Foster City Officials to Undergo Bias Training After Posts About ‘White Women’s Tears’
Despite Affordability Concerns, Bay Area Farmworker Housing Project Lags in Early Returns
A Fight Over Farmworker Housing Is on the Ballot in This Bay Area Town
California Agrees to Pay $10 Million in Class Action Over Women Gassed at Chowchilla Prison
As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent
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US DOJ Finds ‘Unbroken Pattern’ of Sexual Abuse by California Prison Staff
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California Agrees to $1.9 Million Settlement in Prison Use-of-Force Case
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"title": "Foster City Officials to Undergo Bias Training After Posts About ‘White Women’s Tears’",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a contentious \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/peninsula\">Foster City\u003c/a> City Council meeting drew dozens of residents on Monday, officials voted 3-2 to find that a colleague’s social media posts violated the city’s code of conduct and to require bias training for the full council.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The meeting addressed controversy surrounding posts Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat shared in August. Among them was a 2018 opinion piece from \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/08/how-white-women-use-strategic-tears-to-avoid-accountability\">\u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> titled\u003cem>:\u003c/em> “How white women use strategic tears to silence women of colour.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some residents described the posts as offensive and divisive. Others supported Shin Venkat, who defended her decision to share them and said she would continue speaking about systemic racism.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12109123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-1536x862.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-1200x675.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A resident addresses the Foster City City Council at a special meeting on Nov. 9 to address whether to take action in response to controversy over Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat. (Courtesy of Foster City City Council)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I am not going to stop talking about systemic racism and other things that impact our community, because whether you think it impacts or not — it absolutely does,” Shin Venkat said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following complaints from residents about Shin Venkat’s posts, Councilmember Stacy Jimenez called for the special meeting to consider whether to take disciplinary action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members stopped short of censuring Shin Venkat. Instead, they approved a single motion finding that she had violated the code and requiring bias training for all council members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shin Venkat was one of two members who voted against the motion. She told KQED she values anti-bias education but opposed tying it to a finding that she had done something wrong.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I could not myself vote for a measure that weaponizes anti-bias training to validate a false finding of an ethics violation,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shin Venkat said that education should be part of a sustained commitment to equity. She also called for more opportunities for council members to get to know one another and build mutual respect.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foster City resident Kandy O’Mara said that Shin Venkat’s posts violated the city’s code of conduct. The policy applies to officials’ social media accounts and says posts should not include offensive comments that disparage or discriminate based on characteristics including race and sex.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That includes white women,” O’Mara said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foster City resident Krysta Waldrop defended Shin Venkat’s decision to share the article.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The irony of trying to silence someone for sharing an article about how the voices of women of color are often silenced, especially under the guise of victimhood, is not lost on me,” Waldrop said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite disagreeing with the outcome, Shin Venkat said she appreciated residents participating, including those who opposed her posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I am not surprised that we all don’t agree,” she said, describing systemic racism as a difficult subject to discuss. “I’m grateful that this [conversation] is now further along.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I am not going to stop talking about systemic racism and other things that impact our community, because whether you think it impacts or not — it absolutely does,” Shin Venkat said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shin Venkat was one of two members who voted against the motion. She told KQED she values anti-bias education but opposed tying it to a finding that she had done something wrong.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shin Venkat said that education should be part of a sustained commitment to equity. She also called for more opportunities for council members to get to know one another and build mutual respect.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Foster City City Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat came under fire for sharing social media posts, including one about how white women’s tears can silence women of color. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a contentious \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/peninsula\">Foster City\u003c/a> City Council meeting drew dozens of residents on Monday, officials voted 3-2 to find that a colleague’s social media posts violated the city’s code of conduct and to require bias training for the full council.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The meeting addressed controversy surrounding posts Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat shared in August. Among them was a 2018 opinion piece from \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/08/how-white-women-use-strategic-tears-to-avoid-accountability\">\u003cem>The Guardian\u003c/em>\u003c/a> titled\u003cem>:\u003c/em> “How white women use strategic tears to silence women of colour.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some residents described the posts as offensive and divisive. Others supported Shin Venkat, who defended her decision to share them and said she would continue speaking about systemic racism.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12109123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-160x90.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-1536x862.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-10-at-2.20.38-PM-d605dfef-scaled-e1794349317351-1200x675.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A resident addresses the Foster City City Council at a special meeting on Nov. 9 to address whether to take action in response to controversy over Councilmember Phoebe Shin Venkat. (Courtesy of Foster City City Council)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I am not going to stop talking about systemic racism and other things that impact our community, because whether you think it impacts or not — it absolutely does,” Shin Venkat said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following complaints from residents about Shin Venkat’s posts, Councilmember Stacy Jimenez called for the special meeting to consider whether to take disciplinary action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members stopped short of censuring Shin Venkat. Instead, they approved a single motion finding that she had violated the code and requiring bias training for all council members. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shin Venkat was one of two members who voted against the motion. She told KQED she values anti-bias education but opposed tying it to a finding that she had done something wrong.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I could not myself vote for a measure that weaponizes anti-bias training to validate a false finding of an ethics violation,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shin Venkat said that education should be part of a sustained commitment to equity. She also called for more opportunities for council members to get to know one another and build mutual respect.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foster City resident Kandy O’Mara said that Shin Venkat’s posts violated the city’s code of conduct. The policy applies to officials’ social media accounts and says posts should not include offensive comments that disparage or discriminate based on characteristics including race and sex.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That includes white women,” O’Mara said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foster City resident Krysta Waldrop defended Shin Venkat’s decision to share the article.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The irony of trying to silence someone for sharing an article about how the voices of women of color are often silenced, especially under the guise of victimhood, is not lost on me,” Waldrop said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite disagreeing with the outcome, Shin Venkat said she appreciated residents participating, including those who opposed her posts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I am not surprised that we all don’t agree,” she said, describing systemic racism as a difficult subject to discuss. “I’m grateful that this [conversation] is now further along.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "despite-affordability-concerns-bay-area-farmworker-housing-project-lags-in-early-returns",
"title": "Despite Affordability Concerns, Bay Area Farmworker Housing Project Lags in Early Returns",
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"headTitle": "Despite Affordability Concerns, Bay Area Farmworker Housing Project Lags in Early Returns | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just 64 votes separated the two sides of Half Moon Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo/measure-q\">Measure Q\u003c/a> on Wednesday, leaving the future of a downtown housing development for older farmworkers uncertain as ballots continue to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure had just over 49% support, with 1,608 votes in favor and 1,672 against, according to preliminary results from the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters. The outcome remains too close to call.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many ballots remain uncounted countywide, including mail-in ballots received or dropped after Oct. 30, as well as provisional and conditional voter registration ballots, according to the elections office. The county’s next update on results is expected Thursday before 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote is a referendum on the city’s approval this summer of a controversial five-story apartment building at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay that’s been hotly debated for the past four years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, from nonprofit developer Mercy Housing and nonprofit advocacy organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, would include 39 affordable apartments for low-income agricultural workers aged 55 and older and one manager’s unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The proposal predates the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11939361/im-afraid-half-moon-bay-shootings-may-have-been-extreme-case-of-workplace-violence\">2023 mass shooting\u003c/a> at two Half Moon Bay farms that killed seven people and exposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11940017/under-the-radar-half-moon-bay-and-the-vulnerability-of-farmwork\">substandard living conditions\u003c/a> among local farmworkers. The killings \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">intensified calls\u003c/a> for better housing in a community where many agricultural workers struggle to afford a place to live.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it comes as Half Moon Bay faces pressure from the state to build more housing. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration sued the city, saying it had fallen behind on zoning changes required under state housing law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lilli Rey, board president of ALAS, said supporters of the Kelly Avenue project remain hopeful as they wait for more ballots to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s not easy to see numbers like this, but it’s so close,” she said. “There’s definitely more votes to come in. And we’re just staying optimistic.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters have argued the development would help older farmworkers remain in the community where they spent decades working, with a downtown location near groceries, health care and other services. Rey said the prospect of the measure failing is “truly devastating.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the city’s Planning Commission and an opponent of the project, said the early results show a community divided.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s a lot of people who really want to address the need that we see and sense in the community,” Hernandez said. “And there are a lot of questions about, are we doing this the right way that works for our town?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents of Measure Q raised concerns about the building’s height, parking and traffic, and the city’s commitments under a 99-year ground lease. Some also questioned whether there are enough protections in place to ensure local farmworkers actually receive the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Measure Q fails, Hernandez said he wants a community task force to bring stakeholders together to help shape affordable housing plans for farmworkers and other residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite their differences over the project, both Hernandez and Rey said they want to bring the community together, regardless of the outcome.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s been an ugly, long fight,” Rey said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mercy Housing and ALAS proposed the project in 2022, but it took two years before the city approved land-use permits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roughly two years after that, in May 2026, the City Council approved an ordinance authorizing a 99-year ground lease for the city-owned property and related agreements with Mercy Housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortly after the council approved the lease, opponents gathered enough signatures to force a referendum and put the decision before voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mercy Housing said the project would prioritize eligible senior agricultural workers who live or work in Half Moon Bay, followed by those on the coastside and then elsewhere in San Mateo County. That preference would not guarantee housing for every eligible local applicant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Cándido Rosales, 67, the development represents a chance to live with his wife again after more than half a century of marriage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to go through. But they haven’t found a place they can afford together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister, while he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, said his pension is about $1,200 a month, less than the roughly $1,500 he has seen advertised for nearby rooms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many ballots remain uncounted countywide, including mail-in ballots received or dropped after Oct. 30, as well as provisional and conditional voter registration ballots, according to the elections office. The county’s next update on results is expected Thursday before 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many ballots remain uncounted countywide, including mail-in ballots received or dropped after Oct. 30, as well as provisional and conditional voter registration ballots, according to the elections office. The county’s next update on results is expected Thursday before 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vote is a referendum on the city’s approval this summer of a controversial five-story apartment building at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay that’s been hotly debated for the past four years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, from nonprofit developer Mercy Housing and nonprofit advocacy organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, would include 39 affordable apartments for low-income agricultural workers aged 55 and older and one manager’s unit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The proposal predates the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11939361/im-afraid-half-moon-bay-shootings-may-have-been-extreme-case-of-workplace-violence\">2023 mass shooting\u003c/a> at two Half Moon Bay farms that killed seven people and exposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11940017/under-the-radar-half-moon-bay-and-the-vulnerability-of-farmwork\">substandard living conditions\u003c/a> among local farmworkers. The killings \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">intensified calls\u003c/a> for better housing in a community where many agricultural workers struggle to afford a place to live.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And it comes as Half Moon Bay faces pressure from the state to build more housing. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration sued the city, saying it had fallen behind on zoning changes required under state housing law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lilli Rey, board president of ALAS, said supporters of the Kelly Avenue project remain hopeful as they wait for more ballots to be counted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not easy to see numbers like this, but it’s so close,” she said. “There’s definitely more votes to come in. And we’re just staying optimistic.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s not easy to see numbers like this, but it’s so close,” she said. “There’s definitely more votes to come in. And we’re just staying optimistic.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supporters have argued the development would help older farmworkers remain in the community where they spent decades working, with a downtown location near groceries, health care and other services. Rey said the prospect of the measure failing is “truly devastating.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Supporters have argued the development would help older farmworkers remain in the community where they spent decades working, with a downtown location near groceries, health care and other services. Rey said the prospect of the measure failing is “truly devastating.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the city’s Planning Commission and an opponent of the project, said the early results show a community divided.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of people who really want to address the need that we see and sense in the community,” Hernandez said. “And there are a lot of questions about, are we doing this the right way that works for our town?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of people who really want to address the need that we see and sense in the community,” Hernandez said. “And there are a lot of questions about, are we doing this the right way that works for our town?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents of Measure Q raised concerns about the building’s height, parking and traffic, and the city’s commitments under a 99-year ground lease. Some also questioned whether there are enough protections in place to ensure local farmworkers actually receive the apartments.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents of Measure Q raised concerns about the building’s height, parking and traffic, and the city’s commitments under a 99-year ground lease. Some also questioned whether there are enough protections in place to ensure local farmworkers actually receive the apartments.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If Measure Q fails, Hernandez said he wants a community task force to bring stakeholders together to help shape affordable housing plans for farmworkers and other residents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite their differences over the project, both Hernandez and Rey said they want to bring the community together, regardless of the outcome.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s been an ugly, long fight,” Rey said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mercy Housing and ALAS proposed the project in 2022, but it took two years before the city approved land-use permits. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roughly two years after that, in May 2026, the City Council approved an ordinance authorizing a 99-year ground lease for the city-owned property and related agreements with Mercy Housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Shortly after the council approved the lease, opponents gathered enough signatures to force a referendum and put the decision before voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mercy Housing said the project would prioritize eligible senior agricultural workers who live or work in Half Moon Bay, followed by those on the coastside and then elsewhere in San Mateo County. That preference would not guarantee housing for every eligible local applicant.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Cándido Rosales, 67, the development represents a chance to live with his wife again after more than half a century of marriage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to go through. But they haven’t found a place they can afford together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister, while he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to go through. But they haven’t found a place they can afford together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister, while he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A family has to be together, not separated,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, said his pension is about $1,200 a month, less than the roughly $1,500 he has seen advertised for nearby rooms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Half Moon Bay’s Measure Q is narrowly trailing in early returns, leaving the future of a downtown affordable housing development for older farmworkers uncertain.",
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"title": "Despite Affordability Concerns, Bay Area Farmworker Housing Project Lags in Early Returns | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just 64 votes separated the two sides of Half Moon Bay’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/sanmateo/measure-q\">Measure Q\u003c/a> on Wednesday, leaving the future of a downtown housing development for older farmworkers uncertain as ballots continue to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure had just over 49% support, with 1,608 votes in favor and 1,672 against, according to preliminary results from the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters. The outcome remains too close to call.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many ballots remain uncounted countywide, including mail-in ballots received or dropped after Oct. 30, as well as provisional and conditional voter registration ballots, according to the elections office. The county’s next update on results is expected Thursday before 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote is a referendum on the city’s approval this summer of a controversial five-story apartment building at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay that’s been hotly debated for the past four years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, from nonprofit developer Mercy Housing and nonprofit advocacy organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, would include 39 affordable apartments for low-income agricultural workers aged 55 and older and one manager’s unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The proposal predates the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11939361/im-afraid-half-moon-bay-shootings-may-have-been-extreme-case-of-workplace-violence\">2023 mass shooting\u003c/a> at two Half Moon Bay farms that killed seven people and exposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11940017/under-the-radar-half-moon-bay-and-the-vulnerability-of-farmwork\">substandard living conditions\u003c/a> among local farmworkers. The killings \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">intensified calls\u003c/a> for better housing in a community where many agricultural workers struggle to afford a place to live.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it comes as Half Moon Bay faces pressure from the state to build more housing. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration sued the city, saying it had fallen behind on zoning changes required under state housing law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lilli Rey, board president of ALAS, said supporters of the Kelly Avenue project remain hopeful as they wait for more ballots to be counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s not easy to see numbers like this, but it’s so close,” she said. “There’s definitely more votes to come in. And we’re just staying optimistic.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters have argued the development would help older farmworkers remain in the community where they spent decades working, with a downtown location near groceries, health care and other services. Rey said the prospect of the measure failing is “truly devastating.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the city’s Planning Commission and an opponent of the project, said the early results show a community divided.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s a lot of people who really want to address the need that we see and sense in the community,” Hernandez said. “And there are a lot of questions about, are we doing this the right way that works for our town?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents of Measure Q raised concerns about the building’s height, parking and traffic, and the city’s commitments under a 99-year ground lease. Some also questioned whether there are enough protections in place to ensure local farmworkers actually receive the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If Measure Q fails, Hernandez said he wants a community task force to bring stakeholders together to help shape affordable housing plans for farmworkers and other residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite their differences over the project, both Hernandez and Rey said they want to bring the community together, regardless of the outcome.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s been an ugly, long fight,” Rey said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mercy Housing and ALAS proposed the project in 2022, but it took two years before the city approved land-use permits. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roughly two years after that, in May 2026, the City Council approved an ordinance authorizing a 99-year ground lease for the city-owned property and related agreements with Mercy Housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortly after the council approved the lease, opponents gathered enough signatures to force a referendum and put the decision before voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mercy Housing said the project would prioritize eligible senior agricultural workers who live or work in Half Moon Bay, followed by those on the coastside and then elsewhere in San Mateo County. That preference would not guarantee housing for every eligible local applicant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Cándido Rosales, 67, the development represents a chance to live with his wife again after more than half a century of marriage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to go through. But they haven’t found a place they can afford together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister, while he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, said his pension is about $1,200 a month, less than the roughly $1,500 he has seen advertised for nearby rooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-fight-over-farmworker-housing-is-on-the-ballot-in-this-bay-area-town",
"title": "A Fight Over Farmworker Housing Is on the Ballot in This Bay Area Town",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After more than a half-century of marriage, Cándido Rosales and his wife are living apart in the same town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “Yes on Q” sign is posted at a local business in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’d like to stay here a little longer,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105277\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “Yes on Q” sign is posted at a local business in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "As older farmworkers struggle to afford housing, Half Moon Bay voters are weighing a proposal supporters say would help them stay in the communities they helped nourish.",
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"title": "A Fight Over Farmworker Housing Is on the Ballot in This Bay Area Town | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After more than a half-century of marriage, Cándido Rosales and his wife are living apart in the same town.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recently joined him from Mexico after waiting years for her immigration paperwork to be approved. But they haven’t found a place they can afford where they could live together in Half Moon Bay. She is staying with her sister; he shares a rented room with another person.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A family has to be together, not separated,” 67-year-old Rosales said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales, who spent nearly 40 years working in agriculture, hopes a proposed affordable housing development at 555 Kelly Ave. in downtown Half Moon Bay will give him and his wife a place to call home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project, now four years in the making, was proposed a year before a 2023 mass shooting in the city \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11941716/we-have-a-moment-here-an-urgent-push-for-farmworker-housing-in-wake-of-half-moon-bay-tragedy\">exposed substandard living conditions on local farms\u003c/a> and intensified calls for improved affordable housing for farmworkers. But it’s since become a lightning rod in city politics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents have called the five-story, 40-unit building out of character for Half Moon Bay’s quaint downtown and decried impacts to traffic and parking new residents might bring. Supporters, however, say it would help aging farmworkers remain in the community they helped nourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite concerns from some residents, the city council approved the development in May, but opponents quickly rallied to put a referendum on the ballot. Now, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether it moves forward.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105275\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-13-KQED-815830cf-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The proposed affordable housing site for senior farmworkers at 555 Kelly Ave. in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across California, low wages and a shortage of affordable housing leave many farmworkers living in crowded homes or subpar conditions. Between 2015 and 2019, about 38% of the state’s crop workers lived in crowded housing — defined as more than one person sharing a room, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For retired farmworkers, the options can be even more limited, said Rob Wiener of the California Coalition for Rural Housing. Decades of low-paid, physically demanding work often leave little money for retirement. Moving in with relatives can mean sharing an already-crowded home, while finding an affordable home elsewhere can mean leaving family and community behind, Wiener said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s even more difficult for farmworkers in counties like San Mateo, he said, where the median one-bedroom apartment rents for \u003ca href=\"https://www.zillow.com/rental-manager/market-trends/san-mateo-ca/?bedrooms=1\">more than $3,000 per month\u003c/a> and families must earn a minimum salary of \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">nearly $580,000\u003c/a> to afford buying a median-priced single-family home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every community, in my view, should have the full life cycle of housing that’s needed,” Wiener said, “from family housing to housing for single adults and for retirees.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Housing built for larger farmworker families may not fit the needs of older adults living alone or as couples, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, or ALAS, said the proposal for the apartment building on Kelly Avenue grew out of the organization’s work during the pandemic, when staff at the nonprofit found agricultural workers in their 70s and 80s were still working because they could not afford to retire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-16-KQED-066915f1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ALAS office in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. ALAS is a nonprofit supporting farmworkers and their families. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some lived in housing tied to their jobs, meaning retirement could also cost them their homes. Others rented in the community but struggled to keep up with rising housing costs, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Our aging farm workers are telling us they can’t stop working,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “Because if they stop working, they don’t have income.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters approve the proposed apartment building in Half Moon Bay, senior farmworkers who live or work in the city would get first priority, followed by those elsewhere along the coast and in San Mateo County, according to Mercy Housing, which is partnering with ALAS on the project. The nonprofit developer said those preferences are established in its agreements with the city.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with apartments, the development would include a community center offering services such as health care and wellness programs. Its downtown location would put residents within walking distance of groceries, medical care, churches and organizations that already serve them, Hernandez-Arriaga said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Rosales, remaining close to services is important because he has never driven a car. He gets around by walking or taking the bus. He has lived in Half Moon Bay for about two decades and said he wants a home near the places he already relies on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we like is having everything close at hand,” he said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But opponents question the building’s size — at five stories, it would be the tallest in downtown — as well as its effects on parking and traffic and the city’s obligations under the proposed 99-year lease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick Hernandez, vice chair of the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission, said he supports more affordable housing but has concerns about this specific development.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It would be the tallest in downtown,” Hernandez said, “and it’s out of character with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said a smaller development would be a better fit for a neighborhood where people already come for the library, church and community center. He also questioned what costs the city could face over the 99-year lease and whether the proposed lease agreement is adequate to ensure local residents get priority for the apartments.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hernandez-Arriaga sees the opposition as going beyond the building’s size. She questioned whether the older farmworkers who have been asking for housing for years are welcome downtown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Why aren’t they good enough to be living downtown?” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Hernandez pushed back on that assertion. He pointed to other affordable housing developments in Half Moon Bay as examples of the city’s support for farmworkers, including a manufactured housing project the city approved soon after the 2023 mass shooting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is about striking the right balance,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ALAS and Mercy Housing jointly proposed the project after the city sought proposals for affordable apartments on the Kelly Avenue property in 2022. It was the only proposal submitted. But it faced opposition from the start.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the planning commission approved the project’s land-use permits in May 2024, residents appealed. The city council upheld that approval but didn’t sign off on a final lease agreement on the city-owned land until May 2026. Opponents then gathered enough signatures to put that decision before voters, suspending the ordinance until the election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vote comes as the city faces pressure from the state over its broader housing obligations. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-newsom-administration-take-legal-action-against-local\">sued Half Moon Bay\u003c/a> for failing to complete zoning changes required to bring its housing plan into compliance with state law, asking a court to require compliance and impose financial penalties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261016_HALFMOONBAYMEASUREQ_GC-17-KQED-1deb1f18-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “Yes on Q” sign is posted at a local business in Half Moon Bay on Oct. 16, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeff Regan, campaign organizer for Yes on 555 Kelly Ave., said rejecting the Kelly Avenue project would make it harder for the city to meet state housing goals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the city’s description of the lease, Mercy Housing would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the buildings, carrying required insurance and operating resident programs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Mercy said about $28 million in public funding has been secured, including more than $6 million recently approved by San Mateo County. The plan anticipates covering the remaining $14 million through tax-credit financing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rosales has attended several meetings about the development, hoping it will move forward. For now, he visits his wife at her sister’s home, spends time talking with her, then leaves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wants to stay in Half Moon Bay but said they are considering returning to Mexico if they cannot find a place to live together. Still, he’s reluctant to leave the city he’s called home for two decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’d like to stay here a little longer,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-to-pay-10-million-to-settle-class-action-over-women-gassed-at-chowchilla-prison",
