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"title": "California Forever’s Shipbuilding Plans Need More Details, Solano County Officials Say",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>, which is still working on its plan to build a city in southeast Solano County, has expressed interest in building ships, too. Solano County officials say they want to see a concrete plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors invited the company to present a proposal for constructing and operating a shipbuilding facility, so county staff could understand how it might affect the county’s plans for future development and impacts to surrounding cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The county hasn’t seen anything,” Supervisor Wanda Williams said. “It’s time to sit down and have conversations with the county and work with staff so we can see what is this proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meeting comes a week after Fairfield, Suisun City and Rio Vista passed resolutions supporting shipbuilding in the county. The latter two cities also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12035971/california-forever-2-solano-cities-team-up-annexation-talks-move-forward\">agreed to work together\u003c/a> as both explore annexing a portion of California Forever’s more than 60,000 acres of land. The billionaire-backed company is one of the largest landowners in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In late March, the company \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/california-forevers-statement-on-bringing-shipbuilding-back-to-solano-county/\">announced interest\u003c/a> in establishing a shipbuilding facility in Collinsville, a small town located in an unincorporated area across the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta from Pittsburg, a city with its \u003ca href=\"https://pittsburgmuseum.org/history/f/historical-timline\">own history of industrial shipbuilding\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11976086\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2520px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11976086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration of a downtown center with people sitting and walking around with various buildings, a food truck and structures on display.\" width=\"2520\" height=\"1418\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG.jpg 2520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2520px) 100vw, 2520px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rendering of the downtown center in the new city California Forever is proposing to build in Solano County. \u003ccite>(Courtesy California Forever)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California Forever made \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/31/business/california-solano-county-city.html\">national headlines in 2023\u003c/a> after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968825/can-silicon-valley-investors-win-over-solano-county\">announced its plans\u003c/a> to build a walkable city, roughly the size of Oakland, on 17,500 acres of land in the Montezuma Hills. Along with the new city, company executives promised to bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">good-paying jobs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/your-life-here/\">new homes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano residents had prepared to vote on the plan in November, but the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative from the ballot\u003c/a> and promised to bring it back to voters next year after completing an environmental impact report and development agreement reviewed by the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to county officials, the company has not submitted any new documents on its plan yet, but has expressed interest in ship manufacturing in light of federal and state actions supporting reviving the maritime industry.[aside postID=news_12035971 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-96-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg']Late last year, lawmakers, including Rep. John Garamendi, introduced the \u003ca href=\"https://garamendi.house.gov/media/press-releases/garamendi-kelly-senators-young-and-kelly-introduce-ships-america-act\">SHIPS for America Act\u003c/a>, which would provide tax credits, financial incentives and revolving funds to boost domestic shipbuilding and repair. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/restoring-americas-maritime-dominance/\">executive order\u003c/a> directing the leaders of several federal departments to invest in and expand the maritime industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Solano Shipyard is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore America’s maritime leadership, revitalize our county’s shipbuilding heritage, and bring tens of thousands of good jobs to the area,” a California Forever spokesperson said in a statement to KQED. “We look forward to working with Solano County and all other stakeholders to seize this moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Assemblymember Lori Wilson announced the creation of a working group focused on expanding the shipbuilding industry in Solano County. It includes a number of local mayors, council members, supervisors and California Forever CEO Jan Sramek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proponents of the effort pointed to the county’s history in shipbuilding at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. It was the \u003ca href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/75002103_text\">first naval base\u003c/a> established on the Pacific Ocean in 1854, but was \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/historic-bases/mare-island.html\">decommissioned in 1996\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dwight Calloway, a former worker at the Naval Shipyard and member of Wilson’s working group, said he would support a proposal to bring shipbuilding back to Solano County so the United States is less dependent on other countries for trade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031922\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maps show California Forever’s potential location at the California Forever office in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As we sit around discussing what we need to do, but not doing anything — we have to do something,” he said. “Regardless of how we feel about it, we’re behind, but we’re Americans. We can do whatever it is that we need to do because that’s how we’re built.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County Administrator Bill Emlen told KQED more than 1,200 acres in Collinsville could be used for maritime industrial operations, according to the county’s current General Plan. The land is currently zoned for agricultural use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If California Forever submitted a plan to build a shipbuilding facility within those 1,200 acres, it wouldn’t need voter approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board Chair Mitch Mashburn said he supported the idea of “some type of shipbuilding industry or manufacturing” but that the county — not individual cities — would be responsible for reviewing any project put forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to make sure we separate excitement from the process,” he said. “That land sits squarely within the county’s jurisdiction and responsibility. … It is within our regulatory purview within the county, not within any of the cities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashburn also noted that this type of project would be expensive and the county would likely need to invest millions of dollars to update its infrastructure and conduct environmental impact studies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of talk for this, but there’s not a lot of walk,” he said. “Until we see some monies that come out of the federal government and some supporting legislation that has the funding behind it, this is all a wonderful idea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a>, which is still working on its plan to build a city in southeast Solano County, has expressed interest in building ships, too. Solano County officials say they want to see a concrete plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors invited the company to present a proposal for constructing and operating a shipbuilding facility, so county staff could understand how it might affect the county’s plans for future development and impacts to surrounding cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The county hasn’t seen anything,” Supervisor Wanda Williams said. “It’s time to sit down and have conversations with the county and work with staff so we can see what is this proposal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The meeting comes a week after Fairfield, Suisun City and Rio Vista passed resolutions supporting shipbuilding in the county. The latter two cities also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12035971/california-forever-2-solano-cities-team-up-annexation-talks-move-forward\">agreed to work together\u003c/a> as both explore annexing a portion of California Forever’s more than 60,000 acres of land. The billionaire-backed company is one of the largest landowners in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In late March, the company \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/california-forevers-statement-on-bringing-shipbuilding-back-to-solano-county/\">announced interest\u003c/a> in establishing a shipbuilding facility in Collinsville, a small town located in an unincorporated area across the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta from Pittsburg, a city with its \u003ca href=\"https://pittsburgmuseum.org/history/f/historical-timline\">own history of industrial shipbuilding\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11976086\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2520px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11976086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration of a downtown center with people sitting and walking around with various buildings, a food truck and structures on display.\" width=\"2520\" height=\"1418\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG.jpg 2520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/03_Downtown-plaza-with-transit_IMAGE-CREDIT_Designed-by-SITELAB-urban-studio_CMG-1920x1080.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2520px) 100vw, 2520px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rendering of the downtown center in the new city California Forever is proposing to build in Solano County. \u003ccite>(Courtesy California Forever)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California Forever made \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/31/business/california-solano-county-city.html\">national headlines in 2023\u003c/a> after it \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968825/can-silicon-valley-investors-win-over-solano-county\">announced its plans\u003c/a> to build a walkable city, roughly the size of Oakland, on 17,500 acres of land in the Montezuma Hills. Along with the new city, company executives promised to bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">good-paying jobs\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/your-life-here/\">new homes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano residents had prepared to vote on the plan in November, but the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative from the ballot\u003c/a> and promised to bring it back to voters next year after completing an environmental impact report and development agreement reviewed by the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to county officials, the company has not submitted any new documents on its plan yet, but has expressed interest in ship manufacturing in light of federal and state actions supporting reviving the maritime industry.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Late last year, lawmakers, including Rep. John Garamendi, introduced the \u003ca href=\"https://garamendi.house.gov/media/press-releases/garamendi-kelly-senators-young-and-kelly-introduce-ships-america-act\">SHIPS for America Act\u003c/a>, which would provide tax credits, financial incentives and revolving funds to boost domestic shipbuilding and repair. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/restoring-americas-maritime-dominance/\">executive order\u003c/a> directing the leaders of several federal departments to invest in and expand the maritime industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Solano Shipyard is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore America’s maritime leadership, revitalize our county’s shipbuilding heritage, and bring tens of thousands of good jobs to the area,” a California Forever spokesperson said in a statement to KQED. “We look forward to working with Solano County and all other stakeholders to seize this moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Assemblymember Lori Wilson announced the creation of a working group focused on expanding the shipbuilding industry in Solano County. It includes a number of local mayors, council members, supervisors and California Forever CEO Jan Sramek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proponents of the effort pointed to the county’s history in shipbuilding at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. It was the \u003ca href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/75002103_text\">first naval base\u003c/a> established on the Pacific Ocean in 1854, but was \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/organization-and-administration/historic-bases/mare-island.html\">decommissioned in 1996\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dwight Calloway, a former worker at the Naval Shipyard and member of Wilson’s working group, said he would support a proposal to bring shipbuilding back to Solano County so the United States is less dependent on other countries for trade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031922\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maps show California Forever’s potential location at the California Forever office in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“As we sit around discussing what we need to do, but not doing anything — we have to do something,” he said. “Regardless of how we feel about it, we’re behind, but we’re Americans. We can do whatever it is that we need to do because that’s how we’re built.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County Administrator Bill Emlen told KQED more than 1,200 acres in Collinsville could be used for maritime industrial operations, according to the county’s current General Plan. The land is currently zoned for agricultural use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If California Forever submitted a plan to build a shipbuilding facility within those 1,200 acres, it wouldn’t need voter approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board Chair Mitch Mashburn said he supported the idea of “some type of shipbuilding industry or manufacturing” but that the county — not individual cities — would be responsible for reviewing any project put forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to make sure we separate excitement from the process,” he said. “That land sits squarely within the county’s jurisdiction and responsibility. … It is within our regulatory purview within the county, not within any of the cities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashburn also noted that this type of project would be expensive and the county would likely need to invest millions of dollars to update its infrastructure and conduct environmental impact studies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of talk for this, but there’s not a lot of walk,” he said. “Until we see some monies that come out of the federal government and some supporting legislation that has the funding behind it, this is all a wonderful idea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>For at least the past few months, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031818/another-solano-county-city-wants-annex-some-california-forevers-land\">two of the smallest\u003c/a> Solano County cities have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">eyeing land\u003c/a> owned by California Forever and exploring whether to annex some of it. Now, they want to team up and negotiate together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the city councils of Rio Vista and Suisun City each approved an agreement to work together as both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">continue t\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031818/another-solano-county-city-wants-annex-some-california-forevers-land\">o explore\u003c/a> expanding their respective boundaries and controlling land owned by the company that’s behind a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011148/sold-out-california-forevers-uphill-battle-to-build-a-walkable-city\">controversial plan\u003c/a> to build a city from scratch on pastureland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am looking forward to working with the city of Rio Vista to ensure we can collaborate thoughtfully on exploring annexation efforts that best support both of our communities,” Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez said in an email to KQED. “Collaboration will be key, and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2366&meta_id=59904\">Memorandum of Understanding\u003c/a> between Suisun City and Rio Vista vows to protect Travis Air Force Base, ensure sustainability of each city’s economy and water supply, mitigate impacts on traffic and education and address infrastructure needs as each city negotiates how much and where it will annex land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Suisun City and Rio Vista have made clear that regional benefit is central to their participation,” Michael Fortney, California Forever’s director of partnerships, said during Suisun City’s council meeting. “We’re grateful to be part of this conversation, and we remain committed to open, honest and respectful engagement every step of the way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036285\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036285\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, Suisun City’s council also voted to begin drafting a series of agreements that would formalize a working relationship between it and California Forever. The agreement would require the company to cover costs to explore annexation, so the city doesn’t have to dip into its general fund. City staff said those draft agreements could be presented to the council as early as May 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But during the meeting, many residents, some of whom live outside of Suisun City, raised questions about how annexation of the land, technically owned by California Forever subsidiary Flannery Associates, could impact wildlife and traffic and might circumvent county voters’ ability to decide on the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\">ballot measure\u003c/a> for California Forever’s proposed walkable city, which promised to bring thousands of new jobs and homes to the county, was set to go before Solano voters in November.[aside postID=news_12029950 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-52-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg']But a few months before the election, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">as calls for\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">more detailed\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991788/solano-county-supervisors-want-to-know-more-about-california-forever-before-its-on-the-ballot\">information \u003c/a>about the plan grew, the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative\u003c/a> and vowed to return in 2026 with another measure that would include an environmental impact report and development agreement, which the county would review.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Suisun is proposing to help push the project forward by going around the people’s vote and incorporate the Flannery land into the Suisun City,” said Don Lipary, who owns county land near Suisun City and California Forever’s properties. “The majority of people are not on board with this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some, who spoke out against the company’s proposal, urged the council to stop annexation discussions for fear that the process could happen too quickly and without public input.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no discussion, there’s no public input, there’s no transparency,” said Jim DeKloe, a professor at Solano College and resident of Cordelia. “This is when you decide whether or not you’re going to partner with the least respected entity in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flannery Associates owns \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2024/02/california-forever-promises/#:~:text=The%20group%20has%20formed%20a,about%20the%20size%20of%20Vacaville).\">more than 60,000 acres\u003c/a> and is currently one of the largest private landowners in Solano. Rio Vista and Suisun City — \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/riovistacitycalifornia,suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">both under 7 square miles in size\u003c/a> — sit closest to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials in both cities have discussed the idea of expanding their respective boundaries since the beginning of this year, and while they share some reasons for expanding, they differ in motivations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036287\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036287\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For years, Suisun City has faced a structural deficit, and according to City Manager Bret Prebula, it had to use \u003ca href=\"https://city-suisun-city-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/17152/introduction/transmittal-letter\">40% of its reserves\u003c/a> last year to avoid cuts to essential services. But if it expanded and broadened its tax base, Prebula said the city might have a more secure financial future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Expanding allows us to see if we can create an economy of scale, where we can provide the level of service for the entire community,” he said. “We believe this is the best opportunity to help our residents in Suisun City.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suisun City Councilmember Princess Washington was less sure. She cast the sole dissenting vote at Tuesday’s meeting and said she was elected “to represent the people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I represent — or I hear — people who don’t [want the project], and it would not be fair if I didn’t voice that,” she said. “My concern is that we’re putting all of our eggs in one basket.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rio Vista also wants to broaden its tax base, but it doesn’t face the existential financial crisis its neighboring city does.[aside postID=news_12031818 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg']In March, members of \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">Rio Vista’s city council\u003c/a> said they were motivated to look into annexation after Suisun City \u003ca href=\"https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/b98f7eea-cb47-42be-a06b-f85281aa6d5a?start=9514\">expressed interest in January\u003c/a>. Council members said they wanted to protect the feel of their “quaint river town” in the face of California Forever’s bold proposal. Company executives have said the proposed city could eventually support some \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/the-bold-city-project-of-the-tech-elite/\">400,000 residents at full build-out,\u003c/a> making it roughly the size of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, both cities sent \u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208151/GB_-_Letter_for_Annexation_2025.pdf\">letters\u003c/a> to the surrounding 24 landowners, including Flannery Associates, to gauge interest in which might be interested in discussing annexation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two property owners have so far said they are definitely not interested. But California Forever, along with Mount Calvary Church and Hatch Investments, responded in early April to say they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clark Hatch, Hatch Investments’ general partner, told KQED that much of the company’s land, which includes nearly 3,000 acres of pastureland, is not very productive as farmland but could be a good spot for new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no flood issue, there’s no fire issue, there’s no earthquakes, and it’s relatively flat and smooth,” he said. “It’d be nice if some more housing gets built because people want to raise their kids in Solano County, and [there are] not that many houses. It’d be nice to have a new city there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amit Pal, another Suisun council member, said that while there were still many questions left unanswered, exploring annexation is just the beginning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think once we look at all the facts, we can make the decisions,” he said. “I don’t have the information to do that, and that’s why I wanted to do the exploration — to find out the facts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For at least the past few months, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031818/another-solano-county-city-wants-annex-some-california-forevers-land\">two of the smallest\u003c/a> Solano County cities have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">eyeing land\u003c/a> owned by California Forever and exploring whether to annex some of it. Now, they want to team up and negotiate together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, the city councils of Rio Vista and Suisun City each approved an agreement to work together as both \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">continue t\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031818/another-solano-county-city-wants-annex-some-california-forevers-land\">o explore\u003c/a> expanding their respective boundaries and controlling land owned by the company that’s behind a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011148/sold-out-california-forevers-uphill-battle-to-build-a-walkable-city\">controversial plan\u003c/a> to build a city from scratch on pastureland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am looking forward to working with the city of Rio Vista to ensure we can collaborate thoughtfully on exploring annexation efforts that best support both of our communities,” Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez said in an email to KQED. “Collaboration will be key, and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2366&meta_id=59904\">Memorandum of Understanding\u003c/a> between Suisun City and Rio Vista vows to protect Travis Air Force Base, ensure sustainability of each city’s economy and water supply, mitigate impacts on traffic and education and address infrastructure needs as each city negotiates how much and where it will annex land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Suisun City and Rio Vista have made clear that regional benefit is central to their participation,” Michael Fortney, California Forever’s director of partnerships, said during Suisun City’s council meeting. “We’re grateful to be part of this conversation, and we remain committed to open, honest and respectful engagement every step of the way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036285\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036285\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-39-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, Suisun City’s council also voted to begin drafting a series of agreements that would formalize a working relationship between it and California Forever. The agreement would require the company to cover costs to explore annexation, so the city doesn’t have to dip into its general fund. City staff said those draft agreements could be presented to the council as early as May 20.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But during the meeting, many residents, some of whom live outside of Suisun City, raised questions about how annexation of the land, technically owned by California Forever subsidiary Flannery Associates, could impact wildlife and traffic and might circumvent county voters’ ability to decide on the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\">ballot measure\u003c/a> for California Forever’s proposed walkable city, which promised to bring thousands of new jobs and homes to the county, was set to go before Solano voters in November.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But a few months before the election, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">as calls for\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">more detailed\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991788/solano-county-supervisors-want-to-know-more-about-california-forever-before-its-on-the-ballot\">information \u003c/a>about the plan grew, the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative\u003c/a> and vowed to return in 2026 with another measure that would include an environmental impact report and development agreement, which the county would review.