Newark City Council
January 22, 2026

ii. The ADU is located entirely within the existing principal residence or an existing habitable accessory structure and results in no net addition of habitable floor area on the property;
iii. The ADU is located in an area where on-street parking permits are required, but are not offered to the occupants of the ADU;
iv. When there is a dedicated car share vehicle parking area located within one block of the ADU.
v. The ADU meets the requirements of Government Code Section 65852.2(e)(1), that provides the minimum requirements for specific ADU types to be issued a ministerial permit, without discretion.
c. When a garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished in conjunction with the construction of an ADU or converted to an ADU, no replacement parking is required.

9. Fees. No impact fees shall be applicable to ADUs which have floor areas less than seven hundred fifty square feet. Impact fees for an accessory dwelling unit of seven hundred fifty square feet or more shall be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit.

D. Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). The purpose of the junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) regulations is to implement specific policies of the housing element of the city general plan and specific provisions of state law authorizing the creation of JADUs. The intent of the JADU regulations is to expand the affordable rental housing stock through the repurposing of underutilized floor area in existing single-unit homes.

1. Applicability. Performance standards for JADUs shall apply in zoning districts that allows residential use including single-family, two-unit dwelling or multi-family dwellings.

2. Development Standards.
a. Number Per Lot. Residential single-family districts—only one JADU is permitted on a singleunit residential lot. A JADU is permitted even if another ADU already exists on the property provided the size of ADU does not exceed eight hundred square feet. b. Location. The JADU shall be constructed entirely within the walls of a proposed or existing single-family home.
c. Size. The JADU shall not exceed five hundred square feet in size. d. Unit Access. The JADU shall include an exterior entrance that is separate from the main entrance to the single-family home. The exterior entry shall not be located on the front wall facing a public street of the primary residence. If the exterior entry is on the second floor, the stairway shall not be located in the front of the primary residence. e. Sanitation. A JADU may include a bathroom or may share bathroom facilities within the primary residence.
f. Kitchen. The JADU shall include an efficiency kitchen, which shall include all of the following:
i. A cooking facility with appliances
ii. A food preparation counter and storage cabinets that are of reasonable size in relation to the size of the JADU. The food preparation area may not be located in a closet.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

3. Parking. No additional off-street parking shall be required beyond that required for the primary residence. The primary residence shall meet the current off-street parking standard in effect at the time the JADU is approved.

4. Building and Fire Code Requirements. For the purposes of any fire or life protection ordinance or regulation, a JADU shall not be considered a separate dwelling unit. No fire wall separation or noise attenuation measures are required between the primary residence and the JADU.

5. Building and Fire Code Requirements. A JADU shall not be considered a separate dwelling unit, thus no fire wall separation or noise attenuation measures are required between primary residence and the JADU.
(Ord. No. 503, § 1(Exh. A), 1-25-2018; Ord. No. 528, § 4(Exh. A), 2-25-2021)

17.26.040 Accessory dwelling units.

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement California Government Code Sections 66310 through 66342, or as amended, by allowing the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) through ministerial review consistent with state law.

B. General Requirements. The following provisions apply to all ADUs and JADUs, including “State Exempt ADUs” as described in California Government Code Section 66323 et seq, or as amended, and subsection (E) of this section.

1. Categories.
a. ADUs. An ADU is accessory to an existing or proposed primary dwelling on the same lot and has complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. The type of ADUs include:
i. “Conversion ADU”. An interior conversion of area within an existing or proposed primary dwelling, including attached garages, storage areas or similar spaces, or an existing accessory structure; or ii. “Attached ADU”. A newly constructed attached unit to the primary dwelling; or iii. “Detached ADU”. A newly constructed detached unit or an addition to an existing detached accessory structure.
b. JADUs. A JADU is an accessory dwelling unit that is no more than 500 square feet in floor area and contained entirely within the walls of an existing or proposed single-unit dwelling.

2. Permitting Procedure.
a. Ministerial Review. A permit application for an ADU or a JADU that meets the standards contained in this section shall be subject to ministerial review and approval without discretionary review or public hearing. If the permit application to create an ADU or a JADU is submitted with a permit application to create a new single-unit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development, the city may delay acting on the permit application for that ADU or JADU until the city acts on the permit application for that new single-unit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development, but the application for that ADU or JADU shall be considered ministerially without discretionary review or a public hearing. b. Review Timeline. A permit shall be issued within sixty days of the city’s receipt of a complete application for an ADU or a JADU that meets the standards contained in this section if there is an existing singleunit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development on the same lot. If the applicant requests a delay in the review timeline, the sixty-day timeline shall be tolled for the equivalent period of the delay.
c. If city denies an application for an ADU or JADU unit pursuant to this section, city shall, within the time period described in subdivision (b), return in writing a full set of comments to the applicant with a list of items that are defective or deficient and a description of how the application can be remedied.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

3. Building Permit Required. No ADU and/or JADU shall be established or maintained until there has been a building permit approved by the city.

4. Fees.
a. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the city from adopting an ordinance or regulation relating to services or utility connection fees that applies to a single-unit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multiunit development that contains an ADU and/or JADU so long as that ordinance or regulation applies uniformly to a single-unit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development regardless of whether they include an ADU and/or JADU.
b. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to impact the connection fees or capacity charges charged by other government entities.
c. No impact fees shall be applied to an ADU that has a floor area of eight hundred square feet or less. d. Impact fees for an ADU that has a floor area of more than eight hundred square feet shall be charged proportionately in relation to the floor area square footage of the primary dwelling unit in accordance with California Government Code Section 66324, or as amended.

5. Density.
a. ADUs and JADUs are not required to meet the density requirements of the general plan or zoning ordinance and do not count toward the permissible number of units per acre (or required lot area per dwelling). However, ADUs shall otherwise be consistent with the general plan text and diagrams in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314 et seq, or as amended. b. An ADU or JADU shall not be counted in any ordinance, policy, or program to limit growth, such as, but not limited to, the number of residential units permitted in a year.

6. Occupancy Criteria.
a. The rental of ADUs and JADUs for terms shorter than thirty days shall be prohibited. b. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to limit the ADU, JADU, or primary dwelling on the lot from remaining vacant.
c. Separate Sale. An ADU or JADU shall not be sold or conveyed separate from the sale or conveyance of the primary residence unless the conditions detailed in California Government Code Sections 66340 to 66341, or as amended, are met.
d. For JADUs, the property owner must reside in either the remaining portion of the single-unit dwelling or the JADU, in accordance with California Government Code Section 66333, or as amended. If the JADU do not share sanitation facilities with the single-unit dwelling, the JADU is exempt from owneroccupancy requirements. Governmental agencies, land trusts, or housing organizations are exempt from this requirement.

7. Building Safety.
a. A smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector shall be installed in all ADUs and JADUs. b. The installation of fire sprinklers shall not be required in an ADU and JADU if sprinklers are not required for the primary dwelling and the construction of an ADU and JADU shall not trigger a requirement for fire sprinklers to be installed in the existing primary dwelling, in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314, or as amended.
c. A permanent foundation shall be required for all detached ADUs. d. Connection to Street. No passageway shall be required in conjunction with the construction of an ADU, unless such a connection is mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, or other state or federal safety code or standard. A passageway is a pathway that is unobstructed and clear to the sky and that extends from the street to the door of the ADU.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

8. Nonconforming Zoning Conditions. The correction of nonconforming zoning conditions, building code violations, or unpermitted structures that do not present a threat to public health and safety and are not affected by the construction of the ADU or JADU shall not be required for the approval of an application for the creation of an ADU or JADU in accordance with California Government Code Sections 66322 and 66336, or as amended.

C. ADU Regulations. The following provisions apply to all ADUs, except for “State Exempt ADUs” in accordance with Government Code Section 66323 et seq. or as amended which are only subject to the provisions provided in subsection (B) and (E) of this section. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and another section of the Newark Municipal Code, the provisions of this section shall prevail. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and the California Government Code, including without limitation California Government Code Sections 66314 through 66332 or as amended, the provisions of the applicable California Government Code shall prevail.

1. Permitted Location. Except as otherwise prohibited by this section, ADUs shall be allowed on lots with a proposed or existing primary dwelling in any zoning district that allows residential use including a singleunit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development.

2. Number of ADUs Allowed.
a. Lots with a Single-Unit Dwelling. A maximum of one detached or attached ADU shall be permitted with an existing or proposed single-unit dwelling.
b. Lots with a Two-Unit Dwelling and Multi-Unit Development. See subsection (E) of this section.

3. Building Height. ADUs must adhere to the following height requirements, in accordance with California Government Code Section 66321, or as amended:
a. A conversion ADU shall not exceed the height of the existing structure from which it was converted. b. An attached ADU shall not exceed the building height standards for the zoning district applicable to the primary dwelling on the lot. An attached ADU may not exceed two stories. c. A detached ADU shall not exceed twenty feet in height.

4. Setbacks.
a. Conversion ADU. No setbacks shall be required when an existing structure (e.g. garage, shed, or guest house) or existing living area is converted to an ADU, or where an ADU is constructed in the same location and to the same dimensions as an existing structure on a lot with a proposed or existing singleunit dwelling, two-unit dwelling, or multi-unit development in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314, or as amended.
b. A detached or attached ADU shall be setback a minimum of four feet from side and rear property lines.

For corner lots, a detached or attached ADU shall be setback a minimum of four feet from street side property lines. The minimum front setback requirement of the underlying zoning district shall apply to a detached and attached ADU, except for an ADU of eight hundred square feet or less where no alternative location on the lot exists in accordance with California Government Code Section 66321, or as amended.
c. A detached and attached ADU shall comply with the allowed projections into yards requirement pursuant to NMC Section 17.17.090.

5. Size. The maximum allowable floor area for an ADU shall not exceed the square footage limitations specified below. For the purposes of this section, the calculation of floor area for an ADU shall not include garages, carports, covered porches/patios, breezeways, and/or other accessory structures. a. Conversion ADU. An ADU converted from the proposed space of a single-family dwelling or existing space of a single-family dwelling or accessory structure shall not be subject to any size limitations.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

b. Attached ADUs. The total floor area for an attached ADU shall not exceed 1,000 square feet. c. Detached ADUs. The total floor area for a detached ADU shall not exceed 1,200 square feet.

6. Design. ADUs, except for State Exempt ADUs in accordance with California Government Code Section 66323 et seq. or as amended and subsection (E) of this section, must adhere to the following objective design standards below:
a. A detached ADU shall incorporate exterior wall and roof colors that are the same as the primary dwelling. An attached ADU shall incorporate exterior wall and roof materials and colors that are the same as the primary dwelling.
b. Entrances and outside stairways to an ADU shall not be located on the front wall planes facing a public street of the primary dwelling.
c. All exterior lighting shall be directed downwards and comply with NMC Section 17.17.060 – Lighting and Illumination.
d. Second story windows or transparent doors facing an adjoining lot with an existing single-family dwelling or ADU and within five feet of the property line shall not overlap any portion of existing windows into adjacent bedrooms of the residential structure unless any of the following methods are provided:
i. Second story windows or transparent doors have obscured glazing. ii. Second story windows with clear glass are permitted if the bottom of the window sill is a minimum of five feet above the finished second floor.
e. Second story balconies or decks facing an adjoining lot with an existing single-family dwelling or ADU shall not be located within ten feet of the property line. The railing shall be a minimum of forty-two inches in height and shall be a minimum 50% opaque (e.g., frosted glass, balusters, spindles, or pickets).

This standard prevails over the applicable standards in NMC Section 17.17.090 - Projections into yards and required building separations.

7. Other Development Standards.
a. ADUs Greater than Eight Hundred Square Feet in Floor Area. i. Any ADU greater than eight hundred square feet in floor area shall comply with the applicable minimum front setback requirement and minimum landscaping requirement of the underlying zoning district.
ii. If an ADU is located on a lot with a two-unit dwelling and multi-unit development, then the ADU shall comply with the applicable minimum open space requirement of the underlying zoning district.

8. Garage Conversions.
a. An attached or detached garage may be converted into an ADU. b. No replacement parking for the primary dwelling is required for a garage conversion into an ADU in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314, or as amended. If replacement parking is proposed for the primary dwelling, it shall conform to all applicable standards in NMC Title 17- Zoning, which includes the standards of the underlying zoning district and NMC Chapter 17.23 – Parking and Loading.
c. Unless the following standards preclude the development of the ADU, the conversion of a garage to an ADU shall include the removal of the garage door. The garage door shall be replaced with an exterior wall with one or more windows and shall incorporate exterior wall materials and colors that are the same as the primary dwelling.

9. Parking.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

a. No off-street parking spaces shall be required for an ADU. Any off-street parking space proposed for an ADU shall be subject to review and approval for consistency with NMC Title 17- Zoning and California Government Code Section 66314 et seq, or as amended.
b. When a garage, carport, covered parking structure, or uncovered parking space is demolished in conjunction with the construction of an ADU or converted to an ADU, no replacement parking is required in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314, or as amended. c. A demolition permit for a detached garage that is to be replaced with an ADU will be reviewed with the application for the ADU and issued concurrently, in accordance with California Government Code Section 66314, or as amended.

D. JADU Regulations. The following provisions apply to all JADUs. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and another section of the Newark Municipal Code, the provisions of this section shall prevail. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and the California Government Code, including without limitation California Government Code Sections 66333 through 66339, as may be amended, the provisions of the applicable California Government Code shall prevail.

1. Permitted Location. A JADU shall be permitted on a lot with a proposed or existing single-unit dwelling.

2. Number of JADU Allowed. A maximum of one JADU shall be permitted entirely within the walls of a proposed or existing space of a single-unit dwelling. For purposes of this requirement, enclosed spaces within the single-unit dwelling, such as attached garages, are considered a part of the proposed or existing single-unit dwelling. The JADU may not be expanded beyond the existing dimensions of the single-unit dwelling and may not be allowed within an accessory structure. A JADU is permitted even if an ADU already exists on the property.

3. Size. The total floor area of the JADU shall not exceed five hundred square feet.

4. Unit Access. The JADU shall include a separate entrance from the main entrance to the proposed or existing single-unit dwelling, in accordance with California Government Code Section 66333, or as amended. Unless the following standards preclude the development of the JADU, the entrance and outside stairway to the JADU shall not be located on the front wall planes facing a public street of the single-unit dwelling.

5. Deed Restriction. A deed restriction, which shall run with the land, shall be filed and recorded with the county for a JADU prior to the issuance of a building permit and shall include the following:
a. A prohibition of the sale of the JADU separate from the sale of the single-unit dwelling, including a statement that the deed restriction may be enforced against future purchasers; and b. A restriction on the size and attributes of the JADU that conforms with California Government Code Section 66333, or as amended.

6. Sanitation. A JADU may include a bathroom or may share bathroom facilities within the single-family dwelling.
a. If a JADU does not include a separate bathroom, the JADU shall include a separate entrance from the main entrance to the single-family dwelling, with an interior entry to the main living area in accordance with California Government Code Section 66333, or as amended.

7. Kitchen. The JADU shall include an efficiency kitchen, which shall include all of the following:
a. A cooking facility with appliances
b. A food preparation counter and storage cabinets that are of reasonable size in relation to the size of the JADU.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

8. Parking. No additional parking shall be required as a condition to grant a permit for a JADU in accordance with California Government Code Section 66334, or as amended. No replacement parking is required for garage conversion into a JADU.

9. Building and Fire Code Requirements. For the purposes of any fire or life protection ordinance or regulation, a JADU shall not be considered a separate dwelling unit as described in California Government Code Section 66337, or as amended. No fire wall separation or noise attenuation measures are required between the single-unit dwelling and the JADU.

E. State Exempt ADUs. State Exempt ADUs refers to ADUs and JADUs that are created pursuant to California Government Code Section 66323, or as amended. State Exempt ADUs shall be subject to ministerial review and approval if it creates any of the following:

1. Lots with a Single-Unit Dwelling are permitted to contain the following ADUs:
a. Single-Unit Converted ADUs and JADUs.
i. One conversion ADU per lot shall be permitted within the proposed space of a single-unit dwelling or existing space of a single-unit dwelling or accessory structure. ii. One JADU per lot shall be permitted entirely within the walls of a proposed or existing space of a single-unit dwelling. For purposes of this requirement, enclosed spaces within the single-unit dwelling, such as attached garages, are considered a part of the proposed or existing single-unit dwelling. The JADU may not be expanded beyond the existing dimensions of the single-unit dwelling and may not be allowed within an accessory structure. iii. A conversion ADU and JADU must have exterior access and sufficient side and rear setbacks for fire and safety.
iv. An ADU converted from an existing space of a single-unit dwelling or accessory structure is eligible for a one hundred fifty square-foot expansion to accommodate ingress and egress. v. A JADU must also comply with the provisions of JADU Law found in California Government Code Sections 66333 through 66339, or as amended.
b. Single-Unit Detached ADU.
i. One detached, new construction ADU that complies with the height requirements per subsection (C)(3) and setback requirements per subsection (C)(4) shall be permitted on lots with an existing or proposed single-unit dwelling.
ii. The maximum floor area for a detached ADU shall be eight hundred square feet.

2. Lots with a Two-Unit Dwelling and Multi-Unit Development are permitted to contain the following ADUs:
a. Two-Unit and Multi-Unit Converted ADUs.
i. Up to twenty-five percent of the number of existing units on the two-unit dwelling or multiunit development, but no less than one ADU, shall be permitted to be converted within portions of the existing two-unit dwelling or multi-unit development that are not used as livable space, including, but not limited to, storage rooms, boiler rooms, passageways, attics, basements, or garages, if each unit complies with the state building standards for dwellings.
ii. Livable space is defined as space in a dwelling intended for human habitation, including living, sleeping, eating, cooking, or sanitation.
b. Two-Unit and Multi-Unit Detached ADUs.
i. A maximum of two detached ADUs shall be permitted on a lot with a proposed two-unit dwelling or multi-unit development project.
ii. A maximum of eight detached ADUs shall be permitted on a lot with an existing two-unit dwelling and multi-unit development, not to exceed the number of existing units on the lot.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:28 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

iii. Two-unit and multi-unit detached ADUs shall comply with the height requirements per subsection (C)(3) and setback requirements per subsection (C)(4). iv. If the existing two-unit dwelling and multi-unit development has a rear or side setback of less than four feet, the local agency shall not require any modification of the existing two-unit dwelling and multi-unit development as a condition of approving the application to construct an ADU that satisfies the requirements of this paragraph.

F. Pre-Approved ADU Program. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65852.27, or as amended, city shall maintain an application and process for the preapproval of detached ADUs. City shall accept ADU plan submissions for preapproval from design professionals (designers, architects, builders, and other qualified professionals) and shall approve or deny applications pursuant to standards established in California Government Code Sections 66314 through 66332, or as amended. City shall post preapproved ADU plans and the contact information of the applicant on the city’s website.

Created: 2025‐03‐28 09:21:31 [EST]
(Supp. No. 23)

17.45.010 Residential uses.

Residential housing types:

Single-unit dwelling, detached. A dwelling unit that is designed for occupancy by one household with private yards on all sides. This classification includes individual manufactured housing units.

Single-unit dwelling, attached. A dwelling unit that is designed for occupancy by one household located on a separate lot from any other unit (except an accessory dwelling unit, where permitted), and is attached through common walls to one or more dwellings on abutting lots. An attached single-unit dwelling is sometimes called a "townhouse" or a "condominium".

Two-unit dwelling. A residential building containing two dwelling units, both of which are located on a single parcel (also referred to as a "duplex" or "two-flat".) The dwelling units are attached and may be located on separate floors or side-by-side.

Multi-unit development. Three or more attached or detached dwelling units on a single lot. Types of multi-unit development include townhouses, multiple detached residential units, and apartment buildings.

Accessory dwelling unit. An attached or detached residential dwelling unit that is subordinate to a principal dwelling unit on the same lot, and that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons.

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU), as described in California Government Code Section 66313 or as amended, is accessory to a primary dwelling on the same lot and has complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. The type of ADUs includes a conversion ADU, attached ADU, and detached ADU as described in NMC Section 17.26.040(B)(1). A junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU), as described in California Government Code Section 66313 or as amended, is an accessory dwelling unit that is no more than 500 square feet in floor area and contained entirely within the walls of an existing or proposed single-unit dwelling.

Caretaker unit. A dwelling unit on the site of a commercial, industrial, public or semi-public use, occupied by employees and their immediate families employed for the purpose of on-site management, maintenance, or upkeep. Also business guests/employees on temporary assignment are allowed to reside in the unit.

Family day care. A day care facility licensed by the State of California, located in a residential unit where resident of the dwelling provides care and supervision for children under the age of eighteen for periods of less than twenty-four hours a day.

Small. A facility that provides care for eight or fewer children, including children who reside at the home and are under the age of ten.

Large. A facility that provides care for seven to fourteen children, including children who reside at the home and are under the age of ten.

Group residential. Shared living quarters without separate kitchen or bathroom facilities for each room or unit, offered for rent for permanent or semi-transient residents on a weekly or longer basis. This classification includes rooming and boarding houses, dormitories and other types of organizational housing, private residential clubs, and extended stay hotels intended for long-term occupancy (thirty days or more) but excludes hotels, motels, and residential care facilities.

Residential care facilities. A facility licensed by the State of California to provide living accommodations, twenty-four-hour care for persons requiring personal services, supervision, protection, or assistance with daily tasks. Amenities may include shared living quarters, with or without a private bathroom or kitchen facilities. This classification includes those both for and not-for-profit institutions, but excludes supportive housing and transitional housing.

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(Supp. No. 23)

Small. A facility that is licensed by the State of California to provide care for six or fewer persons.

Large. A facility that is licensed by the State of California to provide care for more than six persons.

Residential facility, assisted living. A facility that provides a combination of housing and supportive services for the elderly or functionally impaired, including personalized assistance, congregate dining, recreational, and social activities. These facilities may include medical services. Examples include assisted living facilities, retirement homes, and retirement communities. These facilities typically consist of individual units or apartments, with or without kitchen facility, and common areas and facilities. The residents in these facilities require varying levels of assistance.

Single room occupancy. A residential facility where living accommodations are individual secure rooms, with or without separate kitchen or bathroom facilities for each room, are rented to one or two-person households for a weekly or monthly period of time. This use classification is distinct from a hotel or motel, which is a commercial use.

Supportive housing. Dwelling units with no limit on length of stay, that are occupied by the target population as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 53260 of the California Health and Safety Code, and that are linked to onsite or offsite services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, where possible, work in the community.

Transitional housing. Transitional housing is housing that has a predetermined end point in time, and operated under a program that requires the termination of assistance, in order to provide another eligible program recipient to the service. The program length is usually no less than six months. (Ord. No. 503, § 1(Exh. A), 1-25-2018)

Type of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Conversion ADU An interior conversion of area within an existing or proposed primary dwelling, including attached garages, storage areas or similar spaces, or an existing accessory structure. This includes a garage Conversion ADU.

Attached ADU A newly constructed attached unit to the primary dwelling.

Detached ADU A newly constructed detached unit or an addition to an existing detached accessory structure.

Junior ADU
(JADU)
A Junior ADU (JADU) is an accessory dwelling unit that is no more than 500 square feet in floor area and contained entirely within the walls of an existing or proposed single-unit dwelling.

State Exempt
ADUs
ADUs created pursuant to Government Code Section 66323, which includes a Conversion ADU, Detached ADU, and JADU. These types of ADUs can be combined as allowed by the residential use of the site and lot conditions.

Detached ADUs greater than 800 square feet and Attached ADUs are not considered State-Exempt ADUs.

Number of State Exempt ADUs Allowed, per lot
Single Family Use Lots Multi-Family Use Lots
 One Conversion ADU, plus
 One JADU, plus
 One Detached ADU (less than
800 square feet)
Lots with
Existing MultiFamily Use
Lots with
Proposed MultiFamily Use
 One Conversion
ADU, a
minimum of
one unit, a
maximum of
25% of the
existing number
of multi-family
units, plus
 Up to eight
Detached ADUs
not to exceed
the number of
existing units.
 Up to two
Detached ADUs
ADU Incentives Table
State Law Proposed Amendments ADU Incentives Purpose
Height Attached ADUs
 25 feet or height limitation of
primary dwelling, whichever is
less.

Detached ADUs
 16 feet.
 18 feet, if:
o Within ½ mile of major
transit plus an additional 2
feet to allow roof pitch to
match the primary
dwelling's height.
o On multifamily, multi-story
lots.

Conversion ADU
 Must be no taller than the existing
structure.

Attached ADU
 Must comply with the building
height limits set for the primary
dwelling's zoning district and
can't be more than two stories.

Detached ADU
 No taller than 20 feet.

Increases the height
limitations for
Detached ADUs
from 16 feet
or 18 feet (if within ½
mile of major transit)
to 20 feet.

Increasing the height
limitations for
Detached ADUs
allows design flexibility
for two-story ADUs;
thus, creating more
functional units.

Size Conversion ADU
 Not subject to unit size
requirements.

Attached or Detached ADU
 850 square feet; or
 1,000 square feet for ADUs
with more than one bedroom.

Conversion ADU
 Not subject to any size
limitations.

Attached ADUs
 1,000 square feet.

Detached ADUs
 1,200 square feet*.
*Alternative Size Option
 Lot less than 10,000 square feet:
1,000 square feet.
 Lots 10,000 square feet or
greater: 1,200 square feet.

Increases the size
limitations
from 850 square feet
to 1,000
square feet for
Attached ADUs and
from 1,000 square
feet to 1,200 square
feet for Detached
ADUs.

Increasing the size
limitations allows for a
larger ADU to be built to
accommodate a larger
family household. This
would potentially
increase the housing
stock and owner
income potential.

The increased size
limitations are
consistent with the ADU
size allowances in cities
within the Tri-City area.

State Law Proposed Amendments ADU Incentives Purpose
2 Design A local agency may impose
objective development and
design standards for ADUs,
except State Exempt ADUs, with
an adopted ADU Ordinance.
 Includes objective design
standards for ADUs, except for
State Exempt ADUs.
 Eliminates the Design Review
requirement for 2nd story ADU
additions.
 Addresses privacy concerns
regarding 2nd story windows,
transparent doors, balconies, and
decks.
 Addresses lighting concerns.
 Maintains neighborhood
compatibility.

Eliminates Design
Review for 2nd story
ADU additions, which
allows for ministerial
review.

Eliminating the Design
Review requirement
allows for a streamlined
approach without
discretionary review.

The objective design
standards would still
apply for ADUs, except
for State Exempt ADUs.

Other
Development
Standards
Local agencies must allow the
construction of an ADU of at
least 800 square feet, with side
and rear setbacks of 4 feet,
regardless of their local rules on
lot coverage, floor area ratio,
open space, front setbacks, and
minimum lot size.

For ADUs greater than 800 square
feet:
 No lot coverage requirements.
 Need to comply with front
setback and landscaping
requirements of the underlying
zoning district.
 On a lot with a two-unit dwelling
and multi-unit development,
need to comply with the open
space requirement of the
underlying zoning district.

Eliminates lot
coverage
requirements for
ADUs greater than
800 square feet.

Removal of lot coverage
requirements
eliminates a barrier
from proposing a larger,
functional size ADU.

State Law Proposed Amendments ADU Incentives Purpose
3 Parking  One parking space per ADU or
per bedroom, whichever is
less.
 ADUs are exempt from parking
requirements if it qualifies for
any instances listed in
Government Code section
66322.
 No off-street parking spaces shall
be required for an ADU.
 Includes option of providing an
off-street parking space subject
to zoning and permitting
requirements.

Eliminates off-street
parking requirements.
 Removal of the offstreet parking
requirements
implements Housing
Element Programs
H2.2 and H3.5.
 This simplifies ADU
parking standards,
reducing construction
costs, and minimizing
the amount of space
needed to construct
an ADU.

Impact Fees  No impact fees shall be
applied to ADUs that are less
than 750 square feet.
 Impact fees for ADUs that are
750 square feet or more shall
be charged proportionately to
the square footage of the
primary dwelling unit.
 No impact fees shall be applied
to an ADU that has a floor area of
800 square feet or less.
 Impact fees for an ADU that has a
floor area of more than 800
square feet shall be charged
proportionately in relation to the
floor area square footage of the
primary dwelling unit.

Increases the floor
area square footage
threshold for ADUs
from “less than 750
square feet” to “800
square feet or less” to
not be subject to
impact fee.

The exemption  would
allow the ADU to be
built without the
additional impact
fee expense. An 800-
square-foot ADU could
accommodate two
bedrooms.

JADU -
Permitted
Location
Limits the number of JADU to
one per residential lot zoned for
single-family residences with a
single-family residence built, or
proposed to be built, on the lot.

A JADU shall be permitted on a lot
with a proposed or existing singleunit dwelling.

JADU to be permitted
on a lot with a
proposed or existing
single-unit dwelling,
regardless of the
zoning district.

Increases ADU
production by
promoting JADUs to be
easily constructed in a
proposed or existing
single-unit dwelling
without having to limit
on lots zoned for a
single-unit dwelling.

ADU Zoning Text Amendment
(Z2025-002)
January 22, 2026
City Council Meeting
Joseph Balatbat, Associate Planner
It is our mission to serve and partner with our community to continually enhance the quality of life of everyone in Newark 1 Introduction
City of Newark
• Joseph Balatbat, Associate Planner
• Art Interiano, Deputy Community Development Director
Consultant
• Curtis Banks, Urban Planning Partners, Inc.
2 Agenda

1. Overview

2. Accessory Dwelling Units

3. Proposed Zoning Text Amendment

4. California Environmental Quality Act Exemption

5. Staff Recommendation

6. Questions
3 Key Acronyms
Key Acronyms to Follow:
• NMC = Newark Municipal Code
• ADU = Accessory Dwelling Unit
• JADU = Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit
• CEQA = California Environmental Quality Act
4 Overview
Zoning Text Amendment
• Amend NMC Chapter 17.26, §17.26.040,
Accessory Dwelling Units, to modify the
development standards for ADUs and
JADUs.
• Amend NMC Chapter 17.45, §17.45.010,
Residential Uses, to update the use
classification for ADUs and JADUs
Prior Amendment
• The City Council adopted Ordinance No.
528 on February 2021.

Purpose
• Update the existing ADU Ordinance to
comply with State law.
• Update the use classification for ADUs
and JADUs.
• Provide incentives for the development
of ADUs to implement Housing
Element programs related to ADUs.
• Simplify the ADU zoning code text.
5 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Source: Alameda County ADU Resource Center (https://www.adu.acgov.org/) Type of ADUs
• Attached ADU: A newly constructed
attached unit to the primary dwelling.
• Converted ADU: An interior conversion of
area within an existing or proposed primary
dwelling or an existing accessory structure.
• Detached ADU: A newly constructed
detached unit or an addition to an existing
detached accessory structure.
• JADU: A unit that is no more than 500
square feet in size and contained entirely
within a single-family residence.
6 State Legislation - ADUs
• Since major State legislation took
effect in 2016, the number of ADUs
permitted and built continues to
increase in California.
• ADUs offer an affordable and more
accessible housing option in more
expensive areas, serving an
important need.