"title": "California Agrees to Pay $10 Million in Class Action Over Women Gassed at Chowchilla Prison",
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"headTitle": "California Agrees to Pay $10 Million in Class Action Over Women Gassed at Chowchilla Prison | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California has reached a tentative $10 million agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of incarcerated women at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/central-california-womens-facility\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> who were held in a crowded dining hall and sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no amount of money that can fix what we went through that day,” said Angelina Hernandez, who is no longer in prison. “I have really bad PTSD. It really messed me up in a lot of different ways.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the morning of Aug. 2, 2024, correctional officers at the Chowchilla facility moved more than 150 women to the dining hall to conduct a massive search of their unit, according to the suit, and seize any personal belongings that did not fit in a 6-cubic-foot box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a8Fb2UwB1c&t=6s\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After hours of being confined to the cafeteria without food, water or access to medication, tensions became heightened. Women shouted at the officers and banged on the tables, according to internal documents obtained by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officers deployed chemical grenades and pepper spray on the women — first inside the chow hall, and then again after the women were zip-tied and seated in the yard outside. At least one woman named Christina Wind was also beaten by officers with batons. Women suffered injuries ranging from seizures, stroke and loss of eyesight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the incident, officers were captured on body camera saying things like “Put them down with gas,” and “Fun, fun, fun, baby,” according to internal documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mass use-of-force event led to the largest corrective action related to a single incident in state history, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Three correctional officers were fired and 31 more received discipline, ranging from reprimands to pay cuts. Several officers are still appealing those actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the agreement, $7.45 million would be split among the class members, while $2.5 million would go to their attorneys. Another lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 women who were injured during the incident was settled for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million in March\u003c/a>, bringing the combined value of the settlements to nearly $12 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It was a gross violation of constitutional rights,” said attorney Mark Merin, who represents the women in the class action. “The state obviously recognizes that on some level and is coming forward with substantial compensation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prison agency has not admitted fault in either suit. CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the agency cannot comment on active litigation, but that the department “continues its commitment to safe and constitutional operations at all institutions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104812/put-them-down-with-gas-kqed-investigation-finds-abuse-and-retaliation-at-chowchilla-prison\">KQED investigation found\u003c/a> the mass use-of-force incident was carried out amid a striking rise in sexual assault complaints —known as Prison Rape Elimination Act complaints — at the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five women told KQED they believed the incident was intended to stop the flood of PREA complaints. But those allegations of retaliation were not looked into by the agency, according to documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hardy wrote that CDCR “has implemented significant reforms to strengthen investigative processes, enhance facility oversight, expand fixed and Body Worn camera coverage, and improve PREA reporting pathways.” And she said the agency “is fully committed” to supporting sexual assault victims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last month, the CCWF warden \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">was transferred and demoted\u003c/a>, amid a new investigation into sexual abuse by officers at the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A judge is set to review the settlement agreement on Dec. 4. If it is approved, claim forms and notices will be mailed to the 142 women represented in the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I feel like [CDCR] should do a lot more,” Hernandez said. “I feel like all those officers [involved in Aug. 2] should be walked off.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The mass use-of-force event led to the largest corrective action related to a single incident in state history, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Three correctional officers were fired and 31 more received discipline, ranging from reprimands to pay cuts. Several officers are still appealing those actions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The mass use-of-force event led to the largest corrective action related to a single incident in state history, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Three correctional officers were fired and 31 more received discipline, ranging from reprimands to pay cuts. Several officers are still appealing those actions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the agreement, $7.45 million would be split among the class members, while $2.5 million would go to their attorneys. Another lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 women who were injured during the incident was settled for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million in March\u003c/a>, bringing the combined value of the settlements to nearly $12 million.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under the agreement, $7.45 million would be split among the class members, while $2.5 million would go to their attorneys. Another lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 women who were injured during the incident was settled for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million in March\u003c/a>, bringing the combined value of the settlements to nearly $12 million.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was a gross violation of constitutional rights,” said attorney Mark Merin, who represents the women in the class action. “The state obviously recognizes that on some level and is coming forward with substantial compensation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It was a gross violation of constitutional rights,” said attorney Mark Merin, who represents the women in the class action. “The state obviously recognizes that on some level and is coming forward with substantial compensation.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The prison agency has not admitted fault in either suit. CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the agency cannot comment on active litigation, but that the department “continues its commitment to safe and constitutional operations at all institutions.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The prison agency has not admitted fault in either suit. CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the agency cannot comment on active litigation, but that the department “continues its commitment to safe and constitutional operations at all institutions.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104812/put-them-down-with-gas-kqed-investigation-finds-abuse-and-retaliation-at-chowchilla-prison\">KQED investigation found\u003c/a> the mass use-of-force incident was carried out amid a striking rise in sexual assault complaints —known as Prison Rape Elimination Act complaints — at the prison. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Five women told KQED they believed the incident was intended to stop the flood of PREA complaints. But those allegations of retaliation were not looked into by the agency, according to documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Five women told KQED they believed the incident was intended to stop the flood of PREA complaints. But those allegations of retaliation were not looked into by the agency, according to documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hardy wrote that CDCR “has implemented significant reforms to strengthen investigative processes, enhance facility oversight, expand fixed and Body Worn camera coverage, and improve PREA reporting pathways.” And she said the agency “is fully committed” to supporting sexual assault victims. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hardy wrote that CDCR “has implemented significant reforms to strengthen investigative processes, enhance facility oversight, expand fixed and Body Worn camera coverage, and improve PREA reporting pathways.” And she said the agency “is fully committed” to supporting sexual assault victims. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last month, the CCWF warden \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">was transferred and demoted\u003c/a>, amid a new investigation into sexual abuse by officers at the prison. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A judge is set to review the settlement agreement on Dec. 4. If it is approved, claim forms and notices will be mailed to the 142 women represented in the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A judge is set to review the settlement agreement on Dec. 4. If it is approved, claim forms and notices will be mailed to the 142 women represented in the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I feel like [CDCR] should do a lot more,” Hernandez said. “I feel like all those officers [involved in Aug. 2] should be walked off.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I feel like [CDCR] should do a lot more,” Hernandez said. “I feel like all those officers [involved in Aug. 2] should be walked off.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The operation at the Central California Women’s Facility resulted in the largest corrective action related to a single incident in state history.",
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"title": "California Agrees to Pay $10 Million in Class Action Over Women Gassed at Chowchilla Prison | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California has reached a tentative $10 million agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of incarcerated women at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/central-california-womens-facility\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> who were held in a crowded dining hall and sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no amount of money that can fix what we went through that day,” said Angelina Hernandez, who is no longer in prison. “I have really bad PTSD. It really messed me up in a lot of different ways.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the morning of Aug. 2, 2024, correctional officers at the Chowchilla facility moved more than 150 women to the dining hall to conduct a massive search of their unit, according to the suit, and seize any personal belongings that did not fit in a 6-cubic-foot box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/-a8Fb2UwB1c'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/-a8Fb2UwB1c'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After hours of being confined to the cafeteria without food, water or access to medication, tensions became heightened. Women shouted at the officers and banged on the tables, according to internal documents obtained by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officers deployed chemical grenades and pepper spray on the women — first inside the chow hall, and then again after the women were zip-tied and seated in the yard outside. At least one woman named Christina Wind was also beaten by officers with batons. Women suffered injuries ranging from seizures, stroke and loss of eyesight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the incident, officers were captured on body camera saying things like “Put them down with gas,” and “Fun, fun, fun, baby,” according to internal documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mass use-of-force event led to the largest corrective action related to a single incident in state history, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Three correctional officers were fired and 31 more received discipline, ranging from reprimands to pay cuts. Several officers are still appealing those actions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the agreement, $7.45 million would be split among the class members, while $2.5 million would go to their attorneys. Another lawsuit filed on behalf of 13 women who were injured during the incident was settled for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million in March\u003c/a>, bringing the combined value of the settlements to nearly $12 million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It was a gross violation of constitutional rights,” said attorney Mark Merin, who represents the women in the class action. “The state obviously recognizes that on some level and is coming forward with substantial compensation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prison agency has not admitted fault in either suit. CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the agency cannot comment on active litigation, but that the department “continues its commitment to safe and constitutional operations at all institutions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104812/put-them-down-with-gas-kqed-investigation-finds-abuse-and-retaliation-at-chowchilla-prison\">KQED investigation found\u003c/a> the mass use-of-force incident was carried out amid a striking rise in sexual assault complaints —known as Prison Rape Elimination Act complaints — at the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five women told KQED they believed the incident was intended to stop the flood of PREA complaints. But those allegations of retaliation were not looked into by the agency, according to documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hardy wrote that CDCR “has implemented significant reforms to strengthen investigative processes, enhance facility oversight, expand fixed and Body Worn camera coverage, and improve PREA reporting pathways.” And she said the agency “is fully committed” to supporting sexual assault victims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last month, the CCWF warden \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">was transferred and demoted\u003c/a>, amid a new investigation into sexual abuse by officers at the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A judge is set to review the settlement agreement on Dec. 4. If it is approved, claim forms and notices will be mailed to the 142 women represented in the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I feel like [CDCR] should do a lot more,” Hernandez said. “I feel like all those officers [involved in Aug. 2] should be walked off.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent",
"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent",
"publishDate": 1792504800,
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"headTitle": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes.",
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"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "put-them-down-with-gas-kqed-investigation-finds-abuse-and-retaliation-at-chowchilla-prison",
"title": "‘Put Them Down With Gas’: KQED Investigation Finds Abuse and Retaliation at Chowchilla Prison",
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"headTitle": "‘Put Them Down With Gas’: KQED Investigation Finds Abuse and Retaliation at Chowchilla Prison | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hear more of the story on the podcast \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">‘We Are Jane Doe,\u003c/a>’ from KQED’s Snap Studios.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aliksandria Prout was at home the evening of Aug. 2, 2024, when her phone rang. It was her former cellmate at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/central-california-womens-facility\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a>. Catrina Cameron was nearly incoherent over the prison phone line. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She told me she couldn’t see outta one eye,” Prout said. Cameron told Prout that correctional officers had sprayed her and dozens of other women with tear gas and pepper spray. “Our other cellmate had gotten beat up by correctional staff.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout could barely grasp the enormity of the incident. As the public would later learn, correctional officers had removed 159 women from a CCWF housing unit, confined them for more than four hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication, and then unleashed streams of pepper spray and chemical blast grenades on them when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Later, as the prisoners sat outside on the hot, dusty yard with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, officers again used tear gas and pepper grenades on them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1213\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-160x97.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-1536x932.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows officers throwing chemical blast grenades at incarcerated women in the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A retired prison administrator who reviewed footage of the incident told KQED: “It looks like they’re lining ’em up for the firing squad.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women suffered injuries including stroke, blindness and seizures. “I didn’t know what they were doing to us or why, but I needed help, and I need somebody out there to know,” Cameron later recalled. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the phone with her friend, Prout felt sick. The 33-year-old nursing student and mother of three had been out of prison for nearly two years, but she hadn’t been able to leave it behind. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In just a couple of months, Prout was set to testify against the now-infamous former correctional officer, Gregory Rodriguez, who’d been charged with sexually assaulting more than a dozen women at the facility in Chowchilla, about 35 miles from Fresno. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And now, her close friend and former cellmate had been attacked by officers in the chow hall. She couldn’t help but think her efforts to expose Rodriguez were connected to what had just happened to Cameron and more than 150 women in her old unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104581\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout sits in her home office, surrounded by legal paperwork, on Aug. 19, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout’s concerns were well-founded, according to a two-year KQED investigation into “Operation Breakdown,” as the incident was called in internal documents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Interviews with more than a dozen women, a KQED analysis of six years’ worth of sexual assault complaints, trial transcripts, court filings, leaked internal affairs interviews and hundreds of disciplinary documents revealed a pattern of retaliation against incarcerated women who reported assault, failure to investigate those assaults and the dysfunctional accountability system that allowed staff sexual exploitation of women to flourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent U.S. Department of Justice investigation reached a similar conclusion, finding an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation in California’s women’s prisons dating back more than two decades. CCWF is one of just two women’s penitentiaries in the state and is one of the largest women’s prisons in the world, with a population of more than 2,000 women, nonbinary and trans people held inside.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104586\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104629\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Resources hang on the wall at the housing unit. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the wake of the DOJ’s report, and as KQED neared publication of this investigation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">the warden at CCWF, Anissa De La Cruz, was demoted and transferred\u003c/a>, and multiple officers were put under investigation for sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said the agency cannot comment on personnel decisions or the ongoing investigation. It said the agency is “fully committed to protecting victims of sexual assault.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the department conducted its own investigation into the events of Aug. 2, investigating 95 employees and disciplining 34 for their conduct, including firing three for excessive force and dishonesty. Initially, the department moved to discipline 41 staff members, but that number dropped as correctional officers filed appeals, some of which are still pending. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/wZ89a/5/\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said the case was the largest corrective action stemming from a single incident in its history. Yet, key questions about the operation’s connection to a rising tide of sexual assault complaints remain unanswered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of six years of \u003ca href=\"https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act\">Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)\u003c/a> data obtained from CDCR showed that the rate of sexual misconduct complaints against staff at CCWF increased by about 1,800% from 2022 to 2023. CDCR did not answer questions about this data.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout’s experience illuminates a pervasive culture of sexual abuse at CCWF, helps explain why women suddenly started coming forward in 2023, and reveals what the officers charged with keeping people safe in custody did in response.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ali’s story\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In May 2022, Prout had been at CCWF for just a few days when correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez stopped her as she walked to a medical appointment. He asked her to pull down her N95 mask so he could verify her identity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He said, ‘You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,’” Prout told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three days later, an officer gave Prout a paper pass, known as a ducat, allowing her to move through the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They told me I had an attorney visit,” she said. An officer escorted her to the Board of Parole Hearings room, where such visits are usually held.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout at her home. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But there was no attorney visit. Instead, she saw Rodriguez. This is the first time she has spoken to the media about what happened in that room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez came close and tried to kiss her. He lifted her shirt and then turned her around on a chair beneath a window. Prout remembers staring at the officer’s boot, propped against the left side of the green upholstered chair. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What really upset me was he didn’t use protection,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it was over, Prout said, Rodriguez warned her that if she told anyone, she could face disciplinary action, which could mean more time in prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1140\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104526\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-160x91.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-1536x876.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pass issued for a fraudulent attorney visit on May 20, 2022, is among the evidence Aliksandria Prout saved following her sexual assault. (Courtesy of Aliksandria Prout)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED heard similar stories from other women at the prison. Eight women said they feared disciplinary write-ups, repeated cell searches and other retaliation if they reported sexual assault by staff. In a statement, CDCR said it is committed to protecting victims of sexual assault and that “sexual abuse, harassment and retaliation against incarcerated people is unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the time, Prout stayed silent, but she made sure to keep track of the multiple times Rodriguez called her back to that room. When she was paroled after just a few months in prison, Prout began contacting attorneys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She found out that CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs was already investigating Rodriguez. They ultimately identified 22 potential victims, including Prout, and worked with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office to arrest the former officer in May of 2023. The case, in which Prout testified as a \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">Jane Doe\u003c/a>, attracted national attention. Rodriguez was convicted on 64 counts of sexual abuse, including rape and sexual battery. He was sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a prison spokesperson wrote that Rodriguez’s sentence “reaffirms CDCR’s own internal investigation” and that the department “condemns any staff member — especially a peace officer who is entrusted to enforce the law — who violates their oath and public trust.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104522\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of an internal affairs investigation report obtained by KQED through a public records request from an investigation led by Special Agent Dustin Baker. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The department also said that then-Warden Michael Pallares was transferred to Pleasant Valley State Prison, where he was made associate warden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, documents recently obtained by KQED reveal troubling new details about that investigation. The internal affairs report showed there was a six-month window in which investigators and CDCR leadership were notified of Rodriguez’s misconduct and failed to act. During that period, he assaulted at least six women, including Prout, numerous times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before Prout even arrived at CCWF, a woman had already told investigators that Rodriguez summoned her to the Board of Parole Hearings room for fake attorney visits and sexually assaulted her on three occasions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Rodriguez remained at his job until Aug. 17, 2022, when he was finally reassigned to the mailroom. He retired shortly after that. CDCR did not answer questions about why it took so long to stop Rodriguez’s abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104582\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout holds documents related to her case at her home. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez had been flagged before. All the way back in 2014, someone had reported potential relations between Rodriguez and a young woman identified in the trial transcripts as Nicole Doe. An investigation was done at the time, but the allegations against Rodriguez were dismissed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nicole Doe was sent to solitary confinement for more than six months and then transferred to another prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was treated like I was the problem,” Nicole Doe said at trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, a female co-worker reported Rodriguez for sexual harassment. Rodriguez tried to kiss her and get her to go into the staff restroom at work, this woman told investigators. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ll be quick, I’ll be quick,” she recalled Rodriguez saying, according to internal documents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104588\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign hangs above a doorway to a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez was reprimanded and told not to do it again, according to trial testimony. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The internal affairs report appeared to show that no other officers were disciplined in connection with Rodriguez’s years of criminal abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout said other officers must have known. They were often responsible for issuing ducats like the ones she received. The police of the prison, Investigative Services Unit officers, had an office right across the hall from the room where Rodriguez repeatedly called women in order to assault them. Prout, concerned she might be pregnant, had also gone to the prison clinic after that first assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They told me that if I wanted a pregnancy or STD test,” Prout testified at trial, “I had to admit to engaging in risky behavior, and that if I did that, it would add more time onto my sentence.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ripple effects\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez’s 2023 arrest also drew the attention of state lawmakers, who convened a \u003ca href=\"https://womenscaucus.legislature.ca.gov/node/434\">special hearing on sexual abuse\u003c/a> inside California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">allegations of sexual abuse by officers have persisted for years\u003c/a>, the Rodriguez case, along with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958308/dublin-womens-prison-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-sexual-abuse-scandal\">wide-ranging scandal of abuse at the federal prison\u003c/a> in Dublin, California, brought renewed urgency to the issue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was a real pivotal moment,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy nonprofit Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, who spoke at that hearing. “I feel like it’s kind of when Pandora’s Box opened.