Date: March 26, 2026
To: Karena Shackelford, City Manager
From: Nelson A. Fialho, Executive Director, RPMG
Sonja Stott, Management Analyst, RPMG
RE: Summary of Outcomes – February 23, 2026, City Council Retreat and Proposed 2026 City Council Priorities
Renne Public Management Group (RPMG) appreciated the opportunity to assist the Fremont City Council and City leadership team in facilitating the City Council Retreat held on February 23, 2026. The retreat provided an important forum for the Council to reflect on the City’s current priorities, discuss emerging policy considerations, and refine a focused set of priorities to guide the City’s work program for the coming year.
The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize the outcomes of the retreat discussions and to transmit the refined set of City Council priorities developed through that process. The attached document reflects the updated priorities discussed during the retreat, with City Council refinements and amendments appearing in yellow highlight.
Retreat Discussion and Outcomes
During the retreat, Councilmembers engaged in a thoughtful discussion regarding the City’s major policy priorities and how those priorities can best guide organizational focus, resource allocation, and community accountability over the next fiscal year. Councilmembers emphasized the importance of ensuring that priorities are clear, outcome-oriented, and supported by measurable indicators of progress, allowing both the Council and the community to better understand how the City is advancing key initiatives.
Based on the discussion and direction provided by the Council, the proposed priorities were refined to focus on four primary areas:
1. Economic Development and Financial Sustainability
2. Reduce Homelessness
3. Public Safety
4. Charter City Framework
These priorities reflect areas where the Council expressed a desire for continued emphasis, measurable progress, and clear reporting of outcomes.
Removal of Two Proposed Priority Categories
The materials originally prepared for the retreat included two additional priority areas for Council consideration:
• Communications and Public Engagement
• Environmental Sustainability
Following Council discussion, members collectively agreed that while both topics remain important to the City, they are already embedded in Fremont’s organizational culture, operational practices, adopted policies, and ongoing initiatives. For that reason, the Council concluded that these areas do not need to be identified as stand-alone City Council priorities for the coming fiscal year, as they are already integrated into the City’s broader work program and decision- making framework.
Accordingly, these two items were removed from the final list of Council priorities reflected in the attached document.
Charter City Framework Initiative
One notable area of discussion involved the Council’s interest in evaluating whether transitioning Fremont to a Charter City structure could provide additional flexibility in addressing local policy priorities and operational considerations. The revised priority language reflects the Council’s direction to initiate a structured work plan to evaluate this option, including the formation of an advisory committee and coordination with City staff to support analysis and public engagement.
Consistent with the Council’s discussion, the intent of this work program is to conduct the evaluation and associated community engagement in a manner that would position a Charter City proposal for potential placement on the November 2026 ballot, subject to Council review and consideration as the evaluation proceeds.
Implementation and Next Steps
Following Council consideration and adoption of the priorities, the next step will be for City staff to further develop clear performance measures and implementation strategies associated with each priority area.
The attached document also includes several illustrative/high-level examples of potential metrics and progress measures that could inform this work. However, additional refinement by staff will be valuable to ensure that the measures ultimately adopted are:
• Realistic and aligned with operational capacity
• Meaningful indicators of progress and outcomes
• Suitable for periodic reporting and updates
• Understandable across the organization and to the public Conclusion
On behalf of RPMG, I want to thank you, the City Council, and Fremont’s leadership team for the collaborative and thoughtful dialogue during the retreat. The discussion reflected a strong commitment to strategic alignment, measurable outcomes, and continued service to the Fremont community.
Please let us know if RPMG can be of any further assistance as the City moves forward with implementation of these priorities or related strategic initiatives.
Attachments:
1. Proposed Fremont City Council Priorities for 2026 (as amended following the February 23, 2026 retreat)
2. February 23, 2026 City Council Retreat Materials (original discussion packet)
NF/C: City of Fremont Cover Memo
350 Sansome Street | Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94104
DRAFT Priorities for 2026
(Amended on 2/26/2026)
1. Economic Development and Financial Sustainability
Desired Outcomes: Continue to strengthen Fremont’s economic competitiveness and long-term fiscal health by prioritizing strategic business attraction and retention, workforce development, and targeted investments that enhance Downtown vibrancy.
Align economic development, community identity, and quality-of-life initiatives with long-term budget sustainability, while establishing measurable outcomes that can be clearly communicated to community and stakeholders.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Establish high-level benchmarks to track business activity, job creation, Downtown vitality indicators, and fiscal sustainability metrics (e.g., revenues, reserves, cost pressures, and long-term forecasting).
2. Reduce Homelessness
Desired Outcomes: Build on progress and strengthen outcome orientation in Fremont’s homelessness response. Emphasize coordinated strategies that connect housing availability, service delivery, and measurable outcomes such as outreach effectiveness, shelter placements, navigation capacity, and transitions to stable housing. Strengthen regional coordination and public transparency regarding results and challenges.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Define 3–5 clear measures of success (e.g., placements, returns to housing, shelter utilization, outreach contacts, and regional coordination milestones) and establish a consistent public-facing reporting format.