ADU Permits by Year in California 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 7 Newark - ADUs
8 2023-2031 Housing Element - ADUs
2023-2031 Housing Element
• 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA):
1,874 units.
• Housing Element policies and programs related to ADUs include:
o Policy H2.2: Second Units.
o Program H2.2: ADU Program.
 Facilitate the Development of More Homes for More
People.
o Program H3.5: Parking Standards Update and Study.
 Reduce and Remove Constraints to Affordable Housing
Development.
9 2023-2031 Housing Element - ADUs
Program H2.2: ADU Program
• Quantified Objectives:
 160 ADUs are constructed during the Housing Element cycle (2023-2031).  To date, 40 ADUs have been constructed since 2023 and 74 permitted.  Further increase ADU production through the following activites:
 Update the ADU ordinance and create incentives.
 Coordinate with the Alameda County ADU Resource Center.  Create and Maintain a Pre-Approved ADU Program.
10 Program H3.5: Parking Standards Update and Study
• Quantified objectives:
 Includes removing parking requirements for ADUs.

Proposed Zoning Text Amendment
• Compliance with State law.
(New legislation covers development standards
(e.g., height, setbacks, lot coverage, size, and
parking) and permitting process criteria).
• Implement the City’s Housing Element ADU
policies and programs.
• Development of incentives for ADUs.
11 Source: Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/newsletter/2023-03-29/how-to-decide-whether-to-build-anadu-in-california-you-do-adu) ADU Use Classification State Compliance: ADU Use Classification State Law Proposed Amendment
• State law provides definitions for an ADU
and JADU.
• Revised the use classification for ADUs
(NMC §17.45.010) to be:
o Consistent with the State’s definition
of an ADU; and
o To include the definition of a JADU.
12 State Exempt ADUs
State Compliance: State Exempt ADUs
State Law Proposed Amendment
• Allows the creation of “State Exempt
ADUs” into four categories and can be
combined as follows:
1) Single-Family Converted ADUs and
JADUs;
2) Single-Family Detached ADUs;
3) Multifamily Converted ADUs; and
4) Multifamily Detached ADUs.
• Must be approved ministerially.
• No additional local or State standards may
be applied.
• Incorporates the State Exempt ADU
requirements.
13 State Exempt ADUs
State Compliance: State Exempt ADUs
State Law
Lots with a Single-Family Dwelling Lots with a Multifamily Dwelling Single-Family Converted ADUs and JADUs:
• One conversion ADU
• One JADU
Single-Family Detached ADU:
• One detached ADU:
o Subject to 4’ side & rear setbacks.
o Subject to State law height limitations.
o Up to 800 square feet.

Multifamily Converted ADUs:
• Up to 25% of the number of existing units
on the multifamily dwelling, but no less
than one ADU.

Multifamily Detached ADUs:
• Lot with Proposed MF: 2 detached ADUs.
• Lot with Existing MF: 8 detached ADUs,
not to exceed the number of existing units
on the lot.
o Subject to 4’ side & rear yard setbacks.
o Subject to State law height limitations.
14 SetbacksState Compliance: Setbacks
State Law Proposed Amendment
• No setback shall be required for an existing
living area or accessory structure or a
structure constructed in the same location
and to the same dimensions as an existing
structure that is converted to an ADU.
• Local agencies may apply front yard
setbacks for ADUs if it does not preclude
an ADU of at least 800 square feet.

Conversion ADU:
• No setback requirements.

Attached or Detached ADU:
• Minimum of 4’ from side & rear property
lines.
• For corner lots, a minimum of 4’ from
street side property lines.
• Front setback of the underlying zoning
applies, except for an ADU of 800 square
feet or less where no alternative location
on the lot exists.
• Shall comply with the allowed projections
into yards requirement (NMC§17.17.090).
15 ADU Incentive: Height
ADU Incentive: Height
State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
Attached ADU:
• 25’ or height limitation of primary
dwelling, whichever is lower.
• Shall not require a local agency to
allow over two stories.

Detached ADU:
• 16’ on SF/MF lots.
• 18’ on SF/MF lots:
o If within ½ mile of a major transit
stop or a high-quality transit
corridor. Must allow an
additional 2’ if roof pitch aligns
with primary dwelling unit.
o If on multi-story multifamily lots.

Conversion ADU:
• Must be no taller than
the existing structure.

Attached ADU:
• Must comply with the
building height limits set
for the primary
dwelling's zoning district
and can't be more than
two stories.

Detached ADU:
• No taller than 20’.
• Increasing the
height limitations
for detached ADUs
allows for a loft
design or twostories to be built.
16 ADU Incentive: Size
ADU Incentive: Size
State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
Conversion ADU:
• Not subject to unit size
requirements.

Attached or Detached
ADU:
• 850 square feet; or
• 1,000 square feet for
ADUs with more than
one bedroom.

Conversion ADU:
• Not subject to any size limitations.

Attached ADUs:
• 1,000 square feet.

Detached ADUs:
• 1,200 square feet*.
*Alternative option:
• Lot less than 10,000 square feet:
1,000 square feet.
• Lots 10,000 square feet or greater:
1,200 square feet
• Increasing the size
limitations allows
for a family size ADU
to be built.
17 ADU Incentive: Design ADU Incentive: Design
State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
• A local agency may
impose objective
development and
design standards for
ADUs with an adopted
ADU Ordinance.
• Does not include State
Exempt ADUs.
• Includes objective design standards for
ADUs, except for State Exempt ADUs.
• Eliminates the design review
requirement for 2nd story ADU
additions.
• Addresses privacy concerns regarding
2nd story windows, transparent doors,
balconies, and decks.
• Addresses lighting concerns.
• Maintains neighborhood compatibility.
• Eliminating design
review allows for a
streamlined
process without
discretionary
review.
18 State Exempt ADUs
ADU Incentive: Design
Proposed Amendment
• Detached ADU: Match exterior wall and roof colors to the primary dwelling. • Attached ADU: Match exterior wall and roof materials and colors to the primary dwelling. • Entrances & Outside Stairways: Not located on the front wall planes facing a public street of the primary dwelling.
• Exterior Lighting: Directed downwards and comply with NMC Section 17.17.060. • 2nd Story Windows or Transparent Doors: If faces an adjoining lot with an existing SF dwelling or ADU and within 5’ of the property line, it can’t overlap any portion of existing windows into adjacent bedrooms of the residential structure unless:
o Have obscured glazing.
o 2nd story windows with clear glass are permitted if the bottom of the window sill is a minimum of 5’ above the finished 2nd floor.
• 2nd Story Balconies or Decks: If faces an adjoining lot with an existing SF dwelling or ADU, it can’t be located within 10’ of the property line. Railing needs to be a minimum of 42” in height and a minimum 50% opaque.
19 ADU Incentive: Other Development Standards
ADU Incentive: Other Development Standards
State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
• Local agencies must allow
the construction of an ADU
of at least 800 square feet,
with side & rear setbacks of
4 feet, regardless of their
local rules on lot coverage,
floor area ratio, open
space, front setbacks, and
minimum lot size.

ADUs greater than 800 square feet:
• No lot coverage requirements.
• Need to comply with front setback
& landscaping requirements of the
underlying zoning district.
• On a lot with a two-unit dwelling
and multi-unit development, need
to comply with the open space
requirement of the underlying
zoning district.
• Removal of lot
coverage
eliminates a
barrier from
proposing a
reasonable size
ADU.
20 ADU Incentive: Parking
ADU Incentive: Parking
State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
• One parking space per
ADU or per bedroom,
whichever is less.
• ADUs are exempt from
parking requirements if it
qualifies for any of the
following instances listed
in Government Code
section 66322.
• Eliminating off-street
parking requirements.
• Includes option of
providing an off-street
parking space subject to
zoning and permitting
requirements.
• Removal of the off-street
parking requirements
implements Housing
Element Programs H2.2
and H3.5.
• This simplifies ADU
parking standards,
reducing construction
costs, and minimizing the
amount of space needed
to construct an ADU.
21 ADU Incentive: Impact Fees ADU Incentive: Impact Fees State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
• No impact fees shall be
applied to ADUs that are less
than 750 square feet.
• Impact fees for ADUs that
are 750 square feet or more
shall be charged
proportionately to the square
footage of the primary
dwelling unit.
• No impact fees shall be applied
to an ADU that has a floor area
of 800 square feet or less.
• Impact fees for an ADU that has
a floor area of more than 800
square feet shall be charged
proportionately in relation to the
floor area square footage of the
primary dwelling unit.
• Allows a reasonable
size ADU to be built
that could include at
least two bedrooms
without the burden
of paying for impact
fees.
22 ADU Incentive: JADU Regulations – Permitted Location ADU Incentive: JADU Regulations – Permitted Location State Law Proposed Amendment ADU Incentive
• Limits the number of JADU
to one per residential lot
zoned for single-family
residences with a singlefamily residence built, or
proposed to be built, on
the lot.
• Allowing a JADU to be
permitted on a lot with a
proposed or existing
single-unit dwelling,
regardless of the zoning
designation.
• Increases ADU production
by promoting JADUs to be
easily constructed in a
proposed or existing
single-unit dwelling
without having to limit on
lots zoned for a single-unit
dwelling.
23 ADU Incentives - Recap

1. Height: Increases the height limitations for detached ADUs to 20’.

2. Size: Increases the size limitations to 1,000 square feet for attached ADUs and 1,200 square feet for detached ADUs.

3. Design: Eliminates design review for 2nd story ADU additions, which allows for ministerial review.

4. Other Development Standards: Eliminates lot coverage requirements for ADUs greater than 800 square feet.

5. Parking: Eliminates off-street parking requirements.

6. Impact Fees: Increases the square footage threshold for ADUs to a floor area of “800 square feet or less” to not be subject to impact fees.

7. JADU Regulations – Permitted Location: JADU to be permitted on a lot with a proposed or existing single-unit dwelling, regardless of the zoning district. 24 CEQA Exemption
• The proposed Zoning Text Amendment is exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines:
§15061 (Review for Exemption),
§15183 (Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning), §15282 (Other Statutory Exemptions),
§15378 (Project),
§15268 (Ministerial Projects), and
California Public Resources Code §21083.3.
• The proposed Zoning Text Amendment can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the adoption of this Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment.
25 Staff Recommendation
• Staff recommends that the City Council consider the following action:
oAdopt the Draft Ordinance, thereby approving Z2025-002, a Zoning Text Amendment to Title 17 (Zoning) of the Newark Municipal Code to amend Chapter

17.26, §17.26.040, ADUs, generally affecting development standards for the construction of ADUs and JADUs, and to amend Chapter 17.45, §17.45.010, Residential Uses, generally affecting the use classification for ADUs and JADUs. 26 Questions
Questions
27 Item  F. 1.

DATE 01/22/2026
TO Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM Roya Gonzalez, Strategic Initiatives Manager
SUBJECT    Presentation of the 2025 Community Survey Results SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive a presentation on the 2025 Community Survey Results. This item is informational only.

BACKGROUND
In 2023, the City partnered with ETC Institute to conduct its first statistically valid community survey. The survey provided baseline data on resident satisfaction with City services, safety, and overall quality of life. Overall, the 2023 survey results indicated that residents generally evaluated many aspects of Newark positively. The survey also enabled the City to benchmark its performance against state and national averages and identify priority areas for focus.

To continue measuring performance over time and monitor changes in resident perceptions, the City contracted with ETC Institute to conduct a second statistically valid community survey in 2025. The 2025 survey was designed to track changes from the 2023 baseline, identify emerging community needs, and continue benchmarking the City’s performance against other jurisdictions.

Using the same survey methodology as 2023, ETC Institute mailed surveys to a random sample of Newark households and made the survey available in the five most commonly spoken languages in Newark: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Chinese. A total of 422 completed surveys were returned, resulting in a margin of error of ±4.7 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

ETC Institute confirmed that the 2025 respondent sample was both demographically and geographically representative of the Newark community. The map of Newark below is provided for reference and illustrates the geographic distribution of survey respondents across the City. Areas with limited or no response points primarily reflect commercial or undeveloped areas.

The demographic profile of survey respondents closely aligns with the 2020 U.S.

Census data for Newark. A comparative demographic table is included below.

Demographics
Race/Ethnicity Survey
Sample
2020 U.S.

Census
Asian or Asian Indian 43.1% 43.1%
Hispanic or Latino 28.4% 28.6%
White Non-Hispanic 19.9% 18.7%
Black or African American 3.1% 3.7%
Native Hawaiian or other
Pacific Islander

1.7% 1.6%
American Indian or Alaska
Native

0.7% 0.8%

DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS
Following completion of ETC Institute’s quality control process and data analysis, the 2025 Community Survey results were tabulated and compared to the City’s 2023 baseline results, as well as to applicable state and national benchmarks. Overall, the 2025 results demonstrate positive resident perceptions of Newark, with broad improvements across many key measures since the 2023 survey.

In 2025, 83 percent of respondents rated Newark as an “excellent” or “good” place to live, 76 percent as a place where they feel welcome, and 65 percent as a place to raise children. Each of these ratings represents an increase compared to 2023 and demonstrates sustained satisfaction across key quality-of-life indicators.

When compared to the 2023 survey results, 57 of the 66 areas measured in 2025 showed increased ratings. Of those, 40 areas experienced statistically significant increases, indicating improvements across a majority of surveyed categories.

Representative examples include a 7.3 percent increase in perceptions of the professionalism of police officers and a 7.5 percent increase in satisfaction with access to finance and budget information, reflecting improvements in both public safety services and transparency.

Of the 66 areas measured, only two saw statistically significant decreases (differences exceeding the 4.7 percent margin of error): accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities, which decreased by 7.2 percent, and overall quality of solid waste services, which decreased by 6.9 percent.

Satisfaction with the overall quality of City services in 2025 continues to compare favorably to state and national benchmarks. A total of 45 survey items were directly comparable to California and National averages. Newark rated above the California average in 36 of the 45 items and above the national average in 37 of the 45 items, demonstrating strong performance relative to peer jurisdictions. Notable areas include the overall quality of police services, the quality of customer service provided by City employees, and how welcoming the City is to people from diverse backgrounds.

The Importance–Satisfaction (I-S) analysis is a key tool used to identify service areas where improvements would most effectively enhance overall resident satisfaction. This analysis is based on the premise that prioritizing services that are rated as highly important but have relatively lower satisfaction levels can yield the greatest gains.

Based on the 2025 I-S results, the top opportunities for improvement include the following areas, three of which experienced statistically significant increases in overall satisfaction from 2023 to 2025:

1. Overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure Overall efforts by the City to ensure the community is prepared for emergencies and disasters

2. 3. Overall flow of traffic on City streets

4. Overall quality of City parks and recreation facilities

5. Overall quality of City planning, building, and development services Since receiving the survey results, staff have begun developing action plans to address the priority areas identified above and to inform future planning efforts, budget development, and service delivery improvements. Staff have also identified areas where additional external communication may be beneficial to increase awareness of existing or planned initiatives.

ETC Institute will present the detailed survey findings, explain the benchmarking methodology and Importance–Satisfaction analysis, and respond to questions.  The presentation is attached to this staff report.

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.

ENVIRONMENTAL/PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW
REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Prepared by — Roya Gonzalez, Strategic Initiatives Manager Reviewed by — Lenka Hovorka, Assistant City Manager
Reviewed by — Krysten Lee, Finance Director
Reviewed by — Kristopher J. Kokotaylo, City Attorney
Reviewed by — David J. Benoun, City Manager
Attachments
2025 Community Survey Report
2025 Community Survey Presentation
2025 City of Newark
Community Survey
Findings Report
Presented to the City of Newark,
California
November 2025
Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................... i Section 1: Charts and Graphs ..................................................1 Section 2: Benchmarking Analysis .................................... 45 Section 3: Importance-Satisfaction Analysis .................. 55 Section 4: Tabular Data ......................................................... 63 Section 5: Survey Instrument ............................................107 Executive Summary
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page i ETC Institute (2025) Page ii

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Purpose
ETC Institute administered a survey to residents of the City of Newark, California during the fall of 2025.

The purpose of the survey was to gather resident opinion and feedback in order to evaluate and improve City services and determine the needs of residents. This is the second community survey ETC Institute has administered for the City of Newark; the first was conducted in 2023.

Methodology
The six-page survey, cover letter and postage-paid return envelope were mailed to a random sample of households in the City of Newark. The cover letter explained the purpose of the survey and encouraged residents to either return their survey by mail or complete the survey online. After the surveys were mailed, ETC Institute sent emails to the households that received the survey to encourage participation.

The emails contained a link to the online version of the survey to make it easy for residents to complete the survey.

To prevent people who were not residents of Newark from participating, everyone who completed the survey online was required to enter their home address prior to submitting the survey. ETC Institute then matched the addresses that were entered online with the addresses that were originally selected for the random sample. If the address from a survey completed online did not match one of the addresses selected for the
sample, the online survey
was not counted.

A total of 422 residents
completed the survey. The
overall results for the sample
of 422 households have a
precision of at least +/-4.7%
at the 95% level of
confidence. To understand
how well services are being
delivered in different areas of
the City, ETC Institute
geocoded the home address
of respondents to the survey.

The map to the right shows
the physical distribution of
respondents to the survey
based on the location of their
home.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page iii
2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
The percentage of “don’t know” responses has been excluded from many of the graphs shown in this report to facilitate valid comparisons of the results from the City of Newark with the results from other communities where ETC Institute has conducted a resident survey. Since the number of “don’t know” responses often reflects the utilization and awareness of City services, the percentage of “don’t know” responses has been provided in the tabular data section of this report. When the “don’t know” responses have been excluded, the text of this report will indicate that the responses have been excluded with the phrase “who had an opinion.”
This report contains:
• An executive summary of the methodology for administering the survey and major findings, • charts showing the overall results for all questions on the survey (Section 1) • benchmarking data that show how the City’s results compare to other communities nationally and regionally (Section 2)
• Importance-Satisfaction analysis; this analysis was done to determine priority actions for the City to address based upon the survey results (Section 3)
• tables that show the results of the random sample for each question on the survey (Section 4) • a copy of the cover letter and survey instrument (Section 5) Major Findings
Overall Ratings of the City. Eighty-three percent (83%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, rated the City of Newark as an “excellent” or “good” place to live (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale); 76% gave the City “excellent” or “good” ratings as a place where they feel welcome, and 65% rated Newark as an “excellent” or “good” place to raise children.

Perceptions of the Community. Seventy-one percent (71%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, indicated they were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with how welcoming the City is to people from diverse backgrounds; 66% were satisfied with their overall feeling of safety in the city; 65% were satisfied with the quality of life in the city, and 56% were satisfied with the overall quality of services provided by the city.

Satisfaction with Major City Services. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the overall quality of fire services; 75% were satisfied with the overall quality of police services; 63% were satisfied with the quality of customer service they receive from city employees, and 60% were satisfied with the overall quality of solid waste services.

Based on the sum of their top three choices, the major city services residents thought were most important for the city to emphasize over the next two years were: 1) maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure, 2) quality of police services, and 3) quality of parks and recreation facilities. 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page iv

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Public Safety Perceptions. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the professionalism of police officers; 81% were satisfied with the overall quality of 911/dispatch services; 77% were satisfied with how quickly police respond to emergencies, and 73% were satisfied with the overall effectiveness of local police protection.

Based on the sum of their top three choices, the public safety services residents thought were most important for the city to emphasize over the next two years were: 1) the city’s overall efforts to prevent crime, 2) the visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods, and 3) the overall effectiveness of local police protection.

Streets and Sidewalks. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the maintenance of street signs and traffic signals; 59% were satisfied with the overall maintenance of the stormwater maintenance system; 57% were satisfied with the accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities, and 54% were satisfied with the overall maintenance of city medians.

Based on the sum of their top three choices, the street and sidewalk services residents thought were most important for the city to emphasize over the next two years were: 1) maintenance of major city streets, 2) maintenance of neighborhood streets, and 3) condition of sidewalks in the city.

Code Enforcement. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the overall professionalism of code enforcement officers; 41% were satisfied with the enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property, and 38% were satisfied with the enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property.

Based on the sum of their top two choices, the code enforcement services residents thought were most important for the city to emphasize over the next two years were: 1) enforcement of the cleanup of trash and debris on private property and 2) enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets.

Parks and Recreation Facilities. Eighty percent (80%) of the residents surveyed indicated their household visited parks or recreation facilities offered by the City of Newark during the past year. Of those, 63% who had an opinion were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with outdoor athletic fields; 62% were satisfied with the maintenance of city parks, and 58% were satisfied with park amenities such as picnic areas, playgrounds, basketball, and tennis courts.

Parks and Recreation Programming. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of the residents surveyed indicated their household participated in recreation programming or special events offered by the City of Newark during the past year. Of those, 81% who had an opinion were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the ease of registering for programs; 79% were satisfied with the customer service they received by recreation staff, and 78% were satisfied with the quality of city-sponsored events. 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page v

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Communications and Community Engagement. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) the content of the city’s newsletter; 56% were satisfied with the availability of information about city programs and services, and 50% were satisfied with access to information about City Council, Commission and committee meetings.

Based on the sum of their top three choices, the communication and community engagement services residents thought were most important for the city to emphasize over the next two years were: 1) efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues, 2) availability of information about city programs and services, and 3) opportunity to engage in improvements in neighborhoods.

Customer Service. Seventy-three percent (73%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the overall courtesy and professionalism of City staff; 73% were satisfied with how fairly they were treated by City staff, and 66% were satisfied with the overall knowledge and expertise of City staff.

Ease of Travel. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of the residents surveyed, who had an opinion, were satisfied (rating of 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) with the ease of travel by automobile on city streets, and 58% were satisfied with the ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on sidewalks.

Other Findings
• Based on the sum of their top three choices, the sources of communication residents most prefer to learn about city news, events, programs, or activities are: 1) Newark News, 2) social media, and 3) the city website.
• Based on the sum of their top three choices, the community investment areas that residents think are most important for the City to pursue are: 1) maintaining streets and sidewalks, 2) upgrading city parks, playground equipment, and restrooms, and 3) improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page vi

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Trends Since 2023
Satisfaction levels increased in 57 of the 66 areas that were assessed in both the 2023 and 2025 surveys. The City of Newark showed significant increases (5% or more) in 40 of these areas. The tables below and on the following page show the changes in satisfaction since the 2023 survey.

Service 2023 2025 Difference Category
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 42.9% 62.7% 19.8% Public Safety Perceptions Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 33.6% 52.6% 19.0% Public Safety Perceptions Overall effectiveness of local police protection 54.4% 73.0% 18.6% Public Safety Perceptions Overall feeling of safety in the city 50.0% 66.0% 16.0% Perceptions of the Community Availability of information about city programs and services 40.2% 55.6% 15.4% Communication & Community Engagement Enforcement of local traffic laws 46.4% 61.4% 15.0% Public Safety Perceptions Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 42.1% 55.1% 13.0% Public Safety Perceptions Timeliness of information provided by the city 33.9% 46.7% 12.8% Communication & Community Engagement How quickly police respond to emergencies 64.9% 77.4% 12.5% Public Safety Perceptions Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues 37.2% 49.7% 12.5% Communication & Community Engagement City departments use of social media 32.4% 44.9% 12.5% Communication & Community Engagement Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 59.6% 71.3% 11.7% Public Safety Perceptions Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 26.7% 38.0% 11.3% Code Enforcement Access to information about City Council, Commission and committee meetings 38.5% 49.7% 11.2% Communication & Community Engagement Overall image of the city 42.0% 52.8% 10.8% Perceptions of the Community Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 38.6% 49.4% 10.8% Major Categories of City Services Content of the city's newsletter 56.5% 67.2% 10.7% Communication & Community Engagement Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 47.6% 58.0% 10.4% Code Enforcement As a place to retire 46.8% 57.2% 10.4% Overall Ratings of the City Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 70.6% 80.8% 10.2% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of customer service you receive from city employees 53.1% 63.3% 10.2% Major Categories of City Services Overall value you receive for your city tax dollars and fees 31.4% 41.2% 9.8% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of life in the city 54.9% 64.5% 9.6% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of city police services 65.4% 74.5% 9.1% Major Categories of City Services As a place where you would buy your next home 37.6% 46.0% 8.4% Overall Ratings of the City Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 43.0% 51.1% 8.1% Major Categories of City Services Overall quality of city planning, building, and development 33.3% 41.3% 8.0% Major Categories of City Services Overall usefulness of city website 37.9% 45.8% 7.9% Communication & Community Engagement Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 27.6% 35.4% 7.8% Communication & Community Engagement Access to finance and budget information 28.8% 36.3% 7.5% Communication & Community Engagement Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 33.7% 41.2% 7.5% Code Enforcement
Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 51.6% 58.9% 7.3% Major Categories of City Services Professionalism of police officers 77.7% 85.0% 7.3% Public Safety Perceptions 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page vii

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Trends Since 2023 (cont.)
Service 2023 2025 Difference Category
As a place to live 76.5% 83.0% 6.5% Overall Ratings of the City Overall quality of services provided by the city 49.8% 56.2% 6.4% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of animal control services 51.3% 57.6% 6.3% Public Safety Perceptions Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property 30.5% 36.2% 5.7% Code Enforcement Overall flow of traffic on city streets 49.0% 54.4% 5.4% Major Categories of City Services Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 53.2% 58.6% 5.4% Streets and Sidewalks As a place where I feel welcome 70.9% 76.2% 5.3% Overall Ratings of the City Overall quality of fire services 80.3% 85.1% 4.8% Major Categories of City Services Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private property 26.4% 30.9% 4.5% Code Enforcement Adequacy of city street lighting 42.7% 47.1% 4.4% Streets and Sidewalks Flow of traffic on city streets 45.0% 49.2% 4.2% Streets and Sidewalks Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 24.0% 27.7% 3.7% Code Enforcement Overall quality of city trees 52.8% 56.3% 3.5% Major Categories of City Services Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 25.8% 29.2% 3.4% Communication & Community Engagement Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure 46.4% 49.5% 3.1% Streets and Sidewalks Ease of paying bills on the city's website 45.7% 48.7% 3.0% Communication & Community Engagement Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals 61.8% 64.2% 2.4% Streets and Sidewalks Ease of travel by public transportation 34.7% 36.9% 2.2% Ease of Travel Overall maintenance of city medians 51.7% 53.6% 1.9% Streets and Sidewalks Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets 32.6% 34.5% 1.9% Code Enforcement Ease of travel by bicycle on streets 47.9% 49.3% 1.4% Ease of Travel As a place to raise children 63.7% 64.9% 1.2% Overall Ratings of the City How well the city is managing growth 36.4% 37.5% 1.1% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 56.3% 57.0% 0.7% Major Categories of City Services Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure 37.1% 37.0% -0.1% Major Categories of City Services Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 46.1% 45.4% -0.7% Streets and Sidewalks Condition of sidewalks in the city 42.3% 41.2% -1.1% Streets and Sidewalks As a place to work 53.8% 51.4% -2.4% Overall Ratings of the City Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on sidewalks 60.8% 58.2% -2.6% Ease of Travel Maintenance of major city streets 41.9% 38.9% -3.0% Streets and Sidewalks Ease of travel by automobile on city streets 72.6% 68.1% -4.5% Ease of Travel Overall quality of solid waste services 66.5% 59.6% -6.9% Major Categories of City Services Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities 63.8% 56.6% -7.2% Streets and Sidewalks 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page viii

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
How the City of Newark Compares to Other Communities Regionally Satisfaction ratings for the City of Newark rated above the California average in 37 of the 45 areas that were assessed. Newark rated significantly higher than the California average (difference of 5% or more) in 29 of these areas. Listed below are the comparisons between the City of Newark and the California average:

Service Newark California Difference Category
How quickly police respond to emergencies 77.4% 44.5% 32.9% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of city police services 74.5% 42.2% 32.3% Major Categories of City Services Overall effectiveness of local police protection 73.0% 42.2% 30.8% Public Safety Perceptions As a place to live 83.0% 53.3% 29.7% Overall Ratings of the City Overall quality of customer service you receive from city employees 63.3% 35.1% 28.2% Major Categories of City Services Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 58.9% 31.5% 27.4% Major Categories of City Services How welcoming City is to people from diverse backgrounds 70.6% 45.6% 25.0% Perceptions of the Community City's overall efforts to prevent crime 62.7% 40.1% 22.6% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of fire services 85.1% 62.6% 22.5% Major Categories of City Services Enforcement of local traffic laws 61.4% 41.5% 19.9% Public Safety Perceptions As a place to retire 57.2% 38.6% 18.6% Overall Ratings of the City Overall feeling of safety in the city 66.0% 47.7% 18.3% Perceptions of the Community Overall flow of traffic on city streets 54.4% 37.4% 17.0% Major Categories of City Services Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 49.4% 33.2% 16.2% Major Categories of City Services Overall quality of solid waste services 59.6% 44.8% 14.8% Major Categories of City Services Overall quality of animal control services 57.6% 42.8% 14.8% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of services provided by the city 56.2% 41.6% 14.6% Perceptions of the Community Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals 64.2% 49.9% 14.3% Streets and Sidewalks Availability of information about city programs and services 55.6% 42.9% 12.7% Communication & Community Engagement Overall value you receive for your city tax dollars and fees 41.2% 29.3% 11.9% Perceptions of the Community Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 55.1% 43.4% 11.7% Public Safety Perceptions Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities 56.6% 45.5% 11.1% Streets and Sidewalks Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 58.6% 47.6% 11.0% Streets and Sidewalks Overall image of the city 52.8% 42.5% 10.3% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 57.0% 47.9% 9.1% Major Categories of City Services Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 51.1% 42.1% 9.0% Major Categories of City Services As a place to raise children 64.9% 57.6% 7.3% Overall Ratings of the City Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues 49.7% 42.9% 6.8% Communication & Community Engagement Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure 37.0% 31.7% 5.3% Major Categories of City Services City departments use of social media 44.9% 40.8% 4.1% Communication & Community Engagement Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure 49.5% 46.1% 3.4% Streets and Sidewalks Timeliness of information provided by the city 46.7% 43.4% 3.3% Communication & Community Engagement How well the city is managing growth 37.5% 34.7% 2.8% Perceptions of the Community Condition of sidewalks in the city 41.2% 38.5% 2.7% Streets and Sidewalks As a place to work 51.4% 49.9% 1.5% Overall Ratings of the City Overall usefulness of city website 45.8% 44.9% 0.9% Communication & Community Engagement Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 45.4% 44.7% 0.7% Streets and Sidewalks Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 35.4% 35.6% -0.2% Communication & Community Engagement Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 41.2% 41.9% -0.7% Code Enforcement As a place where you would buy your next home 46.0% 47.9% -1.9% Overall Ratings of the City Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property 36.2% 40.0% -3.8% Code Enforcement Adequacy of city street lighting 47.1% 53.2% -6.1% Streets and Sidewalks Maintenance of major city streets 38.9% 45.1% -6.2% Streets and Sidewalks Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 38.0% 46.6% -8.6% Code Enforcement Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private property 30.9% 46.5% -15.6% Code Enforcement 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page ix