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature allocated funds to create a sexual-abuse response and prevention working group. As part of that, CCWF began allowing incarcerated people to gather inside the prison gym for town halls organized by Sister Warriors and other advocacy groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates stood watch at the doors of the gym to ensure correctional officers did not enter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the 30 years that I had been there, never had the prison allowed such a large group of us to gather with guests and without staff present,” said Elizabeth Lozano, one of the incarcerated women who was there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the first time, Lozano spoke about the terror and violation she felt when being groped by a correctional officer. “There’s things that happen where it’s out of your control,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In October of 2023, CDCR agreed to pay Prout $1.2 million to settle a civil suit she’d filed. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against CDCR since Rodriguez’s arrest, alleging sexual abuse by him and dozens of officers. The cases became so numerous they were consolidated into a single coordinated proceeding that is still moving through the Sacramento Superior Court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As civil claims and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaints began to rise, five women, including Antoinette Yancey, who served on the prison’s inmate advisory council, said in interviews with KQED or in legal filings that they were warned that the complaints needed to stop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104583\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) informational signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104618\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a yard on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a smaller search about a month before Operation Breakdown, Yancey said that Sgt. Isidro Arroyo confronted her, saying, “The PREA, the staff assaults, the complaints and all the 602s [prison grievances] all of that stuff needs to stop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the complaints do not stop, then I’m going to lock you guys down, take all your privileges, and this is gonna continue until the complaints stop,” Yancey recalled Arroyo saying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she told him this was neither legal nor fair and refused to discourage women from filing sexual-abuse complaints. She also said she brought up this incident with Arroyo during a regular inmate advisory council meeting with leadership of the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR declined to make Arroyo available for an interview and did not respond to questions about this incident. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘These bitches need to know’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days leading up to Operation Breakdown, then-Warden Anissa De La Cruz was not at the prison, so Chief Deputy Warden Cynthia Rojas was in charge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Aug. 1, 2024, acting Capt. Carlos Mendoza and Associate Warden Stephanie Torres came to Rojas about problems with prisoners smoking and being “disruptive” in a housing area called D Yard, according to internal affairs interviews that were leaked on YouTube and later taken down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to gain control of that fucking unit,” Rojas said, according to one of those leaked tapes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. The R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rojas and her staff planned a massive search-and-seizure operation to look for contraband and enforce prison property limits for the entire unit. Under CDCR regulations, each incarcerated person’s state-issued and approved personal belongings must fit within 6 cubic feet of space — about the size of a mini-fridge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres’ name was redacted in the investigation report, but KQED was able to identify her by comparing her statements to leaked internal affairs interviews and details about her role in the prison. She said the chief deputy warden gave her and Mendoza about a four-and-a-half-hour window to plan a search that would normally take days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres and Mendoza later told internal affairs investigators that they “questioned the reasoning and urgency” for the search, according to the report. The two senior staff members said that Rojas told them, “these bitches need to know who’s in control,” and that De La Cruz had directed her to “do what I know how to do.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza sent an email to De La Cruz, Rojas, Torres and other prison leaders late that Thursday afternoon, laying out the basics, including breaking the prisoners down to 6 cubic feet, using K-9 and searching the building.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Operation Breakdown was set for the next day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Fun, fun, fun, baby’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Aug. 2, Torres described a “skeleton crew of managerial staff” on site. Prison officials had to bring in officers who were still in training, according to the report. Two trainees said it was their first day working inside a prison. And despite initiating and planning Operation Breakdown, Rojas was also not at work that day. But when the acting captain of D Yard called her around midday, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Boss, we just went code three,” Mendoza said, according to Rojas’ leaked interview with internal affairs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What the fuck? What do you mean we went code three?” Rojas said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cafeteria at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The 159 incarcerated women on D Yard had been taken out of their cells and crowded into the dining hall first thing that morning. As the morning wore on, the scope of the search became apparent, according to a dozen women who were there that day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They watched through the windows of the chow hall as their pillows, shoes, clothing, TVs and even some mattresses were taken or thrown away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People been here for 20 years,” said Wisdom Muhammad, who is out of prison now. “You throwing away they sentimental things that they have. You feel me? Like stuff that’s unreplaceable, and all that stuff is just hot trash.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around 12:20 p.m., one of the people being held in the dining hall had a seizure. An alarm sounded, and officers filed into the dining hall in a skirmish line carrying MK-46 pepper sprayers and chemical grenades, surveillance footage and internal records showed. Things quickly escalated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After more than four hours in the sweltering Central Valley heat without food, water or medication, the people being held in the dining hall were frustrated, according to at least a dozen women who were there. They shouted at the officers. They banged on the tables and windows.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she pointed to Arroyo and then to herself, trying to signal that she wanted to speak with him. He did not acknowledge her.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza handed Arroyo a chemical blast grenade and instructed him to “put ’em down with the gas,” according to internal disciplinary documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza was recorded on body camera directing officers to “go gas” and placing chemical grenades in the hands of subordinates, according to disciplinary documents. He later told them he “took the initiative to be the response supervisor” at the dining hall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scrimmage line unleashed chemical blast grenades and pepper spray on the crowd of incarcerated people, sending them scrambling toward the back of the room, surveillance video reviewed by KQED showed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to a leaked internal affairs interview, correctional officer Jordan R. Chavira told another officer that he had entered the dining hall and “started dumping it, dude,” referring to chemical agents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIU0P9TO2-w&t=37s\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One by one, the women’s hands were zip-tied behind their backs and eventually were walked outside to the yard, surveillance footage showed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey assumed the officers were going to start letting them go back into their housing unit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, as the incarcerated people sat under the baking sun in 90-degree weather, the officers formed a half circle around them, according to surveillance footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One woman, hands zip-tied behind her back, got up and took four steps to sit by another woman. Just then, the officers started throwing grenades filled with tear gas or pepper spray at the entire group. At least 15 blast grenades were deployed, according to KQED’s analysis of the disciplinary documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the assault died down, multiple women were carried off the field on stretchers. According to leaked internal affairs tapes, Chavira was captured on his body-worn camera approaching another officer and saying, “Fun, fun, fun, baby.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7-1536x974.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows an incarcerated woman secured to a stretcher outside the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chavira told investigators he made those remarks in “the heat of the moment” and that he was being sarcastic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza and Chavira were charged with inexcusable neglect of duty, dishonesty, willful disobedience and excessive force; both were fired. Arroyo received a 10% salary reduction for seven pay periods and has returned to work at CCWF.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED was unable to reach Mendoza. Multiple attempts to reach Chavira were unsuccessful.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“To me, if you can openly spray people as if they’re rats or roaches, like they’re not human, you completely disregard their humanity,” said Lozano, who was there on Aug. 2. “You’re sadistic. You’re an abuser.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two investigations, different questions\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thirteen women, including Catrina Cameron and Antionette Yancey, filed a suit against the state for their injuries during the Aug. 2 incident, alleging the incident was tied to reports of sexual assault. CDCR admitted no fault, but paid the group $1.9 million to settle the case. A separate class action lawsuit is still pending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR’s internal investigation focused on the conduct of individual employees during the operation: who gave orders, who followed them and whether the force they used complied with department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But newly disclosed documents obtained by KQED reveal that the operation was plagued by staffing shortages, lack of planning and oversight failures. Vital questions about why this operation was rushed out were never answered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104612\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman wearing a spit hood through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026 (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I still don’t understand that,” Torres told internal affairs. “I wish to understand it, and in some ways, I don’t wish to understand it. It doesn’t make sense.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR Administrator Angela Kent is retired now, but at the time she served as the associate director of Female Offender Programs and Services. In her 27 years in law enforcement, she had never seen anything like the use of force on Aug. 2, she told KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I absolutely felt that every officer, supervisor and manager involved should be fired,” Kent said. At the time, she urged the department to release the body-worn camera footage along with a statement, “immediately, in line with the industry standard.” As of publication, CDCR still has not released the body-worn camera footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chief Deputy Warden Rojas, who’d approved the operation but wasn’t there to oversee it, was not disciplined, according to documents obtained by KQED. In a leaked interview, she was questioned about the statement that Torres and Mendoza told investigators about. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Did you make the statement, ‘These bitches need to be reminded who’s in charge,’ or words to that effect?” the investigator said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not that I recall,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rojas was later promoted and is now acting warden at the second-largest men’s prison in the state, the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, which currently holds about 4,000 people in custody, according to CDCR’s website. CDCR declined to make Rojas available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the documents obtained by KQED and the leaked internal affairs tapes, CDCR did not determine why the operation was launched or whether it was connected to the growing number of sexual-abuse complaints.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is no doubt in my mind that if you start to empower women that are incarcerated and you start to give credibility to their voice that there’s gonna be tremendous resistance,” Kent said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A month after the Aug. 2 incident, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a broad civil rights investigation into sexual abuse and retaliation at California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators examined the incident within the context of rising reports of sexual misconduct, allegations that staff punished women for speaking up and what the department described as longstanding failures to protect them. \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">The department released its findings last month\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young told KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In response, CDCR said it takes every allegation seriously and remains committed to accountability and safety. The agency pointed to federal Prison Rape Elimination Act audits that found both women’s prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those audits measure whether a facility has policies and practices designed to comply with PREA; they do not determine whether abuse occurred in every reported case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural covers the side of a fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaint data obtained from CDCR showed that in 2025, the year following the Aug. 2 incident, the rate of complaints being filed against staff at CCWF fell by about 75%. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. There are likely many reasons for this sudden decline, but multiple people at the prison said they no longer felt safe to file complaints.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One incarcerated woman, who was a victim of Rodriguez’s and spoke to KQED on the condition of anonymity because she is afraid for her safety, said if she had to do it over again, she would not report Rodriguez. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaints found another trend: As complaints rose in 2023 and 2024, the department appeared unable to keep up. As of the most recent data, more than 2,000 complaints across California’s state prisons had not been adjudicated. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many of the women who remain incarcerated at CCWF, Operation Breakdown has left lasting scars. Cameron said she has not set foot in the dining hall since Aug. 2 and that she still has not regained sight in one of her eyes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she still sees officers who were involved in the operation regularly. “They work in this building. They’re still antagonistic towards us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whether the operation had succeeded in frightening women into silence, Cameron said it may have deterred many, but not everyone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Hopefully, the more of us who start to speak, the more will follow,” she said. “What happens in the dark always comes to light.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anna Sussman contributed reporting to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeremy Sanchez Rue, associate professor of practice for UC Berkeley Journalism School, was the data editor for this series. AI tools were used to assist with the data analysis for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced with support from \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californianewsroom\">The California Newsroom\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a collaboration of public media outlets throughout the state, with NPR as its national partner.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Aliksandria Prout was at home the evening of Aug. 2, 2024, when her phone rang. It was her former cellmate at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/central-california-womens-facility\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a>. Catrina Cameron was nearly incoherent over the prison phone line. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She told me she couldn’t see outta one eye,” Prout said. Cameron told Prout that correctional officers had sprayed her and dozens of other women with tear gas and pepper spray. “Our other cellmate had gotten beat up by correctional staff.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prout could barely grasp the enormity of the incident. As the public would later learn, correctional officers had removed 159 women from a CCWF housing unit, confined them for more than four hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication, and then unleashed streams of pepper spray and chemical blast grenades on them when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prout could barely grasp the enormity of the incident. As the public would later learn, correctional officers had removed 159 women from a CCWF housing unit, confined them for more than four hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication, and then unleashed streams of pepper spray and chemical blast grenades on them when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Later, as the prisoners sat outside on the hot, dusty yard with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, officers again used tear gas and pepper grenades on them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Later, as the prisoners sat outside on the hot, dusty yard with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, officers again used tear gas and pepper grenades on them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-160x97.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-1536x932.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows officers throwing chemical blast grenades at incarcerated women in the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104593\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows officers throwing chemical blast grenades at incarcerated women in the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Women suffered injuries including stroke, blindness and seizures. “I didn’t know what they were doing to us or why, but I needed help, and I need somebody out there to know,” Cameron later recalled. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Women suffered injuries including stroke, blindness and seizures. “I didn’t know what they were doing to us or why, but I needed help, and I need somebody out there to know,” Cameron later recalled. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the phone with her friend, Prout felt sick. The 33-year-old nursing student and mother of three had been out of prison for nearly two years, but she hadn’t been able to leave it behind. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On the phone with her friend, Prout felt sick. The 33-year-old nursing student and mother of three had been out of prison for nearly two years, but she hadn’t been able to leave it behind. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In just a couple of months, Prout was set to testify against the now-infamous former correctional officer, Gregory Rodriguez, who’d been charged with sexually assaulting more than a dozen women at the facility in Chowchilla, about 35 miles from Fresno. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In just a couple of months, Prout was set to testify against the now-infamous former correctional officer, Gregory Rodriguez, who’d been charged with sexually assaulting more than a dozen women at the facility in Chowchilla, about 35 miles from Fresno. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And now, her close friend and former cellmate had been attacked by officers in the chow hall. She couldn’t help but think her efforts to expose Rodriguez were connected to what had just happened to Cameron and more than 150 women in her old unit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And now, her close friend and former cellmate had been attacked by officers in the chow hall. She couldn’t help but think her efforts to expose Rodriguez were connected to what had just happened to Cameron and more than 150 women in her old unit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104581\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout sits in her home office, surrounded by legal paperwork, on Aug. 19, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104581\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout sits in her home office, surrounded by legal paperwork, on Aug. 19, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prout’s concerns were well-founded, according to a two-year KQED investigation into “Operation Breakdown,” as the incident was called in internal documents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Interviews with more than a dozen women, a KQED analysis of six years’ worth of sexual assault complaints, trial transcripts, court filings, leaked internal affairs interviews and hundreds of disciplinary documents revealed a pattern of retaliation against incarcerated women who reported assault, failure to investigate those assaults and the dysfunctional accountability system that allowed staff sexual exploitation of women to flourish.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Interviews with more than a dozen women, a KQED analysis of six years’ worth of sexual assault complaints, trial transcripts, court filings, leaked internal affairs interviews and hundreds of disciplinary documents revealed a pattern of retaliation against incarcerated women who reported assault, failure to investigate those assaults and the dysfunctional accountability system that allowed staff sexual exploitation of women to flourish.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A recent U.S. Department of Justice investigation reached a similar conclusion, finding an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation in California’s women’s prisons dating back more than two decades. CCWF is one of just two women’s penitentiaries in the state and is one of the largest women’s prisons in the world, with a population of more than 2,000 women, nonbinary and trans people held inside.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104586\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the wake of the DOJ’s report, and as KQED neared publication of this investigation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">the warden at CCWF, Anissa De La Cruz, was demoted and transferred\u003c/a>, and multiple officers were put under investigation for sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said the agency cannot comment on personnel decisions or the ongoing investigation. It said the agency is “fully committed to protecting victims of sexual assault.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the department conducted its own investigation into the events of Aug. 2, investigating 95 employees and disciplining 34 for their conduct, including firing three for excessive force and dishonesty. Initially, the department moved to discipline 41 staff members, but that number dropped as correctional officers filed appeals, some of which are still pending. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the department conducted its own investigation into the events of Aug. 2, investigating 95 employees and disciplining 34 for their conduct, including firing three for excessive force and dishonesty. Initially, the department moved to discipline 41 staff members, but that number dropped as correctional officers filed appeals, some of which are still pending. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR said the case was the largest corrective action stemming from a single incident in its history. Yet, key questions about the operation’s connection to a rising tide of sexual assault complaints remain unanswered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of six years of \u003ca href=\"https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act\">Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)\u003c/a> data obtained from CDCR showed that the rate of sexual misconduct complaints against staff at CCWF increased by about 1,800% from 2022 to 2023. CDCR did not answer questions about this data.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of six years of \u003ca href=\"https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act\">Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)\u003c/a> data obtained from CDCR showed that the rate of sexual misconduct complaints against staff at CCWF increased by about 1,800% from 2022 to 2023. CDCR did not answer questions about this data.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prout’s experience illuminates a pervasive culture of sexual abuse at CCWF, helps explain why women suddenly started coming forward in 2023, and reveals what the officers charged with keeping people safe in custody did in response.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Ali’s story",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In May 2022, Prout had been at CCWF for just a few days when correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez stopped her as she walked to a medical appointment. He asked her to pull down her N95 mask so he could verify her identity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He said, ‘You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,’” Prout told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three days later, an officer gave Prout a paper pass, known as a ducat, allowing her to move through the prison. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They told me I had an attorney visit,” she said. An officer escorted her to the Board of Parole Hearings room, where such visits are usually held.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout at her home.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104579\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout at her home.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But there was no attorney visit. Instead, she saw Rodriguez. This is the first time she has spoken to the media about what happened in that room. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rodriguez came close and tried to kiss her. He lifted her shirt and then turned her around on a chair beneath a window. Prout remembers staring at the officer’s boot, propped against the left side of the green upholstered chair. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rodriguez came close and tried to kiss her. He lifted her shirt and then turned her around on a chair beneath a window. Prout remembers staring at the officer’s boot, propped against the left side of the green upholstered chair. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What really upset me was he didn’t use protection,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When it was over, Prout said, Rodriguez warned her that if she told anyone, she could face disciplinary action, which could mean more time in prison. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When it was over, Prout said, Rodriguez warned her that if she told anyone, she could face disciplinary action, which could mean more time in prison. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104526\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-160x91.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-1536x876.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pass issued for a fraudulent attorney visit on May 20, 2022, is among the evidence Aliksandria Prout saved following her sexual assault.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Aliksandria Prout)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104526\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pass issued for a fraudulent attorney visit on May 20, 2022, is among the evidence Aliksandria Prout saved following her sexual assault.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Aliksandria Prout)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>KQED heard similar stories from other women at the prison. Eight women said they feared disciplinary write-ups, repeated cell searches and other retaliation if they reported sexual assault by staff. In a statement, CDCR said it is committed to protecting victims of sexual assault and that “sexual abuse, harassment and retaliation against incarcerated people is unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>KQED heard similar stories from other women at the prison. Eight women said they feared disciplinary write-ups, repeated cell searches and other retaliation if they reported sexual assault by staff. In a statement, CDCR said it is committed to protecting victims of sexual assault and that “sexual abuse, harassment and retaliation against incarcerated people is unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the time, Prout stayed silent, but she made sure to keep track of the multiple times Rodriguez called her back to that room. When she was paroled after just a few months in prison, Prout began contacting attorneys. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the time, Prout stayed silent, but she made sure to keep track of the multiple times Rodriguez called her back to that room. When she was paroled after just a few months in prison, Prout began contacting attorneys. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She found out that CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs was already investigating Rodriguez. They ultimately identified 22 potential victims, including Prout, and worked with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office to arrest the former officer in May of 2023. The case, in which Prout testified as a \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">Jane Doe\u003c/a>, attracted national attention. Rodriguez was convicted on 64 counts of sexual abuse, including rape and sexual battery. He was sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She found out that CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs was already investigating Rodriguez. They ultimately identified 22 potential victims, including Prout, and worked with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office to arrest the former officer in May of 2023. The case, in which Prout testified as a \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">Jane Doe\u003c/a>, attracted national attention. Rodriguez was convicted on 64 counts of sexual abuse, including rape and sexual battery. He was sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a prison spokesperson wrote that Rodriguez’s sentence “reaffirms CDCR’s own internal investigation” and that the department “condemns any staff member — especially a peace officer who is entrusted to enforce the law — who violates their oath and public trust.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a prison spokesperson wrote that Rodriguez’s sentence “reaffirms CDCR’s own internal investigation” and that the department “condemns any staff member — especially a peace officer who is entrusted to enforce the law — who violates their oath and public trust.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104522\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of an internal affairs investigation report obtained by KQED through a public records request from an investigation led by Special Agent Dustin Baker.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104522\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of an internal affairs investigation report obtained by KQED through a public records request from an investigation led by Special Agent Dustin Baker.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The department also said that then-Warden Michael Pallares was transferred to Pleasant Valley State Prison, where he was made associate warden.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The department also said that then-Warden Michael Pallares was transferred to Pleasant Valley State Prison, where he was made associate warden.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, documents recently obtained by KQED reveal troubling new details about that investigation. The internal affairs report showed there was a six-month window in which investigators and CDCR leadership were notified of Rodriguez’s misconduct and failed to act. During that period, he assaulted at least six women, including Prout, numerous times. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, documents recently obtained by KQED reveal troubling new details about that investigation. The internal affairs report showed there was a six-month window in which investigators and CDCR leadership were notified of Rodriguez’s misconduct and failed to act. During that period, he assaulted at least six women, including Prout, numerous times. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before Prout even arrived at CCWF, a woman had already told investigators that Rodriguez summoned her to the Board of Parole Hearings room for fake attorney visits and sexually assaulted her on three occasions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Before Prout even arrived at CCWF, a woman had already told investigators that Rodriguez summoned her to the Board of Parole Hearings room for fake attorney visits and sexually assaulted her on three occasions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Rodriguez remained at his job until Aug. 17, 2022, when he was finally reassigned to the mailroom. He retired shortly after that. CDCR did not answer questions about why it took so long to stop Rodriguez’s abuse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, Rodriguez remained at his job until Aug. 17, 2022, when he was finally reassigned to the mailroom. He retired shortly after that. CDCR did not answer questions about why it took so long to stop Rodriguez’s abuse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104582\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout holds documents related to her case at her home.