Let's get started.

Okay, great. Good morning, everyone. I like to call our racial equity committee to order at 1103.

City clerk, Madam clerk, can you call roll to establish quorum?

Yes, thank you chair. I have member Garret.

Here. Member Jennings. Here. Member Telemontes. Here. And chair Vang. Here. Thank you. We have a quorum. Great. Before we

discuss five items on the agenda today, Vice Mayor Telemontes, would you lead us in the land acknowledgement and also the pledge of allegiance?

Please rise for the opening acknowledgments and honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands.

To the original people of this land, the Nisanon people, the southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwok,

Patwin-Wintoon peoples, and the people of the Wilton-Rantria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands

by choosing to gather together today in the act of practice by acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples history,

contributions and lives. Thank you.

Silu, pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God,

and this will with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you so much Vice Mayor for leading that portion.

We have one item on consent and then four items on discussion calendar.

Madam Clerk, do we have any comments on the consent calendar?

Thank you, Chair. We have no comments on the consent calendar. Okay, great. Is there a motion on the floor?

Moved by Jennings, second by

Mayor Pro Tem. Gara, all in favor?

Great, that motion pass. All right, we move on to the discussion calendar then.

The first item on the discussion calendar is the score initiative

and this score initiative update will be

presented by the presenters are from the Racial Equity Alliance and Race Board.

So,

Hi, do we have we have power points in front of us? Is there one that's going to go? Oh, there you go.

Beautiful. All right, Robin, the floor is yours.

Thank you so much.

All right, I am a member of the Racial Equity Alliance. I am here to

just give you a brief update about the work that we've been up to and to

encourage you to do a deeper dive into some of the outstanding issues that we have from the score initiative.

Next slide, please. Or do I next slide? Okay.

This is always bad. Okay.

Who are we? We are a group of organizations and people that came together,

particularly during the COVID pandemic, when historically marginalized communities were struggling

with all manner of violence, housing, homelessness, and access to mental health.

None of these are new stories. This is not a new conversation. This slide is just here

to give you a clear indication about who is participating in the Racial Equity Alliance in terms of organizations

and other members of the community.

The vision of the Racial Equity Alliance

calls upon a more equitable Sacramento, where all communities feel included in value.

A racially equitable Sacramento is one where all communities have collective power.

And it is in this collective power that we continue to come to work

collectively and collegially with the council to ensure that we have a culture of racial solidarity,

to ensure that there is a multi-racial democracy

in Sacramento, and that there are lasting policies that support equity and justice for all.

We are continuing the fight to ensure that there are investments in historically disadvantaged communities,

understanding that policy is doing exactly what it was intended to do in those communities, and that those policies can be revised

and dignity restored to those communities.

Ultimately, affordable housing, education, healthcare, and other essential services

that will heal and unite us

is what we are all hoping to work together for a more fair, just, and resilient city.

So what is the SCORE initiative? Most of you are very familiar,

but just to outline the components, there is Truth-Telling and Trust Building, and this is a model

to ensure that conflict and conflict resilience

have been built into the process,

to create a city-wide racial equity work plan

in conjunction with both city and community.

It's important to normalize co-governance. It's important to co-develop and

co-identify what's needed to transition Sacramento.

Additionally, the SCORE is intended to develop a partnership and accountability strategy

for communities of color, and we have, of course, collectively finalized and passed a racial equity resolution.

Who's involved in the work?

Well, the city of Sacramento, all of you and the rest of the council and the mayor

are very integral in holding space with community, which is guided by the Racial Equity Alliance and Racial Equity Council,

and this work is important to be done together to transform the culture of government.

Sacramentans, we are deeply rooted in community. We seek not only council, but approval from community members

through all the courses of our work, and our consulting partner, Race Forward, has provided

facilitation and strategy that support the Racial Equity Alliance, Racial Equity Council, and the city through the SCORE initiative.

What we have done so far, we decided, out of respect, we'd fit it in one slide,

but what has been done so far far exceeds the boundaries of this eight and a half by 11 sheet of paper before you.

What we have done is collectively enjoined the voices of the community in the racial equity process.

This is just a brief outline of where we are.

The truth-telling and trust-building circles were held,

the Racial Equity Alliance and Council structured to focus on the SCORE deliverables, there were community listening sessions held,

and the Racial Equity Resolution was passed,

and the Community Partnership and Accountability Report was presented to the city.

So what are the updates?

We have the TRIO meeting, which is a very vital part of the work that we do together.

The TRIO meeting is comprised of city staff, council members, and the Racial Equity Alliance,

and we are digging deep into the different models of shared co-governance.

The Racial Equity Alliance led a two-week interview process to hire project managers.

I say that with all the deep well of relief that this will bring to the community group, because we're all volunteers.

I'll say that again. We're all volunteers.

Our organizations allow us leave time in order to do this work, but we are not paid to do this work.

We do this work because we love it. We do this work because it is necessary. We do this work because we are called.

We do this work because of our ancestors who

sacrificed, died, and

led the way for us to have the privilege to stand before you today.

So having help, having respite,

having someone to guide the work is deeply needed,

and we are grateful to Tiffany Wilson and Jasmine Flores, who were two former Alliance members who've now been taken, who've now taken on this role.

We are holding planning sessions. One was yesterday, and

out of that planning session came several

key

initiatives. The first is we are

we are enjoining and rejoining

our dedication to the staff at the Office of Diversity and Equity for the City of Sacramento.

They do a yeoman's work.

That small but mighty

group, which is getting smaller,

has dedicated their lives

to this work for the city, and we are dedicating our support to them.

So we ask that as you are considering your budget,

that you protect the people who protect all the rest of us,

who protect and serve the rest of us,

the people who are doing the work

that needs to be done to ensure that equity can happen in the city of Sacramento.

And we ask

that as you move forward, we get further clarity about

a liaison slash

contractor slash

support system for the work between the city and community in terms of a

facilitation group like Race Forward.

And this is us yesterday.

Do you have any questions?

Thank you.

Thank you so much Robin for the updates from the Racial Equity Alliance.

I also just want to acknowledge there are several other alliance members in the room as well.

And so just really want to thank all of you for being here today. Do I have any comments from my colleagues?

I just had some comments and questions

comments and maybe some direction.

But do I have any comments in particular from my colleagues to the alliance? Nope.

Okay, great. Robin just again really want to say thank you for the high level update from the Racial Equity Alliance.

And really thank you for all the the hard work that you all have done the council and the alliance

to get us to this moment where in december we passed

unanimously the Racial Equity Resolution and now we have to operationalize that and I know that

shortly we're going to hear from city staff on me in particular about a work plan, a draft work plan of how we're going to be

again to operationalize and implement that.

Really appreciate the updates. I know a vice chair Rick Jennings had an opportunity to attend the trio meeting

last month. So that was really great where we began discussing models of shared governance,

which is also one of the goals and the Racial Equity Plan that we're going to hear from me.

Really thrilled that we have a project manager. I know that funding particular went through care as well and that

we'll be able to release those dollars so that you have someone that can help kind of manage

all of the volunteers and make sure that we're in alignment with what the city is doing. So I think that's really great.

And then in terms of the planning session, thank you for uplifting

that you know in order for us to do this work, it's going to be really important that we also have staff capacity internally

at the city level to implement this work citywide.

In terms of clarity on liaison and facilitator, I know that Race Forward did play a critical role

and maybe I might ask Ami and I'm going to look at our city manager to help kind of

help me provide some direction and clarity on this too because I think

what we're hearing from the alliance is that Race Forward was a contractor that helped

facilitate it was a liaison and as we move forward on our work plan that Ami is going to bring up

you know what the conversation what I'm hearing from the alliance is that

it's somewhat still important to make sure there's a there's a liaison and a

facilitator. My understanding right now is that we are kind of co-facilitating in the space right now this year

but what I'm hearing from the alliance is that they still see a really

important role for

someone who's neutral to be a facilitator as we continue this work.

And so I'm going to look at Ami and the city manager to see if they have any comments on that particular and and perhaps that's part of the

conversation with the work plan.

So yeah, I'll direct that to the city manager.

Yeah, good morning. I think one of the things we need to figure out is what is our work plan before we figure out how to resource it.

And so that's

something that as we move through Ami's presentation and we will have to

put our heads together internally

to determine how

we are able to support the community as we continue to work through rolling out

drafting finalizing and then rolling out this work plan for our

our

city-wide racial equity plan. So it's it's still really a work in progress. There's no answer yet. Okay

well, I'm looking forward to diving in that conversation discussion when

city staff comes up to share the racial equity draft plan because that should be informed by the community and perhaps that is when

we can have that discussion of where a potential facilitator may play a role. So I I appreciate that. Thank you so much city manager on that

Any comments any last comments questions to the alliance?

Okay, so I think I believe this is just a review. Yeah, this is just a provide update

On this item. I will just suggest I'm going to suggest this when city staff comes up as well

but to robin and the alliance members that

As the city is moving forward with the racial equity plan in terms of operationalizing it and implementing it that we ensure that there's a loop around

So that the plan is also informed by community and the alliance that's going to be really critical

As we move forward together in parallel. So again, I just want to say thank you so much for the update

I have no questions from my colleagues. So they

They they yeah, they're they're good to go. So oh actually I do have a question

I just have a suggestion. Yeah, the chair

Yes, because I know the the item number four is the work plan

Um, you know, maybe we want to take that and then kick the urban forestry master plan follow-up after that

so

I don't know. I don't know how you feel about that chair staff or

But um, I would just say that's a suggestion. Okay. Thank you. I mean, did you

Is staff okay with that with the forest urban? Do you have a time? Do you have to go is?

We we just did that because we think that's a quick report back for everybody and then

The our colleagues could go about their day. Yeah, okay. That might be more discussion

Okay, I appreciate the suggestion, but that that is kind of why we put them there

So they could okay sounds great awesome. Okay, so no questions then thank you so much for the update robin and the alliance and

Are there any comments on this item actually?