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
How the City of Newark Compares to Other Communities Nationally Satisfaction ratings for the City of Newark rated above the U.S. average in 36 of the 45 areas that were assessed. Newark rated significantly higher than the U.S. average (difference of 5% or more) in 28 of these areas. Listed below are the comparisons between the City of Newark and the U.S. average:

Service Newark U.S. Difference Category
As a place to live 83.0% 54.7% 28.3% Overall Ratings of the City How quickly police respond to emergencies 77.4% 51.7% 25.7% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of city police services 74.5% 49.0% 25.5% Major Categories of City Services Overall quality of customer service you receive from city 63.3% 38.0% 25.3% Major Categories of City Services Overall effectiveness of local police protection 73.0% 49.0% 24.0% Public Safety Perceptions How welcoming City is to people from diverse backgrounds 70.6% 47.6% 23.0% Perceptions of the Community Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 58.9% 37.2% 21.7% Major Categories of City Services Overall quality of fire services 85.1% 68.0% 17.1% Major Categories of City Services City's overall efforts to prevent crime 62.7% 46.0% 16.7% Public Safety Perceptions Enforcement of local traffic laws 61.4% 46.6% 14.8% Public Safety Perceptions Overall quality of services provided by the city 56.2% 42.9% 13.3% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of animal control services 57.6% 45.7% 11.9% Public Safety Perceptions Availability of information about city programs and services 55.6% 44.1% 11.5% Communication & Community Engagement Overall flow of traffic on city streets 54.4% 43.2% 11.2% Major Categories of City Services Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities 56.6% 46.2% 10.4% Streets and Sidewalks Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 58.6% 48.5% 10.1% Streets and Sidewalks As a place to retire 57.2% 47.3% 9.9% Overall Ratings of the City Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals 64.2% 54.4% 9.8% Streets and Sidewalks Overall quality of solid waste services 59.6% 50.1% 9.5% Major Categories of City Services Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 49.4% 39.9% 9.5% Major Categories of City Services Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure 49.5% 40.2% 9.3% Streets and Sidewalks Overall feeling of safety in the city 66.0% 57.3% 8.7% Perceptions of the Community Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 57.0% 48.3% 8.7% Major Categories of City Services Overall value you receive for your city tax dollars and fees 41.2% 32.7% 8.5% Perceptions of the Community As a place to raise children 64.9% 56.7% 8.2% Overall Ratings of the City Overall image of the city 52.8% 44.6% 8.2% Perceptions of the Community Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues 49.7% 42.0% 7.7% Communication & Community Engagement Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 51.1% 44.3% 6.8% Major Categories of City Services Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 55.1% 50.3% 4.8% Public Safety Perceptions As a place to work 51.4% 46.7% 4.7% Overall Ratings of the City Timeliness of information provided by the city 46.7% 42.3% 4.4% Communication & Community Engagement Overall usefulness of city website 45.8% 42.4% 3.4% Communication & Community Engagement City departments use of social media 44.9% 42.0% 2.9% Communication & Community Engagement Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 45.4% 43.2% 2.2% Streets and Sidewalks Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 35.4% 34.7% 0.7% Communication & Community Engagement How well the city is managing growth 37.5% 37.4% 0.1% Perceptions of the Community Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure 37.0% 37.5% -0.5% Major Categories of City Services Condition of sidewalks in the city 41.2% 42.8% -1.6% Streets and Sidewalks Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 41.2% 44.7% -3.5% Code Enforcement
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 38.0% 42.1% -4.1% Code Enforcement As a place where you would buy your next home 46.0% 50.5% -4.5% Overall Ratings of the City Maintenance of major city streets 38.9% 43.5% -4.6% Streets and Sidewalks Adequacy of city street lighting 47.1% 52.4% -5.3% Streets and Sidewalks Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property 36.2% 42.5% -6.3% Code Enforcement Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private property 30.9% 43.1% -12.2% Code Enforcement 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page x

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
Investment Priorities
Recommended Priorities. In order to help the City identify investment priorities for the future, ETC Institute conducted an Importance‐Satisfaction (I‐S) analysis. This analysis examined the importance residents placed on each City service and the level of satisfaction with each service. By identifying services of high importance and low satisfaction, the analysis identified which services will have the most impact on overall satisfaction with City services in the future. If the City wants to improve its overall satisfaction rating, the City should prioritize investments in services with the highest Importance Satisfaction (I‐S) ratings. Details regarding the methodology for the analysis are provided in Section 3 of this report.

Overall Priorities for the City by Major Category. This analysis reviewed the importance of and satisfaction with major categories of City services. This analysis was conducted to help set the overall priorities for the City. Based on the results of this analysis, the services that are recommended as the top priorities in order to raise the City’s overall satisfaction rating are listed below:
• Maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure (I-S = 0.3900) • Efforts by the city to ensure community is prepared for emergencies/disasters (I-S = 0.1345)
• Flow of traffic on city streets (I-S = 0.1290)
• Quality of city parks and recreation facilities (I-S = 0.1286) • Quality of city planning, building, and development (I-S = 0.1197) The table on the following page shows the Importance-Satisfaction rating for all 12 major categories of City services that were rated.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page xi

2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Executive Summary
2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
City of Newark, CA
Major Categories of City Services
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating
I-S Rating
Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and
infrastructure 62% 1 37% 12 0.3900 1
High Priority (IS .10-.20)
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 28% 5 51% 9 0.1345 2 Overall flow of traffic on city streets 28% 4 54% 8 0.1290 3 Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 30% 3 57% 6 0.1286 4 Overall quality of city planning, building, and development 20% 6 41% 11 0.1197 5 Medium Priority (IS <.10)
Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 19% 7 49% 10 0.0977 6 Overall quality of city police services 32% 2 75% 2 0.0803 7 Overall quality of city trees 18% 9 56% 7 0.0765 8
Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 18% 8 59% 5 0.0719 9 Overall quality of solid waste services 16% 10 60% 4 0.0646 10 Overall quality of fire services 11% 11 85% 1 0.0161 11 Overall quality of customer service you receive from city employees 4% 12 63% 3 0.0158 12
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
1 Charts and Graphs
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 1 30%
33%
21%
21%
15%
19%
53%
43%
44%
36%
37%
28%
12%
19%
21%
24%
30%
26%
5%
4%
11%
11%
12%
11%
1%
1%
3%
8%
7%
17%
As a place to live
As a place where I feel welcome
As a place to raise children
As a place to retire
As a place to work
As a place where you would buy your next home
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Excellent Good Neutral Below Average Poor
Q1. Overall Ratings of the City of Newark by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 2

76.5%

70.9%

63.7%

46.8%

53.8%

37.6%

83.0%

76.2%

64.9%

57.2%

51.4%

46.0%
As a place to live
As a place where I feel welcome
As a place to raise children
As a place to retire
As a place to work
As a place where you would buy your next home

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Overall Ratings of the City of Newark
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 3
38%
28%
25%
19%
14%
19%
17%
13%
15%
13%
11%
11%
47%
46%
39%
41%
45%
38%
40%
42%
36%
37%
31%
26%
14%
20%
28%
24%
26%
22%
24%
20%
38%
30%
32%
20%
1%
4%
6%
11%
11%
15%
14%
17%
10%
15%
15%
26%
3%
2%
5%
4%
6%
6%
9%
2%
6%
12%
17%
Overall quality of fire services
Overall quality of city police services
Overall quality of customer service you receive fr
Overall quality of solid waste services
Overall effectiveness of city communication with t
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facil
Overall quality of city trees
Overall flow of traffic on city streets
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your communi
Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances
Overall quality of city planning, building, and de
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, an
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q2. Satisfaction With Major Categories of City Services by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities Overall quality of customer service you receive
from city employees
Overall effectiveness of city communication
with the public
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community
is prepared for emergencies/disasters
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks,
and infrastructure
Overall quality of city planning, building, and
development services
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 4

80.3%

65.4%

53.1%

66.5%

51.6%

56.3%

52.8%

49.0%

43.0%

38.6%

33.3%

37.1%

85.1%

74.5%

63.3%

59.6%

58.9%

57.0%

56.3%

54.4%

51.1%

49.4%

41.3%

37.0%
Overall quality of fire services
Overall quality of city police services
Overall quality of customer service you receive fr
Overall quality of solid waste services
Overall effectiveness of city communication with t
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facil
Overall quality of city trees
Overall flow of traffic on city streets
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your communi
Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances
Overall quality of city planning, building, and de
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, an

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Major Categories of City Services 2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Overall quality of customer service you receive
from city employees
Overall effectiveness of city communication
with the public
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community
is prepared for emergencies/disasters
Overall quality of city planning, building, and
development services
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks,
and infrastructure
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 5
62%
32%
30%
28%
28%
20%
19%
18%18%
16%
11%
4%
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, an
Overall quality of city police services
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facil
Overall flow of traffic on city streets in your co
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your communi
Overall quality of city planning, building, and de
Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances
Overall effectiveness of city communication with t
Overall quality of city trees
Overall quality of solid waste services
Overall quality of fire services
Overall quality of customer service you receive fr
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q3. Which THREE services do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years?
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and
infrastructure
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities Overall quality of city planning, building, and
development services
Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public Overall quality of customer service you receive from
city employees
Overall flow of traffic on city streets in your community 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 6
Q4. Respondents Who Have Done the Following in Newark
by percentage of respondents who answered “yes”
64%
33%
30%
Contacted a City employee by email, phone, or in-p
Watched a public meeting online
Attended a public meeting in-person or virtually
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Contacted a City employee by email, phone,
or in-person
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 7
27%
17%
15%
12%
13%
9%
8%
8%
44%
49%
49%
44%
40%
33%
30%
30%
26%
22%
25%
32%
26%
32%
47%
34%
3%
11%
7%
10%
17%
17%
11%
19%
1%
2%
4%
2%
5%
9%
4%
9%
How welcoming City is to people from diverse backg
Overall feeling of safety in the city
Overall quality of life in the city
Overall quality of services provided by the city
Overall image of the city
Overall value you receive for your city tax dollar
Overall availability of services for vulnerable re
How well the city is managing growth
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q5. Satisfaction With Perceptions of the Community
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Overall value you receive for your city tax dollars and fees How welcoming City is to people from diverse backgrounds Overall availability of services for vulnerable residents 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 8

50.0%

54.9%

49.8%

42.0%

31.4%

36.4%

66.0%

64.5%

56.2%

52.8%

41.2%

37.5%
Overall feeling of safety in the city
Overall quality of life in the city
Overall quality of services provided by the city
Overall image of the city
Overall value you receive for your city tax dollar
How well the city is managing growth

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Perceptions of the Community
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Overall value you receive for your city
tax dollars and fees
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 9
36%
35%
29%
22%
22%
15%
15%
17%
16%
13%
49%
45%
48%
51%
49%
48%
47%
41%
39%
40%
14%
17%
16%
21%
19%
22%
25%
27%
29%
36%
1%
1%
4%
5%
8%
11%
11%
8%
11%
11%
1%
1%
2%
2%2%
4%
3%
7%
6%
1%
Professionalism of police officers
Overall quality of 911/dispatch services
How quickly police respond to emergencies
Overall effectiveness of local police protection
Overall quality of police performance in your neig
City's overall efforts to prevent crime
Enforcement of local traffic laws
Overall quality of animal control services
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q6. Satisfaction With Public Safety Perceptions
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Overall quality of police performance in your
neighborhood
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with
the public to address concerns
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 10

77.7%

70.6%

64.9%

54.4%

59.6%

42.9%

46.4%

51.3%

42.1%

33.6%

85.0%

80.8%

77.4%

73.0%

71.3%

62.7%

61.4%

57.6%

55.1%

52.6%
Professionalism of police officers
Overall quality of 911/dispatch services
How quickly police respond to emergencies
Overall effectiveness of local police protection
Overall quality of police performance in your neig
City's overall efforts to prevent crime
Enforcement of local traffic laws
Overall quality of animal control services
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Public Safety Perceptions
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Overall quality of police performance in
your neighborhood
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate
with the public to address concerns
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 11
65%
46%
32%
32%
27%
26%
20%
12%
9%
8%
City's overall efforts to prevent crime
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods
Overall effectiveness of local police protection
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate
How quickly police respond to emergencies
Enforcement of local traffic laws
Overall quality of police performance in your neig
Overall quality of animal control services
Overall quality of 911/dispatch services
Professionalism of police officers
0% 20% 40% 60%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q7. Which THREE public safety services do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with
the public to address concerns
Overall quality of police performance in your
neighborhood
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 12
15%
14%
17%
15%
14%
9%
11%11%
10%
9%
49%
45%
40%
39%
36%
41%
36%
34%
32%
30%
24%
28%
25%
26%
33%
28%
28%
23%
23%
23%
8%
9%
12%
15%
9%
17%20%
17%
25%
20%
4%
4%
7%
5%
8%
6%
5%
15%
10%
19%
Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance syst
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
Overall maintenance of city medians
Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure
Flow of traffic on city streets
Adequacy of city street lighting
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood
Condition of sidewalks in the city
Maintenance of major city streets
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q8. Satisfaction With Streets and Sidewalks
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
with disabilities
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 13

61.8%

53.2%

63.8%

51.7%

46.4%

45.0%

42.7%

46.1%

42.3%

41.9%

64.2%

58.6%

56.6%

53.6%

49.5%

49.2%

47.1%

45.4%

41.2%

38.9%
Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance syst
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
Overall maintenance of city medians
Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure
Flow of traffic on city streets
Adequacy of city street lighting
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood
Condition of sidewalks in the city
Maintenance of major city streets

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Streets and Sidewalks
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
with disabilities
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 14
54%
42%
42%
33%
32%
19%
18%
17%
13%
11%
Maintenance of major city streets
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood
Condition of sidewalks in the city
Adequacy of city street lighting
Flow of traffic on city streets
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance syst
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
Overall maintenance of city medians
Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure
Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q9. Which THREE street and sidewalk services do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with
disabilities
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 15
16%
6%
5%
7%
7%
5%
6%
42%
35%
33%
30%
27%
26%
21%
31%
35%
35%
33%
31%
34%
33%
7%
17%
18%
20%
21%
22%
25%
4%
7%
9%
11%
13%
13%
14%
Overall professionalism of code enforcement office
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on pri
Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on priv
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q10. Satisfaction With Code Enforcement
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
business property
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private
property
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
property
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private
property
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or
other areas
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 16

47.6%

33.7%

26.7%

30.5%

32.6%

26.4%

24.0%

58.0%

41.2%

38.0%

36.2%

34.5%

30.9%

27.7%
Overall professionalism of code enforcement office
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on pri
Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on priv
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Code Enforcement
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
business property
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on
private property
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
property
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds
on private property
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns
or other areas
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 17
47%
36%
30%
23%
23%
20%
8%
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on pri
Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on priv
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
Overall professionalism of code enforcement office
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
1st Choice 2nd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top two choices Q11. Which TWO code enforcement services do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on
private property
Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns
or other areas
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/
business property
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
property
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on
private property
Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 18
Q12. Have you interacted with the Planning, Building, or Engineering Departments to obtain a permit within the
last five years?
Yes
27%
No
73%
by percentage of respondents
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 19
Q12a. What department did you contact most recently?
Planning
32%
Building
57%
Engineering
5%
Other
6%
by percentage of respondents who answered “yes” to Question 12 (excluding "not provided”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 20
Q12b. Overall Satisfaction With Experience Working With the Department Contacted Most Recently
Very Satisfied
37%
Satisfied
30%
Neutral
14%
Dissatisfied
10%
Very Dissatisfied
10%
by percentage of respondents who selected a department in Question 12a 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 21
Q13. Have you or any members of your household visited
any parks or recreation facilities offered by the City of Newark during the past year?
Yes
80%
No
20%
by percentage of respondents
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 22
18%
18%
16%
15%
15%
9%
46%
44%
42%
41%
38%
27%
21%
21%
20%
31%
36%
41%
10%
13%
16%
10%
7%
16%
6%
4%
7%
3%
5%
7%
Outdoor athletic fields
Maintenance of city parks
Park amenities such as picnic areas, playgrounds,
Fees charged for facility memberships
Fees charged for facility rentals
Art in public spaces
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q13a. Satisfaction With Parks and Recreation Facilities by percentage of respondents who answered "yes" to Question 13 (excluding “not applicable/no experience”) Park amenities such as picnic areas, playgrounds,
basketball, and tennis courts
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 23
Q14. Have you or any members of your household
participated in any recreation programming or special
events offered by the City of Newark during the past year? Yes
38%
No
62%
by percentage of respondents
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 24
25%
22%
31%
17%
15%
16%
18%
19%
56%
57%
47%
50%
50%
47%
44%
40%
16%
17%
16%
21%
29%
30%
28%
30%
2%
4%
4%
9%
3%
6%
9%
10%
2%
2%
3%
2%
1%
2%
2%
Ease of registering for programs
Customer service received by recreation staff
Quality of City-sponsored events
Quality of youth recreation programs
Quality of instructors
Quality of senior recreation programs and services
Fees charged for recreation programs
Quality of adult recreation programs
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q14a. Satisfaction With Parks and Recreation Programming by percentage of respondents who answered “yes” to Question 14 (excluding “not applicable/no experience”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 25
20%
12%
14%
12%
16%
9%
10%
10%
9%
8%
6%
47%
44%
36%
38%
33%
37%
36%
35%
27%
28%
24%
24%
29%
37%
28%
45%
35%
41%
42%
47%
41%
40%
6%
12%
10%
17%
4%
13%
9%
9%
11%
16%
21%
3%
4%
3%
5%
3%
5%
4%
4%
6%
7%
9%
Content of the city's newsletter
Availability of information about city programs an
Access to information about City Council, Commissi
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed abo
Ease of paying bills on the city's website
Timeliness of information provided by the city
Overall usefulness of city website
City departments use of social media
Access to finance and budget information
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighb
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q15. Satisfaction With Communication and
Community Engagement
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Availability of information about city programs and services Access to information about City Council, Commission
and committee meetings
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
made by elected officials
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 26

56.5%

40.2%

38.5%

37.2%

45.7%

33.9%

37.9%

32.4%

28.8%

27.6%

25.8%

67.2%

55.6%

49.7%49.7%

48.7%

46.7%

45.8%

44.9%

36.3%

35.4%

29.2%
Content of the city's newsletter
Availability of information about city programs an
Access to information about City Council, Commissi
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed abo
Ease of paying bills on the city's website
Timeliness of information provided by the city
Overall usefulness of city website
City departments use of social media
Access to finance and budget information
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighb

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Communication and
Community Engagement - 2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Access to information about City Council, Commission
and committee meetings
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about
local issues
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
made by elected officials
Availability of information about city programs and services 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 27
50%
35%
33%
24%
22%
19%
17%
14%
11%
10%
5%
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed abo
Availability of information about city programs an
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighb
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
Access to information about City Council, Commissi
Timeliness of information provided by the city
Access to finance and budget information
The content of the city's newsletter
Overall usefulness of city website
City departments use of social media
Ease of paying bills on the city's website
0% 15% 30% 45% 60%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q16. Which THREE communication and community engagement services do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years?
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about
local issues
Availability of information about city programs
and services
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my
neighborhood
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions
made by elected officials
Access to information about City Council, Commission
and committee meetings
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 28
Q17. Ways Respondents Learn About Newark Programs,
News, Activities, and Events
by percentage of respondents (multiple selections could be made) 67%
48%
40%
36%
35%
33%
31%
6%6%
4%
Newark News
Social media
City website
Word of mouth from friends & family
Flyer/signage
Hear about it from neighbors
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines
Newark Chamber of Commerce
TextMyGov
Hear about it at work or in professional settings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 29
64%
52%
39%
33%
28%
11%
11%
9%
5%
1%
Newark News
Social media
City website
Flyer/signage
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines
Hear about it from neighbors
TextMyGov
Word of mouth from friends & family
Newark Chamber of Commerce
Hear about it at work or in professional settings
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q18. Which THREE sources do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about City news, events, programs, or activities?
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 30
28%
28%
24%
21%
17%
20%
18%
18%
45%
45%
42%
40%
43%
38%
37%
35%
23%
24%
30%
30%
30%
28%
26%
31%
2%
2%
2%
6%
7%
8%
12%
11%
2%
1%
2%
3%
3%
7%
8%
6%
Overall courtesy and professionalism of City staff
How fairly you were treated by City staff
Overall knowledge and expertise of City staff
The clarity and ease of use of the information rec
How easy it was to contact the person you needed t
Overall satisfaction with the overall outcome of y
The timeliness it took to complete your request
The ability of City staff to fully resolve your re
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q19. Satisfaction With Customer Service
The clarity and ease of use of the information
received from City staff
How easy it was to contact the person you needed
to reach
Overall satisfaction with the overall outcome of
your request or concern
The ability of City staff to fully resolve your request by percentage of respondents (excluding “not applicable/no experience”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 31
21%
16%
14%
9%
47%
42%
35%
28%
16%
24%
26%
35%
12%
13%
15%
15%
4%
5%
9%
13%
Ease of travel by automobile on city streets
Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on si
Ease of travel by bicycle on streets
Ease of travel by public transportation
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Q20. Satisfaction With Ease of Travel
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on sidewalks 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 32

72.6%

60.8%

47.9%

34.7%

68.1%

58.2%

49.3%

36.9%
Ease of travel by automobile on city streets
Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on si
Ease of travel by bicycle on streets
Ease of travel by public transportation

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Satisfaction With Ease of Travel
2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on sidewalks 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 33
68%
52%
58%
44%
46%
34%
35%
33%
26%
27%
37%
31%
44%
28%
39%
35%
34%
33%
4%
9%
10%
9%
21%
23%
23%
25%
20%
1%
2%
1%
4%
6%
4%
7%
8%
21%
Maintaining streets and sidewalks
Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestio
Upgrading city parks, playground equipment, and re
Improving pedestrian access and safety along city
Adding city street and park trees
Adding recreational programming
Upgrading street medians
Upgrading aging city buildings
Improving bicycle access and safety on city roads
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very Supportive Supportive Not Sure Not Supportive
Q21. Support for Investing City Resources in Each of
the Following Areas
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion
Upgrading city parks, playground equipment,
and restrooms
Improving pedestrian access and safety along
city roads
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 34

96.2%

91.0%

90.7%

88.5%

80.4%

77.9%

74.1%

67.5%

63.2%

94.6%

89.1%

88.9%

87.2%

73.2%

73.0%

70.1%

66.6%

59.0%
Maintaining streets and sidewalks
Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestio
Upgrading city parks, playground equipment, and re
Improving pedestrian access and safety along city
Adding city street and park trees
Adding recreational programming
Upgrading street medians
Upgrading aging city buildings
Improving bicycle access and safety on city roads

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
2023 2025
TRENDS: Support for Investing City Resources in Each
of the Following Areas - 2023 vs. 2025
by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 3 or 4 on a 4-point scale (excluding “don’t know”) Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion
Upgrading city parks, playground equipment,
and restrooms
Improving pedestrian access and safety along city roads 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 35
60%
48%
45%
41%
20%
19%
17%
15%
14%
Maintaining streets & sidewalks
Upgrading City parks, playground equipment, & rest
Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestio
Improving pedestrian access & safety along City ro
Adding City streets & park trees
Improving bicycle access & safety on City roads
Upgrading aging City buildings
Adding recreational programming
Upgrading street medians
0% 20% 40% 60%
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices Q22. Which THREE of the community investment areas do
you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to pursue?
Upgrading city parks, playground equipment,
and restrooms
Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion
Improving pedestrian access and safety along city roads 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 36
Q24. Do you think you will be living in Newark, CA
five years from now?
Yes
86%
No
14%
by percentage of respondents (excluding "not provided") 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 37
Q25. Do you own or rent your current residence?
Own
81%
Rent
19%
by percentage of respondents (excluding "not provided") 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 38
Q26. Approximately how many years have you lived
in Newark?
0-5
10% 6-10
14%
11-15
10%
16-20
7%
21-30
17%
31+
42%
by percentage of respondents (excluding "not provided”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 39
43%
28%
20%
3%
2%
1%
2%
Asian or Asian Indian
Hispanic or Latino
White Non-Hispanic
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
American Indian or Alaska Native
Other
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Q27. Which of the following best describes your race
or ethnic background?
by percentage of respondents (multiple selections could be made) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 40
82%
7%
2%
2%
2%
1%
5%
English
Spanish
Chinese
Tagalog
Cantonese
Mandarin
Other languages
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Q28. What is the primary language spoken in your home?
by percentage of respondents
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 41
Q29. Total Annual Household Income
Under $50K
9%
$50K to $74,999
10%
$75K to $99,999
11%
$100K to $124,999
11%
$125K to $149,999
9%
$150K to $174,999
10%
$175K to $199,999
10%
$200K+
32%
by percentage of respondents (excluding "not provided”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 42
Q30. What is your age?
18-34
19%
35-44
19%
45-54
20%
55-64
20% 65+ 21%
by percentage of respondents (excluding "not provided”) 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 43
Q31. What is your gender identity?
Male
49%
Female
51%
by percentage of respondents (excluding “not provided”)

0.2% preferred to self-describe
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 44
2 Benchmarking
Analysis
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 45 Benchmarking Analysis
Overview
ETC Institute's DirectionFinder® program was originally developed in 1999 to help community leaders across the United States use statistically-valid community survey data as a tool for making better decisions. Since November of 1999, the survey has been administered in more than 1,000 communities in 49 states. Most participating communities conduct the survey on an annual or biennial basis.

This report contains benchmarking data from two sources: (1) a national survey that was administered by ETC Institute during the summer of 2025 to a random sample of residents across the United States and (2) a regional survey that was administered by ETC Institute during the summer of 2025 to a random sample of residents living in the state of California.

The U.S. average shown in the charts reflects the overall results of ETC Institute’s national survey of a random sample of residents throughout the United States; the California average reflects the results of the survey of residents in the state of California.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 46 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 47

83.0%

64.9%

57.2%

51.4%

46.0%

53.3%

57.6%

38.6%

49.9%

47.9%

54.7%

56.7%

47.3%

46.7%

50.5%
As a place to live
As a place to raise children
As a place to retire
As a place to work
As a place where you would buy your next home

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "excellent" and 1 was "poor" (excluding “don't know”)
Overall Ratings of the City
Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 48

85.1%

74.5%

63.3%

59.6%

58.9%

57.0%

54.4%

51.1%

49.4%

37.0%

62.6%

42.2%

35.1%

44.8%

31.5%

47.9%

37.4%

42.1%

33.2%

31.7%

68.0%

49.0%

38.0%

50.1%

37.2%

48.3%

43.2%

44.3%

39.9%

37.5%
Overall quality of fire services
Overall quality of city police services
Overall quality of customer service you receive fr
Overall quality of solid waste services
Overall effectiveness of city communication with t
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facil
Overall flow of traffic on city streets
Overall efforts by the city to ensure your communi
Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, an

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Major Categories of City Services
Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.

Overall quality of customer service you receive
from city employees
Overall effectiveness of city communication
with the public
Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities Overall efforts by the city to ensure your
community is prepared for emergencies/disasters
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks,
and infrastructure
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 49

70.6%

66.0%

56.2%

52.8%

41.2%

37.5%

45.6%

47.7%

41.6%

42.5%

29.3%

34.7%

47.6%

57.3%

42.9%

44.6%

32.7%

37.4%
How welcoming City is to people from diverse backg
Overall feeling of safety in the city
Overall quality of services provided by the city
Overall image of the city
Overall value you receive for your city tax dollar
How well the city is managing growth

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Perceptions of the Community
Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.

How welcoming City is to people from
diverse backgrounds
Overall value you receive for your city tax
dollars and fees
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 50

77.4%

73.0%

62.7%

61.4%

57.6%

55.1%

44.5%

42.2%

40.1%

41.5%

42.8%

43.4%

51.7%

49.0%

46.0%

46.6%

45.7%

50.3%
How quickly police respond to emergencies
Overall effectiveness of local police protection
City's overall efforts to prevent crime
Enforcement of local traffic laws
Overall quality of animal control services
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Public Safety Perceptions
Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 51

64.2%

58.6%

56.6%

49.5%

47.1%

45.4%

41.2%

38.9%

49.9%

47.6%

45.5%

46.1%

53.2%

44.7%

38.5%

45.1%

54.4%

48.5%

46.2%

40.2%

52.4%

43.2%

42.8%

43.5%
Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance syst
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure
Adequacy of city street lighting
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood
Condition of sidewalks in the city
Maintenance of major city streets

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Streets and Sidewalks
Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.

Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system
Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people
with disabilities
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 52

41.2%

38.0%

36.2%

30.9%

41.9%

46.6%

40.0%

46.5%

44.7%

42.1%

42.5%

43.1%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Code Enforcement
City of Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.

Enforcement of exterior maintenance of
commercial/business property
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on
private property
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of
residential property
Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds
on private property
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 53

55.6%

49.7%

46.7%

45.8%

44.9%

35.4%

42.9%42.9%

43.4%

44.9%

40.8%

35.6%

44.1%

42.0%

42.3%

42.4%

42.0%

34.7%
Availability of information about city programs an
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed abo
Timeliness of information provided by the city
Overall usefulness of city website
City departments use of social media
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%
Newark California U.S.
by percentage of respondents who rated the item 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale where 5 was "very satisfied" and 1 was "very dissatisfied" (excluding “don't know”)
Satisfaction With Communication and Community Engagement Newark vs. California vs. the U.S.

Availability of information about city programs
and services
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed
about local issues
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 54
3 Importance-Satisfaction
Analysis
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 55 Importance-Satisfaction Analysis
Overview
Today, community leaders have limited resources which need to be targeted to activities that are of the most benefit to their citizens. Two of the most important criteria for decision making are (1) to target resources toward services of the highest importance to citizens; and (2) to target resources toward those services where citizens are the least satisfied.

The Importance‐Satisfaction (I-S) rating is a unique tool that allows public officials to better understand both of these highly important decision-making criteria for each of the services they are providing. The Importance‐Satisfaction (I-S) rating is based on the concept that public agencies will maximize overall customer satisfaction by emphasizing improvements in those areas where the level of satisfaction is relatively low, and the perceived importance of the service is relativelyhigh.