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104582\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout holds documents related to her case at her home.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rodriguez had been flagged before. All the way back in 2014, someone had reported potential relations between Rodriguez and a young woman identified in the trial transcripts as Nicole Doe. An investigation was done at the time, but the allegations against Rodriguez were dismissed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rodriguez had been flagged before. All the way back in 2014, someone had reported potential relations between Rodriguez and a young woman identified in the trial transcripts as Nicole Doe. An investigation was done at the time, but the allegations against Rodriguez were dismissed. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nicole Doe was sent to solitary confinement for more than six months and then transferred to another prison.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was treated like I was the problem,” Nicole Doe said at trial. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I was treated like I was the problem,” Nicole Doe said at trial. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2019, a female co-worker reported Rodriguez for sexual harassment. Rodriguez tried to kiss her and get her to go into the staff restroom at work, this woman told investigators. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2019, a female co-worker reported Rodriguez for sexual harassment. Rodriguez tried to kiss her and get her to go into the staff restroom at work, this woman told investigators. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ll be quick, I’ll be quick,” she recalled Rodriguez saying, according to internal documents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ll be quick, I’ll be quick,” she recalled Rodriguez saying, according to internal documents.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104588\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign hangs above a doorway to a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rodriguez was reprimanded and told not to do it again, according to trial testimony. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The internal affairs report appeared to show that no other officers were disciplined in connection with Rodriguez’s years of criminal abuse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prout said other officers must have known. They were often responsible for issuing ducats like the ones she received. The police of the prison, Investigative Services Unit officers, had an office right across the hall from the room where Rodriguez repeatedly called women in order to assault them. Prout, concerned she might be pregnant, had also gone to the prison clinic after that first assault.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prout said other officers must have known. They were often responsible for issuing ducats like the ones she received. The police of the prison, Investigative Services Unit officers, had an office right across the hall from the room where Rodriguez repeatedly called women in order to assault them. Prout, concerned she might be pregnant, had also gone to the prison clinic after that first assault.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They told me that if I wanted a pregnancy or STD test,” Prout testified at trial, “I had to admit to engaging in risky behavior, and that if I did that, it would add more time onto my sentence.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They told me that if I wanted a pregnancy or STD test,” Prout testified at trial, “I had to admit to engaging in risky behavior, and that if I did that, it would add more time onto my sentence.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rodriguez’s 2023 arrest also drew the attention of state lawmakers, who convened a \u003ca href=\"https://womenscaucus.legislature.ca.gov/node/434\">special hearing on sexual abuse\u003c/a> inside California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rodriguez’s 2023 arrest also drew the attention of state lawmakers, who convened a \u003ca href=\"https://womenscaucus.legislature.ca.gov/node/434\">special hearing on sexual abuse\u003c/a> inside California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">allegations of sexual abuse by officers have persisted for years\u003c/a>, the Rodriguez case, along with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958308/dublin-womens-prison-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-sexual-abuse-scandal\">wide-ranging scandal of abuse at the federal prison\u003c/a> in Dublin, California, brought renewed urgency to the issue.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">allegations of sexual abuse by officers have persisted for years\u003c/a>, the Rodriguez case, along with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958308/dublin-womens-prison-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-sexual-abuse-scandal\">wide-ranging scandal of abuse at the federal prison\u003c/a> in Dublin, California, brought renewed urgency to the issue.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was a real pivotal moment,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy nonprofit Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, who spoke at that hearing. “I feel like it’s kind of when Pandora’s Box opened.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It was a real pivotal moment,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy nonprofit Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, who spoke at that hearing. “I feel like it’s kind of when Pandora’s Box opened.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104589\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Legislature allocated funds to create a sexual-abuse response and prevention working group. As part of that, CCWF began allowing incarcerated people to gather inside the prison gym for town halls organized by Sister Warriors and other advocacy groups.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Legislature allocated funds to create a sexual-abuse response and prevention working group. As part of that, CCWF began allowing incarcerated people to gather inside the prison gym for town halls organized by Sister Warriors and other advocacy groups.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates stood watch at the doors of the gym to ensure correctional officers did not enter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ In the 30 years that I had been there, never had the prison allowed such a large group of us to gather with guests and without staff present,” said Elizabeth Lozano, one of the incarcerated women who was there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ In the 30 years that I had been there, never had the prison allowed such a large group of us to gather with guests and without staff present,” said Elizabeth Lozano, one of the incarcerated women who was there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For the first time, Lozano spoke about the terror and violation she felt when being groped by a correctional officer. “There’s things that happen where it’s out of your control,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For the first time, Lozano spoke about the terror and violation she felt when being groped by a correctional officer. “There’s things that happen where it’s out of your control,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In October of 2023, CDCR agreed to pay Prout $1.2 million to settle a civil suit she’d filed. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against CDCR since Rodriguez’s arrest, alleging sexual abuse by him and dozens of officers. The cases became so numerous they were consolidated into a single coordinated proceeding that is still moving through the Sacramento Superior Court.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In October of 2023, CDCR agreed to pay Prout $1.2 million to settle a civil suit she’d filed. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against CDCR since Rodriguez’s arrest, alleging sexual abuse by him and dozens of officers. The cases became so numerous they were consolidated into a single coordinated proceeding that is still moving through the Sacramento Superior Court.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As civil claims and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaints began to rise, five women, including Antoinette Yancey, who served on the prison’s inmate advisory council, said in interviews with KQED or in legal filings that they were warned that the complaints needed to stop. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As civil claims and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaints began to rise, five women, including Antoinette Yancey, who served on the prison’s inmate advisory council, said in interviews with KQED or in legal filings that they were warned that the complaints needed to stop. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104583\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) informational signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104583\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) informational signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104618\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a yard on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During a smaller search about a month before Operation Breakdown, Yancey said that Sgt. Isidro Arroyo confronted her, saying, “The PREA, the staff assaults, the complaints and all the 602s [prison grievances] all of that stuff needs to stop.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During a smaller search about a month before Operation Breakdown, Yancey said that Sgt. Isidro Arroyo confronted her, saying, “The PREA, the staff assaults, the complaints and all the 602s [prison grievances] all of that stuff needs to stop.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If the complaints do not stop, then I’m going to lock you guys down, take all your privileges, and this is gonna continue until the complaints stop,” Yancey recalled Arroyo saying.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If the complaints do not stop, then I’m going to lock you guys down, take all your privileges, and this is gonna continue until the complaints stop,” Yancey recalled Arroyo saying.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yancey said she told him this was neither legal nor fair and refused to discourage women from filing sexual-abuse complaints. She also said she brought up this incident with Arroyo during a regular inmate advisory council meeting with leadership of the prison.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yancey said she told him this was neither legal nor fair and refused to discourage women from filing sexual-abuse complaints. She also said she brought up this incident with Arroyo during a regular inmate advisory council meeting with leadership of the prison.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR declined to make Arroyo available for an interview and did not respond to questions about this incident. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CDCR declined to make Arroyo available for an interview and did not respond to questions about this incident. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "‘These bitches need to know’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘These bitches need to know’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘These bitches need to know’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the days leading up to Operation Breakdown, then-Warden Anissa De La Cruz was not at the prison, so Chief Deputy Warden Cynthia Rojas was in charge.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the days leading up to Operation Breakdown, then-Warden Anissa De La Cruz was not at the prison, so Chief Deputy Warden Cynthia Rojas was in charge.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Aug. 1, 2024, acting Capt. Carlos Mendoza and Associate Warden Stephanie Torres came to Rojas about problems with prisoners smoking and being “disruptive” in a housing area called D Yard, according to internal affairs interviews that were leaked on YouTube and later taken down. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Aug. 1, 2024, acting Capt. Carlos Mendoza and Associate Warden Stephanie Torres came to Rojas about problems with prisoners smoking and being “disruptive” in a housing area called D Yard, according to internal affairs interviews that were leaked on YouTube and later taken down. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need to gain control of that fucking unit,” Rojas said, according to one of those leaked tapes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We need to gain control of that fucking unit,” Rojas said, according to one of those leaked tapes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. The R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104631\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. The R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rojas and her staff planned a massive search-and-seizure operation to look for contraband and enforce prison property limits for the entire unit. Under CDCR regulations, each incarcerated person’s state-issued and approved personal belongings must fit within 6 cubic feet of space — about the size of a mini-fridge.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rojas and her staff planned a massive search-and-seizure operation to look for contraband and enforce prison property limits for the entire unit. Under CDCR regulations, each incarcerated person’s state-issued and approved personal belongings must fit within 6 cubic feet of space — about the size of a mini-fridge.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Torres’ name was redacted in the investigation report, but KQED was able to identify her by comparing her statements to leaked internal affairs interviews and details about her role in the prison. She said the chief deputy warden gave her and Mendoza about a four-and-a-half-hour window to plan a search that would normally take days. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Torres’ name was redacted in the investigation report, but KQED was able to identify her by comparing her statements to leaked internal affairs interviews and details about her role in the prison. She said the chief deputy warden gave her and Mendoza about a four-and-a-half-hour window to plan a search that would normally take days. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Torres and Mendoza later told internal affairs investigators that they “questioned the reasoning and urgency” for the search, according to the report. The two senior staff members said that Rojas told them, “these bitches need to know who’s in control,” and that De La Cruz had directed her to “do what I know how to do.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Torres and Mendoza later told internal affairs investigators that they “questioned the reasoning and urgency” for the search, according to the report. The two senior staff members said that Rojas told them, “these bitches need to know who’s in control,” and that De La Cruz had directed her to “do what I know how to do.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mendoza sent an email to De La Cruz, Rojas, Torres and other prison leaders late that Thursday afternoon, laying out the basics, including breaking the prisoners down to 6 cubic feet, using K-9 and searching the building.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mendoza sent an email to De La Cruz, Rojas, Torres and other prison leaders late that Thursday afternoon, laying out the basics, including breaking the prisoners down to 6 cubic feet, using K-9 and searching the building.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Operation Breakdown was set for the next day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "‘Fun, fun, fun, baby’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Fun, fun, fun, baby’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Aug. 2, Torres described a “skeleton crew of managerial staff” on site. Prison officials had to bring in officers who were still in training, according to the report. Two trainees said it was their first day working inside a prison. And despite initiating and planning Operation Breakdown, Rojas was also not at work that day. But when the acting captain of D Yard called her around midday, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People been here for 20 years,” said Wisdom Muhammad, who is out of prison now. “You throwing away they sentimental things that they have. You feel me? Like stuff that’s unreplaceable, and all that stuff is just hot trash.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yancey said she pointed to Arroyo and then to herself, trying to signal that she wanted to speak with him. He did not acknowledge her.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mendoza handed Arroyo a chemical blast grenade and instructed him to “put ’em down with the gas,” according to internal disciplinary documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mendoza was recorded on body camera directing officers to “go gas” and placing chemical grenades in the hands of subordinates, according to disciplinary documents. He later told them he “took the initiative to be the response supervisor” at the dining hall.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The scrimmage line unleashed chemical blast grenades and pepper spray on the crowd of incarcerated people, sending them scrambling toward the back of the room, surveillance video reviewed by KQED showed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to a leaked internal affairs interview, correctional officer Jordan R. Chavira told another officer that he had entered the dining hall and “started dumping it, dude,” referring to chemical agents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, as the incarcerated people sat under the baking sun in 90-degree weather, the officers formed a half circle around them, according to surveillance footage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One woman, hands zip-tied behind her back, got up and took four steps to sit by another woman. Just then, the officers started throwing grenades filled with tear gas or pepper spray at the entire group. At least 15 blast grenades were deployed, according to KQED’s analysis of the disciplinary documents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One woman, hands zip-tied behind her back, got up and took four steps to sit by another woman. Just then, the officers started throwing grenades filled with tear gas or pepper spray at the entire group. At least 15 blast grenades were deployed, according to KQED’s analysis of the disciplinary documents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the assault died down, multiple women were carried off the field on stretchers. According to leaked internal affairs tapes, Chavira was captured on his body-worn camera approaching another officer and saying, “Fun, fun, fun, baby.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mendoza and Chavira were charged with inexcusable neglect of duty, dishonesty, willful disobedience and excessive force; both were fired. Arroyo received a 10% salary reduction for seven pay periods and has returned to work at CCWF.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“To me, if you can openly spray people as if they’re rats or roaches, like they’re not human, you completely disregard their humanity,” said Lozano, who was there on Aug. 2. “You’re sadistic. You’re an abuser.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thirteen women, including Catrina Cameron and Antionette Yancey, filed a suit against the state for their injuries during the Aug. 2 incident, alleging the incident was tied to reports of sexual assault. CDCR admitted no fault, but paid the group $1.9 million to settle the case. A separate class action lawsuit is still pending.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thirteen women, including Catrina Cameron and Antionette Yancey, filed a suit against the state for their injuries during the Aug. 2 incident, alleging the incident was tied to reports of sexual assault. CDCR admitted no fault, but paid the group $1.9 million to settle the case. A separate class action lawsuit is still pending.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR’s internal investigation focused on the conduct of individual employees during the operation: who gave orders, who followed them and whether the force they used complied with department policy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But newly disclosed documents obtained by KQED reveal that the operation was plagued by staffing shortages, lack of planning and oversight failures. Vital questions about why this operation was rushed out were never answered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But newly disclosed documents obtained by KQED reveal that the operation was plagued by staffing shortages, lack of planning and oversight failures. Vital questions about why this operation was rushed out were never answered. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104612\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman wearing a spit hood through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I still don’t understand that,” Torres told internal affairs. “I wish to understand it, and in some ways, I don’t wish to understand it. It doesn’t make sense.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR Administrator Angela Kent is retired now, but at the time she served as the associate director of Female Offender Programs and Services. In her 27 years in law enforcement, she had never seen anything like the use of force on Aug. 2, she told KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I absolutely felt that every officer, supervisor and manager involved should be fired,” Kent said. At the time, she urged the department to release the body-worn camera footage along with a statement, “immediately, in line with the industry standard.” As of publication, CDCR still has not released the body-worn camera footage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I absolutely felt that every officer, supervisor and manager involved should be fired,” Kent said. At the time, she urged the department to release the body-worn camera footage along with a statement, “immediately, in line with the industry standard.” As of publication, CDCR still has not released the body-worn camera footage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chief Deputy Warden Rojas, who’d approved the operation but wasn’t there to oversee it, was not disciplined, according to documents obtained by KQED. In a leaked interview, she was questioned about the statement that Torres and Mendoza told investigators about. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Did you make the statement, ‘These bitches need to be reminded who’s in charge,’ or words to that effect?” the investigator said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Not that I recall,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rojas was later promoted and is now acting warden at the second-largest men’s prison in the state, the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, which currently holds about 4,000 people in custody, according to CDCR’s website. CDCR declined to make Rojas available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rojas was later promoted and is now acting warden at the second-largest men’s prison in the state, the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, which currently holds about 4,000 people in custody, according to CDCR’s website. CDCR declined to make Rojas available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the documents obtained by KQED and the leaked internal affairs tapes, CDCR did not determine why the operation was launched or whether it was connected to the growing number of sexual-abuse complaints.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There is no doubt in my mind that if you start to empower women that are incarcerated and you start to give credibility to their voice that there’s gonna be tremendous resistance,” Kent said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A month after the Aug. 2 incident, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a broad civil rights investigation into sexual abuse and retaliation at California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal investigators examined the incident within the context of rising reports of sexual misconduct, allegations that staff punished women for speaking up and what the department described as longstanding failures to protect them. \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">The department released its findings last month\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Federal investigators examined the incident within the context of rising reports of sexual misconduct, allegations that staff punished women for speaking up and what the department described as longstanding failures to protect them. \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">The department released its findings last month\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young told KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young told KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In response, CDCR said it takes every allegation seriously and remains committed to accountability and safety. The agency pointed to federal Prison Rape Elimination Act audits that found both women’s prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those audits measure whether a facility has policies and practices designed to comply with PREA; they do not determine whether abuse occurred in every reported case.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104594\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural covers the side of a fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaint data obtained from CDCR showed that in 2025, the year following the Aug. 2 incident, the rate of complaints being filed against staff at CCWF fell by about 75%. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. There are likely many reasons for this sudden decline, but multiple people at the prison said they no longer felt safe to file complaints.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaint data obtained from CDCR showed that in 2025, the year following the Aug. 2 incident, the rate of complaints being filed against staff at CCWF fell by about 75%. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. There are likely many reasons for this sudden decline, but multiple people at the prison said they no longer felt safe to file complaints.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One incarcerated woman, who was a victim of Rodriguez’s and spoke to KQED on the condition of anonymity because she is afraid for her safety, said if she had to do it over again, she would not report Rodriguez. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One incarcerated woman, who was a victim of Rodriguez’s and spoke to KQED on the condition of anonymity because she is afraid for her safety, said if she had to do it over again, she would not report Rodriguez. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaints found another trend: As complaints rose in 2023 and 2024, the department appeared unable to keep up. As of the most recent data, more than 2,000 complaints across California’s state prisons had not been adjudicated. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaints found another trend: As complaints rose in 2023 and 2024, the department appeared unable to keep up. As of the most recent data, more than 2,000 complaints across California’s state prisons had not been adjudicated. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For many of the women who remain incarcerated at CCWF, Operation Breakdown has left lasting scars. Cameron said she has not set foot in the dining hall since Aug. 2 and that she still has not regained sight in one of her eyes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For many of the women who remain incarcerated at CCWF, Operation Breakdown has left lasting scars. Cameron said she has not set foot in the dining hall since Aug. 2 and that she still has not regained sight in one of her eyes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yancey said she still sees officers who were involved in the operation regularly. “They work in this building. They’re still antagonistic towards us.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked whether the operation had succeeded in frightening women into silence, Cameron said it may have deterred many, but not everyone.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Hopefully, the more of us who start to speak, the more will follow,” she said. “What happens in the dark always comes to light.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Hopefully, the more of us who start to speak, the more will follow,” she said. “What happens in the dark always comes to light.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anna Sussman contributed reporting to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeremy Sanchez Rue, associate professor of practice for UC Berkeley Journalism School, was the data editor for this series. AI tools were used to assist with the data analysis for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeremy Sanchez Rue, associate professor of practice for UC Berkeley Journalism School, was the data editor for this series. AI tools were used to assist with the data analysis for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced with support from \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californianewsroom\">The California Newsroom\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a collaboration of public media outlets throughout the state, with NPR as its national partner.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "More than a dozen current and formerly incarcerated women spoke to KQED about a pattern of sexual abuse and retaliation that persists at the largest women’s prison in California.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hear more of the story on the podcast \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">‘We Are Jane Doe,\u003c/a>’ from KQED’s Snap Studios.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aliksandria Prout was at home the evening of Aug. 2, 2024, when her phone rang. It was her former cellmate at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/central-california-womens-facility\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a>. Catrina Cameron was nearly incoherent over the prison phone line. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She told me she couldn’t see outta one eye,” Prout said. Cameron told Prout that correctional officers had sprayed her and dozens of other women with tear gas and pepper spray. “Our other cellmate had gotten beat up by correctional staff.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout could barely grasp the enormity of the incident. As the public would later learn, correctional officers had removed 159 women from a CCWF housing unit, confined them for more than four hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication, and then unleashed streams of pepper spray and chemical blast grenades on them when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Later, as the prisoners sat outside on the hot, dusty yard with their hands zip-tied behind their backs, officers again used tear gas and pepper grenades on them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1213\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-160x97.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_DiningHall-deb186ea-1536x932.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows officers throwing chemical blast grenades at incarcerated women in the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A retired prison administrator who reviewed footage of the incident told KQED: “It looks like they’re lining ’em up for the firing squad.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women suffered injuries including stroke, blindness and seizures. “I didn’t know what they were doing to us or why, but I needed help, and I need somebody out there to know,” Cameron later recalled. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the phone with her friend, Prout felt sick. The 33-year-old nursing student and mother of three had been out of prison for nearly two years, but she hadn’t been able to leave it behind. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In just a couple of months, Prout was set to testify against the now-infamous former correctional officer, Gregory Rodriguez, who’d been charged with sexually assaulting more than a dozen women at the facility in Chowchilla, about 35 miles from Fresno. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And now, her close friend and former cellmate had been attacked by officers in the chow hall. She couldn’t help but think her efforts to expose Rodriguez were connected to what had just happened to Cameron and more than 150 women in her old unit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104581\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-04-BL-5587a320-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout sits in her home office, surrounded by legal paperwork, on Aug. 19, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout’s concerns were well-founded, according to a two-year KQED investigation into “Operation Breakdown,” as the incident was called in internal documents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Interviews with more than a dozen women, a KQED analysis of six years’ worth of sexual assault complaints, trial transcripts, court filings, leaked internal affairs interviews and hundreds of disciplinary documents revealed a pattern of retaliation against incarcerated women who reported assault, failure to investigate those assaults and the dysfunctional accountability system that allowed staff sexual exploitation of women to flourish.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent U.S. Department of Justice investigation reached a similar conclusion, finding an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation in California’s women’s prisons dating back more than two decades. CCWF is one of just two women’s penitentiaries in the state and is one of the largest women’s prisons in the world, with a population of more than 2,000 women, nonbinary and trans people held inside.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104586\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-51-BL-2bb5aa03-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104629\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104629\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-120-BL-5d00dae8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Resources hang on the wall at the housing unit. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the wake of the DOJ’s report, and as KQED neared publication of this investigation, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100922/warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse\">the warden at CCWF, Anissa De La Cruz, was demoted and transferred\u003c/a>, and multiple officers were put under investigation for sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said the agency cannot comment on personnel decisions or the ongoing investigation. It said the agency is “fully committed to protecting victims of sexual assault.