Okay, all right. No no comments on this this item and we will move to the next item. Thank you so much robin. Thank you

Sacramento urban forest plan follow-up this presentation is presented by rachel

Wonderful well good morning council members and thank you for letting us squeeze in I'm rachel patent

I'm the I serve as the climate action lead for the office of climate action and sustainability within the department of public works

And I'm also the project lead for the sacrament urban forest plan

We did present the draft plan to this racial equity committee in august of last year

and

We are returning today as requested by this committee to further discuss the funding mechanisms that will allow us to implement

The equity considerations within the plan

So i'm going to start our agenda today with just a recap of the urban forest plan

There's some new members on this committee since we were last here and then

Our assistant director of public works lucinda will cox will discuss the implementation and funding needs

So the urban forest plan is the city's primary planning tool for trees

And it provides a 20-year plan for how we will grow and maintain trees across the city

It outlines 55 different policy recommendations and implementation actions that will guide oversight and regulation of both

City managed trees and trees on private property

Um the administrative draft of the sacramento urban forest plan was developed with extensive community engagement

Which included a community survey and partner advisory committee to help guide the development of the plan

And then when that administrative draft was finalized last year

It was available for a 60 day public comment period from april to june

Where we received hundreds of comments through multiple avenues from the community

Outreach was conducted in both english and spanish and events were selected to help reach residents from a variety

Of neighborhoods and cultural backgrounds particularly in neighborhoods that have low tree canopy

Staff have been reviewing and considering all public comment that was received through that public

Feedback period and the final urban forest plan version that we are

Planning on presenting to council for an adoption hearing in june will include red lines based on the public feedback

Existing conditions for our tree canopy in the city there's about a million trees city-wide

10 of those are managed by the city on streets in our parks and at public facilities

And then about 90 or 900 thousand of them are on private property

In total those one million trees shade about 19 of the surface area of our city

Which is what we call canopy cover. So there's about 19 canopy cover

And the primary goal of the plan which was established by the council adopted

2040 general plan sets a goal of achieving 35 percent canopy cover by 2045 which would

It performs the foundation of all of the policy recommendations in this plan

And would require us to essentially double the number of trees city-wide

What we know is that that canopy cover it averages about 19 percent, but it doesn't it's not equal across all areas of the city

So some areas of the city have upwards of 40 percent other areas have less than 10

And that's primarily the result of land use and zoning

But it does also heavily correlate with race and income across neighborhoods in the city

And so to address this

strategies for tree planting

Specifically will also need to be strategically targeted to ensure we're achieving equity as we grow our tree canopy

the staff have developed this

Urban forest priority intervention areas map which is shown here

Which identifies census tracts for priority intervention based on three factors

One being disadvantaged community status based on federal and state

designation tree canopy cover below 25 percent and a daytime summer land use temperature of 103 degrees or higher

The red areas meet need in all three of those areas and the green zones do not meet any of those prioritization categories

So I do just want to share some of the specific equity considerations in the plan one being that there is a guiding principle of equity

That all of the communities in sacramento are entitled to the same access for tree canopy and its benefits

And that inequities and tree canopy must be addressed

There are two specific policy recommendations for equity one being that the city should prioritize tree planting efforts into these

Priority communities and that too that we should support tree canopy expansion for private property in these areas as well

In addition to those two specific

Policy recommendations many of the other policy and implementation actions have equity considerations

Um specifically the ones shown here, which I'm for time will not not read

And then I just also do want to note that within our public comment period

There was strong support across the community for canopy equity

Um specifically that the city could direct resources to support areas with less trees

And that there was a strong desire to see the city support low income residents with tree maintenance costs

Um with that summary, I'm going to pass it over to my colleague lucinda

All right

Thank you. Um, I'm lucinda wilcox. I'm the assistant public works director

So we thought this was a very helpful discussion to have in light of our budget discussion

and

So wanted to talk about

Funding for implementation of this plan. So um, like many of our plans, this does have ambitious goals

Um, and frankly, we do need to identify additional additional funding to fully implement this plan

And that's been a core element of many of the programs and the plan is to explore how we can do this

So we wanted to look at our existing funding and see if there's any

opportunities to realign that to address better address inequities currently and to look at the future funding needs

So

As part of that exercise we asked ourselves kind of three major questions or thought we needed to answer those

So first of all, what are the costs that we incur for city trees?

And so there's the planting trees is actually a pretty minor

element of the overall cost

But we can't plant trees. We know they're not going to be successful. So

Ensuring that there's some kind of ongoing irrigation for trees is critical

most of our street trees

The requirement is that the adjacent property owner is responsible for watering those they don't have their own irrigation

In some of the newer areas there are irrigations that are part of a landscape maintenance district

Um, and in other areas in our parks, there may be irrigation, but it is often

passive irrigation that is associated with

mainly watering lawns and

Tree needs and lawn needs watering are quite different and during drought times it gets very challenging to

Stop watering the lawns without affecting the trees

Um

So again, probably the ongoing maintenance of our trees is probably

95 to 98 percent of the the total costs

And like any living thing you need it's a city asset that the city acquires. It has to maintain it

Uh best practices call for regular maintenance every five to seven years to ensure that we are

identifying any disease or pests that have arrived ensuring that they're structurally safe

Um and ensuring that um that they grow to the best advantage

Um

So right now the goal is to do a kind of go around the city and try to reach every tree every five to seven years

Um with our current funding. We aren't quite achieving that goal

Um and some of the challenges are if we don't meet our ongoing maintenance requirements

One we don't want city assets that can be any kind of hazard to anyone. So trees can either

cause damage to

property

Or more importantly, they can cause damage to people

And so we need to one make sure that we don't have any assets that are harmful

But in addition if we do not take adequate care of our trees and they do cause damage the city can be liable

Um for the damage that this caused

So going to have the city funds these activities our primary source

Is the citywide lighting and landscaping district. So I'll talk about that in just a minute

Um, but we want to talk about look at the factors. Why why do we have these disparities in tree canopy so that we can understand what we can do to

address those

So looking at the neighborhoods that we all aspire to have citywide

Um, those neighborhoods at the highest canopy

They tend to be older neighborhoods with mature trees. Most of these were developed before the 1940s

And so this was a time before air conditioning a lot of walking city beautiful movements

So there was a lot of investment in trees one to keep the housing cool, but also

People were walking so you in these neighborhoods the trees are many decades old largely planted before

Most of us were born

There's tends to be a planter strip between the city and the between the street and the sidewalk

There'll be trees in the front and backyards and while the front and your backyards may not be that large

They are large enough to accommodate large shade trees

they tend to have

Old parks with mature trees

and most importantly

And we see this really nationwide. There's higher levels of home ownership

That owners and property are more apt to invest in maintaining and taking care of trees on their property

So those neighborhoods that have lower canopy

Um, just some of the newer areas some of our lower canopy areas are just our newer areas

One because they just have less mature trees again

It's going to take decades before they we get to where they're providing significant shade

But they also may have the buildings cover more of the lot

They may not have large enough front or side or backyards to accommodate a lot of trees

But some of the older areas we have that have lower canopy areas

Which is really where we're trying to address some equity concerns

Um, well the city was developed as kind of a hodgepodge. A lot of those areas were developed after world war two

um

widespread air conditioning

A lot of focus on cars. So the development patterns change. We don't have the planter strips to accommodate trees

Um, and we built a lot of shopping malls strip malls without any trees in the parking lots

So we get a lot of tree deserts along of our major areas

um, you also see in these neighborhoods a lot of

higher levels of rentals, um, because often landlords are not

Willing to invest in ongoing care and maintenance of trees when they don't

See the direct benefit. So those are the neighborhoods that we're most concerned about and the challenge there is

There's not a lot of public right of way for the city to invest in

We do work on complete streets projects where we can

redo the streets to provide space for trees

But those are expensive and a lot of work to implement and so we can't do, you know, we do them

As we get funding to do those but it is a challenge. So this is why

Kind of that the plan really focuses on ways that we can intervene on private property

And try to make it more amenable for people to be able to plant trees

So again, the major funding source for

tree care and planting in our city is a

Citywide lighting and landscaping district. That's a citywide tax assessment district. It was adopted in 1989

subject to a lot of state law requirements

It sets aside different pots of money mainly for maintaining street lights for maintaining street trees maintaining parks

um

And they're not interchangeable those pots of money are restricted to those specific uses

Right now we get about seven million a year from that to for our urban forestry section and public works that funds the entire division

um

And mainly is responsible for maintaining street trees planting street trees when we have space to plant new trees

And as new trees are added to either via development or projects

Those are added to the core of trees that the city maintains

Here at the where do we get the seven million from the citywide lighting and landscaping district? Okay

It is an assessment district for the the parks and street lighting piece or parks and street tree piece

It's about 60 a year say on a single family home

Added on to your tax bill

And again part of that pot is also there's about 4.6 million

That goes towards park maintenance

That is not the full budget for park maintenance

But part of that they also get measure u-general fund

But they also have

Tree care is part of the requirement of of that pot of money

So some of the challenges with this funding pot is it has limits on how much we can increase it every year

And we find that in addition to the new assets that are coming on board

Every year new parks new trees

We're we're limited to a three percent

Maximum increase annually and the costs are increasing more than three percent annually

So we are having greater and greater challenges just meeting our existing obligations

We also rely on grants and partnerships. We're really fortunate. We have the Sacramento tree foundation

That provides a lot of services in our city. We'll provide up to

10 free trees per property

through this mud

tree shading

a program

We also rely on grants so that we have discovered what we had some federal grants

We're having severe challenges with federal government in terms of not supporting equity and climate

related initiatives. So I think going forward we're going to have to rely on

At least in the near term on state grants and other opportunities

So when we looked at just the overall plan

To achieve the 35 percent canopy that was identified in the climate action plan that we're trying to implement through this ember and forest plan

It would require about 12 to 13 million of additional new funding annually

So it really requires us to adopt something like a new like a secondary lighting and landscape district to be able to move forward

And address these ambitious goals

The plan itself as part of its implementation

does

Call for a lot of implementation measures to look in potential funding sources and how we can address

Some of the barriers that low income

Em and other neighborhoods face in terms of addressing additional canopy

And with that we'd be happy to answer any questions you might have

Thank you so much rachel and lucinda. Do we have any public comments on this item?