3. Public Safety
Desired Outcomes: Sustain and enhance public safety staffing and service capacity, while improving how public safety trends, strategies, and outcomes are communicated to the community. Continue to support recruitment and retention and reinforce public confidence through transparent, data-driven reporting and engagement.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Identify key measures related to staffing levels, recruitment progress, response times, and other selected public safety indicators for police and fire services, paired with a clear public communication approach.
4. Charter City Initiative
Desired Outcomes: The City Council will initiate a work plan to evaluate the feasibility, benefits, and potential implications of transitioning Fremont to a Charter City, including
City of Fremont
March 6, 2026
identifying an appropriate framework and timeline for implementation. The work plan will include the formation of an advisory committee and be carried out in collaboration with City staff to ensure thoughtful analysis, public engagement, and periodic review by the City Council. The intent of this effort is to place a Charter City proposal before Fremont voters on the November 2026 ballot, informed by the evaluation process and community input.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Track progress against key milestones in the Charter City evaluation and implementation timeline, and coordinate with City staff to ensure development and execution of a cohesive work plan.
NF/C: 2026-2-26 SS City of Fremont Working Draft Memorandum 2026 Priorities - Part 1 NF 350 Sansome Street | Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94104
Date: February 20, 2026
To: City of Fremont Mayor and City Council
Through: Karena Shackelford, City Manager
From: Nelson Fialho, Executive Director, RPMG
Sonja Stott, Management Analyst, RPMG
RE: Summary of City Council Intake Themes - Input to Inform 2026 Goal-Setting Retreat – February 23, 2026
Background
At the City’s request, RPMG conducted individual intake conversations with City Councilmembers to understand key perspectives, priorities, and considerations ahead of the goal- setting retreat scheduled for February 23, 2026.
This memo summarizes themes emerging from those conversations, with the intent of supporting retreat preparation and agenda development. It reflects synthesized themes and is not intended to attribute comments to individual Councilmembers.
Overall Summary
Councilmembers expressed broad alignment on the City’s major policy areas and a shared desire to strengthen clarity around outcomes, progress measures, and communication. Members generally view their governance role as establishing strategic policy direction and clarifying expectations for organizational execution.
A consistent theme across the intakes was the importance of predictable, accessible, and data- supported communication - both for Council’s policy oversight and for community engagement.
Key Themes Emerging from the Intakes
1. Economic Development and Fiscal Sustainability
Councilmembers consistently emphasized the importance of maintaining Fremont’s economic competitiveness, business attraction and retention, and long-term fiscal health. Members acknowledged meaningful progress, particularly in economic development wins, but expressed City of Fremont
February 20, 2026
interest in clearer outcome measures and earlier visibility into major developments so Councilmembers can provide accurate context to constituents.
Related themes included:
• Downtown vibrancy and “third places” (dining, entertainment, cultural activity, community gathering spaces)
• Stronger forecasting and transparency regarding budget outlook and labor negotiations
2. Addressing Homelessness
Homelessness remains a high priority for the Council, with an emphasis on maintaining momentum and strengthening outcome orientation. While progress and recent actions were acknowledged, members expressed a desire for:
• Clearer data and performance measures
• A shared understanding of what “success” looks like over the next 12 months • Stronger regional coordination and convening
Several Councilmembers expressed interest in learning from peer cities and exploring additional pilot programs or models that have demonstrated results elsewhere.
3. Public Safety
Public safety was consistently identified as fundamental to quality of life. While staffing progress was acknowledged, Councilmembers emphasized the importance of sustaining consistent recruitment and retention efforts.
A strong theme was the need to communicate public safety trends in ways that are:
• Accessible to the public
• Data-driven
• Framed to reduce misinformation and “doom-loop” narratives
Some members noted the upcoming/recent transition in police leadership as an opportunity to strengthen public engagement and public education.
4. Environmental Sustainability and Transportation / Mobility
Environmental sustainability remains an established Council priority and was reaffirmed by multiple Councilmembers as an area where the City should continue progressing toward adopted goals.
City of Fremont
February 20, 2026
Related themes included:
• Continued attention to climate and sustainability benchmarks • Transportation and mobility strategies (traffic circulation, bike/ped infrastructure, complete streets) – more specifically, a desire for stronger public engagement and communication prior to implementation of major street design changes to offset/minimize neighborhood impacts (parking, circulation, quality-of-life concerns)
5. Communication
Several members noted that consistent communication rhythms can be especially valuable in a complex organization and can help reinforce shared expectations, support alignment, and improve the City’s ability to communicate progress clearly to the community.
