BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL
POST-MEETING AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
January 21, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Council Chambers, City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
b. Agenda Item Public Statements
3. REPORTS
a. Clean City Initiative and Community Vitality Programs Update (All Wards)
Staff recommend Council receive and file the update.
*1. PowerPoint presentation
b. Jail Bed Task Force Update
Staff will provide a presentation to the City Council related to the work of the Jail Bed Task Force.
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss the update and provide direction on how staff should proceed in collaborating with the County of Kern, City of Taft, and other partner agencies in addressing the need for greater accountability in the criminal justice system.
Staff move forward, enter into a memorandum of understanding with Taft and continue to move forward with other agencies
*1. PowerPoint presentation
4. CLOSED SESSION
5. CLOSED SESSION ACTION
6. ADJOURNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: January 21, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Reports TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: January 9, 2026
SUBJECT: Clean City Initiative and Community Vitality Programs Update
(All Wards)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend Council receive and file the update.
BACKGROUND:
Staff will provide a presentation update on the Clean City Initiative and Community Vitality Programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Community Character & Quality of Life
Innovative and Efficient City Government
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
CLEAN CITY INITIATIVE & COMMUNITY VITALITY UPDATESCity CouncilJanuary 21, 2026
Background
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates2
Clean City Initiative•Launched: 2020•Goal: Improve and maintain the City’s appearance, cleanliness and quality of life for residents, business owners and visitors•Funding: Supported by the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure and Illegal Dumping Fund•Services: Enhanced litter abatement; City-wide bulky waste disposal events; Coordinated homeless encampment clean-ups; Maintenance of chronic illegal dumping sites; Resident and business education and events; Locking dumpster lidsCommunity Vitality•Launched: 2023•Goal: Improve quality of life for residents, business owners and visitors, as well as the response times to non-emergency homelessness-related calls for services•Funding: Supported by the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure •Services: Call Center to answer and triage calls for service; Dedicated Police teams responding to quality-of-life calls for service; Coordinated homeless encampment resolution; Individual outreach, placement in temporary housing, and intensive case management services
CCI & CV Teams & Services
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates3
Chronic Illegal Dumping Site MaintenanceResident & Business Education and EventsLocking Dumpster Lid ProgramOutreach, Shelter Placements, Intensive Case ManagementServicesCoordinatedEncampment Cleanups / Enhanced Litter AbatementCall Center / Response to Quality of Life Calls For ServiceBulky WastePick Ups & City-Wide Drop-Off EventsEncampment ResolutionCCICVAnimal ControlArsonImpactCodeRapid ResponsePark RangersContracted Service ProvidersSolid WasteWaterContracted Service Providers
Community PartnershipsClean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates4 Flood MinistriesStreet OutreachBLNC/Mercy HouseEmergency ShelterKern BHRSBehavioral HealthValley Pressure ProsBio-Waste Removal Garden Pathways & Psychiatric Wellness CenterIntensive Case Management Citiguard & Trans-West Security ServicesPrivate Security Clean City TeamsJack Davenport Sweeping Services & The Open Door Network
Clean City InitiativeKey Accomplishments•Since November 2021, CCI teams have collected more than eleven million pounds of waste•Provides vital cleaning services to the entire community, with a focus on Downtown and Old Town Kern- which are areas heavily impacted by homelessness-related waste issues•In April 2021, began hosting monthly pop-up bulky item drop-off events to residents to deter illegal dumping in the community•CCI teams maintain a steady presence in the community and facilitate opportunities to educate and engage with residents and business owners Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
“We’ve noticed a significant improvement — they’ve helped keep transients out of the trash bins and have reduced scattered debris around the property. It’s definitely made a positive difference for our business and helped us maintain a cleaner, more professional appearance for our customers.”-Ricky BolenGeneral ManagerRollerama Roller Rinks Water Department Fence Tagging & RecoverySpecial Services / HighlightsDumpster Security ProgramSolid Waste works proactively with commercial customers to safeguard their commercial waste bins by replacing plastic lids with metal lids and installing a gravity lock bar. •Installation To-Dateo62 commercial locations; 74 waste bins•Total Cost For Programo$37,076.45Since 2024, Water has recovered more than $800,000 worth of stolen fencing due to proactive installation of tracking devices.•Basin/Sump Fencingo48 locations, 15,000 ft., $750,000 value•Carrier Canalo1,100 ft, $54,000 value•Entrance Gateso80 Gates, $80,000 value•Well Siteso3 Sites, $10,000 valueClean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates6 Tags are working to deter theft! Since July 2025, only 2 instances of theft totaling less than 150 ft.