Thank you chair. We do not okay great. So we'll begin our discussion

I see mayor pro tem

Eric garra in the queue followed by vice mayor telemontist followed by

Vice chair rick jennings and then I will have my comments afterwards. So mayor pro tem

Very thank you first first comment

I was going to make is when they when someone mentioned that the urban forestry plan would be a quick guy to my

Good luck with that. Yeah, I think between trees and streets

It's like the some of the largest conversations we have and lucinda knows because you know, thank you for your work

You know in in elmhurst and we always have our annual state of the trees

And so that's like the tale of two cities or the tale of two districts in in council in

Council district six and I'd like to if we can go back to the map

That you had up there

One, I mean, obviously elmhurst is a great example of what happens when we maintain a strong and healthy tree canopy

And even with that, you know

When we're faced with things like dutch elm disease they can take out an entire block of disease that that can affect it

but

Here's a good example of I think my my council district all that red there almost the entire council district

Is in is in an area that is significantly harmed and some of it is industrial

But even in the industrial park areas, I want to thank, you know

former owner of depot park dick fisher who

Decided to you know, recognize the heat island effect in that area and started

Putting trees in his area because it it bleeds into the area

And I think this map is misleading because it misses the fritt ridge finger

And so essentially if you included the county there that entire south area would be completely red

He would just see a big splotch of red there and what what what happens here

And this is the where public health is a significant issue

Is you have the significant amount of heat island effect and because you have the freeway there plus the rail line

And even i5 on the further south end and highway 99

In the summertime the smog and the nox becomes a terrible issue

So the ability for us to may manage and maintain and grow our tree canopy. I think is is essential. Yes

We need to manage and maintain our our liability, which means managing our older trees

But that means that we're only maintaining trees in some of our most

affluent communities

And I wouldn't even say older communities because you know, um the communities of southland park and pocket, you know the they

They're not they're not as old as as our you know pre 1920 communities

But it has a pretty significant tree canopy and relative to their age. It's it's a good one

But that goes back to the I think another factor, which was the home ownership

So first before I go on to the home ownership one on the landscaping lighting district

I'd like to for us to have a a further discussion a deeper dive on how

And and maybe you're thinking about this already because this was a brief update

But I'd like to see how we parcel out

management of older trees

with and with also ensuring that we're

Growing and maintaining in areas like 21st avenue 21st avenue is on that area there that's in high need

And it and it also is a very working working class community around talak village

In an area that's near the railroad as well

So being able to replicate the elmhurst canopy on 21st avenue would improve our our

You know our ability to improve public public health in those areas

The other piece there, you know, there are very few pots of public land in district 6

Unlike, you know in other parts of older parts of the city where we have stripways and

and larger

Places of open space for the land where the city maintains

those areas there there isn't a lot of

essentially public land for us to execute that lighting and landscaping money

Down in the south area and it is a lot of private land and mostly rental homes

Not apartment complexes, but rental homes

So there's two two things I would like to tease out here one on our water wise

You know program, which is essentially the the the cash for grass program

Is there a way

That if you are in some of those

high

You know

High heat island effect lack of tree canopy areas

Where we can incentivize and increase the amount of the subsidy to rip out your lawn

But install the actual irrigation for tree maintenance

Because the challenge that I understand is that we can go out there and plant trees

But if they're not irrigated and they're on a timer and they're managed to maintain until

That route takes tap all the way down then they they die and that's been the case

with that area

So I guess a question and doesn't have to be answered now

But is can we look at our water wise program so that whether you're in what i'm looking at here in in laguna meadowview

Avondale, uh, you know, uh glenn elder, uh, nor sack those areas where

They they're probably very old homes. They probably don't have uh the smart meters

And could we incentivize the smart meters with also the tree planting and irrigation for that tree to survive

So that's I think the second piece and then the last piece is on rental properties

You know rental properties are a business for somebody and we have obligations for business owners

for certain requirements and

We do have on the development side a tree planting requirement when you're building out a new community

And I think we've gone in some situations from one to two trees on the front of the property

But we don't have anything of that nature on the rental property and as a matter of of of a public benefit or a

A good something that why we require sprinklers why we require

safe insulation

Is there a way that on these single family homes that aren't being maintained or don't have trees

Can we look at how we either incentivize or mandate or a combination of both?

The property owner to plant those trees because when I go down into those areas

On elder creek

I notice a lot of those rental properties don't have any trees

And when I talked to some of the folks who've lived there for a long time that they did have beautiful trees back when they were owned by

a homeowner and

and then some of the modesto ash may have gotten you know a lot of

Of a mistletoe and then they they cut it down and never brought it back up again

So I think those are I think the the points that I want to Madam chair to

Start teasing here on this item is on the landscaping lighting district. Can we get a breakdown on how we move it towards?

Growing the tree canopy not just liability and maintenance

second

On the water wise program, which is

You know we control how much

Money goes out in drought years. We've increased it significantly because we needed to reduce our water usage

And so that we incentivize the trees and then finally

I think teasing out on the rental property requirements how we ensure that

You know rental property owners

Landlords are are ensuring that they're creating also contributing to the the the tree canopy

Growth in those areas. Thank you chair. Thanks mayor pro tem. I have a city manager

Cued up so I'm going to have her just respond real quick because I think she wanted to respond to some of your comments real quick

Great. Um, so if I read the report correctly

please

Correct me if I'm wrong

um, the issue around the lnn and the current allocations is that our current allocations

Simply provide for maintenance and actually aren't providing for the maintenance and the growth that in costs that we know we're going to have

For maintaining the current level of urban forest service

And so the challenge and it's at the very end and I understand

Well, it's actually on page nine of the 29 page report

Talks about the increased funding. We would need to expand it

So I think staff had tried to explain that and listen to please fill in any gaps

I think also we would need to do um, I have no answer on what we can compel a private landowner to do

I understand that when we're in the development process, we have an opportunity to

Leverage and add requirements to private development, but for a home that is already built

Um, I'm not sure that we have the ability to go back and mandate and that was something we'd have to have our attorney's office

Look at and to who's end if you want to fill anything in

Yeah, and again, I think that the plan does provide that we look at barriers to rent housing

There are significant challenges um with our existing single-family homes just what we can legally require

So we'd have to research that but again that is identified similar. We have looked at

Some of do use programs and seeing how those I think there's some programs in there

Just look at to investigate those and again see how we can maybe make sure that those support trees better

Um in terms of the L and L again, we can add we do continue to add trees to our inventory

But again, we are reaching a point where we are having challenge

Meaning our existing inventory and we're going to get to a point where we're going to have to come back to the council and say

If you want us to continue to be able to have an urban forest that is

Safe and reliable. We may need additional funding. So um, again

That's not to say we can't add additional trees and we are constantly doing that but we are reaching a breaking point

I totally understand that and and frank and you know, uh, I saw L and L

R and L a youth program going out and planting trees in

In, um, I'll give you a get rid of park, right? And so but I think that was initiated not by public works, but by our

You know our parks commissioner who's been bringing this issue up, which is how this issue came up

So my point is I think if without pressure to look at expanding into areas that need it

Then just by sure nature, we will always just be servicing the strips in

um in the

The current as you mentioned the affluent communities, but um, and then on, uh, of course, you know

Assistant city manager, I understand those challenges, which is exactly why

I said we need to tease these out with the with the city attorney and planning

And we've had this discussion

You know now I think every year, you know, since I've been on the council about

About approaching it. So I think it's just time to just call the question and figure out how what can we do and so

And if and if the city attorney's office comes back and says this is a takings then of course

We can't but until we actually call that question and and and and have that answered then

Then how are we going to know? So I'll leave it at that

The only thing I want to add public work staff if you can connect with do you I think the idea of looking into the water wise program

which utilities runs

And changing the shape of what gets put in is a way to address some of it is a is a really good idea

So if you can connect with them, that'd be great

Great great discussion. All right, we have um

Vice mayor talamontis. Thank you chair

um, I think mayor pro tem garra brought up some really good questions and I mean

conversations about this because

We garland north gate community association with my office with smud and the sacramento tree foundation

Canvas one of our areas that's in red that desperately needs more tree canopy

And one of the challenges that we came up with was that the property owners not the renters

But the property owners didn't want to put in trees because of the irrigation

And so that area is in high need of tree canopy and it's something that we need to work on

So direction to our city attorney's office is to figure out what options we have

As a council to see what kind of policies we can possibly introduce

Since their private property, we can't force them

But we can say hey, this is what we encourage you to do so and just figure out what wait what we can do to really help our communities

So i'm really glad that we're having this conversation because

environmental justice is a

Social justice issue and this is the perfect committee for it

And so thank you so much to the parks commission to the chair for agendizing this

I think my district it's a little bit of everything and when I see the map

I live in the red area and i'm like yep

I feel it when i'm on my walks and I have no shade and so

Like just keeping this front mine and center as we're allocating this of a million dollars that we get annually so important to me

Um, and now I just remember that I need to go check on my tree at north gate park named karma to make sure it's holding up

Well, I planted it a month ago and I was like i'm gonna go visit it and I have not gone back

So I need to do that but um perfect conversation and looking forward to getting some uh feedback from the city attorney's office. Thank you

Thank you vice mayor talamont is councilmember jennings

Thank you very much. Thanks for the presentation

Every time I look at this map

While my district is yellow and green

It's less green than it was

Previously and so we start seeing more yellow creep in which means eventually we'll start to see

Red start creeping in and that's not what we want

Um, but anyway, uh, one of the things that my grandchildren do every time they come here

Is they go by and look at the trees that they planted

Okay, and they go by and so they try to intervene on that every five to seven years

For maintenance they try to go by every time they come

To go by and water the tree and to check on the tree to make sure tree is healthy still there and everything is good

and I was just thinking to myself is um

We need more manpower obviously to take care of the existing trees that we have

And do we have the program that?

Not only do kids in schools adopt trees

But do we have the programs where neighborhood associations?

Adopt trees that are in their jurisdiction

Are we are we at all looking at additional resources to come to?

our need

For additional maintenance for the trees that we have and the trees that we want to grow

And so i'm asking that question and i'm also asking the question

Does our moniker a city of trees is that in jeopardy?

Based on what we're hearing today

So i'm just asking the question

Um, no, I think that's a great idea to have um, kind of neighborhoods adopt trees. We do have some programs like

Elmhurst has the save the elms project where people go around and kind of monitor how the elm trees are doing

um, but I think there are and again the

Remember this is a plan

So there's a lot of programs in there that we need to implement once we adopt it

So a lot of that is how can we involve especially the youth?

