Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Lafayette awarded $19.5M in competitive state grant funds for permanent supportive housing project

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View from the parking lot rendering of the proposed Sunflower Hill Lafayette. Source: Sunflower Hill

For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Award from the California Department of Housing and Community Development Super NOFA funding brings the project one step closer to reality for Sunflower Hill and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates.

By Suzanne Iarla, Public Information Officer, City of Lafayette

Lafayette, CA: The vision to build 48 permanent supportive housing units in downtown Lafayette for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) is one step closer to becoming a reality after Governor Newson announced on September 22, 2025 that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is awarding funding for 30 affordable housing projects across California, including the proposed development at 949 Moraga Road by non-profit co-developers, Sunflower Hill and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA).

According to their website, founded in 2012, Sunflower Hill (SFH) is “a registered 501c3 non-profit co-developing affordable residential communities and creating programs and activities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that support independence and interdependence.” They have an affordable housing community in Pleasanton and multi-disciplinary in-person and virtual programs and activities in Pleasanton and Livermore.

Sunflower Hill Lafayette will be designed for people with I/DD, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other chromosomal abnormalities. The project would mark SFH’s first expansion into Contra Costa County. The 0.74 acre site was acquired by the city of Lafayette in 2010 and was designated as exempt surplus land by the City in early 2025. In April 2025, the Lafayette City Council unanimously approved an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with SFH/SAHA to help the project move forward. In May 2025, the team presented an initial version of the new community at a Planning Commission and Design Review Study Session.

The project team will continue to apply for competitive funding at the county, state and federal levels. If fully funded and realized, the community will offer one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, plus ample space for supportive activities and services such as a teaching kitchen, fitness room, community room, community garden and other flex space areas both inside and outdoors.

Source: Sunflower Hill

“Lafayette truly is a community of character,” said Rosemary Kirbach, Sunflower Hill board member and land committee chair. “We are very grateful to the City, our partner SAHA, and the greater Lafayette community. There is a long history of support in Lafayette for individuals with I/DD, including Las Trampas and Futures Explored and we are proud to build on that legacy. 949 Moraga will be Sunflower Hill’s first expansion into Contra Costa County.”

The application for the State’s Multifamily Finance Super NOFA funding was incredibly competitive, with only two awards in Contra Costa County.

The City of Lafayette had previously identified this city-owned site, currently a parking lot, as an opportunity site for housing under its Housing Element. The City has entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Rights Agreement and intends to contribute the land for the development, conditioned on the project acquiring full funding.

Lafayette Mayor Susan Candell said, “We are proud to partner with Sunflower Hill and SAHA to build stable, supportive, 100% affordable housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are excited to see this project coming to our community and have pledged to support the project by donating the land for this project.”

Entry view rendering of the proposed Sunflower Hill Lafayette housing project. Source: Sunflower Hill

“We’re thrilled to reach this funding milestone – while there is still plenty of work ahead, this is a monumental step forward and shows what we can accomplish working together,” commented Eve Stewart, SVP of Real Estate for SAHA.

“We are so grateful to the Governor and HCD for providing this much-needed funding to build affordable housing,” added Mayor Candell.

Sunflower Hill’s designs for the new community include one- and two-bedroom apartments, a community room, fitness room, teaching kitchen and small garden.

“I am thrilled that Sunflower Hill has chosen to build supportive housing in Lafayette and we look forward to working together with them and the other project partners to build much needed homes for people with developmental disabilities,” added City Manager Niroop Srivatsa.

See Governor’s Office funding announcement.

About Sunflower Hill:

Sunflower Hill’s mission is to provide affordable housing, life skills and enrichment programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Bay Area. The 949 Moraga project team for Sunflower Hill includes Kathy Layman and land use expert Brian Griggs.

Irby Ranch, Sunflower’s first community in Pleasanton, opened in 2020. Plans are now underway for two new developments in the City of Dublin.

Website: sunflowerhill.org/communities/lafayette

About Satellite Affordable Housing Associates:

SAHA is a Berkeley-based non-profit with over 50 years’ experience developing and managing affordable housing. SAHA operates nearly 80 Bay Area communities for families, low-income seniors and people with special needs, providing services to more than 3,500 households

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

SF Bay Area road, bridge conditions, congestion and safety examined in new report

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Source: TRIP

Existing transportation funding strained by rising construction costs, population growth, potential decrease in state gas tax revenue

“115 of 1,374 bridges are rated poor/structurally deficient, with significant deterioration” – TRIP Report

By Carolyn Bonifas Kelly, Director of Communication & Research, TRIP

San Francisco, CA – While additional state and federal transportation funding is allowing California to repair and improve roads and bridges, a new report documents looming challenges including population growth, rising congestion, construction cost inflation and declining fuel-tax revenue. The report by The Road Information Program, TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit based in Washington, DC, examines California’s road and bridge conditions, congestion and reliability, highway safety, economic development, vehicle travel trends, and the impact of recent state and federal transportation funding increases.

The TRIP report, “Keeping California Mobile: Providing a Modern, Sustainable Transportation System in the Golden State,” finds that throughout the state, traffic fatalities have increased significantly in the last decade despite recent downward trends, 50 percent of major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, five percent of locally and state-maintained bridges (20 feet or more in length) are rated poor/structurally deficient, and traffic congestion costs the state’s drivers $55 billion annually in lost time and wasted fuel. In addition to statewide data, the TRIP report includes regional pavement and bridge conditions, congestion data, highway safety data, and cost breakdowns for the Los Angeles, Riverside-San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco-Oakland and San Jose urban areas.