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Suisun is proposing to help push the project forward by going around the people’s vote and incorporate the Flannery land into the Suisun City,” said Don Lipary, who owns county land near Suisun City and California Forever’s properties. “The majority of people are not on board with this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some, who spoke out against the company’s proposal, urged the council to stop annexation discussions for fear that the process could happen too quickly and without public input.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no discussion, there’s no public input, there’s no transparency,” said Jim DeKloe, a professor at Solano College and resident of Cordelia. “This is when you decide whether or not you’re going to partner with the least respected entity in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flannery Associates owns \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2024/02/california-forever-promises/#:~:text=The%20group%20has%20formed%20a,about%20the%20size%20of%20Vacaville).\">more than 60,000 acres\u003c/a> and is currently one of the largest private landowners in Solano. Rio Vista and Suisun City — \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/riovistacitycalifornia,suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">both under 7 square miles in size\u003c/a> — sit closest to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials in both cities have discussed the idea of expanding their respective boundaries since the beginning of this year, and while they share some reasons for expanding, they differ in motivations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036287\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036287\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/240502-CaliforniaForever-58-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For years, Suisun City has faced a structural deficit, and according to City Manager Bret Prebula, it had to use \u003ca href=\"https://city-suisun-city-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/17152/introduction/transmittal-letter\">40% of its reserves\u003c/a> last year to avoid cuts to essential services. But if it expanded and broadened its tax base, Prebula said the city might have a more secure financial future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Expanding allows us to see if we can create an economy of scale, where we can provide the level of service for the entire community,” he said. “We believe this is the best opportunity to help our residents in Suisun City.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suisun City Councilmember Princess Washington was less sure. She cast the sole dissenting vote at Tuesday’s meeting and said she was elected “to represent the people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I represent — or I hear — people who don’t [want the project], and it would not be fair if I didn’t voice that,” she said. “My concern is that we’re putting all of our eggs in one basket.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rio Vista also wants to broaden its tax base, but it doesn’t face the existential financial crisis its neighboring city does.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In March, members of \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">Rio Vista’s city council\u003c/a> said they were motivated to look into annexation after Suisun City \u003ca href=\"https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/b98f7eea-cb47-42be-a06b-f85281aa6d5a?start=9514\">expressed interest in January\u003c/a>. Council members said they wanted to protect the feel of their “quaint river town” in the face of California Forever’s bold proposal. Company executives have said the proposed city could eventually support some \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/the-bold-city-project-of-the-tech-elite/\">400,000 residents at full build-out,\u003c/a> making it roughly the size of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, both cities sent \u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208151/GB_-_Letter_for_Annexation_2025.pdf\">letters\u003c/a> to the surrounding 24 landowners, including Flannery Associates, to gauge interest in which might be interested in discussing annexation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two property owners have so far said they are definitely not interested. But California Forever, along with Mount Calvary Church and Hatch Investments, responded in early April to say they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clark Hatch, Hatch Investments’ general partner, told KQED that much of the company’s land, which includes nearly 3,000 acres of pastureland, is not very productive as farmland but could be a good spot for new housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no flood issue, there’s no fire issue, there’s no earthquakes, and it’s relatively flat and smooth,” he said. “It’d be nice if some more housing gets built because people want to raise their kids in Solano County, and [there are] not that many houses. It’d be nice to have a new city there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amit Pal, another Suisun council member, said that while there were still many questions left unanswered, exploring annexation is just the beginning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think once we look at all the facts, we can make the decisions,” he said. “I don’t have the information to do that, and that’s why I wanted to do the exploration — to find out the facts.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe\n src='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true?embedded=true'\n title='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true'\n width='760' height='500'\n frameborder='0'\n marginheight='0' marginwidth='0'>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Suisun City will formally start talks with surrounding landowners — including California Forever — as it explores whether to expand its borders, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">following a similar move\u003c/a> from Rio Vista earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Suisun City Council voted 4–1 on Tuesday to direct the city manager to issue \u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208151/GB_-_Letter_for_Annexation_2025.pdf\">letters\u003c/a> to almost\u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208152/Attachment_Landowner_Contact_Information.pdf\"> 30 neighboring landowners\u003c/a>, whose approval the city will need to proceed with annexation. Councilmember Princess Washington, \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/press-solano-together-opposes-california-forever\">a vocal critic\u003c/a> of California Forever, cast the only dissenting vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are hard decisions that are going to come ahead, but we need to be open-minded, listening to all the perspectives from those members,” Mayor Alma Hernandez said. “We are requesting members of the community to stay engaged with us in this process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders hope annexation could help bolster the city’s declining revenues. However, opponents worry that the move would allow the billionaire-backed company to build its planned city of \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/the-bold-city-project-of-the-tech-elite/\">up to 400,000 new residents\u003c/a> without first getting approval from county voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California Forever proposes the ninth largest city in California in our county, and the supposition is that you are empowering them to do that,” resident Jim DeKloe said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We have this principle that unincorporated county [land] will not be urban. They are trying to throw a bomb in that, and you are enabling them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano County’s \u003ca href=\"https://solanoorderlygrowth.org/flannery\">Orderly Growth Initiative\u003c/a> requires voters to sign off before California Forever can move forward with building on what is now agricultural land. However, that requirement could change if its development is incorporated into an existing city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheep graze on farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Solano residents were scheduled to vote on the plan in November, but the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative from the ballot\u003c/a> months before the election. Its leaders have since \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/joint-statement-by-solano-county-and-california-forever/\">vowed\u003c/a> to publish an environmental impact report and development agreement before bringing the proposal back to voters next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Rio Vista joined Suisun City in exploring whether to annex some of California Forever’s land. With roughly 60,000 acres sandwiched between the two cities, California Forever — through its subsidiary, Flannery Associates — is the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">largest landholder\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while Rio Vista Mayor Edwin Okamura said the council’s decision was “all about just getting to the table” to potentially negotiate with the company and protect the city’s quaint character, Suisun City leaders hope annexation might help secure the city’s financial future.[aside postID=news_12029950 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-52-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg']According to City Manager Bret \u003ca href=\"https://city-suisun-city-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/17152/introduction/transmittal-letter\">Prebula\u003c/a>, it had to use 40% of its reserves last year to avoid cuts to essential services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That year, voters approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/Government/Citizen-Governance/Measure-S-Oversight-Committee/Measure-S-The-Basics\">Measure S\u003c/a>, a 1.75% sales tax, which is set to go into effect next month. But, even with the additional revenue, Suisun City is still facing a more than $2 million shortfall in its general fund this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help generate income for the city, \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/News-articles/20250305Suisun-City-Adopts-Economic-Development-Strategy-and-Implementation-Plan\">the council earlier this month approved an economic development plan\u003c/a> that focuses on residential and commercial development within its existing boundaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">just over 4 square miles\u003c/a>, Prebula said, even if the city built more infill housing and retail spaces, those buildings could only be built so tall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is no more optionality for us,” he said. “We are absolutely going to do infill at the highest, best and most fast way we can, but that will not be sustainable for decades, so we need to explore expanding our borders.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the meeting, some residents welcomed the idea and wondered if the move could improve the city’s access to jobs and housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody is saying not to do this — what are we afraid of? Making money in our own town, bringing revenue into our city?” asked Mitchell Megary, a lifelong resident of Suisun City. “I wish I could work somewhere and go home 20 minutes away, but I can’t do that because it’s so expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Suisun City will formally start talks with surrounding landowners — including California Forever — as it explores whether to expand its borders, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12029950/rio-vista-explores-annexing-some-california-forevers-land\">following a similar move\u003c/a> from Rio Vista earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Suisun City Council voted 4–1 on Tuesday to direct the city manager to issue \u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208151/GB_-_Letter_for_Annexation_2025.pdf\">letters\u003c/a> to almost\u003ca href=\"https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/3208152/Attachment_Landowner_Contact_Information.pdf\"> 30 neighboring landowners\u003c/a>, whose approval the city will need to proceed with annexation. Councilmember Princess Washington, \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/press-solano-together-opposes-california-forever\">a vocal critic\u003c/a> of California Forever, cast the only dissenting vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are hard decisions that are going to come ahead, but we need to be open-minded, listening to all the perspectives from those members,” Mayor Alma Hernandez said. “We are requesting members of the community to stay engaged with us in this process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>City leaders hope annexation could help bolster the city’s declining revenues. However, opponents worry that the move would allow the billionaire-backed company to build its planned city of \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/the-bold-city-project-of-the-tech-elite/\">up to 400,000 new residents\u003c/a> without first getting approval from county voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California Forever proposes the ninth largest city in California in our county, and the supposition is that you are empowering them to do that,” resident Jim DeKloe said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We have this principle that unincorporated county [land] will not be urban. They are trying to throw a bomb in that, and you are enabling them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano County’s \u003ca href=\"https://solanoorderlygrowth.org/flannery\">Orderly Growth Initiative\u003c/a> requires voters to sign off before California Forever can move forward with building on what is now agricultural land. However, that requirement could change if its development is incorporated into an existing city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheep graze on farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Solano residents were scheduled to vote on the plan in November, but the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its initiative from the ballot\u003c/a> months before the election. Its leaders have since \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/joint-statement-by-solano-county-and-california-forever/\">vowed\u003c/a> to publish an environmental impact report and development agreement before bringing the proposal back to voters next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Rio Vista joined Suisun City in exploring whether to annex some of California Forever’s land. With roughly 60,000 acres sandwiched between the two cities, California Forever — through its subsidiary, Flannery Associates — is the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">largest landholder\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while Rio Vista Mayor Edwin Okamura said the council’s decision was “all about just getting to the table” to potentially negotiate with the company and protect the city’s quaint character, Suisun City leaders hope annexation might help secure the city’s financial future.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>According to City Manager Bret \u003ca href=\"https://city-suisun-city-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/17152/introduction/transmittal-letter\">Prebula\u003c/a>, it had to use 40% of its reserves last year to avoid cuts to essential services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That year, voters approved \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/Government/Citizen-Governance/Measure-S-Oversight-Committee/Measure-S-The-Basics\">Measure S\u003c/a>, a 1.75% sales tax, which is set to go into effect next month. But, even with the additional revenue, Suisun City is still facing a more than $2 million shortfall in its general fund this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help generate income for the city, \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/News-articles/20250305Suisun-City-Adopts-Economic-Development-Strategy-and-Implementation-Plan\">the council earlier this month approved an economic development plan\u003c/a> that focuses on residential and commercial development within its existing boundaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">just over 4 square miles\u003c/a>, Prebula said, even if the city built more infill housing and retail spaces, those buildings could only be built so tall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is no more optionality for us,” he said. “We are absolutely going to do infill at the highest, best and most fast way we can, but that will not be sustainable for decades, so we need to explore expanding our borders.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the meeting, some residents welcomed the idea and wondered if the move could improve the city’s access to jobs and housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody is saying not to do this — what are we afraid of? Making money in our own town, bringing revenue into our city?” asked Mitchell Megary, a lifelong resident of Suisun City. “I wish I could work somewhere and go home 20 minutes away, but I can’t do that because it’s so expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Rio Vista Explores Annexing Some of California Forever's Land",
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"headTitle": "Rio Vista Explores Annexing Some of California Forever’s Land | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On Tuesday, the Rio Vista City Council voted unanimously to explore annexing some of the land owned by a subsidiary of California Forever, making it the second neighbor to consider expanding its boundaries in the wake of the company’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000185/this-tech-backed-company-tried-to-disrupt-californias-housing-crisis-it-couldnt\">proposal to build a city from scratch\u003c/a> on nearby farmland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, Suisun City’s council took a similar action to consider \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/Departments/Development-Services/Suisun-City-Expansion-Exploration?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery\">annexing land\u003c/a> surrounding its borders. Although the directive didn’t specifically mention California Forever, a large portion of unincorporated land to the east of the city is owned by the company’s subsidiary, Flannery Associates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This decision is about just getting to the table,” Rio Vista Mayor Edwin Okamura said shortly before Tuesday’s vote. “Many of us were content waiting for further studies on the original impacts of the California Forever project before weighing in. Suisun’s bold move requires Rio Vista to take steps to protect our interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The council directed staff to start the lengthy process of determining how much land the city could annex, the process for annexation, and how such a move might impact its budget. Included in that process is a request to explore expansion while still maintaining Rio Vista’s character as \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">“a quaint river town.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At just \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/dixoncitycalifornia,riovistacitycalifornia,suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">6.6 square miles and 4 square miles\u003c/a>, respectively, Rio Vista and neighboring Suisun City are the county’s two smallest cities. Lisa Duke, who was recently appointed to the city council, said she wants to protect the 700-acre open space buffer between Rio Vista and the proposed city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029957\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-800x538.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1020x686.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1536x1034.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1920x1292.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The small town of Rio Vista, located along the Sacramento River and Highway 12, is viewed from the air on May 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to live in a small rural town surrounded by open space, and that’s why I’m here,” she said. “I’m not happy about the position that I’m in tonight, but I was appointed to make the best decisions possible for Rio Vista and the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, California Forever, a company \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">backed by a cadre of Silicon Valley billionaires\u003c/a>, introduced the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000185/this-tech-backed-company-tried-to-disrupt-californias-housing-crisis-it-couldnt\">East Solano Plan\u003c/a>. The ambitious ballot measure asked Solano County voters for permission to build a new city that would eventually support some 400,000 new residents, bring “\u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/economic-impact/\">well-paid\u003c/a>” jobs to Solano and \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/transportation/\">improve the county’s worn-down infrastructure\u003c/a>. In the years leading up to the company’s announcement, its subsidiary quietly bought more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">60,000 acres of farmland\u003c/a>, making it the \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">largest private landowner\u003c/a> in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company executives were prepared to present the plan to voters in November but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled the ballot measure\u003c/a> a few months before the election, instead promising to publish an environmental impact report and a development agreement before bringing the measure back to voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12011148 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-68-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, officials in neighboring cities have been slowly warming up to negotiating with California Forever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a Jan. 21 meeting, Suisun City officials directed City Manager Bret Prebula to study whether expanding the city’s limits could broaden its tax base to bolster its dwindling revenues. During public comment, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/suisun-city-leaders-conspiracy-theories-california-forever/63509835\">opponents of the East Solano Plan cited concerns about a lack of transparency\u003c/a> in the council and agenda, not mentioning California Forever or acknowledging at the outset that this move would require talking to the company’s representatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This isn’t about Suisun City trying to do a land grab,” Prebula told KQED. “It’s about us doing it for our own survival and for the future for our residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the meeting, Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy and other \u003ca href=\"https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/moy-city-welcomes-input-from-defense-tech-companies-that-may-be-part-of-california-forever/article_fd5a9ae6-de83-11ef-8942-27748a2b9708.html\">city officials\u003c/a> announced they wanted to work with California Forever to bring defense tech companies to their city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, California Forever spokesperson Julia Blystone said the company is “committed to working with all stakeholders to build a stronger Solano County.” If the company receives an invitation to explore annexations from Rio Vista or Suisun City, Blystone said it would “be open to a conversation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheep graze on farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Neither city has specified how much land it would annex or how the move, if ultimately approved, would impact the company’s proposed East Solano Plan. The land is currently within Solano County’s jurisdiction, but a spokesperson for the county did not return a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">report detailing Rio Vista’s options\u003c/a> for annexation, staff said potential benefits could include broadening the city’s tax base, improving infrastructure and retaining the ability to negotiate with California Forever to ensure the East Solano Plan benefits Rio Vista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During her presentation to the council, City Manager Kristina Miller reminded the public that annexation would “take years to complete” and that anywhere in the process, the city could choose to \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">move in an alternative direction.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A majority of the more than two dozen residents who spoke during public comment encouraged the council to explore annexation, with some speaking in favor of the East Solano Plan’s promises to bring jobs and housing to the county. Sandy Roth, a resident of the city since 2022 who lives in the Trilogy at Rio Vista retirement community, said when she arrived, she said many of the people who do work on her property travel from outside the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not housing for people who do the jobs here in town,” she said. “So we think it’s very important that we at least have a seat at the table to change things here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029969\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029969\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A playground in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Other residents were frustrated that the city’s general plan could change with a potential annexation and that the council was considering working with California Forever after its subsidiary pursued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\">bitter antitrust lawsuit against local farmers\u003c/a> who refused to sell their land. The company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12005460/farmers-who-refused-to-sell-land-to-california-forever-settle-suits-against-them\">settled that suit\u003c/a> with a majority of the farmers in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sarah Soroken, a local resident and opponent of the East Solano Plan, said she was concerned about the farmland and open space the proposed new city might consume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I oppose exploring annexation and development of our county’s farmland due to the reality that this will put into process a motion that will cause us to lose so much that we can never get back,” she said. “We could develop smarter within city boundaries with existing infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okamura said he would prefer if the city focused on infill development before expanding outwards. But he worried that if Rio Vista decided to do nothing, both California Forever’s proposed new city and Suisun City could grow to reach Rio Vista’s border, potentially depriving the city of its own growth, economic development opportunities and open space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the most aggressive scenario, their project could reach us and pin us between the river and the development,” he said. “That does not necessarily mean that [annexation is] what we need to do, it just means that we’re studying the options that are available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prebula said he wants to work with Rio Vista officials as both cities navigate their positions in shaping the East Solano Plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It almost seems like a natural path that we would help each other out along the way — we’re the two smallest cities,” he said. “The region benefits broadly if we’re walking together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On Tuesday, the Rio Vista City Council voted unanimously to explore annexing some of the land owned by a subsidiary of California Forever, making it the second neighbor to consider expanding its boundaries in the wake of the company’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000185/this-tech-backed-company-tried-to-disrupt-californias-housing-crisis-it-couldnt\">proposal to build a city from scratch\u003c/a> on nearby farmland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In January, Suisun City’s council took a similar action to consider \u003ca href=\"https://www.suisun.com/Departments/Development-Services/Suisun-City-Expansion-Exploration?