The rating is calculated by summing the percentage of responses for items selected as the first, second, and third most important services for the City to provide. The sum is then multiplied by 1 minus the percentage of respondents who indicated they were positively satisfied with the City’s performance in the related area (the sum of the ratings of 4 and 5 on a 5‐point scale excluding “Don’t Know” responses). “Don’t Know” responses are excluded from the calculation to ensure the satisfaction ratings among service categories are comparable.

I-S Rating = Importance x (1‐Satisfaction)
Example of the Calculation
Respondents were asked to identify the major city servicesthat were most important to their household.

Nearly sixty-two percent (61.9%) of the respondent households selected “overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure” as one of the City services that should receive the most emphasis over the next two years.

With regard to satisfaction, 37% of respondents surveyed rated “overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure” as a “4” or “5” on a 5‐point scale (where “5” means “Very Satisfied”) excluding “Don’t Know” responses. The I‐S rating was calculated by multiplying the sum of the most important percentages by one minus the sum of the satisfaction percentages. In this example, 61.9% was multiplied by 63% (1‐0.37). This calculation yielded an I‐S rating of 0.3900, which ranked first out of twelve categories of major city services analyzed.
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 56 Importance-Satisfaction Analysis
The maximum rating is 1.00 and would be achieved when 100% of the respondents select an item as one of their top three choices of importance and 0% indicate they are positively satisfied with the delivery of the service.

The lowest rating is 0.00 and could be achieved under either of the following two situations:
• If 100% of the respondents were positively satisfied with the delivery of the service • If none (0%) of the respondents selected the service as one of the three most important areas.

Interpreting the Ratings
Ratings that are greater than or equal to 0.20 identify areas that should receive significantly more emphasis over the next two years. Ratings from 0.10 to 0.20 identify service areas that should receive increased emphasis. Ratings less than 0.10 should continue to receive the current level of emphasis. • Definitely Increase Emphasis (I-S > 0.20)
• Increase Current Emphasis (I-S = 0.10 - 0.20)
• Maintain Current Emphasis (I-S < 0.10)
Tables showing the results for the City of Newark are provided on the following pages. 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 57 2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
City of Newark, CA
Major Categories of City Services
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating I-S Rating Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure 62% 1 37% 12 0.3900 1High Priority (IS .10-.20)Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 28% 5 51% 9 0.1345 2Overall flow of traffic on city streets 28% 4 54% 8 0.1290 3Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 30% 3 57% 6 0.1286 4Overall quality of city planning, building, and development 20% 6 41% 11 0.1197 5Medium Priority (IS <.10)Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 19% 7 49% 10 0.0977 6Overall quality of city police services 32% 2 75% 2 0.0803 7Overall quality of city trees 18% 9 56% 7 0.0765 8Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 18% 8 59% 5 0.0719 9Overall quality of solid waste services 16% 10 60% 4 0.0646 10Overall quality of fire services 11% 11 85% 1 0.0161 11Overall quality of customer service you receive from city employees 4% 12 63% 3 0.0158 12Note: The I-S Rating is calculated by multiplying the "Most Important" % by (1-'Satisfaction' %)Most Important %: The "Most Important" percentage represents the sum of the first, second, and third most important responses for each item. Respondents were asked to identifythe items they thought should be the City's top priorities.

Satisfaction %: The "Satisfaction" percentage represents the sum of the ratings "5" and "4" excluding 'don't knows.' Respondents ranked their level of satisfaction with each of the items on a scaleof 1 to 5 with "5" being Very Satisfied and "1" being Very Dissatisfied. © 2025 DirectionFinder by ETC Institute
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 58
2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
City of Newark, CA
Public Safety
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating
I-S Rating
Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 65% 1 63% 6 0.2406 1Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 46% 2 55% 9 0.2052 2High Priority (IS .10-.20)Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 32% 4 53% 10 0.1507 3Medium Priority (IS <.10)Enforcement of local traffic laws 26% 6 61% 7 0.0996 4Overall effectiveness of local police protection 32% 3 73% 4 0.0864 5How quickly police respond to emergencies 27% 5 77% 3 0.0617 6Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 20% 7 71% 5 0.0585 7 Overall quality of animal control services 12% 8 58% 8 0.0505 8Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 9% 9 81% 2 0.0179 9Professionalism of police officers 8% 10 85% 1 0.0125 10Note: The I-S Rating is calculated by multiplying the "Most Important" % by (1-'Satisfaction' %)Most Important %: The "Most Important" percentage represents the sum of the first, second, and third most important responses for each item. Respondents were asked to identifythe items they thought should be the City's top priorities.

Satisfaction %: The "Satisfaction" percentage represents the sum of the ratings "5" and "4" excluding 'don't knows.' Respondents ranked their level of satisfaction with each of the items on a scaleof 1 to 5 with "5" being Very Satisfied and "1" being Very Dissatisfied. © 2025 DirectionFinder by ETC Institute
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 59
2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
City of Newark, CA
Streets and Sidewalks
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating I-S Rating Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
Maintenance of major city streets 54% 1 39% 10 0.3275 1 Condition of sidewalks in the city 42% 3 41% 9 0.2440 2 Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 42% 2 45% 8 0.2271 3 High Priority (IS .10-.20)
Adequacy of city street lighting 33% 4 47% 7 0.1751 4Flow of traffic on city streets 32% 5 49% 6 0.1641 5Medium Priority (IS <.10)Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities 18% 7 57% 3 0.0781 6Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 19% 6 59% 2 0.0778 7 Overall maintenance of city medians 17% 8 54% 4 0.0770 8Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure 13% 9 50% 5 0.0651 9Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals 11% 10 64% 1 0.0405 10 Note: The I-S Rating is calculated by multiplying the "Most Important" % by (1-'Satisfaction' %)Most Important %: The "Most Important" percentage represents the sum of the first, second, and third most important responses for each item. Respondents were asked to identifythe items they thought should be the City's top priorities.

Satisfaction %: The "Satisfaction" percentage represents the sum of the ratings "5" and "4" excluding 'don't knows.' Respondents ranked their level of satisfaction with each of the items on a scaleof 1 to 5 with "5" being Very Satisfied and "1" being Very Dissatisfied. © 2025 DirectionFinder by ETC Institute
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 60
2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
Code Enforcement
Traffic Flow and Transportation
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating I-S Rating Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property 47% 1 36% 4 0.3024 1 Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets 36% 2 35% 5 0.2345 2Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 30% 3 28% 7 0.2162 3High Priority (IS .10-.20) Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private property 23% 5 31% 6 0.1589 4 Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business 23% 4 41% 2 0.1364 5Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 20% 6 38% 3 0.1246 6Medium Priority (IS <.10) Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 8% 7 58% 1 0.0328 7Note: The I-S Rating is calculated by multiplying the "Most Important" % by (1-'Satisfaction' %)Most Important %: The "Most Important" percentage represents the sum of the first and second most important responses for each item. Respondents were asked to identifythe items they thought should be the City's top priorities.

Satisfaction %: The "Satisfaction" percentage represents the sum of the ratings "5" and "4" excluding 'don't knows.' Respondents ranked their level of satisfaction with each of the items on a scaleof 1 to 5 with "5" being Very Satisfied and "1" being Very Dissatisfied. © 2025 DirectionFinder by ETC Institute
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 61
2025 Importance-Satisfaction Rating
City of Newark, CA
Communication and Community Engagement
Category of Service
Most
Important %
Most
Important
Rank Satisfaction %
Satisfaction
Rank
ImportanceSatisfaction
Rating I-S Rating Rank
Very High Priority (IS >.20)
Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues 50% 1 50% 4 0.2535 1Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 33% 3 29% 11 0.2308 2High Priority (IS .10-.20)Availability of information about city programs and services 35% 2 56% 2 0.1558 3Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 24% 4 35% 10 0.1557 4Access to information about City Council, Commission and committee meetings 22% 5 50% 3 0.1107 5Access to finance and budget information 17% 7 36% 9 0.1077 6Medium Priority (IS <.10)Timeliness of information provided by the city 19% 6 47% 6 0.0997 7Overall usefulness of city website 11% 9 46% 7 0.0618 8City departments use of social media 10% 10 45% 8 0.0545 9 Content of the city's newsletter 14% 8 67% 1 0.0459 10Ease of paying bills on the city's website 5% 11 49% 5 0.0257 11Note: The I-S Rating is calculated by multiplying the "Most Important" % by (1-'Satisfaction' %)Most Important %: The "Most Important" percentage represents the sum of the first, second, and third most important responses for each item. Respondents were asked to identifythe items they thought should be the City's top priorities.

Satisfaction %: The "Satisfaction" percentage represents the sum of the ratings "5" and "4" excluding 'don't knows.' Respondents ranked their level of satisfaction with each of the items on a scaleof 1 to 5 with "5" being Very Satisfied and "1" being Very Dissatisfied. © 2025 DirectionFinder by ETC Institute
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report
ETC Institute (2025) Page 62
4 Tabular Data
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 63 Q1. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means "Excellent" and 1 means "Poor," please rate the City of Newark with regard to each of the following.
(N=422)
Excellent Good Neutral Below average Poor Don't know
Q1-1. As a place to live 29.9% 53.1% 11.8% 4.5% 0.7% 0.0% Q1-2. As a place to raise children 19.4% 41.0% 19.9% 10.4% 2.4% 6.9% Q1-3. As a place to retire 19.9% 34.1% 22.5% 10.7% 7.3% 5.5% Q1-4. As a place to work 12.8% 31.3% 25.8% 10.0% 5.9% 14.2% Q1-5. As a place where I feel
welcome 32.2% 42.7% 18.5% 4.3% 0.7% 1.7%
Q1-6. As a place where I would
buy my next home 16.6% 24.6% 23.2% 10.2% 14.9% 10.4%
WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q1. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means "Excellent" and 1 means "Poor," please rate the City of Newark with regard to each of the following. (without "don't know") (N=422)
Excellent Good Neutral Below average Poor
Q1-1. As a place to live 29.9% 53.1% 11.8% 4.5% 0.7%
Q1-2. As a place to raise children 20.9% 44.0% 21.4% 11.2% 2.5% Q1-3. As a place to retire 21.1% 36.1% 23.8% 11.3% 7.8% Q1-4. As a place to work 14.9% 36.5% 30.1% 11.6% 6.9%
Q1-5. As a place where I feel welcome 32.8% 43.4% 18.8% 4.3% 0.7% Q1-6. As a place where I would buy my next
home 18.5% 27.5% 25.9% 11.4% 16.7%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 64

Q2. Overall Quality of City Services. Please rate your overall satisfaction with these major categories of services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q2-1. Overall effectiveness of
City communication with the
public 14.0% 43.6% 25.8% 10.9% 3.6% 2.1%
Q2-2. Overall efforts by City to
ensure your community is
prepared for emergencies/
disasters 12.8% 31.3% 32.5% 8.3% 1.4% 13.7%
Q2-3. Overall enforcement of
City codes & ordinances 11.8% 33.9% 27.5% 13.7% 5.7% 7.3% Q2-4. Overall flow of traffic on
City streets in your community 12.8% 41.2% 19.9% 16.4% 9.0% 0.7% Q2-5. Overall maintenance of
City streets, sidewalks, &
infrastructure 11.1% 25.4% 20.1% 25.6% 16.6% 1.2%
Q2-6. Overall quality of City
parks & recreation facilities 18.7% 37.2% 21.8% 14.5% 5.9% 1.9% Q2-7. Overall quality of City
planning, building, & development
services (e.g., issuing permits) 8.5% 24.4% 25.8% 11.6% 9.5% 20.1% Q2-8. Overall quality of City
police services 27.0% 44.3% 18.7% 3.3% 2.4% 4.3%
Q2-9. Overall quality of fire
services 34.1% 41.7% 12.8% 0.5% 0.0% 10.9%
Q2-10. Overall quality of
customer service you receive
from City employees 20.1% 31.3% 23.0% 5.2% 1.7% 18.7%
Q2-11. Overall quality of City
trees (street & park trees) 16.4% 38.6% 23.2% 13.3% 6.2% 2.4% Q2-12. Overall quality of solid
waste services (e.g., trash, yard
waste & recycling) 18.2% 39.8% 23.5% 10.9% 5.0% 2.6%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 65

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q2. Overall Quality of City Services. Please rate your overall satisfaction with these major categories of services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know") (N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q2-1. Overall effectiveness of
City communication with the
public 14.3% 44.6% 26.4% 11.1% 3.6%
Q2-2. Overall efforts by City
to ensure your community is
prepared for emergencies/
disasters 14.8% 36.3% 37.6% 9.6% 1.6%
Q2-3. Overall enforcement of
City codes & ordinances 12.8% 36.6% 29.7% 14.8% 6.1%
Q2-4. Overall flow of traffic
on City streets in your
community 12.9% 41.5% 20.0% 16.5% 9.1%
Q2-5. Overall maintenance of
City streets, sidewalks, &
infrastructure 11.3% 25.7% 20.4% 25.9% 16.8%
Q2-6. Overall quality of City
parks & recreation facilities 19.1% 37.9% 22.2% 14.7% 6.0% Q2-7. Overall quality of City
planning, building, &
development services (e.g.,
issuing permits) 10.7% 30.6% 32.3% 14.5% 11.9%
Q2-8. Overall quality of City
police services 28.2% 46.3% 19.6% 3.5% 2.5%
Q2-9. Overall quality of fire
services 38.3% 46.8% 14.4% 0.5% 0.0%
Q2-10. Overall quality of
customer service you receive
from City employees 24.8% 38.5% 28.3% 6.4% 2.0%
Q2-11. Overall quality of City
trees (street & park trees) 16.7% 39.6% 23.8% 13.6% 6.3% Q2-12. Overall quality of
solid waste services (e.g.,
trash, yard waste & recycling) 18.7% 40.9% 24.1% 11.2% 5.1% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 66

Q3. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 2 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q3. Top choice Number Percent
Overall effectiveness of City communication with the public 24 5.7 % Overall efforts by City to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 40 9.5 %
Overall enforcement of City codes & ordinances 21 5.0 % Overall flow of traffic on City streets in your community 37 8.8 % Overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, & infrastructure 124 29.4 % Overall quality of City parks & recreation facilities 37 8.8 % Overall quality of City planning, building, & development services (e.g., issuing permits) 26 6.2 %
Overall quality of City police services 68 16.1 %
Overall quality of fire services 4 0.9 %
Overall quality of customer service you receive from City employees 2 0.5 %
Overall quality of City trees (street & park trees) 8 1.9 % Overall quality of solid waste services (e.g., trash, yard waste & recycling) 18 4.3 %
None chosen 13 3.1 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q3. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 2 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q3. 2nd choice Number Percent
Overall effectiveness of City communication with the public 20 4.7 % Overall efforts by City to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 29 6.9 %
Overall enforcement of City codes & ordinances 26 6.2 % Overall flow of traffic on City streets in your community 37 8.8 % Overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, & infrastructure 84 19.9 % Overall quality of City parks & recreation facilities 51 12.1 % Overall quality of City planning, building, & development services (e.g., issuing permits) 32 7.6 %
Overall quality of City police services 39 9.2 %
Overall quality of fire services 31 7.3 %
Overall quality of customer service you receive from City employees 7 1.7 %
Overall quality of City trees (street & park trees) 25 5.9 % Overall quality of solid waste services (e.g., trash, yard waste & recycling) 23 5.5 %
None chosen 18 4.3 %
Total 422 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 67

Q3. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 2 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q3. 3rd choice Number Percent
Overall effectiveness of City communication with the public 30 7.1 % Overall efforts by City to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 47 11.1 %
Overall enforcement of City codes & ordinances 34 8.1 % Overall flow of traffic on City streets in your community 45 10.7 % Overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, & infrastructure 53 12.6 % Overall quality of City parks & recreation facilities 38 9.0 % Overall quality of City planning, building, & development services (e.g., issuing permits) 28 6.6 %
Overall quality of City police services 26 6.2 %
Overall quality of fire services 11 2.6 %
Overall quality of customer service you receive from City employees 9 2.1 %
Overall quality of City trees (street & park trees) 41 9.7 % Overall quality of solid waste services (e.g., trash, yard waste & recycling) 26 6.2 %
None chosen 34 8.1 %
Total 422 100.0 %

SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q3. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 2 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years? (top 3)
Q3. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
Overall effectiveness of City communication with the public 74 17.5 % Overall efforts by City to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 116 27.5 %
Overall enforcement of City codes & ordinances 81 19.2 % Overall flow of traffic on City streets in your community 119 28.2 % Overall maintenance of City streets, sidewalks, & infrastructure 261 61.8 % Overall quality of City parks & recreation facilities 126 29.9 % Overall quality of City planning, building, & development services (e.g., issuing permits) 86 20.4 %
Overall quality of City police services 133 31.5 %
Overall quality of fire services 46 10.9 %
Overall quality of customer service you receive from City employees 18 4.3 %
Overall quality of City trees (street & park trees) 74 17.5 % Overall quality of solid waste services (e.g., trash, yard waste & recycling) 67 15.9 %
None chosen 13 3.1 %
Total 1214

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 68

Q4. Community Engagement. Please indicate whether or not you have done the following in Newark:
(N=422)
Yes No Not provided
Q4-1. Watched a public meeting online 31.8% 65.2% 3.1%
Q4-2. Attended a public meeting in-person or
virtually 29.4% 68.0% 2.6%
Q4-3. Contacted a City employee by email,
phone, or in-person 62.6% 36.0% 1.4%

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q4. Community Engagement. Please indicate whether or not you have done the following in Newark:
(without "not provided")
(N=422)
Yes No
Q4-1. Watched a public meeting online 32.8% 67.2%
Q4-2. Attended a public meeting in-person or
virtually 30.2% 69.8%
Q4-3. Contacted a City employee by email,
phone, or in-person 63.5% 36.5%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 69

Q5. Perceptions of the Community. Please rate your satisfaction with each of the following items that may influence your perception of the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q5-1. How well City is managing
growth (e.g., industrial,
manufacturing, biotech & housing
developments) 6.9% 27.3% 31.3% 17.1% 8.5% 9.0%
Q5-2. How welcoming City is to
people from diverse backgrounds 25.1% 40.5% 23.7% 3.1% 0.5% 7.1% Q5-3. Overall availability of
services for vulnerable residents 5.2% 20.4% 32.0% 7.1% 2.8% 32.5% Q5-4. Overall feeling of safety in
City 16.6% 48.6% 21.3% 10.4% 1.9% 1.2%
Q5-5. Overall image of City 13.0% 38.9% 25.6% 16.4% 4.5% 1.7% Q5-6. Overall quality of life in
City 14.9% 48.8% 24.2% 7.1% 3.8% 1.2%
Q5-7. Overall quality of services
provided by City 11.4% 42.4% 30.8% 9.7% 1.4% 4.3%
Q5-8. Overall value you receive
for your City tax dollars & fees 8.3% 31.8% 31.5% 16.6% 9.0% 2.8% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 70

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q5. Perceptions of the Community. Please rate your satisfaction with each of the following items that may influence your perception of the City of Newark. (without "don't know") (N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q5-1. How well City is
managing growth (e.g.,
industrial, manufacturing,
biotech & housing
developments) 7.6% 29.9% 34.4% 18.8% 9.4%
Q5-2. How welcoming City is
to people from diverse
backgrounds 27.0% 43.6% 25.5% 3.3% 0.5%
Q5-3. Overall availability of
services for vulnerable
residents 7.7% 30.2% 47.4% 10.5% 4.2%
Q5-4. Overall feeling of
safety in City 16.8% 49.2% 21.6% 10.6% 1.9%
Q5-5. Overall image of City 13.3% 39.5% 26.0% 16.6% 4.6% Q5-6. Overall quality of life in
City 15.1% 49.4% 24.5% 7.2% 3.8%
Q5-7. Overall quality of
services provided by City 11.9% 44.3% 32.2% 10.1% 1.5%
Q5-8. Overall value you
receive for your City tax
dollars & fees 8.5% 32.7% 32.4% 17.1% 9.3%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 71

Q6. Public Safety Perceptions. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q6-1. City's overall efforts to
prevent crime 14.0% 44.5% 20.9% 10.4% 3.6% 6.6%
Q6-2. Efforts by public safety
officials to collaborate with the
public to address concerns 10.9% 33.9% 30.8% 9.0% 0.5% 14.9% Q6-3. Enforcement of local traffic
laws 13.7% 44.3% 23.2% 10.2% 3.1% 5.5%
Q6-4. How quickly police
respond to emergencies 23.9% 39.3% 13.3% 3.6% 1.7% 18.2% Q6-5. Overall effectiveness of
local police protection 19.4% 46.0% 18.5% 4.0% 1.7% 10.4% Q6-6. Overall quality of 911/
dispatch services 25.4% 32.5% 12.1% 0.9% 0.7% 28.4%
Q6-7. Overall quality of animal
control services 13.0% 30.8% 20.9% 6.2% 5.2% 23.9%
Q6-8. Overall quality of police
performance in your
neighborhood 19.7% 44.1% 17.1% 6.9% 1.7% 10.7%
Q6-9. Professionalism of police
officers 32.7% 44.1% 12.6% 0.5% 0.5% 9.7%
Q6-10. Visibility of police
personnel in neighborhoods 15.4% 37.0% 27.3% 10.2% 5.2% 5.0% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 72

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q6. Public Safety Perceptions. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q6-1. City's overall efforts to
prevent crime 15.0% 47.7% 22.3% 11.2% 3.8%
Q6-2. Efforts by public safety
officials to collaborate with
the public to address
concerns 12.8% 39.8% 36.2% 10.6% 0.6%
Q6-3. Enforcement of local
traffic laws 14.5% 46.9% 24.6% 10.8% 3.3%
Q6-4. How quickly police
respond to emergencies 29.3% 48.1% 16.2% 4.3% 2.0%
Q6-5. Overall effectiveness of
local police protection 21.7% 51.3% 20.6% 4.5% 1.9%
Q6-6. Overall quality of 911/
dispatch services 35.4% 45.4% 16.9% 1.3% 1.0%
Q6-7. Overall quality of
animal control services 17.1% 40.5% 27.4% 8.1% 6.9%
Q6-8. Overall quality of
police performance in your
neighborhood 22.0% 49.3% 19.1% 7.7% 1.9%
Q6-9. Professionalism of
police officers 36.2% 48.8% 13.9% 0.5% 0.5%
Q6-10. Visibility of police
personnel in neighborhoods 16.2% 38.9% 28.7% 10.7% 5.5% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 73

Q7. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 6 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q7. Top choice Number Percent
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 164 38.9 %
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 47 11.1 %
Enforcement of local traffic laws 41 9.7 %
How quickly police respond to emergencies 34 8.1 %
Overall effectiveness of local police protection 19 4.5 % Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 5 1.2 %
Overall quality of animal control services 10 2.4 %
Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 17 4.0 % Professionalism of police officers 11 2.6 %
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 51 12.1 % None chosen 23 5.5 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q7. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 6 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q7. 2nd choice Number Percent
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 63 14.9 %
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 45 10.7 %
Enforcement of local traffic laws 31 7.3 %
How quickly police respond to emergencies 52 12.3 %
Overall effectiveness of local police protection 60 14.2 % Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 19 4.5 %
Overall quality of animal control services 21 5.0 %
Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 32 7.6 % Professionalism of police officers 15 3.6 %
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 52 12.3 % None chosen 32 7.6 %
Total 422 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 74

Q7. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 6 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q7. 3rd choice Number Percent
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 45 10.7 %
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 42 10.0 %
Enforcement of local traffic laws 37 8.8 %
How quickly police respond to emergencies 29 6.9 %
Overall effectiveness of local police protection 56 13.3 % Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 15 3.6 %
Overall quality of animal control services 19 4.5 %
Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 37 8.8 % Professionalism of police officers 9 2.1 %
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 90 21.3 % None chosen 43 10.2 %
Total 422 100.0 %
SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q7. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 6 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years? (top 3)
Q7. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
City's overall efforts to prevent crime 272 64.5 %
Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 134 31.8 %
Enforcement of local traffic laws 109 25.8 %
How quickly police respond to emergencies 115 27.3 %
Overall effectiveness of local police protection 135 32.0 % Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 39 9.2 %
Overall quality of animal control services 50 11.8 %
Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 86 20.4 % Professionalism of police officers 35 8.3 %
Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 193 45.7 % None chosen 23 5.5 %
Total 1191

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 75

Q8. Streets and Sidewalks. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q8-1. Accessibility of streets &
sidewalks for people with
disabilities 15.2% 36.3% 22.5% 10.9% 5.9% 9.2%
Q8-2. Condition of sidewalks in
City 9.5% 30.8% 22.5% 24.9% 10.2% 2.1%
Q8-3. Adequacy of City street
lighting 11.1% 35.3% 28.0% 19.2% 5.0% 1.4%
Q8-4. Flow of traffic on City
streets 8.5% 39.8% 27.0% 16.8% 6.2% 1.7%
Q8-5. Maintenance of major City
streets (e.g., Newark Blvd.,
Thornton Ave., & Cedar Blvd.) 9.2% 29.1% 22.5% 19.7% 18.2% 1.2% Q8-6. Maintenance of streets in
your neighborhood 11.1% 33.6% 22.3% 16.8% 14.9% 1.2%
Q8-7. Maintenance of street
signs & traffic signals 15.2% 48.3% 23.5% 8.1% 3.8% 1.2% Q8-8. Overall maintenance of
City medians (landscaped
portion of a divided street
separating roadways) 14.7% 38.2% 25.6% 14.9% 5.2% 1.4%
Q8-9. Overall maintenance of
stormwater maintenance system 12.3% 41.0% 25.6% 8.5% 3.6% 9.0% Q8-10. Condition of on-street
bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/
wayfinding signs) 12.6% 32.9% 30.6% 8.3% 7.6% 8.1%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 76

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q8. Streets and Sidewalks. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q8-1. Accessibility of streets &
sidewalks for people with
disabilities 16.7% 39.9% 24.8% 12.0% 6.5%
Q8-2. Condition of sidewalks
in City 9.7% 31.5% 23.0% 25.4% 10.4%
Q8-3. Adequacy of City
street lighting 11.3% 35.8% 28.4% 19.5% 5.0%
Q8-4. Flow of traffic on City
streets 8.7% 40.5% 27.5% 17.1% 6.3%
Q8-5. Maintenance of major
City streets (e.g., Newark
Blvd., Thornton Ave., & Cedar
Blvd.) 9.4% 29.5% 22.8% 19.9% 18.5%
Q8-6. Maintenance of streets
in your neighborhood 11.3% 34.1% 22.5% 17.0% 15.1%
Q8-7. Maintenance of street
signs & traffic signals 15.3% 48.9% 23.7% 8.2% 3.8%
Q8-8. Overall maintenance of
City medians (landscaped
portion of a divided street
separating roadways) 14.9% 38.7% 26.0% 15.1% 5.3%
Q8-9. Overall maintenance of
stormwater maintenance
system 13.5% 45.1% 28.1% 9.4% 3.9%
Q8-10. Condition of on-street
bicycle infrastructure (bike
lanes/wayfinding signs) 13.7% 35.8% 33.2% 9.0% 8.2%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 77

Q9. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 8 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q9. Top choice Number Percent
Accessibility of streets & sidewalks for people with disabilities 35 8.3 % Condition of sidewalks in City 67 15.9 %
Adequacy of City street lighting 63 14.9 %
Flow of traffic on City streets 57 13.5 %
Maintenance of major City streets (e.g., Newark Blvd.,
Thornton Ave., & Cedar Blvd.) 90 21.3 %
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 44 10.4 %
Maintenance of street signs & traffic signals 4 0.9 %
Overall maintenance of City medians (landscaped portion of a divided street separating roadways) 10 2.4 %
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 15 3.6 % Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/ wayfinding signs) 15 3.6 %
None chosen 22 5.2 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q9. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 8 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q9. 2nd choice Number Percent
Accessibility of streets & sidewalks for people with disabilities 25 5.9 % Condition of sidewalks in City 62 14.7 %
Adequacy of City street lighting 41 9.7 %
Flow of traffic on City streets 45 10.7 %
Maintenance of major City streets (e.g., Newark Blvd.,
Thornton Ave., & Cedar Blvd.) 75 17.8 %
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 74 17.5 %
Maintenance of street signs & traffic signals 16 3.8 %
Overall maintenance of City medians (landscaped portion of a divided street separating roadways) 21 5.0 %
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 23 5.5 % Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/ wayfinding signs) 13 3.1 %
None chosen 27 6.4 %
Total 422 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 78

Q9. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 8 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q9. 3rd choice Number Percent
Accessibility of streets & sidewalks for people with disabilities 16 3.8 % Condition of sidewalks in City 46 10.9 %
Adequacy of City street lighting 36 8.5 %
Flow of traffic on City streets 34 8.1 %
Maintenance of major City streets (e.g., Newark Blvd.,
Thornton Ave., & Cedar Blvd.) 61 14.5 %
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 58 13.7 %
Maintenance of street signs & traffic signals 28 6.6 %
Overall maintenance of City medians (landscaped portion of a divided street separating roadways) 39 9.2 %
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 41 9.7 % Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/ wayfinding signs) 26 6.2 %
None chosen 37 8.8 %
Total 422 100.0 %

SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q9. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 8 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years? (top 3)
Q9. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
Accessibility of streets & sidewalks for people with disabilities 76 18.0 % Condition of sidewalks in City 175 41.5 %
Adequacy of City street lighting 140 33.2 %
Flow of traffic on City streets 136 32.2 %
Maintenance of major City streets (e.g., Newark Blvd.,
Thornton Ave., & Cedar Blvd.) 226 53.6 %
Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 176 41.7 %
Maintenance of street signs & traffic signals 48 11.4 % Overall maintenance of City medians (landscaped portion of a divided street separating roadways) 70 16.6 %
Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 79 18.7 % Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/ wayfinding signs) 54 12.8 %
None chosen 22 5.2 %
Total 1202
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 79

Q10. Code Enforcement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q10-1. Enforcement of cleanup
of trash & debris on private
property 5.9% 26.5% 29.1% 17.8% 10.2% 10.4%
Q10-2. Enforcement of exterior
maintenance of commercial/
business property 5.5% 31.8% 31.8% 14.9% 6.4% 9.7%
Q10-3. Enforcement of exterior
maintenance of residential
property 4.5% 29.9% 31.3% 16.6% 8.3% 9.5%
Q10-4. Enforcement of mowing &
cutting of weeds on private
property 4.5% 22.7% 30.3% 19.4% 11.1% 11.8%
Q10-5. Enforcement of
abandoned vehicles on City
streets 6.4% 24.2% 27.7% 18.7% 11.6% 11.4%
Q10-6. Enforcement of illegally
parked vehicles on lawns or
other areas 5.5% 18.2% 28.7% 21.1% 12.3% 14.2%
Q10-7. Overall professionalism of
code enforcement officers 11.4% 30.6% 22.3% 5.2% 2.8% 27.7% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 80

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q10. Code Enforcement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q10-1. Enforcement of
cleanup of trash & debris on
private property 6.6% 29.6% 32.5% 19.8% 11.4%
Q10-2. Enforcement of
exterior maintenance of
commercial/business property 6.0% 35.2% 35.2% 16.5% 7.1% Q10-3. Enforcement of
exterior maintenance of
residential property 5.0% 33.0% 34.6% 18.3% 9.2%
Q10-4. Enforcement of
mowing & cutting of weeds on
private property 5.1% 25.8% 34.4% 22.0% 12.6%
Q10-5. Enforcement of
abandoned vehicles on City
streets 7.2% 27.3% 31.3% 21.1% 13.1%
Q10-6. Enforcement of
illegally parked vehicles on
lawns or other areas 6.4% 21.3% 33.4% 24.6% 14.4%
Q10-7. Overall
professionalism of code
enforcement officers 15.7% 42.3% 30.8% 7.2% 3.9%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 81

Q11. Which TWO of the services listed in Question 10 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q11. Top choice Number Percent
Enforcement of cleanup of trash & debris on private property 134 31.8 % Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 46 10.9 %
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 41 9.7 % Enforcement of mowing & cutting of weeds on private property 33 7.8 % Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on City streets 89 21.1 % Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 43 10.2 % Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 16 3.8 % None chosen 20 4.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %
Q11. Which TWO of the services listed in Question 10 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years?
Q11. 2nd choice Number Percent
Enforcement of cleanup of trash & debris on private property 66 15.6 % Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 52 12.3 %
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 44 10.4 % Enforcement of mowing & cutting of weeds on private property 64 15.2 % Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on City streets 62 14.7 % Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 83 19.7 % Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 17 4.0 % None chosen 34 8.1 %
Total 422 100.0 %
SUM OF TOP 2 CHOICES
Q11. Which TWO of the services listed in Question 10 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to emphasize over the next two years? (top 2)
Q11. Sum of top 2 choices Number Percent
Enforcement of cleanup of trash & debris on private property 200 47.4 % Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 98 23.2 %
Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 85 20.1 % Enforcement of mowing & cutting of weeds on private property 97 23.0 % Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on City streets 151 35.8 % Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 126 29.9 % Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 33 7.8 % None chosen 20 4.7 %
Total 810
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 82

Q12. Permitting Process. Have you interacted with the Planning, Building, or Engineering Departments to obtain a permit within the last five years?
Q12. Have you interacted with Planning, Building, or
Engineering Departments to obtain a permit within last
five years Number Percent
Yes 115 27.3 %
No 307 72.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q12a. What department did you contact most recently?
Q12a. What department did you contact most recently Number Percent Planning 35 30.4 %
Building 63 54.8 %
Engineering 5 4.3 %
Other 7 6.1 %
Not provided 5 4.3 %
Total 115 100.0 %

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q12a. What department did you contact most recently? (without "not provided") Q12a. What department did you contact most recently Number Percent Planning 35 31.8 %
Building 63 57.3 %
Engineering 5 4.5 %
Other 7 6.4 %
Total 110 100.0 %

Q12a-4. Other:

Q12a-4. Other Number Percent
Alarm permit 2 28.6 %
CODE ENFORCEMENT 1 14.3 %
LICENSING FOR BUSINESS 1 14.3 %
HAD CONTRACTOR DO WORK 1 14.3 %
SOLAR ROOF, HVAC, FOUNDATION IMPROVEMENT 1 14.3 %
Permit for home repair 1 14.3 %
Total 7 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 83 Q12b. Please rate your overall satisfaction with your experience working with the department you selected in Question 12a.