Community Support
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates7
70+ Pop-Up Bulky Item Drop Off Events Hosted•14,000 residents participated•2,000,000+ pounds of recycling, trash, wood, and metal waste collected•16,400+ tires, mattresses, e-waste, and white goods collected 2,000,000pounds collected
Events Supported
Community VitalityKey Accomplishments•2025 KernCog Regional Award of Merit for Local Government Winner•Since inception, Community Vitality has addressed nearly 26,000 calls for service•In January 2024, the Police Department and Development Services piloted the Co-Response Model, allowing for Rapid Response Code Officers to ride alongside Bakersfield Police Officers•Call Center went “live” in May 2025 and now handles 15-18% of homelessness-related/quality of life calls for service•Trespass Enforcement Authorization submittals more than doubled from 2024•Now oversees the delivery of intensive case management services to chronically homeless/justice-impacted individuals through grant funding provided by the Board of State & Community Corrections•Maintains a proactive approach to educating the community on its operations and resources to address issues of homelessness and quality of life Clean City Initiative &Community Vitality Update
Community OutreachCommunity Vitality has taken a proactive approach to educating the community on its operations and resources to address issues of homelessness and quality of life.Community Vitality staff have a regular presence at:•CAPK Adult Re-Entry Group•Downtown Business Association•Greater Bakersfield Chamber •Hotel Watch Meeting•Inflow Prevention Committee (Mission at Kern)•SB43 Working Group (Kern BHRS)•Valley Children’s Pediatric•Valley Plaza MallIn addition, staff collaborate with property management groups, the Seven Oaks Country Club and other community groups as requested.9 Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
CV Stats – Inception-December 31, 2025
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates10
Team ResponsesCallsTeam3,262Co-Response3,613Flood21,431Impact69Other*Encampment14%Loitering38%Transient25%Trespassing10%Other(Lewd Conduct, Trash)13%Call TypesEncampmentLoiteringTransientTrespassingOther(Lewd Conduct, Trash) 25,725 Community Responses
* Arson, Park Rangers, Valley Pressure Pros
CV Response Locations
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
RRT Stats – April 1, 2021-December 31, 2025
Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates12
TOTAL2025 202420232022202116,1024,1573,4163,1312,8742,524Encampments19,8415,8325,6134,7542,720922Trash Sites35,9439,9899,0297,8855,5943,446TOTAL
Co-Response ModelJoint Field Operations•Outreach first approach: services, housing, and mental health support•Address chronic violations, public safety risks, and environmental hazardsTeams•BPD Impact Officers•Code Enforcement RRT Officers•Kern BHRS and Flood MinistriesCall Sources•PD/CAD•Mobile App•Help Team•Email Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates3,262 calls for service responded to in 2025
Park RangersPark Rangers maintain a regular presence in City parks, beyond the normal maintenance crews, to reduce the amount of damage done to park amenities. Teams support CCI and CV by: •Addressing illegal dumping along bike paths and within City parks•Responding to non-emergent homelessness-related calls for service within City parks Presentation Title14
Calls for Service (CFS) – December 1, 2023-December 2025Proactive PatrolsPD-Initiated CFSHot Spots1,0594Central Park1,49510Lowell Park1,5155MLK Park1,89812Patriots Park1,20518Wilson Park
ArsonFire Prevention–Focused Field Operations•Coordinated field efforts with Impact and Code Enforcement•Early identification and mitigation of fire risk, chronic violations, and hazardous conditionsProactive Vacant Building Enforcement Operations Began 2025•27 chronic nuisance properties targeted In incidents where an arson investigation was completed, 238 were suspected to have homeless involvement•Of those, 89%were structure or outside fires2025 homeless-related fire department service calls: 8,801Structure44%Outside45%Vehicle5%Vegetation5%Other1%Homeless-RelatedFire IncidentsStructureOutsideVehicleVegetationOtherClean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
Final Thoughts•CARESis at the heart of the effort•Collaboration is key•Accountability drives the teams•Resourcefulness keeps the team thinking creatively •Excellence is the bar teams strive for •Stewardship is “the why” behind every team Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
Questions?