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery\">annexing land\u003c/a> surrounding its borders. Although the directive didn’t specifically mention California Forever, a large portion of unincorporated land to the east of the city is owned by the company’s subsidiary, Flannery Associates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This decision is about just getting to the table,” Rio Vista Mayor Edwin Okamura said shortly before Tuesday’s vote. “Many of us were content waiting for further studies on the original impacts of the California Forever project before weighing in. Suisun’s bold move requires Rio Vista to take steps to protect our interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The council directed staff to start the lengthy process of determining how much land the city could annex, the process for annexation, and how such a move might impact its budget. Included in that process is a request to explore expansion while still maintaining Rio Vista’s character as \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">“a quaint river town.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At just \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/dixoncitycalifornia,riovistacitycalifornia,suisuncitycitycalifornia,US/PST045224\">6.6 square miles and 4 square miles\u003c/a>, respectively, Rio Vista and neighboring Suisun City are the county’s two smallest cities. Lisa Duke, who was recently appointed to the city council, said she wants to protect the 700-acre open space buffer between Rio Vista and the proposed city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029957\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029957\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-800x538.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1020x686.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1536x1034.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/RioVista1-1920x1292.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The small town of Rio Vista, located along the Sacramento River and Highway 12, is viewed from the air on May 22, 2023. \u003ccite>(George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to live in a small rural town surrounded by open space, and that’s why I’m here,” she said. “I’m not happy about the position that I’m in tonight, but I was appointed to make the best decisions possible for Rio Vista and the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, California Forever, a company \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">backed by a cadre of Silicon Valley billionaires\u003c/a>, introduced the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12000185/this-tech-backed-company-tried-to-disrupt-californias-housing-crisis-it-couldnt\">East Solano Plan\u003c/a>. The ambitious ballot measure asked Solano County voters for permission to build a new city that would eventually support some 400,000 new residents, bring “\u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/economic-impact/\">well-paid\u003c/a>” jobs to Solano and \u003ca href=\"https://californiaforever.com/transportation/\">improve the county’s worn-down infrastructure\u003c/a>. In the years leading up to the company’s announcement, its subsidiary quietly bought more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">60,000 acres of farmland\u003c/a>, making it the \u003ca href=\"https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/vacaville/farmers-refuse-sell-to-flannery-associates/103-e02f38f9-8093-43a5-8dc2-79a9b0a98ed6#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Flannery%20Associates%2C%20investors%20in%20the,land%20owners%20in%20the%20county.\">largest private landowner\u003c/a> in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company executives were prepared to present the plan to voters in November but \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled the ballot measure\u003c/a> a few months before the election, instead promising to publish an environmental impact report and a development agreement before bringing the measure back to voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since then, officials in neighboring cities have been slowly warming up to negotiating with California Forever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a Jan. 21 meeting, Suisun City officials directed City Manager Bret Prebula to study whether expanding the city’s limits could broaden its tax base to bolster its dwindling revenues. During public comment, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kcra.com/article/suisun-city-leaders-conspiracy-theories-california-forever/63509835\">opponents of the East Solano Plan cited concerns about a lack of transparency\u003c/a> in the council and agenda, not mentioning California Forever or acknowledging at the outset that this move would require talking to the company’s representatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This isn’t about Suisun City trying to do a land grab,” Prebula told KQED. “It’s about us doing it for our own survival and for the future for our residents.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the meeting, Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy and other \u003ca href=\"https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/moy-city-welcomes-input-from-defense-tech-companies-that-may-be-part-of-california-forever/article_fd5a9ae6-de83-11ef-8942-27748a2b9708.html\">city officials\u003c/a> announced they wanted to work with California Forever to bring defense tech companies to their city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, California Forever spokesperson Julia Blystone said the company is “committed to working with all stakeholders to build a stronger Solano County.” If the company receives an invitation to explore annexations from Rio Vista or Suisun City, Blystone said it would “be open to a conversation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029959\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029959\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-88-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheep graze on farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Neither city has specified how much land it would annex or how the move, if ultimately approved, would impact the company’s proposed East Solano Plan. The land is currently within Solano County’s jurisdiction, but a spokesperson for the county did not return a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">report detailing Rio Vista’s options\u003c/a> for annexation, staff said potential benefits could include broadening the city’s tax base, improving infrastructure and retaining the ability to negotiate with California Forever to ensure the East Solano Plan benefits Rio Vista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During her presentation to the council, City Manager Kristina Miller reminded the public that annexation would “take years to complete” and that anywhere in the process, the city could choose to \u003ca href=\"https://riovista-ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&event_id=2363&meta_id=59354\">move in an alternative direction.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A majority of the more than two dozen residents who spoke during public comment encouraged the council to explore annexation, with some speaking in favor of the East Solano Plan’s promises to bring jobs and housing to the county. Sandy Roth, a resident of the city since 2022 who lives in the Trilogy at Rio Vista retirement community, said when she arrived, she said many of the people who do work on her property travel from outside the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not housing for people who do the jobs here in town,” she said. “So we think it’s very important that we at least have a seat at the table to change things here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12029969\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029969\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/240502-CaliforniaForever-99-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A playground in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Other residents were frustrated that the city’s general plan could change with a potential annexation and that the council was considering working with California Forever after its subsidiary pursued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\">bitter antitrust lawsuit against local farmers\u003c/a> who refused to sell their land. The company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12005460/farmers-who-refused-to-sell-land-to-california-forever-settle-suits-against-them\">settled that suit\u003c/a> with a majority of the farmers in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sarah Soroken, a local resident and opponent of the East Solano Plan, said she was concerned about the farmland and open space the proposed new city might consume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I oppose exploring annexation and development of our county’s farmland due to the reality that this will put into process a motion that will cause us to lose so much that we can never get back,” she said. “We could develop smarter within city boundaries with existing infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okamura said he would prefer if the city focused on infill development before expanding outwards. But he worried that if Rio Vista decided to do nothing, both California Forever’s proposed new city and Suisun City could grow to reach Rio Vista’s border, potentially depriving the city of its own growth, economic development opportunities and open space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the most aggressive scenario, their project could reach us and pin us between the river and the development,” he said. “That does not necessarily mean that [annexation is] what we need to do, it just means that we’re studying the options that are available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prebula said he wants to work with Rio Vista officials as both cities navigate their positions in shaping the East Solano Plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It almost seems like a natural path that we would help each other out along the way — we’re the two smallest cities,” he said. “The region benefits broadly if we’re walking together.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe\n src='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true?embedded=true'\n title='https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ-ZKtuSHdeWqxooQwfEcr-oiOpdpJcf2RLZInU7aqjjQlRQ/viewform?embedded=true'\n width='760' height='500'\n frameborder='0'\n marginheight='0' marginwidth='0'>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "california-forever-pulls-ballot-measure-to-build-new-city-in-solano-county-for-now",
"title": "California Forever Pulls Ballot Measure to Build New City in Solano County — For Now",
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"headTitle": "California Forever Pulls Ballot Measure to Build New City in Solano County — For Now | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It seemed like California Forever, the billionaire-backed company intent on building a brand new city in Solano County, was going full speed ahead with a ballot measure that would have authorized construction. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But late last month, the group abruptly pulled the measure, promising to bring it back in 2026. So what changed?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"card card--enclosed grey\">\n\u003cp id=\"embed-code\" class=\"inconsolata\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC6742424972&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted. For a while it seemed like nothing could stop California forever from plowing ahead with its billionaire backed idea to build a brand new city in Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was until late last month, when the group sort of out of nowhere pooled the ballot measure set to go before voters this November to approve their plan. But make no mistake, we’re going to be hearing about this plan again pretty soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>I do think it’s going to be a vote on the future of Solano County, but it is also going to be a referendum on California more broadly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>California forever CEO, Jan Sramek says he’s going to spend the next two years trying to get more people on board with the East L.A. plan before bringing it again before voters. Today, why California forever changed course?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I remember the moment that I heard the news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was actually working on a story about their housing portion of the plan. I had all my interviews ready. I was preparing for the Board of Supervisors meeting the next day where the board was going to formally place it on the ballot. And then I remember seeing the news in the morning and it was a complete shock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You have been spending months really reporting on the East L.A. plan, reporting on California forever. And it seemed like they were just sort of plowing forward with this idea. But then they make this announcement. I mean, what was their rationale at the time for just dropping the idea so suddenly?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>We now know, based on campaign finance records, that they spent $9 million to get this on the ballot when they gave their explanation as to why they were making the sudden change. They said that there were two things that they kept hearing from Solano voters. They wanted to see an environmental impact report and a development agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>The environmental impact report would have basically laid out how the new city would impact the vernal pools and the Jepson prairie. These like very important habitats that are in that area. And it would have also laid out important things like how the new city would get its water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>The development agreement is sort of like a report which would show how the county would hold the company accountable, basically for making good on the many promises that were tacked on to this plan, including bringing 15,000 good paying jobs to the county, things like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Based on their timeline, they were anyway going to spend the next two years working on those reports. So they said they would basically flip the timeline a bit, release the environmental impact report and the development agreement over the next two years, and then have the voters decide the fate of the new city in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That is what California forever was saying in July when they announced that they were dropping this ballot measure. But you actually spent the last couple of weeks reporting to really understand what was going on behind the scenes a little bit more, how they sort of went from going full speed ahead on this idea to this sort of screeching halt. First, how did you go about trying to answer this question of why California forever suddenly dropped this idea from the ballot?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was not satisfied with the company’s initial answer that it was just because people were calling for these reports because arguably people had been calling for these reports for months. So I called a few people who had worked with the campaign who agreed to speak off the record and include their perspective in my story, but only anonymously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And then I spoke to people on the record to sort of see if they agreed or if those if those sentiments were similar. And then I posed questions to California forever to sort of like get their reaction to those comments. And what I learned is that the story goes way deeper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. What did you would you find?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Right in the beginning, I think they started off on the wrong foot. You know, I talked to so many people about the project and the thing that kept coming up is that they bought the land in secret since 2017.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>News cast: \u003c/strong>The group only revealed this summer that they are, in fact, a collection of Silicon Valley billionaires looking to build a new city. They call the project California Forever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I mean, we didn’t even know who was buying up the land until The New York Times broke the story in August of last year. I think it just rubbed people the wrong way. And I even talked to people at California forever who agreed that the land purchase was not a great look, though it might have made business sense to, like, purchase it in secret.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It strikes me that it’s been a year since we actually found out who was behind former Lee Flannery Associates. What we now know is California forever. Did they go too fast here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s a big part of the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>I mean, I think we went we went a little bit too quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>When I spoke with Jan Sramek:, he was basically saying that by putting it on this aggressive timeline of going to November and not really having a lot of time to talk to people and build those really important relationships, it not only made the project incredibly politicized, so much so that people didn’t want to be associated with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And he said that that really hindered the company’s ability to talk with people. And I think in speaking with county officials and just like people in general, they felt like the timeline was incredibly aggressive and it made it difficult to kind of include other perspectives in that eventual vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>We didn’t fully appreciate the extent to which putting this on the ballot would make it harder for people to work with us locally. And so we excited to kind of improve that dramatically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I know you also heard from some people about the culture of the campaign, especially CEO John Shrum. Six inner circle. What can you tell us about that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I had also heard from some people who had worked on the campaign who agreed to sort of speak with me anonymously, that the company had this sort of like. White male bro culture that ultimately affected how they were able to, you know, kind of like interact and connect with the the very diverse community that is Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Many of them are, you know, people who came from bigger cities who want to sort of like build this dense urbanist vision for a new city. Solano County especially. And I even found this amongst the like. Supporters of the project are very diverse, like especially young families of color. So many people of color like love this project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And I got I heard so much support from them, but I didn’t necessarily see, you know, those people involved in like the leadership positions. I did talk to someone who worked with the campaign who basically said, you know, many of the decisions were sort of made by this like group of like white men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And it was difficult to include other perspectives necessarily in those like, big decisions. I opposed this to California forever. Too young trying to ask, like what he has to say to this criticism. And he did agree that, you know, the company can do better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>He pointed to the like community advisory committee that is very diverse and filled with Solano residents. But it’s not necessarily clear to me how much power those individuals really had in shaping what the town would be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, who California forever needs to win over to build their new city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So what has this combination of moving too fast and also not getting enough people at the table meant for public opinion among people in Solano County when it comes to California Forever’s grand idea?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>They didn’t have enough support from local elected officials. They just like could not get anyone to sign on to this plan. When you’re developing housing or building a city from scratch, it ultimately requires county approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Even if California forever won the November election, let’s just say that they got all the votes they needed, they would still need county approval to build the roads and the underlying infrastructure for the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>If they wanted to use public funding to finance some of the roads and you know that highway expansion they were promising of expanding highways 12 and 113 they would need county approval to do that. And it’s way harder to get those approvals if the elected officials in charge don’t trust you or like the project that you’re working on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>So I still am not in favor of the project as proposed in the initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I spoke with Supervisor Mitch Mashburn. He’s the chair of the Board of Supervisors in Solano, and he was saying that he doesn’t like the project the way that it stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>Based on empirical data. Show us how this is a plan to do no harm, how it’s planned to truly help and not hinder or hurt in our county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>He will need to see significant changes in order to sign off on it and, you know, really get behind what California forever wants to build.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>It was the best possibility for the residents of our county moving forward to have a chance to get a true understanding of what the impacts of this project would be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, what is your sense of public opinion at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This topic is really divisive. There are people that either love it or hate it. And I think a large group of people are still trying to figure out how they feel about it, especially since there are a lot of questions that are remaining. I’ve spoken to a number of groups, including like Artists Against Billionaires, Solano Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Both organizations say they’re going to keep on urging the company to answer some of these questions and hold the company accountable. I also heard from people who are sort of keeping an open mind about the project, who in the meantime want to see the company investing moneys into the city is that exist almost as a way of showing goodwill that they genuinely care about the county?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anthony Summers: \u003c/strong>As a pastor, many of my congregants who wanted to buy a home for the first time have had to move to Sacramento, and then the choice of them commuting back to Vallejo to be a part of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was talking to Anthony Summers. He’s a pastor in Vallejo, and he said that he wants to see investment in his local community and also how the company can be held accountable for all these promises that they’re, you know, saying that they’re going to bring to this new city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anthony Summers: \u003c/strong>I believe it’s a it’s a fresh idea. Right. And a chance to revitalize this area. You know, and so, again, from Vallejo growing up, you know, we just have to make sure that the partnership is such that people are afforded the opportunities that are being talked about and hold the the founders of the company accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What does this decision authority to drop the ballot measure actually mean? Like, how do you think this changes things? Now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This project is not dead. They have a lot of work ahead of them. First off, they say that they’re going to get their environmental impact report and development agreement done in two years. Those things usually take like two decades for a project of this size to complete.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So if they can get all those reports done in two years, that alone will be a feat. They’ll also need to make up a lot of ground amongst people who still do not trust them. Definitely more conversations with locals. They’ll need more officials on board with their plan who will be willing to work with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Probably more schmoozing going on. Do you think we’re going to see more billboards?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>We definitely might see more billboards. We might see more schmoozing. But I will say, I think the billboards were, you know, focused around this like, ballot initiative, like coming to the voters in November. And now it’s more of a soft skill that the company is going to have to flex a bit. For sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s going to have to be more like earnest conversations with people who live, you know, in Rio Vista and in Sassoon, like kind of close to the new city, but also just people who they’re going to need votes from in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>In California. For better or for worse, we have passed a myriad of legislation to kind of make sure that developers take into consideration the environment, what people want, how water is going to get there, how many people will live there, how affordable it’ll be. And California forever ran into that. They ultimately needed community support and they will need it in order to pass this thing in two years or whenever they bring it back to the voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Adhiti, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>On Friday afternoon, TechCrunch reported that the family of Marc Andresen, one of the billionaire investors behind California forever, is preparing to build a separate development of more than a thousand homes in Vacaville. The subdivision would be ten miles away from the proposed California Forever project. It will still need city approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Adhiti Bandlamudi, a housing reporter for KQED. This 30 minute conversation with Adhiti was cut down and edited by senior editor Alan Montecillo. I produced this episode, scored it, and added all the tape music courtesy of Audio Network. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It seemed like California Forever, the billionaire-backed company intent on building a brand new city in Solano County, was going full speed ahead with a ballot measure that would have authorized construction. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But late last month, the group abruptly pulled the measure, promising to bring it back in 2026. So what changed?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"card card--enclosed grey\">\n\u003cp id=\"embed-code\" class=\"inconsolata\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC6742424972&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted. For a while it seemed like nothing could stop California forever from plowing ahead with its billionaire backed idea to build a brand new city in Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was until late last month, when the group sort of out of nowhere pooled the ballot measure set to go before voters this November to approve their plan. But make no mistake, we’re going to be hearing about this plan again pretty soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>I do think it’s going to be a vote on the future of Solano County, but it is also going to be a referendum on California more broadly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>California forever CEO, Jan Sramek says he’s going to spend the next two years trying to get more people on board with the East L.A. plan before bringing it again before voters. Today, why California forever changed course?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I remember the moment that I heard the news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Adhiti Bandlamudi is a housing reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was actually working on a story about their housing portion of the plan. I had all my interviews ready. I was preparing for the Board of Supervisors meeting the next day where the board was going to formally place it on the ballot. And then I remember seeing the news in the morning and it was a complete shock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>You have been spending months really reporting on the East L.A. plan, reporting on California forever. And it seemed like they were just sort of plowing forward with this idea. But then they make this announcement. I mean, what was their rationale at the time for just dropping the idea so suddenly?