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR Press Secretary Terri Hardy said in an email that the department conducted its own investigation into the events of Aug. 2, investigating 95 employees and disciplining 34 for their conduct, including firing three for excessive force and dishonesty. Initially, the department moved to discipline 41 staff members, but that number dropped as correctional officers filed appeals, some of which are still pending. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr />\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/wZ89a/5/\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said the case was the largest corrective action stemming from a single incident in its history. Yet, key questions about the operation’s connection to a rising tide of sexual assault complaints remain unanswered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of six years of \u003ca href=\"https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/about/prison-rape-elimination-act\">Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)\u003c/a> data obtained from CDCR showed that the rate of sexual misconduct complaints against staff at CCWF increased by about 1,800% from 2022 to 2023. CDCR did not answer questions about this data.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout’s experience illuminates a pervasive culture of sexual abuse at CCWF, helps explain why women suddenly started coming forward in 2023, and reveals what the officers charged with keeping people safe in custody did in response.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ali’s story\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In May 2022, Prout had been at CCWF for just a few days when correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez stopped her as she walked to a medical appointment. He asked her to pull down her N95 mask so he could verify her identity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He said, ‘You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,’” Prout told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three days later, an officer gave Prout a paper pass, known as a ducat, allowing her to move through the prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They told me I had an attorney visit,” she said. An officer escorted her to the Board of Parole Hearings room, where such visits are usually held.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-01-BL-3762f796-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout at her home. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But there was no attorney visit. Instead, she saw Rodriguez. This is the first time she has spoken to the media about what happened in that room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez came close and tried to kiss her. He lifted her shirt and then turned her around on a chair beneath a window. Prout remembers staring at the officer’s boot, propped against the left side of the green upholstered chair. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What really upset me was he didn’t use protection,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it was over, Prout said, Rodriguez warned her that if she told anyone, she could face disciplinary action, which could mean more time in prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1140\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104526\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-160x91.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Ducat-05202022-ee786799-1536x876.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pass issued for a fraudulent attorney visit on May 20, 2022, is among the evidence Aliksandria Prout saved following her sexual assault. (Courtesy of Aliksandria Prout)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED heard similar stories from other women at the prison. Eight women said they feared disciplinary write-ups, repeated cell searches and other retaliation if they reported sexual assault by staff. In a statement, CDCR said it is committed to protecting victims of sexual assault and that “sexual abuse, harassment and retaliation against incarcerated people is unacceptable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the time, Prout stayed silent, but she made sure to keep track of the multiple times Rodriguez called her back to that room. When she was paroled after just a few months in prison, Prout began contacting attorneys. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She found out that CDCR’s Office of Internal Affairs was already investigating Rodriguez. They ultimately identified 22 potential victims, including Prout, and worked with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office to arrest the former officer in May of 2023. The case, in which Prout testified as a \u003ca href=\"https://snapjudgment.org/we-are-jane-doe/\">Jane Doe\u003c/a>, attracted national attention. Rodriguez was convicted on 64 counts of sexual abuse, including rape and sexual battery. He was sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, a prison spokesperson wrote that Rodriguez’s sentence “reaffirms CDCR’s own internal investigation” and that the department “condemns any staff member — especially a peace officer who is entrusted to enforce the law — who violates their oath and public trust.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104522\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/CCWFFootage_05202022-70fb2fc8-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A screenshot of an internal affairs investigation report obtained by KQED through a public records request from an investigation led by Special Agent Dustin Baker. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The department also said that then-Warden Michael Pallares was transferred to Pleasant Valley State Prison, where he was made associate warden.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, documents recently obtained by KQED reveal troubling new details about that investigation. The internal affairs report showed there was a six-month window in which investigators and CDCR leadership were notified of Rodriguez’s misconduct and failed to act. During that period, he assaulted at least six women, including Prout, numerous times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before Prout even arrived at CCWF, a woman had already told investigators that Rodriguez summoned her to the Board of Parole Hearings room for fake attorney visits and sexually assaulted her on three occasions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Rodriguez remained at his job until Aug. 17, 2022, when he was finally reassigned to the mailroom. He retired shortly after that. CDCR did not answer questions about why it took so long to stop Rodriguez’s abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104582\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260819-CCWFPortraits-05-BL-646d2faf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aliksandria Prout holds documents related to her case at her home. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez had been flagged before. All the way back in 2014, someone had reported potential relations between Rodriguez and a young woman identified in the trial transcripts as Nicole Doe. An investigation was done at the time, but the allegations against Rodriguez were dismissed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nicole Doe was sent to solitary confinement for more than six months and then transferred to another prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was treated like I was the problem,” Nicole Doe said at trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2019, a female co-worker reported Rodriguez for sexual harassment. Rodriguez tried to kiss her and get her to go into the staff restroom at work, this woman told investigators. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ll be quick, I’ll be quick,” she recalled Rodriguez saying, according to internal documents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104588\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-62-BL-aad30f85-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A sign hangs above a doorway to a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez was reprimanded and told not to do it again, according to trial testimony. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The internal affairs report appeared to show that no other officers were disciplined in connection with Rodriguez’s years of criminal abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prout said other officers must have known. They were often responsible for issuing ducats like the ones she received. The police of the prison, Investigative Services Unit officers, had an office right across the hall from the room where Rodriguez repeatedly called women in order to assault them. Prout, concerned she might be pregnant, had also gone to the prison clinic after that first assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They told me that if I wanted a pregnancy or STD test,” Prout testified at trial, “I had to admit to engaging in risky behavior, and that if I did that, it would add more time onto my sentence.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ripple effects\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rodriguez’s 2023 arrest also drew the attention of state lawmakers, who convened a \u003ca href=\"https://womenscaucus.legislature.ca.gov/node/434\">special hearing on sexual abuse\u003c/a> inside California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">allegations of sexual abuse by officers have persisted for years\u003c/a>, the Rodriguez case, along with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958308/dublin-womens-prison-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-sexual-abuse-scandal\">wide-ranging scandal of abuse at the federal prison\u003c/a> in Dublin, California, brought renewed urgency to the issue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was a real pivotal moment,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy nonprofit Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, who spoke at that hearing. “I feel like it’s kind of when Pandora’s Box opened.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-108-BL-253d6f4d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature allocated funds to create a sexual-abuse response and prevention working group. As part of that, CCWF began allowing incarcerated people to gather inside the prison gym for town halls organized by Sister Warriors and other advocacy groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates stood watch at the doors of the gym to ensure correctional officers did not enter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the 30 years that I had been there, never had the prison allowed such a large group of us to gather with guests and without staff present,” said Elizabeth Lozano, one of the incarcerated women who was there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the first time, Lozano spoke about the terror and violation she felt when being groped by a correctional officer. “There’s things that happen where it’s out of your control,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In October of 2023, CDCR agreed to pay Prout $1.2 million to settle a civil suit she’d filed. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against CDCR since Rodriguez’s arrest, alleging sexual abuse by him and dozens of officers. The cases became so numerous they were consolidated into a single coordinated proceeding that is still moving through the Sacramento Superior Court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As civil claims and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaints began to rise, five women, including Antoinette Yancey, who served on the prison’s inmate advisory council, said in interviews with KQED or in legal filings that they were warned that the complaints needed to stop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104583\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104583\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-112-BL-e5d10b8a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rape crisis center and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) informational signs hang in a housing unit at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104618\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104618\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-123-BL-7f4a99ab-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a yard on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a smaller search about a month before Operation Breakdown, Yancey said that Sgt. Isidro Arroyo confronted her, saying, “The PREA, the staff assaults, the complaints and all the 602s [prison grievances] all of that stuff needs to stop.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the complaints do not stop, then I’m going to lock you guys down, take all your privileges, and this is gonna continue until the complaints stop,” Yancey recalled Arroyo saying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she told him this was neither legal nor fair and refused to discourage women from filing sexual-abuse complaints. She also said she brought up this incident with Arroyo during a regular inmate advisory council meeting with leadership of the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR declined to make Arroyo available for an interview and did not respond to questions about this incident. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘These bitches need to know’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the days leading up to Operation Breakdown, then-Warden Anissa De La Cruz was not at the prison, so Chief Deputy Warden Cynthia Rojas was in charge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Aug. 1, 2024, acting Capt. Carlos Mendoza and Associate Warden Stephanie Torres came to Rojas about problems with prisoners smoking and being “disruptive” in a housing area called D Yard, according to internal affairs interviews that were leaked on YouTube and later taken down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to gain control of that fucking unit,” Rojas said, according to one of those leaked tapes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-132-BL-1167e155-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. The R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Rojas and her staff planned a massive search-and-seizure operation to look for contraband and enforce prison property limits for the entire unit. Under CDCR regulations, each incarcerated person’s state-issued and approved personal belongings must fit within 6 cubic feet of space — about the size of a mini-fridge.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres’ name was redacted in the investigation report, but KQED was able to identify her by comparing her statements to leaked internal affairs interviews and details about her role in the prison. She said the chief deputy warden gave her and Mendoza about a four-and-a-half-hour window to plan a search that would normally take days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Torres and Mendoza later told internal affairs investigators that they “questioned the reasoning and urgency” for the search, according to the report. The two senior staff members said that Rojas told them, “these bitches need to know who’s in control,” and that De La Cruz had directed her to “do what I know how to do.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza sent an email to De La Cruz, Rojas, Torres and other prison leaders late that Thursday afternoon, laying out the basics, including breaking the prisoners down to 6 cubic feet, using K-9 and searching the building.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Operation Breakdown was set for the next day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Fun, fun, fun, baby’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Aug. 2, Torres described a “skeleton crew of managerial staff” on site. Prison officials had to bring in officers who were still in training, according to the report. Two trainees said it was their first day working inside a prison. And despite initiating and planning Operation Breakdown, Rojas was also not at work that day. But when the acting captain of D Yard called her around midday, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Boss, we just went code three,” Mendoza said, according to Rojas’ leaked interview with internal affairs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What the fuck? What do you mean we went code three?” Rojas said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-78-BL-d639420e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cafeteria at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The 159 incarcerated women on D Yard had been taken out of their cells and crowded into the dining hall first thing that morning. As the morning wore on, the scope of the search became apparent, according to a dozen women who were there that day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They watched through the windows of the chow hall as their pillows, shoes, clothing, TVs and even some mattresses were taken or thrown away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People been here for 20 years,” said Wisdom Muhammad, who is out of prison now. “You throwing away they sentimental things that they have. You feel me? Like stuff that’s unreplaceable, and all that stuff is just hot trash.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around 12:20 p.m., one of the people being held in the dining hall had a seizure. An alarm sounded, and officers filed into the dining hall in a skirmish line carrying MK-46 pepper sprayers and chemical grenades, surveillance footage and internal records showed. Things quickly escalated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After more than four hours in the sweltering Central Valley heat without food, water or medication, the people being held in the dining hall were frustrated, according to at least a dozen women who were there. They shouted at the officers. They banged on the tables and windows.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she pointed to Arroyo and then to herself, trying to signal that she wanted to speak with him. He did not acknowledge her.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza handed Arroyo a chemical blast grenade and instructed him to “put ’em down with the gas,” according to internal disciplinary documents obtained by KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza was recorded on body camera directing officers to “go gas” and placing chemical grenades in the hands of subordinates, according to disciplinary documents. He later told them he “took the initiative to be the response supervisor” at the dining hall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The scrimmage line unleashed chemical blast grenades and pepper spray on the crowd of incarcerated people, sending them scrambling toward the back of the room, surveillance video reviewed by KQED showed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to a leaked internal affairs interview, correctional officer Jordan R. Chavira told another officer that he had entered the dining hall and “started dumping it, dude,” referring to chemical agents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/pIU0P9TO2-w'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/pIU0P9TO2-w'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One by one, the women’s hands were zip-tied behind their backs and eventually were walked outside to the yard, surveillance footage showed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey assumed the officers were going to start letting them go back into their housing unit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, as the incarcerated people sat under the baking sun in 90-degree weather, the officers formed a half circle around them, according to surveillance footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One woman, hands zip-tied behind her back, got up and took four steps to sit by another woman. Just then, the officers started throwing grenades filled with tear gas or pepper spray at the entire group. At least 15 blast grenades were deployed, according to KQED’s analysis of the disciplinary documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the assault died down, multiple women were carried off the field on stretchers. According to leaked internal affairs tapes, Chavira was captured on his body-worn camera approaching another officer and saying, “Fun, fun, fun, baby.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104609\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Screenshot_OutsideDiningHall-244ce2c7-1536x974.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Surveillance footage obtained by KQED through a public records request shows an incarcerated woman secured to a stretcher outside the dining hall at the Central California Women’s Facility on Aug. 2, 2024. (Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chavira told investigators he made those remarks in “the heat of the moment” and that he was being sarcastic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mendoza and Chavira were charged with inexcusable neglect of duty, dishonesty, willful disobedience and excessive force; both were fired. Arroyo received a 10% salary reduction for seven pay periods and has returned to work at CCWF.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED was unable to reach Mendoza. Multiple attempts to reach Chavira were unsuccessful.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“To me, if you can openly spray people as if they’re rats or roaches, like they’re not human, you completely disregard their humanity,” said Lozano, who was there on Aug. 2. “You’re sadistic. You’re an abuser.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two investigations, different questions\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thirteen women, including Catrina Cameron and Antionette Yancey, filed a suit against the state for their injuries during the Aug. 2 incident, alleging the incident was tied to reports of sexual assault. CDCR admitted no fault, but paid the group $1.9 million to settle the case. A separate class action lawsuit is still pending.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR’s internal investigation focused on the conduct of individual employees during the operation: who gave orders, who followed them and whether the force they used complied with department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But newly disclosed documents obtained by KQED reveal that the operation was plagued by staffing shortages, lack of planning and oversight failures. Vital questions about why this operation was rushed out were never answered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104612\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-130-BL-89511a0e-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman wearing a spit hood through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026 (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“I still don’t understand that,” Torres told internal affairs. “I wish to understand it, and in some ways, I don’t wish to understand it. It doesn’t make sense.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR Administrator Angela Kent is retired now, but at the time she served as the associate director of Female Offender Programs and Services. In her 27 years in law enforcement, she had never seen anything like the use of force on Aug. 2, she told KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I absolutely felt that every officer, supervisor and manager involved should be fired,” Kent said. At the time, she urged the department to release the body-worn camera footage along with a statement, “immediately, in line with the industry standard.” As of publication, CDCR still has not released the body-worn camera footage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chief Deputy Warden Rojas, who’d approved the operation but wasn’t there to oversee it, was not disciplined, according to documents obtained by KQED. In a leaked interview, she was questioned about the statement that Torres and Mendoza told investigators about. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Did you make the statement, ‘These bitches need to be reminded who’s in charge,’ or words to that effect?” the investigator said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not that I recall,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rojas was later promoted and is now acting warden at the second-largest men’s prison in the state, the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, which currently holds about 4,000 people in custody, according to CDCR’s website. CDCR declined to make Rojas available for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the documents obtained by KQED and the leaked internal affairs tapes, CDCR did not determine why the operation was launched or whether it was connected to the growing number of sexual-abuse complaints.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is no doubt in my mind that if you start to empower women that are incarcerated and you start to give credibility to their voice that there’s gonna be tremendous resistance,” Kent said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A month after the Aug. 2 incident, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a broad civil rights investigation into sexual abuse and retaliation at California’s women’s prisons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators examined the incident within the context of rising reports of sexual misconduct, allegations that staff punished women for speaking up and what the department described as longstanding failures to protect them. \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">The department released its findings last month\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young told KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In response, CDCR said it takes every allegation seriously and remains committed to accountability and safety. The agency pointed to federal Prison Rape Elimination Act audits that found both women’s prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those audits measure whether a facility has policies and practices designed to comply with PREA; they do not determine whether abuse occurred in every reported case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260630-CCWFTour-113-BL-feaf958a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A mural covers the side of a fitness facility at the Central California Women’s Facility on June 30, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaint data obtained from CDCR showed that in 2025, the year following the Aug. 2 incident, the rate of complaints being filed against staff at CCWF fell by about 75%. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. There are likely many reasons for this sudden decline, but multiple people at the prison said they no longer felt safe to file complaints.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One incarcerated woman, who was a victim of Rodriguez’s and spoke to KQED on the condition of anonymity because she is afraid for her safety, said if she had to do it over again, she would not report Rodriguez. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED’s analysis of PREA complaints found another trend: As complaints rose in 2023 and 2024, the department appeared unable to keep up. As of the most recent data, more than 2,000 complaints across California’s state prisons had not been adjudicated. CDCR did not answer questions about this data. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many of the women who remain incarcerated at CCWF, Operation Breakdown has left lasting scars. Cameron said she has not set foot in the dining hall since Aug. 2 and that she still has not regained sight in one of her eyes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yancey said she still sees officers who were involved in the operation regularly. “They work in this building. They’re still antagonistic towards us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whether the operation had succeeded in frightening women into silence, Cameron said it may have deterred many, but not everyone.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Hopefully, the more of us who start to speak, the more will follow,” she said. “What happens in the dark always comes to light.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Anna Sussman contributed reporting to this story. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Jeremy Sanchez Rue, associate professor of practice for UC Berkeley Journalism School, was the data editor for this series. AI tools were used to assist with the data analysis for this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced with support from \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californianewsroom\">The California Newsroom\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a collaboration of public media outlets throughout the state, with NPR as its national partner.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "warden-of-californias-largest-womens-prison-reassigned-amid-scrutiny-over-sexual-abuse",
"title": "Warden of California’s Largest Women’s Prison Reassigned Amid Scrutiny Over Sexual Abuse",
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"headTitle": "Warden of California’s Largest Women’s Prison Reassigned Amid Scrutiny Over Sexual Abuse | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The warden of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100497/warden-at-central-california-womens-prison-ousted-amid-sexual-abuse-scandal\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> in Chowchilla has been demoted and reassigned, and multiple correctional officers are under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, according to advocates and people inside the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anissa De La Cruz was removed as warden on Sept. 15 and will become a correctional administrator at nearby Valley State Prison next month, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The agency declined to say why De La Cruz was reassigned, saying the agency cannot comment on personnel matters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A wide-ranging investigation into allegations of sexual assault at the prison also appears to be underway, according to multiple sources who spoke to KQED, including two formerly incarcerated advocates, Elizabeth Nomura and Amika Mota, and former correctional Lt. Hector Bravo Ferrel, who runs a YouTube channel covering California prisons.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at the prison and serves on the Inmate Advisory Council, told KQED she does not know the names of all the officers under investigation, but that multiple officers have been removed from prison grounds recently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090743\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer walks through the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m really glad to hear that they have been removed, but [CDCR’s] narrative is still, ‘It was like a few bad apples,’” said Mota, who was formerly incarcerated at CCWF and is now the executive director of the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. “But these bad apples just keep popping up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said it can’t comment on an ongoing investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These developments come one month after a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report found an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation by staff at California’s two women’s prisons, including CCWF. Federal investigators said state prison officials had failed for years to adequately prevent abuse, investigate allegations or protect incarcerated people who reported misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ declined to comment on these more recent developments. CDCR did not say whether the officer investigations or De La Cruz’s reassignment are connected to the Justice Department’s findings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s more like a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” said Nomura, who works with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Warden De La Cruz being removed and demoted and going from institution to institution, that’s a common response to things like this, where action is expected [from CDCR].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said moving De La Cruz to another institution does not address the broader problems identified at the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department also examined an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">August 2024 mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> conducted at CCWF under De La Cruz’s leadership that led to the largest disciplinary action against staff in state prison history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the operation, officers removed 159 women from their housing units and held them for hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication before using chemical agents when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators concluded the operation was carried out in retaliation for rising reports of sexual abuse by prison staff. Two bills sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk seek to strengthen the protections for incarcerated survivors of sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assembly Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB464/id/3192730\">464\u003c/a> would make it easier for people who were sexually assaulted while incarcerated to sue and strengthen protections against retaliation by staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090735\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Senate Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB337/id/3209236\">337\u003c/a> would require CDCR to establish rules governing when officers can turn off their body-worn cameras, as well as protocols for nonroutine searches and body scans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this is a magic pill. I wish it was,” state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, D-Van Nuys, who authored SB 337, said in a recent interview. “It’s hard to change human behavior, but we will limit the amount of gaps and excuses that some correctional officers utilize to perpetrate this kind of violence against incarcerated women.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice has ordered the state to address gaps in camera coverage, create confidential ways for incarcerated people to report abuse and discipline employees who retaliate against those who speak out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal officials warned they may file a lawsuit against California if the state fails to implement meaningful changes by Oct. 1, 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR has said it looks forward to working with the Justice Department.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anissa De La Cruz was removed as warden on Sept. 15 and will become a correctional administrator at nearby Valley State Prison next month, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The agency declined to say why De La Cruz was reassigned, saying the agency cannot comment on personnel matters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at the prison and serves on the Inmate Advisory Council, told KQED she does not know the names of all the officers under investigation, but that multiple officers have been removed from prison grounds recently.