Councilmembers expressed interest in:
• A more consistent cadence of updates tied to Council priorities • Clear, accessible progress reporting, such as dashboards or brief summary reports • Earlier awareness of major initiatives and emerging workstreams, so Councilmembers are positioned to support accurate community communication
Implications for the Goal-Setting Retreat
Based on the intake themes, Councilmembers appear eager to emerge from the retreat with:
• A focused set of priorities (ideally 3–5) that reflect both continuity with the prior year and refinements based on emerging feedback.
• Outcome statements or metrics attached to each priority, with high-level measures of success.
• A shared understanding of how progress will be communicated to the Council and the community throughout 2026
To help facilitate these objectives, RPMG has prepared the attached to support retreat discussion and refinement.
Attachments:
1. Draft Priorities for 2026
2. 2025 Year-End Council Priority Progress Report
350 Sansome Street | Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94104
DRAFT Priorities for 2026
(Proposed for Discussion and Retreat Use on 2/23/2026)
1. Economic Development and Financial Sustainability
Desired Outcomes: Continue to strengthen Fremont’s economic competitiveness and long-term fiscal health by prioritizing strategic business attraction and retention, workforce development, and targeted investments that enhance Downtown vibrancy. Align economic development, community identity, and quality-of-life initiatives with long-term budget sustainability and measurable outcomes.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Establish high-level benchmarks to track business activity, job creation, Downtown vitality indicators, and fiscal sustainability metrics (e.g., revenues, reserves, cost pressures, and long-term forecasting).
2. Addressing Homelessness
Desired Outcomes: Build on progress and strengthen outcome orientation in Fremont’s homelessness response. Emphasize coordinated strategies that connect housing availability, service delivery, and measurable outcomes such as outreach effectiveness, shelter placements, navigation capacity, and transitions to stable housing. Strengthen regional coordination and public transparency regarding results and challenges.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Define 3–5 clear measures of success (e.g., placements, returns to housing, shelter utilization, outreach contacts, and regional coordination milestones) and establish a consistent public-facing reporting format.
3. Public Safety
Desired Outcomes: Sustain and enhance public safety staffing and service capacity, while improving how public safety trends, strategies, and outcomes are communicated to the community. Continue to support recruitment and retention and reinforce public confidence through transparent, data-driven reporting and engagement.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Identify key measures related to staffing levels, recruitment progress, response times, and other selected public safety indicators, paired with a clear public communication approach.
4. Environmental Sustainability and Mobility
Desired Outcomes: Continue progress toward adopted climate and sustainability goals while advancing transportation and mobility strategies that improve safety and neighborhood livability.
Align sustainability efforts with infrastructure investment, complete streets, and bike/ped safety City of Fremont
February 20, 2026
initiatives. Strengthen early public engagement and communication prior to implementation of major mobility changes to reduce neighborhood impacts and build trust.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Establish milestone-based tracking for key climate and sustainability initiatives and high-visibility mobility projects, including measures tied to safety outcomes and public engagement effectiveness.
5. Communication and Public Engagement
Desired Outcomes: Strengthen Fremont’s external communication and engagement by keeping residents, community stakeholders, businesses, and regional partners more consistently informed about City priorities, progress, and upcoming initiatives. Improve public understanding of the City’s work through predictable, accessible, and data-supported updates. Reinforce Fremont’s ability to convene, collaborate, and lead regionally by communicating clearly, proactively, and consistently.
Potential Metrics / Progress Measures: Establish a predictable cadence of public-facing updates (e.g., quarterly progress summary, dashboards, etc.), increased use of accessible performance reporting, and clearer public engagement plans for major initiatives and projects.
Notes on Use of this Draft Attachment
• This attachment is intended as a working draft for retreat conversation and refinement. • The goal is to arrive at a shared set of priorities and measures that Councilmembers endorse and that provide City staff clear direction for implementation and resource allocation.
2025 Year-End
City Council
Priority Report
2 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
■ City Manager’s Message ........................................................................ 3 ■ Economic Development and Financial Stability .................................... 4 ■ Addressing Homelessness ...................................................................... 7 ■ Public Safety ........................................................................................ 10 ■ Environmental Sustainability ................................................................ 13 ■ Other Key Milestones ........................................................................... 15 2025 Year-End
City Council
Priority Report
3 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Mayor and City Councilmembers,
As we turn the page on a new year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the meaningful work our City completed in 2025 .
The Year-End City Council Priorities Progress Report underscores the milestones we reached in alignment with the priorities set during the City Council Retreat in February 2025 . Together, we focused on economic development and financial sustainability, public safety, environmental sustainability, and homelessness response .