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>We now know, based on campaign finance records, that they spent $9 million to get this on the ballot when they gave their explanation as to why they were making the sudden change. They said that there were two things that they kept hearing from Solano voters. They wanted to see an environmental impact report and a development agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>The environmental impact report would have basically laid out how the new city would impact the vernal pools and the Jepson prairie. These like very important habitats that are in that area. And it would have also laid out important things like how the new city would get its water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>The development agreement is sort of like a report which would show how the county would hold the company accountable, basically for making good on the many promises that were tacked on to this plan, including bringing 15,000 good paying jobs to the county, things like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Based on their timeline, they were anyway going to spend the next two years working on those reports. So they said they would basically flip the timeline a bit, release the environmental impact report and the development agreement over the next two years, and then have the voters decide the fate of the new city in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That is what California forever was saying in July when they announced that they were dropping this ballot measure. But you actually spent the last couple of weeks reporting to really understand what was going on behind the scenes a little bit more, how they sort of went from going full speed ahead on this idea to this sort of screeching halt. First, how did you go about trying to answer this question of why California forever suddenly dropped this idea from the ballot?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was not satisfied with the company’s initial answer that it was just because people were calling for these reports because arguably people had been calling for these reports for months. So I called a few people who had worked with the campaign who agreed to speak off the record and include their perspective in my story, but only anonymously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And then I spoke to people on the record to sort of see if they agreed or if those if those sentiments were similar. And then I posed questions to California forever to sort of like get their reaction to those comments. And what I learned is that the story goes way deeper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. What did you would you find?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Right in the beginning, I think they started off on the wrong foot. You know, I talked to so many people about the project and the thing that kept coming up is that they bought the land in secret since 2017.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>News cast: \u003c/strong>The group only revealed this summer that they are, in fact, a collection of Silicon Valley billionaires looking to build a new city. They call the project California Forever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I mean, we didn’t even know who was buying up the land until The New York Times broke the story in August of last year. I think it just rubbed people the wrong way. And I even talked to people at California forever who agreed that the land purchase was not a great look, though it might have made business sense to, like, purchase it in secret.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>It strikes me that it’s been a year since we actually found out who was behind former Lee Flannery Associates. What we now know is California forever. Did they go too fast here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>That’s a big part of the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>I mean, I think we went we went a little bit too quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>When I spoke with Jan Sramek:, he was basically saying that by putting it on this aggressive timeline of going to November and not really having a lot of time to talk to people and build those really important relationships, it not only made the project incredibly politicized, so much so that people didn’t want to be associated with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And he said that that really hindered the company’s ability to talk with people. And I think in speaking with county officials and just like people in general, they felt like the timeline was incredibly aggressive and it made it difficult to kind of include other perspectives in that eventual vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jan Sramek: \u003c/strong>We didn’t fully appreciate the extent to which putting this on the ballot would make it harder for people to work with us locally. And so we excited to kind of improve that dramatically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I know you also heard from some people about the culture of the campaign, especially CEO John Shrum. Six inner circle. What can you tell us about that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I had also heard from some people who had worked on the campaign who agreed to sort of speak with me anonymously, that the company had this sort of like. White male bro culture that ultimately affected how they were able to, you know, kind of like interact and connect with the the very diverse community that is Solano County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Many of them are, you know, people who came from bigger cities who want to sort of like build this dense urbanist vision for a new city. Solano County especially. And I even found this amongst the like. Supporters of the project are very diverse, like especially young families of color. So many people of color like love this project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And I got I heard so much support from them, but I didn’t necessarily see, you know, those people involved in like the leadership positions. I did talk to someone who worked with the campaign who basically said, you know, many of the decisions were sort of made by this like group of like white men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>And it was difficult to include other perspectives necessarily in those like, big decisions. I opposed this to California forever. Too young trying to ask, like what he has to say to this criticism. And he did agree that, you know, the company can do better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>He pointed to the like community advisory committee that is very diverse and filled with Solano residents. But it’s not necessarily clear to me how much power those individuals really had in shaping what the town would be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, who California forever needs to win over to build their new city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So what has this combination of moving too fast and also not getting enough people at the table meant for public opinion among people in Solano County when it comes to California Forever’s grand idea?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>They didn’t have enough support from local elected officials. They just like could not get anyone to sign on to this plan. When you’re developing housing or building a city from scratch, it ultimately requires county approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Even if California forever won the November election, let’s just say that they got all the votes they needed, they would still need county approval to build the roads and the underlying infrastructure for the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>If they wanted to use public funding to finance some of the roads and you know that highway expansion they were promising of expanding highways 12 and 113 they would need county approval to do that. And it’s way harder to get those approvals if the elected officials in charge don’t trust you or like the project that you’re working on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>So I still am not in favor of the project as proposed in the initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I spoke with Supervisor Mitch Mashburn. He’s the chair of the Board of Supervisors in Solano, and he was saying that he doesn’t like the project the way that it stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>Based on empirical data. Show us how this is a plan to do no harm, how it’s planned to truly help and not hinder or hurt in our county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>He will need to see significant changes in order to sign off on it and, you know, really get behind what California forever wants to build.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mitch Mashburn: \u003c/strong>It was the best possibility for the residents of our county moving forward to have a chance to get a true understanding of what the impacts of this project would be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, what is your sense of public opinion at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This topic is really divisive. There are people that either love it or hate it. And I think a large group of people are still trying to figure out how they feel about it, especially since there are a lot of questions that are remaining. I’ve spoken to a number of groups, including like Artists Against Billionaires, Solano Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Both organizations say they’re going to keep on urging the company to answer some of these questions and hold the company accountable. I also heard from people who are sort of keeping an open mind about the project, who in the meantime want to see the company investing moneys into the city is that exist almost as a way of showing goodwill that they genuinely care about the county?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anthony Summers: \u003c/strong>As a pastor, many of my congregants who wanted to buy a home for the first time have had to move to Sacramento, and then the choice of them commuting back to Vallejo to be a part of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>I was talking to Anthony Summers. He’s a pastor in Vallejo, and he said that he wants to see investment in his local community and also how the company can be held accountable for all these promises that they’re, you know, saying that they’re going to bring to this new city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anthony Summers: \u003c/strong>I believe it’s a it’s a fresh idea. Right. And a chance to revitalize this area. You know, and so, again, from Vallejo growing up, you know, we just have to make sure that the partnership is such that people are afforded the opportunities that are being talked about and hold the the founders of the company accountable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What does this decision authority to drop the ballot measure actually mean? Like, how do you think this changes things? Now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>This project is not dead. They have a lot of work ahead of them. First off, they say that they’re going to get their environmental impact report and development agreement done in two years. Those things usually take like two decades for a project of this size to complete.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>So if they can get all those reports done in two years, that alone will be a feat. They’ll also need to make up a lot of ground amongst people who still do not trust them. Definitely more conversations with locals. They’ll need more officials on board with their plan who will be willing to work with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Probably more schmoozing going on. Do you think we’re going to see more billboards?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>We definitely might see more billboards. We might see more schmoozing. But I will say, I think the billboards were, you know, focused around this like, ballot initiative, like coming to the voters in November. And now it’s more of a soft skill that the company is going to have to flex a bit. For sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>There’s going to have to be more like earnest conversations with people who live, you know, in Rio Vista and in Sassoon, like kind of close to the new city, but also just people who they’re going to need votes from in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>In California. For better or for worse, we have passed a myriad of legislation to kind of make sure that developers take into consideration the environment, what people want, how water is going to get there, how many people will live there, how affordable it’ll be. And California forever ran into that. They ultimately needed community support and they will need it in order to pass this thing in two years or whenever they bring it back to the voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Adhiti, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Adhiti Bandlamudi: \u003c/strong>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>On Friday afternoon, TechCrunch reported that the family of Marc Andresen, one of the billionaire investors behind California forever, is preparing to build a separate development of more than a thousand homes in Vacaville. The subdivision would be ten miles away from the proposed California Forever project. It will still need city approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Adhiti Bandlamudi, a housing reporter for KQED. This 30 minute conversation with Adhiti was cut down and edited by senior editor Alan Montecillo. I produced this episode, scored it, and added all the tape music courtesy of Audio Network. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "this-tech-backed-company-tried-to-disrupt-californias-housing-crisis-it-couldnt",
"title": "This Tech-Backed Company Tried to Disrupt California’s Housing Crisis. It Couldn’t",
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"headTitle": "This Tech-Backed Company Tried to Disrupt California’s Housing Crisis. It Couldn’t | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dropcap]J[/dropcap]an Sramek saw one of California’s biggest challenges — its dire housing shortage — and wanted to propose a big solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former investor and startup founder’s bold “East Solano Plan,” headed to the November ballot, would have authorized construction of a dense, walkable city amid eastern Solano County farmland, complete with schools, parks, homes, and offices connected by bike lanes and buses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By approving the entire city at once, rather than adding new homes and offices piecemeal, Sramek sought to cut through the red tape that often slows new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But 11 months and $9 million later, Sramek’s development company, California Forever, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its measure\u003c/a> from the November ballot. Sources close to the company say the abrupt change in course was partly the result of an increasingly meandering campaign that lacked a cohesive strategy. Others pointed to Sramek’s inner circle — dominated by a white, male “bro culture” — as failing to adequately consider constituents’ needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, though, supporters and critics alike agreed the project was stymied by the same foe that tanks countless housing projects across the state: winning neighbors’ approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it was clearly a very controversial process we went through, and I think it was a bit too quick on our part,” Sramek said. “There’s this really fine balance between process and delivering results.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Tech City\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even before California Forever\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/31/business/california-solano-county-city.html\"> first unveiled its proposed new city\u003c/a> last fall, the company was facing an uphill battle wooing would-be voters, who needed to sign off on the plan. Mystery and mistrust had clouded the company for six years as it quietly spent nearly \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/flannery-associates-ceo-jan-sramek-new-solano-county-city-travis-airforce-base-farmland/13832767/\">$1 billion to purchase more than 60,000 acres of farmland\u003c/a>. Some speculated a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957208/near-1-billion-land-purchase-around-california-air-base-under-investigation\">foreign entity was purchasing land\u003c/a> close to the Travis Air Force Base to interfere with military operations. Others thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sacramento/comments/c96bkb/a_mysterious_corporation_has_quietly_bought/\">Disney\u003c/a> was trying to build a new theme park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000220 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A map with different areas highlighted.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maps show California Forever’s potential location at the California Forever office in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">\u003ci>New York Times\u003c/i> story\u003c/a> revealed the identity of the venture’s investors — a cadre of some of the most wealthy and influential tech elite — that California Forever was forced to go public. And when it did, it was with a plan that few had anticipated: a master-planned city larger and more ambitious than any in recent memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anna Kirsch, a Vallejo resident with the group Artists Against Billionaires, immediately distrusted the company and its plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It showed that they had something to hide because of the secrecy,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11991978 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Men and women wearing green shirts sit inside a building facing the camera with several people in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek (second from right), CEO of California Forever, listens to public comments during a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That distrust was on display during California Forever’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968825/can-silicon-valley-investors-win-over-solano-county\">first town hall meetings\u003c/a> held late last year. Sramek faced a barrage of questions about his background in Silicon Valley’s tech industry and how that would influence the project. He had intended for the meetings to foster productive discussions about what residents wanted out of the project. Instead, angry opponents heckled him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The distrust was compounded by news that, in May\u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\"> 2023, California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">had sued\u003c/a> a group of farmers who had refused to sell their land, accusing them of colluding \u003c/span>to drive up prices. While farmers are not Solano County’s largest employers, they hold a significant amount of cultural capital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You just don’t sue farmers — it’s a bad look,” said Chris Rico, president of the Solano County Economic Development Corporation. “It shows a lack of understanding of the geography that you’re trying to work in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000222 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1.jpg\" alt='A white woman wearing glasses and a light-colored suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads \"Monica Brown, Supervisor, District 2.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown, who represents southern Vallejo, Benicia and parts of Fairfield, said the company’s secret land purchase and subsequent lawsuit against farmers “didn’t make a lot of sense” to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She was one of the project’s most ardent opponents, sharply criticizing it when it came up during county discussions. But Brown said her constituents commended her for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Of all the emails I got, I only got two who were not happy with what I had to say, but I got a lot of, ‘Thank you, Monica, you smacked them down,” she said, adding that even in the months since the project was first proposed, her opinion hasn’t changed. “We’re just going to have to keep our eyes open. I don’t trust them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the deep skepticism surrounding the project early on, some prospective voters kept an open mind. It was a novel, bold solution to some of residents’ biggest problems: long commutes, unaffordable housing and a general lack of job opportunities within the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam Houston, a tech worker who moved to Vallejo in 2018 to find relatively more affordable housing, was on the fence about the project during those first town hall meetings. However, once his son, Jasper, was born in December, his perspective completely changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Jasper being a real thing now definitely makes me think about the future and take it more to heart,” he said. “What is the future of Solano County and of Vallejo and this regional economy? This is basically a startup as a city; it’s an exciting opportunity. Maybe my son could be in that place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Campaign\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In January, California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\">formally presented voters\u003c/a> with its proposed ballot measure, the East Solano Plan. With it came a suite of grand promises: ten “guarantees” that included 15,000 jobs that pay 125% of the county’s average wage; down payment assistance programs of up to $50,000, vocational training and loans for new businesses; money for parks and wildland preservation; highway widenings, street improvements and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000226\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000226 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt='An office with a sign that says \"California Forever.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California Forever office in the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield on April 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It opened campaign offices in malls and downtown squares, hired local residents to serve as ambassadors, plastered billboards with the East Solano Plan’s guarantees and aggressively hired the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2023/12/19/meet-california-forevers-a-team-00132372\">most well-connected campaign strategists and consultants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company seemed open to changing its plan to work with its neighbors. When Travis Air Force Base objected to the project’s development map and said it would interfere with military training, California Forever obliged and rewrote its ballot language several times to comply with the base’s demands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within the first three months, the campaign \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">spent some $2 million\u003c/a>, mostly on campaign consultants and signature gatherers, to qualify its measure for the November ballot. But despite its spending and cooperation with the county, the company’s plan didn’t appear to be gaining enough ground with would-be voters and local elected officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former California Forever consultant who asked to remain anonymous told KQED that political strategists urged Sramek and other company leaders to stay focused on the project’s initial plan. But as the campaign inched closer to November, Sramek tacked on even more promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A regional sports complex. A beach-lined lagoon built by the same company that constructed a Disney theme park. A series of regional medical clinics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11991974 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt='Several people wearing green clothing stand outside. A Black man holds a sign that reads \"Vote \"Yes\" Opportunity for the people. East Solano Plan.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Proponents of the California Forever/East Solano Plan wait in line to get into a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rico, a member of the company’s community advisory committee, said some of these new promises distracted from the original ten guarantees, which were already lacking detail. And without any binding legal agreement to ensure that California Forever would actually deliver on all of those “guarantees,” he said voters remained skeptical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I would like to see as we move forward in this process is how do we take those big shiny things that they were dangling in front of people to try to get them to vote for this and say no, this is actually what people want,” Rico said. “How do we codify those things into a plan in a way that they are binding?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to another person who worked directly with the company but was not authorized to speak publicly, California Forever also perpetuated a type of exclusive “bro culture,” where most high-level decisions and conversations were steered by white men who held top leadership positions at the company. The source said that culture overlooked some of the project’s most ardent supporters: young, working-class families of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Summers, an African American pastor at Impact Vallejo Church, was excited about the East Solano Plan but wanted to make sure communities of color were included in the grand vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe it’s a fresh idea and a chance to revitalize this area,” he said. “We just have to make sure that the partnership is such that people are afforded the opportunities that are being talked about and that we can hold the founders of the company accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sramek acknowledged his company has “more work to do when it comes to diversity” and pointed to its community advisory committee, a diverse group of Solano County residents, as one way the company strived to better represent the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Urban planning and real estate is an industry that, historically, has not had the kind of diversity and representation that you would expect,” he said in response to the makeup of the company’s leadership. “We are working on that, but we do have team members who are from different ethnicities and different parts of the region. We are excited to do more in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Close Race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000213\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000213 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"Farmland with a large white windmill in the background.\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, California Forever spent $9 million on its campaign, according to campaign finance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But despite that spending, Sramek said internal polling revealed a close race. Though he thought it was likely the measure would still pass, he said it would be far from a landslide victory. And, it lacked the one thing that would ensure the city could actually get built: support from elected officials. [aside postID=\"news_11991788,news_11991234,news_11996747\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A California Forever employee who was not authorized to speak publicly told KQED that the company attempted to work with city council members and county supervisors multiple times throughout the campaign, but the project became so politicized that few wanted to be associated with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985711/fairfield-officials-wife-returns-money-from-campaign-for-new-california-city\">KQED reported that a Fairfield city council member’s wife\u003c/a> had received $4,000 for connecting the company with Asian-American community groups, she returned the money because she didn’t want to appear to be partnering with the company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t fully appreciate the extent to which putting this on the ballot would make it harder for people to work with us locally,” Sramek said. “There’s a lot of people who wanted to work with us who felt that, because this was such a political issue in November, they couldn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without cooperation from county supervisors, the company would have a hard time building its ideal city because all of the infrastructure — roads and utilities — would first need county approval, even if voters had signed off on the larger plan. And if California Forever wanted to use property taxes or other public funds to pay for that infrastructure, it would also need supervisors’ approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000221 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt='A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads \"Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Board of Supervisors Chair Mitch Mashburn is one of the few on the board who has expressed an openness to California Forever’s plan. But, he remains skeptical of its current form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still don’t feel that this project itself is a good thing for the county or a viable project, given the impacts to the area or the need for huge, massive investments in infrastructure that would have to take place,” Mashburn said. “Show us how this is planned to do no harm. How it’s planned to truly help and not hinder or hurt our county.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A source close to California Forever told KQED that when company leaders saw unanimous dissent from the board, they decided to pull the initiative and spend the next two years bettering those relationships. The company plans to reintroduce its initiative to Solano County voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996755\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11996755 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A sign that says "No to California Forever's East Solano Plan" on the side of the road.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A ‘No to California Forever’ sign is displayed at the entrance of Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Looking ahead, Sramek said he wants to spend more time talking with local leaders, businesses and residents about what they want. He plans to focus more on how local and national media cover his company and speculate about his intentions. And he said he is committed, perhaps more than ever, to bringing his grand vision for a new city to fruition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is at a kind of turning point — people are deciding whether they believe we can fix many of the challenges we are dealing with or whether we are just going to set the state in amber and make it impossible to build anything,” he said. “I think in two years, this is going to be a referendum on California.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Sources close to the project say California Forever was stymied by some of the same problems that have plagued developers in the state for decades.",