Q12b. Your overall satisfaction with your experience
working with the department you selected in Question
12a Number Percent
Very satisfied 43 37.4 %
Satisfied 34 29.6 %
Neutral 16 13.9 %
Dissatisfied 11 9.6 %
Very dissatisfied 11 9.6 %
Total 115 100.0 %

Q13. Parks and Recreation Facilities. Have you or any members of your household visited any parks or recreation facilities offered by the City of Newark during the past year? Q13. Have your household members visited any City
parks or recreation facilities during past year Number Percent Yes 338 80.1 %
No 84 19.9 %
Total 422 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 84

Q13a. Parks and Recreation. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=338)
Very Not applicable/
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied no experience Q13a-1. Fees charged for facility
memberships 9.8% 26.9% 20.4% 6.2% 2.1% 34.6%
Q13a-2. Fees charged for facility
rentals 7.7% 20.1% 18.6% 3.6% 2.4% 47.6%
Q13a-3. Maintenance of City
parks 18.0% 42.9% 20.1% 13.0% 3.8% 2.1%
Q13a-4. Art in public spaces 6.8% 20.1% 31.4% 12.4% 5.3% 24.0% Q13a-5. Outdoor athletic fields (e.
g., baseball & soccer) 14.5% 37.0% 16.9% 8.0% 5.0% 18.6% Q13a-6. Park amenities such as
picnic areas, playgrounds,
basketball, & tennis courts 14.8% 38.2% 18.6% 14.2% 5.9% 8.3% WITHOUT “NOT APPLICABLE/NO EXPERIENCE”
Q13a. Parks and Recreation. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "not applicable/no experience")
(N=338)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q13a-1. Fees charged for
facility memberships 14.9% 41.2% 31.2% 9.5% 3.2%
Q13a-2. Fees charged for
facility rentals 14.7% 38.4% 35.6% 6.8% 4.5%
Q13a-3. Maintenance of City
parks 18.4% 43.8% 20.5% 13.3% 3.9%
Q13a-4. Art in public spaces 8.9% 26.5% 41.2% 16.3% 7.0% Q13a-5. Outdoor athletic
fields (e.g., baseball & soccer) 17.8% 45.5% 20.7% 9.8% 6.2% Q13a-6. Park amenities such
as picnic areas, playgrounds,
basketball, & tennis courts 16.1% 41.6% 20.3% 15.5% 6.5% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 85

Q14. Parks and Recreation Programming. Have you or any members of your household participated in any recreation programing or special events offered by the City of Newark during the past year? Q14. Have your household members participated in any
City recreation programing or special events during
past year Number Percent
Yes 160 37.9 %
No 262 62.1 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q14a. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. (N=160)
Very Not applicable/
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied no experience Q14a-1. Ease of registering for
programs 20.0% 45.0% 12.5% 1.3% 1.3% 20.0%
Q14a-2. Fees charged for
recreation programs 14.4% 35.6% 22.5% 7.5% 1.3% 18.8%
Q14a-3. Quality of instructors 11.9% 39.4% 22.5% 2.5% 1.9% 21.9% Q14a-4. Quality of Citysponsored events (e.g., Family
Day at the Park, Groovin at the
Grove, Howl-O-Ween, Tree
Lighting) 26.3% 40.0% 13.8% 3.8% 1.3% 15.0%
Q14a-5. Customer service
received by recreation staff 18.8% 47.5% 14.4% 3.1% 0.0% 16.3% Q14a-6. Quality of adult
recreation programs 12.5% 26.3% 19.4% 6.3% 1.3% 34.4%
Q14a-7. Quality of youth
recreation programs 12.5% 36.3% 15.0% 6.3% 2.5% 27.5%
Q14a-8. Quality of senior
recreation programs & services 8.1% 23.8% 15.0% 3.1% 0.6% 49.4% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 86

WITHOUT “NOT APPLICABLE/NO EXPERIENCE”
Q14a. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. (without "not applicable/no experience") (N=160)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q14a-1. Ease of registering
for programs 25.0% 56.3% 15.6% 1.6% 1.6%
Q14a-2. Fees charged for
recreation programs 17.7% 43.8% 27.7% 9.2% 1.5%
Q14a-3. Quality of instructors 15.2% 50.4% 28.8% 3.2% 2.4% Q14a-4. Quality of Citysponsored events (e.g.,
Family Day at the Park,
Groovin at the Grove, HowlO-Ween, Tree Lighting) 30.9% 47.1% 16.2% 4.4% 1.5% Q14a-5. Customer service
received by recreation staff 22.4% 56.7% 17.2% 3.7% 0.0% Q14a-6. Quality of adult
recreation programs 19.0% 40.0% 29.5% 9.5% 1.9%
Q14a-7. Quality of youth
recreation programs 17.2% 50.0% 20.7% 8.6% 3.4%
Q14a-8. Quality of senior
recreation programs & services 16.0% 46.9% 29.6% 6.2% 1.2% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 87

Q15. Communication and Community Engagement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.
(N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q15-1. Access to information
about City Council, Commission &
Committee meetings (schedules,
agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 10.2% 27.3% 28.2% 7.3% 2.4% 24.6%
Q15-2. Access to finance &
budget information 5.5% 16.6% 28.2% 6.6% 3.8% 39.3%
Q15-3. Availability of
information about City programs &
services 9.5% 35.5% 23.7% 9.5% 2.8% 19.0%
Q15-4. Efforts by City to keep
residents informed about local
issues 10.4% 33.4% 24.6% 14.9% 4.7% 11.8%
Q15-5. Timeliness of information
provided by City 7.8% 31.3% 29.6% 10.9% 4.0% 16.4%
Q15-6. Opportunity to engage/
provide input into decisions
made by elected officials 5.5% 20.4% 30.1% 11.8% 5.2% 27.0% Q15-7. Opportunity to engage in
improvements in my
neighborhood 4.3% 17.5% 30.1% 15.9% 6.9% 25.4%
Q15-8. Overall usefulness of City
website 7.1% 27.3% 30.6% 6.9% 3.3% 24.9%
Q15-9. City departments use of
social media 6.9% 23.5% 28.4% 6.2% 2.6% 32.5%
Q15-10. Content of City's
newsletter (Newark News) 18.2% 41.9% 21.8% 5.2% 2.4% 10.4% Q15-11. Ease of paying bills on
City's website (e.g., business
licenses, building permits) 7.1% 15.2% 20.6% 1.7% 1.2% 54.3% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 88

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q15. Communication and Community Engagement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q15-1. Access to information
about City Council,
Commission & Committee
meetings (schedules,
agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 13.5% 36.2% 37.4% 9.7% 3.1%
Q15-2. Access to finance &
budget information 9.0% 27.3% 46.5% 10.9% 6.3%
Q15-3. Availability of
information about City
programs & services 11.7% 43.9% 29.2% 11.7% 3.5%
Q15-4. Efforts by City to keep
residents informed about
local issues 11.8% 37.9% 28.0% 16.9% 5.4%
Q15-5. Timeliness of
information provided by City 9.3% 37.4% 35.4% 13.0% 4.8% Q15-6. Opportunity to
engage/provide input into
decisions made by elected
officials 7.5% 27.9% 41.2% 16.2% 7.1%
Q15-7. Opportunity to
engage in improvements in
my neighborhood 5.7% 23.5% 40.3% 21.3% 9.2%
Q15-8. Overall usefulness of
City website 9.5% 36.3% 40.7% 9.1% 4.4%
Q15-9. City departments use
of social media 10.2% 34.7% 42.1% 9.1% 3.9%
Q15-10. Content of City's
newsletter (Newark News) 20.4% 46.8% 24.3% 5.8% 2.6%
Q15-11. Ease of paying bills
on City's website (e.g.,
business licenses, building
permits) 15.5% 33.2% 45.1% 3.6% 2.6%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 89

Q16. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 15 do you think should receive the MOST EMPHASIS from the City over the next TWO years?
Q16. Top choice Number Percent
Access to information about City Council, Commission &
Committee meetings (schedules, agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 50 11.8 %
Access to finance & budget information 24 5.7 %
Availability of information about City programs & services 67 15.9 % Efforts by City to keep residents informed about local issues 101 23.9 % Timeliness of information provided by City 6 1.4 %
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 32 7.6 %
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 39 9.2 % Overall usefulness of City website 22 5.2 %
City departments use of social media 4 0.9 %
Content of City's newsletter (Newark News) 7 1.7 %
Ease of paying bills on City's website (e.g., business licenses, building permits) 8 1.9 %
None chosen 62 14.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q16. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 15 do you think should receive the MOST EMPHASIS from the City over the next TWO years?
Q16. 2nd choice Number Percent
Access to information about City Council, Commission &
Committee meetings (schedules, agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 18 4.3 %
Access to finance & budget information 23 5.5 %
Availability of information about City programs & services 43 10.2 % Efforts by City to keep residents informed about local issues 76 18.0 % Timeliness of information provided by City 40 9.5 %
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 39 9.2 %
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 49 11.6 % Overall usefulness of City website 18 4.3 %
City departments use of social media 16 3.8 %
Content of City's newsletter (Newark News) 22 5.2 %
Ease of paying bills on City's website (e.g., business licenses, building permits) 5 1.2 %
None chosen 73 17.3 %
Total 422 100.0 %

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 90

Q16. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 15 do you think should receive the MOST EMPHASIS from the City over the next TWO years?
Q16. 3rd choice Number Percent
Access to information about City Council, Commission &
Committee meetings (schedules, agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 25 5.9 %
Access to finance & budget information 24 5.7 %
Availability of information about City programs & services 38 9.0 % Efforts by City to keep residents informed about local issues 36 8.5 % Timeliness of information provided by City 33 7.8 %
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 31 7.3 %
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 50 11.8 % Overall usefulness of City website 27 6.4 %
City departments use of social media 22 5.2 %
Content of City's newsletter (Newark News) 30 7.1 %
Ease of paying bills on City's website (e.g., business licenses, building permits) 8 1.9 %
None chosen 98 23.2 %
Total 422 100.0 %
SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q16. Which THREE of the services listed in Question 15 do you think should receive the MOST EMPHASIS from the City over the next TWO years? (top 3)
Q16. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
Access to information about City Council, Commission &
Committee meetings (schedules, agendas, videos, audio
recordings) 93 22.0 %
Access to finance & budget information 71 16.8 %
Availability of information about City programs & services 148 35.1 % Efforts by City to keep residents informed about local issues 213 50.5 % Timeliness of information provided by City 79 18.7 %
Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 102 24.2 %
Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 138 32.7 % Overall usefulness of City website 67 15.9 %
City departments use of social media 42 10.0 %
Content of City's newsletter (Newark News) 59 14.0 %
Ease of paying bills on City's website (e.g., business licenses, building permits) 21 5.0 %
None chosen 62 14.7 %
Total 1095

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 91

Q17. Please CHECK ALL the ways you learn about Newark programs, news, activities, and events.

Q17. Ways you learn about Newark programs, news,
activities, & events Number Percent
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines 130 30.8 %
Newark Chamber of Commerce 24 5.7 %
TextMyGov 24 5.7 %
City website 167 39.6 %
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor) 203 48.1 % Newark News 281 66.6 %
Flyer/signage 148 35.1 %
Hear about it at work or in professional settings 15 3.6 % Hear about it from neighbors 139 32.9 %
Word of mouth from friends & family 150 35.5 %
Other 7 1.7 %
Total 1288

Q17-11. Other:

Q17-11. Other Number Percent
Newspaper 1 14.3 %
COUNCIL MEMBER 1 14.3 %
Mailers 1 14.3 %
Library 1 14.3 %
Tri-City Voice 1 14.3 %
Email 1 14.3 %
Family members 1 14.3 %
Total 7 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 92

Q18. Which THREE of the sources from the list in Question 17 do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about City news, events, programs, or activities?
Q18. Top choice Number Percent
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines 36 8.5 %
Newark Chamber of Commerce 5 1.2 %
TextMyGov 18 4.3 %
City website 52 12.3 %
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor) 124 29.4 % Newark News 122 28.9 %
Flyer/signage 18 4.3 %
Hear about it from neighbors 2 0.5 %
Word of mouth from friends & family 3 0.7 %
None chosen 42 10.0 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q18. Which THREE of the sources from the list in Question 17 do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about City news, events, programs, or activities?
Q18. 2nd choice Number Percent
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines 43 10.2 %
Newark Chamber of Commerce 7 1.7 %
TextMyGov 11 2.6 %
City website 63 14.9 %
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor) 57 13.5 % Newark News 98 23.2 %
Flyer/signage 63 14.9 %
Hear about it from neighbors 12 2.8 %
Word of mouth from friends & family 8 1.9 %
None chosen 60 14.2 %
Total 422 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 93

Q18. Which THREE of the sources from the list in Question 17 do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about City news, events, programs, or activities?
Q18. 3rd choice Number Percent
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines 38 9.0 %
Newark Chamber of Commerce 10 2.4 %
TextMyGov 15 3.6 %
City website 50 11.8 %
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor) 40 9.5 % Newark News 49 11.6 %
Flyer/signage 60 14.2 %
Hear about it at work or in professional settings 2 0.5 % Hear about it from neighbors 33 7.8 %
Word of mouth from friends & family 28 6.6 %
None chosen 97 23.0 %
Total 422 100.0 %

SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q18. Which THREE of the sources from the list in Question 17 do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about City news, events, programs, or activities? (top 3)
Q18. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines 117 27.7 %
Newark Chamber of Commerce 22 5.2 %
TextMyGov 44 10.4 %
City website 165 39.1 %
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor) 221 52.4 % Newark News 269 63.7 %
Flyer/signage 141 33.4 %
Hear about it at work or in professional settings 2 0.5 % Hear about it from neighbors 47 11.1 %
Word of mouth from friends & family 39 9.2 %
None chosen 42 10.0 %
Total 1109
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 94

Q19. Customer Service. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. (N=422)
Very Not applicable/
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied no experience Q19-1. How easy it was to
contact the person you needed
to reach 9.7% 24.6% 17.1% 3.8% 1.7% 43.1%
Q19-2. How fairly you were
treated by City staff 15.9% 25.8% 13.7% 1.2% 0.7% 42.7% Q19-3. Overall courtesy &
professionalism of City staff 16.8% 26.8% 13.7% 1.2% 0.9% 40.5% Q19-4. Overall knowledge &
expertise of City staff 13.7% 23.9% 17.3% 0.9% 1.2% 42.9% Q19-5. Overall satisfaction with
the overall outcome of your
request or concern 11.8% 22.0% 16.4% 4.7% 3.8% 41.2%
Q19-6. Ability of City staff to
fully resolve your request 10.7% 20.1% 17.8% 6.2% 3.3% 41.9% Q19-7. Clarity & ease of use of the
information received from City
staff 11.8% 22.3% 16.8% 3.1% 1.4% 44.5%
Q19-8. Timeliness it took to
complete your request 10.2% 21.1% 14.7% 6.9% 4.3% 42.9% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 95

WITHOUT “NOT APPLICABLE/NO EXPERIENCE”
Q19. Customer Service. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. (without "not applicable/no experience")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q19-1. How easy it was to
contact the person you
needed to reach 17.1% 43.3% 30.0% 6.7% 2.9%
Q19-2. How fairly you were
treated by City staff 27.7% 45.0% 24.0% 2.1% 1.2%
Q19-3. Overall courtesy &
professionalism of City staff 28.3% 45.0% 23.1% 2.0% 1.6% Q19-4. Overall knowledge &
expertise of City staff 24.1% 41.9% 30.3% 1.7% 2.1%
Q19-5. Overall satisfaction
with the overall outcome of
your request or concern 20.2% 37.5% 27.8% 8.1% 6.5%
Q19-6. Ability of City staff to
fully resolve your request 18.4% 34.7% 30.6% 10.6% 5.7% Q19-7. Clarity & ease of use of
the information received from
City staff 21.4% 40.2% 30.3% 5.6% 2.6%
Q19-8. Timeliness it took to
complete your request 17.8% 36.9% 25.7% 12.0% 7.5%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 96

Q20. Ease of Travel. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (N=422)
Very
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied dissatisfied Don't know Q20-1. Ease of travel by
automobile on City streets 20.4% 44.8% 15.6% 11.1% 3.8% 4.3% Q20-2. Ease of travel by footwalking along streets on
sidewalks 14.9% 39.1% 22.3% 12.3% 4.3% 7.1%
Q20-3. Ease of travel by bicycle
on streets 9.0% 23.0% 17.1% 10.0% 5.9% 35.1%
Q20-4. Ease of travel by public
transportation 4.0% 12.1% 15.4% 6.6% 5.5% 56.4%

WITHOUT “DON’T KNOW”
Q20. Ease of Travel. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark. (without "don't know")
(N=422)
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Q20-1. Ease of travel by
automobile on City streets 21.3% 46.8% 16.3% 11.6% 4.0% Q20-2. Ease of travel by footwalking along streets on
sidewalks 16.1% 42.1% 24.0% 13.3% 4.6%
Q20-3. Ease of travel by
bicycle on streets 13.9% 35.4% 26.3% 15.3% 9.1%
Q20-4. Ease of travel by
public transportation 9.2% 27.7% 35.3% 15.2% 12.5%
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 97

Q21. Community Investment Areas. Please rate your level of support for investing City resources on a scale of 1 to 4, where 4 means "Very Supportive" and 1 means "Not Supportive," for each of the following. (N=422)
Very supportive Supportive Not sure Not supportive
Q21-1. Improving bicycle access & safety on
City roads 25.6% 33.4% 20.1% 20.9%
Q21-2. Improving pedestrian access & safety
along City roads 43.6% 43.6% 9.2% 3.6%
Q21-3. Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic
congestion 51.9% 37.2% 9.0% 1.9%
Q21-4. Upgrading City parks, playground
equipment, & restrooms 58.1% 30.8% 9.7% 1.4%
Q21-5. Maintaining streets & sidewalks 67.8% 26.8% 4.3% 1.2% Q21-6. Adding City street & park trees 45.5% 27.7% 20.6% 6.2% Q21-7. Upgrading street medians 34.8% 35.3% 22.7% 7.1%
Q21-8. Adding recreational programming 34.1% 38.9% 22.7% 4.3% Q21-9. Upgrading aging City buildings 32.5% 34.1% 25.4% 8.1% 2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 98

Q22. Which THREE of the items listed in Question 21 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to pursue?
Q22. Top choice Number Percent
Improving bicycle access & safety on City roads 36 8.5 % Improving pedestrian access & safety along City roads 57 13.5 % Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion 93 22.0 % Upgrading City parks, playground equipment, & restrooms 79 18.7 % Maintaining streets & sidewalks 89 21.1 %
Adding City street & park trees 11 2.6 %
Upgrading street medians 9 2.1 %
Adding recreational programming 10 2.4 %
Upgrading aging City buildings 16 3.8 %
None chosen 22 5.2 %
Total 422 100.0 %

Q22. Which THREE of the items listed in Question 21 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to pursue?
Q22. 2nd choice Number Percent
Improving bicycle access & safety on City roads 22 5.2 % Improving pedestrian access & safety along City roads 63 14.9 % Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion 46 10.9 % Upgrading City parks, playground equipment, & restrooms 68 16.1 % Maintaining street & sidewalks 106 25.1 %
Adding City streets & park trees 34 8.1 %
Upgrading street medians 15 3.6 %
Adding recreational programming 24 5.7 %
Upgrading aging City buildings 15 3.6 %
None chosen 29 6.9 %
Total 422 100.0 %

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 99

Q22. Which THREE of the items listed in Question 21 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to pursue?
Q22. 3rd choice Number Percent
Improving bicycle access & safety on City roads 24 5.7 % Improving pedestrian access & safety along City roads 53 12.6 % Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion 51 12.1 % Upgrading City parks, playground equipment, & restrooms 55 13.0 % Maintaining streets & sidewalks 57 13.5 %
Adding City street & park trees 39 9.2 %
Upgrading street medians 33 7.8 %
Adding recreational programming 27 6.4 %
Upgrading aging City buildings 42 10.0 %
None chosen 41 9.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

SUM OF TOP 3 CHOICES
Q22. Which THREE of the items listed in Question 21 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the City to pursue? (top 3)
Q22. Sum of top 3 choices Number Percent
Improving bicycle access & safety on City roads 82 19.4 % Improving pedestrian access & safety along City roads 173 41.0 % Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion 190 45.0 % Upgrading City parks, playground equipment, & restrooms 202 47.9 % Maintaining streets & sidewalks 252 59.7 %
Adding City street & park trees 84 19.9 %
Upgrading street medians 57 13.5 %
Adding recreational programming 61 14.5 %
Upgrading aging City buildings 73 17.3 %
None chosen 22 5.2 %
Total 1196

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 100

Q24. Do you think you will be living in Newark, CA, five years from now? Q24. Will you be living in Newark, CA, five years from
now Number Percent
Yes 341 80.8 %
No 57 13.5 %
Not provided 24 5.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q24. Do you think you will be living in Newark, CA, five years from now? (without "not provided") Q24. Will you be living in Newark, CA, five years from
now Number Percent
Yes 341 85.7 %
No 57 14.3 %
Total 398 100.0 %

Q25. Do you own or rent your current residence?
Q25. Do you own or rent your current residence Number Percent Own 338 80.1 %
Rent 81 19.2 %
Not provided 3 0.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q25. Do you own or rent your current residence? (without "not provided") Q25. Do you own or rent your current residence Number Percent Own 338 80.7 %
Rent 81 19.3 %
Total 419 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 101

Q26. Approximately how many years have you lived in Newark? Q26. Hhow many years have you lived in Newark Number Percent 0-5 41 9.7 %
6-10 56 13.3 %
11-15 40 9.5 %
16-20 30 7.1 %
21-30 68 16.1 %
31+ 171 40.5 %
Not provided 16 3.8 %
Total 422 100.0 %

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q26. Approximately how many years have you lived in Newark? (without "not provided") Q26. Hhow many years have you lived in Newark Number Percent 0-5 41 10.1 %
6-10 56 13.8 %
11-15 40 9.9 %
16-20 30 7.4 %
21-30 68 16.7 %
31+ 171 42.1 %
Total 406 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 102

Q27. Which of the following best describes your race or ethnic background? Q27. Your race/ethnicity Number Percent
Asian or Asian Indian 182 43.1 %
Black or African American 13 3.1 %
American Indian or Alaska Native 3 0.7 %
White Non Hispanic 84 19.9 %
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 7 1.7 %
Hispanic or Latino 120 28.4 %
Other 9 2.1 %
Total 418

Q27-7. Self-describe your race or ethnic background:

Q27-7. Self-describe your race/ethnicity Number Percent Filipino 3 37.5 %
Mixed 1 12.5 %
Portuguese 1 12.5 %
Mexican in Portuguese 1 12.5 %
Middle Eastern 1 12.5 %
Chicano 1 12.5 %
Total 8 100.0 %

Q28. What is the primary language spoken in your home?
Q28. Primary language spoken in your home Number Percent English 328 81.8 %
Spanish 29 7.2 %
Chinese 8 2.0 %
Tagalog 7 1.7 %
Cantonese 6 1.5 %
Mandarin 5 1.2 %
Hindi 3 0.7 %
Burmese 2 0.5 %
Vietnamese 2 0.5 %
Amharic 1 0.2 %
Swedish 1 0.2 %
Tamil 1 0.2 %
Bengali 1 0.2 %
Marathi 1 0.2 %
Portuguese 1 0.2 %
Hindi, Punjabi 1 0.2 %
Gujarati 1 0.2 %
Japanese 1 0.2 %
ASL 1 0.2 %
Taiwanese 1 0.2 %
Total 401 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 103

Q29. Would you say your total annual household income is...

Q29. Your total annual household income Number Percent
Under $50K 31 7.3 %
$50K to $74,999 35 8.3 %
$75K to $99,999 39 9.2 %
$100K to $124,999 40 9.5 %
$125K to $149,999 34 8.1 %
$150K to $174,999 35 8.3 %
$175K to $199,999 35 8.3 %
$200K+ 115 27.3 %
Not provided 58 13.7 %
Total 422 100.0 %

WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q29. Would you say your total annual household income is... (without "not provided") Q29. Your total annual household income Number Percent
Under $50K 31 8.5 %
$50K to $74,999 35 9.6 %
$75K to $99,999 39 10.7 %
$100K to $124,999 40 11.0 %
$125K to $149,999 34 9.3 %
$150K to $174,999 35 9.6 %
$175K to $199,999 35 9.6 %
$200K+ 115 31.6 %
Total 364 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 104

Q30. What is your age?
Q30. Your age Number Percent
18-34 78 18.5 %
35-44 77 18.2 %
45-54 81 19.2 %
55-64 80 19.0 %
65+ 85 20.1 %
Not provided 21 5.0 %
Total 422 100.0 %
WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q30. What is your age? (without "not provided")
Q30. Your age Number Percent
18-34 78 19.5 %
35-44 77 19.2 %
45-54 81 20.2 %
55-64 80 20.0 %
65+ 85 21.2 %
Total 401 100.0 %
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 105

Q31. What is your gender identity?
Q31. Your gender identity Number Percent
Male 203 48.1 %
Female 209 49.5 %
Prefer to self-describe 1 0.2 %
Not provided 9 2.1 %
Total 422 100.0 %
WITHOUT “NOT PROVIDED”
Q31. What is your gender identity? (without "not provided") Q31. Your gender identity Number Percent
Male 203 49.2 %
Female 209 50.6 %
Prefer to self-describe 1 0.2 %
Total 413 100.0 %
Q31-3. Self-describe your gender identity:

Q31-3. Self-describe your gender identity Number Percent Non Binary 1 100.0 %
Total 1 100.0 %

2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 106 5 Survey Instrument
2025 City of Newark Community Survey: Findings Report ETC Institute (2025) Page 107

©2025 ETC Institute Page 1
2025 City of Newark Community Survey
Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your input is an important part of the city's ongoing effort to identify and respond to resident concerns. You may complete the survey by returning it in the postage-paid envelope that has been provided, online at NewarkCommunitySurvey.org or by scanning the QR code to the right.

1. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means "Excellent" and 1 means "Poor," please rate the City of Newark with regard to each of the following.