While it is impossible to include all the instrumental work that took place this year, this report showcases our key accomplishments and details the comprehensive efforts to make Fremont a better place to live, work, and play . A few notable highlights include:
• Facilitating the development of several major industrial campuses, including the full lease-up of the Fremont 880 Technology Center
• Securing more than $1 billion in investments for expanded utility infrastructure to support economic development
• Completing five affordable housing properties, totaling 567 new affordable housing units • Entering a new two-year service agreement with Bay Area Community Services (BACS) to operate the Housing Navigation Center and sharing a 5-year comprehensive outcome report • Hiring 35 Police Officers and reducing sworn vacancies by approximately 60 .9% • Completing playground renovations at Booster and Azevada Parks I’m pleased to share that this year’s document was redesigned to visually enhance data and improve engagement . This report not only bolsters transparency but also serves as a roadmap for where we started and how far we have come .
Fremont has firmly put itself on the map as a dynamic fusion of cultures and identities, a national epicenter for advanced manufacturing, and a thriving hub for startups, entrepreneurs, and families .
As always, these accomplishments would not be possible without our incredible City Council, City staff, and community, who continuously rise to the occasion and challenge us to think more innovatively about the way we serve . Your impact on our City is felt widely, and I look forward to our continued collaboration .
Sincerely,
Karena Shackelford
City Manager
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &
FINANCIAL STABILITY
4 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
The Groundwork for a Successful Year: Budgeting
Our budget is the foundation we build all our activities on, and this fiscal year’s budget achieved the gold standard . In fact, the City’s FY 2025/26 Adopted Operating Budget received the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, marking 29 consecutive years of award- winning budgeting .
Balancing Our Budget into the Future
In the current Fiscal Year (2025/26), Fremont was able to balance its budget through the reallocation of infrastructure maintenance funds and by using a small amount of the City’s Budget Uncertainty Reserve .
The use of these funds in this year’s budget has allowed the City to continue to provide basic city services, including keeping our streets clean, maintaining public safety, and responding to 911 calls .
In November 2025, the City staff provided a budget update to City Council and shared that fiscal year 2024/25 year-end revenues were not adequate to cover the City’s expenditures, with a need to draw down the City’s Budget Uncertainty Reserve by approximately $2 million . The estimated actual year- end results for Fiscal Year 2024/25 include sources and uses of funds totaling $264 .9 million and $281 .7 million, respectively, resulting in a net reserve decrease of $16 .8 million from the fiscal year 2023/24 ending balances .
Unfortunately, these are not long-term solutions . At the City Council’s direction, staff have begun an effort (My City, My Voice) to engage with community members to receive feedback on future service and staffing priorities . Difficult decisions about how to sustain core services may be needed beginning in 2026, which could affect progress in areas such as homelessness response and community safety .
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &
FINANCIAL STABILITY
5 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Securing Supplemental Funding
To assist with projects not included in our annual budget, the City advocated for one-time funding through the legislative offices of our local, State, and Federal representatives . The City successfully secured $100,000 from the Office of Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez for the City’s SparkPoint program and Winter Relief program and $2,500 from the Office of Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert for the Age Well Center and its activities . Further, the City is slated to receive $850,000 from the Federal FY 2026 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill for the Auto Mall Parkway Median Project once approved .
Labor Union Updates
In spring 2025, the City started labor negotiations with nine employee bargaining units, reaching agreements with most by year-end . The City recently finalized negotiations with those remaining, resulting in successor agreements with every unit . The negotiated 1 .3% cost-of-living adjustment and other benefits must be incorporated into the current fiscal year budget . To address these changes, additional budget-balancing measures will be presented to the City Council in February 2026 .
Enhancing Retail, Commercial, and Industrial Vibrancy Across Fremont In addition to supporting the growth of numerous Downtown restaurants, we also welcomed two new Michelin-listed eateries and facilitated the transformation of the former Kohl’s location into a high-end Asian grocery store and food hall, H Mart . Beyond retail and commercial businesses, we significantly expanded Fremont’s AI hardware manufacturing cluster, with seven of the world’s 10 largest companies now operating in Fremont, driving employment growth and strengthening our tax revenue base .
Coming Soon: More Industrial Campuses
To sustain Fremont’s appeal as an advanced manufacturing hub, the City facilitated the development of several major industrial campuses, including the full lease-up of the Fremont 880 Technology Center, the groundbreakings of the Campus at Bayside and the Palisade Fremont Innovation Center, and the application submittals for Sobrato’s Tech Campus . Together, these projects are expected to generate more than $20 million in revenue through one-time impact fees and ongoing property, sales, and business tax contributions from advanced manufacturing tenants . In 2025, Fremont, for the first time in its history, led the entire Silicon Valley and greater Bay Area region in commercial real estate leasing by total square feet leased across all building asset classes . Fremont accounted for 75% of all advanced manufacturing leases for Silicon Valley in 2025, illustrating Fremont’s progress toward becoming an increasingly economic heavyweight and demonstrating leadership in manufacturing .