The TRIP report finds that 73 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads in the San Francisco-Oakland urban area are in poor or mediocre condition, costing the average motorist an additional $1,106 each year in extra vehicle operating costs, including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear. Statewide, 28 percent of California’s major roads are in poor condition and 22 percent are in mediocre condition. TRIP estimates that the state’s drivers lose $24.2 billion annually in extra vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on deteriorated roads.

In the San Francisco-Oakland area, eight percent of bridges (115 of 1,374 bridges) are rated poor/structurally deficient, with significant deterioration to the bridge deck, supports or other major components. This includes locally and state-maintained bridges that are 20 feet or longer. Statewide, five percent of California’s bridges are rated poor/structurally deficient. Most bridges are designed to last 50 years before major overhaul or replacement. In California, 54 percent of the state’s bridges were built in 1969 or earlier.

According to the TRIP report, traffic congestion in the San Francisco-Oakland area causes 111 annual hours of delay for the average motorist and costs the average driver $3,406 annually in lost time and wasted fuel. On average, San Francisco-Oakland drivers waste 38 gallons of fuel annually due to congestion. Statewide, drivers lose $55 billion annually because of lost time and wasted fuel due to traffic congestion. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, vehicle travel in California dropped by as much as 41 percent in April 2020 (as compared to vehicle travel during the same month the previous year). By 2025, vehicle miles of travel in California had rebounded to five percent below 2019’s pre-pandemic levels. Congestion reduces job accessibility significantly. In California’s six largest metros, the number of jobs accessible within a 40-minute drive during peak hours were reduced by 44 percent in 2023 as a result of traffic congestion.

Source: TRIP

Traffic crashes in California claimed the lives of 24,508 people from 2019 to 2024. The state’s 2024 traffic fatality rate of 1.19 fatalities for every 100 million miles traveled was slightly lower than the national average of 1.2. The number of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in California spiked dramatically in 2020 and 2021 before falling each year from 2022 to 2024. But, despite recent progress, from 2014 to 2024 the number of traffic fatalities in California increased 24 percent and the state’s traffic fatality rate increased 29 percent. From 2019 to 2023, 30 percent of those killed in California crashes involving motorized vehicles were pedestrians or bicyclists. In the San Francisco-Oakland area, 36 percent of traffic fatalities between 2019 and 2023 (306 of 934) were pedestrians or bicyclists.

“California’s future depends on transportation infrastructure that can withstand the challenges of a changing climate and a growing population,” said Senator Dave Cortese, chair of the California Senate Transportation Committee. “These investments don’t just move people and goods—they cut emissions, strengthen communities, create jobs, and spur economic growth. The TRIP report makes clear that smart infrastructure investments are among the most powerful tools we have to support California’s workforce and drive long-term economic prosperity.”

Improvements to California’s roads, highways and bridges are funded by local, state and federal governments. In April 2017, the California legislature enacted SB 1 — the Road Repair and Accountability Act. SB 1 increased state revenues for transportation by increasing the state’s gasoline and diesel taxes, implementing a transportation investment fee on vehicles and initiating an annual fee on zero emission vehicles. SB 1 is estimated to increase state revenues for California’s transportation system by an average of $5.2 billion annually through to 2027. In addition to state transportation funding, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law on November 2021, provides $25.3 billion in federal funds to the state for highway and bridge investments in California over five years, representing a 29 percent increase in annual federal funding for roads and bridges in the state over the previous federal surface transportation program. The IIJA is set to expire on September 30, 2026.

“California’s transportation system is the backbone of our daily lives, connecting millions of people to work, school, and opportunity,” said Assemblymember Lori Wilson, chair of the California State Assembly Transportation Committee. “The TRIP report provides the proof points behind what we already know: our infrastructure needs are urgent and growing. As we transition to cleaner vehicles and more sustainable mobility, we must secure fair and reliable funding solutions to ensure tomorrow’s infrastructure serves Californians better than today’s.”

The ability of revenue from California’s motor fuel tax – a critical source of state transportation funds – to keep pace with the state’s future transportation needs is likely to erode as a result of increasing vehicle fuel efficiency, the increasing use of electric vehicles and inflation in highway construction costs. The Federal Highway Administration’s national highway construction cost index, which measures labor and materials cost, increased by 48 percent from the beginning of 2022 through the fourth quarter of 2024.

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) found that steps taken by California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including programs and policies that are targeted at increasing the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), increasing the use of lower-carbon fuels, and reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled will reduce state transportation revenues by $4.4 billion over the next decade. This reduction in state transportation spending which is projected to result in poorer road conditions. However, the recent federal rollbacks to California strict emissions requirements will impact these programs and policies.

“Our deteriorating transportation system costs Californians lives, time, and money,” said California Transportation Commissioner Joseph Cruz. “Every investment in improving and maintaining our roads, bridges, and transit networks is an investment in people. These projects don’t just build infrastructure – they create good jobs, support local economies, and ensure California’s workforce is at the center of the solution.”