17 Clean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates
Trespass Enforcement Authorization Process Improvements•TEA process streamlined for ease of completion by property owners•Can file for multiple addresses at once versus one at a time•QR code provided for posting on property•BPD launched TEA marketing campaign•BPD and Call Center educating property owners about TEA process and encouraging that they complete TEA•TEA flyers placed at Treasury and Development Services front countersCommunity Vitality & Rapid Response Team Updates18 2,055 TEAs received YTDv. 820 TEAs for all of 2024
~200%
Proposition 47 Grant Program – Bakersfield HomelessServices & Prevention Initiative Clean City Initiative and Community Vitality Updates19
•Goal: reduce recidivism & provide housing-related assistance & community-based supportive services•Managed by Community Vitality staff•$1,999,374 in funding for Intensive Case Management services & supportive Administrative Analyst II•Agreements in place with Garden Pathways (warm handoff/re-entry) & Psychiatric Wellness Center (chronically homeless)•Began referring clients March 2025, leveraging BPD field contacts & parole office relationship•Partnership with BLNC for placement of participants as-needed (15 beds, when available)
RRT
•Supervisor/Administrative Analyst III•Operations Support Specialist (2)Leadership •RRT Code Enforcement Supervisor•RRT SupervisorCo-Response •Code Enforcement Officer, Day Shift (2)•Code Enforcement Officer, Night Shift (2)Support Staff •Light Equipment Operator/Service Maintenance Worker (16)•Operations Support Spec.Call Center •Supervisor/Administrative Analyst I•Operations Support Specialist (2)Leadership •Police Lieutenant•Assistant to the City ManagerImpact
• Police Sergeant (4)• Senior Police Officer (4)• Police Officer (26)Prop 47 • Administrative Analyst IStaffing Community VitalityClean City Initiative Community Vitality & Rapid Response Team Updates20
•Code Enforcement Officer, Sun-Wed (2)• Code Enforcement Officer, Wed-Sat (2)Equipment •Stake bed Trucks with Lift gate (4) •Skid-Steer Tractor (2) •Wheel Loader (2) •Drone (1) •Rear Loading Trash Truck (2) •Roll Off Trash Truck •Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV-2)•Service Trucks (3-equipped w/plywood/power tools) •Grappler Trailers (2) •3yd Bin trailer Equipment •Camera Trailer (3) •4WD Equipment•Fiscal & Administrative Services Supervisor•Operations Support Specialist (2)•Police Sergeant (4)•Senior Police Officer (4)•Police Officer (26)
Rapid Response TeamThe Code Enforcement Rapid Response Team (RRT) and co-response teams are available to address homelessness-related issues within the community 7 days a week, during both daytime and nighttime hours. Teams are responsible for: •Encampments located on public and private properties•Personal property abandoned on public rights-of-way•Accumulation of junk, trash, debris, and unlawful removal of shopping carts•Vacant structures not secured against illegal entry•Occupied vehicles on public and private properties •Offering services and connecting resources to individuals seeking aid•Building relationships with property owners to develop collaborative solutionsClean City Initiative & Community Vitality Updates21
Encampment Clearance – 2/19/25Kern Riverbed between Calloway/24thStreet Overpass2025 Operation HighlightsEncampment Clearance – 4/8/25Railroad tracks between Virginia/Potomac off S. WilliamsCoordinated response with BPD Impact, Animal Control, Code, RRT , Kern BHRS•14 encampments cleared•5 citations•11 dogs taken into temporary custodyCoordinated response with BPD Impact, UAS Team, Mounted Unit, Rangers, Code, RRT , Arson, Animal Control •24 encampments cleared•3 BLNC placements•23 arrests, 3 citations•19 dogs taken into temporary custodyClean City Initiative & Community Vitality Update22
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: January 21, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Reports TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: January 21, 2026
SUBJECT: Jail Bed Task Force Update
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff will provide a presentation to the City Council related to the work of the Jail Bed Task Force. Staff recommends that the City Council discuss the update and provide direction on how staff should proceed in collaborating with the County of Kern, City of Taft, and other partner agencies in addressing the need for greater accountability in the criminal justice system.
BACKGROUND:
The City continues to apprehend hundreds of chronic low-level criminal suspects every month. The City has significantly increased our capacity to enforce against criminal behavior. Thanks to the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure, we have 120 more patrol officers today than we did in 2019.
However, due to the lack of available local jail beds, these suspects are often released soon after they are arrested. More than 80% of those releases happen in less than 24 hours.
During the September 10, 2025, meeting of the City Council, Councilmember Smith requested that the City create a Jail Bed Task Force, comprised of Councilmembers Bashirtash and Smith along with a diverse set of stakeholders representative of the community.