How would you rate the City of Newark... Excellent Good Neutral Below Average Poor Don't Know

1. As a place to live 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. As a place to raise children 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. As a place to retire 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. As a place to work 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. As a place where I feel welcome 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. As a place where I would buy my next home 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. Overall Quality of City Services. Please rate your overall satisfaction of these major categories of services provided by the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with... Very
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't
Know

01. Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public 5 4 3 2 1 9

02. Overall efforts by the city to ensure your community is prepared for emergencies/disasters 5 4 3 2 1 9

03. Overall enforcement of city codes and ordinances 5 4 3 2 1 9

04. Overall flow of traffic on city streets in your community 5 4 3 2 1 9

05. Overall maintenance of city streets, sidewalks, and infrastructure 5 4 3 2 1 9

06. Overall quality of city parks and recreation facilities 5 4 3 2 1 9

07. Overall quality of city planning, building, and development services (e.g., issuing permits) 5 4 3 2 1 9

08. Overall quality of city police services 5 4 3 2 1 9

09. Overall quality of fire services 5 4 3 2 1 9

10. Overall quality of customer service you receive from city employees 5 4 3 2 1 9

11. Overall quality of city trees (street and park trees) 5 4 3 2 1 9

12. Overall quality of solid waste services (e.g., trash, yard waste and recycling) 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Which THREE of the services listed above do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 2.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____

4. Community Engagement. Please indicate whether or not you have done the following in Newark:

Have you... Yes No

1. Watched a public meeting online? 1 2

2. Attended a public meeting in-person or virtually? 1 2

3. Contacted a City employee by email, phone, or in-person? 1 2 ©2025 ETC Institute Page 2

5. Perceptions of the Community. Please rate your satisfaction with each of the following items that may influence your perception of the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with... Very
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't Know

1. How well the city is managing growth (e.g., industrial, manufacturing, biotech and housing developments) 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. How welcoming the City is to people from diverse backgrounds 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Overall availability of services for vulnerable residents 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Overall feeling of safety in the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. Overall image of the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. Overall quality of life in the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

7. Overall quality of services provided by the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

8. Overall value you receive for your city tax dollars and fees 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. Public Safety Perceptions. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with the overall quality of... Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't Know

01. City's overall efforts to prevent crime 5 4 3 2 1 9

02. Efforts by public safety officials to collaborate with the public to address concerns 5 4 3 2 1 9

03. Enforcement of local traffic laws 5 4 3 2 1 9

04. How quickly police respond to emergencies 5 4 3 2 1 9

05. Overall effectiveness of local police protection 5 4 3 2 1 9

06. Overall quality of 911/dispatch services 5 4 3 2 1 9

07. Overall quality of animal control services 5 4 3 2 1 9

08. Overall quality of police performance in your neighborhood 5 4 3 2 1 9

09. Professionalism of police officers 5 4 3 2 1 9

10. Visibility of police personnel in neighborhoods 5 4 3 2 1 9

7. Which THREE of the services listed above do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 6.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____

8. Streets and Sidewalks. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with the overall quality of... Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't Know

01. Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities 5 4 3 2 1 9

02. Condition of sidewalks in the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

03. Adequacy of city street lighting 5 4 3 2 1 9

04. Flow of traffic on city streets 5 4 3 2 1 9

05. Maintenance of major city streets (e.g., Newark Blvd., Thornton Ave., and Cedar Blvd.) 5 4 3 2 1 9

06. Maintenance of streets in your neighborhood 5 4 3 2 1 9

07. Maintenance of street signs and traffic signals 5 4 3 2 1 9

08. Overall maintenance of city medians (landscaped portion of a divided street separating the roadways) 5 4 3 2 1 9

09. Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system 5 4 3 2 1 9

10. Condition of on-street bicycle infrastructure (bike lanes/wayfinding signs) 5 4 3 2 1 9

9. Which THREE of the services listed above do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 8.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____
©2025 ETC Institute Page 3

10. Code Enforcement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the city of Newark.

How satisfied are you with... Very
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't
Know

1. Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential property 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on private property 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. Enforcement of abandoned vehicles on city streets 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. Enforcement of illegally parked vehicles on lawns or other areas 5 4 3 2 1 9

7. Overall professionalism of code enforcement officers 5 4 3 2 1 9

11. Which TWO of the services listed above do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to emphasize over the next two years? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 10.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____

12. Permitting Process. Have you interacted with the Planning, Building, or Engineering Departments to obtain a permit within the last five years?
____(1) Yes [Answer Q12a-b.] ____(2) No [Skip to Q13.]
12a. What department did you contact most recently?
____(1) Planning
____(2) Building
____(3) Engineering
____(4) Other: _______________________________________________________ 12b. Please rate your overall satisfaction with your experience working with the department you selected in Question 12a.
____(5) Very satisfied
____(4) Satisfied
____(3) Neutral
____(2) Dissatisfied
____(1) Very dissatisfied

13. Parks and Recreation Facilities. Have you or any members of your household visited any parks or recreation facilities offered by the City of Newark during the past year? ____(1) Yes [Answer Q13a.] ____(2) No [Skip to Q14.]
13a. Parks and Recreation. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. If you have not had a specific experience with one of the items listed, please circle '9' for "Not Applicable/No Experience."
How satisfied are you with the overall quality of... Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Not
Applicable/No
Experience

1. Fees charged for facility memberships 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. Fees charged for facility rentals 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Maintenance of city parks 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Art in public spaces 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. Outdoor athletic fields (e.g., baseball and soccer) 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. Park amenities such as picnic areas, playgrounds,
basketball, and tennis courts 5 4 3 2 1 9

14. Parks and Recreation Programming. Have you or any members of your household participated in any recreation programing or special events offered by the City of Newark during the past year? ____(1) Yes [Answer Q14a.] ____(2) No [Skip to Q15.]
©2025 ETC Institute Page 4
14a. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. If you have not had a specific experience with one of the items listed, please circle '9' for "Not Applicable/No Experience." How satisfied are you with the overall quality of... Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Not
Applicable/No
Experience

1. Ease of registering for programs 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. Fees charged for recreation programs 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Quality of instructors 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Quality of City-sponsored events (e.g., Family Day at the Park, Groovin at the Grove, Howl-O-Ween, Tree Lighting) 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. Customer service received by recreation staff 5 4 3 2 1 9

6. Quality of adult recreation programs 5 4 3 2 1 9

7. Quality of youth recreation programs 5 4 3 2 1 9

8. Quality of senior recreation programs and services 5 4 3 2 1 9

15. Communication and Community Engagement. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with the overall quality of... Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't
Know

01. Access to information about City Council, Commission and committee meetings (schedules, agendas, videos, audio recordings) 5 4 3 2 1 9

02. Access to finance and budget information 5 4 3 2 1 9

03. Availability of information about city programs and services 5 4 3 2 1 9

04. Efforts by the city to keep residents informed about local issues 5 4 3 2 1 9

05. Timeliness of information provided by the city 5 4 3 2 1 9

06. Opportunity to engage/provide input into decisions made by elected officials 5 4 3 2 1 9

07. Opportunity to engage in improvements in my neighborhood 5 4 3 2 1 9

08. Overall usefulness of city website 5 4 3 2 1 9

09. City departments use of social media 5 4 3 2 1 9

10. The content of the city's newsletter (Newark News) 5 4 3 2 1 9

11. Ease of paying bills on the city's website (e.g., business licenses, building permits) 5 4 3 2 1 9

16. Which THREE of the services listed above do you think should receive the MOST EMPHASIS from the city over the next TWO years? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 15.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____

17. Please CHECK ALL the ways you learn about Newark programs, news, activities, and events. ____(01) Regional news, radio, newspaper, magazines
____(02) Newark Chamber of Commerce
____(03) TextMyGov
____(04) City website
____(05) Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,
Nextdoor)
____(06) Newark News
____(07) Flyer/signage
____(08) Hear about it at work or in professional settings ____(09) Hear about it from neighbors
____(10) Word of mouth from friends and family
____(11) Other: ________________________________

18. Which THREE of the sources from the list in Question 17 do you MOST PREFER to use to learn about city news, events, programs, or activities? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 17.]
1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____
©2025 ETC Institute Page 5

19. Customer Service. Please rate your satisfaction with the following. If you have not had a specific experience with one of the items listed, please circle '9' for "Not Applicable/No Experience." How satisfied are you with... Very
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Not
Applicable/No
Experience

1. How easy it was to contact the person you needed to reach 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. How fairly you were treated by City staff 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Overall courtesy and professionalism of City staff 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Overall knowledge and expertise of City staff 5 4 3 2 1 9

5. Overall satisfaction with the overall outcome of your request or concern
5 4 3 2 1 9

6. The ability of City staff to fully resolve your request 5 4 3 2 1 9

7. The clarity and ease of use of the information received from City staff 5 4 3 2 1 9

8. The timeliness it took to complete your request 5 4 3 2 1 9

20. Ease of Travel. Please rate your satisfaction with the following services provided by the City of Newark.

How satisfied are you with... Very
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't Know

1. Ease of travel by automobile on city streets 5 4 3 2 1 9

2. Ease of travel by foot-walking along streets on sidewalks 5 4 3 2 1 9

3. Ease of travel by bicycle on streets 5 4 3 2 1 9

4. Ease of travel by public transportation 5 4 3 2 1 9

21. Community Investment Areas. Please rate your level of support for investing city resources on a scale of 1 to 4, where 4 means "Very Supportive" and 1 means "Not Supportive," for each of the following.

How supportive are you of.... Very Supportive Supportive Not Sure Not Supportive

1. Improving bicycle access and safety on city roads 4 3 2 1

2. Improving pedestrian access and safety along city roads 4 3 2 1

3. Improving traffic flow to reduce traffic congestion 4 3 2 1

4. Upgrading city parks, playground equipment, and restrooms 4 3 2 1

5. Maintaining streets and sidewalks 4 3 2 1

6. Adding city street and park trees 4 3 2 1

7. Upgrading street medians 4 3 2 1

8. Adding recreational programming 4 3 2 1

9. Upgrading aging city buildings 4 3 2 1

22. Which THREE of the items listed in Question 21 do you think are MOST IMPORTANT for the city to pursue? [Write in your answers below using the numbers from the list in Question 21.] 1st: ____ 2nd: ____ 3rd: ____

23. Are there other community investment areas that were not listed in Question 21 that you would be supportive of the city investing resources in?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ©2025 ETC Institute Page 6
Demographics

24. Do you think you will be living in Newark, CA, five years from now? ____(1) Yes ____(2) No

25. Do you own or rent your current residence? ____(1) Own ____(2) Rent

26. Approximately how many years have you lived in Newark? ______ years

27. Which of the following best describes your race or ethnic background? [Check all that apply.] ____(01) Asian or Asian Indian
____(02) Black or African American
____(03) American Indian or Alaska Native
____(04) White
____(05) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
____(06) Hispanic or Latino
____(99) Other: ____________________________________________

28. What is the primary language spoken in your home? ______________________________________________

29. Would you say your total annual household income is... ____(1) Under $50,000
____(2) $50,000 to $74,999
____(3) $75,000 to $99,999
____(4) $100,000 to $124,999
____(5) $125,000 to $149,999
____(6) $150,000 to $174,999
____(7) $175,000 to $199,999
____(8) $200,000 or more

30. What is your age? ________ years

31. What is your gender identity?
____(1) Male ____(2) Female ____(3) Prefer to self-describe: _________________________________________

32. PANEL SURVEY PARTICIPATION (OPTIONAL) Would you like to opt in to receive future surveys from the City of Newark? These may include follow-up surveys related to the 2025 Community Survey or topic-specific surveys designed to gather public input on timely issues. ____(1) Yes [Answer Q32a.] ____(2) No
32a. Please provide your contact information.

Name: ____________________________________________ Phone: ______________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________________ This concludes the survey. Thank you for your time!
Please return your survey in the postage-paid envelope addressed to:

ETC Institute, 725 W. Frontier Circle, Olathe, KS 66061 The information shown to the right will ONLY
be used to help ensure the survey results are
statistically representative of residents in the
area. Thank you.
page 1
2025 City of
Newark
Community
Survey Findings
Presented by ETC Institute
November 2025
page 2
ETC Institute is the Nation’s
leading provider of market
research for local governments
Who We Are
Since 2012, ETC Institute has surveyed more than 4,000,000 people in more than 1,200 communities around the world
Our Mission
For more than 40 years, our mission
has been to help local governments
gather and use survey data to make
better decisions
Our Goal
To provide an objective assessment
that community leaders can
depend on to make data-driven
decisions to improve the lives of
residents
page 3
Purpose
• To objectively assess resident satisfaction with the delivery of City services • To gather input from residents to help City leaders set priorities for the City • To track the City’s performance against itself and other communities over time Methodology
• Like prior surveys by ETC Institute, last survey was conducted in 2023 • Administered by mail, phone, and online with follow-ups by text, email, and social media
• Sample designed to ensure results are statistically valid of the City’s population • 422 completed surveys were collected, MOE: +/-4.7% at 95% level of confidence Agenda 2025 Community Survey

01. 02.

03. 04.

05. 06.

Perceptions
Trends
Benchmarks
Opportunities
Additional Findings
Summary & Questions
page 4
Location of Survey Respondents
Boundaries are by Census Block Group (CBG)
• Good representation of responses
throughout the City
• Home address of all respondents are
geocoded to the block level to
ensure anonymity
• In addition to geographic
representation, ETC Institute also
achieved a good demographic
representation in the results
including ethnicity/race, age, and
education level.
page 5
What to Know
2025 Community Survey Results At a Glance
The City Sets the
Standard for Services
Benchmarking
83% of respondents rated the City as
an “Excellent” or “Good” place to live
– compared to the National Average
of 54.7% and the California Average
of 53.3% Newark rates nearly 30 pts.
above both comparisons!
Perceptions of the
City Remain High
Perceptions
Of the six Perception items that were
comparable from 2023 to 2025, the
City saw increases in positive
responses in all but one area: as a
place to work, where the decrease
was minimal at 2.4 pts. which is not a
significant change
Opportunities for
Improvement
Priorities for Improvement

1. Maintenance of streets sidewalks, and
infrastructure

2. Efforts to ensure community is prepared for
emergencies

3. Overall flow of traffic

4. Quality of parks and recreation facilities

5. Quality of planning, building, and development
Total number of completed surveys
collected. 405 total surveys were
collected in 2023.
422
Margin of error at the 95% level of
confidence.
+/-4.7%
Percentage of respondents who
provided a “excellent” or “good”
response when rating the City as a
place to live – up 6.5 pts. from 2023.
83%
01 02 03
page 6
Perceptions
How respondents rated their perceptions of the City of
Newark
page 7
Satisfaction With Perceptions of the Community
by the sum percentage of respondents who gave a rating of either very satisfied or satisfied (excluding don’t know responses) Significant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error page 8
Overall Quality of
Services Provided by
the City of Newark
The map shows that the City of Newark is
equitable services residents throughout the
City with only a few small pockets of ‘neutral’
ratings based on the mean rating within each
Census Block Group.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 9
Overall Ratings of the City of Newark
by the sum percentage of respondents who gave a rating of either excellent or good (excluding don’t know responses) Significant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error page 10
erall Ratings of the City of Newark
percentage of respondents who gave a rating of either very satisfied or satisfied (excluding don’t know responses) Significant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error Three (3) of the five
(5) areas that were
determined to be
higher opportunities
for improvement saw
significant increases in
overall satisfaction
ratings from 2023 to
2025
page 11
Trends
How do the 2025 survey results compare to 2023
page 12
Comparing the 2025 Results to 2023
• There were a total of 66 areas that were comparable between the 2025 and 2023 surveys
• Of the areas that were directly comparable, the City saw an increase in positive responses in 57 of the 66 areas (86%)
• Of the areas that saw increases, 40 of the areas saw significant increases that exceeded the survey’s margin of error of +/-4.7% at the 95% level of confidence (61%)
This type of success has been uncommon since 2020
page 13
Positive Trends
from 2023
66 areas were comparable
between the 2023 and 2025
surveys. 57 of the 66 areas (95%)
saw either a positive increase or
no significant decrease in
satisfaction
Largest INCREASES in Satisfaction Since 2023
• Access to finance and budget information, (+7.5%)
• Enforcement of exterior maintenance of commercial/business property, (+7.5%)
• Overall effectiveness of city communication with the public, (+7.3%)
• Professionalism of police officers, (+7.3%)
• As a place to live, (+6.5%)
• Overall quality of services provided by the city, (+6.4%) • Overall quality of animal control services, (+6.3%)
• Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property, (+5.7%)
• Overall flow of traffic on city streets, (+5.4%)
• Overall maintenance of stormwater maintenance system, (+5.4%) • As a place where I feel welcome, (+5.3%)
• Overall quality of fire services, (+4.8%)
ficant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error page 14
Negative Trends
from 2023
66 areas were comparable between
the 2023 and 2025 surveys. 9 of the
66 areas (14%) saw a decrease in
satisfaction, only 2 areas were
significant (3%)
Largest Decreases in Satisfaction Since 2023
• Accessibility of streets and sidewalks for people with disabilities, (-7.2%)
• Overall quality of solid waste services, (-6.9%)*
• Ease of travel by automobile on city streets, (-4.5%) This is very uncommon among communities who have regularly administered surveys between 2020 and 2025. The City of Newark has done an exceptional job of increasing satisfaction with some of the most important services to respondents
ficant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error page 15
Benchmarks
How does Newark compare to national and regional
benchmarking?
page 16
National and Regional
Benchmarking
A total of 45 items were directly
comparable to National and
Regional Averages.

Newark rated ABOVE the National
Average in 37 of the 45 areas
assessed (82%) – 29 items were
significantly higher (64%)
Newark rated ABOVE the California
Average in 36 of the 45 areas
assessed (80%) – 28 items were
significantly higher (62%)
ETC Institute maintains national and
regional benchmarking
In 2025, Newark’s results were
compared to two different sources:
• National Average: a national survey administered
during the summer of 2025
• Regional Survey: a survey administered during the
summer of 2025 to residents in California
Significant differences are those that exceed
the 4.7% margin of error
page 17
Overall Satisfaction with Major Categories of
City Services
by percentage of respondents (excluding “don’t know”)
Items that were
determined to be
top priorities in
the ImportanceSatisfaction
Analysis are
highlighted with
arrows
page 18
National Benchmarking
Significantly Higher
• As a place to live, (+28.3%)
• How quickly police respond to emergencies, (+25.7%)
• Overall quality of city police services, (+25.5%)
• Overall quality of customer service you receive from
city employees, (+25.3%)
• Overall effectiveness of local police protection, (+24%) • How welcoming City is to people from diverse
backgrounds, (+23%)
• Overall effectiveness of city communication with the
public, (+21.7%)
• Overall quality of fire services, (+17.1%)
• City's overall efforts to prevent crime, (+16.7%)
• Enforcement of local traffic laws, (+14.8%)
Significantly Lower
• Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on
private property, (-12.2%)
• Enforcement of clean-up of trash and debris on private property, (-6.3%)
• Adequacy of city street lighting, (-5.3%)
page 19
California Benchmarking
Significantly Higher
• How quickly police respond to emergencies, (+32.9%)
• Overall quality of city police services, (+32.3%)
• Overall effectiveness of local police protection,
(+30.8%)
• As a place to live, (+29.7%)
• Overall quality of customer service you receive from
city employees, (+28.2%)
• Overall effectiveness of city communication with the
public, (+27.4%)
• How welcoming City is to people from diverse
backgrounds, (+25%)
• City's overall efforts to prevent crime, (+22.6%)
• Overall quality of fire services, (+22.5%)
Significantly Lower
• Enforcement of mowing and cutting of weeds on
private property, (-15.6%)
• Enforcement of exterior maintenance of residential
property, (-8.6%)
• Maintenance of major city streets, (-6.2%)
• Adequacy of city street lighting, (-6.1%)
page 20
Opportunities
Opportunities for improvement based on the
Importance-Satisfaction Analysis
page 21
City Services That Should Receive the Most Emphasis Over the Next Two Years
by percentage of respondents who selected the item as one of their top three choices The areas with the
lowest levels of
satisfaction are
also among the
most important to
respondents with
the exception of
Police Services
page 22
page 23
Overall Maintenance of
City Streets, Sidewalks,
and Infrastructure
This item was determined to be the top
priority for improvement based on the
Importance-Satisfaction Analysis.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 24
Efforts by the City to
Ensure the Community
is Prepared for
Emergencies
This item was determined to be the second
highest priority for improvement based on
the Importance-Satisfaction Analysis.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 25
Flow of Traffic on City
Streets
This item was determined to be the third
highest priority for improvement based on
the Importance-Satisfaction Analysis.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 26
Quality of Parks and
Recreation Facilities
This item was determined to be the fourth
highest priority for improvement based on
the Importance-Satisfaction Analysis.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 27
Quality of City Planning,
Building, and
Development Services
This item was determined to be the fifth
highest priority for improvement based on
the Importance-Satisfaction Analysis.

Shades of blue generally indicate satisfaction
with a service, ratings of very satisfied,
satisfied, excellent, good, very safe, or safe
Shades of off-white/yellow indicate neutral
ratings
Shades of orange or red indicate negative
ratings where general dissatisfaction is higher
page 28
Additional Findings
What else did we learn?
page 29
Significant differences are those that exceed the 4.7% margin of error Communication and Community Engagement
by the sum percentage of respondents who gave a rating of either very satisfied or satisfied (excluding don’t know responses) page 30
espondents Learn About Newark
ts (multiple selections could be made)
The most used
sources are also the
most preferred
which will continue
to benefit the City
as it relates to
overall perceptions
and communication
scores
page 31
Summary
• Resident perceptions remain extremely strong – the overall quality of life ratings of the City are exceptionally high
• Satisfaction improved in 86% of areas – with significant increases in 61% of the areas assessed between 2025 and 2023
• Critical City services saw meaningful gains – communication, public safety, stormwater maintenance, and overall services
• Benchmarking results confirm Newark is a top performer – significantly higher than comparisons
• Opportunities exist, but are common among high performers – streets, infrastructure, and traffic flow are common priorities • Overall trajectory is positive – with data showing both high satisfaction, and clear, actionable areas for strategic investment page 32
725 W Frontier Lane, Olathe, KS
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Item  F. 2.

DATE 01/22/2026
TO Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM James Scanlin, Environmental Services Manager
SUBJECT    Consider a resolution adopting an update to the January 2010 Climate Action Plan initial framework
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION
The City has a long history of being proactive in addressing the threat of climate change. In 2007, Mayor David W. Smith signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, pledging that the City would take action for climate protection. The City adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in January 2010. The CAP set a target to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from activities within the city to 1990 levels by 2020. That target was in line with the State of California's target at that time.

The City has taken numerous actions prior to and since the adoption of its CAP to reduce GHG emissions and achieve its reduction target. Due to the increasing awareness of the threat that climate change poses, the State has adopted much more aggressive GHG reduction targets. The State's current target is to reduce GHG emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

The City seeks to align with the State’s updated GHG reduction targets and has prepared an update to the 2010 CAP. This update, titled Climate Action Newark (CAN), provides the City with a roadmap to reduce GHG emissions from activities in Newark over the coming decades.  Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution adopting Climate Action Newark as an update to the 2010 CAP.

BACKGROUND
Since the City’s 2010 CAP was adopted, the regulatory landscape of climate action has shifted toward dramatic decarbonization efforts. The State adopted a 2030 GHG reduction target of 40% below 1990 levels through Senate Bill (SB) 32, and Assembly Bill (AB) 1279 requires the State to achieve net zero GHG emissions as soon as possible but no later than 2045 and to reduce anthropogenic GHG emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045.

The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality lays out a pathway to achieving the AB 1279 targets. In addition, as the state implements GHG regulations that target new development (e.g., strengthening building energy efficiency standards), the opportunities for additional reductions from new development at the local level diminish. These circumstances underscore the new development at the local level diminish. These circumstances underscore the need to focus on actions within the City’s authority and influence to reduce emissions from the existing building stock and built environment (e.g., community and roadway design, energy systems, vehicle fueling and charging) to align with state targets.

Climate Action Newark (CAN) is a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce GHG emissions. The guiding principles of CAN include the following:
· Ambitious. The proposed strategies will be ambitious and serve to “move the needle” in reducing GHGs and support community resilience.
· Realistic. While the proposed strategies will be ambitious, their implementation will be realistic and attainable, given local capacity.
· Collaborative. Implementing the proposed strategies will require collaboration and involvement from multiple city departments, the broader community, and other stakeholders.
· Comprehensive. The proposed strategies will span a range of sectors within the city and support broader regional initiatives.
· Fair. The proposed strategies will enact solutions that equitably address the sources and risks of climate change and will share the costs and benefits of action across the city.
· Beneficial. The proposed strategies aim to improve the city’s livability and the well-being of all community members.
· Specific. The proposed strategies will be as specific as possible, either through the language of the strategies themselves and/or through a suite of later-determined implementation details. Implementation details may include lead and supporting actors, implementing mechanisms, and potential funding sources, among others. Additionally, proposed strategies will be locally relevant, deliver local benefits, and support local priorities.
· Evidence-Based. The proposed strategies will reflect evidence-based knowledge and local understanding and be informed by empirical inputs (e.g., GHG inventory and forecasts).
· Transparent. Following an open decision-making process, the implementation of proposed strategies will be tracked, reported on, and evaluated over time to determine any necessary updates or revisions to strategies.

Additionally, implementation of the actions included in CAN will result in co-benefits.

Co-benefits refer to the additional positive outcomes alongside the primary goal(s) of each strategy upon implementation, and they may manifest across various sectors, including environmental, social, economic, and public health domains. Specific co-benefits that were evaluated for CAN strategies include:
· Improved Public Health: This may include, but is not limited to, reduced air pollution (e.g., through reducing vehicle miles traveled and transitioning to cleaner energy sources) and improved mental health (e.g., through access to clean and green spaces). · Community Cost Savings: This may include, but is not limited to, savings related to energy efficiency (e.g., lower energy bills), infrastructure resilience (e.g., avoidance of costly repairs for damages that would have happened otherwise), and healthcare. · Economic Development: This may include, but is not limited to, job creation (e.g., investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure resulting in economic growth and diversification), innovation and entrepreneurship, and tourism and recreation (e.g., through preserving landscapes and biodiversity hotspots, which can indirectly stimulate local economies and generate revenue). · Equity: This may include, but is not limited to, social inclusion (e.g., addressing disparities, promoting greater access to resources), environmental justice (e.g., mitigating cumulative impacts from environmental stressors, fair distribution of environmental benefits), and economic empowerment.
· Adaptation/Resilience: This may include, but is not limited to, improved infrastructure resilience, improved disaster preparedness, and enhanced community cohesion. · Resource Conservation: This may include, but is not limited to, sustainable resource management (e.g., preservation of natural resources, efficient use of resources, protecting ecosystem services).

Overall, CAN is essential for mitigating climate change, safeguarding the environment, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for current and future generations.

DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS
Staff have prepared responses to public comments received on the draft CAN document, final CAN document for City Council consideration, and CAN Implementation Plan.

Final Strategies
Staff developed a total of 28 strategies that would close the emissions “gap” between target emissions reductions and reductions from legislation. The strategies are organized under categories that generally align with the emissions sectors: building energy (e.g., residential and nonresidential building energy use), on-road transportation, off-road vehicles and equipment, solid waste, water, and wastewater.

GHG emissions reductions were quantified for strategies wherever supporting data and reasonable assumptions were available to support calculations. Strategies and associated emissions reductions are illustrated in Table 1 below.

Table 1
Strategy # Strategy GHG Reductions (MTCO2e)
2035 2045
Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN)
EN-1 Electrify and decarbonize the city's building stock. 11,974 28,410 EN-2 Expand clean energy generation and use. 31,422 0
EN-3 Promote energy efficiency and reduce energy
consumption.

N/A N/A
EN Subtotal 43,396 28,410
Sustainable On- and Off-Road Transportation & Land Use (TR) TR-1 Make active transportation the preferred method of getting around, where feasible.
182 38
TR-2 Increase the safety, accessibility, and reliability of public transit.
768 226
TR-3 Expand and encourage shared mobility options. N/A N/A TR-4 Where and when passenger and commercial vehicle
use is necessary, accelerate the widespread adoption
of zero-emission vehicles.
9,862 17,936
TR-5 Prioritize sustainable land use by increasing residential density, supporting a diversity of land uses, and
implementing transportation demand management
strategies.
1,813 538
TR-6 Reduce emissions associated with off-road
transportation and equipment.
1,668 2,040
TR Subtotal 14,294 20,778
Responsible Use of Resources (RES)
RES-1 Expand the practice of circular economy principles that promote the reuse, repair, and recycling of goods and
materials.

N/A N/A
RES-2 Promote responsible organic and inorganic waste
management and reduction practices.
5,632 6,289
RES-3 Prioritize water-wise practices and technologies that minimize consumption across the city.
0 0
RES Subtotal 5,632 6,289
Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS)
NBS-1 Maintain and expand the city's urban tree canopy. 729 1,216 NBS-2 Integrate green stormwater infrastructure throughout the city.

N/A N/A
NBS-3 Protect, restore, and enhance natural areas, wetlands, and ecosystems.
179 357
NBS-4 Promote sustainable landscaping practices that support native vegetation and pollinator habitats.

N/A N/A
NBS Subtotal 908 1,573
Community Capacity & Resilience (COM)
COM-1 Improve climate and emergency preparedness. N/A N/A COM-2 Reduce exposure to extreme heat and mitigate the
urban heat island effect.

N/A N/A
COM-3 Bolster protection for sea level rise and flooding. N/A N/A COM-4 Build a more sustainable food system and increase local food security.

N/A N/A
COM-5 Create a local economy that prioritizes green
businesses and "high road" workforce development.

N/A N/A
COM-6 Provide education and outreach opportunities to help support CAN awareness and implementation.

N/A N/A
COM Subtotal N/A N/A
Municipal (MUN)
MUN-1 Reduce emissions from municipal buildings and
facilities.

N/A N/A
MUN-2 Minimize vehicle miles traveled for City employees. N/A N/A MUN-3 Shift to clean municipal on-road and off-road vehicles and equipment.

N/A N/A
MUN-4 Reduce municipal water use. N/A N/A
MUN-5 Practice sustainable waste management for municipal operations.

N/A N/A
MUN-6 Protect municipal assets from climate hazards. N/A N/A MUN Subtotal N/A N/A
64,230 57,050
Total GHG Emissions Reductions from Strategies 64,230 57,050 GHG Emissions Reductions Needed to Meet Target 63,595 59,301 Target Met? Yes No
Remaining Gap to Target -635  2,251
Out of all the identified strategies, those responsible for the largest emissions reductions include: EN-1, EN-2, TR-4, and RES-2. These four strategies make up 91% of total emissions reductions. A majority of emissions reductions are from transportation and building energy, as these are the two largest sources of emissions in Newark. Estimated reductions from strategies would meet the City’s 2035 emissions reduction target but fall short of the 2045 emissions reduction target by 2,251 MTCO2e. Although the 2045 target would not be achieved based on the estimated GHG reductions, the 2045 remaining emissions would achieve nearly 96 percent of the Scoping Plan target. Figure 1 below displays the legislative emissions reductions and strategy emissions reductions.

Figure 1
Strategies have key indicators, which are quantified targets, that will help staff determine if they are achieving strategy emissions reductions. To ensure strategies are implemented, each strategy has actions that describe policies, programs, and/or partnerships the City will establish to achieve GHG emissions reductions. Staff also identified City departments and partner organizations responsible for implementing each action.