Source: TRIP

The efficiency and condition of California’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy. In 2023 California’s freight system moved 1.4 billion tons of freight, valued at $2.8 trillion. From 2022 to 2050, freight moved annually in California by trucks is expected to increase 65 percent by weight and 100 percent by value (inflation-adjusted dollars). The design, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure in California supports approximately 420,000 full-time jobs across all sectors of the state economy. Approximately 7.1 million full-time jobs in California in key industries like tourism, retail sales, agriculture and manufacturing are dependent on the quality, safety and reliability of the state’s transportation infrastructure network.

“California’s transportation dollars are already being stretched thin by increased inflation in construction costs and declining fuel tax revenue,” said Dave Kearby, TRIP’s executive director. “Without additional transportation investment, needed projects that would make the state’s roads safer, smoother and more efficient will not move forward.”

Opinion: “Free” federal program blowing hole in state budgets

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340B Drug Pricing Program costing employee health plans $5B per year

“Hospitals realized they could buy heavily discounted drugs and resell them to insured, middle-class patients at huge markups.”

By Dan Crippen

An obscure, supposedly free federal program is blowing a hole in state budgets — by depriving state governments of billions in corporate tax revenue and inflating costs for their public employee health plans.

The culprit is the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which Congress established in 1992 to help safety-net hospitals. Once enrolled, qualifying hospitals and clinics and their partner pharmacies — collectively called “covered entities” — can purchase medicines directly from drug manufacturers or wholesalers at roughly 50% discounts.

Congress expected only about 90 hospitals to participate. Today, more than 2,600 hospitals are enrolled.

This explosive, unintended growth is the result of the program’s lax requirements. Covered entities are not required to expand charity care or even report how they use their 340B earnings.

Hospitals realized they could buy heavily discounted drugs and resell them to insured, middle-class patients at huge markups. In some cases, hospitals have charged cancer patients nearly ten times what they paid to acquire the drug.

The opportunity to upcharge patients has proven irresistible and fueled the program’s bloat. In 2023, covered entities purchased $124 billion worth of medicines — but only paid $66 billion, meaning they received roughly $58 billion in discounts.

Numerous audits have revealed that many hospitals use the funds to subsidize expansion in affluent neighborhoods, rather than support low-income or uninsured patients.

This perverse behavior harms state taxpayers. Because most 340B hospitals are technically non-profits, their earnings aren’t taxed. As a result, states collect about $3.5 billion less in corporate income tax and other tax revenue than they otherwise would. That’s money not available for public health, education, infrastructure, or employee benefits.

The 340B program hurts states in other ways, too.

The program incentivizes hospital systems to acquire independent clinics — which don’t qualify for 340B — and designate them as “child sites” that subsequently become eligible for 340B.

This leads to higher healthcare spending, since care at hospital-owned sites is more expensive than at clinics and independent practices.

Care at 340B hospitals tends to be more expensive than care at competing hospitals, too. The average per-patient prescription spending at 340B hospitals is 150% higher than non-340B hospitals.

All told, large employers and their workers spend over $5 billion more per year on health care as a result of 340B. Every extra dollar that businesses spend on health care is a dollar that’s deducted from their taxable income.

The program also inflates costs for state employee health plans. Utah recently found that its Public Employees Health Program is losing out on $3.9 million in rebate savings due to 340B.

Some state lawmakers are unwittingly compounding the damage by making it easier for pharmacies to contract with 340B hospitals and clinics.

Instead of boosting care for poor patients, 340B drains public resources while enriching large hospital systems. Reform is desperately needed.

Dan Crippen is the former Director of the Congressional Budget Office. This piece originally ran in RealClearHealth.

BART seeks professionals to serve as members for RR Bond Oversight Committee

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1 Civil Engineer, 1 Electrical Engineer and 1 Certified Public Accountant

By San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District

BART is recruiting volunteer candidates to fill three vacant seats on the Measure RR Bond Oversight Committee. The committee provides diligent and public oversight of the expenditure of funds from bond sales associated with Measure RR, which is a $3.5 billion bond measure approved by BART District voters in 2016 to rebuild the system’s core infrastructure. Members of the Bond Oversight Committee represent a diversity of expertise, geography, and demographic characteristics. BART is looking for candidates to fill the electrical engineer, civil engineer, and Certified Public Accountant seats on the committee. All committee members are unpaid volunteers.

Candidates must live in either Alameda County, Contra Costa County or San Francisco City and County.

Source: BART

About Measure RR

Voters approved Measure RR, a $3.5 billion bond, in November 2016. The bond proceeds fund a portfolio of projects including replacing 90 miles of severely worn tracks, repair tunnels damaged by water intrusion and upgrade the aging train control system. Learn more at bart.gov/rebuilding/projects.

About the Committee

The independent Measure RR Bond Oversight Committee consists of five professionals in the areas of engineering, auditing, public finance, construction project management, and two members from the League of Women Voters. Learn more at bart.gov/bondoversight.

Committee Responsibilities

Members of the Committee are responsible for the following:

  • Assess how bond proceeds are spent.
  • Assess that work is completed in a timely, cost effective and quality manner.
  • Communicate its findings and recommendations to the public.
  • Publish an annual report.