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"title": "This Tech-Backed Company Tried to Disrupt California’s Housing Crisis. It Couldn’t | KQED",
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"headline": "This Tech-Backed Company Tried to Disrupt California’s Housing Crisis. It Couldn’t",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">J\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>an Sramek saw one of California’s biggest challenges — its dire housing shortage — and wanted to propose a big solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former investor and startup founder’s bold “East Solano Plan,” headed to the November ballot, would have authorized construction of a dense, walkable city amid eastern Solano County farmland, complete with schools, parks, homes, and offices connected by bike lanes and buses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By approving the entire city at once, rather than adding new homes and offices piecemeal, Sramek sought to cut through the red tape that often slows new development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But 11 months and $9 million later, Sramek’s development company, California Forever, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">pulled its measure\u003c/a> from the November ballot. Sources close to the company say the abrupt change in course was partly the result of an increasingly meandering campaign that lacked a cohesive strategy. Others pointed to Sramek’s inner circle — dominated by a white, male “bro culture” — as failing to adequately consider constituents’ needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, though, supporters and critics alike agreed the project was stymied by the same foe that tanks countless housing projects across the state: winning neighbors’ approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it was clearly a very controversial process we went through, and I think it was a bit too quick on our part,” Sramek said. “There’s this really fine balance between process and delivering results.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Tech City\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even before California Forever\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/31/business/california-solano-county-city.html\"> first unveiled its proposed new city\u003c/a> last fall, the company was facing an uphill battle wooing would-be voters, who needed to sign off on the plan. Mystery and mistrust had clouded the company for six years as it quietly spent nearly \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/flannery-associates-ceo-jan-sramek-new-solano-county-city-travis-airforce-base-farmland/13832767/\">$1 billion to purchase more than 60,000 acres of farmland\u003c/a>. Some speculated a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957208/near-1-billion-land-purchase-around-california-air-base-under-investigation\">foreign entity was purchasing land\u003c/a> close to the Travis Air Force Base to interfere with military operations. Others thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/Sacramento/comments/c96bkb/a_mysterious_corporation_has_quietly_bought/\">Disney\u003c/a> was trying to build a new theme park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000220 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A map with different areas highlighted.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-43-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maps show California Forever’s potential location at the California Forever office in Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">\u003ci>New York Times\u003c/i> story\u003c/a> revealed the identity of the venture’s investors — a cadre of some of the most wealthy and influential tech elite — that California Forever was forced to go public. And when it did, it was with a plan that few had anticipated: a master-planned city larger and more ambitious than any in recent memory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anna Kirsch, a Vallejo resident with the group Artists Against Billionaires, immediately distrusted the company and its plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It showed that they had something to hide because of the secrecy,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11991978 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Men and women wearing green shirts sit inside a building facing the camera with several people in the background.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek (second from right), CEO of California Forever, listens to public comments during a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That distrust was on display during California Forever’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968825/can-silicon-valley-investors-win-over-solano-county\">first town hall meetings\u003c/a> held late last year. Sramek faced a barrage of questions about his background in Silicon Valley’s tech industry and how that would influence the project. He had intended for the meetings to foster productive discussions about what residents wanted out of the project. Instead, angry opponents heckled him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The distrust was compounded by news that, in May\u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\"> 2023, California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">had sued\u003c/a> a group of farmers who had refused to sell their land, accusing them of colluding \u003c/span>to drive up prices. While farmers are not Solano County’s largest employers, they hold a significant amount of cultural capital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You just don’t sue farmers — it’s a bad look,” said Chris Rico, president of the Solano County Economic Development Corporation. “It shows a lack of understanding of the geography that you’re trying to work in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000222\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000222 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1.jpg\" alt='A white woman wearing glasses and a light-colored suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads \"Monica Brown, Supervisor, District 2.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-14_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown, who represents southern Vallejo, Benicia and parts of Fairfield, said the company’s secret land purchase and subsequent lawsuit against farmers “didn’t make a lot of sense” to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She was one of the project’s most ardent opponents, sharply criticizing it when it came up during county discussions. But Brown said her constituents commended her for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Of all the emails I got, I only got two who were not happy with what I had to say, but I got a lot of, ‘Thank you, Monica, you smacked them down,” she said, adding that even in the months since the project was first proposed, her opinion hasn’t changed. “We’re just going to have to keep our eyes open. I don’t trust them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the deep skepticism surrounding the project early on, some prospective voters kept an open mind. It was a novel, bold solution to some of residents’ biggest problems: long commutes, unaffordable housing and a general lack of job opportunities within the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam Houston, a tech worker who moved to Vallejo in 2018 to find relatively more affordable housing, was on the fence about the project during those first town hall meetings. However, once his son, Jasper, was born in December, his perspective completely changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Jasper being a real thing now definitely makes me think about the future and take it more to heart,” he said. “What is the future of Solano County and of Vallejo and this regional economy? This is basically a startup as a city; it’s an exciting opportunity. Maybe my son could be in that place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Campaign\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In January, California Forever \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\">formally presented voters\u003c/a> with its proposed ballot measure, the East Solano Plan. With it came a suite of grand promises: ten “guarantees” that included 15,000 jobs that pay 125% of the county’s average wage; down payment assistance programs of up to $50,000, vocational training and loans for new businesses; money for parks and wildland preservation; highway widenings, street improvements and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000226\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000226 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt='An office with a sign that says \"California Forever.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-11-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A California Forever office in the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield on April 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It opened campaign offices in malls and downtown squares, hired local residents to serve as ambassadors, plastered billboards with the East Solano Plan’s guarantees and aggressively hired the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2023/12/19/meet-california-forevers-a-team-00132372\">most well-connected campaign strategists and consultants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company seemed open to changing its plan to work with its neighbors. When Travis Air Force Base objected to the project’s development map and said it would interfere with military training, California Forever obliged and rewrote its ballot language several times to comply with the base’s demands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within the first three months, the campaign \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">spent some $2 million\u003c/a>, mostly on campaign consultants and signature gatherers, to qualify its measure for the November ballot. But despite its spending and cooperation with the county, the company’s plan didn’t appear to be gaining enough ground with would-be voters and local elected officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former California Forever consultant who asked to remain anonymous told KQED that political strategists urged Sramek and other company leaders to stay focused on the project’s initial plan. But as the campaign inched closer to November, Sramek tacked on even more promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A regional sports complex. A beach-lined lagoon built by the same company that constructed a Disney theme park. A series of regional medical clinics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11991974 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt='Several people wearing green clothing stand outside. A Black man holds a sign that reads \"Vote \"Yes\" Opportunity for the people. East Solano Plan.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Proponents of the California Forever/East Solano Plan wait in line to get into a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rico, a member of the company’s community advisory committee, said some of these new promises distracted from the original ten guarantees, which were already lacking detail. And without any binding legal agreement to ensure that California Forever would actually deliver on all of those “guarantees,” he said voters remained skeptical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What I would like to see as we move forward in this process is how do we take those big shiny things that they were dangling in front of people to try to get them to vote for this and say no, this is actually what people want,” Rico said. “How do we codify those things into a plan in a way that they are binding?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to another person who worked directly with the company but was not authorized to speak publicly, California Forever also perpetuated a type of exclusive “bro culture,” where most high-level decisions and conversations were steered by white men who held top leadership positions at the company. The source said that culture overlooked some of the project’s most ardent supporters: young, working-class families of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Summers, an African American pastor at Impact Vallejo Church, was excited about the East Solano Plan but wanted to make sure communities of color were included in the grand vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe it’s a fresh idea and a chance to revitalize this area,” he said. “We just have to make sure that the partnership is such that people are afforded the opportunities that are being talked about and that we can hold the founders of the company accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sramek acknowledged his company has “more work to do when it comes to diversity” and pointed to its community advisory committee, a diverse group of Solano County residents, as one way the company strived to better represent the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Urban planning and real estate is an industry that, historically, has not had the kind of diversity and representation that you would expect,” he said in response to the makeup of the company’s leadership. “We are working on that, but we do have team members who are from different ethnicities and different parts of the region. We are excited to do more in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Close Race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000213\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000213 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"Farmland with a large white windmill in the background.\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240502-CaliforniaForever-94-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Farmland west of Rio Vista on May 2, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, California Forever spent $9 million on its campaign, according to campaign finance records.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But despite that spending, Sramek said internal polling revealed a close race. Though he thought it was likely the measure would still pass, he said it would be far from a landslide victory. And, it lacked the one thing that would ensure the city could actually get built: support from elected officials. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A California Forever employee who was not authorized to speak publicly told KQED that the company attempted to work with city council members and county supervisors multiple times throughout the campaign, but the project became so politicized that few wanted to be associated with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985711/fairfield-officials-wife-returns-money-from-campaign-for-new-california-city\">KQED reported that a Fairfield city council member’s wife\u003c/a> had received $4,000 for connecting the company with Asian-American community groups, she returned the money because she didn’t want to appear to be partnering with the company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We didn’t fully appreciate the extent to which putting this on the ballot would make it harder for people to work with us locally,” Sramek said. “There’s a lot of people who wanted to work with us who felt that, because this was such a political issue in November, they couldn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without cooperation from county supervisors, the company would have a hard time building its ideal city because all of the infrastructure — roads and utilities — would first need county approval, even if voters had signed off on the larger plan. And if California Forever wanted to use property taxes or other public funds to pay for that infrastructure, it would also need supervisors’ approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12000221\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12000221 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt='A white man wearing glasses and a suit sits behind a desk with a sign that reads \"Mitch Mashburn Chair District 5.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Solano County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn speaks at a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Board of Supervisors Chair Mitch Mashburn is one of the few on the board who has expressed an openness to California Forever’s plan. But, he remains skeptical of its current form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still don’t feel that this project itself is a good thing for the county or a viable project, given the impacts to the area or the need for huge, massive investments in infrastructure that would have to take place,” Mashburn said. “Show us how this is planned to do no harm. How it’s planned to truly help and not hinder or hurt our county.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A source close to California Forever told KQED that when company leaders saw unanimous dissent from the board, they decided to pull the initiative and spend the next two years bettering those relationships. The company plans to reintroduce its initiative to Solano County voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996755\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11996755 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"A sign that says "No to California Forever's East Solano Plan" on the side of the road.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A ‘No to California Forever’ sign is displayed at the entrance of Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Looking ahead, Sramek said he wants to spend more time talking with local leaders, businesses and residents about what they want. He plans to focus more on how local and national media cover his company and speculate about his intentions. And he said he is committed, perhaps more than ever, to bringing his grand vision for a new city to fruition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is at a kind of turning point — people are deciding whether they believe we can fix many of the challenges we are dealing with or whether we are just going to set the state in amber and make it impossible to build anything,” he said. “I think in two years, this is going to be a referendum on California.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "after-ballot-measure-for-new-city-is-delayed-solano-residents-breathe-a-sigh-of-relief",
"title": "After Ballot Measure for New City Is Delayed, Solano Residents Breathe a Sigh of Relief",
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"headTitle": "After Ballot Measure for New City Is Delayed, Solano Residents Breathe a Sigh of Relief | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a> pitched residents on its ambitious plan to build a new city on eastern Bay Area farmland at a town hall meeting last December, Sam Houston was on the fence. He assumed it would result in a sleepy suburb where, much like other cities in Solano County, residents would commute toward Silicon Valley for work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, his wife gave birth to their first child, and his perspective shifted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Especially having a son, [I think about] 20 years from now — is my son, Jasper, going to find a place here?” he asked. “Jasper being born definitely makes me think about the future and take it more to heart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal from California Forever had been set to go before Solano County voters in November, but after months of controversy, testy debates between residents and millions of dollars spent on campaigning, the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">announced on Monday\u003c/a> that it was pulling its initiative from the ballot. Company representatives plan to try again in two years after working with county officials to publish an environmental impact report and development agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the project’s opponents, as well as supporters who spoke to KQED, including Houston, said they welcomed the decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it was the right move,” Houston said. “I think it’s a way to take in the community’s feedback, their concerns, and their input and incorporate that into the plans. I think it’s the best way to address the community’s concerns and answer their questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the county released a \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">damning preliminary report\u003c/a> about the project’s impacts on the environment and cost to taxpayers, despite company representatives’ promises that it would not cost Solano residents anything. California Forever CEO Jan Sramek told KQED that he has repeatedly heard from residents who want a full environmental impact report before voting on the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996987\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996987\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brian Hanlon, president of the housing advocacy organization California YIMBY, said that although his organization still supports the project and its vision to bring dense housing to the state, any project should have an environmental impact report and detailed planning done before asking voters to weigh in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Conducting environmental assessments for big, new projects that could have real environmental impacts is good and appropriate,” Hanlon said. “It sounds like county leaders and California Forever are working collaboratively, in good faith, to solve the challenges. It strikes me as a positive sign.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monique Lopez Feybesse, owner of Vallejo-based patisserie Tarts de Feybesse, said she was looking forward to the new city and the business opportunities that could have come with it. Pushing the ballot measure back to 2026 could delay the new city, she said, though California Forever has asserted it would have spent the next two years working on reports and developer agreements anyway.[aside postID=news_11996747 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-12_qed-1020x680.jpg']“I detest the idea of taking polar sides,” she said. “The people who I have spoken to who oppose the project are mostly of an older generation who are reluctant for change and have valid questions about the impact. On the other side, the younger generation is hopeful for changes here and looking for opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those who remain skeptical about the project hope the ballot measure’s delay gives the company a chance to prove itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Summers, a pastor at Healthy Vallejo Community Support Services, said he wants to stay involved with the community discussions that California Forever pledged to hold over the next two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It gives them time to show the character of who they are by partnering with the cities,” he said. “I want some of the relationships to show that they really are serious about investing in the city.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/statement-solano-together-win?utm_campaign=087fc253-f684-42c9-b418-c6ba4c0feb7c&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=029ada15-a014-4860-9c51-349cf503a8cd\">Solano Together\u003c/a>, the biggest organization opposing the project, said the company’s decision was a “win” for the people of Solano. Nate Huntington, a spokesperson for the organization, said that while they are still determining their next steps, they plan to stay involved with discussions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think one key … is demanding transparency and accountability from California Forever and decision-makers,” he said. “We’ll want to continue to educate the public about what is happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Both critics and supporters of California Forever’s plan to build a city from scratch in Solano County say the company was right to pull its initiative from the November ballot.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-forever\">California Forever\u003c/a> pitched residents on its ambitious plan to build a new city on eastern Bay Area farmland at a town hall meeting last December, Sam Houston was on the fence. He assumed it would result in a sleepy suburb where, much like other cities in Solano County, residents would commute toward Silicon Valley for work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, his wife gave birth to their first child, and his perspective shifted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Especially having a son, [I think about] 20 years from now — is my son, Jasper, going to find a place here?” he asked. “Jasper being born definitely makes me think about the future and take it more to heart.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal from California Forever had been set to go before Solano County voters in November, but after months of controversy, testy debates between residents and millions of dollars spent on campaigning, the company \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996747/california-forever-pulls-bid-to-build-new-city-from-this-years-ballot\">announced on Monday\u003c/a> that it was pulling its initiative from the ballot. Company representatives plan to try again in two years after working with county officials to publish an environmental impact report and development agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the project’s opponents, as well as supporters who spoke to KQED, including Houston, said they welcomed the decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it was the right move,” Houston said. “I think it’s a way to take in the community’s feedback, their concerns, and their input and incorporate that into the plans. I think it’s the best way to address the community’s concerns and answer their questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the county released a \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">damning preliminary report\u003c/a> about the project’s impacts on the environment and cost to taxpayers, despite company representatives’ promises that it would not cost Solano residents anything. California Forever CEO Jan Sramek told KQED that he has repeatedly heard from residents who want a full environmental impact report before voting on the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996987\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996987\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/231205-SolanoCountyFarmers-57-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, speaks during a town hall meeting in Rio Vista on Dec. 5, 2023, for the proposed California city backed by Silicon Valley investors on farmland in eastern Solano County. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brian Hanlon, president of the housing advocacy organization California YIMBY, said that although his organization still supports the project and its vision to bring dense housing to the state, any project should have an environmental impact report and detailed planning done before asking voters to weigh in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Conducting environmental assessments for big, new projects that could have real environmental impacts is good and appropriate,” Hanlon said. “It sounds like county leaders and California Forever are working collaboratively, in good faith, to solve the challenges. It strikes me as a positive sign.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monique Lopez Feybesse, owner of Vallejo-based patisserie Tarts de Feybesse, said she was looking forward to the new city and the business opportunities that could have come with it. Pushing the ballot measure back to 2026 could delay the new city, she said, though California Forever has asserted it would have spent the next two years working on reports and developer agreements anyway.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I detest the idea of taking polar sides,” she said. “The people who I have spoken to who oppose the project are mostly of an older generation who are reluctant for change and have valid questions about the impact. On the other side, the younger generation is hopeful for changes here and looking for opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those who remain skeptical about the project hope the ballot measure’s delay gives the company a chance to prove itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Summers, a pastor at Healthy Vallejo Community Support Services, said he wants to stay involved with the community discussions that California Forever pledged to hold over the next two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It gives them time to show the character of who they are by partnering with the cities,” he said. “I want some of the relationships to show that they really are serious about investing in the city.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/statement-solano-together-win?utm_campaign=087fc253-f684-42c9-b418-c6ba4c0feb7c&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=029ada15-a014-4860-9c51-349cf503a8cd\">Solano Together\u003c/a>, the biggest organization opposing the project, said the company’s decision was a “win” for the people of Solano. Nate Huntington, a spokesperson for the organization, said that while they are still determining their next steps, they plan to stay involved with discussions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think one key … is demanding transparency and accountability from California Forever and decision-makers,” he said. “We’ll want to continue to educate the public about what is happening.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "California Forever Pulls Bid to Build New City From This Year’s Ballot",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated at 3:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the billionaire-backed company behind a controversial plan to build a city from scratch in eastern Solano County, announced Monday it will pull its proposal from the November ballot and bring it back to the voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CEO Jan Sramek said this new timeline allows the company to clarify the details surrounding neighbors’ biggest questions about the project: What will the new city really look like, and what impact will it have on the surrounding environment?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a big decision, and at the same time, it’s just a reordering of the steps in the process,” Sramek told KQED. “There’s overwhelming support for development in east Solano, but we’ve heard from a number of people saying, ‘Why can’t you do the environmental impact report first and then have a vote?’ We can do all of that without impacting the overall timeline.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it was introduced last year, the proposal has been at the center of a heated debate over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991788/solano-county-supervisors-want-to-know-more-about-california-forever-before-its-on-the-ballot\">the future of Solano County\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those in favor pointed to California Forever’s promises to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">add 15,000 new jobs\u003c/a> to the county — where many residents commute outside the county for work — and vows that the new city would house 400,000 residents when fully built out. Opponents, however, feared those promises were merely a ploy to win over voters and noted the proposal did not include any legally binding guarantees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s be clear: California Forever knew their guarantees were not binding,” Daniela Ades, a spokesperson for local opposition group Solano Together, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/statement-solano-together-win\">statement\u003c/a>. “Instead of taking the time to deeply engage in a transparent process of what their proposal means to the county, they decided to deceive the public to try and get the initiative passed.”[aside postID=news_11996536 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CALIFORNIAFOREVERFARMS_GC-37-KQED-2-1020x709.jpg']The decision to pull the ballot measure comes ahead of the Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Tuesday when officials were expected to submit the “East Solano Plan” to the voters this fall. Instead, the company has agreed to work with the county on zoning changes and an environmental impact report before re-submitting the proposal to voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Announcing last year that California Forever would seek a vote on the November 2024 ballot, without a full environmental impact report and a fully negotiated development agreement, was a mistake,” Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said in a statement. “Delaying the vote gives everyone a chance to pause and work together, which is what is needed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those opposing the project repeatedly pointed to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">company’s water strategy\u003c/a>, which included questions regarding plans to rely in part on imported water supplies. Company spokespeople said those questions could only be answered after voters approved the initiative. Now, the company will have to find those answers within the next two years when it conducts its environmental impact report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others were concerned about environmental impacts on the Jepson Prairie and vernal pools within the proposed city’s boundaries. A \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">recently published county report (PDF) \u003c/a>found that the new city could significantly change the biodiversity and environmental quality of those habitats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the company’s \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/10-guarantees\">guarantees\u003c/a> was the promise that the new city would “pay its own way through the tax revenue it generates” and would be “operated at no cost to the Solano taxpayer, except for those who live in the new community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, Solano County’s report found that the project’s costs could exceed revenues generated by the new town, potentially leaving the county in a fiscal deficit of $103.1 million once the city was fully built out. Taxpayers could be on the hook for an additional $88.8 million for firefighting services from the Montezuma Fire Protection District, the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County supervisors ordered the report during their June meeting, and officials had only 30 days to compile research. Because of the quick turnaround, the report noted that its fiscal impact assessment is not comprehensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s ambitious plan aimed to operate outside the traditional bureaucracy, which housing advocates have criticized for slowing down housing development. Despite this new timeline, Sramek is not concerned about getting the project on the ballot in 2026 and moving forward with construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of examples in California where the process has resulted in projects that haven’t broken ground in 10 or 20 years, and I think what is encouraging here is that the county recognized it,” he said. “I think what we’ll be able to do here is the right balance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated at 3:30 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the billionaire-backed company behind a controversial plan to build a city from scratch in eastern Solano County, announced Monday it will pull its proposal from the November ballot and bring it back to the voters in 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CEO Jan Sramek said this new timeline allows the company to clarify the details surrounding neighbors’ biggest questions about the project: What will the new city really look like, and what impact will it have on the surrounding environment?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a big decision, and at the same time, it’s just a reordering of the steps in the process,” Sramek told KQED. “There’s overwhelming support for development in east Solano, but we’ve heard from a number of people saying, ‘Why can’t you do the environmental impact report first and then have a vote?’ We can do all of that without impacting the overall timeline.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it was introduced last year, the proposal has been at the center of a heated debate over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991788/solano-county-supervisors-want-to-know-more-about-california-forever-before-its-on-the-ballot\">the future of Solano County\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those in favor pointed to California Forever’s promises to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">add 15,000 new jobs\u003c/a> to the county — where many residents commute outside the county for work — and vows that the new city would house 400,000 residents when fully built out. Opponents, however, feared those promises were merely a ploy to win over voters and noted the proposal did not include any legally binding guarantees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s be clear: California Forever knew their guarantees were not binding,” Daniela Ades, a spokesperson for local opposition group Solano Together, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/post/statement-solano-together-win\">statement\u003c/a>. “Instead of taking the time to deeply engage in a transparent process of what their proposal means to the county, they decided to deceive the public to try and get the initiative passed.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The decision to pull the ballot measure comes ahead of the Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Tuesday when officials were expected to submit the “East Solano Plan” to the voters this fall. Instead, the company has agreed to work with the county on zoning changes and an environmental impact report before re-submitting the proposal to voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Announcing last year that California Forever would seek a vote on the November 2024 ballot, without a full environmental impact report and a fully negotiated development agreement, was a mistake,” Supervisor Mitch Mashburn said in a statement. “Delaying the vote gives everyone a chance to pause and work together, which is what is needed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those opposing the project repeatedly pointed to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">company’s water strategy\u003c/a>, which included questions regarding plans to rely in part on imported water supplies. Company spokespeople said those questions could only be answered after voters approved the initiative. Now, the company will have to find those answers within the next two years when it conducts its environmental impact report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others were concerned about environmental impacts on the Jepson Prairie and vernal pools within the proposed city’s boundaries. A \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">recently published county report (PDF) \u003c/a>found that the new city could significantly change the biodiversity and environmental quality of those habitats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the company’s \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/10-guarantees\">guarantees\u003c/a> was the promise that the new city would “pay its own way through the tax revenue it generates” and would be “operated at no cost to the Solano taxpayer, except for those who live in the new community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, Solano County’s report found that the project’s costs could exceed revenues generated by the new town, potentially leaving the county in a fiscal deficit of $103.1 million once the city was fully built out. Taxpayers could be on the hook for an additional $88.8 million for firefighting services from the Montezuma Fire Protection District, the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>County supervisors ordered the report during their June meeting, and officials had only 30 days to compile research. Because of the quick turnaround, the report noted that its fiscal impact assessment is not comprehensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s ambitious plan aimed to operate outside the traditional bureaucracy, which housing advocates have criticized for slowing down housing development. Despite this new timeline, Sramek is not concerned about getting the project on the ballot in 2026 and moving forward with construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of examples in California where the process has resulted in projects that haven’t broken ground in 10 or 20 years, and I think what is encouraging here is that the county recognized it,” he said. “I think what we’ll be able to do here is the right balance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Farmers Are Divided Over California Forever's Plan in Solano County",
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"content": "\u003cp>Will Brazelton holds many jobs: He runs a company that fixes farm fences, operates heavy machinery on construction sites, manages wildlife and pests on nearby farms, and even occasionally manages fruit stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He does it all to keep running Brazelton Ranch, a generations-old stone fruit and citrus orchard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Farming’s in my blood, I can’t really turn away from it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a few miles north from Brazelton’s 80-acre orchard, Rob Nickelson runs KMS Farm, named after his three daughters: Keeley, Molly and Samantha. His farm is not as old as Brazelton’s, but he loves his job. He started growing walnuts there in the late 1990s and hopes to expand his offerings to other types of nuts someday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to have farms,” he said. “It’s the basics of our society.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996541\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">William Brazelton, president of the Solano County Farm Bureau, poses for a photo in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The two farmers share many of the same priorities for their businesses, but they’re split on how they see a billionaire-backed company’s proposal to build a city from scratch and what it means for the future of farming in their county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nickelson is optimistic the plan will add desperately-needed housing to the area and bring a more diverse array of jobs. But Brazelton and many other skeptics worry a new city would impact his farm, along with many others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996544\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed.jpg 1925w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-800x554.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1020x706.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1536x1064.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1920x1330.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1925px) 100vw, 1925px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The entrance to Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996551\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazelton poses for a photo with his dog Troy in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our community is actually a pretty small one, believe it or not, and many of the families that have been here a long time have been friends with each other for generations,” he said, adding that the company behind the plan, California Forever, didn’t make a great first impression. “They don’t actually care about the community that they’re essentially pushing out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s ambitious development promises to house up to 400,000 people once it’s fully built, effectively doubling the county’s population. Earlier this year, the company announced the project would also add an estimated 15,000 jobs, some of which will come from 15 companies and start-ups that recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">pledged to open offices\u003c/a> there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996550\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazelton opens a gate to apricot trees at Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/report/evaluating-the-case-for-the-east-solano-plan/\">recent study\u003c/a> from business advocacy organization Bay Area Council, Solano County has the lowest ratio of jobs per resident out of the region’s nine counties. Nickelson hopes California Forever’s plan could change those statistics. He is so supportive of the company’s ballot measure, called the \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/\">East Solano Plan\u003c/a>, that he volunteered to appear in a campaign ad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not for growth for growth’s sake — I’m an environmentalist — but sometimes you gotta build,” he said. “I’ve never seen any developer put that much on the table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Brazelton, it all sounds too good to be true. He has concerns about how the new city will get its water, whether the new housing will truly be affordable and whether the endangered species in the Jepson Prairie and vernal pools will be protected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996552\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apricots hang in an apricot tree at Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It hasn’t helped, either, that California Forever’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970610/farmers-see-uncertain-future-with-plans-for-new-city-in-solano-county\">lengthy legal fight\u003c/a> against a group of farmers who currently own some of the land it sought to purchase in 2017 has left a bitter taste in the mouth of Brazelton and many others, who have watched the families struggle financially through the expensive case. It’s what drove Brazelton’s organization, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanofarmbureau.org/\">Solano Farm Bureau\u003c/a>, to officially oppose the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexis Koefoed felt the same way and joined \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/\">Solano Together\u003c/a>, the most prominent organization campaigning against the plan. She owns Soul Food Farm, where she grows olives and nursery plants like chamomile, sunflowers and poppies, just a few miles away from Brazelton Ranch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a much bigger loss than just the loss of land,” Koefoed said in reference to the more than 60,000 acres California Forever has accumulated since it started buying land secretly in 2017. “It’s that the whole system of food security and food availability is now diminished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996542\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Soul Food Farm’s farm stand in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Pages/Fast-Facts.aspx\">state’s Department of Conservation\u003c/a>, farm and grazing lands across California have decreased by about 4% between 1984 and 2018, in large part due to urbanization. And thanks to new \u003ca href=\"https://www.edf.org/ecosystems/advancing-strategic-land-repurposing-and-groundwater-sustainability-california\">groundwater regulations\u003c/a>, another 500,000 to 1 million acres are projected to go out of production by 2040. Solano County’s agricultural production makes up a little less than 1% of the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/\">$59 billion industry\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Daniel Sumner, a professor of agriculture and resource economics at UC Davis, said Koefoed’s fears aren’t borne out in the data. Most of the land California Forever purchased is located in the Montezuma Hills and used primarily as pasture land for grazing sheep or to grow alfalfa and wheat, mostly to feed livestock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996553\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rows of olive trees at Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996546\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1831px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1831\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed.jpg 1831w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-1536x1118.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1831px) 100vw, 1831px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexis Koefoed, owner of Soul Food Farm, reaches for baby olives at the farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=41365\">2022 crop and livestock report\u003c/a>, processed tomatoes and nursery products — grown in other parts of the county — brought in the most money. Moreover, demand for wool and sheep meat has declined because it’s become cheaper to import those products.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve paved over some of the richest, most productive farmland in the world to make Silicon Valley, which used to be considered the ‘fruit valley’ not too long ago,” he said. “But there’s no question that [the land California Forever bought] is the least agriculturally productive flat land.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996545\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996545\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Koefoed tends to her rabbits at the farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, the loss of agricultural land in Solano County has been much more severe over the past decade than across the state as a whole. Between \u003ca href=\"https://agcensus.library.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-California-st06_2_001_001.pdf\">2012 (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_County_Level/California/st06_2_001_001.pdf\">2022 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the county lost about 20% of its farmland. If voters in November approve the East Solano Plan, Koefoed worries other farmland in Solano, including hers, could be next.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of good work we need to do, which is to support all the other small farmers in this community and build better protections so this doesn’t happen again with another developer and they start looking at other land in Solano,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996547\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996547\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A greenhouse at Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sumner, who was born and raised on a farm in Solano County, said the arguments against California Forever are perhaps rooted in a desire to uphold the county’s cultural values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an emotional question for people who like the way they live. I understand that, we all understand that,” he said. “Now, do you let those people block development for everybody else? Because people are going to live somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Solano farmers have a huge influence in the county and their fears and concerns are center stage in the debate over California Forever's controversial plan. The data states their fears might be misplaced.",
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"title": "Farmers Are Divided Over California Forever's Plan in Solano County | KQED",
"description": "Solano farmers have a huge influence in the county and their fears and concerns are center stage in the debate over California Forever's controversial plan. The data states their fears might be misplaced.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Will Brazelton holds many jobs: He runs a company that fixes farm fences, operates heavy machinery on construction sites, manages wildlife and pests on nearby farms, and even occasionally manages fruit stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He does it all to keep running Brazelton Ranch, a generations-old stone fruit and citrus orchard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Farming’s in my blood, I can’t really turn away from it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a few miles north from Brazelton’s 80-acre orchard, Rob Nickelson runs KMS Farm, named after his three daughters: Keeley, Molly and Samantha. His farm is not as old as Brazelton’s, but he loves his job. He started growing walnuts there in the late 1990s and hopes to expand his offerings to other types of nuts someday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to have farms,” he said. “It’s the basics of our society.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996541\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-62_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">William Brazelton, president of the Solano County Farm Bureau, poses for a photo in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The two farmers share many of the same priorities for their businesses, but they’re split on how they see a billionaire-backed company’s proposal to build a city from scratch and what it means for the future of farming in their county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nickelson is optimistic the plan will add desperately-needed housing to the area and bring a more diverse array of jobs. But Brazelton and many other skeptics worry a new city would impact his farm, along with many others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996544\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed.jpg 1925w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-800x554.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1020x706.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1536x1064.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-64_qed-1920x1330.