Association of California Cities—Orange County
Association of California Cities—Orange CountyNovember Draft / Committee Work Plans 2018
At the direction of the ACC-OC Board of Directors, staff has drafted committee work plans to help guide the efforts of each individual committee. This packet includes work plans for the following committees: Infrastructure and Technology, Residential Recovery Reform, and Local Government Finance, Economic Development and Homelessness.
Association of California Cities—Orange County
Committee Work Plans 2018
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY │ 2018
Purpose
The Infrastructure and Technology Committee focuses on emerging infrastructure and technology policy issues, with a special focus on the areas where the two intersect. This committee is focused on disseminating useful, innovative, and timely information, as well as using that information to create tangible policy solutions and recommendations for Orange County Cities.
Structure
This Committee will operate as a subsidiary of the ACC-OC Board of Directors. The will operate under the authority of the Board, and all committee actions are subject to Board review and approval. This Committee will be chaired by a person appointed by the ACC-OC Board of Directors. This person must meet the qualifications set forth in the ACC-OC Policy on Committee Chairship. At the first meeting of the 2018 year, the committee will elect a Vice-Chair from the membership who will serve in the absence of the chair. The Vice-Chair must meet the same qualification as the Chair. The Committee will be comprised of both ACC-OC city members and ACC-OC affiliate members. The Committee will be staffed by the ACC-OC Policy Manager and the ACC-OC Policy Assistants.
Meeting Dates
The Infrastructure and Technology Committee will meet Quarterly from 9:00a.m. to 10:30p.m. at The Cove at UCI
January 11• April 12 • July 19 • October 11 •
Committee Work Plans 2018
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY │ 2018
Autonomous and Connected Vehicles • Quarter One and Two
In cities across the nation, the potential for a mass-scale transportation revolution is quietly happening. These advancements are being driven primarily by the demand markets in the private sector, but if local governments can pose themselves to take advantage of this revolution there could be many economic benefits for local entities as well.
The potential cost savings to cities from autonomous and connected vehicles are significant. Nationwide, the cost of traffic collisions is approximately $300 billion per year. Vehicular congestion costs the U.S. economy about $124 billion per year, with an additional $50-80 billion due to associated health-care costs. The time regained from not driving is estimated to be worth $1.2 trillion per year, and other benefits could come from repurposing land from dedicated rights of way and on-street and off-street parking spaces. Some potential application of shared autonomous ownership models could transform land-use patterns in downtown cities to feature more bike lanes, wider sidewalks, or even more housing units by dramatically reducing parking requirements.
With Orange County’s proximity to policy leaders in this new field, coupled with the world-class Institute for Transportation Studies at UCI and an anticipated influx of flexible funding opportunities under SB 1, the ability to begin planning for this new technology is not only possible, but essential with maintaining Orange County’s status as a regional leader. There is no greater example of technology advancement and infrastructure needs merging together in one policy area than with autonomous vehicles.
The Infrastructure and Technology Committee will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v Autonomous and Connected Vehicle White Paper Specific to Cities’ Planning Needs and Opportunities
v A Short Informational Video That Summarizes Key Takeaways from The White Paper in An Accessible Manner for City Council Members and Staffers.
Committee Work Plans 2018
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY │ 2018
Social Media as Communication Tool: Challenges and Opportunities • Quarter Two
In the past decade, Americans’ social media usage has increasednearly tenfold, with Pew Research estimating that 65% of all adults are on at least one social media platform. This growth represents a unique opportunity, and challenge, for cities to use this technology to garner improved levels of civic engagement from residents.
These platforms represent the potential for a, low-cost way of holding virtual conversations with residents, gauging public opinion, reaching out to groups not traditionally invested in city governments such as millennials, receiving instantaneous feedback on initiatives, and even the possibility to analyze posts to make more informed decisions about city services and their distribution.
However, with new rulings regarding Freedom of Information Act requests and other legalities, there is increased scrutiny around what official government accounts post, as well as their employees and elected officials. These consequences can produce a well-understood level of hesitance around using the technology. However, with the right tools and guidance, social media can be viewed more as an opportunity than a challenge by local entities. The Infrastructure and Technology Committee will take on this challenge and encourage cities to fully embrace their virtual identifies and opportunities.