Source: BART

Time Commitment

The minimum time commitment is about 10 to 15 hours per year. There are typically four in person meetings annually, which are open to the public

Compensation

Committee members are volunteers. However, BART will compensate members for their travel on BART to and from meetings.

INTERESTED?

Contact Rachel Russell at (510) 418-0859 or measurerrcommittee@bart.gov to discuss next steps.

DEADLINE

Friday, August 15, 2025, 5pm Pacific Time. Submit cover letter and resume to Rachel Russell for consideration.

Learn more about applying here.

Contra Costa DA Becton’s campaign announces support for her recall

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Source: Diana Becton for District Attorney campaign

CCC Deputy Sheriff’s contribute $50K; Antioch Police Officers Association explains reasons for $5,000 contribution

By Allen D. Payton

In a post on Facebook on Monday, July 28, 2025, the Becton for DA campaign surprisingly announced new support for her recall from the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and two other “major law enforcement associations.” According to recall organizer Gwynn Gabe the other two are the Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) and Concord Police Officers Association.

“She’s been keeping track of the people who are giving us money,” he added.

The post by “Team Becton” reads: “The recall against District Attorney Diana Becton just escalated.

Three major law enforcement associations, including the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, just poured tens of thousands into the recall effort—including a single $50,000 donation. Even more telling? They’ve hired the strategist behind the recalls of DAs in San Francisco and Alameda County.

This isn’t just a warning. This is a coordinated, well-funded effort to undo the will of the voters and take Contra Costa backwards.

But here’s the truth they don’t want you to remember: we’ve already won twice. And with your help, we will again, because here’s what they’re underestimating: you. Us. This community.

This is not the time to sit back. We need you on the front lines —because what’s at stake is bigger than any one election. It’s about protecting real public safety solutions, and standing up to those who want to take us backward. DA Becton has stood up for equity, justice, and real public safety. Now we must stand up for her.”

It then offers ways for opponents of the recall to “Take Action Now” including volunteering and donating through the Act Blue campaign fundraising website for Democrats currently under investigation for possible fraudulent political contributions.

The APOA Board issued the following statement about their contribution of $5,000 to the campaign to recall Becton: “The APOA was approached by members of the recall movement who asked if we would be willing to support them in their efforts to recall the DA. After careful consideration, we agreed as a board to support this endeavor in hopes that this would ultimately lead to a more transparent DA’s office that holds criminals accountable and keeps our streets safe. Whatever the outcome, we know the officers represented by the APOA will continue to work hard to keep our community safe and have a great working relationship with the DA’s office.”

Recall organizers have until 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 25, 2025, to submit 72,556 valid signatures to qualify the effort for the ballot.

 

Country music stars help raise funds for Concord organization’s affordable housing efforts

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Country music stars Lee Brice, Michael Ray and David Tolliver perform during the Yellow Roof Foundation’s “Raise the Roof” fundraiser on June 22, 2025. Photo: Yellow Roof Foundation

Lee Brice, Michael Ray, David Tolliver help bring in more than $1 million at “Raise the Roof” for Yellow Roof Foundation

By Mike Hoye

CONCORD, CA – Yellow Roof Foundation’s annual “Raise the Roof” fundraiser was once again an overwhelming success, generating more than $1 million to advance the non-profit organization’s mission to create affordable, income-based rental housing for families and individuals at risk of homelessness.

Yellow Roof Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Concord, Calif. The organization was founded by Dave and Lori Sanson, owners of DeNova Homes, also headquartered in Concord. Yellow Roof has built several communities in the greater Bay Area to provide affordable housing to those who are hardworking, contributing members of society but are experiencing hard times due to circumstances beyond their control and are at risk of becoming unhoused. As the serious housing crisis continues to grow in California, especially in the affordable housing arena, so has the population who may be on the verge of homelessness.

The sold-out “Raise the Roof” was held on June 22, 2025, at The CIA at Copia in Napa, where sponsors and special guests gathered for an evening of giving and celebration. Attendees enjoyed a beautifully prepared dinner and heartwarming presentations that showcased the life-changing impact of Yellow Roof’s work.

During the program, Yellow Roof announced its next new project in the East Bay town of Pittsburg, made possible a land donation from The Sanson Family. The land is approved for 81 multi-family units, which will make it the largest Yellow Roof community to date. In addition, local businessman and philanthropist, Steve Gonsalves, for whom two of Yellow Roof’s communities are named, shared that because 100% of donations go directly to projects and that accountability is instilled in residents are key factors as to why he believes so strongly in and is committed to Yellow Roof’s mission.

Among the evening’s other highlights was the presentation of the 2025 Champion Award to Valerie Sanders, Homeless Liaison for the Pittsburg Unified School District, in recognition of her remarkable partnership in helping to place deserving families into stable housing.

One of those families was represented on stage by resident Araceli Solis, who, joined by her three daughters, shared her powerful story of resilience following the sudden loss of her husband and how Yellow Roof’s income-based rental housing and financial education programs have restored her family’s hope.

Jasmine Strange, a recent graduate from Yellow Roof housing, also moved the audience, describing how the three years she and her family spent with the non-profit prepared them for a brighter future and helped them secure permanent affordable housing.

The concert portion of the evening featured an unforgettable singer-songwriter performance donated by Lee Brice, Michael Ray, and David Tolliver. A special moment came when Lee and Sara Brice’s two youngest children, Ryker and Trulee, took the stage, with Ryker returning for an encore to rally the crowd to bid generously on an autographed guitar signed by all the artists.

