2026 CCCA Legislative Platform

Legislative Platform

The California Contract Cities Association (CCCA) represents 80 cities throughout California. For more than 65 years, CCCA’s mission has been to advance the benefits of Lakewood Plan’s contracting model and strengthen local control.

What is local control? A governance system in which local governments manage their affairs without excessive interference from higher levels of government, allowing them to develop and implement policies specific to the needs of their communities.

With collaborative governance as a focal point, CCCA has advanced its mission through education, advocacy, networking, and legislative access to protect and enhance the quality of life for more than 7.5 million residents.

Advocacy in support of local control is more critical than ever in California. CCCA reaches out to all cities that contract for some or all legally permitted municipal services to join us. CCCA will work tirelessly to preserve local control to serve our communities.

2026 CCCA Legislative Platform

Local Control

  • Cities have the authority to adopt and implement policies that best fit the needs of their communities.
  • Cities are accountable to their communities, with local representatives acting as direct conduits for addressing constituents’ needs and interests.
  • As a matter of policy, CCCA supports and defends the rights of cities to protect their ability to contract for critical services.
  • CCCA supports policy issues pertinent to cities, including issues related to housing/land use development, homelessness, economic development, public safety, mental health/addiction, energy/utility, and the environment.
  • CCCA opposes unfunded state mandates and by-right legislation that limits cities’ discretionary review processes for local development projects.

Public Safety

  • CCCA supports practical measures to address public safety concerns, including those related to criminal offenses of retail, catalytic converter, copper wire or petty theft, illegal fireworks, gang violence, human trafficking, and street racing.
  • CCCA supports measures providing funding to improve emergency management systems and to mitigate identity theft, cybersecurity, and AI threats in local jurisdictions.
  • CCCA supports state policy solutions that enable cities to utilize tools and technology to enhance public safety (ex/speed safety cameras).
  • CCCA calls for regulations on commercial truck routes in residential areas.
  • CCCA encourages policies that create incentives for recruitment and retention of peace officers in local law enforcement agencies while also strengthening community relations.
  • CCCA calls for increased oversight and regulation of e-bike and e-scooter activities in local jurisdictions.
  • CCCA supports state funding for Proposition 36 and efforts to reduce the possession, sale and distribution of “hard drugs”.

Economic Development

  • CCCA encourages the State to address and mitigate rising insurance costs for California residents and additionally to protect the availability of insurance to all.
  • CCCA supports action that aims to increase workforce development and supports new opportunities in budding industries in an effort to eradicate poverty.
  • CCCA calls for assistance from the State to standardize sales tax collection requirements for businesses in emerging industries.
  • CCCA supports state policies that empower small businesses.

Housing/Land Use Development

  • CCCA supports the restoration of redevelopment and CEQA reform as ways to revitalize existing community infrastructure and fasttrack housing development.
  • CCCA supports legislation that allows cities to exercise local control to best address the needs of their communities while expanding opportunities to build affordable housing and improve local infrastructure.
  • CCCA supports legislation and other innovative, collaborative solutions like housing trusts and cross-city initiatives that can reduce costs and spur development in affordable and workforce housing.
  • CCCA encourages action that provides relief, funding, and assistance to local governments navigating state-mandated requirements for housing.
  • CCCA supports regulation on institutional investor home ownership and short-term rentals.
  • CCCA encourages creating a Surplus Land Act exemption for housing near industrial areas, leaving final discretion to the local jurisdiction.

Homelessness

  • CCCA supports legislation that creates streamlined protocols, transparency and accountability measures, and metrics to be used by homeless service providers and local agencies.
  • CCCA supports regional and city-driven solutions to address homelessness through crisis response, mental health evaluation and treatment, housing, homeless outreach teams, and state and regional funding for mental health crisis units.
  • CCCA calls for direct, ongoing funding to support cities’ homeless housing and services.
  • CCCA calls for policies that enable the successful implementation of CARE Courts and boost regional stakeholder participation in the CARE process.
  • CCCA seeks more accurate statistics of individuals experiencing homelessness, including in-flow and out-flow information, cost-reporting of services rendered, mental and health condition, individuals successfully housed, and follow-up data that measures the effectiveness of homeless services rendered.

Mental Health & Addiction

  • CCCA supports measures that aim to improve training and recruitment of mental health specialists that can provide prevention, early intervention, and educational services to those in need.
  • CCCA calls for the enhancement of mental health services and addiction treatments as wrap-around care essential to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable communities.
  • CCCA supports the expansion and safeguarding of conservatorship laws allowing for increased guardianship control and health supervision of those with mental illness and recognizes mental illness and addiction as a contributor to chronic homelessness.
  • CCCA opposes legislation that limits local government’s ability to restrict or regulate the sale, manufacture, use and distribution of alcohol and cannabis.
  • CCCA supports reasonable preventive and punitive measures to combat the fentanyl crisis.

Energy/Utility

  • CCCA supports greater efforts to mitigate wildfire disasters by increasing multi-year funding for fire safety activities such as responsible brush and forestry management in coordination with local and state governments, fire departments, and utility providers.
  • CCCA supports strengthening rules to ensure investor-owned utilities responsibly maintain and upgrade their infrastructure. This includes promoting accountability for ongoing maintenance, necessary improvements, and addressing the impacts of public safety power shutoffs or any damage related to their infrastructure, without placing the financial burden on our respective constituents.
  • CCCA supports Community Choice Aggregation efforts to purchase renewable energy at competitive rates and create benefits and savings for cities, small businesses, and residents. CCCA also supports equal treatment of bundled and unbundled utility customers.
  • CCCA supports efforts to expand consumer access to reliable renewable energy, such as incentives and grants for solar and storage, particularly for low-income and environmentally burdened communities, reducing reliance on non-renewable sources and improving public health.
  • CCCA supports federal, state and regional efforts to restructure the EV tax program and expand EV infrastructure.

Environment

  • CCCA supports practical and affordable solutions to meet mandatory compliance of water quality and treatment standards, notwithstanding prior agreements that otherwise limit city’s ability to undertake such activities.
  • CCCA supports funding to address growing statewide concerns of “forever chemicals”, specifically as it relates to PFAS (per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) and microplastics.
  • CCCA supports state and regional efforts to increase recycling of water and the associated development or renovation of water treatment facilities.
  • CCCA supports the establishment of a state program that funds discounted water rates for low income customers of publicly owned retail water suppliers in an effort to make the state’s recognition of a Human Right to Water meaningful.