Um, because we know that's once you adopt a tree as a young person

You're likely to be invested in it. So to look at more of those partnerships

Um in terms of the city of trees, I would say

Sacramento is still considered a city of trees. Um, I will say there was a lot of

requests during the uh, the forest plan update to

Put that moniker back on the water tower. Um, so there's a lot of requests to have that returned

To kind of return to that being a public

moniker

Okay. Yeah, and that's that's an easy thing to do if that's going to make a difference

I'm not quite certain based on the report that I'm looking at today

It's going to make a difference that it be there or not

um, I'm looking at the process of maintenance and getting to the goal that we have

For 2045. I think it was the date that you put on there

And I'm trying to understand how do we take care of what we have and also get to that new goal

Based on the situation that we find ourselves in and so I do believe that we have resources that are untapped

That we need to probably put a marketing strategy in place

That allows neighborhood associations that allow

Schools to get involved in the process of helping us to achieve the goals that we have

And so we're not just doing this as a city by ourselves

But with the city residents and constituents who are in it

And so I just want to kind of throw that out there because I believe

That as a council member

I can lead that charge in my district

And I'm sure once I lead that charge in my district other council members will lead the charge in their district

So that it is we're all becoming a part of the solution that we want to maintain

Our moniker maintain our reputation maintain who we are as a city and also get to the goal that we have for 2045

so

Let me know when you want to put me in the game coach because i'm ready to go

great

Thank you coach jennings for speaking so passionate

So passionately about trees. I know um if I don't know if any of you have seen council member jennings plan a tree

But I have to say if we were to compete on the best tree plan to probably go to council member jennings because he could do one by himself

And he knows all that from the beginning to the end

So I know he's done a lot of people power planting trees in his district

And so I definitely hear you on the people power making sure that we get neighborhood associations and residents to also be part of this as well

I have some comments and some items to offer

In terms of direction as well as i'm listening to my colleagues. So first really want to thank rachel and lucinda

Thank you for bringing this plan back to the racial equity committee

I think one thing to acknowledge and that i'm really proud of is that in this committee and in this city

Um is that we're naming it

We're naming the fact that there are inequities in our tree canopy, right?

And so that is the reason why the presentation is before us today, but the question we have

um given the the chart and given the limitations that we have is as policies make as policy makers

What are we going to do about it? Right? That is the question

in front of us right now, um and so

You know, we've already seen the map you've heard from my colleagues about how underserved communities in particular have less tree canopy

You know and even if we were to increase our tree canopy, we know that that can help reduce like 10 to 15 percent degrees

right i also to live in mediview so i live in one of the red red areas and

Right now as you shared rachel that we have a 19 tree canopy and we're trying to get to 35 by 2045

um

And one of the main sticking point that you shared is the lack of funding and the lack of funding to really

To do this to to get to our goal

And so i just i want to offer a few things and also one is just reaffirm some of the um

Want to kind of just name the current system that we now operate in and i think you know mayor protehem

gara mentioned this right even with the lighting and landscape district the reason

The reason why we ask for it back is because for us to have a better understanding of the ways in which these these dollars are spent because

if the

if

If the funding if the purpose of the funding is only to maintain and to take care of the current trees

As you heard from mayor protehem gara will never those dollars will never come to nor sacramento

It will never come to south sacramento right and so i i do want to add in terms of a direction that i i wrote down here

Based from my colleagues is that one i um

Do want the item to actually

Come back

Hold on real quick. Let me pull up my i want to make sure that i have the right notes

I want this item to come back in terms of the lighting landscape funding mechanism

Like i want to have a better understanding of what what what flexibility we have in terms of parceling out the ways in which we can spend these dollars

That's just a question that i have right

Rachel look like lucinda like you can answer that question

I think that's one piece and then the other piece is also i heard from vice mayor and mayor protehem

around getting more clarity from our

Our city attorneys around the legality of single family residential and rental properties of what we can do and can't do

I think that's really important too. It's important for this committee to understand what our what our risks are

What are the liabilities?

um, rachel legal like you had to answer

Yeah, and just to you know, certainly if there's a need to come back we can um the restrictions around the lighting and landscaping funding

Are kind of outlined in the staff report

And i know lucinda shared this but i just want to put a fine point on it, which is that the um

Ordinance that established that fund describes what it can be spent on and it can only be used

On maintenance and planting on city owned right of way

So all of the education and community programs we're discussing are not eligible for use of city lighting and landscaping funding

Nor are any efforts on private property whether that's

You know front yards backyards any of that the funding that we have is both insufficient for our expanding need

And it is not eligible for any of these equity programs that we're discussing

So we can come back and describe more about how the funding is currently being used on our maintenance

But i don't necessarily believe that it will get to the heart of what we're discussing here

Which is really that we need funding for these different types of programs and the funding that we have is not something we can use

Okay, no, thank you rachel for for bring that i know it is a ballot ballot measure too

So in terms of the funding in particular, i like to offer a few things

One is um, I know that there's been a conversation regarding a park a park measure

And there are many park advocates that are having conversation now

In particular i'm in those spaces and we've raised enough money to do a polling for in particular

And I think it'd be really important that our tree advocates and that um, you know that we also as we're having these conversations

That you know canopy and trees are part of that conversation, right?

And I think that we could i'm saying this on the record

But as advocates are listening to me and folks are trying to push this a potential park measure

An initiative that this is something we consider as well

The other piece i want to uplift rachel as well because i said on the air quality district is that um

You know just this past week i was sitting in in the meeting and that the air quality district has about three million

in a community greening pilot programs that would actually

um that would work for uh increasing tree canopy

And uh my understanding is that cities can compete and apply for this as well as pilot programs

So as we're talking about the various programs in terms of increasing canopy in south sacramental

You know really encourage city staff to apply and also to look look at that as well

Maybe you're already doing that um as well. So i wanted to flag that yeah

Thank you for bringing that up and I do just want to um

I think the the highlight in this is that yes, we are looking at those funding sources

So we are going to be applying to that opportunity through the air district

And we have gone out and been successful in receiving competitive grants to support these equity considerations

It has been challenging some of them have been pulled back by the federal government over the last two months

But um, we are still pushing those forward and and it's definitely an option

Okay, I think yeah, so with that thank you so much rachel really appreciate it

But there is a direction though

I think i'm hearing for us to actually i'm looking at the city attorney's office to actually look at the legality around

single family residential and rental property in terms of tree canopy

Right. Okay. Yep. I think that is it. Okay. Oh and the water wise as well

So do we get those two those two items in terms of direction? Great awesome

Okay, and need a comments on this item no comments on this item. Okay, great. Thank you so much. Thank you rachel

Thank you. Listen to

All right item number four uh the sacramental center on racial equity the score 2025 strategy and work plan

And this presenter is ami

All right, good morning

Happy tuesday to you all the racial equity committee and city staff

Um care holders that are in the chambers as well as online

My name is ami zen sale barns pronouns are she and they and I serve as the diversity equity manager

And i'm here to give a high level overview of a stra strategy and work plan draft for the score initiative

Now I do want to kind of preface this by saying I would uh encourage

Again a high level

Um

High level overview, but uh, I would encourage reference the staff report, uh, particularly pages beginning on four of 114

Uh, we really did try to provide as much information there

In details, so I might reference that throughout the presentation, but primarily pages four through nine of the

Attachments to the staff report

Also, I do also want to highlight and emphasize the deep consultation and relationship building with the members of the racial equity alliance and other care holders

In continuing to shape and this was mentioned in the item agenda number two to shape this document

so this is really the beginning of this conversation and to

fulfill the direction that was given at the march 18th racial equity committee meeting to begin to start to draft

What would be a strategy and potential work plan?

this

This endeavor also presented an opportunity for us to begin to look at the city landscape and

Start to centralize a lot of the equity work

That has been happening

Internally and externally as we move forward in one direction

So with the

Score initiative advancing racial equity this this effort is a bold one

It's an inclusive approach for the city to address the stomach inequities through a structured

co-governance community driven strategy

With an emphasis on collaboration

justice and sustainability

The score initiative is more than a plan. It's a co-governance movement and we are one of

10 cities that is really leading this movement across the country

particularly known through our

Network of the government alliance on race and equity as well as race forward

This vision is not only operational, but it's transformative

It seeks to center the voices of historically marginalized communities

And ensure racial equity equity is at the heart of governance

So let's go ahead and dive in the origins of our

Is mentioned before with the update from the racial equity alliance

But just to reiterate the initiative conceived as a proactive response to Sacramento's deep-seated racial inequities

It was launched in 2022 for timing and perspective given that we're here in 2025

The resolution that was passed in december of 2024

Really helps to organize and call into action a coordinated effort to center equity

In governance and in our particular governance structure. It is backed by

Um internal work the resolution that was passed

Um our racial equity statement our race gender and equity action plan the capacity building endeavors

Um

such as the equity and inclusion leadership series training for city staff that has now emerges delta developing

equity leadership through action

Capacity building is a huge part of our work. We also do an annual convening of city

Departments for and to support the race gender and equity action plan as well as the budget equity tool

The irt that was applied to the ARPA funding

So all of this to kind of begin to drive our commitment into

Concrete goal and a coordinated action towards core governance

And the other piece I would mention here, too

Is that we really from the very beginning of this and as we're at this juncture

We want to be able to measure our impact. It's extremely important that we understand that equity is not only the process

But it's also the outcome and that's also called for in the resolution as well that was passed in operationalizing racial equity

Racial equity um

Is that the core of the scores mission? It's not just a goal

It's a method and results as mentioned this initiative puts a strong emphasis on inclusive policy making

It promotes active collaboration and decision making and this isn't a sprint

It is generational and it is long-term systems transformational work

And I know I cannot underscore that enough and it's something that we have to really realize and so this plan is really

Designed to be in phases and so that's the approach that was taken

And it's really important for us to understand that the seeds that we plant today are really generation for generations

We are envisioning a sacramento to be different and to work for all sacramentums

The framework, um, it's important wanted to highlight uh on page six of the attachments

That in the score initiative we want to effectively address racial inequities

At the different levels that they occur and so adopting a multi-layered approach to dismantling racial inequities is really important

We want to be intentional. We want to

Make sure that we are inclusive

We want to make sure that we understand uh those inequities that are historically rooted as well as preventing future

Addressing all levels is critical to achieve true equity in sacramento

So the phases

The phases are laid out in terms of

Um

Strategy one we need uh to understand how we're organizing ourselves as a city. We are a government structure

There are layers. There's hierarchy

So understanding and giving time in addition to learning and co-creating with community and centering community

Is extremely important. So that's why the phase in approach phase one the groundwork is laid with

Evaluation tools data studies community partnership structures

Phase two focuses on embedding racial equity in all the aspects of city operations and expanding training and tools and

implementation phase three aims to ensure longevity by

codifying practices into policy and expanding into economic equity domains each phase

Is going to be dynamic and we want to progress through those phases. They could be happening at the same time