The Infrastructure and Technology Committee will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v Best Practices in Social Media White Paper with Special Emphasis on the Following Areas:
o Branding
o Emergency Response Uses
o Community, Education, and Transparency
o Guidelines of Use for Employees and Elected Officials
o Case Studies
o Code of Conduct Polices
v A Short Informational Video That Summarizes Key Takeaways from the White Paper in an Accessible Manner for City Council Members and Staffers.
Committee Work Plans 2018
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY │ 2018
Addressing the Digital Divide in Orange County • Quarter Three and Four
As economic trends continue to shift in favor of those that are “tech-ready”, cities should begin thinking about shifting mindsets around digital infrastructure and digital skills from a "nice to have" investment to something that is essential to economic and social development. Investing in digital skills and digital infrastructure is essential to attracting new businesses and staying competitive in the long term. Small businesses increasingly need low-cost, high-speed digital infrastructure.
The conversation around the digital divide in cities tends to focus around in the idea of access to municipal Wi-Fi, but a single-minded focus on municipal Wi-Fi is misplaced. To maximize investments in digital infrastructure, local governments local governments should focus on increasing the speed of their broadband networks. A 2011 study demonstrated that doubling the broadband speed for an economyincreases GDP by 0.3%. Furthermore, in a 2012 survey,90% of professionals in economic development organizations agreedthat a broadband speed of at least 25-50 Mbps is needed to attract new business to a city. Since first offering its fiber optic service in 2012, Chattanooga, Tenn. has generated$400 million in new business investments and 6,000 new jobs. Additionally, fiber optic networks generate significant revenue, allowing cities to cover operating expenses and pay down initial costs. In 2014, Chattanooga brought in$93.6 million in revenue from its more than 50,000 fiber optic subscribers.
The Infrastructure and Technology Committee will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v The Digital Divide in Orange County White Paper
v An ACC-OC Special Forum that Highlights the Finding from the White Paper with Leading Industry Experts
v A Short Informational Video That Summarizes Key Takeaways from the White Paper in an Accessible Manner for City Council Members and Staffers.
Association of California Cities—Orange County
Committee Work Plans 2018
Residential Recovery Reform Task Force │ 2018
Purpose
Residential Recovery Reform Task Force will help broaden the work already being done by community-based groups, while also providing an opportunity to collaborate regionally on an issue that disproportionately affects Orange County and our many cities. The Task Force will work to build a coalition of interested parties throughout California and other states who are facing a similar problem. This Task Force will focus not only on local solutions to the growing sober living home problem, but also on long term state and federal solutions.
Structure
This Committee will operate as a subsidiary of the ACC-OC Board of Directors. The will operate under the authority of the Board, and all committee actions are subject to Board review and approval. This Committee will be chaired by a person appointed by the ACC-OC Board of Directors. This person must meet the qualifications set forth in the ACC-OC Policy on Committee Chairship. At the first meeting of the 2018 year, the committee will elect a Vice-Chair from the membership who will serve in the absence of the chair. The Vice-Chair must meet the same qualification as the Chair. The Committee will be comprised of both ACC-OC city members and ACC-OC affiliate members. The Committee will be staffed by the ACC-OC Policy Manager, Legislative Affairs Director, and the Communications Specialist.
Meeting Dates
The Sober Living Homes Task Force will meet the Quarterly, from 1:00p.m. to 2:30p.m. in Newport Beach
February 7 • May 9 • September 5• November 6
Committee Work Plans 2018
Residential Recovery Reform Task Force │ 2018
Advocacy • On-Going
Sober Loving Homes and Facilities reform as a policy issue is unique because it requires multipronged legislation solutions at both the State and Federal level. As such, this Task Force will be focused on creating more local flexibility by increasing regulatory oversight, strengthening zoning authority, and supporting licensing and registration mechanisms.