“Raise the Roof has become a beacon of hope and a testament to what is possible when compassionate people come together,” said Lori Sanson, President and Director of Yellow Roof Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, guests, artists, and volunteers whose commitment makes it possible for us to provide families with a foundation of safety, dignity, and opportunity. The funds raised this year will help us build more homes and change more lives.”

For more information about Yellow Roof Foundation, to stay updated on its communities and events, or to make a valuable donation to support its efforts, please visit YellowRoofFoundation.org.

Raise the Roof 2025 Sponsors

Diamond Sponsors: BIA Bay Area, California Retaining Walls, Cemcon, Inc., Covenant Technical Solutions, DeNova Homes, Inc., Rescue Electric, RPM, Sanco Pipelines, SDG Architects, The Conco Companies, The Garaventa & Colvis Families, The Graham Family and The Resmark Companies

Platinum Sponsors: Brookfield Residential, Calex Drywall, California Bank & Trust, cbg Civil Engineers – Surveyors – Planners, Discovery Wall Systems, DPAE Structural, Independent Construction, Legacy Risk & Insurance Services, Lew and Sara Carpenter, Miller Starr Regalia, OAG Architects, Pacific Coast Landscape Management, UBS, Waymark Development and Weber Christensen & Heinrichs, LLP

Gold Sponsors: Blazona Concrete Construction, Inc., California Building Industry Association, Gately Family Foundation, J&M, Inc., Meridian Associates, OJ Insulation, Silvermark Construction Services and vanderToolen Associates

Contra Costa Water District working to repair canal for $1 billion

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The Contra Costa Water District Canal Replacement Project includes 20 miles of the waterway. Photo: CCWD

Lake Shasta is source of all water, Los Vaqueros Reservoir will not be expanded, CoCoTax members learn

By Allen D. Payton

During the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association Members and Leaders monthly luncheon in May, Contra Costa Water District Board President, Ernesto Avila provided an update on the district’s current work and plans. They include repairing 20 of the 48-mile canal at a cost of $1 billion, keeping water rates as low as possible and expanding service to keep up with growth.

The district includes the Central County cities and communities of Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Clayton, Pacheco, Clyde, Port Costa and portions of Walnut Creek, and in East County, the cities and communities of Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Bay Point, and portions of Brentwood.

CCWD Board President Ernesto Avila provides an update during the CoCo Taxpayers Association luncheon on May 23, 2025. Photo: Allen D. Payton

Half of the district’s water is provided to treated water customers and the other half to raw water customers, Avila stated and then spoke about ensuring adequate “water supply during disasters such as fire and earthquake emergencies.”

“When PG&E outages occur all of our tanks go full,” he shared. “Water only stays sweet for six to seven days to meet the water quality requirements of the state.”

“Lake Shasta is where we get all of our water from through the Central Valley Project,” he continued. “It’s currently 94% full.”

The district owns Los Vaqueros Reservoir for storage, which is currently 93% full. But “we can’t just draw water whenever we want,” Avila stated. “All of our intakes are screened to protect fish.”

“We are out of our drought,” Avila added. However, “during the drought there were no constraints on water supply for development and growth.”

Source: CCWD

Canal Replacement Program

There have been “landslides on the west side of the canal and repairs can cost millions,” he stated and spoke of the district’s “Canal Replacement Program” which will cost “$1 billion”.

“Nobody likes to raise rates,” Avila continued. “We’ve replaced four miles, so far and have 16 miles to go. It will be a pipeline”

Asked what happens to the pipe during an earthquake he said, “If it’s an older pipe, it will probably crack. We’re looking at a very ductile pipe that can move easily.”

Asked if there will be solar panels over the canl

Click here to learn more about the Contra Costa Canal.

Water Supply

Avila then spoke about providing enough water to meet the demands of residential growth including “redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons station” where “15,000 homes” are projected to be built.

“Ten percent of the district’s water is provided through recycling,” he stated. “We want to bump that up to fifteen percent.”

Budget & Water Costs to Users

“Energy costs have been the greatest increases from 2020 to 2024, medical coverage is second greatest,” he shared. Those are followed by “pension and OPEB (other post employee benefit) liabilities.”

“The average customer spends about $3.00 per day for water,” Avila stated. “The cost is 1.3 cents per gallon per day.”

He compared that to EBMUD rates which are at 2.0 cents per gallon.

Contra Costa Water District Production Costs. Source: CCWD

According to the slide show from his presentation, costs to the district for water production include the following:

INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE – Pipeline Renewal, Canal Replacement, Water Treatment Plant Upgrades;

PURCHASED WATER

WATER SUPPLY AND RESOURCE PROTECTION – Water Supply Planning, Watershed Management, Recreation;

SYSTEM OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE – Water Treatment, Water Delivery, Leak Inspection and Repair;

ADMINISTRATION – Human Resources, Safety, Accounting and Payroll;

CUSTOMER CARE – Customer Service, Billing, Water Efficiency Support, and Public Affairs; and

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT K-12 Water Education and Field Trips, and Internships.

The district as an AAA Bond Rating which keeps interest costs on bonds down, Avila shared.