But it's something that we want to um indeed

Mark

During the first phase, uh, it is intended we establish crucial structures

sustained for community engagement and accountability

So such of these actions that you see highlighted

in the plan is

Looking at the tool for supporting equitable table design and also the community partner accountability report that was presented

By the racial equity alliance

Those are just some of the resources that we can use to start to lay down the foundation

And so the first year is about partnership structures creating equity study and framework

This I want to highlight is the uh citywide racial equity study that we have been wanting to do

To align with the score initiative. This is a funded endeavor

And this citywide racial equity study could be greatly informed and enhanced by the participation

of alliance and carehold careholder members

And informing what would be a citywide racial equity action plan

Capacity building and culture of learning can't underscore that enough that has to be part of this process

Also leveraging our current tools such as the cgis tool

Assessments in planning the office of diversity and equity is currently working on a web based racial equity tool

That we hope to launch

By the fall of this year

Our it department is working closely with us in doing that

That would be a tool that would be available to all city staff to begin to apply a racial equity lands to their

Program initiative service delivery and we hope that that unfolds well with the the work here

To advance the score initiative

The next one is kind of 27 this is that was 25 26 now we're moving into 27 28

institutionalizing change and this is about

embedding equity into the fabric of city governance every city department

Um

Could be called upon to develop an equity action plan

While they have one for most of them have them for the race gender and equity action plan focused on workforce equity

They would build upon that race gender and equity action plan and expand beyond workforce equity to possibly budget grants procurement

Contracting and the other systems that are there. So we're building upon the work that is already happening

Citywide racial equity training would be expanded to enhance staff's awareness and capacity to implement equity tools

and transparency and accountability remain

critical

As called for in the resolution as well dashboards or regular assessments

That would be available to our care holders as well as to city staff

So that we're assuring that we are staying on track and our work is aligned

It could also help us explore where opportunities are for points of collaboration if things are not

Indicating that they're moving in the direction that we envision

there's an opportunity for us to assess and

Reimagine what that would look like

This phase institutionalizes change turning equity commitments into measurable action. And so this is really 27 and 28

The other key

Actions in phase two also require the actionable department plans as I mentioned equity impact tools

We've already begun that journey with the budget equity tool

We also have learnings from the interim rapid response tool

But we're we'd have to you know really think about how we do that over time and also

Build the capacity of our staff

In addition communication and monitoring is extremely important

How do we do that?

across the city in a coordinated effort and so looking at

How we do that is going to be extremely important so that all departments and

Everybody's informed of the resources that they have available as well as how we're moving forward in this initiative

And again, there's greater detail that's provided in the

staff report and

attachment

The building internal capacity for lasting change

This is again, you all have started the way as council and a council staff with the mandatory training on dei

And we are continuing to do that for racial equity for part two

the capacity

expansion

Developing tailored

training to meet operational needs

Can't underscore enough as we look across the city each of our departments and then the divisions within each departments really serve

extremely vital functions and how do we meet their needs in order to

Understand the direction but also make it relevant for their work

So they are embedding equity in a very seamless

In a very seamless way and then of course we want to

Embrace and continue to

Advance a culture of learning. We are all learning this. We are exploring it

Um, it's very important that we really keep that in mind and embed curiosity and exploration

As we continue to embed a learning culture across the city

Phase three is the scaling and sustainability ensuring longevity and impact

referencing page nine of the attachment

Phase three is where um, we hope to start seeing

The initiative start to achieve strategic momentum and direction

And again, we know this is a plan, right? So things change. We have to pivot. We have to be flexible

But this is where we really hope to see

scaling and sustainability

um, and also a more intentional aspect of incorporating into workforce development economic empowerment

Um, how we uh, do our grants how we do our contracts and really understanding that equity is a clear part of that work

And I do want to highlight uh, want to take responsibility. There is a mistake in phase three for the dates

um, we submitted a

Uh document that had the wrong dates. It reads as june 20

Uh, 20 29 to august 20 26

That would be amazing if we could go back in time

Um, but one cannot uh, so that's really should be reading august 30th

and then of course june uh,

20 29, uh, not june 20 25 to 20 26. It should read june 29 to december 30th. So is that 29

Uh 20 30 year and we'll make sure that we update the documents, but wanted to kind of highlight that and so in case you're reading that

And our apologies

All right, and then um building the transparency and shared governance

This is about the accountability to community

Is imperative for the score initiative to move forward

Community listening sessions or any other relevant engagement strategies to continue reoccurring engagement to hear feedback

correct course course correct

develop solutions

Collaborate uh, that kind of transparency is going to be very much needed

Um, and that could take the shape of not only those sessions or engagement strategies

But transparency tools such as public dashboards our seed tool and also formalizing the role of our partnership

I think is going to be very key

Working with the same definitions of what shared governance mean and shared power and really having that understanding

And so that visibility

With our um care holders of the racial equity alliance and the racial equity council and whatever shape that they emerge at

In as um in providing the leadership will be very extremely important. And so that's a big part of

Phase three

Um scaling uh that is looking to the codification period as I call it. It's not a very

Yeah, it's it's a very practical uh phase. I would say it's about really being very intentional about how are we codifying

through policy

Or nenses or mandates of some type. That's where we want to merge. That's what we've heard from the community

The sustainability prioritizing resources and staffing the in the enforcement structures

Building the infrastructure and that was also highlighted in the update um earlier at our in the meeting as well

So this is a big part of that that's kind of where we go and how do we so if all of us left

Is this work still moving forward, right?

And so three year review that was also called for and that's consistent with the resolution as well

looking at a type of

type of time stamp of review refining strategy looking at real world

And real lived impact

And then here um kind of putting this into perspective

Practice right now. What does Sacramento look like in 2030?

What does it look like in 2050?

Um

How do we fully implement this to meet that vision of what 2030 is

Um, how do we how do we take this vision and this moment and this movement that we have as the score initiative this

opportunity that we have

to work so closely with

Invested community leaders and care holders

So as we get the things done, what's next? We know what's next and so that's going to take some cultiv cultivating

That's going to take some visioning together and I think that's the opportunity that's before us

we um

As we do this imagining I really want to call for

Dignity affirming practices in this imagination and in this work as we co-create it

That will help us embody the work moving forward

So some practical next steps is what I would like to offer in addition to

What you see in the outline um in the attachment

We are learning this from our cohort experiences

With gaire right now

The jelly cohort, which is the jurisdiction evaluation and learning exchange cohort that our office is part of

We are learning how to implement

race

race equity action plans and so some of these practices these emerging and best practices come from that

as we

gain consistent

meetings and

Feedback loops with our care holders with the alliance as well

Imagineering practice

um

We take a short trip to the future and then see what we want to see and then bring it back and then

Figure out how we get there together, right?

And doing that as a way to ground us. So i'm calling these kind of grounding next steps that regular meeting that touch

Regularly check in and determine how this works in co-creating the vision coming up. We are learning

To establish an evaluation framework very early on

as the learning

That framework would have principles practices and a long-term focus of how we measure our work together

In the study it could be applied to the study as well as the future citywide racial equity action plan

The other is exploring together collectively. What is the culture of learning that we want to have?

And that is removing and that is understanding power dynamics that is removing hierarchy from learning and power

Fostering critical inquiry creativity and a sense of possibility

We challenge some very difficult

harmful narratives and stereotypes so that we can measure what is most meaningful

And then really want to kind of rename

working with community is

What I would call deep consultation and rigor?

That we do it

Consistently that we really wrestle with the difficult questions

Um that we engender

Um pathways of consultation that work for both the city as well as care holders and what that looks like some of that was highlighted in the

partner

Um accountability report that was provided some of it's provided in our own work

flexibility trust and learning

And then the last thing I would say which was um inspired by this morning

Um, I think that one of the other

actions that we should look at is and discuss collectively as well is

We've been able to do a review of the score contract and the invoices that have come in

They are currently being processed

We have

Two particular tasks of that contract that are still in the work to be completed

That's four point one the council retreat and four point three

Build the foundation for racial equity, which is community engagement strategies

And that is approximately 51 000 of the current score contract of the 249

So that's something that we can also bring into the conversation

as well

And um just want to say thank you and look forward to the conversation and any questions that you have

Thank you, ami

Really appreciate you and lorissa just the team's hard work on bringing forth a draft

A very high level draft plan. I know it's just a draft plan. There is a lot in it

And I will pause my comments really quick to see if we have any comments on this item before

We go into discussion. Let's do comments first. Thank you chair. We have three speakers on this item

May I have ryan and robin? Please come forward

Good afternoon

Ami staff

First I want to thank ami and our team for doing such a great and thorough

overview of the

Score initiative work plan. There's a lot of thought that's going into it that I can tell

Um and great intentionality and I think it aligns with a lot of the conversations

We've been having as racial equity alliance racial equity council

And rc

Together i'm a few things. I definitely want to call them a note is that it's very important that

We continue to address the need for continued partnership as

From the city manager's office as this is a priority, right?

Recognizing that we've had in room city manager

A nilson play role within that but as we're in the search for a current city manager

That this remains a priority of who we're hiring right that racial equity is a foundational piece

Of their values that they come in with because from the presentation that

Ami brought up

This is something that's fundamentally changing how we govern in the city of sacramento and I think it's I do in time

And I also think it's important that we call into partnership

Um the role that each city council member plays within that right?

Each of our city council members are representation or representatives of a very diverse

um community that

Put each of us in these positions to lead us going forward, right?

I think there's some great language that ami used in that presentation that talked about how do we reimagine how things are done and looking at

Shifting those things forward, right?

um

I think it's also important that we consider

About a rfp being considered around how do we?

um

Bring in a facilitator or continue the services of someone like race forward who's played such an integral role

And it's getting to this point of the process, right?

This is um well over seven years worth of work that's um happened in partnership

And we have a long road to continue going so who else can play that role and continue role support?

Um as we look at moving this work forward

um

I think at a time when the current federal government and administration is really um attacking the very livelihood of well-being

And the social needs of our diverse communities neighborhoods

It's vitally important that this city be a beacon in representation

A little exciting for those community members needs. Thank you for your comments. Your time is up. Thank you, right?