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1925px) 100vw, 1925px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The entrance to Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996551\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-53_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazelton poses for a photo with his dog Troy in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our community is actually a pretty small one, believe it or not, and many of the families that have been here a long time have been friends with each other for generations,” he said, adding that the company behind the plan, California Forever, didn’t make a great first impression. “They don’t actually care about the community that they’re essentially pushing out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s ambitious development promises to house up to 400,000 people once it’s fully built, effectively doubling the county’s population. Earlier this year, the company announced the project would also add an estimated 15,000 jobs, some of which will come from 15 companies and start-ups that recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">pledged to open offices\u003c/a> there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996550\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-47_qed-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazelton opens a gate to apricot trees at Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bayareaeconomy.org/report/evaluating-the-case-for-the-east-solano-plan/\">recent study\u003c/a> from business advocacy organization Bay Area Council, Solano County has the lowest ratio of jobs per resident out of the region’s nine counties. Nickelson hopes California Forever’s plan could change those statistics. He is so supportive of the company’s ballot measure, called the \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/\">East Solano Plan\u003c/a>, that he volunteered to appear in a campaign ad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not for growth for growth’s sake — I’m an environmentalist — but sometimes you gotta build,” he said. “I’ve never seen any developer put that much on the table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Brazelton, it all sounds too good to be true. He has concerns about how the new city will get its water, whether the new housing will truly be affordable and whether the endangered species in the Jepson Prairie and vernal pools will be protected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996552\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-51_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apricots hang in an apricot tree at Brazelton Ranch in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It hasn’t helped, either, that California Forever’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970610/farmers-see-uncertain-future-with-plans-for-new-city-in-solano-county\">lengthy legal fight\u003c/a> against a group of farmers who currently own some of the land it sought to purchase in 2017 has left a bitter taste in the mouth of Brazelton and many others, who have watched the families struggle financially through the expensive case. It’s what drove Brazelton’s organization, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanofarmbureau.org/\">Solano Farm Bureau\u003c/a>, to officially oppose the plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexis Koefoed felt the same way and joined \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanotogether.org/\">Solano Together\u003c/a>, the most prominent organization campaigning against the plan. She owns Soul Food Farm, where she grows olives and nursery plants like chamomile, sunflowers and poppies, just a few miles away from Brazelton Ranch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a much bigger loss than just the loss of land,” Koefoed said in reference to the more than 60,000 acres California Forever has accumulated since it started buying land secretly in 2017. “It’s that the whole system of food security and food availability is now diminished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996542\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-26_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Soul Food Farm’s farm stand in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/fmmp/Pages/Fast-Facts.aspx\">state’s Department of Conservation\u003c/a>, farm and grazing lands across California have decreased by about 4% between 1984 and 2018, in large part due to urbanization. And thanks to new \u003ca href=\"https://www.edf.org/ecosystems/advancing-strategic-land-repurposing-and-groundwater-sustainability-california\">groundwater regulations\u003c/a>, another 500,000 to 1 million acres are projected to go out of production by 2040. Solano County’s agricultural production makes up a little less than 1% of the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/\">$59 billion industry\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Daniel Sumner, a professor of agriculture and resource economics at UC Davis, said Koefoed’s fears aren’t borne out in the data. Most of the land California Forever purchased is located in the Montezuma Hills and used primarily as pasture land for grazing sheep or to grow alfalfa and wheat, mostly to feed livestock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996553\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-24_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rows of olive trees at Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996546\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1831px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996546\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1831\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed.jpg 1831w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-33_qed-1536x1118.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1831px) 100vw, 1831px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexis Koefoed, owner of Soul Food Farm, reaches for baby olives at the farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=41365\">2022 crop and livestock report\u003c/a>, processed tomatoes and nursery products — grown in other parts of the county — brought in the most money. Moreover, demand for wool and sheep meat has declined because it’s become cheaper to import those products.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve paved over some of the richest, most productive farmland in the world to make Silicon Valley, which used to be considered the ‘fruit valley’ not too long ago,” he said. “But there’s no question that [the land California Forever bought] is the least agriculturally productive flat land.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996545\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996545\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-38_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Koefoed tends to her rabbits at the farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, the loss of agricultural land in Solano County has been much more severe over the past decade than across the state as a whole. Between \u003ca href=\"https://agcensus.library.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-California-st06_2_001_001.pdf\">2012 (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_County_Level/California/st06_2_001_001.pdf\">2022 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the county lost about 20% of its farmland. If voters in November approve the East Solano Plan, Koefoed worries other farmland in Solano, including hers, could be next.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of good work we need to do, which is to support all the other small farmers in this community and build better protections so this doesn’t happen again with another developer and they start looking at other land in Solano,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11996547\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11996547\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/20240604_CaliforniaForeverFarms_GC-25_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A greenhouse at Soul Food Farm in Vacaville on June 4, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Sumner, who was born and raised on a farm in Solano County, said the arguments against California Forever are perhaps rooted in a desire to uphold the county’s cultural values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an emotional question for people who like the way they live. I understand that, we all understand that,” he said. “Now, do you let those people block development for everybody else? Because people are going to live somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After a packed three-hour meeting Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to delay placing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controversial proposal\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the November ballot to build a city from scratch over what is now farmland. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The board followed the suggestion of the county administrator’s office and requested a study looking at the project’s impacts on existing cities in the area. The administrator’s office and the Solano County Department of Resource Management will compile the report and present it to the board in late July, at which time the board could decide to approve the proposed new city or place it on the November ballot.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The initiative from the billionaire-backed California Forever company — which promises a walkable city with enough housing to eventually bring some 400,000 new residents and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">15,000 new jobs\u003c/a>, along with millions of dollars in down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers — has drawn skepticism, criticism and admiration since it was first proposed last fall. Some of the skepticism was on display Tuesday, with Supervisor Monica Brown refraining from swearing outright in her initial comments to the board, but coming close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“All of us need to know what the ‘H’ this is going to do to our community,” Brown said, adding that requesting the report “is the only option I would ever agree to.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supervisor John Vasquez said the county will hire consultants to help compile the report and added that the administrator’s office has already started to analyze the plan’s impacts. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I just want the public to know that we haven’t just been sitting here waiting for this day,” he said. “The work has already proceeded, and it has been going on for a number of months.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991978\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek (second from right), CEO of California Forever, listens to public comments during a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/northbay-health-announces-partnership-with-california-forever-to-accelerate\">California Forever announced a partnership \u003c/a>with the healthcare company NorthBay Health, which plans to open at least six clinics throughout the county over the next two years, including one in Rio Vista. It’s one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987138/california-forever-hands-out-500k-to-solano-nonprofits-ahead-of-november-election\">many promises\u003c/a> the company has made on its path to the November ballot as it seeks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">woo potential voters\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those promises have included building a new \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/california-forever-secures-water-for-the-first-100-000-residents-of-the-new\">wastewater treatment facility\u003c/a> to process thousands of gallons of recycled water and to build a regional sports complex with facilities for \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/community-working-group-to-co-design-solano-sports-complex\">almost any sport imaginable\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But several supervisors were skeptical of the company’s ability to deliver on all those promises, with Supervisor Wanda Williams particularly curious about the company’s “\u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/10-guarantees\">Ten Guarantees”\u003c/a> and how the county could hold California Forever accountable to deliver on all of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We would have to depend on California Forever and this initiative to make sure they do it themselves; we can’t force them to do it,” she said of the company’s promises. “We don’t even have an environmental impact report to understand the implications of the initiative.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991977\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991977\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees of a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting wait in line to give public comment on the California Forever/East Solano Plan in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Undeterred by the supervisors’ skepticism, California Forever CEO Jan Sramek left the meeting optimistic of his initiative’s chances at the ballot box and said, “If the election was held today, we would win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you look at the people who really believe in this plan, so many of them are working parents, young parents, people who have full time jobs,” he said. “Despite that, so many of them took time out of their day to come here and speak for the plan. So, we’re very confident about November.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Throughout the two hours of public comment, support and opposition to California Forever’s plan was nearly evenly split. Those in favor mentioned the need for more affordable housing, jobs, and business opportunities and said growth in the county had come to a “standstill.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Robert McGary, an ironworker and Fairfield resident, was particularly interested in California Forever’s promise to bring jobs to the county. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I have a son who is an ironworker, and he had to move out of California because he can’t afford to buy here, even though he makes a premium wage,” McGary said. “I think a lot of people [against the plan] are small minded in this — they don’t realize the future. It’s like steam engines back in the 1880s. Everybody wanted to keep their horses.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991973\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Areanna Deloney holds a sign advocating against the California Forever/East Solano Plan outside a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California YIMBY, a prominent pro-housing organization, \u003ca href=\"https://cayimby.org/news-events/statement-in-support-of-the-east-solano-plan/\">voiced its support\u003c/a> last week for the company’s project, claiming that the proposal “calls for housing densities that would rival the most walkable neighborhoods in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This endorsement came as a shock to many others in the\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> pro-housing movement\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, especially those who worry the ambitious plan could \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/IDoTheThinking/status/1803290117483930094\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fizzle out into a collection of sleepy suburbs\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Residents who spoke in opposition raised concerns about the new city’s impacts on Travis Air Force Base, its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">water rights\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the traffic it could bring and whether the housing would truly be affordable. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Members from Solano Together, the leading organization opposed to the plan, came out in full force during the meeting, donning bright red stickers with the organization’s name and carrying signs reading, “No to California Forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11991234,news_11986569,news_11984830\"]Sarah Sorokin, a member of the organization, said her main concern was the loss of habitat in the Jepson Prairie and its vernal pools. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It contains species that are endemic just to these systems, and for me, I don’t see the rationale of getting rid of it,” she said. “Infill development, where there’s already infrastructure — our dollars will go much farther [there].”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite stark divisions among the meeting’s attendees, Supervisor Mitch Mashburn lauded their cordial conduct as emblematic of a functioning democracy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hope the world is watching, and they see what it means for people to be able to come together and participate in the democratic process,” he said. “That is the way democracy should work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashburn has previously said he opposes the plan “on a personal level.” At Tuesday’s meeting, Mashburn said his final vote will come at the board’s next meeting in July. Regardless of how he feels, however, the supervisors will have only two options in front of them at that meeting: to approve California Forever’s plan or let the voters decide.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "If voters approve the proposed new city in November, it would initially add some 50,000 new residents on what is now exurban farmland, growing to some 400,000 over the next several decades.",
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"title": "Solano County Supervisors Want To Know More About California Forever Before It’s on the Ballot | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After a packed three-hour meeting Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to delay placing a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">controversial proposal\u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on the November ballot to build a city from scratch over what is now farmland. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The board followed the suggestion of the county administrator’s office and requested a study looking at the project’s impacts on existing cities in the area. The administrator’s office and the Solano County Department of Resource Management will compile the report and present it to the board in late July, at which time the board could decide to approve the proposed new city or place it on the November ballot.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The initiative from the billionaire-backed California Forever company — which promises a walkable city with enough housing to eventually bring some 400,000 new residents and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">15,000 new jobs\u003c/a>, along with millions of dollars in down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers — has drawn skepticism, criticism and admiration since it was first proposed last fall. Some of the skepticism was on display Tuesday, with Supervisor Monica Brown refraining from swearing outright in her initial comments to the board, but coming close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“All of us need to know what the ‘H’ this is going to do to our community,” Brown said, adding that requesting the report “is the only option I would ever agree to.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supervisor John Vasquez said the county will hire consultants to help compile the report and added that the administrator’s office has already started to analyze the plan’s impacts. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I just want the public to know that we haven’t just been sitting here waiting for this day,” he said. “The work has already proceeded, and it has been going on for a number of months.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991978\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan Sramek (second from right), CEO of California Forever, listens to public comments during a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/northbay-health-announces-partnership-with-california-forever-to-accelerate\">California Forever announced a partnership \u003c/a>with the healthcare company NorthBay Health, which plans to open at least six clinics throughout the county over the next two years, including one in Rio Vista. It’s one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987138/california-forever-hands-out-500k-to-solano-nonprofits-ahead-of-november-election\">many promises\u003c/a> the company has made on its path to the November ballot as it seeks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">woo potential voters\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those promises have included building a new \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/california-forever-secures-water-for-the-first-100-000-residents-of-the-new\">wastewater treatment facility\u003c/a> to process thousands of gallons of recycled water and to build a regional sports complex with facilities for \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/community-working-group-to-co-design-solano-sports-complex\">almost any sport imaginable\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But several supervisors were skeptical of the company’s ability to deliver on all those promises, with Supervisor Wanda Williams particularly curious about the company’s “\u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/10-guarantees\">Ten Guarantees”\u003c/a> and how the county could hold California Forever accountable to deliver on all of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“We would have to depend on California Forever and this initiative to make sure they do it themselves; we can’t force them to do it,” she said of the company’s promises. “We don’t even have an environmental impact report to understand the implications of the initiative.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991977\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991977\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-08-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees of a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting wait in line to give public comment on the California Forever/East Solano Plan in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Undeterred by the supervisors’ skepticism, California Forever CEO Jan Sramek left the meeting optimistic of his initiative’s chances at the ballot box and said, “If the election was held today, we would win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you look at the people who really believe in this plan, so many of them are working parents, young parents, people who have full time jobs,” he said. “Despite that, so many of them took time out of their day to come here and speak for the plan. So, we’re very confident about November.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Throughout the two hours of public comment, support and opposition to California Forever’s plan was nearly evenly split. Those in favor mentioned the need for more affordable housing, jobs, and business opportunities and said growth in the county had come to a “standstill.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Robert McGary, an ironworker and Fairfield resident, was particularly interested in California Forever’s promise to bring jobs to the county. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I have a son who is an ironworker, and he had to move out of California because he can’t afford to buy here, even though he makes a premium wage,” McGary said. “I think a lot of people [against the plan] are small minded in this — they don’t realize the future. It’s like steam engines back in the 1880s. Everybody wanted to keep their horses.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11991973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11991973\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/240625-SOLANO-COUNTY-BOARD-OF-SUPES-MD-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Areanna Deloney holds a sign advocating against the California Forever/East Solano Plan outside a Solano County Board of Supervisors meeting in Fairfield on June 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California YIMBY, a prominent pro-housing organization, \u003ca href=\"https://cayimby.org/news-events/statement-in-support-of-the-east-solano-plan/\">voiced its support\u003c/a> last week for the company’s project, claiming that the proposal “calls for housing densities that would rival the most walkable neighborhoods in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This endorsement came as a shock to many others in the\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> pro-housing movement\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, especially those who worry the ambitious plan could \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/IDoTheThinking/status/1803290117483930094\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fizzle out into a collection of sleepy suburbs\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Residents who spoke in opposition raised concerns about the new city’s impacts on Travis Air Force Base, its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991234/california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">water rights\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the traffic it could bring and whether the housing would truly be affordable. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Members from Solano Together, the leading organization opposed to the plan, came out in full force during the meeting, donning bright red stickers with the organization’s name and carrying signs reading, “No to California Forever.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Sarah Sorokin, a member of the organization, said her main concern was the loss of habitat in the Jepson Prairie and its vernal pools. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It contains species that are endemic just to these systems, and for me, I don’t see the rationale of getting rid of it,” she said. “Infill development, where there’s already infrastructure — our dollars will go much farther [there].”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite stark divisions among the meeting’s attendees, Supervisor Mitch Mashburn lauded their cordial conduct as emblematic of a functioning democracy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hope the world is watching, and they see what it means for people to be able to come together and participate in the democratic process,” he said. “That is the way democracy should work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mashburn has previously said he opposes the plan “on a personal level.” At Tuesday’s meeting, Mashburn said his final vote will come at the board’s next meeting in July. Regardless of how he feels, however, the supervisors will have only two options in front of them at that meeting: to approve California Forever’s plan or let the voters decide.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-forever-releases-water-plan-but-there-are-still-some-questions",
"title": "California Forever Releases Water Plan, but There Are Still Some Questions",