He was then asked about “money going to DEI programs. I this something you should be doing anymore?” Avila responded, “there are three employees dedicated to it. There are 317 employees which is 30-40% of the budget We have one person in Human Resources dedicated to it. We have a $200 million per year budget. Not even one percent is dedicated to it.”

“It’s about trying to enhance the culture for our employees to work together better,” he added. “We review it every six months. Our Master Plan is on the website.”

Asked about “EPA clean water requirements getting tougher each year” Avila spoke about “unfunded mandates we have to comply with. We work with various associations and collaborate on a national level as regulations are mostly at the federal level.”

“Our biggest concern is the issue of diminishing return on conservation,” he explained. “During the drought, people in our area reduced use by 25 percent while Southern California only reduced 2-3 percent.”

According to the chart in Avila’s presentation total water use has actually decreased over the past 17 years even though the population has significantly increased.

Source: CCWD

No Los Vaqueros Capacity Increase Due to Too Much Cost and Regulation, Offline for Too Long

Asked about increasing capacity at Los Vaqueros, Avila said, “The district spent $10 million on raising the…reservoir, for a cost/benefit analysis funded by the state. It was over subscribed with more customer demand than supply, 250,000 versus 120,000 acre feet.”

“But with so many constraints on pumping water into the reservoir, demand dropped to 50,000 acre feet then to zero,” he continued. “The cost increase with inflation went from $800 million to $1.6 billion, mainly from more material and labor cost increases, plus, engineering costs.”

Finally, Avila shared, “Los Vaqueros Reservoir would have had to be offline for six to seven years. It just wasn’t viable. They knew that, going in. The issue was negotiating supply from EBMUD and others” who “couldn’t guarantee any water.”

He also spoke about future supply including the proposed offstream Sites Reservoir project west of Colusa in the Sacramento Valley.

“In California, for every one million acre-feet of storage, there is eight to nine acre-feet of surface storage,” Avila stated.

Finally, in response to a question, he said, “Water from a canal behind a house is not grandfathered in if the home is sold.”

See Avila’s complete CCWD CocoTax Presentation 052325.

CoCoTax June Luncheon

The next CoCoTax Members and Board Luncheon will be held on Friday June 27, 2025, at 11:45 AM at Denny’s Restaurant, 1313 Willow Pass Road in Concord, and will feature Oakland Mayor recall leader Seneca Scott as the speaker. Advance registration is available on the CoCoTax website where you can pay online, or bring cash or check on Friday and pay at the door: $25 for members, $30 for guests. www.cocotax.org/event-6189658/Registration

About CoCoTax

Founded in 1937, CoCoTax leads the way in providing fiscal oversight of local government.  We actively resist unwarranted taxes and fees, discriminatory regulations, ill-advised public expenditures and government secrecy, inefficiency and waste. For more information and membership visit www.cocotax.org.

About CCWD

The Contra Costa Water District delivers safe, clean water to approximately 520,000 people in central and eastern Contra Costa County in Northern California. Formed in 1936 to provide water for irrigation and industry, we are now one of the largest urban water districts in California and a leader in drinking-water treatment technology and source water protection. For more information visit www.ccwater.com.

 

Park District investing $10.9 million to reduce fire fuels in the East Bay

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Fire fuels reduction efforts in the East Bay parks. Photos: EBRPD

$8.3 million in grants; $2.6 million in district matching funds

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

The East Bay Regional Park District is set to spend $10.9 million over the next three years to reduce fire fuels at Anthony Chabot, Tilden, and Wildcat Canyon Regional Parks, Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, and Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. The funding will help reduce wildfire risks by removing dead and dying trees and hazardous vegetation on over 600 acres. Dead trees burn hotter and faster and can cast embers long distances, igniting new fires.

These efforts are in addition to ongoing fuels reduction work districtwide, including large-scale projects at Anthony Chabot Regional Park (544 acres) and Tilden Regional Park (39 acres), a 16-person year-round fuels reduction crew, and annual goat, sheep, and cattle grazing. In 2024, the Park District’s fuels reduction crew removed hazardous fire fuels on 104 acres in 11 parks. Additionally, more than 86,800 acres of parkland are grazed annually by cattle, sheep, or goats.

2025 Grant Funding Allocations Map. Source: EBRPD

“The grant funding enhances our ability to protect the public and safeguard our natural landscapes,” said Park District Interim Fire Chief Khari Helae. “Securing the funding is a testament to the Park District’s efforts—from planning to permitting—to manage the detailed grant application process and its proven ability to carry out large-scale fuels reduction projects in support of the community.”

The $10.9 million for fuels reduction projects includes $8.3 million in grants, with $6.1 million coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), $2.1 million from the California State Coastal Conservancy, and $100,000 from the U.S. Forest Service. FEMA funding was obtained in partnership with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, who secured $1.5 million in the 2023 budget, and U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, who secured $1.4 million in the 2024 budget.

Fire fuels reduction source of funds. EBRPD

An additional $2.6 million comes from required Park District matching funds, which include general funds and voter-approved local revenue measures like Measure FF. These local revenue measures enhance the Park District’s ability to qualify for and secure grant funding by providing required matching contributions.

“These projects are vital to reducing wildfire risks in the East Bay,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “We thank FEMA, Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Eric Swalwell, the California State Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, and Park District voters for their support and for prioritizing wildfire mitigation in the East Bay.”

