include price points and housing typologies that are affordable to moderate income households in each region, as well as recommendations on increasing the supply of housing that is affordable by design.

  Support legislation allowing for commercially zoned sites to be redeveloped for housing. The changing nature of retail has been accelerated by the pandemic, and allowing housing to be developed on underutilized commercial spaces will help spur production and reduce California’s housing shortage by unlocking much needed land, oftentimes in prime locations.

   PLANNING REGIONAL INCLUSIVE ECONOMIES WORK GROUP

Creating equitable economies through inclusive development

Regions-based strategies for inclusive, sustainable and equitable economic growth remain a core priority for 2021. The need to confront the disparate impacts of COVID-19 has never been more urgent. Building on the Regions Rise Together initiative and the legislative framework originally introduced through AB 3205 (Assemblymember Salas), which sought to create the Regions Rise Grant Program, we will continue to advance a state framework that supports local planning and community engagement processes centered in equity, collaboration and inclusivity.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

 Sponsor the legislative reintroduction of the Regions Rise Together Grant Program, AB 106 (Salas), emphasizing interconnectivity, collaboration and equity to help regions create economic recovery strategies in the wake of COVID-19.

  Support regional planning processes centered in equity and inclusivity including advancing initiatives and programming in Bakersfield, Fresno, Greater Sacramento, Inland Empire, Northern San Joaquin Valley, Salinas Valley and San Diego.

  Lead the 2021 Regions Rise Together initiative and support emerging regional developments in various regions throughout the state. Regions Rise Together is an initiative of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), the Office of Planning and Research, California Forward and our California Stewardship Network, and a number of local and regional leaders to ultimately achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth across all of California.

  EMPOWERING RESILIENT AND PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES WORK GROUP

Meeting climate goals by reducing wildfire risk and supporting rural communities

Building on the principles of California’s Wildfire Crisis: A Call to Action, we must work to shift the state’s primary focus from reactive fire suppression and recovery to the proactive reduction of risks and restoration of resilient forests, watersheds, working landscapes, and ecosystems. The opportunity to build new and innovative wood product industries to enhance forest and environmental health will also be critical in creating resilient rural communities.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Support the immediate scaling of state investment over the next two years in wildfire reduction and forest restoration. Reducing wildfires and restoring forest health can help safeguard more than 11 million Californians who live in harm’s way and improve public health and safety.

  Support legislation and policies to drive long-term funding and action-oriented solutions, including enhancing forest and watershed resilience, building new and innovative wood products industries and strengthening rural economies.

  Identify on-the-ground projects with potential for landscape-scale resilience building, expansion of innovative wood product industries, and development of diversified economic stacking models to champion through legislative, policy and coalition-building channels.

   INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESSES OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR WORK GROUP

Redressing racial inequity through access to capital

As California rebuilds its economy, it is critical to create recovery pathways for small businesses owned by people of color (POC) in order to achieve an inclusive economy across our regions. POC start businesses at higher rates than other demographics, yet they often face barriers and lack connection to needed resources and affordable capital to achieve their full growth potential.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Issue recommendations to guide Community Development Financial Institutions, governments, financial institutions, and other capital providers to help strengthen businesses by transforming pathways to capital and addressing social, racial, and institutional systemic issues. The recommendations encompass changes needed at both the financial system and provider levels, recognizing that affecting meaningful change and expanding outreach to POC-owned small businesses will require bringing all stakeholders to the table.

   ADVANCING MANUFACTURING WORK GROUP

Empowering California manufacturing to create sustainable quality jobs

If the United States is to thrive in the 21st century and create a more equitable economy, California must lead the way. With more people employed in the manufacturing sector than any other state, California must upskill its manufacturing workforce to thrive and capitalize on existing opportunities to create better products and processes. At the same time efforts must be pursued that lower GHG emissions and pollutants to improve California’s climate and environmental health.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Work with the Newsom Administration to establish a California Sustainable Manufacturing Council led by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to create a consistent and beneficial policy for a thriving California manufacturing ecosystem.

Support the training and upskilling of workers within a strategic plan tied with the Commission on the Future of Work and efforts to increase worker engagement and empowerment.

   STRENGTHENING EDUCATION CRADLE TO CAREER WORK GROUP

Creating an integrated and equitable education system from cradle to career

The California Cradle to Career (C2C) coalition was formed to build on the coordinated services and collective impact work of California’s Promise Neighborhoods and StriveTogether Networks. From prenatal care through college or career, the C2C Coalition works to build and expand coordinated and integrated education, social service, workforce development and neighborhood development programs and services in neighborhoods and regions. Through a process of shared community vision, evidence-based decision making, collaborative action, investment and sustainability, the C2C model has also proven to be crucial to helping families and communities recover from the pandemic recession.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

 Advocate for funding and support the expansion of the Cradle to Career data-driven integrated service delivery model throughout California.

   PROVIDING MEANINGFUL CAREER PATHWAYS WORK GROUP

Connecting the next generation to work-based learning opportunities

Work-based learning opportunities are critical to the future of students and their ability to secure good paying jobs. Instituting the regional employer engagement prototype that compliments and modernizes the education and training systems to support the rapidly changing needs of California’s students and businesses while meeting the distinct needs of regional economies is an ongoing process that requires continued engagement from a diverse group of stakeholders.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

 Advance the implementation of a regional, scalable, data-driven prototype for employer engagement with community colleges meant to address systemic barriers students face in accessing work-based learning and job placement opportunities, while strengthening relationships between colleges, employers, industry associations and regional business intermediaries like local economic development corporations. With a focus on data-driven regional industry, occupational needs, and place-based student needs, the prototype will help evaluate student success and enable these systems to move more quickly and at scale to unlock the potential of Californians served by the community college system.

   ENSURING BROADBAND FOR ALL WORK GROUP

Bridging the digital divide

California’s digital crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic, as witnessed by the vast, unmet broadband needs of people of all ages seeking to engage in online learning, work at home, tele-healthcare, and remote access to employment, economic and human services. California Forward, the Summit network, and a broad coalition of partners have developed priority principles to increase statewide broadband access and adoption in both rural and urban areas.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Support the development and implementation of the State Broadband Action Plan.

  Support bi-cameral action to close the digital divide, including SB 4 (Senator Gonzalez), AB 14 (Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry) and related efforts to secure funding streams, prioritize access for unserved and underserved communities, and remove barriers for accelerating deployment and adoption.

  Support innovative new models for deployment and strategies that leverage federal and private funding. Working in partnership with broadband consortia, regional and local governments, anchor institutions, providers and others, the Summit will host a webinar series to explore new solutions.

   INCREASING COMMUNITY INVESTMENT WORK GROUP

Immediate economic stimulus by funding housing and infrastructure

The fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit local government budgets particularly hard. An equitable recovery for all Californians will require the use of new governance structures and financial tools that can provide the fiscal resources and coordination necessary to support resilient economic growth throughout the Golden State.

PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR 2021

  Advocate for economic development tools that accelerate investments in the built environment and talent development pipeline as laid out in “The Need for Equitable Economic Revitalization” white paper, including the creation of Public Investment Authorities to facilitate the bundling of state and local revenues for investment.

   Justice System Change Initiative (JSCI)

In 2014, CA FWD launched the Justice System Change Initiative (JSCI) to help counties transform their incarceration practices to better advocate for public safety and equity while making government more efficient and accountable. JSCI has conducted Jail Utilization Studies (JUS) in five counties – Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz, El Dorado and Merced. Each county’s goal was to address the issue of lowering their jail populations while at the same time not compromising public safety.