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"headTitle": "California Forever Releases Water Plan, but There Are Still Some Questions | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>One of the biggest questions surrounding California Forever’s ambitious proposal to build a city from scratch in eastern Solano County is about water, where it will come from and whether the company’s plan can withstand the inevitable yearslong drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the company released its \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/california-forever-secures-water-for-the-first-100-000-residents-of-the-new\">long-awaited plan\u003c/a>, outlining how it expects to provide water to a new city of 100,000 residents initially and that will eventually grow to serve 400,000 when it is fully built out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will be the most sustainable city on Earth,” Bronson Johnson, the company’s head of infrastructure and sustainability, said to KQED. “We are creating a diverse portfolio of water supplies. It’s what you need to manage through drought conditions and what you need to manage seasonally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever plans to use a combination of water sources to supply the needs of the new city, including tapping into groundwater and surface water rights, which the company already owns thanks to its purchase of more than 60,000 acres of farmland. Right now, the water is being used to irrigate “some marginal [almond] orchards that don’t produce very much,” according to CEO Jan Sramek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They expect the groundwater and local surface water to make up more than a quarter of the new city’s water supply and will be used for some of the drinking water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever representatives said they also plan to import almost a third of their water supply “upriver from out-of-county sites in California,” conveying it through “existing points of diversion on the Sacramento River and its associated tributaries.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water experts who have reviewed California Forever’s plan said it’s clear the company did its homework, but some vital questions remain — especially around its plan to rely on water diverted from rivers in a state where drought is so commonplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am impressed that California Forever has engaged water resource management and legal experts to evaluate the complex issues that are raised by the proposed city,” Brian Gray, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center, said to KQED. “However, the projected short- and long-term water supplies will be tight, and there are many details that remain unresolved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Gray said it’s not uncommon for California cities to import water to serve their residents, he noted how precarious it might be for California Forever to rely so heavily on that amount of imported water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The way they’re describing their imported water strategy suggests that the long-term water supplies are tenuous,” Gray said. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I think there’s a lot of red flags.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gray also questioned where the company could import enough surface water to make up a third of the new city’s total supply, especially because California Forever has stated it will not seek water from Lake Berryessa via Solano County’s irrigation district. They have not identified precisely any other long-term water supply source.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company representatives said they are in “advanced talkes on numerous aquisitions” and the details will be ironed out before it releases an environmental impact report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It can’t be some loose thing in the future that we’ll acquire what we need, we actually have to have the control of that water,” he said. “We’ll acquire some amount greater than what we actually need for resilience in drought years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gray noted that water acquired from existing users in the Sacramento River basin would have to be conveyed through the California Department of Water Resources’ North Bay Aqueduct, which is currently “oversubscribed” by other cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to importing water, California Forever plans to pump groundwater from the Fairfield-Suisun and Solano Subbasins, whose 60,000-acre property sits atop. A concern there, Gray said, is that the basins could become overdrafted, like many others, over years of drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So much water has been pumped from the Solano subbasin that the state’s Department of Water Resources has required local agencies to limit the amount of water landowners can use from the ground in times of drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest percentage of the new city’s water supply — about 40% — will come from what the company calls a “circular economy” of recycled water powered by water and wastewater treatment plants to be built in the new city. The recycled water won’t be used for drinking, cooking, laundry or other household uses, but instead will be put to agricultural, industrial, commercial and other uses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11991588\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25%E2%80%AFPM-scaled-e1719020205883.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2201\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883.jpg 2201w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-800x514.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1020x655.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1536x987.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-2048x1316.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1920x1233.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2201px) 100vw, 2201px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11991589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26%E2%80%AFPM-scaled-e1719020231518.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2180\" height=\"1431\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518.jpg 2180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-800x525.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1020x670.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1536x1008.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-2048x1344.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1920x1260.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2180px) 100vw, 2180px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re focusing on that lower-hanging fruit,” Johnson said. “We can design those plants so that we’re able to move that recycled water where it is best used and then maintain those precious potable water supplies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever argued its new city won’t require as much water as other, more suburban cities because it will be dense by design and will not have room for lush, green lawns and sprawling golf courses. Its residents will only use 60 gallons of water per day, far less than other cities in Solano County, which average about 100 gallons each day. For reference, \u003ca href=\"https://sfpuc.org/sites/default/files/documents/Water%20Resources%20Annual%20Report%20FY%2020-21.pdf\">San Francisco residents\u003c/a> use up to 42 gallons per day, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/SacDOU_2019_AnnualReport-Web.pdf?db=master&la=en&vs=1&ts=20201229T1935107284#:~:text=As%20of%202009%2C%20the%20City,time%20low%20of%20152%20GPCD.\">Sacramento uses about 152 gallons per day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some experts noticed similarities between California Forever’s water plan and those of other cities that are now amending their water plans to withstand drought. David Sedlak, director of Berkeley’s Water Center, said the use of recycled water to irrigate landscape and agriculture “is a very well-established approach in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11989766,news_11987138,news_11986569\"]“The per capita water use that they use in their calculations are not very different from what is being obtained in similar developments,” he said to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An outstanding question is where the new city’s wastewater might filter out to, Sedlak said, once it has been processed in the new treatment facilities. There could be environmental issues if a river or stream becomes overly saturated with waste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company representatives said if the initiative is approved, they will study these options in an environmental impact report to be published next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company asked at least three water engineering firms to review its plan, and company representatives have repeatedly said that the new city will not strain water access for existing cities in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Support for the company’s plan is slowly growing as residents and outsiders alike watch the project gradually take shape. California YIMBY, a powerful pro-housing advocacy group, \u003ca href=\"https://cayimby.org/news-events/statement-in-support-of-the-east-solano-plan/\">voiced their support for California Forever\u003c/a> this week, citing that more discussion must happen before the project is at its “best version” but that a better future starts with “yes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, some are unconvinced by the company’s promises. The Solano Land Trust, an open space advocate for the county, opposes California Forever’s plan, with water scarcity listed as their biggest concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we’re talking about surface water, we’re talking about water that flows right into the delta and where Solano residents are currently pulling some of our water,” said Nicole Braddock, the group’s executive director. “It’s hard to imagine how that doesn’t affect our current water sources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s view is that their water plan would not impact Solano’s current water situation, as they plan to use the same amount of surface water as ranches and farms have in the past, substituting any new diversions with recycled water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Braddock remains unconvinced about the ambitious project and think the acres in east Solano County are best kept for dryland farming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, they’re proposing this huge development about the size of Vacaville, which is one of our larger cities and operating it on dryland farms — basically growing food only using rainwater,” she said. “To me, [farming] is the best use of that land.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Water remains one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the billionaire-backed initiative to build a city on what is currently Solano County farmland. The company behind the project has released its plan, but experts said some key details are missing.",
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"title": "California Forever Releases Water Plan, but There Are Still Some Questions | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>One of the biggest questions surrounding California Forever’s ambitious proposal to build a city from scratch in eastern Solano County is about water, where it will come from and whether the company’s plan can withstand the inevitable yearslong drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the company released its \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/california-forever-secures-water-for-the-first-100-000-residents-of-the-new\">long-awaited plan\u003c/a>, outlining how it expects to provide water to a new city of 100,000 residents initially and that will eventually grow to serve 400,000 when it is fully built out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will be the most sustainable city on Earth,” Bronson Johnson, the company’s head of infrastructure and sustainability, said to KQED. “We are creating a diverse portfolio of water supplies. It’s what you need to manage through drought conditions and what you need to manage seasonally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever plans to use a combination of water sources to supply the needs of the new city, including tapping into groundwater and surface water rights, which the company already owns thanks to its purchase of more than 60,000 acres of farmland. Right now, the water is being used to irrigate “some marginal [almond] orchards that don’t produce very much,” according to CEO Jan Sramek.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They expect the groundwater and local surface water to make up more than a quarter of the new city’s water supply and will be used for some of the drinking water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever representatives said they also plan to import almost a third of their water supply “upriver from out-of-county sites in California,” conveying it through “existing points of diversion on the Sacramento River and its associated tributaries.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water experts who have reviewed California Forever’s plan said it’s clear the company did its homework, but some vital questions remain — especially around its plan to rely on water diverted from rivers in a state where drought is so commonplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am impressed that California Forever has engaged water resource management and legal experts to evaluate the complex issues that are raised by the proposed city,” Brian Gray, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center, said to KQED. “However, the projected short- and long-term water supplies will be tight, and there are many details that remain unresolved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Gray said it’s not uncommon for California cities to import water to serve their residents, he noted how precarious it might be for California Forever to rely so heavily on that amount of imported water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The way they’re describing their imported water strategy suggests that the long-term water supplies are tenuous,” Gray said. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I think there’s a lot of red flags.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gray also questioned where the company could import enough surface water to make up a third of the new city’s total supply, especially because California Forever has stated it will not seek water from Lake Berryessa via Solano County’s irrigation district. They have not identified precisely any other long-term water supply source.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company representatives said they are in “advanced talkes on numerous aquisitions” and the details will be ironed out before it releases an environmental impact report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It can’t be some loose thing in the future that we’ll acquire what we need, we actually have to have the control of that water,” he said. “We’ll acquire some amount greater than what we actually need for resilience in drought years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gray noted that water acquired from existing users in the Sacramento River basin would have to be conveyed through the California Department of Water Resources’ North Bay Aqueduct, which is currently “oversubscribed” by other cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to importing water, California Forever plans to pump groundwater from the Fairfield-Suisun and Solano Subbasins, whose 60,000-acre property sits atop. A concern there, Gray said, is that the basins could become overdrafted, like many others, over years of drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So much water has been pumped from the Solano subbasin that the state’s Department of Water Resources has required local agencies to limit the amount of water landowners can use from the ground in times of drought.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest percentage of the new city’s water supply — about 40% — will come from what the company calls a “circular economy” of recycled water powered by water and wastewater treatment plants to be built in the new city. The recycled water won’t be used for drinking, cooking, laundry or other household uses, but instead will be put to agricultural, industrial, commercial and other uses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11991588\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25%E2%80%AFPM-scaled-e1719020205883.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2201\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883.jpg 2201w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-800x514.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1020x655.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1536x987.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-2048x1316.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.25 PM-scaled-e1719020205883-1920x1233.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2201px) 100vw, 2201px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11991589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26%E2%80%AFPM-scaled-e1719020231518.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2180\" height=\"1431\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518.jpg 2180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-800x525.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1020x670.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1536x1008.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-2048x1344.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/06/Image-6-21-24-at-6.26 PM-scaled-e1719020231518-1920x1260.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2180px) 100vw, 2180px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re focusing on that lower-hanging fruit,” Johnson said. “We can design those plants so that we’re able to move that recycled water where it is best used and then maintain those precious potable water supplies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever argued its new city won’t require as much water as other, more suburban cities because it will be dense by design and will not have room for lush, green lawns and sprawling golf courses. Its residents will only use 60 gallons of water per day, far less than other cities in Solano County, which average about 100 gallons each day. For reference, \u003ca href=\"https://sfpuc.org/sites/default/files/documents/Water%20Resources%20Annual%20Report%20FY%2020-21.pdf\">San Francisco residents\u003c/a> use up to 42 gallons per day, while \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/SacDOU_2019_AnnualReport-Web.pdf?db=master&la=en&vs=1&ts=20201229T1935107284#:~:text=As%20of%202009%2C%20the%20City,time%20low%20of%20152%20GPCD.\">Sacramento uses about 152 gallons per day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some experts noticed similarities between California Forever’s water plan and those of other cities that are now amending their water plans to withstand drought. David Sedlak, director of Berkeley’s Water Center, said the use of recycled water to irrigate landscape and agriculture “is a very well-established approach in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The per capita water use that they use in their calculations are not very different from what is being obtained in similar developments,” he said to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An outstanding question is where the new city’s wastewater might filter out to, Sedlak said, once it has been processed in the new treatment facilities. There could be environmental issues if a river or stream becomes overly saturated with waste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Company representatives said if the initiative is approved, they will study these options in an environmental impact report to be published next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company asked at least three water engineering firms to review its plan, and company representatives have repeatedly said that the new city will not strain water access for existing cities in the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Support for the company’s plan is slowly growing as residents and outsiders alike watch the project gradually take shape. California YIMBY, a powerful pro-housing advocacy group, \u003ca href=\"https://cayimby.org/news-events/statement-in-support-of-the-east-solano-plan/\">voiced their support for California Forever\u003c/a> this week, citing that more discussion must happen before the project is at its “best version” but that a better future starts with “yes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, some are unconvinced by the company’s promises. The Solano Land Trust, an open space advocate for the county, opposes California Forever’s plan, with water scarcity listed as their biggest concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we’re talking about surface water, we’re talking about water that flows right into the delta and where Solano residents are currently pulling some of our water,” said Nicole Braddock, the group’s executive director. “It’s hard to imagine how that doesn’t affect our current water sources.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever’s view is that their water plan would not impact Solano’s current water situation, as they plan to use the same amount of surface water as ranches and farms have in the past, substituting any new diversions with recycled water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Braddock remains unconvinced about the ambitious project and think the acres in east Solano County are best kept for dryland farming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, they’re proposing this huge development about the size of Vacaville, which is one of our larger cities and operating it on dryland farms — basically growing food only using rainwater,” she said. “To me, [farming] is the best use of that land.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-forevers-bid-to-build-a-new-city-qualifies-for-november-ballot",
"title": "California Forever's Bid to Build a New City Qualifies for November Ballot",
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"headTitle": "California Forever’s Bid to Build a New City Qualifies for November Ballot | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>The campaign to build a city from scratch in Solano County submitted enough valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot, election officials said Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Solano County Registrar of Voters spent a month reviewing over 20,000 signatures turned in by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the billionaire-backed company behind the ballot initiative. The measure needed 14,369 signatures from registered Solano County voters to qualify. On Tuesday, the Registrar of Voters certified the signatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure now heads to the Solano County Board of Supervisors, which will vote at the end of June on whether to immediately adopt the initiative, place it on the November ballot or first request a report assessing the impacts the project would have on the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supervisor Mitch Mashburn has already announced his intention to request the report and said the board “will do everything we can to provide the facts needed to make an informed decision.” That report will be published 30 days after it is requested — likely appearing before the board in late July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re feeling great. We’ve had an incredibly exciting six weeks now that we submitted the signatures; we’ve had the opportunity to start delivering on all of [our] initiatives,” California Forever CEO Jan Sramek told KQED. “This is just the beginning. There’s more coming this summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever has made myriad promises tied to its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ambitious plan\u003c/a> in eastern Solano County, including adding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">15,000 new jobs\u003c/a> to the county, delivering community benefits packages and offering down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers. In recent months, the company has begun to announce how it plans to make good on those promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most recently, the company said it would offer a \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/partnering-with-merit-america-to-help-solano-residents-land-higher-paying\">$140,000 grant program \u003c/a>to fund technical courses in IT support and data analytics to prepare residents for the jobs it promises will come once the initiative is approved. It also announced it would build a “Solano Sports Complex” with spaces for baseball, softball, football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, swimming and other sports.[aside postID=news_11987138 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/240502-CaliforniaForever-10-BL_qut-1020x680.jpg']“The sports complex fills a need that we have in Solano County that every child deserves to play at a state-of-the-art facility,” Michael Fortney, California Forever’s director of partnerships, told KQED. “People will be traveling from all over the state and nationally to come to Solano County to compete here, they’ll be staying in our hotels, they’ll be shopping in our shops, they’ll be eating in our restaurants, and that will create a real economic boom for Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sports complex will be built only if the ballot initiative passes, but the money for the technical training grant program — along with $500,000 that the company has already doled out to local nonprofits — would be handed out before the initiative comes before voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, many are not convinced about the project and its lofty promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the Solano Land Trust, a conservation agency, officially came out against the project and urged voters to “vote no on a November ballot measure that would allow the development of the East Solano Plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After careful consideration, we reached the informed conclusion that a development of this magnitude will have a detrimental impact on Solano County’s water resources, air quality, traffic, farmland and natural environment,” Nicole Braddock, executive director of the organization, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://solanolandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SLT-East-Solano-Announcement-Press-Release-FINAL-6.5.2024.pdf\">statement (PDF)\u003c/a>. “The plan runs counter to Solano Land Trust’s mission of preserving land and water for current and future generations in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano Together, a grassroots organization opposed to the East Solano Plan, has started printing and handing out yard signs saying “No to California Forever” to those opposed to the plan. Other organizations, including Sustainable Solano, have also publicly opposed the project, citing concerns about a strain on water resources and traffic the new development might bring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s really easy to say no,” Sramek said on Tuesday, blaming the opposition on “special interest groups.” “What we are hearing from voters is this is the most credible plan that they’ve ever seen to make life better for working families in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The campaign to build a city from scratch in Solano County submitted enough valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot, election officials said Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Solano County Registrar of Voters spent a month reviewing over 20,000 signatures turned in by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11984830/california-forever-shells-out-2m-in-campaign-to-build-city-from-scratch\">California Forever\u003c/a>, the billionaire-backed company behind the ballot initiative. The measure needed 14,369 signatures from registered Solano County voters to qualify. On Tuesday, the Registrar of Voters certified the signatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure now heads to the Solano County Board of Supervisors, which will vote at the end of June on whether to immediately adopt the initiative, place it on the November ballot or first request a report assessing the impacts the project would have on the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supervisor Mitch Mashburn has already announced his intention to request the report and said the board “will do everything we can to provide the facts needed to make an informed decision.” That report will be published 30 days after it is requested — likely appearing before the board in late July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re feeling great. We’ve had an incredibly exciting six weeks now that we submitted the signatures; we’ve had the opportunity to start delivering on all of [our] initiatives,” California Forever CEO Jan Sramek told KQED. “This is just the beginning. There’s more coming this summer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Forever has made myriad promises tied to its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11972769/not-just-a-crazy-idea-california-forever-releases-ballot-details-for-new-bay-area-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ambitious plan\u003c/a> in eastern Solano County, including adding \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11986569/california-forever-says-12-start-ups-will-open-workplaces-in-its-new-city\">15,000 new jobs\u003c/a> to the county, delivering community benefits packages and offering down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers. In recent months, the company has begun to announce how it plans to make good on those promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most recently, the company said it would offer a \u003ca href=\"https://eastsolanoplan.com/news/partnering-with-merit-america-to-help-solano-residents-land-higher-paying\">$140,000 grant program \u003c/a>to fund technical courses in IT support and data analytics to prepare residents for the jobs it promises will come once the initiative is approved. It also announced it would build a “Solano Sports Complex” with spaces for baseball, softball, football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, swimming and other sports.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The sports complex fills a need that we have in Solano County that every child deserves to play at a state-of-the-art facility,” Michael Fortney, California Forever’s director of partnerships, told KQED. “People will be traveling from all over the state and nationally to come to Solano County to compete here, they’ll be staying in our hotels, they’ll be shopping in our shops, they’ll be eating in our restaurants, and that will create a real economic boom for Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sports complex will be built only if the ballot initiative passes, but the money for the technical training grant program — along with $500,000 that the company has already doled out to local nonprofits — would be handed out before the initiative comes before voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, many are not convinced about the project and its lofty promises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, the Solano Land Trust, a conservation agency, officially came out against the project and urged voters to “vote no on a November ballot measure that would allow the development of the East Solano Plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After careful consideration, we reached the informed conclusion that a development of this magnitude will have a detrimental impact on Solano County’s water resources, air quality, traffic, farmland and natural environment,” Nicole Braddock, executive director of the organization, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://solanolandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SLT-East-Solano-Announcement-Press-Release-FINAL-6.5.2024.pdf\">statement (PDF)\u003c/a>. “The plan runs counter to Solano Land Trust’s mission of preserving land and water for current and future generations in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solano Together, a grassroots organization opposed to the East Solano Plan, has started printing and handing out yard signs saying “No to California Forever” to those opposed to the plan. Other organizations, including Sustainable Solano, have also publicly opposed the project, citing concerns about a strain on water resources and traffic the new development might bring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s really easy to say no,” Sramek said on Tuesday, blaming the opposition on “special interest groups.” “What we are hearing from voters is this is the most credible plan that they’ve ever seen to make life better for working families in Solano County.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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