For large scale vegetation management projects, the Park District utilizes a climate-friendly carbonizer to dispose of vegetation. The carbonizer burns organic matter at 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit with little oxygen, which produces very low emissions—especially compared to conventional disposal methods such as open pile burning or transporting debris long distances in diesel trucks. The resulting biochar is being used throughout the Park District to enhance soil health, improve water retention, and increase crop productivity, including at the District’s Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont.

Photo: EBRPD

The Park District Board of Directors will consider authorizing $1,883,261 in matching funds from Measure FF at their upcoming Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Measure FF was passed in 2018 by voters in the communities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Emeryville, Kensington, Oakland, Piedmont, Richmond, and San Pablo to provide funding to reduce fire risks, improve public access, and restore natural habitat. The Board of Directors previously authorized $500,016 in matching funds in March 2023.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Travis Credit Union Foundation extends financial coaching grants applications

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Program will empower a Northern California nonprofit with up to $39,000 in grant funding

By Michelle Sabolich, AVP, Corporate Communications, Travis Credit Union

Travis Credit Union Foundation announces the application deadline has been extended for its 2025 Financial Coaching Grants program until March 31. This initiative is an opportunity for one Northern California nonprofit organization to access $30,000 in unrestricted funding and up to $9,000 to train its staff to become financial coaches. Those interested in applying can start here.

“Our hope is that through this grant, we can create a ripple effect of positive financial behaviors that will benefit not only the individuals directly involved but the broader community,” said Damian Alarcon, president of Travis Credit Union Foundation. “Financial stability is a cornerstone of a thriving community, and we are committed to making a lasting impact.”

Eligibility requirements are:
• Organizations benefiting people in Napa, Solano, Yolo, Contra Costa and Merced counties.
• Organizations classified as public charities.
• Organizations with the ability to reach diverse communities, including those that are unbanked/underserved.
• Organizations that do not discriminate by race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or military status.
• Organizations with the capacity to allocate time and resources for two staff members to become financial coaches (self-study) and provide 10 or more one-hour financial coaching sessions to beneficiaries each month.
• Organizations that are willing to promote their participation in the Financial Coaching Grant Program and acknowledge funding received from Travis Credit Union Foundation in traditional and social media.

Those who apply and are selected as coaches will undergo comprehensive, three- to five-month long, self-study training through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and/or Financial Counseling for Empowerment Program (FICEP). Upon completing the course, coaches will be equipped to address a wide range of financial topics, from summarizing saving principles to educating community members about credit reports, credit scores and the wise use of tax refunds.

The TCU Foundation is committed to supporting nonprofits throughout the grant’s lifetime, ensuring that financial wellness outcomes are achieved. The foundation will monitor financial coaching goals, metrics and outcomes related to reduced debt, increased savings and established and/or improved credit scores. Renewal preferences are given to nonprofits with a demonstrated record of coaching more beneficiaries.

The grant application will close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

About Travis Credit Union Foundation
The Travis Credit Union Foundation supports financial education and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union. The Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves through financial education, charitable giving, and community support. Travis Credit Union generously funds the administrative costs of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, allowing for 100% of funds raised to go back to the community. To learn more about the Travis Credit Union Foundation’s mission and how to participate in all it’s doing to build financial wellness in the communities it serves, visit tcufund.org.

The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Tax ID #82-4159040

 

West Contra Costa Unified board compromises on staff cuts, but may have to cut student services instead

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United Teachers of Richmond gather at West Contra Costa school board meeting Wednesday to protest staff cuts approved a week earlier. Credit: Monica Velez / EdSource

177 positions; on split board vote; deadline to give layoff notices is March 15

Only 1 in 4 students are performing at grade level in math

By Monica Velez, EdSource.org, republished with permission

In a move consistent with dozens of California school districts, West Contra Costa Unified School District board members have had to choose between eliminating staff and services for students or exploding its budget deficit.

At the start of the debate at Wednesday night’s school board meeting, the district had proposed cutting about 177 staffing positions and, after nearly three hours of debate, the board voted 3-1 to cut all but eight. But saving those eight positions jeopardizes funding for services for at-risk students.

“Ultimately, with these decisions, our students will suffer the most without the staff that is needed to provide them with an excellent education that they deserve and which is necessary to decrease the longstanding education gaps for the district’s Black and brown students,” said Sheryl Lane, executive director of Fierce Advocates, a Richmond organization focused on working with parents of color.

Out of the positions that are being eliminated, 122 are already vacant, according to district officials. And so far, the district has also received 27 resignations and 47 retirement notices.

It’s unclear if there will be layoffs, but on Feb. 6, interim Superintendent Kim Moses said that because of vacancy levels, the district administrators “expect that there will be a certificated job available for all current WCCUSD (West Contra Costa Unified School District) educators for the 2025-26 school year.”

Throughout this month, educators, parents, students and community members showed up in large numbers to speak, as they have in all board meetings since the budget talks started, urging the board to reconsider cutting staff positions.

“We saw today the dysfunction,” United Teachers of Richmond President Francisco Ortiz said during the meeting. “We need collaboration. Every single cabinet member has my direct phone number. Every board member has my phone number. We have been excluded from the decision-making process and in the collaboration since the new administration took over. This situation has been imposed on us, but we’re ready to fight.”