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m really glad to hear that they have been removed, but [CDCR’s] narrative is still, ‘It was like a few bad apples,’” said Mota, who was formerly incarcerated at CCWF and is now the executive director of the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. “But these bad apples just keep popping up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These developments come one month after a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report found an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation by staff at California’s two women’s prisons, including CCWF. Federal investigators said state prison officials had failed for years to adequately prevent abuse, investigate allegations or protect incarcerated people who reported misconduct. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s more like a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” said Nomura, who works with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department also examined an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">August 2024 mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> conducted at CCWF under De La Cruz’s leadership that led to the largest disciplinary action against staff in state prison history. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department also examined an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">August 2024 mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> conducted at CCWF under De La Cruz’s leadership that led to the largest disciplinary action against staff in state prison history. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the operation, officers removed 159 women from their housing units and held them for hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication before using chemical agents when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal investigators concluded the operation was carried out in retaliation for rising reports of sexual abuse by prison staff. Two bills sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk seek to strengthen the protections for incarcerated survivors of sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Assembly Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB464/id/3192730\">464\u003c/a> would make it easier for people who were sexually assaulted while incarcerated to sue and strengthen protections against retaliation by staff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Assembly Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB464/id/3192730\">464\u003c/a> would make it easier for people who were sexually assaulted while incarcerated to sue and strengthen protections against retaliation by staff. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“None of this is a magic pill. I wish it was,” state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, D-Van Nuys, who authored SB 337, said in a recent interview. “It’s hard to change human behavior, but we will limit the amount of gaps and excuses that some correctional officers utilize to perpetrate this kind of violence against incarcerated women.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The warden of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100497/warden-at-central-california-womens-prison-ousted-amid-sexual-abuse-scandal\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> in Chowchilla has been demoted and reassigned, and multiple correctional officers are under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, according to advocates and people inside the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anissa De La Cruz was removed as warden on Sept. 15 and will become a correctional administrator at nearby Valley State Prison next month, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The agency declined to say why De La Cruz was reassigned, saying the agency cannot comment on personnel matters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A wide-ranging investigation into allegations of sexual assault at the prison also appears to be underway, according to multiple sources who spoke to KQED, including two formerly incarcerated advocates, Elizabeth Nomura and Amika Mota, and former correctional Lt. Hector Bravo Ferrel, who runs a YouTube channel covering California prisons.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at the prison and serves on the Inmate Advisory Council, told KQED she does not know the names of all the officers under investigation, but that multiple officers have been removed from prison grounds recently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090743\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-75-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer walks through the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m really glad to hear that they have been removed, but [CDCR’s] narrative is still, ‘It was like a few bad apples,’” said Mota, who was formerly incarcerated at CCWF and is now the executive director of the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. “But these bad apples just keep popping up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said it can’t comment on an ongoing investigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These developments come one month after a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report found an “unbroken pattern” of sexual abuse and retaliation by staff at California’s two women’s prisons, including CCWF. Federal investigators said state prison officials had failed for years to adequately prevent abuse, investigate allegations or protect incarcerated people who reported misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ declined to comment on these more recent developments. CDCR did not say whether the officer investigations or De La Cruz’s reassignment are connected to the Justice Department’s findings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s more like a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” said Nomura, who works with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Warden De La Cruz being removed and demoted and going from institution to institution, that’s a common response to things like this, where action is expected [from CDCR].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said moving De La Cruz to another institution does not address the broader problems identified at the prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department also examined an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">August 2024 mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> conducted at CCWF under De La Cruz’s leadership that led to the largest disciplinary action against staff in state prison history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the operation, officers removed 159 women from their housing units and held them for hours in a dining hall without food, water or medication before using chemical agents when tensions escalated. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators concluded the operation was carried out in retaliation for rising reports of sexual abuse by prison staff. Two bills sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk seek to strengthen the protections for incarcerated survivors of sexual abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assembly Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB464/id/3192730\">464\u003c/a> would make it easier for people who were sexually assaulted while incarcerated to sue and strengthen protections against retaliation by staff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090735\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Incarcerated women walk through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, California, on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Senate Bill \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB337/id/3209236\">337\u003c/a> would require CDCR to establish rules governing when officers can turn off their body-worn cameras, as well as protocols for nonroutine searches and body scans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“None of this is a magic pill. I wish it was,” state Sen. Caroline Menjivar, D-Van Nuys, who authored SB 337, said in a recent interview. “It’s hard to change human behavior, but we will limit the amount of gaps and excuses that some correctional officers utilize to perpetrate this kind of violence against incarcerated women.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice has ordered the state to address gaps in camera coverage, create confidential ways for incarcerated people to report abuse and discipline employees who retaliate against those who speak out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal officials warned they may file a lawsuit against California if the state fails to implement meaningful changes by Oct. 1, 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR has said it looks forward to working with the Justice Department.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff",
"title": "US DOJ Finds ‘Unbroken Pattern’ of Sexual Abuse by California Prison Staff",
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"headTitle": "US DOJ Finds ‘Unbroken Pattern’ of Sexual Abuse by California Prison Staff | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Young said investigators found that, even when women made credible allegations of sexual abuse, investigations could stall for over a year and sometimes ended without substantiation of the allegations, even when parts of their accounts were corroborated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department is requiring California to better protect prisoners from staff sexual abuse by expanding camera coverage, requiring broader use of body-worn cameras, establishing confidential reporting options independent of the agency, and strengthening investigations and protections against retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090741\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer speaks with an incarcerated woman in a wheelchair at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said in a statement the agency looks forward to working with the DOJ “regarding their recommendations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A two-year federal investigation found decades of staff sexual abuse against incarcerated women at the state’s correctional facilities.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Young said investigators found that, even when women made credible allegations of sexual abuse, investigations could stall for over a year and sometimes ended without substantiation of the allegations, even when parts of their accounts were corroborated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department is requiring California to better protect prisoners from staff sexual abuse by expanding camera coverage, requiring broader use of body-worn cameras, establishing confidential reporting options independent of the agency, and strengthening investigations and protections against retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090741\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer speaks with an incarcerated woman in a wheelchair at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said in a statement the agency looks forward to working with the DOJ “regarding their recommendations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Following Newsom’s Veto, Lawmaker Returns With Drug-Free Homeless Housing Bill",
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"headTitle": "Following Newsom’s Veto, Lawmaker Returns With Drug-Free Homeless Housing Bill | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney is reviving a proposal to allow drug-free housing for people transitioning out of homelessness, months after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Haney’s new proposal, AB 1556, would set rules for how “recovery residences” can operate within California’s Housing First framework, the \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1556/id/3425398\">state’s policy\u003c/a> of offering permanent housing without first requiring people to meet conditions like sobriety, mental health treatment or employment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should give people who are ready to take the steps to get to recovery and stability an opportunity to do so,” Haney said at a press conference in San Francisco on Monday. “People want to live in housing where they receive the support to be off of and away from drugs with people who will support them in that process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation comes after Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AB-255-Veto.pdf\">rejected \u003c/a>Haney’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058779/newsoms-veto-of-sober-housing-bill-sparks-a-backlash-in-sf\">AB 255 last year\u003c/a>. That bill would have allowed some state homelessness dollars to support sober housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his veto message, Newsom said recovery-focused housing is already allowed under state law and argued the bill “wrongly suggests incompatibility with Housing First.” He also raised concerns about creating a separate certification and oversight process that could cost taxpayers money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Housing First has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054270/trumps-tectonic-shift-on-homelessness-could-have-dire-impacts-in-california\">credited with reducing barriers\u003c/a> for people who might otherwise be denied housing because of substance use, mental health challenges or other issues. But some local officials and advocates argue the policy has also made it harder to fund housing where residents can live away from active drug use.[aside postID=news_12034006 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250327_SoberHousing_GC-9-1020x680.jpg']Supporters of sober housing have said those environments are especially important as cities like San Francisco continue to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12034006/san-francisco-mans-housing-struggle-relapse-put-him-back-on-streets\">confront homelessness and addiction\u003c/a>, including its ongoing fentanyl crisis. But the proposal is likely to face pushback from some homelessness advocates, who have long warned that sobriety requirements can become a pathway to eviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Haney said the new bill is meant to provide clarity for housing providers, local governments and people in recovery who want a sober living environment. According to Haney’s office, AB 1556 would allow recovery residences to maintain sobriety standards, while requiring a “non-punitive” response when someone relapses, including connecting residents to alternative housing and services rather than kicking them out of the program and pushing them back into homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Housing California, a statewide affordable housing advocacy group, has already listed its opposition to AB 1556, \u003ca href=\"https://housingca.org/policy/policy-priorities-2026/\">citing concerns\u003c/a> about residents being required to choose recovery housing and harm-reduction housing options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s veto last year did not dismiss recovery housing outright. Instead, he said the state should continue working on ways to support recovery-focused models without undermining Housing First.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "AB 1556 would set rules for how “recovery residences” can operate within California’s Housing First framework, the state’s policy of offering permanent housing without first requiring people to meet sobriety and other conditions.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney is reviving a proposal to allow drug-free housing for people transitioning out of homelessness, months after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Haney’s new proposal, AB 1556, would set rules for how “recovery residences” can operate within California’s Housing First framework, the \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1556/id/3425398\">state’s policy\u003c/a> of offering permanent housing without first requiring people to meet conditions like sobriety, mental health treatment or employment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should give people who are ready to take the steps to get to recovery and stability an opportunity to do so,” Haney said at a press conference in San Francisco on Monday. “People want to live in housing where they receive the support to be off of and away from drugs with people who will support them in that process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation comes after Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AB-255-Veto.pdf\">rejected \u003c/a>Haney’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058779/newsoms-veto-of-sober-housing-bill-sparks-a-backlash-in-sf\">AB 255 last year\u003c/a>. That bill would have allowed some state homelessness dollars to support sober housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his veto message, Newsom said recovery-focused housing is already allowed under state law and argued the bill “wrongly suggests incompatibility with Housing First.” He also raised concerns about creating a separate certification and oversight process that could cost taxpayers money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Housing First has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054270/trumps-tectonic-shift-on-homelessness-could-have-dire-impacts-in-california\">credited with reducing barriers\u003c/a> for people who might otherwise be denied housing because of substance use, mental health challenges or other issues. But some local officials and advocates argue the policy has also made it harder to fund housing where residents can live away from active drug use.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Supporters of sober housing have said those environments are especially important as cities like San Francisco continue to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12034006/san-francisco-mans-housing-struggle-relapse-put-him-back-on-streets\">confront homelessness and addiction\u003c/a>, including its ongoing fentanyl crisis. But the proposal is likely to face pushback from some homelessness advocates, who have long warned that sobriety requirements can become a pathway to eviction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Haney said the new bill is meant to provide clarity for housing providers, local governments and people in recovery who want a sober living environment. According to Haney’s office, AB 1556 would allow recovery residences to maintain sobriety standards, while requiring a “non-punitive” response when someone relapses, including connecting residents to alternative housing and services rather than kicking them out of the program and pushing them back into homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Housing California, a statewide affordable housing advocacy group, has already listed its opposition to AB 1556, \u003ca href=\"https://housingca.org/policy/policy-priorities-2026/\">citing concerns\u003c/a> about residents being required to choose recovery housing and harm-reduction housing options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s veto last year did not dismiss recovery housing outright. Instead, he said the state should continue working on ways to support recovery-focused models without undermining Housing First.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks",
"title": "‘They’re Bleeding Us Dry’: Rent Hikes, Evictions in California Mobile Home Parks",
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"headTitle": "‘They’re Bleeding Us Dry’: Rent Hikes, Evictions in California Mobile Home Parks | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Clara Faria read her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/rent\">rent\u003c/a> statement, her heart stopped. Her monthly payment would more than triple, rising from $297 per month to $995. She had four days to make the payment or be charged a $50 late fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She sank into the brown leather chair next to her formica-coated kitchen table, where she’d opened her mail for decades. She had heard neighbors were getting rent increases, but said she hadn’t received a notice herself. She had hoped she would be spared, but the reality was worse than she had imagined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought ‘I don’t have the money,’” Faria said of the statement, issued on Dec. 31, 2024, and due by Jan. 5, 2025. “I figured by the end of the year, I’m going to be homeless.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria, 91, lives alone on a fixed income in a one-bedroom manufactured home at the Willow Mobile Home Park in the East Bay town of San Pablo. Old family photos, crucifixes and saints adorn her living room walls. An oversized photo of an American flag peaks out from the hallway, declaring, “The lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts him, and I am helped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria’s experience is part of a growing pattern across California, where mobile home residents — many of whom own their homes but rent the land beneath them — are increasingly vulnerable to steep and repeated rent hikes. Harmony Communities, which manages her park in San Pablo, has faced criticism from residents, advocates and local officials for aggressive rent increases and opaque ownership structures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080893\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080893\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria, 91, gets help putting on her coat from a home health aid at her home in Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080847\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080847\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-2000x663.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-1536x509.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-2048x678.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Clara Faria’s kitchen at her home in Willow Mobile Home Park. Right: Photos of family fill the walls of Clara Faria’s home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a state where just \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">18% \u003c/a>of people can afford to own their homes, mobile home parks offer a rare bastion of affordable ownership. But advocates say people living in these communities have become more exposed as investors seek higher returns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria said she moved into her home in 1997 using an insurance payout after a previous mobile home burned down, drawn by the park’s affordability and its designation for seniors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed when the rent increase notice from Stockton-based Harmony Communities arrived. It was the first signal that more aggressive tactics were replacing the quiet stability of Willow Mobile Home Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of property records reveals Harmony Communities has grown into a major player in the industry. The property-management company has managed operations of around 100 parks since 2004, and as of 2025, was actively managing roughly 80 parks statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://arcg.is/vTef9\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the company claims its practices ensure “long-term viability,” interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers point to a recurring pattern: Harmony assumes control, substantially raises rents, and in some cases, employs tactics residents and advocates describe as aggressive, leaving low-income tenants susceptible to displacement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a representative from Harmony said the company sent a notice of the rent increase to Faria in September 2024, Faria maintains she did not receive it until just a few days before the rent was due.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, about nine months later, in September 2025, Harmony sent a new notice informing residents their rent would again \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vN9w8VJB3FWsQJavcTXiCqeBxPELlL68jzc4ME3Rsa4/edit?usp=sharing\">increase\u003c/a> in January 2026 — this time by an average of 30%, according to rent statements reviewed by KQED. Harmony said credits, in some cases, reduced the amount residents ultimately paid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Faria, the repeated increases were crippling. For residents interviewed by KQED, it was a pattern.[aside postID=news_12058015 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250926-HARMONYSANRAFAEL00417_TV-KQED.jpg']The company disputes that these cases reflect a broader pattern and described Faria’s example as unique, adding that each case is fact-specific and shaped by complex local regulations. In an email response to KQED, company representative Nick Ubaldi said Harmony is “committed to providing safe, clean, and affordable housing that remains sustainable for the long term.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Achieving this mission requires carefully balancing all relevant factors for success,” he said. “This includes respecting tenants’ strong preference for the lowest possible rents while also ensuring property owners receive a fair and reasonable return on their investment, allowing the business to succeed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When rent increases do come, the mobile home ownership structure makes relocating extremely expensive for residents and, in some cases, impossible, said Teri Williams, a mobile home resident in southern California who leads the nonprofit Mobile Home Resident Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These residents are captive,” Williams said. “We’re at the mercy of park owners, and they know it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Ubaldi said park operating costs are rising rapidly, with significant increases in insurance premiums and labor, while rental income is lagging behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is one of the most expensive states in which to live and operate a business,” he said. “While no one wants to see residents displaced from their homes, the financial burden of addressing affordability challenges should not fall solely on individual property owners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080859\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080859\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in Sacramento, however, are considering several proposals this year to strengthen protections for mobile home residents, including \u003ca href=\"http://billtrack50.com/billdetail/1921239\">limits on rent increases\u003c/a>. Some cities have adopted local rent caps, while residents themselves have organized tenant associations to fight rent hikes and, in some cases, are negotiating to buy the parks Harmony manages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Willow residents said the second rent increase in two years was distressing, and that anxiety was compounded by confusing and conflicting messaging from Harmony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the company announced the second increase, Willow residents received \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DT336OGQUmqFT1TEAPWJDBd1by8ClUSn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a new document\u003c/a> that appeared to contradict the first: “At the same time the rent increase becomes effective, the park will be issuing you a rent credit that is equal to the rent increase amount.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria was baffled. She was initially told her rent would increase by $300. Now, it seemed her rent would stay the same. While Harmony said they had no plans to rescind the credit, it also described it as “discretionary” and said it could be “revoked or modified” with no apparent safeguards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria holds a note she wrote about rent increases for the lot where her mobile home sits. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an emailed response to questions from KQED, Harmony Communities said some rent increases cited in notices were offset by credits or arbitration processes, resulting in lower effective rents paid by residents. The company provided tenant ledgers, which it said reflect the reduced amounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi acknowledged the conflicting messages and said the first notice was sent in error.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we identified the issue, we promptly sent a corrected letter that clearly outlined each resident’s credit amount and net increase,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “Any confusion was not intended, and the second letter was sent to resolve it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Matthew Davies, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-davies-stockton/\">co-founder\u003c/a> of Harmony Communities, said the company purchased Willow nearly a decade ago and agreed to provide “rent subsidies” to residents for five years and has since invested “hundreds of thousands of dollars” into improvements at the park.[aside postID=news_11977464 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/IMG_2976-1020x765.jpg']Faria said that when she called Harmony about the first rent increase, she was told she’d have to pay or face eviction, an account the company did not directly address in its response to KQED’s questions. By the time the second notice arrived, followed by the mixed messaging, she felt helpless and afraid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those people are completely bleeding us,” she said. “And they don’t care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A week later, she got a new letter in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This one told her that despite the credit, her rent would still increase by $100, bringing her total rent up from $995 to $1,095.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letterhead listed Creekside Village MHC LLC, while contact information directed residents to Harmony Communities, reflecting a centralized management structure. Madeline Bankson, a housing researcher with the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, said this type of ownership is part of a broader industry pattern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The LLC does three things,” Bankson said. “It reduces liability, adds tax benefits under the tax code; the sort of secret added bonus is obscuring ownership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davies started investing in mobile home parks in 2004 with his father, Bruce Davies, according to Ubaldi and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCYLvB6HxhQ\">2024 interview\u003c/a> Matthew Davies conducted with a YouTube vlogger. Davies said Harmony had amassed a nearly $700 million portfolio in its first 20 years of operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a 2021 interview with Multi-Housing News, Davies \u003ca href=\"https://www.multihousingnews.com/improving-manufactured-housing-communities-with-purpose/\">described \u003c/a>Harmony’s approach as improving communities while keeping housing attainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080872\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080872\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria puts on makeup in her bathroom. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We look for communities we think will have long-term stability in areas where there’s a strong need for affordable housing and where we believe the local jurisdictions will be supportive of our efforts,” Davies told the trade publication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harmony operates dozens of mobile home parks across California, but individual LLCs and family trusts own the parks themselves. Documents filed with the California Secretary of State show the managers and members controlling the LLCs are often family members, relatives and Harmony employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of November 2025, Harmony listed 29 mobile home parks it manages on its website. That list has since been removed. A broader search of property records identified about 100 parks associated with the company. Those include properties that had previously been listed on its website and where the owners’ principal address matched Harmony’s Stockton headquarters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An analysis of business filings with the California Secretary of State found employees and family members tied to Harmony have an ownership stake in at least 84 of those parks. That includes parks owned or co-owned by members of the Ubaldi family and the Ubaldi Living Trust, whose successor trustee is Harmony spokesperson Nick Ubaldi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria rearranges photos of family and friends on her refrigerator. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As an employee of Harmony Communities, and as a park owner myself, I manage the day-to-day operations of these parks,” Ubaldi said. “Our involvement in the industry dates back to the early 1980s, long before Harmony existed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Ubaldi, Harmony is responsible for day-to-day operations, including setting rents, managing leases, maintaining properties and handling tenant issues. For many residents, the company serves as the primary point of contact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Records show at least 10 LLCs managed by Molly Thompson, Davies’ ex-wife. Bruce Davies shows up as the manager for 41 LLCs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bankson said that the lack of transparency can make it harder for residents like Faria to challenge decisions or for regulators to step in, especially when ownership and management are intertwined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080877\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080877\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Harmony said its ownership structure is standard and publicly disclosed. Willow reflects the same pattern. Creekside Village Mobile Home Park LLC owns the park. Business filings name Bruce Davies as the LLC’s manager and list the owner’s mailing address as Harmony’s headquarters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Harmony grew its portfolio, it continued to raise rents on mobile home park residents — or facilitate the sale of their parks. Meanwhile, residents and local officials from Santa Barbara to \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/11/06/windsor-extends-rent-freeze-for-mobile-home-residents-facing-125-hike-as-park-owner-files-federal-lawsuit/\">Sonoma County\u003c/a> have pushed back against proposed rent increases and park closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi said these measures often have the opposite of their intended effect: By limiting rent increases, he said, the underlying land becomes more valuable as vacant property than it is as a park. He pointed to a property in Thousand Oaks, which he said has an estimated land value of $20 million if it were cleared for redevelopment, but only $4 million as an occupied mobile home park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This dramatic disparity illustrates how such policies can incentivize park closures, sales to developers, or conversions, ultimately reducing the stock of affordable housing rather than expanding it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080879\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080879\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials in several cities haven’t seen it that way. In San Luis Obispo County, supervisors \u003ca href=\"https://www.newtimesslo.com/slo-county-supervisors-reject-rent-increase-for-harmony-managed-mobile-home-parks/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">unanimously rejected\u003c/a> a hardship petition filed on behalf of two Harmony-managed parks, concluding the company did not meet the standard needed to justify higher rents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José housing officials similarly \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-says-mobile-home-park-owner-cant-raise-rent/\">denied a proposed rent increase\u003c/a> at the Golden Wheel Mobile Home Park — another park owned by the Ubaldi family and managed by Harmony Communities — saying the owner failed to justify raising rents by about 10% for some of the park’s lowest-income tenants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They are a very well-known park owner, and these tactics, or this behavior, is pretty typical for them across the state,” Emily Hislop, rent stabilization and eviction prevention manager for the city, said at a \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1281814&GUID=AA407BB7-8FAE-4DD2-9A07-07D3A2CAEDC5\">Housing and Community Development Commission\u003c/a> meeting in February 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Willow, Ubaldi said the two increases were intended to “bring rents to market.