About twice a week, the unthinkable happens in the United States. A gunman enters a school, church, or community space and opens fire. This is true even in California, which has some of the nation’s most effective gun laws and a (relatively) low rate of gun violence: Californians experienced a mass shooting every six days in 2023. Chances are, at least one person reading this article will have to respond to the unthinkable. How you prepare and react will play a key role in helping your community heal. And although each shooting…

Artificial intelligence (AI) probably can’t do your job, but it could undermine this year’s elections. Experts and federal agencies are warning that the potential benefits of AI could be outweighed by malicious actors, a failure to regulate, and a failure to moderate. One super PAC already used AI to impersonate former President Donald Trump and a magician created fake robocalls discouraging people from voting. In Europe and India, voters are being bombarded…

At 27 years old, Rigel Robinson’s political future was bright. He was elected to the Berkeley city council five years prior at 22, making him the city’s youngest-ever council member. He and another new elected, Rashi Kesarwani, were also the first Asian American council members in nearly 40 years. Robinson captured national media attention not just for his barrier-breaking election but his outspoken support for a controversial housing project.

Earlier this month, a group of Asian Americans told San Francisco officials that they feel unsafe in their communities. For researchers, advocates, and many Asian American electeds, the news was hardly surprising. During the pandemic, Anti-Asian hate spiked to levels unheard of since the years after two white autoworkers killed Vincent Chin — including in California.

Many cities in California are punching well above their weight to solve the housing affordability crisis. Ukiah (pop. 16,607) recently became one of the first rural cities to receive the state’s “prohousing” designation earlier this month. It is a remarkable accomplishment for a community that was once perceived as resistant to development. As recently as the early 2000s, developers complained about the “arduous” process…

California’s unfunded pension woes could become worse in the next few years. Last year, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System suffered a 6.1% investment loss in the fiscal year ending on June 30, the first such loss since 2008. Cities will not feel these impacts immediately, but they will almost certainly be felt in the next few years.

When COVID-19 shut down San Diego, it felt like the end of the city’s vibrant arts sector. Venues closed their doors, gigs dried up, wallets tightened, and an existential malaise swept through a community that lived paycheck to paycheck. “Our social, intellectual, and professional lives can be pretty embedded in the rhythm of art exhibitions' openings,” said Allison Wiese.

Like many cities, Emeryville’s housing market is out of balance. The supply does not come close to the demand. Emeryville has roughly 30,000 jobs, but only 12,905 residents. Both are expected to increase in the coming years, especially if the city’s burgeoning research sector continues to grow. Rebalancing that ratio is tricky and will take years to fully realize. 

In March 2021, cities across the nation breathed a sigh of relief as an economic package that included $65 billion for municipalities finally made its way through Congress and was signed into law. The American Rescue Plan Act provided badly needed direct and flexible funds to cash-strapped cities on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.