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &
FINANCIAL STABILITY
6 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Powering Up Fremont
Major electric grid upgrades are driving industry growth, strengthening resilience, and unlocking infill redevelopment . We installed two new 75 megavolt-ampere transformers in the Bayside and Warm Springs districts . We also secured 30 megawatts of Bloom Energy microgrid capacity, one gigawatt of regional capacity through LS Power’s Power the South Bay initiative, which will connect Central Valley solar farms to Fremont’s Bayside transmission station, and a 115-megawatt local grid expansion to support expanded manufacturing in Fremont . All together, these investments represent more than $1 billion in expanded utility infrastructure serving Fremont .
Addressing Fremont’s
Digital Divide
This fall, we launched AccessFremont, a
free public Wi-Fi network that will include
a total of 125 access points across
six business districts and the Ohlone
College area to help close the digital
divide, support small businesses, and
promote a stronger local economy . This
complements the steady progress on the
project made possible through the Federal
Funding Account (FFA) funding, which
will expand reliable, high-speed internet
services to underserved areas in Fremont .
The City has approximately one-third of
the FFA project completed, with plans
to bring a term sheet and public-private
partnership agreement to Council in
Q1 2026 to secure the necessary
framework to move into implementation .
Celebrating Our Industries and Businesses Through Local Events Whether boosting Fremont’s profile as a hub for innovation or energizing our Downtown business district, our Economic Development Department hosted several industry and community events aimed at promoting our businesses . Flagship events included Biocom, Restaurant Week, The Registry Bus Tour, Downtown Dog Days, the Silicon Valley Commercial Real Estate Outlook, and The Future of Fremont .
The City also supported workforce development and small business growth through targeted community programs, including Manufacturing Week, the Engineering Expo, and a Small Business Marketing Workshop .
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
7 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Affordable Housing
Reaches New Heights
In response to the need for affordable
housing in our city, we facilitated the
development and completion of five
affordable housing properties across
Fremont in 2025 . This totaled 567
affordable housing units, of which 116
were dedicated to supporting our most
vulnerable populations . The developments,
including Osgood North and South,
Bell Street Gardens, Fremont Family
Apartments, and Serra Apartments, are
located throughout Fremont, offering
vital community connections and support
resources to all residents .
Prioritizing Shelter—a Key Priority of Our Homelessness Response Plan In June, the City Council renewed BACS’s contract to operate the City’s Housing Navigation Center, which has helped 270 people since opening in 2020 . A 5-year comprehensive report can be found on our website, which includes
participant data and success
stories . The Safe Parking
program expanded to six faith-
based sites, and the Winter
Relief program increased
its capacity to serve 25%
more people this year,
opening a month early . This
initiative supported those
relocating from the Isherwood
Park encampment, offering
comprehensive services to aid
their transition to permanent
housing . Looking ahead,
Alameda County’s approval of
100 new shelter rooms, funded
by Measure W and managed
by Cardea Health, promises
crucial housing assistance for
South County .
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
8 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
A Compassionate Response to Resolving Long Standing Encampments In November, the City, in collaboration with the City of Union City, East Bay Regional Park District, and the Alameda County Water District, humanely and effectively cleared the longstanding and heavily entrenched homeless encampment at Isherwood Park . The full scope of the effort took place over six months and involved staff from the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Police, Fire, Community Development, Human Services, Maintenance, and Community Services . Our Human Services Department began outreach in May and shelter assistance, primarily through the City’s Housing Navigation Center and Winter Relief program, which was scaled up this winter, was offered to everyone residing in the area, with 80% ultimately choosing to accept relocation services . The City estimates that about 800 cubic yards of debris weighing approximately 90 tons were removed from the Isherwood site . The park will remain temporarily closed into 2026 as environmental remediation work takes place .
Service Enhancements for Fremont’s At-Risk Communities
In addition to the new affordable housing units, we furthered our commitment to uplifting our at-risk residents . Notably, the City Council appropriated $150,000 for Keep Fremont Housed, a program that provides Fremont families with rental assistance . Through this appropriation, an additional 15 families received up to six months of rental assistance . The City also hired a new Case Manager and Chef/Food Services Manager in the Aging and Family Services Division of the Human Services Department to bolster vital programs for older adults and vulnerable families .
Resources for Our Most Vulnerable
Support for our residents experiencing homelessness also continued with the reactivation of our Winter Relief Program, opening a month early and expanding in scale, the program is offering five months of shelter through the utilization of 40 rooms at partnering motels . The City also entered a new two-year contract (with an option to extend contingent upon funding) with BACS to operate the City’s Housing Navigation Center and released a comprehensive 5-year report to share program outcomes . At the same time, we reestablished our partnership with Alameda County Behavioral Health (ACBH) to deploy Mobile Crisis Teams (MCTs) in Fremont, delivering emergency mental health care to community members .