Public Comments Received
The public draft CAN was released for a comment period starting on September 8, 2025 and ending on October 20, 2025. The City received 7 comment letters and emails from residents, local organizations, and partner agencies. Staff prepared comprehensive responses to the comments received and made several updates to the final CAN based on the feedback received. The responses to comments and specific revisions made to the final CAN are attached to this staff report. revisions made to the final CAN are attached to this staff report.

Implementation Plan
Staff have prepared a 5-year implementation plan. The implementation plan serves as a workplan for the City, helping inform staff and budget allocations. It incorporates the implementing departments, community partners, and key performance indicators and identifies external costs, potential funding sources, and timelines. The implementation plan is attached to this staff report.

FISCAL IMPACT
None.

ENVIRONMENTAL/PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW
REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Prepared by - James Scanlin, Environmental Services Division Manager Reviewed by - Howard Young, Public Works Director
Reviewed by - Krysten Lee, Finance Director
Reviewed by - Kristopher J. Kokotaylo, City Attorney
Approved by - David J. Benoun, City Manager
Attachments
Resolution CAP Update
CAN Implementation Plan
Climate Action Plan Update final
Responses to Comments on Draft CAP Update
CAP presentation
RESOLUTION NO.

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWARK TO ADOPT AN UPDATE TO THE CITY’S
JANUARY 2010 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN INITIAL

FRAMEWORK
WHEREAS, on September 27, 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32): the "Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006", committing California to reducing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020; and
WHEREAS, on January 28, 2010, the Newark City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan January 2010 Initial Framework (CAP) that set a community-wide target of a 15% reduction in GHG emissions from 2005 levels by 2020; and WHEREAS, the City has met the CAP community-wide target of a 15% reduction in GHG emissions from 2005 levels; and
WHEREAS, on September 10, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed EO B-55-18, committing California to achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2045, and achieving and maintaining net negative emissions thereafter; and WHEREAS, in 2020, the City of Newark hired a technical consultant to support staff in preparing an update to the CAP and began engaging the City of Newark community regarding concerns about the impacts of climate change and gathering input on efforts the City of Newark could undertake to further reduce local GHG emissions and increase community resiliency; and
WHEREAS, the draft CAP Update was made available for public comments for a period of 30 days and notice of its availability was posted on the City of Newark website, social media accounts, and newsletter publications; and WHEREAS, the City of Newark prepared a final draft of the CAP Update incorporating relevant feedback as received from the public.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newark to adopt Climate Action Newark Climate Action Plan Update.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newark that the City Council authorizes and directs the City Manager or designee to take all reasonable steps necessary to implement the Climate Action Newark Climate Action Plan Update.

Strategy
# Strategy Action # Action Action Type New or Ongoing
Start
Date
(FY)
End
Date
(FY)
Implementing
Department(s)
Community
Partner(s)
Prioritization
Score Service Costs Potential Funding Sources (where applicable) EN-1-A
Develop a comprehensive building energy retrofit plan to transition existing residential and nonresidential buildings to all-electric. The plan should address end-of-life recycling and disposal of gas appliances, and additionally, should include policies that provide incentives to replace gas-powered appliances with electric alternatives (e.g., heat pumps, electric water heaters, induction stoves) and that cover the costs of electrical panel upgrades and other necessary infrastructure improvements. The plan could be informed by BayREN's forthcoming Existing Buildings Study.

Plan Development New 2026/27 2027/28 PW/BI, PW/ENV BayREN 16 Consultant:
$300,000 (split over 3 years)
California Energy Commission Local Government Challenge Program EN-1-B Promote existing websites and incentive resources from BayREN, Ava, PG&E, and The Switch Is On that provide information on building electrification, such as replacing natural gas stoves with all-electric induction range cooktops, among other opportunities. Outreach/Coordination Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENV BayREN, Ava, PG&E 15 Outreach materials: $2,000 Newark General Fund EN-2-A Streamline the permitting of nonresidential solar photovoltaics or other renewable energy and battery storage projects. Policy New 2026/27 2026/27 PW/BI N/A 15.5 None N/AEN-2-B Support Ava's commitment to achieve 100 percent green energy by 2030, which may include developing and implementing measures to increase residential and business enrollment in Ava's Renewable 100 service plan. Policy Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENV Ava 13.5 None N/A TR-1
Make active transportation the preferred method of getting around, where feasible.

TR-1-A
Adopt the City of Newark Active Transportation Plan to serve as an update to the City of Newark Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Plan Development, Infrastructure New 2026/27 Ongoing PW/CIP, PW/ENV N/A 13.5 TBD construction costs
Metropolitan Transportation Commission Active Transportation Program TR-2-A Partner with AC Transit and MTC to connect low-income residents with the Clipper START pilot program, which provides single-ride discounts to riders between the ages of 19 and 64 who meet eligible income levels Outreach/Coordination New 2026/27 Ongoing CMO AC Transit, MTC 11 Outreach materials: $2,000 Newark General Fund TR-2-B
Develop and adopt a transit-supportive complete streets policy that prioritizes transit operations alongside other modes of transportation. The policy will ensure that all future street design and reconstruction projects consider transit needs, including dedicated bus lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal priority systems, and implementation of the policy will involve updating design standards, revising the development review process, training City staff, and ongoing collaboration with AC Transit to continually assess and update bus routes, as needed.

Policy New 2027/28 Ongoing PW/ENG AC Transit, Alameda CTC 12 Consultant: $50,000
California Department of Transportation Sustainable Communities Grants TR-2-C
Improve safe pedestrian access to transit facilities across the city, in accordance with the City of Newark Local Roadway Safety Plan, and in collaboration with ACWD, AC Transit, and NUSD. Improvements may be addressed through neighborhood slow zones, curbside management strategies, floating transit islands, protected bike lanes, crosswalk and sidewalk improvements (e.g., mid-block crossings, shortened pedestrian crossings, protected intersections), adding lighting to improve nighttime safety and wayfinding, adding wayfinding signage, and co-locating bus stops with pedestrian crossings, among others Infrastructure Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENG ACWD, AC Transit, NUSD 13.5 TBD
Metropolitan Transportation Commission Lifeline Transportation Program TR-2-D Continue partnering with the City of Fremont to provide paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities through the "Ride on Tri- City!" program, with ongoing coordination on potential revisions or improvements to the program Outreach/Coordination Ongoing N/A N/A CMO, RCS Fremont 12 None N/A TR-4-A
Consider adopting a reach code for EV charging to meet CALGreen voluntary standards for new residential and commercial development to install conduits for EV charging equipment. Ensure minimum EV charging requirements reflect updated projections and metrics for EV charging usage and continue to increase the number of charging stations in residential and nonresidential development throughout the city.

Policy New 2026/27 2026/27 PW/BI N/A 14.5
Consultant: $50,000
Metropolitan Transportation Commission Transportation Electrification TR-4-B
Conduct a citywide study to identify optimal locations for public EV charging stations based on traffic patterns, proximity to major destinations, and existing electrical infrastructure. Utilize the study to prioritize investments in and seek grant funding (e.g., Bay Area Air District's "Charge!" Program) for expanding public EV charging infrastructure in targeted areas, particularly in gas stations and new and existing multifamily residential and commercial development.

Program Development New 2027/28 2028/29 PW/ENG, PW/ENV Bay Area Air District 17 Consultant: $250,000 (split over 2 years)
Metropolitan Transportation Commission Transportation Electrification TR-4-C
Establish a public-private partnership program to accelerate and jointly fund the deployment and maintenance of a comprehensive EV charging infrastructure network throughout the city. As part of the program, the City will actively engage with private sector stakeholders (e.g., large employers, retail centers, hospitality businesses) to identify potential partnership opportunities, determine optimal EV charging station locations, and explore innovative funding mechanisms (e.g., charging station sponsorships, advertising revenue models).

Program Development New 2028/29 Ongoing PW/ENV, CD/ED Private Sector Stakeholders 14.5

TBD N/A
TR-4-D Develop a permit checklist to install EVSE within the public right-of-way by 2029, pursuant to AB 2427 (2024). Policy New 2028/29 2028/29 PW/ENG N/A 13.5 None N/A TR-5-A Recognizing the nexus between climate and housing, continue to implement the climate-friendly policies and programs identified in the Housing Element, such as those that promote higher-density and mixed-use development and encourage the construction of ADUs. Program Development, Infrastructure Ongoing N/A N/A CD/P&H N/A 15 None N/A TR-5-B Implement Safety Element Action SAF-1.C, which calls for updating the zoning ordinance to include transportation demand management standards for development projects. Policy New 2026/27 2026/27 CD/P&H N/A 13.5 None N/A TR-5-C
Remove parking minimums for new development within half a mile of major transit stops and high-quality public transit corridors and consider establishing parking maximums in new development, aligning with other parking reform programs, such as Housing ElementProgram H3.5.

Policy New 2026/27 2027/28 CD/P&H N/A 11
None N/A
TR-5-D
Update parking standards and regulations to ensure that parking: (1) is efficiently designed and addresses the desire to encourage walking, bicycling, the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and public transit use; (2) aligns with AB 2097; and (3) considers changing business patterns, technology, consumer behavior, demographics, and changes in vehicle design and technology Policy New 2026/27 2026/27 CD/P&H N/A 11
None N/A
TR-5-E In accordance with SB 743, amend Newark’s General Plan such that transportation is evaluated based on VMT instead of LOS and that all references to LOS are removed. Plan Development New 2026/27 2026/27 CD/P&H N/A 11 None N/A TR-6
Reduce emissions associated with offroad transportation and equipment.

TR-6-C Develop strategies to encourage business owners (e.g., landscaping businesses) to convert or replace their fossil fuel-powered equipment, such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and hedge trimmers, with electric or other alternative zero-emission equipment. Outreach/Coordination New 2026/27 Ongoing PW/ENV, CD/ED Bay Area Air District 10.5 Outreach materials:
$2,000 Newark General Fund
RES-2-A Continue to ensure compliance with SB 1383 by diverting organic waste away from landfills. In coordination with Republic Services, ensure all customers are subscribed to the appropriate level of service and that audits are completed and enforced on the appropriate schedule. Program Development, Outreach/Coordination Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENV Republic Services 13 Outreach materials: $2,000 Newark General Fund RES-2-B Launch an annual neighborhood cleanup and waste reduction challenge to engage residents in community beautification and waste reduction efforts. Program Development New 2027/28 Ongoing PW/ENV, CD/CP N/A 15 Outreach and waste
collection materials: $10,000 Newark General Fund
RES-2-C
In alignment with state goals, adopt a zero-waste policy for events requiring City permits that establish guidelines for event organizers, including requirements for compostable or reusable service ware, proper waste sorting stations, and minimizing physical promotional materials. As part of the policy, seek and train volunteers to serve as "zero-waste ambassadors" to assist with waste sorting and education at events.

Policy New 2026/27 2026/27 PW/ENV N/A 12
None N/A
RES-3-B
Work with local and regional partners to promote and expand existing programs and initiatives that promote residential water conservation, such as BAWSCA's Rain Barrel Rebate Program, and ACWD's free water conservation kits and free leak kits, among others. With these partners, track and develop strategies to increase the number of residents who take advantage of the existing programs and initiatives.

Outreach/Coordination New 2026/27 Ongoing PW/ENV, CMO ACWD, BAWSCA 11 Outreach materials:
$2,000 Newark General Fund
RES-3-C In collaboration with ACWD, explore the development of water use efficiency program opportunities and implement, where feasible. Program Development New 2027/28 2029/30 CD/P&H, PW/ENV ACWD 12 None N/A TR-4
Where and when passenger and commercial vehicle use is necessary, accelerate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

TR-5
Prioritize sustainable land use by increasing residential density, supporting a diversity of land uses, and implementing transportation demand management strategies.

RES-2
Promote responsible organic and inorganic waste management and reduction practices.

CLIMATE ACTION NEWARK IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
RES-3
Prioritize water-wise practices and technologies that minimize consumption across EN-1
Electrify and decarbonize the city's building stock.

EN-2 Expand clean energy generation and use.

TR-2
Increase the safety, accessibility, and reliability of public transit.

NBS-1-A
Prepare and adopt an urban forest management plan that will inform and influence the vegetation, habitats and trees in projects, development, and ordinances for maximum environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, biodiversity and health benefits. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Plan Development Ongoing N/A N/A RCS, PW/ENV, CD/P&H N/A 16 Consultant already procured N/A
NBS-1-B
Develop a free residential street tree program that builds upon the initial pilot program. As part of the program: (1) develop a recommended street tree list; (2) establish formal eligibility criteria and implementation processes; (3) partner with local nurseries and tree suppliers; and (4) provide educational resources to participants on proper tree planting and maintenance Program Development Ongoing N/A N/A RCS, PW/ENV UFF 16.5 Tree saplings:
$60/tree
CALFIRE Urban andCommunity Forestry Grant Program, California ReLeaf NBS-1-C
Foster a sense of community ownership, engagement, and stewardship of the city's urban forest by developing and implementing a tree adoption program, where residents and local businesses can sponsor and be recognized (e.g., through the City's website and social media platforms) for the planting and maintenance of trees in public spaces. Offer a variety of sponsorship levels and options (e.g., group of trees, entire planting area), where sponsorship fees can cover both: (1) the costs of purchasing, planting, and maintaining the trees for a specified period (e.g., 3-5 years); and (2) a dedicated endowment fund, where a portion of the sponsorship fees can be reinvested to support longterm program maintenance.

Program Development New 2027/28 2029/30 RCS, PW/ENV, CD/ED, CD/P&H N/A 12 None N/A
NBS-1-D
Continue to maintain the city's consecutive multi-decade status as a Tree City USA® recognized community, which can be upheld by meeting four core standards: (1) forming and maintaining a tree board or department; (2) establishing a tree care ordinance; (3) maintaining a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least two dollars per capita; and (4) observing and celebrating Arbor Day. Tree City USA® is a program led by ADF that celebrates towns and cities committed to growing their urban tree canopy.

Program Development Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENV, PW/M ADF 13.5 None N/A
NBS-1-E Continue to partner with UFF to support and promote their events, which focus on tree planting, tree care, and related community outreach and education in the tri-city area (i.e., Newark, Fremont, Union City) Outreach/Coordination Ongoing N/A N/A CMO UFF 11 Outreach materials: $2,000 Newark General Fund NBS-2
Integrate green stormwater infrastructure throughout the city.

NBS-2-A Continue to track and report the implementation of the City’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan, in accordance with Safety Element Action SAF-4.H. Plan Development Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENG, PW/ENV ACWD 11.5 Implementation already funded
Newark General Fund, Newark Capital Improvement Program NBS-3-A
Establish a City-led task force composed of residents and interested stakeholders to develop a shared vision and to identify and evaluate potential policies and measures that the City may formally adopt to balance current and future housing needs with the long-term protection and restoration of the city's wetlands (i.e., Area 4).

Program Development New 2026/27 2028/29 CMO, CD/P&H CCCR 12 None N/A
NBS-3-B
Develop a plan for managing and restoring the city's wetlands. Collaborate with USFWS, BCDC, ACWD, and other partners to ensure the plan aligns with regional conservation goals and includes provisions for addressing sea-level rise and climate change impacts. The plan should include clear guidelines for managing stormwater inputs to wetlands to prevent pollutant accumulation and consider hydrologic connections between wetlands and the underlying groundwater basin Plan Development New 2027/28 2029/30 CMO, CD/P&H, PW/ENV USFWS, BCDC, ACWD, CCCR 12.5 Consultant: $300,000 (split over 2 years)
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Watershed Restoration Grant Programs COM-3
Bolster protection for sea level rise and flooding.

COM-3-A
Adopt a local sea level rise adaptation plan to help build resilience to permanent coastal inundation and temporary coastal flooding. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Plan Development Ongoing N/A N/A PW/ENV N/A 10.5 Consultant already procured N/A
COM-6
Provide education and outreach opportunities to help support CAN awareness and implementation.

COM-6-A
Develop an education and outreach program that will help spread awareness and support implementation of each of the strategies and actions included in CAN. The program may identify or include both broad topics (e.g., water conservation, circular economy) and tailored engagement opportunities that are specific to each strategy and/or action. Additionally, the program will engage and/or partner with a diverse range of local stakeholders (e.g., residents, businesses, schools, CBOs).

Program Development New 2026/27 Ongoing CMO, PW/ENV CBOs, Businesses 10 Outreach and online engagement: $50,000 Newark General Fund
NBS-3
Protect, restore, and enhance natural areas, wetlands, and ecosystems.

NBS-1
Maintain and expand the city's urban tree canopy.

City of Newark

CLIMATE ACTION NEWARK
Update to the City of Newark 2010 CAP
DECEMBER 2025
City of Newark

CLIMATE ACTION NEWARK
Update to the City of Newark 2010 CAP
Prepared for:

City of Newark
37101 Newark Boulevard
Newark, CA 94560
Contact:

James Scanlin
Environmental Services Manager, Project Lead
[email protected]
Prepared by:

Ascent
2054 University Ave, Suite 400
Berkeley, CA 94704
Contact:

Hannah Kornfeld, AICP
Project Manager
[email protected]
December 2025
20230149.01
City of Newark | i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1-1

1.1 Climate Change Background ....................................................................................................... 1-2 Climate Change Science........................................................................................................ 1-2 Local Climate Change Impacts .............................................................................................. 1-3 Climate Mitigation and Adaptation ......................................................................................... 1-4

1.2 Climate Action Newark Overview................................................................................................. 1-5 Purpose and Scope................................................................................................................ 1-5 Guiding Principles .................................................................................................................. 1-5 Co-Benefits............................................................................................................................. 1-6 Equity ................................................................................................................................... 1-7

1.3 Climate Action Newark Development........................................................................................... 1-8 Development Timeline ........................................................................................................... 1-8 Community Engagement........................................................................................................ 1-8

1.4 How Else is Climate Change Being Addressed?......................................................................... 1-9 State Efforts............................................................................................................................ 1-9 Regional and Local Climate Planning Efforts ...................................................................... 1-10 Newark’s 2010 CAP............................................................................................................. 1-12 CHAPTER 2 |GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY, FORECASTS, AND TARGETS............... 2-1

2.1 Progress Since 2010 Climate Action Plan ................................................................................... 2-1

2.2 purpose......................................................................................................................................... 2-2

2.3 Baseline Inventory........................................................................................................................ 2-2

2.4 Forecasts...................................................................................................................................... 2-5 Business-As-Usual Forecasts................................................................................................ 2-5 Legislative-Adjusted Business-As-Usual Forecasts .............................................................. 2-6

2.5 Targets.......................................................................................................................................... 2-7

2.6 Emissions Gap.............................................................................................................................. 2-7

2.7 Carbon Storage Inventory ............................................................................................................. 2-8 CHAPTER 3 | CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGIES.......................................................................................... 3-1

3.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 3-1 How to Navigate Strategies ...................................................................................................................... 3-5 Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN)....................................................................................... 3-6 Responsible Use of Resources (RES)................................................................................. 3-24 Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS)................................................................ 3-31 Community Capacity & Resilience (COM)........................................................................... 3-38 Municipal Operations (MUN)................................................................................................ 3-49 CHAPTER 4 | IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING............................................................................... 4-1

4.1 Prioritization Matrix ....................................................................................................................... 4-1 Prioritization Evaluation Factors............................................................................................. 4-2 Prioritization Matrix for Actions............................................................................................... 4-5

4.2 Near-Term Actions ..................................................................................................................... 4-11

4.3 Monitoring................................................................................................................................... 4-11

4.4 Engagement ............................................................................................................................... 4-12 CHAPTER 5 | WORKS CITED ....................................................................................................................... 5-1 City of Newark | ii
Appendices
A Greenhouse Gas Technical Materials
B Climate Action Strategies
C Community Engagement
Figures
Figure 1.1 Greenhouse Effect ................................................................................................................. 1-3 Figure 1.2 Climate Mitigation and Adaptation ......................................................................................... 1-4 Figure 1.3 Guiding Principles of Climate Action Newark ........................................................................ 1-6 Figure 1.4 Co-Benefits of Climate Action Newark................................................................................... 1-7 Figure 1.5 Climate Action Newark Development Timeline...................................................................... 1-8 Figure 2.1 Climate Mitigation Planning Process ..................................................................................... 2-2 Figure 2.2 Global Warming Potentials..................................................................................................... 2-3 Figure 2.3 Greenhouse Gas Equivalents ................................................................................................ 2-4 Figure 2.4 Newark’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (2022)....................................................... 2-5 Figure 2.5 Newark Legislative-Adjusted Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast .................................... 2-7 Figure 2.6 Newark’s Local Emissions Gap.............................................................................................. 2-8 Figure 2.7 Newark’s Soil Carbon Storage............................................................................................... 2-9 Figure 2.8 Newark’s Urban Forest Carbon Storage................................................................................ 2-9 Figure 3.1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast and Reductions from Strategies ............................... 3-2 Tables
Table 1.1 State of California Climate Legislation................................................................................... 1-9 Table 2.1 City of Newark Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sectors ............................................................ 2-2 Table 2.2 Newark’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2022) ........................................................................ 2-4 Table 2.3 Newark’s Business-As-Usual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast ................................... 2-6 Table 2.4 Newark’s Legislative-Adjusted BAU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast......................... 2-6 Table 2.5 Newark’s Local Emissions Gap.............................................................................................. 2-8 Table 2.6 Newark’s Carbon Storage Inventory...................................................................................... 2-9 Table 3.1 Summary of Strategy Greenhouse Gas Reductions ............................................................. 3-3 Table 3.2 List of Implementing Department and Community Partner Acronyms .................................. 3-4 Table 4.1 Summary of Prioritization Evaluation Factors........................................................................ 4-3 Table 4.2 Summary of Prioritization Evaluation Factors for Co-Benefits............................................... 4-4 City of Newark | 1-1
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Chapter 1 | Introduction
The City of Newark (hereinafter referred to as “Newark” or “City”) was incorporated into Alameda County in 1955, though the city has agricultural and manufacturing roots going back to 1850. Prior to European contact, this land was occupied and stewarded by the Ohlone Indians. Located on the southeast side of the San Francisco Bay, the city is surrounded by wetlands that serve as a vital natural resource and habitat for migratory birds and other species, that have also been utilized for salt harvesting dating back to the city’s original settlement—which continues to serve as an important economic driver today.

Today, nearly 50,000 residents across 14 square miles call Newark home as the city strives to maintain its small-town character while thoughtfully embracing sustainable growth and future development.

Due to its location by the San Francisco Bay, Newark typically boasts a mild climate, with cool, wet winters and dry, warm summers. However, climate change has altered this regime, resulting in temperature extremes, prolonged drought periods, and powerful storm events. The City of Newark government (hereinafter referred to as “City”) recognizes the importance of addressing climate change, as climate events like heat waves have increased in frequency and severity throughout the region, and adopted its first Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2010. The 2010 CAP included a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory to account for emissions across various sectors and inform a suite of actions directed at reducing these emissions. In a continued effort to be sustainable, increase community-wide resiliency to the impacts of climate change, and integrate recent climate legislation, the City has prepared an update to its 2010 CAP—titled Climate Action Newark (CAN). CAN will serve as a guiding document, with strategies and steps for implementation to help the City achieve its GHG emissions reduction targets.

CAN is organized into five chapters. This chapter, Chapter 1, serves as the introduction to CAN, providing important context as an update to the 2010 CAP.

Chapter 2 presents the city’s GHG emissions inventory, forecasts, and reduction targets. Chapter 3 includes the GHG reduction strategies, measures, and actions. Chapter 4 provides details for implementing and monitoring CAN.

Lastly, all works cited throughout CAN are listed in Chapter 5.

City of Newark | 1-2

1.1 CLIMATE CHANGE BACKGROUND
Climate change is a complex, global issue. However, local government response to climate change is important to address impacts on community members. CAPs serve as long-term strategic planning frameworks that help agencies like local government develop and implement actions to address climate change. Understanding the science behind climate change and how it currently affects local communities is essential to adequately plan for climate change impacts. The subsections below seek to provide a high-level overview of climate change.

Climate Change Science
The science behind climate change is rooted in the greenhouse effect. Illustrated in Figure 1.1, the greenhouse effect is a natural process that insulates the Earth and helps regulate its temperature. After absorbing sunlight, the Earth emits heat in the form of infrared radiation, which is then absorbed by a collection of naturally occurring atmospheric gases called GHGs. These gases, which consist mainly of water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), act as effective global insulators by absorbing some of the infrared radiation that is emitted by Earth and re-emitting it back towards the planet. This process, where some heat is prevented from escaping the atmosphere, is what keeps temperatures on Earth conducive to life. Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would not be habitable.

However, because of human (i.e., anthropogenic) activities, notably the combustion of fossil fuels, excess GHGs have increasingly been released into the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect to intensify and the Earth’s climate to warm at an unprecedented rate. This phenomenon is known as climate change and is the primary driver behind changes in more extreme weather patterns, the rapid melting of the polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and other effects that result in impacts on people, infrastructure, and natural systems.

There is scientific evidence that observed increases in atmospheric GHG concentrations and the consequential warming of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and land are linked to human activities and influence. Human activities are estimated to have caused approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) of warming across the globe compared to pre-industrial era levels (i.e., prior to the year 1900), and global average temperature is expected to increase by up to 8 °F by the end of the century unless additional efforts to reduce GHG emissions are made (IPCC 2021). The GHG emissions that have created this warming— those released between the pre-industrial era and the present—will persist for hundreds to thousands of years and create further long-term impacts to the climate system (IPCC 2018).

City of Newark | 1-3
Figure 1.1 Greenhouse Effect
Local Climate Change Impacts
Newark faces unique challenges in addressing the
impacts of climate change. As a low-lying coastal city, sea level rise will affect industrial operations and
residential areas situated along the bay. By 2050,
coastal flooding will cost an estimated $110 billion in coastal protection upgrades around the San Francsico
Bay (MTC and ABAG 2023). Newark is likely to
experience between 1.0 and 6.6 feet of sea level rise by 2100 (OPC 2024). Such events can damage critical
infrastructure such as utility and sewage lines, in
addition to displacing residents and causing property
damage. The city is also vulnerable to the impacts of heat waves. In 2022, an extreme heat event affected over 30 million residents in coastal inland areas of California, like Newark, lasting 14 days and resulting in power outages and numerous hospitalizations (CDI 2024). In October 2024, cities around the Bay Area set new record-high temperatures, with areas in the East Bay reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (NBC Bay Area People across the Bay Area have some of
the highest climate change risk
perceptions in the country, further
underscoring how critical it is to act. In fact,
86 percent of adults in Alameda County
(inclusive of the city) are worried about
climate change, and more than half claim
they have already personally experienced
the effects of climate change—both of
which are well above the national average
(YPCCC 2024).

City of Newark | 1-4
2024). Average temperatures continue to rise, and increasingly frequent extreme heat events necessitate greater investments in energy resilience and cooling strategies. The City acknowledges the impacts of climate change and aims to use CAN to safeguard its community members, local economy, and environment.

Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Addressing climate change requires an integrated approach that targets both its sources and impacts.

Reducing GHGs that contribute to climate change is known as climate change mitigation. Climate change adaptation refers to efforts intended to prepare for and reduce harm from future effects of a changing climate.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation are both crucial components of comprehensive climate change planning. For example, renewable energy installations combined with battery storage systems will reduce reliance on fossil fuel-generated grid electricity, thereby reducing GHG emissions. This approach will also improve energy independence and resilience in the face of climate hazards that threaten energy services.

Figure 1.2 illustrates the relationship between these two facets of climate change planning. State law requires communities to address climate change mitigation in local planning and environmental review processes and climate change adaptation in local long-range planning processes, such as general plans (Cal OES 2020).

Figure 1.2 Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
City of Newark | 1-5

1.2 CLIMATE ACTION NEWARK OVERVIEW
Since the City’s 2010 CAP was adopted, the regulatory landscape of climate action has shifted toward dramatic decarbonization efforts. City staff decided to prepare an updated CAP in 2023 to reflect statewide climate legislation and use the most recent data to inform its climate change strategies and implementation methods.

Purpose and Scope
Similar to the 2010 CAP, CAN will serve as a living document to guide the City in reducing GHG emissions and monitoring progress. It contains an updated GHG emissions inventory and forecasts, and new GHG reduction targets that are consistent with statewide targets. Additionally, it includes a new set of strategies and actions to further reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate impacts. This document includes a matrix that identifies near- and long-term actions and a plan for implementation and monitoring, complete with critical information necessary to achieve reduction targets. The actions identified in the plan will be essential for mitigating climate change, safeguarding the environment, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for current and future generations.

Guiding Principles
The City developed the strategies in CAN using a set of guiding principles; the criteria included as a part of these principles ensure all strategies were formed to the same standards and allow the City to track its progress toward achieving reduction targets. See the guiding principles below in Figure 1.3.

City of Newark | 1-6
Figure 1.3 Guiding Principles of Climate Action Newark
Co-Benefits
While CAN’s primary purpose is to serve as a comprehensive framework for reducing GHG emissions and addressing climate change impacts within the city, it will also result in numerous “co-benefits”. Co-benefits are additional positive outcomes that can result from a GHG reduction action. Each GHG reduction measure proposed in CAN will display associated co-benefits in the form of icons illustrated in Figure 1.4. CAN contains the following co-benefit categories:
 Improved Public Health: This may include, but is not limited to, reduced air pollution (e.g., through reducing vehicle trips and transitioning to cleaner energy sources) and improved mental health (e.g., through access to clean and green spaces).
 Community Cost Savings: This may include, but is not limited to, savings related to energy efficiency (e.g., lower energy bills), infrastructure resilience (e.g., avoidance of costly repairs for damages that would have happened otherwise), and healthcare.
 Environmental Quality: This may include, but is not limited to, biodiversity conservation (e.g., protecting and restoring ecosystems that support essential ecosystem services, such as pollination, water filtration, and carbon sequestration), water conservation, and waste reduction.

City of Newark | 1-7
 Economic Development: This may include, but is not limited to, job creation (e.g., investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure resulting in economic growth and diversification), innovation and entrepreneurship, and tourism and recreation (e.g., through preserving landscapes and biodiversity hotspots, which can indirectly stimulate local economies and generate revenue).  Equity: This may include, but is not limited to, social inclusion (e.g., addressing disparities and promoting greater access to resources), environmental justice (e.g., mitigating cumulative impacts from environmental stressors and ensuring fair distribution of environmental benefits), and economic empowerment.  Adaptation/Resilience: This may include, but is not limited to, improved infrastructure resilience, improved disaster preparedness, and enhanced community cohesion.  Resource Conservation: This may include, but is not limited to, sustainable resource management (e.g., preserving natural resources, efficiently using resources, and protecting ecosystem services).

