City of Davis, UC Davis, and Yolo County Annual Public Meeting – March 2, 2026
City of Davis, UC Davis, and Yolo County Annual Public Meeting – March 2, 2026
This special meeting brought together the Davis City Council, UC Davis representatives, and Yolo County supervisors for their annual collaborative update. The meeting focused on housing progress, the Hate-Free Together initiative, Picnic Day planning, and the impacts of federal HR1/CalFresh changes. Mayor Donna Neville opened by highlighting strengthened partnerships amid federal funding threats and policy shifts. UC Davis Chancellor Gary May (via recorded remarks) and county supervisors Lucas Frerichs and Sheila Allen emphasized collaboration and shared challenges.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dorda Jensen criticized the lack of advance materials for the Hate-Free Together update, noting difficulty commenting without prior information. She expressed disappointment with the initiative's organization and referenced a friend's excluded participation.
- Beth Bourne also complained about no advance report for Hate-Free Together. She claimed discrimination against conservative viewpoints, stating that displaying a sign reading “Trump is saving girls’ sports” led to tire slashing and protests at her home. She argued that opposing transgender medical treatments for children is not hate.
- Liam (a transgender speaker) apologized to Beth Bourne and the council, stating that transgender individuals are not threats and should not be a divisive issue.
- Chad Paglisi (ASUCD Housing and Transportation Advocacy Committee) praised recent housing progress but urged more affordable housing near campus and improved active transportation infrastructure. He noted that many students and staff still struggle with high rents and commute.
- Henry Rosenbach (UC Davis student and student advisor to the City of Davis Transportation Commission) thanked the council for student participation opportunities and urged continued partnership.
Discussion Items
UC Davis and City of Davis Housing Update
- UC Davis reported over 6,000 new beds built since 2018, exceeding MOU commitments. Blended vacancy rate rose from 1% to 3.5%; average rent decreased 1.8%. Enrollment remained flat (~36,000 LRDP enrollment). On-campus housing occupancy: 92% of first-year freshmen, 47% of first-year transfers, 33% of returning residents. Future projects include the Segundo Infill (500 beds, opening fall 2027) and additional apartments for graduate students and families. Affordability is supported through design, below-market rents, and financial aid subsidies.
- City of Davis Community Development Director Sherry Metzger reported 657 multifamily units completed since 2023. Two new projects on Research Park Drive (200 and 160 units) came online in summer 2025. No new multifamily projects started this year due to financing challenges. Two large planned developments are pending voter approval: Village Farms (1,800 units) and Willow Grove (approx. 1,200 units). Supervisor Frerichs requested that the city’s housing dashboard denote that half of the units in process are subject to voter approval.
Hate-Free Together Update
- Laura Galindo (Yolo County) and Anthony Volkar (Yolo County Office of Education) presented a draft three-year strategic plan based on community focus groups and a summit. Five priority areas: resource mapping, training, community events, regular engagement, and sustainable funding. The initiative aims to expand countywide, including to other cities and school districts. Executive committee is exploring alternative name options. Implementation is contingent on staffing and funding. Supervisor Allen expressed preference for a positive name focusing on inclusion rather than “hate.”
Picnic Day Update
- Kelly Fong Rivas (UC Davis) and Jenny Tan (City of Davis) outlined preparations for the 112th Picnic Day (April 18, 2026, theme: “The Journey Home, Destination Davis”). UC Davis will increase fire and police staffing, mobilize emergency operations centers (EOC), and share a unified message via lawn signs and a Picnic Day Pledge. City plans include doubling police presence (from 50 to 100 officers via mutual aid), full prohibition on special event permits that day, safety enhancement zones with doubled fines from Friday evening to Sunday morning, and extensive public communications (mailers, social media, lawn signs). The city council will vote on the safety enhancement zones the following day.
HR1/CalFresh Update
- Monica Morales and Tico Zendejas (Yolo County Health and Human Services) described major impacts of federal HR1 changes. In Yolo County, 28,000 residents (9,000 in Davis) rely on CalFresh; $68 million in benefits entered the county in FY 24-25. Key changes: work requirements (ABAWD) effective June 2026 affecting about 5,200 recipients ($12.8 million benefits at risk). Refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking survivors will lose eligibility starting April 2026 (about 420 individuals). Administrative cost sharing shifts: federal share drops from 50% to 0%, state increases to 52.5%, county share rises from 15% to 22.5%, costing the county an estimated $4 million annually if caseload remains flat. State may partially offset these costs in the May budget revision. Advocacy letters from the city and university were requested. County staff are embedded on campus at the Student Basic Needs Center, aiding student enrollment.