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080896\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12080896 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A spokesperson for Harmony Communities gives public comment at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, during a city council meeting about potential rent control measures. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We do our best to review all available data and metrics, including comparable properties, occupancy rates, local economic conditions, and recent leasing and sales activity, to arrive at a fair and competitive market rent for Willow,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria and her neighbors were fed up with the higher charges and confusing messaging. They began to organize.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Linda Jackson, another senior at the park, was the spearhead. She learned that Creekside Mobile Home Park, another Harmony-managed property in San Pablo, was also facing increases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jackson spread the word: “I said, ‘I need five people to stand with me so that we can get [Harmony] off our backs and make it so that we can live more comfortably.’ I swear to God, the next day, I had 35 people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080857\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080857\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Linda Jackson (right) helps Clara Faria, 91, get back to her seat after giving public comment at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, during a city council meeting about potential rent control measures. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080863\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080863\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-2000x661.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-2048x677.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Linda Jackson (right) sits with Clara Faria and fellow residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and Creekside Village Mobile Home Park at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, for a city council meeting where they plan to give public comment about potential rent control measures. Right: Councilmember Arturo Cruz and San Pablo mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado listen to public comment from Clara Faria. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Faria was one of them. She quickly became a leading voice at San Pablo City Council meetings, where residents urged local leaders to adopt a measure that would limit rent increases for mobile home park tenants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never imagined at my age I would be choosing between paying rent, buying food and getting my medication,” Faria told council members on Dec. 1. “I cut back everything I can, but these rent hikes are more than I can bear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the following meeting on Dec. 15, the council approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18565/Mobile-Home-Assistance-Guidelines\">Mobile Home Assistance Program,\u003c/a> offering a one-time, $1,000 grant to help offset rent hikes. But residents said the relief, while welcome, fell short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>This Band-Aid is giving us more stress,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With only short-term help on the horizon, Faria said it’s difficult to plan for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080867\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080867\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria stands in her home at Willow Mobile Home Park. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I live on Social Security alone,” she said. “I just can’t pay that extra money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As disputes like the one at Willow unfold across California, it is drawing attention to the vulnerability of mobile home park residents and the patchwork of local protections. Some state lawmakers are working to bolster protections, even as industry groups challenge some efforts in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has shined an unfortunate light on the fact that the whole layer of rental opportunity has sort of gone without heightened scrutiny or a lot of targeted political action,” said Tyler Pullen with UC Berkeley’s Terner Labs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike most apartment renters who have a statewide rent cap and standard protections, mobile home park residents are only protected by \u003ca href=\"https://mhphoa.com/ca/rso/\">local ordinances\u003c/a> that vary widely from city to city. Some communities cap rent increases or require park owners to justify higher rents. Others have few protections, leaving residents subject to large increases.[aside postID=news_12078480 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/AffordabilitySeriesIntro_Lede.jpg']In January, state Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, introduced \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1543\">AB 1543\u003c/a>, a bill that would impose a statewide rent cap on all mobile home parks, limiting annual increases to the lower of 3% plus inflation or 5%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s designed to help the owners of these mobile homes who make that initial investment and then their rents are increased substantially more than other renters across California,” Quirk-Silva said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the second time she’s tried to pass such legislation. The first was \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB978\">AB 978\u003c/a> in 2021, which got whittled down during committee hearings to narrowly apply to mobile home parks that straddle two jurisdictions. Only a handful exist across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi said rent caps are not the solution, maintaining that they discourage investment and reduce housing supply over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He recognized that tenants might see things differently and argued it should be up to local governments to fill the gap between the rising costs that park owners face and the plight of low-income tenants who can’t afford rent increases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many mobile home residents — including Faria and her neighbors — aren’t waiting for state legislation. Where local ordinances and state legislation fall short, they’re building tenant associations, challenging Harmony Communities in court, and, in at least one case, buying their park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Petaluma, residents at a mobile home park managed by Harmony faced proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/petaluma-mobile-home-park-residents-facing-300-rent-increase\">rent hikes\u003c/a> of up to 300% in a single year, prompting city-mandated arbitration and ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O4xRTe48fFLb2-EmM7_fV6DvTpTgBhgd/view?usp=sharing\">legal disputes\u003c/a> involving the city, park owners and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1570px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1570\" height=\"1047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL.jpg 1570w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1570px) 100vw, 1570px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria, 91, looks through paperwork and notices documenting rent increases for the lot where her mobile home sits at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the San Rafael RV park, owned by Harmony, residents organized a tenants union and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in late 2025 alleging unlawful rent increases, harassment and retaliatory behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a park in Fresno County, residents took a different approach. After five years of organizing and fighting rising rents, a group of mostly Oaxacan farmworkers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11977464/to-fight-rising-rents-these-fresno-county-residents-bought-their-mobile-home-park\">purchased\u003c/a> the park from Harmony and converted it into a limited-equity housing cooperative. Harmony said the Fresno property had longstanding safety and infrastructure issues before its involvement, citing fires, code violations and government intervention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Pablo, residents at Willow and Creekside mobile home parks are weighing their own options, including forming a formal tenants’ association. Jackson said the group is also working with the local nonprofit Rising Juntos to place a measure limiting rent increases at mobile home parks on San Pablo’s November ballot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The $1,095 Faria now pays for rent, along with other fees, including sewer, trash and drainage, amounts to about 55% of her Social Security income. She considered cutting her cable TV to save money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At her age, she thought she’d be settled. Instead, she said, she feels like she’s bracing for the worst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, she wrote a letter to Harmony: “I ask God to please let me die before you evict me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of mid-April, Faria is still waiting for a response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A KQED investigation finds California mobile home park residents — including seniors in San Pablo — face steep rent hikes from Stockton-based Harmony Communities, which has consolidated dozens of parks, forcing residents to navigate a patchwork of legal protections amid statewide affordability challenges.",
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"title": "‘They’re Bleeding Us Dry’: Rent Hikes, Evictions in California Mobile Home Parks | KQED",
"description": "A KQED investigation finds California mobile home park residents — including seniors in San Pablo — face steep rent hikes from Stockton-based Harmony Communities, which has consolidated dozens of parks, forcing residents to navigate a patchwork of legal protections amid statewide affordability challenges.",
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"headline": "‘They’re Bleeding Us Dry’: Rent Hikes, Evictions in California Mobile Home Parks",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Clara Faria read her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/rent\">rent\u003c/a> statement, her heart stopped. Her monthly payment would more than triple, rising from $297 per month to $995. She had four days to make the payment or be charged a $50 late fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She sank into the brown leather chair next to her formica-coated kitchen table, where she’d opened her mail for decades. She had heard neighbors were getting rent increases, but said she hadn’t received a notice herself. She had hoped she would be spared, but the reality was worse than she had imagined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought ‘I don’t have the money,’” Faria said of the statement, issued on Dec. 31, 2024, and due by Jan. 5, 2025. “I figured by the end of the year, I’m going to be homeless.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria, 91, lives alone on a fixed income in a one-bedroom manufactured home at the Willow Mobile Home Park in the East Bay town of San Pablo. Old family photos, crucifixes and saints adorn her living room walls. An oversized photo of an American flag peaks out from the hallway, declaring, “The lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts him, and I am helped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria’s experience is part of a growing pattern across California, where mobile home residents — many of whom own their homes but rent the land beneath them — are increasingly vulnerable to steep and repeated rent hikes. Harmony Communities, which manages her park in San Pablo, has faced criticism from residents, advocates and local officials for aggressive rent increases and opaque ownership structures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080893\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080893\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-11-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria, 91, gets help putting on her coat from a home health aid at her home in Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080847\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080847\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-2000x663.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-1536x509.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-01-BL-2048x678.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Clara Faria’s kitchen at her home in Willow Mobile Home Park. Right: Photos of family fill the walls of Clara Faria’s home. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a state where just \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/marketdata/data/haitraditional\">18% \u003c/a>of people can afford to own their homes, mobile home parks offer a rare bastion of affordable ownership. But advocates say people living in these communities have become more exposed as investors seek higher returns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria said she moved into her home in 1997 using an insurance payout after a previous mobile home burned down, drawn by the park’s affordability and its designation for seniors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed when the rent increase notice from Stockton-based Harmony Communities arrived. It was the first signal that more aggressive tactics were replacing the quiet stability of Willow Mobile Home Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A KQED analysis of property records reveals Harmony Communities has grown into a major player in the industry. The property-management company has managed operations of around 100 parks since 2004, and as of 2025, was actively managing roughly 80 parks statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" src=\"https://arcg.is/vTef9\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the company claims its practices ensure “long-term viability,” interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers point to a recurring pattern: Harmony assumes control, substantially raises rents, and in some cases, employs tactics residents and advocates describe as aggressive, leaving low-income tenants susceptible to displacement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a representative from Harmony said the company sent a notice of the rent increase to Faria in September 2024, Faria maintains she did not receive it until just a few days before the rent was due.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, about nine months later, in September 2025, Harmony sent a new notice informing residents their rent would again \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vN9w8VJB3FWsQJavcTXiCqeBxPELlL68jzc4ME3Rsa4/edit?usp=sharing\">increase\u003c/a> in January 2026 — this time by an average of 30%, according to rent statements reviewed by KQED. Harmony said credits, in some cases, reduced the amount residents ultimately paid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Faria, the repeated increases were crippling. For residents interviewed by KQED, it was a pattern.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The company disputes that these cases reflect a broader pattern and described Faria’s example as unique, adding that each case is fact-specific and shaped by complex local regulations. In an email response to KQED, company representative Nick Ubaldi said Harmony is “committed to providing safe, clean, and affordable housing that remains sustainable for the long term.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Achieving this mission requires carefully balancing all relevant factors for success,” he said. “This includes respecting tenants’ strong preference for the lowest possible rents while also ensuring property owners receive a fair and reasonable return on their investment, allowing the business to succeed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When rent increases do come, the mobile home ownership structure makes relocating extremely expensive for residents and, in some cases, impossible, said Teri Williams, a mobile home resident in southern California who leads the nonprofit Mobile Home Resident Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These residents are captive,” Williams said. “We’re at the mercy of park owners, and they know it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Ubaldi said park operating costs are rising rapidly, with significant increases in insurance premiums and labor, while rental income is lagging behind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is one of the most expensive states in which to live and operate a business,” he said. “While no one wants to see residents displaced from their homes, the financial burden of addressing affordability challenges should not fall solely on individual property owners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080859\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080859\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in Sacramento, however, are considering several proposals this year to strengthen protections for mobile home residents, including \u003ca href=\"http://billtrack50.com/billdetail/1921239\">limits on rent increases\u003c/a>. Some cities have adopted local rent caps, while residents themselves have organized tenant associations to fight rent hikes and, in some cases, are negotiating to buy the parks Harmony manages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Willow residents said the second rent increase in two years was distressing, and that anxiety was compounded by confusing and conflicting messaging from Harmony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the company announced the second increase, Willow residents received \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DT336OGQUmqFT1TEAPWJDBd1by8ClUSn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a new document\u003c/a> that appeared to contradict the first: “At the same time the rent increase becomes effective, the park will be issuing you a rent credit that is equal to the rent increase amount.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria was baffled. She was initially told her rent would increase by $300. Now, it seemed her rent would stay the same. While Harmony said they had no plans to rescind the credit, it also described it as “discretionary” and said it could be “revoked or modified” with no apparent safeguards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080856\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-02-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria holds a note she wrote about rent increases for the lot where her mobile home sits. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In an emailed response to questions from KQED, Harmony Communities said some rent increases cited in notices were offset by credits or arbitration processes, resulting in lower effective rents paid by residents. The company provided tenant ledgers, which it said reflect the reduced amounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi acknowledged the conflicting messages and said the first notice was sent in error.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we identified the issue, we promptly sent a corrected letter that clearly outlined each resident’s credit amount and net increase,” he wrote in an email to KQED. “Any confusion was not intended, and the second letter was sent to resolve it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Matthew Davies, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-davies-stockton/\">co-founder\u003c/a> of Harmony Communities, said the company purchased Willow nearly a decade ago and agreed to provide “rent subsidies” to residents for five years and has since invested “hundreds of thousands of dollars” into improvements at the park.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Faria said that when she called Harmony about the first rent increase, she was told she’d have to pay or face eviction, an account the company did not directly address in its response to KQED’s questions. By the time the second notice arrived, followed by the mixed messaging, she felt helpless and afraid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Those people are completely bleeding us,” she said. “And they don’t care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A week later, she got a new letter in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This one told her that despite the credit, her rent would still increase by $100, bringing her total rent up from $995 to $1,095.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The letterhead listed Creekside Village MHC LLC, while contact information directed residents to Harmony Communities, reflecting a centralized management structure. Madeline Bankson, a housing researcher with the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, said this type of ownership is part of a broader industry pattern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The LLC does three things,” Bankson said. “It reduces liability, adds tax benefits under the tax code; the sort of secret added bonus is obscuring ownership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davies started investing in mobile home parks in 2004 with his father, Bruce Davies, according to Ubaldi and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCYLvB6HxhQ\">2024 interview\u003c/a> Matthew Davies conducted with a YouTube vlogger. Davies said Harmony had amassed a nearly $700 million portfolio in its first 20 years of operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a 2021 interview with Multi-Housing News, Davies \u003ca href=\"https://www.multihousingnews.com/improving-manufactured-housing-communities-with-purpose/\">described \u003c/a>Harmony’s approach as improving communities while keeping housing attainable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080872\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080872\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria puts on makeup in her bathroom. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We look for communities we think will have long-term stability in areas where there’s a strong need for affordable housing and where we believe the local jurisdictions will be supportive of our efforts,” Davies told the trade publication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harmony operates dozens of mobile home parks across California, but individual LLCs and family trusts own the parks themselves. Documents filed with the California Secretary of State show the managers and members controlling the LLCs are often family members, relatives and Harmony employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of November 2025, Harmony listed 29 mobile home parks it manages on its website. That list has since been removed. A broader search of property records identified about 100 parks associated with the company. Those include properties that had previously been listed on its website and where the owners’ principal address matched Harmony’s Stockton headquarters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An analysis of business filings with the California Secretary of State found employees and family members tied to Harmony have an ownership stake in at least 84 of those parks. That includes parks owned or co-owned by members of the Ubaldi family and the Ubaldi Living Trust, whose successor trustee is Harmony spokesperson Nick Ubaldi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria rearranges photos of family and friends on her refrigerator. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As an employee of Harmony Communities, and as a park owner myself, I manage the day-to-day operations of these parks,” Ubaldi said. “Our involvement in the industry dates back to the early 1980s, long before Harmony existed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Ubaldi, Harmony is responsible for day-to-day operations, including setting rents, managing leases, maintaining properties and handling tenant issues. For many residents, the company serves as the primary point of contact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Records show at least 10 LLCs managed by Molly Thompson, Davies’ ex-wife. Bruce Davies shows up as the manager for 41 LLCs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bankson said that the lack of transparency can make it harder for residents like Faria to challenge decisions or for regulators to step in, especially when ownership and management are intertwined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080877\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080877\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Harmony said its ownership structure is standard and publicly disclosed. Willow reflects the same pattern. Creekside Village Mobile Home Park LLC owns the park. Business filings name Bruce Davies as the LLC’s manager and list the owner’s mailing address as Harmony’s headquarters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Harmony grew its portfolio, it continued to raise rents on mobile home park residents — or facilitate the sale of their parks. Meanwhile, residents and local officials from Santa Barbara to \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/11/06/windsor-extends-rent-freeze-for-mobile-home-residents-facing-125-hike-as-park-owner-files-federal-lawsuit/\">Sonoma County\u003c/a> have pushed back against proposed rent increases and park closures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi said these measures often have the opposite of their intended effect: By limiting rent increases, he said, the underlying land becomes more valuable as vacant property than it is as a park. He pointed to a property in Thousand Oaks, which he said has an estimated land value of $20 million if it were cleared for redevelopment, but only $4 million as an occupied mobile home park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This dramatic disparity illustrates how such policies can incentivize park closures, sales to developers, or conversions, ultimately reducing the stock of affordable housing rather than expanding it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080879\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080879\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Officials in several cities haven’t seen it that way. In San Luis Obispo County, supervisors \u003ca href=\"https://www.newtimesslo.com/slo-county-supervisors-reject-rent-increase-for-harmony-managed-mobile-home-parks/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">unanimously rejected\u003c/a> a hardship petition filed on behalf of two Harmony-managed parks, concluding the company did not meet the standard needed to justify higher rents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José housing officials similarly \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-says-mobile-home-park-owner-cant-raise-rent/\">denied a proposed rent increase\u003c/a> at the Golden Wheel Mobile Home Park — another park owned by the Ubaldi family and managed by Harmony Communities — saying the owner failed to justify raising rents by about 10% for some of the park’s lowest-income tenants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They are a very well-known park owner, and these tactics, or this behavior, is pretty typical for them across the state,” Emily Hislop, rent stabilization and eviction prevention manager for the city, said at a \u003ca href=\"https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1281814&GUID=AA407BB7-8FAE-4DD2-9A07-07D3A2CAEDC5\">Housing and Community Development Commission\u003c/a> meeting in February 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Willow, Ubaldi said the two increases were intended to “bring rents to market.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080896\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12080896 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-22-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A spokesperson for Harmony Communities gives public comment at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, during a city council meeting about potential rent control measures. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We do our best to review all available data and metrics, including comparable properties, occupancy rates, local economic conditions, and recent leasing and sales activity, to arrive at a fair and competitive market rent for Willow,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faria and her neighbors were fed up with the higher charges and confusing messaging. They began to organize.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Linda Jackson, another senior at the park, was the spearhead. She learned that Creekside Mobile Home Park, another Harmony-managed property in San Pablo, was also facing increases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jackson spread the word: “I said, ‘I need five people to stand with me so that we can get [Harmony] off our backs and make it so that we can live more comfortably.’ I swear to God, the next day, I had 35 people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080857\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080857\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Linda Jackson (right) helps Clara Faria, 91, get back to her seat after giving public comment at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, during a city council meeting about potential rent control measures. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080863\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080863\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-2000x661.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-28-BL-2048x677.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Linda Jackson (right) sits with Clara Faria and fellow residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and Creekside Village Mobile Home Park at San Pablo City Hall on Jan. 20, 2026, for a city council meeting where they plan to give public comment about potential rent control measures. Right: Councilmember Arturo Cruz and San Pablo mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado listen to public comment from Clara Faria. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Faria was one of them. She quickly became a leading voice at San Pablo City Council meetings, where residents urged local leaders to adopt a measure that would limit rent increases for mobile home park tenants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never imagined at my age I would be choosing between paying rent, buying food and getting my medication,” Faria told council members on Dec. 1. “I cut back everything I can, but these rent hikes are more than I can bear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the following meeting on Dec. 15, the council approved a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18565/Mobile-Home-Assistance-Guidelines\">Mobile Home Assistance Program,\u003c/a> offering a one-time, $1,000 grant to help offset rent hikes. But residents said the relief, while welcome, fell short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>This Band-Aid is giving us more stress,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With only short-term help on the horizon, Faria said it’s difficult to plan for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080867\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080867\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-41-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria stands in her home at Willow Mobile Home Park. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>I live on Social Security alone,” she said. “I just can’t pay that extra money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As disputes like the one at Willow unfold across California, it is drawing attention to the vulnerability of mobile home park residents and the patchwork of local protections. Some state lawmakers are working to bolster protections, even as industry groups challenge some efforts in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It has shined an unfortunate light on the fact that the whole layer of rental opportunity has sort of gone without heightened scrutiny or a lot of targeted political action,” said Tyler Pullen with UC Berkeley’s Terner Labs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike most apartment renters who have a statewide rent cap and standard protections, mobile home park residents are only protected by \u003ca href=\"https://mhphoa.com/ca/rso/\">local ordinances\u003c/a> that vary widely from city to city. Some communities cap rent increases or require park owners to justify higher rents. Others have few protections, leaving residents subject to large increases.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In January, state Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, introduced \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1543\">AB 1543\u003c/a>, a bill that would impose a statewide rent cap on all mobile home parks, limiting annual increases to the lower of 3% plus inflation or 5%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s designed to help the owners of these mobile homes who make that initial investment and then their rents are increased substantially more than other renters across California,” Quirk-Silva said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the second time she’s tried to pass such legislation. The first was \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB978\">AB 978\u003c/a> in 2021, which got whittled down during committee hearings to narrowly apply to mobile home parks that straddle two jurisdictions. Only a handful exist across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ubaldi said rent caps are not the solution, maintaining that they discourage investment and reduce housing supply over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He recognized that tenants might see things differently and argued it should be up to local governments to fill the gap between the rising costs that park owners face and the plight of low-income tenants who can’t afford rent increases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many mobile home residents — including Faria and her neighbors — aren’t waiting for state legislation. Where local ordinances and state legislation fall short, they’re building tenant associations, challenging Harmony Communities in court, and, in at least one case, buying their park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Petaluma, residents at a mobile home park managed by Harmony faced proposed \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/petaluma-mobile-home-park-residents-facing-300-rent-increase\">rent hikes\u003c/a> of up to 300% in a single year, prompting city-mandated arbitration and ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O4xRTe48fFLb2-EmM7_fV6DvTpTgBhgd/view?usp=sharing\">legal disputes\u003c/a> involving the city, park owners and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1570px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1570\" height=\"1047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL.jpg 1570w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260120-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1570px) 100vw, 1570px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clara Faria, 91, looks through paperwork and notices documenting rent increases for the lot where her mobile home sits at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 20, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the San Rafael RV park, owned by Harmony, residents organized a tenants union and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058015/in-san-rafael-residents-of-a-mobile-home-park-are-fighting-to-keep-their-homes\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in late 2025 alleging unlawful rent increases, harassment and retaliatory behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a park in Fresno County, residents took a different approach. After five years of organizing and fighting rising rents, a group of mostly Oaxacan farmworkers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11977464/to-fight-rising-rents-these-fresno-county-residents-bought-their-mobile-home-park\">purchased\u003c/a> the park from Harmony and converted it into a limited-equity housing cooperative. Harmony said the Fresno property had longstanding safety and infrastructure issues before its involvement, citing fires, code violations and government intervention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Pablo, residents at Willow and Creekside mobile home parks are weighing their own options, including forming a formal tenants’ association. Jackson said the group is also working with the local nonprofit Rising Juntos to place a measure limiting rent increases at mobile home parks on San Pablo’s November ballot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The $1,095 Faria now pays for rent, along with other fees, including sewer, trash and drainage, amounts to about 55% of her Social Security income. She considered cutting her cable TV to save money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At her age, she thought she’d be settled. Instead, she said, she feels like she’s bracing for the worst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In February, she wrote a letter to Harmony: “I ask God to please let me die before you evict me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of mid-April, Faria is still waiting for a response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison",