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS
9 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Restoring Fremont’s
Public Spaces
Since January 1, there
have been 146 days of
cleanups across 1,187
encampment sites, which
resulted in the removal of
480 tons of debris . The
goal of these cleanups is
to remove structural, fire,
and environmental hazards
and excessive debris
accumulation while offering
support services directly
to those residing in the
encampments . In addition,
this year, the Fremont
City Council adopted a
new Camping Ordinance,
which prohibits camping
on any public property,
restricts camping on private
property not designated and
equipped for such camping,
and prohibits the storing of
personal property on any
public property
.
Securing Fremont’s Homelessness Response Funding
The City will continue to advocate for new funding in an effort to increase shelter resources to help resolve high priority entrenched encampments . Increasing the availability of shelter beds is a necessary step to humanely and effectively clear encampments . Transitional shelter programs like Winter Relief offer individuals a secure environment and access to supportive services . To ensure these resources continue, the City is advocating for an equitable Measure W funding framework through Alameda County, with the goal of advancing the City’s Homelessness Response Plan . While there is still more work to be done, Fremont is committed to addressing homelessness within our community .
PUBLIC SAFETY
10 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Strengthening Police Staffing and Leadership
This year brought significant progress in rebuilding our public safety capacity and strengthening leadership .
Since January 2025, the Fremont Police Department
(FPD) has hired 35 Police Officers, reducing sworn
vacancies by approximately 60 .9% . As of November 1, FPD hired 15 Dispatchers, reducing vacancies by roughly
67% . The City also launched a nationwide recruitment
process to select the next Police Chief, who will continue to strengthen the Department’s readiness and capacity
to serve the community . Building on this progress, work toward national law enforcement accreditation advanced
significantly, with more than 75% of required standards now complete . Once finalized in 2026, accreditation will strengthen accountability, elevate service delivery, and formally embed best practices across all policing functions .
Reducing Crime
In the spring of this year, FPD published its 2024 Annual Report, which highlighted major citywide achievements
and significant progress the City has made toward crime reduction and prevention . Although crime data and
information for 2025 are still being collected and finalized, we anticipate double-digit decreases in both violent and property crime . Homicides decreased from 7 in 2023 to
5 in 2024 and 2025, respectively . In addition, the number of fatal traffic collisions that FPD responded to within City limits, declined from 15 in 2024 to 7 in 2025 . Over the past few years, most crime categories have decreased in the
City of Fremont . These statistics underscore the broader impact of the City’s efforts to keep our communities safe .
FPD’s 2025 Annual Report, which will include an analysis of FPD’s public safety reports and data for 2025, will be available in the spring .
New Safety Services to Meet Growing Community Needs
FPD must continue to evolve to meet our community’s needs, utilizing highly professional and talented staff . Significant progress has been made on the Real-Time Information Center (RTIC), supported by community camera improvements, Drone as First Responder (DFR), and the use of other technologies, which will further enhance crime prevention and public safety . Additionally, FPD launched Code Joshua, a voluntary registry designed to assist families with autistic loved ones in partnering with first responders, with over 100 Fremont families registered to date .
PUBLIC SAFETY
11 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Our Officers’ Well-Being Matters
In 2024, 83% of police officers nationwide reported that mental health challenges impacted how they protect and serve . FPD confronted this reality head-on with new wellness programming to support officers . New initiatives include Sigma Tactical Wellness Health screenings, a restorative rest area, a wellness K9, and more .
New FEMA Funding for Critical
Infrastructure Improvements
To support emergency response and public safety, the City secured approximately $3 million in FEMA funding to repair storm-related damage along Morrison Canyon Road . The project will restore the full roadway width, supporting emergency vehicle access for Fremont Hills residents along Morrison Canyon Road and Vargas Road and improving safety throughout this high-risk corridor . Environmental clearance for the project has been secured, and construction is planned for Summer 2026 .
Emergency Operations Center Readiness
and Community Disaster Preparedness
As part of broader emergency readiness efforts,
25 City and partner-agency personnel completed
training for their Emergency Operations Center
(EOC) roles . This training is the first in a series
covering all EOC functions and strengthens
coordination, response capability, and operational
effectiveness during future emergency activations .
Community resilience also grew through expanded
Community Emergency Response Training (CERT)
programming, with 44 new volunteers trained
in disaster response, medical operations, and light
search and rescue . Now, a total of 92 sworn CERT
volunteers are equipped to assist during major
emergencies .
Fire Department Operations and Equipment Upgrades
Operational enhancements continued within our fire and emergency response services, including extensive staff training, EMS updates, and new fleet resources deployed citywide . Improvements included the opening of a new truck company at Station 6 staffed by 9 firefighters, the G2 fire-station alerting system, thermal imaging cameras, upgraded radio systems, a comprehensive hydrant inspection program, and new command and suppression vehicles, all of which strengthen reliability and elevate service quality .