Key Outcomes
- The agenda was approved unanimously.
- Housing: UC Davis and city will continue monitoring enrollment and market conditions to guide future housing. City housing dashboard to note voter-dependent projects per supervisor request.
- Hate-Free Together: Strategic plan will undergo further public outreach and finalization. Implementation depends on future funding.
- Picnic Day: Davis City Council to vote on safety enhancement zones the next day. Shared EOC coordination between city and campus established. Unified pledge and messaging to be deployed.
- CalFresh: County supervisors expressed commitment to maintaining current benefit levels, though county budget discussions are pending. The city and UC Davis were asked to send support letters for state-level advocacy to mitigate administrative burden and process barriers. The city’s role may also include distributing informational materials in public lobbies and facilitating presentations to school district and community organizations.
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:45 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Our March 2nd special meeting involving the County, the University of California at Davis, and the City of Davis. For the record, I just want to note that everyone is here who should be here, with the exception unfortunately, of Councilmember Vitla, who was unable to be here tonight. Um, as a first order of business, we just need to approve our agenda for this evening. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Move by Councilmember Dios and a second. Seconded by Supervisor Ferex. All in favor, all in favor of approval of the agenda, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any no's hearing none, the uh the agenda is approved for this evening. Thank you, everyone. So, welcome everyone. Um, this is a really exciting time for us to all come together. I want to begin by recognizing our UC representatives who are here this evening, Associate Chancellor Engelbach and Vice Chancellor Schnell, and our county partners, Supervisors Allen and Frerex, and also my colleagues from the City of Davis, Vice Mayor Partita and Council Members Chapman and Deos. I also want to acknowledge that we have here City Manager Dunstan, and we also have Yellow County Chief Administrative Officer Mike Webb here with us this evening. And I want to extend a very warm welcome to everyone who is here in the audience, community members, and staff alike. It's really a privilege to preside over this meeting this evening. I want to begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the leadership of UC Davis during Chancellor May's tenure. Thank you. Thanks to Chancellor May and his team, the relationships between the university, the county, and the city have grown stronger and more productive. I'm especially grateful for the strength of those bonds right now as we navigate some very stormy weather. To our partners at the county, I'm equally thankful. In recent years, we have worked together to break down many of the traditional barriers between city and county government. We've rolled up our sleeves and tackled complex challenges side by side, from affordable housing and mental health care and to public safety and beyond. I'm deeply grateful for that relationship, and it's made us all better and more productive. It's no exaggeration to say that we are living in unprecedented times. Under the current federal administration, our universities find themselves on the front lines, facing threats of federal funding cuts, civil rights investigations, and policy shifts that challenge longstanding commitment to academic freedom and diversity. Counties, including our own, are feeling significant strain. Reductions in federal funding for social services and health care have caused counties to tighten their budgets, even as the need to support our most vulnerable residents continues to grow. And at the city level, we feel the pressure as well. Our community is asking us to do more with less. We have families and young children who are living with uncertainty and fear, worried about their futures and their freedom. But even in the midst of these challenges, I hold on to a very profound sense of hope and optimism. The storm has come at a time when all of us are well fortified. The partnerships we've built between UC Davis, the county, and the city have never been more important. We may not be able to prevent every bad thing from happening, but we can continue to stand together. We can share our knowledge, align resources, and lift one another up. At a time when division and polarization threatened to pull our communities apart across the country, we have chosen cooperation. I know that all of us here tonight at the Dais believe in the power of collaboration. And as we move through our agenda this evening, I think that you will see that spirit alive and well in Davis. With that, it's my honor to turn to some recorded comments from Chancellor May. Hello, everyone. Unfortunately, a schedule change beyond my control prevents me from being with you in person this evening. However, UC Davis is well represented by our Vice Chancellor, Claire Shannero, and our Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff, Carl Engelbach. I'd like to start by sending my regards to our partners in the City of Davis, Yolo County, and our friends across the region. Thank you, Mayor Neville and Chair Allen, for your willingness to discuss the challenges we face and the opportunities we are creating together. Conversations like these are a vital part of ensuring that our town gallery relationship remains a model for other communities. I deeply appreciate the partnership and dialogue that move us forward. I'd like to start with a brief update about UC Davis. The 2025-2026 academic year shows great promise, but not without his share of challenges.
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