Robin and after Robin is Malachi

Hello again

um sharing is scary

um, there's a reason why prenuptial agreements are

Created before you get married

Contracts are put into place as relationships are coming together

Sharing is scary

If you have worked hard

to get where you are

Giving away part of that power is hard

But the way forward in this is on the opposite side of fear

Our relationship and co-governance is rooted in trust

It's important that we are personally and systemically

working on capacity building and I applaud and appreciate dr. Barnes for her continued

approach toward collaborative policy

Bias and discrimination are only demystified through awareness

That requires a commitment to collective learning

It requires a commitment to collective questioning

Of our existence and how we got here

This isn't an accident

We didn't accidentally have historically marginalized communities

That happened on purpose

policies are working

As they were intended to so unless we set the intention

To dismantle those policies and replace them

Collectively with something that works for all sacramentins

We are going to find ourselves in four years

In nine years in 20 years in the same place

And that would be sad

I will also

Enjoy my voice to ryan's and saying that the city manager will play a vital role in that as the city manager has

continued to do and

The racial equity alliance despite the fact that we are all volunteers continues. Thank you for your comments. Your time is out. Thank you

final speaker

Greetings madam chair and members of the committee i'm malachi aumann

executive director of the california urban partnership and a member of the racial equity alliance

You know, I I really I I can't thank

ame

Zinzeli barns enough for this

Very powerful piece and and thank the leadership for you know, um the support and the and the um

The stick to itiveness in terms of getting this done

You know as ame said, you know, this is not a

A sprint it it's a long term

Uh and far-reaching journey

Um, you know, I very much aligns with many of the priorities and concerns identified in our racial equity alliance

Planning meeting yesterday that we had

And you know, I as I look at this plan the draft work plan, you know, you know, we're thinking of this in terms of

How to touch communities much sooner?

Than 2029 although, you know, there's there's a rationale for you know, the various states and everything

But you know, how can we do that much sooner particularly in terms of the difficult budget budget decisions?

In front of council members selecting a new city manager, you know, how can we do that sooner?

Um and having the capacity necessary to get this work done

Um and you know, I I I think that uh, you know as we move forward

Um, you know sooner rather than later

Uh is a theme that you know, we would urge this committee and this entire council

Uh to take uh into account

Uh and to do that in in deep consultation and rigor with the community. Thank you

Thank you so much. I believe that was last public comment. I have Mayor pro tem era garon here

Up in the queue and then I do have comments and I can add to your thank you chair

I just wanted to thank you uh and your leadership on this and also assistant city

Assistant interim city manager lady millstein

And on me and her team for this work

And as was mentioned, it's been years of work

Through the gear coalition here and also finally wanted to thank all the community partners and the the coalition for

Continuing this work

As one point was mentioned earlier. They are volunteers and so I hope the work plan helps drive the

The level of support that it's going to take for the the multi-year work plan. So with that, I'll go ahead and

Move the draft work plan

Madam chair

Thanks, uh mayor per tem. I have some direction with the motion

That you have on the table. So hopefully you will approve that but first really just want to say thank you

On me and lorissa and also want to thank all of the community care holder that's been really invested in this process

And I just want to name that, you know, this work began before I was a council member

You know council member garish and nair I would actually say it was city staff in those offices

That really carried a lot of that and I want to say woman of color that carried a lot of that work

For us to get into this moment from coy to kelly to allison

And so many other folks that was involved in that work to get to this moment. So just want to name that

I think on me. Dr. Barnes. You mentioned it best that um, you know

Yeah, I'm just yeah

That we are one of ten cities that we are one of ten cities

And that this is really about co-governance

Movement generational work and I think that's really important to name because it is scary as an elected official

Because it also means that we are sharing our power

And checking in with thought leaders who are our constituents, right and how we move forward and that way is so important

The only thing I have to offer

To the racial equity high level draft

Is that one, um, our next racial equity committee meeting is july 1st

So it will be a while and I would like to request in the motion that

We bring back it could be a proposed budget. I know that's a little scary to say this is after we already voted on our budget

But I think it's really important to come back

with the more in-depth

Work plan that includes us accounting for resources

Staff time to support this work moving forward and I say that because

Even if we have this work plan and there are there are these goals

If we don't prioritize resource and staffing because I saw

Prioritized resource and the staffing in 2029. We should be doing that now in 2025 to ensure that this work

That we can do this work, right?

I also am cognizant that there are some stuff that we're already doing so I want to name that as well

It's not like we're not doing anything. We've have already begun this work as we've heard from our

Interim city manager, so it's really important that we comb through those components

And and I want to be able to say to see in the work plan. What are the additional resources?

What are we currently doing and what what is it going to take?

To bring it to the racial equity committee to make sure that we actually that we can move forward with this plan

So that's my that's my direction because I think that's really important

For the committee to have a better understanding of that as we're gearing up for next year's budget because by the time

you come back july 1st

The the budget for next year will be already be adopted

So we need to be prepared for next round and I just wanted to share that

The other thing I like to offer

And really appreciate members of the alliance is that as we move forward with the work plan

The loop around and the alignment of shaping the work plan is going to be really important. I think you

Um, you already named that named them. That's great. And I heard that from the public comment from our alliance as well

That's going to be really critical. So those are the only two things I have to offer

Is in july 1st a more in-depth about the work plan and resources. What is it going to take?

And that also may include a potential facilitator with race forward or with another organization

I don't know but I do I am looking at staff to come back with a recommendation for this

Committee to consider. I think that would be really important

And then lastly, I just want to hold space for community members

That may feel a sense of

Because I feel this too sitting on this dies is like, oh my god, this work plan is till 2029

Right. I just want to remind folks that like

The system that is created today wasn't created overnight, right?

The outcomes we see today is because of institutional harms and it's going to take time for us to undo that

And I would encourage folks to be engaged with the work plan

As well because it does demand

A collective effort from electeds and residents and city staff, right?

And so I just wanted to to share that

But that is my only direction to the motion on the on the table

Mayor pro tem garra if you're okay with that and then we can move the item

Yeah, glad to add the that direction as part of the motion moving forward. Okay, great

And I just saw vice mayor tallamont is just queued up. So I want to make sure that

She gets a moment to speak. Yeah. Thank you chair. Um, I guess for me

I know uh chair bank just said that she's looking for like a third party facilitator

I'd prefer for this to be done internally, um in house because I think that

City staff know exactly where to go who to go to and have relationships with other city staff

So we can keep this progress going and so I guess from my end like as you create your work plan like how can we be more efficient

With staff time if you need to dedicate other people

Work with the city manager's office to see to see who has capacity to be able to continue moving this work forward

just because I just

There's a limited budget and we need to make sure that we continue the work

But also are using our staff time because we have the relationships and it's our job as government

To reach out to the community and to build relationships with the community and have these tough conversations

Not a third person's job someone that's day to day at the city of sacramento

So that's my commitment to to the community to the racial equity committee

Uh to go to move forward

Great. I think that's a really good, um option that you provided one alternative

I would request for city staff to bring back that option. Um, if not a facilitator I do

And I'm just gonna say it that if we don't have an outside facilitator

It's because there's no capacity in the office of diversity and equity and so if that is

Right, I'm I'm totally cool with us

Adding more staff so that there's capacity to do that work because I will be honest that

Two staff is not sufficient to do outreach in the community and it is on our elected officials

And I actually would say let's bring that as part of the proposal

I think that's really important that that we if we do decide to do it in-house

What does that look like in terms of budget because that's still gonna?

Take resources as well so we can bring that back and I'm okay with that

I think that also means we just have to expand the office. So I just wanted to name that as well

Um, so yeah, we'd love for city staff to bring that back and we can have that conversation and looking forward to july 1st

Yeah, and just an idea. We have community engagement. Lynette hall. We have incredible people to be able to add up

Yep

Okay, I think that is it are are we good on direction?

Ami or do you need?

Yes, yeah, we'll cause much as we want to make sure that the direction is clear. Yeah, I think

Very clear and that's makes sense as a logical step

I think what would be really important too is that um, I know that everything that we discuss in the trio programs

You know in the trio meetings. I think what would be really helpful is to talk with our alliance community members about what that

may look like

And really understand for us need

So i'm hoping that we can make that part of in the container of those meetings and that we can bring that back to

The council because that would be a really that's a tremendous feedback loop for for us. I consider my

virtual office all day and imagine

stuff

All day, but we need to it needs to land and it needs to be practical

It's the same consultation process that I have with the interim city manager

And hr director in so we need that those loops too. So if that's something that you could support us with

council member in terms of making sure that

And happy to support that that we have that those really those deep dive conversations because I think

Bringing back that work product and the recommendation with that input would be tremendous

Yeah, I think help it a lot. Yeah, that sounds good

And I do know that the trio meetings are happening with city staff with the alliance

So perhaps that could be an agenda item for us to just discuss as well

Because what I don't want happening is that there was this relationship built and all of a sudden the city decided that

We're just not going to continue that I think there needs to be intentionality where we land

So that's really important

But I also know like this is why we have this

We have the space to discuss how we want to move forward as a community, right?

And so I think on me. I think you heard the direction from all of us

I think having the alternative of doing it in house. What would that cost? What would that take?

Um, I think we should have that conversation on july 1st. So if we can prepare that that would be really great

Okay, thank you so much and with that there's a motion on the table

with the direction to bring back a more in-depth work plan with

potential resources and allocation of what this may take for it to be implemented. So

All in favor say aye

Great that motion passes. Thank you so much

All right our last item I have about like 23 minutes. So let's see if we can get through this

The next item is updates regarding the Sacramento Sanctuary city efforts and the presenter is susan kang actually from my office

And before susan present

I just want to take this moment to share that I actually request it as chair for this item to be heard because of many

Um

Many emails and phone calls and conversations. I have had in the community really regarding fears

Around what's happening across our country and here locally in Sacramento

And as many of you know, we've been a sanctuary city since 1985. We reaffirmed our commitment in 2017 really through the leadership of mayor pro tem

era gara and it was important

For me for us to provide updates of what we've been doing as a city in particular

And just to have discussion on some actual item next steps moving forward

And so with that, um, susan's just going to present a really high level timeline

What we've done and I believe we have city

Members from the city attorney's office here to also present as well and also members from the fill network

As well. And so with that, I'll hand it over to susan. Thank you councilmember vang

Um, good good afternoon committee members and member of the public joining us today

My name is susan kang and I serve as the constituent affairs director for accounts member my vang

Um, I'll just be walking you through the city of sacramento sanctuary city efforts

Where we currently stand and how we're continuing to support and protect our immigrant and refugee communities

Specifically, we'll be covering the city of sacramento sanctuary city resolution

The the sacramento fuel network and city funding and then the current

Joint lawsuit against the federal administration

Like councilmember vang mentioned, I will also be inviting our city attorney's office to speak more about the

lawsuit as well as the sacramento fuel network to join me on leading some parts of the presentation