PUBLIC SAFETY
12 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Fire Prevention and Community Safety Programs
We continue to advance our fire prevention and risk-reduction efforts through various initiatives, including updating the master fee schedule and municipal code and receiving approval for two new Defensible Space Inspectors . Further, we expanded youth education through the Firefighters in Safety Education program and coordinated Sound the Alarm events that provided smoke-alarm installations in high-risk mobile-home communities .
Fire-Related Incident and
Emergency Response
In 2025, the Fremont Fire Department (FFD)
responded to 19,004 unique incidents, with
emergency medical services accounting for
over 60% of all calls received. These responses
equated to 26,287 company runs . Compared to 2024,
the total number of unique incidents declined by 1 .9%, while the total number of company runs increased by
2 .9% . This demonstrates FFD’s diligent effort to keep pace with the rising demand for public safety and
emergency services . In early 2026, FFD will publish its 2025 Annual Report with an update on department
initiatives and priorities, as well as comprehensive
statistics for 2025 .
Improving Pedestrian Safety and Mobility
Safety is about more than just enhancing emergency services; it’s about enhancing our everyday activities, like transportation . We made significant progress here this year towards that objective .In 2025, the City Council approved construction contracts for the installation of flashing beacons at 11 additional crosswalks citywide, which will enhance visibility in the Irvington, Mission Valley, Centerville, and Downtown districts . We also reached
major construction milestones on
the Centerville Complete Streets and
Walnut Avenue Bikeway projects,
including new separated bikeways,
enhanced pedestrian crossings, and
the installation of a new traffic signal
at Thornton and Oak . Together, these
improvements make multimodal
travel safer for residents, support
walking and bicycling as reliable
transportation options, and improve
connectivity between key districts .
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
13 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
The City remained proactive in advancing
The Sustainability Scene in Fremont
sustainability initiatives that keep our communities
clean and reduce waste . Notably, pursuant to
Senate Bill 1383, food recovery organizations in
Fremont recovered 345,505 pounds of food in
2025, a 31% increase from 2024 .
Climate Ready Fremont:
Driving Sustainable Action
Since adopting our Climate Action Plan in
October 2023, we continue to make steady
progress toward our outlined goals, including
reducing community-wide greenhouse gas
emissions by 55% from 2005 levels by 2030 and
reaching carbon neutrality no later than 2045 .
The community can track our progress with the
City’s Climate Action Data Dashboard, which
provides real-time metrics on our efforts . In recognition of our momentum so far, Fremont received an “A” grade from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and eight out of nine Global Covenant of Mayors badges for the City’s climate action efforts .
The Transition to 100% Renewable Energy
As a key component to these goals, we’ve started our transition to 100% renewable energy with Ava Community Energy’s Renewable 100 service plan . Following our City facilities’ transition in 2022, residences transitioned in 2025 (with an option to opt out if preferred), and businesses will follow in 2026 .
Technological Investments for Our Sustainable Future
Our sustainability efforts go hand in hand with our technological advancements . Some of the critical achievements that the City has made over the years include purchasing 11 electric vehicles (EVs) to replace internal combustion engine vehicles, installing 17 dual-port EV charging stations to promote adoption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and upgrading more than 16,000 streetlights, park lights, and facility lights with LEDs to save energy, reduce emissions, and address community concerns regarding aging lights . The City is also electrifying its buildings and fleet by upgrading advanced heat pump technologies, purchasing electric vehicles to replace the aging gas-powered fleet, and installing charging infrastructure . The Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s national Charging Smart program awarded the City its highest honor in recognition of our work to promote electric charging .
B y F r e m o nt F o o d R e c o v e r y O r g a ni z a t i o n s
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
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Our Urban Forestry Initiatives
See some new trees around town? Our City staff and community partners continue to plant hundreds of trees throughout Fremont as part of the City’s implementation of its Urban Forest Management Plan .
In 2025, Fremont coordinated the planting of 1,540 trees by staff, community groups, and residents .
The City partnered with local urban forestry nonprofit Urban Forest Friends and Fremont Unified School District to plant more than 500 trees in seven local elementary schools . More than 500 volunteers, as well as local and state leaders and City staff participated in tree planting events in 2025 .
Leveraging Community Partners to Bolster Sustainability Efforts Today, nearly 50 battery and cleantech companies are based in Fremont, including Bloom Energy, Pacific Fusion, Nextracker, Tesla, RK Group, EnerVenue, and more . Our cluster of battery and cleantech companies has enabled us to explore various public-private partnerships to bolster our own sustainability efforts . For example, through a partnership with a local cleantech company and the California Energy Commission, we have operational microgrids at three Fremont fire stations, increasing energy resiliency and maximizing their capacity to operate during power outages .