Across the county, laws at the federal level have propelled the proliferation of sober living residences in cities and neighborhoodsbecause of the protections that were enacted by thefederal FairHousing Act (FHA)and the Americans withDisabilitiesAct (ADA). These laws have been interpreted to extend protectionsto residential recovery facilities, by classifying thoserecovering fromAlcoholor Other Drug (AOD)abuseas disabled.
Fair housing lawrequiresstates and citiesto makereasonable accommodations forthe disabledby not limiting their ability to reside in a home, or enact laws that would treat those recovering from substance abuse any differentlythan another residencebased on theresidentswho live within a single home. These federal laws have unintentionally left cities and states with little to no recourseto address the bad actors in the industry.
The Sober Living Homes Task will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v Continued Advocacy Efforts on AB 572
v Advocacy for Newly Introduced State and Federal Legislation, Including Submission of Position Letters, Legislative Action Alerts, and Coalition Building.
v Continued Support and Advocacy Efforts for H.R. 472
v Increase Membership in The Coalition for Sober Living Homes Reforms to Align Advocacy Efforts with Cities and Counties Outside of California. This Is an Issue That Transcends the Regional Boundaries of Orange County and Will Require Collaboration Amongst Multiple, National Entities.
Committee Work Plans 2018
Residential Recovery Reform Task Force │ 2018
Communications and Education • On-Going
As with most difficult policy issues, the willingness of elected officials to engage on a topic is directly related to how much pressure the public is placing on them for solutions. While many residents in Orange County are angered by the negative effects that sober living homes have on their quality of residential life, they may not be particularly knowledgeable about the underlying constraints regarding local regulation or the exploitation of patients within these facilities.
ACC-OC has the ability to act as a neutral, third party entity when it comes to disseminating information to both elected officials and residents. This is a critical role for the Association to play, since many cities, both in Orange County and beyond, feel that even discussing the issue will open them up to frivolous lawsuits and other legal issues.
Therefore, in consultation with ACC-OC’s Communication Specialist, the Task Force will seek to increase the level or knowledge and interest about sober living home regulation and reform both in Orange County and across the nation through the Association’s Coalition for Sober Living Homes Reform.
The Sober Living Homes Task will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v Creation of The Coalition for Sober Living Homes Reform Website Which Will Serve as The Hub for The Association’s Communications, Legislative, And Policy Activities on The Topic
v Engaging National and Local News Organizations to Continue Covering the Issue as a Way to Improve Over Understanding and Engagement on The Topic
v Editorials Regarding the Impact of These Facilities on Neighborhoods, Including Investigative Testimonials About Patients and Their Treatment Within These Facilities
v Communication and Educational Materials for Elected Officials, Staffers, And Residents, Including Fact Sheets, White Papers, And Educational Videos.
Committee Work Plans 2018
Residential Recovery Reform Task Force │ 2018
Policy • On-Going
Because of the nature of sober living home and facility regulation, it is critical that the Task Force begin identifying and engaging industry partners to create non-legislative solutions to this growing problem. By identifying “good actors”, the Task Force will work with these individuals to address some of the operational concerns that many local government communities face.
ACC-OC has the ability to act as a neutral, third party entity when it comes to disseminating information to both elected officials and residents. This is a critical role for the Association to play, since many cities, both in Orange County and beyond, feel that even discussing the issue will open them up to frivolous lawsuits and other legal issues. By completing research, creating a center for best practices on the Coalition’s website, and making policy solutions accessible through multiple channels such as fact sheets, white papers, informational videos, symposiums, and more, the Task Force will begin to create incremental adjustments while waiting for long-term federal policy solutions.
The Sober Living Homes Task will complete the following deliverables in this policy area for 2018:
v Creation of a Voluntary, Countywide Registration Program for Sober Living Homes with Six Beds and Under
v A Nationwide Study and White Paper of What Cities, Counties, and States Are Doing to Create Policy Solutions at The Regional Level
v Creation of Orange County’s Sober Living Home Best Practices for Being a Good Neighbor
v A roundtable event Where Sober Living Home Operators Can Engage with City Officials to Dialogue About On-Going Community Issues and Find Practical and Individualized Solutions to Those Issues.