A Split Board

It took nine amended resolutions for a vote to pass on Wednesday night. Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy attempted to save high school teachers, school counselors, social workers, psychologists, speech therapists, and career technical education educators.

But the board was split.

Board President Leslie Reckler and trustee Guadalupe Enllana voted down the motions while Gonzalez-Hoy and trustee Cinthia Hernandez were determined to save some staffing positions.

The successful resolution saved one part-time psychologist position, one part-time and seven full-time high school teachers. Reckler voted down the resolution and trustee Jamela Smith-Folds was absent.

In an email to EdSource, Reckler argued the board had already approved the fiscal solvency plan and if the cuts weren’t passed, “it shows the board to be an unreliable steward of public funds, and I will not be lumped into that category.”

“My prime responsibility is to ensure the long-term fiscal solvency of the school district and ensure continued local control in decision-making,” Reckler said. “Last night’s vote will make it more difficult for the school district.”

The top priority for Gonzalez-Hoy was to save the high school teacher positions because cutting them would have caused some schools to go from a seven-period day to six, he said. English learners, students with disabilities and students who need more academic support would be most affected because they often need to take on extra courses and benefit from having more class periods.

“I could not in good conscience make those reductions, knowing the unintended impact they would have,” he said. “Even though it was a very difficult conversation and decision, I did vote to cut the majority of the positions, in part due to our ability to possibly retain some of those positions through grants, but also due to our financial situation.”

In an emailed statement, Enllana said the board and district can no longer continue to be “driven by individual interests but must prioritize the needs of all students.”

“There is a clear distinction between needs and wants. Our first responsibility is to secure what our students need, and then work towards fulfilling the wants under our current budget.”

California Schools Are in a Budget Crisis

This week, other Bay Area school boards also made the difficult decision to lay off employees for the coming school year. Oakland’s school board voted to cut 100 positions, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. According to KQED, San Francisco Unified will also send pink slips to more than 500 employees.

West Contra Costa Unified has to balance between the need for fiscal solvency and keeping the schools adequately staffed with teachers, social workers, psychologists and other support staff.

“These decisions by the school board are tough ones and speak to the structural changes needed at the state level to change the revenue it receives that can go towards funding local school districts, like WCCUSD,” Lane said.

The district has been under financial stress since last year and could risk insolvency if its fiscal plan isn’t followed.

When districts can’t get out of deficits, they risk being taken over by the state and losing local control over budget decisions. Twenty-six years ago, West Contra Costa became the first district in the state to go insolvent and received a $29 million bailout loan, which took 21 years to pay off.

To stay out of a deficit, West Contra Costa has to cut $32.7 million in costs between 2024 and 2027. District officials have said about 84% of the budget is used to pay salaries and benefits — the reason staffing cuts would be unavoidable.

The district needs to put forth a fiscal solvency plan approved by the Contra Costa County Office of Education to avoid going insolvent and risking a takeover, Moses said. The staffing cuts are tied to the plan and must happen for the district to stay on track. The board approved the plan earlier this month.

“It would be multiple millions of dollars of impact to the general fund if we don’t take action,” Moses said during the meeting. “The response to the county, if that is the case, I think we would be sending a strong message that we are not addressing our fiscal stability, and that would not be advisable as they are oversight agents.”

The Price of Compromise

Saving the high school teacher and psychologist positions will add $1.5 million to $1.75 million to the deficit, Moses said. The district doesn’t have a choice but to use funds that are meant for student services and will likely have to dip into the $4 million set aside for math curriculum.

“We value all staff and their dedication to our community; however, the fiscal health of our district has to be prioritized as the foundation for our ability to continue normal district operations,” Moses said in a news release Thursday. “I am concerned about the added fiscal uncertainty we face after last night’s board meeting.”

Cutting the money for teacher and math support is a step backward for the district, which makes it more difficult for educators to help students improve, said Natalie Walchuk, vice president of local impact at GO Public Schools, an organization advocating for equitable public education. In West Contra Costa, only 1 in 4 students are performing at grade level in math and just 6.1% of seniors are ready for college-level math.

“Teachers need the right tools and resources to support their students, yet the district has lagged for years in adopting a new math curriculum,” Walchuk said. “While we recognize the difficult financial decisions the board had to make, it is critical that the district prioritizes student learning.”

The positions on the chopping block came from two pots of money — the general fund, which accounts for 40 positions, and grants, which cover 137 positions. Money for grant-funded positions is either expiring or has been used faster than projected, said Camille Johnson, associate superintendent of human resources.

Trying to save the grant-funded positions would add to the deficit, Moses said. Although the district staff is working to secure more grants, the funds districts receive from the federal government are uncertain.

“We were not in a position to consult the (teachers) union because we do not have money to pay for these positions,” Moses said during the meeting. “Negotiations in terms of what stays and what goes was not possible in this scenario because it’s strictly driven by money that is expiring or money we aren’t responsible for assigning.”

The district doesn’t have a choice but to eliminate some positions because they are dependent on school sites approving the positions in their budgets, Moses said. If approved, about 78 positions could be reinstated.

The deadline to give layoff notices is March 15.

Related Reading
West Contra Costa Unified struggles to stay solvent, avoid state takeover | EdSource
West Contra Costa school board slashes staffing to avoid deficit | EdSource