The task force held meetings on September 24, October 29 and December 3. City staff and Councilmembers Smith and Bashirtash have also had follow up meetings specific to this topic with the Superior Court Presiding Judge, the Sheriff’s Offic e, the District Attorney’s Office, the City of Taft, Kern Health Systems, Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and Kern Medical. City officials toured the Taft Community Correction Facility and will tour County Jail facilities on the morning of January 21.
During meetings of the task force, a framework has been developed for addressing each of the following categories that present challenges and opportunities in holding individuals accountable for chronic offenses:
Behavioral Health and Wrap-around Services
Booking
Medical Clearances
Detention
Sentencing
Minimum Jail Facility
Liability
The task force has reviewed former and existing efforts to address jail bed capacity. The group has discussed known challenges and explored potential solutions. The task force is in the process of further analyzing potential solutions, researching efforts in comparable communities, and identifying concrete next steps.
Staff will provide a presentation to the City Council reporting on the work of the ta sk force, outline potential next steps and confirm the direction for continuing to collaborate with partner agencies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Fiscal impacts are yet to be determined.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Jail Bed Task Force UpdateJanuary 21, 2026
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2
Background•Enhanced public safety enforcement capacity•Persistent lack of accountability in criminal justice system for chronic low-level offenders•Referral for Jail Bed Task Force at September 10, 2025 Council Meeting•Task Force membership•Task Force meetings on September 24, October 29 and December 3•Numerous meetings between City officials and partner agencies3
Known Challenges and Opportunities•State legislative and regulatory changes•Funding reductions•Limited jail bed capacity•Lack of mental health and substance use treatment beds•Recidivism •Failure to appear in Court•Site and Release impacts•Lack of qualified employees•Liability changes•Federal jail bed cap•Longer jail stays•More complex systems4
Former and Existing Efforts•County Jail•Detention Deputies•Booking process moved to Lerdo•Chronic offender bed set aside (10)•Increase in Substance Use Treatment beds•MediCal Managed Care plans & CalAIM Administrators•Kern Medical Psychiatric Emergency Department planning•CARE Court•SB 43•Prop 365
Potential Solutions•Diversion Programs•State Prisoners and Mental Hospital patients•Process improvements•Minimum facility•City Community Corrections Facility •Contract Community Corrections Facility•City funding to support expedited County solutions6
Framework•Behavioral Health and Wrap-around Services •Booking•Medical Clearances•Detention•Sentencing•Minimum Facility•Liability•Cost and Funding7
Behavioral Health and Wrap-around Services •Critical need for behavioral health and substance use treatment•Lack of qualified professionals•Need to better coordinate services•Need for Diversion programs•Need more treatment and residential beds•Calm Horizons•Provider spaces in Courts and Jails•Psychiatric Evaluation Center expansions•No direct funding provided by existing services/resources•Opportunities to improve services at re-entry8
Booking•Booking process moved to Lerdo•Long wait times - Streamlining efforts underway•Medical clearances•BPD staffing adjustments to maximize patrol capacity9
Medical Clearances•Long wait times•Chronic offenders have significant medical needs•Co-occurring medical and behavioral treatment needs•Site & release challenges for Kern Medical•Kern Medical streamlining efforts•Adjustment at Kern Medical to maximize safety and patrol capacity10
Detention•Limited jail beds•Funding•Staffing•State regulation changes and state oversight•Difficult release decisions every day•80% of low-level offenders are released within 24 hours•Need additional time to treat, sentence and divert individuals 11
Sentencing•Collaboration with Public Defender, District Attorney and Presiding Judge•Diversion Programs•Review bail schedule•Reinstitute former Drug Court pattern – streamlining•Misdemeanants can be booked and sentenced to Community Correctional Facilities12
Minimum Facility•Lack of accountability for chronic low-level offenders•Accountability for diversion into treatment•Limitations for behavioral health treatment in minimum facilities•County Jail – MaxMed•County Jail – Mega Barracks•Taft Jail13
Liability•Individuals booked and held in County jail are County liability•Individuals booked and held in a Community Correctional Facility would be City liability•Working to address indemnification for inmates transferred from County jail to Community Correctional Facility 14
Cost and Funding•$2,000,000 – Capital improvements to Lerdo Minimum Facility•$11,000,000 – annual operating costs for 120 beds at Lerdo Minimum Facility•$250,000 - $500,000 – Capital improvements to Taft Community Correctional Facility•$7,500,000 – annual operating costs for 120 beds at Taft Community Correctional Facility•City would incur additional transportation, medical and insurance expenses with a Taft contract for services15
Priorities and Next Steps•Detention Capacity•Jail Beds – Taft; Lerdo Minimum Facility•Judges•Hospitals•Wrap around services16
Questions?
17