Lake Elizabeth’s Long-Term Strategy
To reduce the likelihood of fish die-off events during extreme heat events and make it healthier and more resilient,, the City installed three surface aerators for improved oxygenation, nine floating islands for shade and temperature regulation, and three continuous monitoring probes, as well as coordinating installation, labor, contingency, and project management . In 2026, the City will be conducting an RFP for the development of a Lake Management Plan as the next step toward implementing a long-term strategy .
Coastal Cleanup Day Success
In celebration of 2025 Coastal Cleanup Day, 201 volunteers covered 275 acres and removed a whopping 2,138 pounds of debris from local waterways, including 1,620 pounds of trash, 318 pounds of recyclables, and 200 pounds of compostable material .
OTHER KEY MILESTONES
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Our Legislative Impact
Throughout this year, our Legislative Affairs team actively engaged with the League of California Cities, government relations professionals, and elected officials to advocate for our priorities . Notably, the City monitored and took a position on various state legislative bills affecting local governments, including the Ralph M . Brown Act reform and the Cap-and-Invest reauthorization .
Meet the New Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan and First-Ever Transportation Plan In 2025, the City Council approved a Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan and an Active Transportation Plan . The former allocates critical funding to public infrastructure, including traffic and transportation enhancements, public facility and road maintenance, continued funding for the highly anticipated Central Park Community Center, and various other park improvements . The latter, for the first time in the City’s history, combines pedestrian and bicycle plans . The Active Transportation Plan focuses on policies that will encourage walkability and safe mobility and takes a holistic approach to ensure transportation access, safety, comfort, and convenience for all those who live, work, and visit Fremont . Prior to the adoption of the Active Transportation Plan, there were separate plans prepared for these transportation modes .” Park Updates and Upgrades!
Outside of our priorities, a key area of focus for the City has been improving our parks . Big milestones included opening the Rose Garden and Entry Plaza at California Nursery Historical Park, revitalizing Central Park with new restrooms and adult fitness equipment, and completing playground renovations at Booster and Azevada Parks . Playground surfaces were also replaced at Niles, Warm Springs, Irvington Tiny Tots, and Lone Tree Parks, and fiber surfacing was added to nine City parks . Looking forward, construction is underway at Vallejo Mill Historical Park to add new pickleball facilities, a dog park, and other improvements, with expected completion in 2026 . In addition, the City successfully purchased parkland on St . Leonard’s Way off Fremont Boulevard, providing 3,519 residents with new access to a park within a 10-minute walk of their homes.
OTHER KEY MILESTONES
16 2025 YEAR-END CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY REPORT
Communications and Community Engagement
This year, the City strengthened its communications, conducted extensive outreach, and hosted a vibrant calendar of events that united our community together . We redesigned the Year-End City Council Priorities Report for better storytelling and transparency, grew subscribers for our weekly digital newsletter, The Fremont Connection, changed the format of the annual State of the City to an evening event, and re-launched our internal newsletter, The Employee Connection to celebrate City staff and foster appreciation . MyFremont, our digital community engagement platform, remained central to public engagement, gathering feedback on several topics through the year, including the Human Services Needs Assessment, Palm Avenue Community Park, Capital Improvement Plan, as well as the Police Department leveraged it for its annual community survey, helping us better understand public safety perceptions and community priorities . From the annual Trick or Treat event, Concerts in the Park, Fremont Fire Safety Fair, Pride Fair, Holidays in the Plaza, and Shop with a Cop, to the City’s special event sponsorship program, these community building efforts underscore our commitment to strengthen community relationships, transparency, innovation, and inclusive governance .
Improving Our Infrastructure and Public Spaces
Our Maintenance Operations Department was busy this year, completing 4,500 maintenance work orders, 37 asphalt street repairs, and 48 sidewalk upgrades, as well as filling 976 potholes. Parks and recreation areas also benefited from playground renovations, turf rehabilitation at eight soccer fields, irrigation and well upgrades, and significant ADA pathway and surfacing improvements .
Maintaining Strong Relationships With Our Schools
To support Fremont’s next generation, the City
strengthened its partnership with Fremont Unified
School District (FUSD) through several collaborative
initiatives, including the annual STEAM Event, the
Fremont Engineering Expo, the Student Job Fair,
and the After School Academy (ASA), bolstering
youth engagement and enhancing learning
opportunities for Fremont students . FPD School
Resource Officers also received school safety
and violence prevention training from the Sandy
Hook Promise Program, which includes a student
awareness campaign and an anonymous tip reporting system . Since its launch, FUSD and FPD have received and investigated 12 anonymous tips through the system .
Looking to 2026
In February 2026, the City Council will meet for its annual retreat to establish new priorities for the year . Until then, the City will continue working toward its priorities of economic development, financial sustainability, public safety, environmental sustainability, and homelessness response .
We look forward to sharing progress on these new initiatives throughout 2026 .