"title": "‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’: Video Shows Mass Force at California Women’s Prison",
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"headTitle": "‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’: Video Shows Mass Force at California Women’s Prison | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Surveillance footage newly obtained by KQED sheds light on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/ccwf/\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> in 2024. The incident resulted in discipline for more than 40 staff members, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and $1.9 million in payouts to some of the women injured during the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the morning of Aug. 2, 2024, officers relocated more than 150 women to the dining hall in order to conduct a large-scale search of their cells. The women were held there for hours without access to food or medication, as tensions built and temperatures rose above 100 degrees, according to court filings. Officers deployed chemical agents, batons and physical force on dozens of incarcerated people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surveillance footage, obtained through a public records request to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-department-of-corrections-and-rehabilitation\"> CDCR\u003c/a>, provides the first detailed view of how the incident unfolded. CDCR has not released officers’ body-camera video or disciplinary records requested by KQED. Previously leaked footage edited and made public by a \u003ca href=\"https://hectorbravoshow.com/\">former correctional lieutenant turned YouTuber\u003c/a> provided only limited insight into the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelina Hernandez, who was inside the dining hall at the time and has since been released, said watching the footage again was emotional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really thought I was going to die that day,” Hernandez said. “These officers are supposed to protect us, not attack us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of officers file into the chow hall around 12:30 p.m. and form what appears to be a skirmish line, many holding pepper spray canisters at the ready, the footage shows. Over several minutes, more officers join the formation, growing to what appears to be 40 to 50 officers positioned across the room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there is no audio captured on the surveillance footage, things appear tense with some of the incarcerated women gesticulating and shouting at the line of officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/-a8Fb2UwB1c\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An officer appears to yell and gesture for the women to step back. As they begin to move, multiple officers start deploying pepper spray and throwing grenades filled with mace, also known as OC (oleoresin capsicum). The women crouch down and run to the wall on the other side of the room as officers advance and continue to spray them repeatedly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kenneth Jimenez, a retired lieutenant who reviewed the footage, said officers must be facing an imminent threat in order to justify deploying force. Jimenez is familiar with use of force policy, which he taught to both peace officers and civilians across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t see anybody approaching in a threatening manner,” he said as he watched the video. “I don’t see anything that’s imminent,” Jimenez added that instead of using force officers could have instead restrained a small number of individuals and removed them from the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR did not answer specific questions about whether the force used was excessive, but said policies were violated that day and that “corrective action” was taken.[aside postID=news_12004368 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/CentralCaliforniaWomensFacility-1020x816.jpg']About five minutes after officers began to deploy pepper spray and OC grenades, a woman appears to be struggling with some kind of physical impairment as another woman holds her up from behind. As they move forward, an officer sprays them at close range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That moment could be interpreted differently depending on what officers perceived, according to Jimenez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s articulated that they thought she was attacking them, then they wouldn’t be outside of policy because she was moving towards them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both incarcerated women are then taken to the ground and surrounded by multiple officers. It is a chaotic moment that is difficult to make out because CDCR has blurred the faces of the incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While several officers appear to be restraining the women on the ground, officers also punch and use batons on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez recalled her confusion as officers gave them loud and contradictory orders. And she said that, no matter what they did, the officers continued to spray them and throw OC grenades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They threw so many bombs at us that day,” she said. “It was even funny.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the officers cornered the women against the wall, they zip-tied their hands behind their backs and walked them outside. Surveillance cameras overlooking the outdoor yard captured officers again using chemical agents around 12:40 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079991\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079991\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-4.13.17-PM-scaled-e1776274108111.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1120\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Incarcerated women crouch while others run for safety after officers deployed pepper spray and OC grenades during a 2024 use-of-force incident at the Central California Women’s Facility. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The footage appears to show a woman starting to cough and another woman getting up to walk over to her. Officers throw multiple OC grenades toward the group, prompting the women to run in the opposite direction, where they get hit again by a different set of officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just didn’t see the necessity for a grenade,” Jimenez said. “Everyone just joined the party.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several women are later seen being carried or transported on stretchers to medical staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">CDCR settled a $1.9 million lawsuit in March\u003c/a> filed by 13 women who were hurt that day. Another class-action lawsuit tied to the incident alleges that officers denied incarcerated women medical treatment and used excessive force.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR did not respond to a detailed list of questions about specific moments in the video. The agency said that the 41 staff members who were disciplined received punishments ranging from transfers to termination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, California Correctional Peace Officers Association President Neil Flood said large-scale responses are common in prison emergencies, which he described as “chaotic, fast-moving and dangerous.” He added that while the union supports accountability when policy violations are found, it also expects disciplinary actions to follow due process protections for officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least five officers have filed a legal action arguing that the agency unfairly disciplined and transferred them following the incident. They allege that CDCR reassigned them to other prisons without due process and without being given the opportunity to challenge those actions before the State Personnel Board. CDCR has denied their claims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That petition is still pending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was made possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "KQED obtained surveillance footage showing correctional officers using pepper spray, OC grenades and batons on incarcerated women during a 2024 incident at California’s Central California Women’s Facility. ",
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"title": "‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’: Video Shows Mass Force at California Women’s Prison | KQED",
"description": "KQED obtained surveillance footage showing correctional officers using pepper spray, OC grenades and batons on incarcerated women during a 2024 incident at California’s Central California Women’s Facility. ",
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"headline": "‘I Thought I Was Going to Die’: Video Shows Mass Force at California Women’s Prison",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Surveillance footage newly obtained by KQED sheds light on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/ccwf/\">Central California Women’s Facility\u003c/a> in 2024. The incident resulted in discipline for more than 40 staff members, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and $1.9 million in payouts to some of the women injured during the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the morning of Aug. 2, 2024, officers relocated more than 150 women to the dining hall in order to conduct a large-scale search of their cells. The women were held there for hours without access to food or medication, as tensions built and temperatures rose above 100 degrees, according to court filings. Officers deployed chemical agents, batons and physical force on dozens of incarcerated people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surveillance footage, obtained through a public records request to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-department-of-corrections-and-rehabilitation\"> CDCR\u003c/a>, provides the first detailed view of how the incident unfolded. CDCR has not released officers’ body-camera video or disciplinary records requested by KQED. Previously leaked footage edited and made public by a \u003ca href=\"https://hectorbravoshow.com/\">former correctional lieutenant turned YouTuber\u003c/a> provided only limited insight into the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angelina Hernandez, who was inside the dining hall at the time and has since been released, said watching the footage again was emotional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really thought I was going to die that day,” Hernandez said. “These officers are supposed to protect us, not attack us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of officers file into the chow hall around 12:30 p.m. and form what appears to be a skirmish line, many holding pepper spray canisters at the ready, the footage shows. Over several minutes, more officers join the formation, growing to what appears to be 40 to 50 officers positioned across the room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there is no audio captured on the surveillance footage, things appear tense with some of the incarcerated women gesticulating and shouting at the line of officers.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/-a8Fb2UwB1c'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/-a8Fb2UwB1c'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>An officer appears to yell and gesture for the women to step back. As they begin to move, multiple officers start deploying pepper spray and throwing grenades filled with mace, also known as OC (oleoresin capsicum). The women crouch down and run to the wall on the other side of the room as officers advance and continue to spray them repeatedly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kenneth Jimenez, a retired lieutenant who reviewed the footage, said officers must be facing an imminent threat in order to justify deploying force. Jimenez is familiar with use of force policy, which he taught to both peace officers and civilians across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t see anybody approaching in a threatening manner,” he said as he watched the video. “I don’t see anything that’s imminent,” Jimenez added that instead of using force officers could have instead restrained a small number of individuals and removed them from the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR did not answer specific questions about whether the force used was excessive, but said policies were violated that day and that “corrective action” was taken.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>About five minutes after officers began to deploy pepper spray and OC grenades, a woman appears to be struggling with some kind of physical impairment as another woman holds her up from behind. As they move forward, an officer sprays them at close range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That moment could be interpreted differently depending on what officers perceived, according to Jimenez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s articulated that they thought she was attacking them, then they wouldn’t be outside of policy because she was moving towards them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both incarcerated women are then taken to the ground and surrounded by multiple officers. It is a chaotic moment that is difficult to make out because CDCR has blurred the faces of the incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While several officers appear to be restraining the women on the ground, officers also punch and use batons on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez recalled her confusion as officers gave them loud and contradictory orders. And she said that, no matter what they did, the officers continued to spray them and throw OC grenades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They threw so many bombs at us that day,” she said. “It was even funny.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the officers cornered the women against the wall, they zip-tied their hands behind their backs and walked them outside. Surveillance cameras overlooking the outdoor yard captured officers again using chemical agents around 12:40 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079991\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079991\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-4.13.17-PM-scaled-e1776274108111.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1120\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Incarcerated women crouch while others run for safety after officers deployed pepper spray and OC grenades during a 2024 use-of-force incident at the Central California Women’s Facility. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The footage appears to show a woman starting to cough and another woman getting up to walk over to her. Officers throw multiple OC grenades toward the group, prompting the women to run in the opposite direction, where they get hit again by a different set of officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just didn’t see the necessity for a grenade,” Jimenez said. “Everyone just joined the party.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several women are later seen being carried or transported on stretchers to medical staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">CDCR settled a $1.9 million lawsuit in March\u003c/a> filed by 13 women who were hurt that day. Another class-action lawsuit tied to the incident alleges that officers denied incarcerated women medical treatment and used excessive force.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR did not respond to a detailed list of questions about specific moments in the video. The agency said that the 41 staff members who were disciplined received punishments ranging from transfers to termination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, California Correctional Peace Officers Association President Neil Flood said large-scale responses are common in prison emergencies, which he described as “chaotic, fast-moving and dangerous.” He added that while the union supports accountability when policy violations are found, it also expects disciplinary actions to follow due process protections for officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least five officers have filed a legal action arguing that the agency unfairly disciplined and transferred them following the incident. They allege that CDCR reassigned them to other prisons without due process and without being given the opportunity to challenge those actions before the State Personnel Board. CDCR has denied their claims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That petition is still pending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was made possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 13 women who say correctional officers injured them during a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at the Central California Women’s Facility in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs say they suffered seizures, respiratory distress and long-term vision problems after officers used batons, physical force and chemical agents on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were on fire … I thought I was going to die,” plaintiff Wisdom Muhammad said in a recent interview at her home in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women received settlements ranging from $200,000 to $50,000 each, based on the severity of their injuries, according to their attorney Robert Chalfant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sexual abuse of inmates, excessive force, cruel and unusual punishment, retaliation, those things need to stop,” Chalfant said. “And the only way those things stop is through lawsuits and forcing the payment of large amounts of money so that people take notice of what’s happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email, CDCR spokesperson Mary Xjimenez said the agency has reviewed the incident and has taken corrective action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 41 staff members were found to have violated policy, making it one of the largest disciplinary actions issued against \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-department-of-corrections-and-rehabilitation\">CDCR\u003c/a> staff in a single incident, according to CDCR. Punishment ranged from transfers to termination, CDCR said, but the department has not yet responded to a public records request for disciplinary documents related to the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11993411\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11993411\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1742\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed.jpg 1742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-800x612.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-1020x781.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-160x122.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-1536x1175.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1742px) 100vw, 1742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Incarcerated people stand together in a yard at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Madera County. \u003ccite>(Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004477/incarcerated-women-say-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack\">Aug. 2, 2024\u003c/a>, incident began when officers removed more than 150 women from their cells and locked them in the dining hall while staff conducted a large-scale search of their cells. As temperatures in the Chowchilla facility climbed to more than 100 degrees and time wore on, the women began to ask for water, food and medication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prison officials have said that the incarcerated population “became disruptive.” Officers used physical force, batons and chemical agents to “stop the incident,” according to a review from the Office of the Inspector General.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The complaint claims the women were complying with the officers’ orders and that the force was excessive and unnecessary. It also alleges that some women were denied or delayed medical care after being injured, leaving them with lasting physical and psychological harm.[aside postID=news_12004368 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/CentralCaliforniaWomensFacility-1020x816.jpg']A total of 109 incarcerated persons were medically evaluated, CDCR said, and three were transported to an outside medical facility for a short time. In the wake of the incident, CDCR also said it made mental health staff and resources available to those affected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff were also retrained after the incident on how to respond to alarms and on the appropriate use of force, according to CDCR.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women involved in the suit have a broader claim about this incident as well, that it was retaliation for sexual assault complaints that they had filed against correctional staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women’s prison in Chowchilla has been plagued by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">reports of sexual assault for years\u003c/a>. In one high-profile case, at least 22 women accused correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez of sexual abuse dating back to 2014. The state ultimately paid millions of dollars to settle those claims. Rodriguez was criminally charged and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">sentenced to 224 years\u003c/a> in prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, an \u003ca href=\"https://www.oig.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Staff-Misconduct-Monitoring-Report-January-June-2025.pdf\">audit \u003c/a>by the Office of Inspector General found that at least 279 women had sued the department, accusing at least 83 prison employees of sexual misconduct. The audit describes “a wave” of lawsuits filed by currently and formerly incarcerated people alleging staff sexual assault, harassment and misconduct. In response to the lawsuits, the department approved 402 investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating allegations of sexual abuse and staff misconduct at California women’s prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into staff sexual abuse allegations at two women’s prisons in Chowchilla and Chino, following a series of lawsuits and similar abuses at federal facilities like FCI Dublin, which was closed due to widespread misconduct. \u003ccite>(J. David Ake/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the settlement reached this past week, CDCR did not agree to any policy changes or other non-monetary terms, and did not admit to wrongdoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Department’s focus remains on the safety, security, and well-being of both the incarcerated population and staff,” Xjimenez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another class action lawsuit tied to the Aug. 2 incident is still pending. That case, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70350459/1/pc-hooper-v-de-la-cruz/\">Hooper v. State of California\u003c/a>, raises similar claims that medical care was delayed or denied and that the use of force was excessive and retaliatory. It is set to go to mediation in May, according to court filings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR said it could not comment on pending litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chalfant said that many of his clients were scared to come forward. The incarcerated woman told him that correctional officers continued to reference the lawsuit and retaliate against them by writing them up for minor infractions and searching their belongings up to the day of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If individuals’ rights are violated in state prisons, lawyers are going to take those cases,” Chalfant said. “[These women] don’t lose their constitutional rights when [they] go into a prison facility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 13 women who say correctional officers injured them during a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">mass use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at the Central California Women’s Facility in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plaintiffs say they suffered seizures, respiratory distress and long-term vision problems after officers used batons, physical force and chemical agents on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were on fire … I thought I was going to die,” plaintiff Wisdom Muhammad said in a recent interview at her home in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women received settlements ranging from $200,000 to $50,000 each, based on the severity of their injuries, according to their attorney Robert Chalfant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sexual abuse of inmates, excessive force, cruel and unusual punishment, retaliation, those things need to stop,” Chalfant said. “And the only way those things stop is through lawsuits and forcing the payment of large amounts of money so that people take notice of what’s happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an email, CDCR spokesperson Mary Xjimenez said the agency has reviewed the incident and has taken corrective action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 41 staff members were found to have violated policy, making it one of the largest disciplinary actions issued against \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-department-of-corrections-and-rehabilitation\">CDCR\u003c/a> staff in a single incident, according to CDCR. Punishment ranged from transfers to termination, CDCR said, but the department has not yet responded to a public records request for disciplinary documents related to the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11993411\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11993411\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1742\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed.jpg 1742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-800x612.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-1020x781.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-160x122.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-1322060041_qed-1536x1175.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1742px) 100vw, 1742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Incarcerated people stand together in a yard at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Madera County. \u003ccite>(Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004477/incarcerated-women-say-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack\">Aug. 2, 2024\u003c/a>, incident began when officers removed more than 150 women from their cells and locked them in the dining hall while staff conducted a large-scale search of their cells. As temperatures in the Chowchilla facility climbed to more than 100 degrees and time wore on, the women began to ask for water, food and medication.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prison officials have said that the incarcerated population “became disruptive.” Officers used physical force, batons and chemical agents to “stop the incident,” according to a review from the Office of the Inspector General.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The complaint claims the women were complying with the officers’ orders and that the force was excessive and unnecessary. It also alleges that some women were denied or delayed medical care after being injured, leaving them with lasting physical and psychological harm.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>A total of 109 incarcerated persons were medically evaluated, CDCR said, and three were transported to an outside medical facility for a short time. In the wake of the incident, CDCR also said it made mental health staff and resources available to those affected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staff were also retrained after the incident on how to respond to alarms and on the appropriate use of force, according to CDCR.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women involved in the suit have a broader claim about this incident as well, that it was retaliation for sexual assault complaints that they had filed against correctional staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women’s prison in Chowchilla has been plagued by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11786495/metoo-behind-bars-new-records-shed-light-on-sexual-abuse-inside-state-womens-prisons\">reports of sexual assault for years\u003c/a>. In one high-profile case, at least 22 women accused correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez of sexual abuse dating back to 2014. The state ultimately paid millions of dollars to settle those claims. Rodriguez was criminally charged and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">sentenced to 224 years\u003c/a> in prison.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, an \u003ca href=\"https://www.oig.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Staff-Misconduct-Monitoring-Report-January-June-2025.pdf\">audit \u003c/a>by the Office of Inspector General found that at least 279 women had sued the department, accusing at least 83 prison employees of sexual misconduct. The audit describes “a wave” of lawsuits filed by currently and formerly incarcerated people alleging staff sexual assault, harassment and misconduct. In response to the lawsuits, the department approved 402 investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating allegations of sexual abuse and staff misconduct at California women’s prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12003275\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into staff sexual abuse allegations at two women’s prisons in Chowchilla and Chino, following a series of lawsuits and similar abuses at federal facilities like FCI Dublin, which was closed due to widespread misconduct. \u003ccite>(J. David Ake/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the settlement reached this past week, CDCR did not agree to any policy changes or other non-monetary terms, and did not admit to wrongdoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Department’s focus remains on the safety, security, and well-being of both the incarcerated population and staff,” Xjimenez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another class action lawsuit tied to the Aug. 2 incident is still pending. That case, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70350459/1/pc-hooper-v-de-la-cruz/\">Hooper v. State of California\u003c/a>, raises similar claims that medical care was delayed or denied and that the use of force was excessive and retaliatory. It is set to go to mediation in May, according to court filings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CDCR said it could not comment on pending litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chalfant said that many of his clients were scared to come forward. The incarcerated woman told him that correctional officers continued to reference the lawsuit and retaliate against them by writing them up for minor infractions and searching their belongings up to the day of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If individuals’ rights are violated in state prisons, lawyers are going to take those cases,” Chalfant said. “[These women] don’t lose their constitutional rights when [they] go into a prison facility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"order": 16
},
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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