But before we begin, I want to also thank mayor pro tem eric gara

continued advocacy and leadership on this issue

Your leadership and advocating to ensure protection and that our communities here

Are protected and that there's equal opportunity for our refugee and immigrant communities. So thank you

All right with that we will begin to look at sacramento's history as a sanctuary city

The city of sacramento has a long-standing legacy of protecting its immigrant population

Beginning in december 1985 when the city council adopted resolution 85 973

officially declaring sacramento a sanctuary city and given the political context at the time the council recognized

refugees from guatemala and el salvador as political refugees and with that the city recognized

Sacramento as a haven for all refugees offering protection until they could either return to their homeland safely

Or gain federally recognized residency

Resolution 85 973 also prohibited city employees from asking individuals immigration status

This is this was with the intention to protect our refugee and immigrant populations

And this resolution marked the beginning of our city's formal commitment to providing refuge and protection to those seeking safety

and opportunity in sacramento

In may 17 in may 2017 the city reaffirmed and strengthened this commitment by adopting resolution

2017 0158 which repealed and replaced the original 1985 resolution

uh resolution 2017 05 158 boldly restates sacramento's position as a city of sanctuary

Grounded in the values of diversity equality and respect for all people regardless of immigration status

But more than just a statement of values this resolution this resolution includes tangible protections

It emphasizes trust building between residents and city employees

Including our law enforcement and it and it ensures that local resources are not used to enforce federal immigration efforts

specifically the resolution reads that no city official

employee or agent of the city while in the course and scope of employment shall use any city funds or resources

to enforce federal civil immigration law

And as our city continues to grow and change so do the so does the need of our

immigrant and refugee communities

Which bringing which brought about the informal adoption of resolution

2017 0158 and this resolution currently remains the standing document that showcased the city's commitment to protecting and acknowledging

Sacramento's refugee and immigrant communities

Um this next portion of the presentation will talk about the sacramento fuel network and the city's funding efforts

Um in a moment. I will invite marcus to hang up from the fuel network to co-present with me um on this portion

But just a little history with the fuel network so

uh along with the resolution

2017 0158

The city of sacramento entered into a partnership with local organizations to provide legal and health services to sacramento's immigrant and refugee population

And this this partnership became known as the fuel network or the sacramento family unity education and legal network for immigrants

The same day that resolution 2017 0158 was adopted council also adopted resolution

2017 0159 which authorized an appropriation of up to 300 thousand dollars from the general fund in fiscal year

2017 18 and this funding was designated as a grant to the fuel network to provide critical

legal and support services to sacramento families facing imminent threats of deportation

And since 2017 the city continues to fund the sacramento fuel network

From 2018 to 2025

Uh the fuel network was hosted by california rural legal assistance foundation

In october 2023, uh the city and california rural legal assistant foundation entered into grant agreement number

2023 1543

And under this agreement the city committed to providing 500 thousand dollars in grant funding for fiscal year 2022 and 23

With an additional 500 thousand dollars for fiscal year 2023 24

Which totals up to 1 million dollars in support to the fuel network under the california rural legal assistance foundation

And this ongoing partnership and the city's ongoing funding reflects our continued investment and resources that directly uplifts and safeguards our immigrant communities

And with that I'd like to invite marcus tang up from the fuel network to present a little bit more details about the network and the work that they have been doing over the years

Thank you. Um, good afternoon council members. I realize it's been a long meeting. So I'll keep my remarks brief and this presentation

You know as informative as possible

and so

You'll see, you know, it says 2018 to 2025 we were fuel was hosted by cLAF and that's because recently

A team of us at cLAF launched a spin-off organization the california immigration project

Really to be able to expand the the legal services that we're able to do

in in sacramento and the central valley

and

You know the goal here is

The entire fuel team at cLAF moved over to cip as well. Um, and so there's there's the continuity

Of services and everything that you know, the transition has been very smooth

Thanks. We also in part because of the partnership here for the city

But I wanted to talk a little bit more about the fuel network generally so

We've grown a lot since the you know since 2007

We are now the coalition is over 80 local nonprofits churches religious organizations immigration clinics government agencies

Volunteer attorneys or you know other volunteers

schools colleges and just other community partners

And it's really this collaboration

To provide legal information and help to health services to sacramento's immigrant and refugee population

Um, I think you know in 2017 when we were trying to map this out and that was really you know

Thanks to the leadership of council member yetta

As well as mayor steinberg at the time

Um, we were thinking how can we how can we really leverage the the strength and and of of the service provider community that already exists in sacramento

And and parrot right with this this 300 000 at the time investment from the city, you know, financial investment

To create something

Even even more robust, you know to serve our community in sacramento

And so it's the fuel has always been designed to to to be very collaborative

And so part of the funding does pay for staff

So we have it pays for three legal positions as well as one program coordinator

But then a big portion of the funding is also sub grants for other providers, you know

Recognizing that the fiscal lead agency right now cip and then you know for the past eight years

CLAF can't just alone serve the entire community in terms of both capacity, but also in terms of

The special the specialization of of the clients that we we we work with right?

I think cLAF has a very specific client constituent group

But there's because sacramento's community immigrant community is so very diverse

You know, we wanted to make sure that we were designing a program

That could really touch every part of the sacramento immigrant community

Um, and so I think the best way to understand what fuel does is to think about it in terms of

There are services that are provided to

Um

To fuel partners and there are services that are provided

By fuel partners to the to the community. And so I'll actually start with um, I think I actually

I apologize. I'm going to start at the bottom

Um, the services that are provided by

fuel partners

And so, you know, first of all, of course is the know your rights presentations in 2017 as well as right now

We we saw a lot of

Misinformation and uncertainty around immigration policy because it was constantly changing the federal government was constantly

um, announcing new policy

Proposing new policy it could be, you know a tweet on monday morning and all of a sudden we would our offices would be flooded

With phone calls about, you know, what what does this all mean? And so, um, we started

Expanding the know your rights presentations we gave in the community so that folks would understand

What are your rights under immigration law? What are your rights under the constitution?

And and part of this effort was also to ensure that there was uniformity and consistency across the presentations that were given

And so we we we worked with local partners to develop a standard kind of curriculum that we would share in these community presentations

so that

No matter who was giving the presentation

I know no matter what community was getting the presentation. It was the same consistent information

And of course it was updated and continues to be updated to reflect, you know changes that that happened on a weekly basis

Um, the second service that is offered by fuel partners is what we call fee pa or family emergency preparedness

And and this really kind of spoke to the the the concern at the time and as well as right now of you know, what happens to

um to us citizen children or or lpr children if their undocumented parents are detained or deported, right?

So we we tried we we developed this um

This assistance and trained partners on providing it to help families prepare mixed status families prepare for that possibility of family separation

um, you know anything from

Making sure that there's someone that can pick your kids up from school

Making sure that there's paperwork that that has been completed so that people so that the the caregiver that um

That would be acting in in place of the parent who may be detained or deported

Has the authority to bring someone you know bring a child to a medical appointment or travel with them

And so that's still a service, you know key service that we provide today

and then of course the

Huge component of the fuel network is immigration legal services and this really includes anything from

You know DACA or tps renewals kind of on the more limited scope side of things to just consultations to ensure that folks can better understand their immigration situation

To removal defense right so actually representing people in immigration court

As the government is trying to deport them

And then recently we've also expanded that piece with the introduction of the sacramento immigration court

So the federal government did not used to have an immigration court in sacramento

It was a little bit after the fuel network was established that it brought a sacramento an immigration court to sacramento

And so we also established what we call the attorney of the day program

Um, and here what we're talking about

Is providing

Same day limited counsel to individuals who are not represented appearing before immigration judges in sacramento

You know recognizing that most people who appear before immigration judges do not have representation

And even though we don't have the capacity to fully represent them

We still want to make sure that they have you know the advice and counsel to to appear on that day

And so that program has has kind of it was kind of spawned from fuel and we're you know, we continue because of how important it is

Um, and then during covet so you know

It's been eight years since the fuel program was established and over the that time

The needs of the immigrant community has has shifted and changed during coveted something we recognized was that

The trauma that results from immigration enforcement and deportation as well as from the pandemic was creating

um

A lot of mental health need in the community

And so we started allocating some of the funding that we received from the city to pay for

Individual and group therapy provided by licensed

um partners that that have license

um, you know to provide these services

and then finally, um

Another service that's provided by fuel partners is the rapid response hotline

And so this is a 24 seven number that folks can call if they are

witnessing or experiencing immigration enforcement so that

You know once they make that call it activates a network of volunteers that will one

You know first verify that that is actual ice enforcement that's happening. And then if it is send

Volunteer attorneys a network of volunteer attorneys as well as our staff to 650 capital right the the ice processing center in

Sacramento to do emergency consultations negotiate with ice, you know to try to prevent someone from being immediately deported or or

Detained, you know across the country, um, which can be really critical

You know those are those first few hours are really critical in someone's removal case

And so those are the kind of the summary of the services that that providers

That fuel partners provide in you know in partnership with cip and you know about a month ago in the last eight years here laf

Um, but something else that we we try to offer is supporting the fuel partners themselves, right?

And so now going back to the top of the slide

The trainings that that we that we're talking about here are train the trainers presentations

So that those who are giving know your rights presentations have the

The updates to immigration law and the language and the best practices to actually deliver these trainings in the community

Um, other trainings we offer are also undoc you ally trainings or you know, what we call ally trainings for educators and here

We're talking about going to um the different school districts and we've we've done these for I think all five school districts in in

Sacramento

To essentially better prepare

um

teachers counselors educators

Administrators on and on how to support their undocumented students, right?

How do you talk about college given that there's fewer resources for undocumented students?

And then and then also recently, you know talking about sanctuary policies at those schools

um

The technical assistance we offer is is similar in that you know, so it's you know, recognizing that we have a lot of attorneys and

And legal expertise in house. It's being able to offer

Technical assistance to to partners that may have questions about immigration law or you know, I think a good example of this is

We helped SAC unified

Back in 2017 and we've been having conversations with them more recently again

develop a policy around, you know, what

What should school officials do if ice shows up on campus?

And and that's actually a conversation we also were able to have with the city attorney's office recently about Sacramento city

You know same same scenario in if it's a Sacramento city location

Well, you know, what should a city employee do?

