Community Services and Economic Development
The G.U.L.C.H. (Growing Unity, Leadership, Community & Health), is an innovative, youth driven teen program designed to provide an enjoyable, safe and nurturing environment through adventure, self-discovery, and mentorship.
Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, & Community Involvement
The Granada Villa Neighborhood Committee is a great example of how a grassroots effort can flourish into a successful community partnership despite challenging economic times and limited City resources. It has measurable, far-reaching results. Utilizing existing resources, the City partnered with residents and local agencies to facilitate problem-solving, open lines of communication, build trust, and find creative ways to address challenges and meet needs. Residents were empowered to take their community back and create a stronger neighborhood; connect with law enforcement and service agencies; and learn new skills. Youth found positive activities and the help they need to succeed in school and in life. The quality of life in the Granada Villa mobile home park has significantly improved.
Health & Wellness Programs
Fun on the Run Fitness Program is a community based childhood obesity prevention program, providing underserved youth with free mobile recreation, affordable afterschool sports, swim lessons and nutrition education to improve children's health and lifestyles.
Housing Programs & Innovations
The City of Ontario implemented a full service Homeless Services Continuum of Care that transitions homeless individuals and families into permanent housing while creating a reliable source of funding for the program with new long term affordable housing units. The City was able to seize the opportunities created through the housing crisis to acquire foreclosed multi-family properties at reasonable costs to create an inventory of 62 housing units for this program. To date, thousands of people have been served through this full service program.
Economic Development through the Arts
Eureka, the Humboldt County seat, is a historic city of 28,000 nestled between the majestic redwoods, and California's rugged North Coast. The City has experienced economic problems since the early 1990's. Construction of a regional mall on the City's perimeter in 1988 hastened the flight of business from Eureka's commercial core area, which was already suffering from the decline of the region's natural resource-based economy.
Internal Administration
"A Community Connected: The 2012-14 Budget Story" seeks to engage and educate the community about Walnut Creek's fiscal challenge by tossing aside traditional dense budget documents in favor of a colorful story full of photos, graphics and a compelling narrative.
League Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations
The Mammoth Gateway Community Project illustrates how cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies as well as business and community volunteers can help make a lasting first impression on visitors in a town where the local economy is highly dependent on tourism.
Planning & Environmental Quality
The City of Elk Grove transformed a blighted one-acre parcel into an inspiring, educational and recreational Project that mimics a natural approach to retain and cleanse urban stormwater runoff while protecting the environment and promoting future sustainable practices. The Elk Grove Rain Garden Project demonstrates the connection between a small urban space and innovative storm water management practices and is the first large-scale rain garden in California. The Project provides a community gathering area with picnic tables/benches and features an art sculpture for interactive play. Colorful interpretive signs help explain the functions of the Project, with its water harvesting features, wildlife attracting plants and fitness equipment. The Project is connected to a corridor of residential homes, businesses, parks and trails. The beautiful, inviting open space inspires visitors of all ages to have fun as they learn easy ways to prevent stormwater pollution and preserve the environment for future generations.
Public Safety
By means of an innovative disaster preparedness program, the City of Santa Maria is effectively engaging its non-English speaking Hispanic/Latino population through an education program designed to promote trust in local government, enhancing public safety and disaster preparedness, and fostering better civic participation. Community trust and involvement are taking hold with hundreds of families and individuals who experience the City's willingness to invest in meaningful outreach efforts through the ÒListosÓ emergency preparedness program. This collaborative effort is intended to engage the City's non-English speaking Hispanic/Latino community, whose numbers now represent more than 70 percent of the City residents.
Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation
The City of Malibu's Legacy Park is one of the most protective and innovative stormwater management projects in California, if not the nation, due to its scope and treatment capacity. Legacy Park is an integrated multi-benefit project that 1) improves water quality by capturing, detaining, screening, filtering and treating stormwater runoff to remove pollutants, 2) beneficially reuses treated stormwater, and 3) creates a public amenity that will provides valuable habitat, education and passive recreation opportunities.
Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
The Youth Employment Service (YES) Program provides job training, mentoring and internship opportunities to Monrovia-area at-risk youth.
Cities Counties Schools Partnership Intergovernmental Collaboration Award
The Ontario-Montclair Promise Scholars Initiative is a partnership between the cities of Ontario and Montclair, County of San Bernardino, Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD), Chaffey Joint Union High School District, Chaffey Community College, CSU San Bernardino, Inland Empire United Way, and local businesses to provide early awareness and access to college for all students in the community. The program began as a pilot in 1999 and is in its second year of expanding from six schools to thirty-five.