And so I think you know with this technical assistance piece

We're trying to lend our expertise in immigration law to those that you know

Other agencies or partners that may not have that specific expertise and we can we can maybe help there

Um and then with materials. Hey, Marcus. I just want to let you know just because of time

So, um, I don't want to push you a little hard. Oh, yeah, it's fine. Well, great. Awesome materials

We're just printing things and giving them out and then

Resource and network coordination is we had that program coordinator position that I mentioned, right?

So we we need to make sure that the entire network is talking and uniform

in its services

I just want to share out all the partners that are here and are not here here

But you know that are part of the fuel network that are funded and again the the goal with building our coalition

Was to be to to really be able to address the diverse the diversity of sacrament as immigrant and refugee community

Um, and I'll just kind of throw these these numbers up. I'm not going to go through them word for word

But this is kind of what we were able to accomplish in the previous fiscal year

Um, and not just we as in Sierra Lea for cip, but the you know, all the partners together

And then the last slide I have is just the other, you know other partners that we have as part of the network

Thank you Marcus. Um, yes, so just really quick

Just wanted to thank all the funded fuel partners and then all the other care holders who have hosted new yorkites workshops

Just this year and previous years and many many more who hold and carry this work to ensure that our families here are

safe and protected and informed and then i'm going to go ahead and pass it over to kathryn from

The city's attorney's office to talk a little bit more about the joint lawsuit

Thank you

Good afternoon, madam chair committee members. My name is kathryn underwood. I'm a senior deputy city attorney

I'm here to provide you with a very brief update on the san francisco versus donald trump litigation

So on february 27th of 2025 the city of sacramento joined 15 other cities and counties from across the country

Assuing donald trump and his administration for their threats to withhold or freeze federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions

the plaintiffs in this case we seek

declarations from the court that donald trump's executive orders are unconstitutional

And we are requesting preliminary and permanent injunctions stopping the administration from withholding funds

And or enforcing against sanctuary cities

The lawsuit is venue to the united states district court northern district of california, which is in san francisco

And united states district court judge william orrick is hearing the case

Last week judge orrick granted plaintiffs requests for a preliminary injunction

Now first a little background on this during his first term in office

donald trump issued executive orders seeking to force local authorities to carry out federal immigration efforts

And he threatened again to withhold funds from and enforce against jurisdictions that did not follow his orders

The city and county of san francisco and the county of san a claras sued in 2017 that case was heard by judge orrick the judge in our case

Back then judge orrick ruled in favor of san francisco and san a claras and the ninth circuit court of appeals affirmed his order

So that ruling is precedent that brings us to today

In the words of judge orrick here. We are again

So shortly after taking office in 2025 donald trump again issued executive orders withholding federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions

On february 5th 2025 attorney general pamela bondi issued a memo to all department of justice employees

Stating sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by the department of justice

Plainness again challenged these actions as unconstitutional

Most recently we asked judge orrick to issue the preliminary injunction

restraining and enjoining the administration from taking any action to withhold

Freeze or condition federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions during the pendency of this litigation

And that is the order that he issued last week granting the preliminary injunction. So that's the status to date

It's a fluid process the case is ongoing and i'm available if any of you have questions

Okay, well great. Thank you so much susan and just staff from city attorney's office and marcus for being here today to provide

Just an update about our efforts at the city level. I know we've had a lot of questions

So it's really important to stick come back to this committee

Subcommittee of the mayor and council to provide updates so that we could share that with the community

How many public comments do we have we have two public comments?

Why don't we take the public comments and then I see that mayor pro tem gara is queued up

Thank you chair. Can I have joined cambell come up and ronda, please?

Yes, okay ronda

He's down. Sorry short

Mark is much taller than I

Um, my name is ronda reos cravitz and i'm here representing alianza and the sacramento immigration coalition

I live in district seven my pronouns are she her a

And i'm proud to be a resident of sacramento, which has the long-standing commitment to fostering inclusive equitable and diverse community

and confronting systemic racial inequities

also

Strongly supporting our immigrant communities which have enriched sacramento's culture

Strengthens its infrastructure and driven economic growth

Today, however, we face an urgent need to reinforce this commitment

The trump administration's cruel and unjust immigration policies continue to threaten the safety and dignity of our residents

The sacramento immigration coalition urges the city council to update its sanctuary resolution and pledge to safeguard the civil rights of immigrants

To the fullest extent possible

We must resist federal overreach and harmful enforcement procedures that tear families apart

And place individuals into detention centers rife with neglect and inhumane treatment

Recent executive orders have escalated

deportations without due process and judicial review

They have sent individuals including you as citizens to countries where their safety is at grave risk

No resident should ever fear engaging with their local government

Our resolutions help foster trust

reaffirm our ethical and moral commitments and demonstrate the courage of our convictions to support our immigrant populations

Yesterday as illinois governor pritzker boldly stated we will fight their cruelty in referencing trump's policies with every

microphone that we have

Resolutions are our microphone

Updating our resolution is necessary even in the face of legal challenges

sanctuary policies are

Fundamentally about public safety and every member of our community must feel safe

Documented or undocumented and updated resolution

Courageously the time is up announces that commitment. Thank you. So again, we support you the rewriting and

Putting forth a different resolution. Thank you

Thank you ronda. Um, is that the last comment? Okay. We have mayor pro tem in the queue. Great. Thank you very much

I just first want to thank, um, you know, dr. Cravid reels cravitz and dr. Campbell

You know, I I remember the the advocacy and lessons and learns that I've learned when I was their student at sac state

And their continued commitment to this issue, you know is I think

Very commemorable and not only that but all the work that's been done at the dreamers resource centers both at sac state and at

the sac city college

And to that point, you know the outcomes of the work that the city has done through the fuel network

Through the combination of multiple partners if we think about what was the most effective

If you want to say bank for your buck most

thoughts conscious

Conscious way of delivering services and protecting what is fundamental?

Which is our constitutional rights was through the creation of the fuel network

Because we've had hundreds of DACA students who have benefited from this

These are kids who came here at younger the age to be eligible for DACA under the age of

Of 16 and before 2007 they are sacramentans and this network has helped just in that minor point

But most importantly, I think what's important about where we are today

Is that the work that has been done through the fuel network and its funding of its partners and the commitment by the city?

on the issue on the issue of

Child separation and custody is so important

And I say that because just yesterday the federal government deported a two-year-old child

So the issue about custody issues, you know the issue of making sure that our families have the right legal

Documentations prepared the issue of being able to have their power of attorneys

So that they can if they are deported someone can access their bank accounts to be able to give them the support for their families that they've earned here

while working here

While working for the city while working for our city here in every capacity as business owners

as well

And respecting their rights

Only occurs because of the work we've done through the fuel network

And I just wanted to you know say one that I do want to thank marcus

And magda pedis and those who were involved early on in drafting the the resolution that was updated in

2017 because we had dr

um, kevin johnson from uh, uc davis

Hall mary walter mire louise spedes the sacramento bar association the unity bar all these legal minds

I want to recognize uh as a assistant city attorney

um, gustavo martinez for his

Scholarly illegal work during that time

When city attorney jim sancas was here

There was a lot of thought that went in there that understood a number of things

Including the issue of article one of the california constitution

Which has been a fundamental piece which is the right to privacy

And the right to privacy is one thing that we're upholding here

To today as well and that is goes back to the founding roots of our country federalism

So one, uh, I do want to say for any of those who question whether we are in compliance with federal law

You know, I'll ask our our city

Assistant city attorney if we are in compliance with federal law because that's what the

Administration contends and mr. City assistant city attorney is there a quick question here. Are we in compliance with federal law?

Yeah, our sanctuary city policy, uh, was written

Like you said back in 2017 it was at that time found to be in compliance with federal law

As katharine underwood just said that there was a federal night circuit court of appeal

Case that said sanctuary cities and policies like ours were

Were were lawful at that time

today

We have the same situation come up and the issue again is is it lawful and it's being litigator right now

We have a preliminary junction that is saying that it is lawful and we expect to have a final decision written shortly on it

Thank you. And to that point. I mean it it is clear to me that one

Um, what we are doing here is making sure that our city is providing municipal services

Regardless of your status because it has no bearing on immigration law

The federal government has to get its act in order and that's on their part

But for us we are providing essential city services

And the fact here is that this uh, this president has no heart and has no loyalty

To the law of the land, which is our constitution and what we are doing here today is continuing

For anybody questions what the city sacramento is doing is we are continuing to fight for the constitution

That's what our ordinances and our uh, in our actions here today. So with that, I will just say

I know this is uh for information only but it's one that I think is

Imperative for us to continue to move forward. I know we've got another meeting here, uh, madam chair

But I appreciate you bringing this item forward

Thank you mayor pro tem really appreciate just your passion and your leadership on this item

I just have some quick comments and then wanted to provide just also some updates on

Some work that has been happening in the city manager's office and actually in our city attorney's office as well

And so I first I just really wanted to thank um our incredible cbo partners and the fill network

As you saw earlier, there's lots of organizations so many organizations that are doing this work

Including our school district. That's really leading the know your rights workshop

Some workshops are online some workshops are not even shared on social media because they want to be

Really careful about the ways in which we reach out to community because of the fear

And so I really just want to thank all of our cbo partners in our school district

That's leading the know your rights workshop. Um, and very similar to mayor pro tem

Gara, you know, I think for me in particular

This is really about ensuring that we protect the rights of all of our residents no matter your status

That's really really important and um, as you know, we are gearing up for the summer

School is about to to end pretty soon and many of our school sites are often safe havens for our students with protocols on what to do

It should federal um

Federal ice agent comes onto campus or close by um, and I think that's also important that uh those protection

Happens at our city pools and our city community centers as well. And so what I also wanted to share is that I have

Been in conversation with our city manager

Interim city manager and our city attorney to ensure that we actually develop some internal protocols with clear guidelines

For city staff so that they're aware of what to do. I should that should that occur?

And so I just wanted to share that as well. I know there's been a lot of

conversation about updating the

Resolution from 2017 and I just also want to share a community that I hear that and we will take your comments

And I would say that at this very moment because we're in this lawsuit

We also want to make sure that you know, we are just basing off of 2017

But we do take any edits any comments that you may have, you know, my city my staff will take it

And should we revisit the resolution will make sure to include that moving forward

And so I just wanted to share that but really wanted just to say

That thank you to city staff. Thank you to our cbo's for all the great work that you're doing

And thank you to our city attorney and their team for all the work that they're doing with that

Just thank you so much. And I think that's the last item that we have right

Okay, with that there's no public comments and then we will adjourn this meeting at 108. Thank you so much

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