Figure 1.4 Co-Benefits of Climate Action Newark
Equity
CAN emphasizes the importance of centering equity in its strategies and actions, as not all people are equally affected by climate change. Historically discriminatory systems and policies have created social, environmental, and economic inequalities that make some communities such as low-income households and racial and ethnic minority groups more vulnerable to climate change impacts. This document integrates equity as a core element of strategy development, emphasizing that GHG reduction actions must distribute costs and benefits equally across the city, and prioritizes actions that mitigate the impacts of climate change for the broader population and those who need it most.

City of Newark | 1-8

1.3 CLIMATE ACTION NEWARK DEVELOPMENT
Climate action planning is an iterative process. Updating a CAP provides insight as to what strategies worked well and where the City can make improvements to reduce its GHG emissions further. Newark’s 2010 CAP contains a baseline GHG emissions inventory against which the City can compare its current emissions, and includes GHG reduction actions that can be integrated into CAN. The following sections describe CAN’s development process.

Development Timeline
As shown in Figure 1.5 below, the City initiated project work in 2023. The development of CAN included six phases, with community engagement and coordination with City staff present throughout the process.

Further details regarding community engagement are described in the following section, and information on implementation is located in Chapter 4.

Figure 1.5 Climate Action Newark Development Timeline
Community Engagement
Climate mitigation actions are intended for those impacted by the effects of climate change, as such, community engagement is a crucial component of the climate planning process. Feedback from community members, ranging from individual residents to businesses and utilities, conveys to the City what to prioritize in meeting the needs of its people and provides the community with an opportunity to be involved in local climate action efforts. The City conducted the following forms of engagement to maximize awareness of CAN’s development and incorporate the suggestions of community members:
 Public Workshop #1: The first public workshop took place on September 25, 2024, at the Newark Library.

The workshop began with a presentation that provided an overview of CAN’s structure, Newark’s emissions inventory and forecasts, and reduction targets. Community members were then asked to share their thoughts on climate change preparedness during an interactive poster activity.  Public Workshop #2: The second public workshop was held on April 17, 2025, both at the Newark Library and on Zoom. The workshop’s objective was to solicit feedback from the public and update community members on the status of CAN. Community members engaged with questions regarding different focus areas and provided feedback on draft strategies, identifying barriers and solutions to reducing emissions and increasing climate resilience.

City of Newark | 1-9
 Online Engagement Platform: A project website was developed and launched in February 2025, communicating opportunities for engagement and education through an interactive map activity, discussion boards, and a survey.

1.4 HOW ELSE IS CLIMATE CHANGE BEING
ADDRESSED?
In response to the increase in anthropogenic GHG emissions and the overall threat of climate change, federal, state, regional, and local governments and other agencies have already taken several steps to reduce GHG emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts. These efforts, and the legislative background summarized in the following sections, provide important policy direction and context for CAN.

State Efforts
In response to the increase in anthropogenic GHG emissions and the risks posed by climate change, the state has adopted several pieces of legislation to reduce GHG emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts. Table 1.1 below serves as a snapshot of some of the most important pieces of state climate legislation that provide policy direction and context for CAN. It should be noted that all items are presented in chronological order, and that newer legislation may supersede older legislation.

Table 1.1 State of California Climate Legislation
Year Legislation Details
2006 AB 32 Codified the targets of reducing statewide GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, which was officially achieved in 2016. Also known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. 2015 SB 379
Required cities and counties within California to integrate climate change vulnerability, adaptation strategies, and emergency response strategies into the safety element of their general plans.

Jurisdictions that have adopted a climate action and/or adaptation plan separate from the general plan may incorporate that document by reference to comply (if that document meets the requirements outlined in the legislation).
2015 AB 1482 Required CNRA to update the statewide climate adaptation strategy by July 1, 2017, and every three years thereafter.
2016 SB 1383
Codified the targets of: (1) reducing statewide disposal of organic waste to 75 percent below 2014 levels by 2025; and (2) recovering at least 20 percent of the currently disposed surplus of edible food by 2025.

Identified targets for reducing additional pollutants including HFCs and anthropogenic black carbon.

Required CARB to approve and begin implementing the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy.
2016 SB 32 Codified EO B-30-15’s target of reducing statewide GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, expanding upon AB 32. Also known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2016. 2017 AB 398
Extended the state’s Cap-and-Trade program—a key strategy in reducing statewide GHG emissions—from 2020 to 2030, which sets total allowable emissions for facilities and creates carbon offset credits through carbon sequestration projects.
2022 AB 1279
Codified the targets of: (1) reducing statewide anthropogenic GHG emissions to 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045; and (2) achieving statewide net-zero GHG emissions as soon as possible, but no later than 2045, and to maintain net negative GHG emissions thereafter. Also known as the California Climate Crisis Act.

Notes: AB = Assembly Bill; CARB = California Air Resources Board; CNRA = California Natural Resources Agency; EO = Executive Order; GHG = greenhouse gas; HFC = hydrofluorocarbon; SB = Senate Bill.

City of Newark | 1-10
Regional and Local Climate Planning Efforts
The City has been committed to addressing climate change. Starting in 2006, the City joined the Alameda County Climate Protection Project along with 10 other local governments. The following year, the City agreed to meet or exceed the targets of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. And in 2010, the City published its first CAP. These actions have already resulted in increased sustainability citywide and the implementation of numerous climate policies and plans to reduce GHG emissions. 2017 Clean Air Plan: Spare the Air, Cool the Climate
Prepared by the Bay Area Air District, the 2017 Clean Air Plan: Spare the Air, Cool the Climate (Clean Air Plan) encompasses the entire San Francisco Bay Area, including Newark, and focuses on two closely related goals: protecting public health and protecting the climate. The Clean Air Plan describes a multipollutant strategy to simultaneously reduce emissions and ambient concentrations of ozone, particulate matter, toxic air contaminants, as well as GHGs that contribute to climate change. Additionally, it describes a vision for a thriving region characterized by clean air, a stable climate, a robust natural environment, and a prosperous and sustainable economy.

Plan Bay Area 2050
Plan Bay Area 2050, adopted in October 2021, is the latest iteration of the regional long-range plan for housing, economic development, transportation, and environmental resilience, charting the course for the future of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Guided by input from more than 20,000 Bay Area residents, Plan Bay Area 2050 is defined by strategies crafted to make the Bay Area more resilient and equitable over the next 30 years or so. These strategies are public policies or investments that can be implemented in the Bay Area at the city, county, regional, or state level, with equity interwoven into each.

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Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan
In 2014, Alameda County government (County) published a Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to establish GHG emission reduction targets and focus on improving the resilience of unincorporated communities across the county. By 2020, the County reduced emissions by 15 percent below 2005 levels.

The County is currently in the final stages of developing an updated CCAP, which includes new emissions reduction targets and actions aligned with statewide climate legislation. The CCAP update prioritizes feedback from the community and staff across multiple agencies, resulting in a comprehensive, equitycentered framework for reducing emissions.

Alameda County Climate Action Plan for Government Services and Operations Through 2026
In addition to a CAP specific to community emissions, the County published a CAP specific to government operations. The County adopted the Climate Action Plan for Government Operations and Services Through 2020 in 2010 to target GHG emissions reductions within the government's control. As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting the community from climate impacts, the County updated its CAP in 2023 to meet the statewide target of carbon neutrality by 2045 and align with the guiding elements outlined in Vision 2026.

Some actions the County aims to accomplish by 2045 include electrifying the vehicle fleet, utilizing building space and resources efficiently, and supporting a transition to renewable energy sources.

Newark General Plan
The Newark General Plan, adopted in 2013, provides policy guidance for all Newark stakeholders, ranging from city staff to residents. The General Plan elements include land use, transportation, housing, economic development, conservation and sustainability, parks, recreation and open space, environmental hazards, health and wellness, and community services and facilities. Chapter 7: Conservation and Sustainability, covers resource management and policies to reduce GHG emissions, with emphasis on transit-oriented development, increasing alternative transportation options, adaptation to sea level rise, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and solid waste reduction. Strategies and actions within CAN align with actions in the General Plan, affirming Newark’s stance on planning for climate change and thoroughly integrating sustainability in Newark’s future development.

Newark Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan
In 2017, the City of Newark published its Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. The planning process began in 2010, with multiple community engagement opportunities for feedback on improvements to existing biking and walking infrastructure, as well as proposals for future facilities. The plan emphasizes the importance of a safe, accessible network of bikeable and walkable corridors that promote healthy lifestyles, social cohesion, cost savings, and environmental benefits. By reducing the number of automobiles on the road, alternative modes of transport like biking and walking help decrease GHG emissions and improve air quality. The City is preparing an update to this plan, titled the Newark Active Transportation Plan.

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Newark Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Strategy As part of its efforts to prepare for and adapt to climate change impacts, the City is currently developing the Newark Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Strategy. Sea level rise is of high concern as Newark is located directly along the eastern shoreline of the South San Francisco Bay. The strategy will include estimated areas of inundation within Newark and the predicted impacts of flooding on critical infrastructure within the 2050 and 2100 timeframes. It will also involve a risk assessment and propose measures to mitigate the impacts of climate events on those most vulnerable.

Newark’s 2010 CAP
In 2007, Mayor David W. Smith signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, thereby committing the City to take action on climate change. Soon after, the City adopted the CAP in January 2010, further demonstrating the City’s commitment to sustainability. The CAP established baseline emissions, set reduction goals, completed a cost analysis, and described monitoring actions to track progress in reducing emissions. At the time of the CAP’s adoption, the City was already halfway to meeting its 2012 emissions reduction goals. Municipal staff reduced water usage, completed energy efficiency retrofits, and obtained numerous grants for plans that contribute to emissions reductions, such as the Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. The City intends to build on the momentum of the 2010 CAP by introducing new actions and meeting its targets in CAN, in keeping with statewide goals.

CHAPTER 2
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Chapter 2 | Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Inventory, Forecasts,
and Targets
This chapter contains a summary of GHG emissions calculated using an inventory of the City’s emissions in 2022. This baseline year is used to forecast future emissions if no local climate action is taken (business-as-usual), and if federal, state, and local legislation are enacted (legislative-adjusted). The City established targets for reducing GHG emissions for the years 2035 and 2045.

2.1 PROGRESS SINCE 2010 CLIMATE

ACTION PLAN
Since the publication of its 2010 CAP, the City has taken a number of steps to reduce GHG emissions. The City achieved its goal of reducing citywide emissions 15 percent from 2005 by 2020. Compared to 2005 emissions levels, the City has reduced residential building energy emissions by 4 percent, waste emissions by 41 percent, and commercial building energy emissions by 42 percent. In 2016, the State adopted SB 32, setting a new goal to reduce GHG emissions below 40 percent 1990 levels by 2030. In 2022, AB 1279 was adopted, which sets statewide targets to reduce anthropogenic emissions 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. To remain aligned with statewide GHG reduction targets and uphold its commitment to sustainability, the City has prepared new strategies utilizing the analysis included in this chapter.

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2.2 PURPOSE
To develop and implement a CAP that will effectively reduce GHG emissions, local governments must first have a comprehensive understanding of the emissions generated by sources and activities within their jurisdictions. Once a geographic boundary is defined and relevant sectors identified, the first step in the climate action planning process is to prepare a GHG emissions inventory. The inventory provides a baseline of emissions that is used to forecast future emissions trends. The City can then set reduction targets based on this information and develop strategies and actions to achieve these reductions. Upon adoption of a CAP, the City will implement actions and monitor progress toward achieving GHG emissions reduction targets.

See a summarized depiction of this process in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1 Climate Mitigation Planning Process

2.3 BASELINE INVENTORY
A baseline GHG emissions inventory identifies the source of emissions within the City’s jurisdiction, categorized by sector and quantified by activity data, such as the amount of water delivered to homes. The 2010 CAP used a baseline year of 2005, and separated emissions by residential, commercial/industrial, transportation, and waste sectors. CAN includes a GHG emissions inventory for the year 2022 and includes additional sectors (see Table 2.1) as more recent data and methodologies have become available. Inventory emissions calculations follow the U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Community Protocol), developed by the ICLEI–Local Governments for Sustainability. This is based on the direction given by the California Air Resources Board, which advises local governments to use the Community Protocol for GHG emissions assessments and climate action planning processes.

Table 2.1 City of Newark Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sectors Emissions Sector Description
On-Road Transportation On-road transportation emissions are associated with gasoline and diesel fuel consumption from motor vehicles on local and regional roadways.

Building Energy (Includes
Residential and Nonresidential)
Building energy emissions are associated with the consumption of natural gas, electricity, and diesel in homes (residential) and buildings (nonresidential) within the city.

Off-Road Vehicles and
Equipment
Off-road emissions are associated with the use of gasoline and diesel fuel from various sources, including construction and mining, entertainment, industrial, lawn and garden, commercial, and recreational equipment, as well as railyard operations and transportation refrigeration units.

Solid Waste Solid waste emissions are associated with the decomposition of community-generated mixed and organic waste in landfills.

Water Supply Water emissions are associated with the electricity used to supply, convey, treat, and distribute water in the city.

Wastewater Treatment Wastewater treatment emissions include process and fugitive emissions, stationary emissions from the combustion of digester gas, and energy-related emissions.

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As mentioned above, emissions are quantified by activity data, and emissions factors. Any activity that can result in GHG emissions has a corresponding emissions factor that denotes the amount of emissions associated with a given activity. For example, conveying and distributing water to homes requires electricity.

The source of the electricity may result in a low emissions factor if it is renewable, or a higher factor if it is non-renewable. To determine the amount of GHG emissions, the activity data are multiplied by the emissions factor.

There are 10 gases that contribute to global warming; however, human activities primarily produce three:

CO2, CH4, and N2O. CH4 and N2O are more potent than CO2; therefore, emissions of these gases are converted to a comparable unit by multiplying each non-CO2 gas by its global warming potential (GWP), enabling the reporting of emissions in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Values for each GWP were based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. The difference in GWP between gases is illustrated in Figure 2.2.

Figure 2.2 Global Warming Potentials
The conversion of gases allows for consideration of all gases in a single unit, making it easier to communicate how various sources and types of GHG emissions contribute to climate change. Emissions are reported in metric tons of CO2e (MTCO2e), the standard measurement for the amounts of GHG emissions produced and released into the atmosphere.

As shown in Figure 2.3 below for illustrative purposes, Newark’s GHG emissions in 2022 of approximately 366,000 MTCO2e are equivalent to: (1) roughly 850,000 barrels of oil consumed; (2) the GHG emissions avoided by 19,000 garbage trucks of waste that has been recycled instead of landfilled; (3) the carbon sequestered by 370,000 acres of forest in one year; and (4) about 85,000 gasoline-powered cars driven continuously for one year (EPA 2025).

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Figure 2.3 Greenhouse Gas Equivalents
The results of the 2022 GHG emissions inventory, as summarized in Figure 2.4 and Table 2.2, show that total emissions in Newark were 366,465 MTCO2e. Emissions from on-road transportation, which includes fossil fuel (e.g., gasoline and diesel) combustion in vehicles, accounted for approximately 54 percent of emissions. The second largest sector was building energy, which contributed approximately 40 percent of the city’s emissions. Off-road vehicles and equipment and solid waste contributed 3 percent of emissions each, and the water and wastewater sectors each accounted for less than 1 percent.

Table 2.2 Newark’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2022)
Emissions Sector GHG Emissions (MTCO2e) Percent of Total On-Road Transportation 196,864 54%
Building Energy (Includes Residential and Nonresidential) 146,632 40% Off-Road Vehicles and Equipment 10,974 3%
Solid Waste 10,255 3%
Water Supply 1,188 <1%
Wastewater Treatment 552 <1%
Total 366,465 100%
Notes: GHG = greenhouse gases; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

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Figure 2.4 Newark’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (2022)

2.4 FORECASTS
GHG emissions forecasts provide a modeled estimate of future emissions levels based on a continuation of current trends in activity, population, and job growth, while also accounting for known regulatory actions by state and federal agencies (i.e., “legislative” actions) that are expected to reduce emissions in the future.

Emissions forecasts provide insights into the scale of local reductions needed to achieve GHG emissions reduction targets after accounting for anticipated reductions from regulatory actions.

CAN includes two forecast scenarios: a “business-as-usual” (BAU) scenario and a legislative-adjusted BAU scenario. The BAU scenario is based on a variety of scaling factors for each sector in the city and assumes no additional state or federal actions will occur after 2022. The purpose of this forecast is to illustrate the amount of local action that would be necessary to meet GHG reduction goals in the absence of broader climate legislation, based on current demographic trends. With the legislative forecast, state and federal actions are accounted for in the estimated emissions; any remaining emissions by 2045 are referred to as an “emissions gap” (see Section 2.6).

Business-As-Usual Forecasts
The BAU forecast estimates GHG emissions based on predicted city demographics, including housing, population, and employment changes. The forecasts assume the continuation of existing trends in city activities and that no additional emissions-based legislative actions will be implemented at the local, state, or federal level. Based on 2022 GHG emissions levels, Newark’s BAU forecast estimates GHG emissions to increase steadily and rise 31 percent in 2045. BAU emissions are shown in Table 2.3.

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Table 2.3 Newark’s Business-As-Usual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast Emissions Sector GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
2022 2035 2045
On-Road 196,864 234,207 251,723
Building Energy 146,632 172,035 191,575
Off-Road 10,974 15,169 18,878
Solid Waste 10,255 13,721 15,321
Water 1,188 1,400 1,564
Wastewater 552 650 724
Total 366,465 437,182 479,785
Notes: GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Legislative-Adjusted Business-As-Usual Forecasts
The legislative-adjusted BAU forecast evaluates how the city’s GHG emissions would change over time accounting for legislative actions at the federal and state levels, such as regulatory requirements to increase vehicle fuel efficiency. This forecast provides the City with the information needed to focus efforts on certain emissions sectors and sources that have the most GHG reduction opportunities. Whereas GHG emissions increase by 31 percent in the BAU forecast, emissions are reduced by 72 percent between 2022 and 2045 in the legislative-adjusted BAU forecast as shown in Table 2.4 and Figure 2.5 below.

Table 2.4 Newark’s Legislative-Adjusted BAU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast Emissions Sector GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
2022 2035 2045
On-Road 196,864 119,794 50,776
Building Energy 146,632 74,839 27,246
Off-Road 10,974 9,617 10,403
Solid Waste 10,255 13,721 15,321
Water 1,188 652 0
Wastewater 552 649 694
Total 366,465 219,273 104,440
Notes: Totals may not sum exactly due to independent rounding. BAU = business-as-usual; GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

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Figure 2.5 Newark Legislative-Adjusted Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast Notes: BAU = business-as-usual; GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

2.5 TARGETS
Establishing GHG reduction targets informs the development of GHG reduction strategies and actions. CAN targets were developed to align with the statewide GHG reduction targets established by SB 32 and AB 1279. As directed in SB 32 and AB 1279, the state aims to reduce annual GHG emissions to:
 2030 target: 40 percent below 1990 levels; and
 2045 target: 85 percent below 1990 levels, with net-zero emissions achieved through CO2 removal.

The City aims to reduce GHG emissions in proportion to the state’s targets and goals. Community emissions levels from 1990 are not available, which is the case for most local jurisdictions in California. Therefore, GHG reduction targets for CAN were developed relative to the city’s 2022 emissions inventory:
 2035 target: 58 percent below 2022 levels; and
 2045 target: 88 percent below 2022 levels.

In order to meet its 2035 target, the City must reduce its total emissions to 155,678 MTCO2e. The City’s 2045 emissions reduction target of 88 percent below 2022 requires citywide emissions to be reduced to 45,139 MTCO2e.

2.6 EMISSIONS GAP
Even with state and federal climate legislation included in the legislative-adjusted BAU forecast, there are remaining GHG emissions that will need to be addressed by City policy and action. These local actions will help the City “close” the gap and achieve its GHG reduction targets. Table 2.5 and Figure 2.6 display this gap for 2035 and 2045, which is determined by the difference between the GHG reductions needed to meet the targets and the total reductions from federal and state regulations. In order to meet the targets established by the state, 2022 2030 2035 2040 2045
-
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
500,000
GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
Building Energy Off-Road On-Road Solid Waste Wastewater Water BAU City of Newark |2-8
there is an approximate 64,000 MTCO2e gap remaining for 2035 and a 59,000 MTCO2e gap remaining for 2045. The City will need to implement its own actions, coupled with federal and state legislation, to ensure emissions are reduced 88 percent by 2045. The additional actions the City will take (i.e., the GHG reduction strategies and actions) to close the gap and ultimately achieve its local targets are discussed in Chapter 3.

Table 2.5 Newark’s Local Emissions Gap
GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
2035 2045
Business-as-Usual Emissions 437,182 479,785
GHG Reductions Needed to Meet Target 281,504 434,646
Total Reductions from Federal and State Regulations 217,909 375,345 Remaining Gap to Target 63,595 59,301
Notes: GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Figure 2.6 Newark’s Local Emissions Gap
Notes: GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

2.7 CARBON STORAGE INVENTORY
Newark is both a source of GHG emissions, as well as a carbon sink. Carbon stored within the city’s boundaries is separated into two types: urban forest and soil. Urban forest carbon storage refers to the amount of carbon stored in street trees in urban areas, and soil carbon storage is the amount of carbon stored in soil organic matter, such as microorganisms, roots, and decomposers (Bay Area Greenprint 2019). Bay Area Greenprint is a tool that identifies, maps, and measures the values that natural resources contribute to the ecosystem, the economy, and the local community. This tool was used to measure carbon stored in lands throughout Newark.

Based on estimates from Bay Area Greenprint, Newark has 678,013 MTCO2e of carbon stored in its ecosystem, shown in Table 2.6. Carbon stored in soil is depicted in Figure 2.7 and carbon stored in urban forests is shown in Figure 2.8.
2022 2030 2035 2040 2045
-
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
Building Energy Off-Road On-Road Solid Waste Wastewater Water Target 2035 Gap:
63,595 MTCO2e
2045 Gap:
59,301 MTCO2e
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Table 2.6 Newark’s Carbon Storage Inventory
Source Storage (MTCO2e) Percent of Total
Soil Carbon 623,325 91%
Urban Forest Carbon 54,688 9%
Total 678,013 100%
Source: Bay Area Greenprint, n.d.

Figure 2.7 Newark’s Soil Carbon Storage
Source: Bay Area Greenprint, n.d.

Figure 2.8 Newark’s Urban Forest Carbon Storage
Source: Bay Area Greenprint, n.d.

CHAPTER 3
Climate Action Strategies
Chapter 3 | Climate Action
Strategies
To achieve the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets identified in the previous chapter, the City will implement a variety of climate action strategies. In addition to emissions reductions, strategies include benefits such as improving the quality of life of residents. This chapter includes the complete list of strategies and accompanying actions.

3.1 OVERVIEW
Based on the GHG emissions forecast and input from the community, the City identified opportunities for reducing emissions and improving climate resilience using a framework of strategies and actions. The strategies contain specific actions, which are the tangible steps the City will take. Strategies are organized into focus areas, which represent common themes and objectives. The focus areas, although not synonymous with the emissions sectors described in Chapter 2 (i.e., on-road, building energy, off-road, solid waste, water, and wastewater), do encompass and capture each of these sectors. These focus areas include: Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN), Sustainable On- and OffRoad Transportation & Land Use (TR), Responsible Use of Resources (RES), Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS), Community Capacity & Resilience (COM), and Municipal Operations (MUN).

Figure 3.1 displays how the implementation of all strategies will contribute to achieving the City’s 2035 GHG emissions reduction target and approaching the 2045 target. A total of 28 strategies and 95 actions were selected to achieve emissions reductions from each sector. A summary of all emissions reductions from the identified strategies is included in Table 3.1.

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Figure 3.1 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast and Reductions from Strategies Notes: BAU = business-as-usual; GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Table 3.1 summarizes the collective emissions reductions from the actions within each strategy. Of all the identified strategies, those responsible for the largest emissions reductions include: EN-1, EN-2, TR-4, and RES-2. These four strategies make up 91 percent of total emissions reductions. Within each strategy, there are specific actions that contribute to this total; some emissions reductions are achieved through multiple actions, while others result from a single primary action.

Although not all actions result in quantifiable GHG emissions reductions due to data or methodology limitations, most actions will contribute to GHG emissions reductions in some capacity. Additionally, there are important co-benefits associated with every action (see Section 1.2 for the list of identified co-benefits), which can be found in detail in Appendix B. In this chapter, however, co-benefits are applied and displayed at the strategy level, where the presence of any particular co-benefit means that at least one action under that strategy would either directly or indirectly result in that co-benefit. 2022 GHG Emissions:
366,465 MTCO2e
2035 Target:
155,678 MTCO2e
2045 Target:
45,139 MTCO2e
2022 2035 2045
0 100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
GHG Emissions (MTCO2e)
Legislative Reductions from BAU Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS) Responsible Use of Resources (RES) Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN) Sustainable On- and Off- Transportation & Land Use (TRANS) Remaining Emissions after Strategies Scoping Plan Target
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Table 3.1 Summary of Strategy Greenhouse Gas Reductions Focus Area Strategy GHG Emissions Reductions (MTCO2e)1
2035 2045
Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN)
EN-1 11,974 28,410
EN-2 31,422 0
EN-3 N/A
Sustainable On- and Off-Road Transportation & Land Use
(TR)
TR-1 182 38
TR-2 768 226
TR-3 N/A
TR-4 9,862 17,936
TR-5 1,813 538
TR-6 1,668 2,040
Responsible Use of Resources (RES)
RES-1 N/A
RES-2 5,632 6,289
RES-3 0 0
Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS)
NBS-1 729 1,216
NBS-2 N/A
NBS-3 N/A
NBS-4 N/A
Community Capacity & Resilience (COM) COM N/A
Municipal Operations (MUN) MUN N/A
Total 64,051 56,692
Emissions Reductions Need to Meet Targets 63,595 59,301 Target Met? Yes No
Emissions Gap -4562 2,609
Notes: GHG = greenhouse gas; MTCO2e = metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent; N/A = not applicable. 1 Emissions reductions were not estimated for some strategies due to lack of available data or methods, but these strategies are still important to align with the guiding principles developed for CAN. 2 Negative value indicates target met with surplus reductions.

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For each action, there are one or more City departments (and divisions) identified that are responsible for implementation. Departments were selected based on their role within the City and their capacity to undertake additional tasks. Community partners were also identified in some cases to ensure actions are supported by regional and local organizations with relevant experience and existing programs. Collaboration between implementing departments and community partners is key to effective implementation. Table 3.2 below defines abbreviations for each implementing department and community partner included in this chapter. If an abbreviation is followed by a backslash, it indicates a City department and the specific division within that department.

Table 3.2 List of Implementing Department and Community Partner Acronyms City Departments and Divisions Community Partners
 CD = Community Development
 CP = Community Preservation
 ED = Economic Development
 P&H = Planning & Housing
 CMO = City Manager’s Office
 PW = Public Works
 BI = Building Inspection
 CIP = Capital Improvement Program
 ENG = Engineering
 ENV = Environmental Services
 M = Maintenance
 RCS = Recreation & Community Services
 ABAG = Association of Bay Area Governments
 AC OES = Alameda County Office of Emergency Services
 ACFCD = Alameda County Flood Control & Water Conservation District
 ACFD = Alameda County Fire Department
 ACOE = Alameda County Office of Education
 ACPHD = Alameda County Public Health Department
 ACWD = Alameda County Water District
 ADF = Arbor Day Foundation
 Air District = Bay Area Air District
 Ava = Ava Community Energy
 BAWSCA = Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency
 BayREN = Bay Area Regional Energy Network
 BCDC = San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
 CBOs = Community-based organizations
 CCCR = Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge
 NUSD = Newark Unified School District
 PG&E = Pacific Gas & Electric
 Rising Sun = Rising Sun Center for Opportunity
 UFF = Urban Forest Friends
 USFWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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HOW TO NAVIGATE STRATEGIES
The City department responsible for
implementing an action, and the
supporting community partner(s).

Emissions reductions and key indicators
associated with the action where applicable.

A summary of how the strategy can reduce GHG
emissions and considerations for implementation.

Co-benefits associated with one
or more of the actions.

Description of the
action.

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Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN)
EN-1: Electrify and decarbonize the city's building stock.

EN-2: Expand clean energy generation and use.

EN-3: Promote energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

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EN-1: Electrify and decarbonize the city's building stock.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 11,974 28,410
Key Indicators
 23% of existing residential
buildings are fully electrified
 21% of existing nonresidential
buildings are fully electrified
 48% of existing residential
buildings are fully electrified
 46% of existing nonresidential
buildings are fully electrified
Buildings represent a significant opportunity for
emissions reduction, as they account for a substantial
portion of the Newark’s GHG emissions through their
energy consumption. Transitioning the existing building stock away from fossil fuel dependence requires a
comprehensive approach that addresses both
operational efficiency and construction practices.

Retrofitting older buildings with electric heating, cooling, and appliances reduces. Building codes and renovation
standards provide the regulatory framework necessary to guide property owners toward effective decarbonization
measures.

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Actions
Action EN-1-A: Develop a comprehensive building energy retrofit plan to transition existing residential and nonresidential buildings to all-electric. The plan should address end-of-life recycling and disposal of gas appliances, and additionally, should include policies that provide incentives to replace gaspowered appliances with electric alternatives (e.g., heat pumps, electric water heaters, induction stoves) and that cover the costs of electrical panel upgrades and other necessary infrastructure improvements. The plan could be informed by BayREN's forthcoming Existing Buildings Study.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/BI, PW/ENV BayREN
Action EN-1-B: Promote existing websites and incentive resources from BayREN, Ava, PG&E, and The Switch Is On that provide information on building electrification, such as replacing natural gas stoves with all-electric induction range cooktops, among other opportunities.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV BayREN, Ava, PG&E
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EN-2: Expand clean energy generation and use.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 31,422 01
Key Indicators
 100% carbon-free electricity
from Ava
 100% carbon-free electricity
from Ava
Notes: 1 No emissions reductions are assumed in 2045 because all electricity providers in California will be required to supply 100% carbonfree electricity and reductions have been incorporated into Newark’s legislative-adjusted business-as-usual forecast.

Actions
Action EN-2-A: Streamline the permitting of nonresidential solar photovoltaics or other renewable energy and battery storage projects.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI N/A
Action EN-2-B: Support Ava's commitment to achieve 100 percent green energy by 2035, which may include developing and implementing measures to increase residential and business enrollment in Ava's Renewable 100 service plan.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV Ava
The city's transition to electrified buildings and transportation systems creates an increased demand for clean electricity generation that must be met through expanded renewable
energy infrastructure. Solar photovoltaic systems offer a proven pathway to generate emissions-free electricity while enhancing grid resilience through integrated battery storage capabilities. Strategic deployment of these technologies reduces reliance on fossil fuel-powered electricity generation and provides communities with greater energy independence.

Municipal support, including streamlined permitting processes, financial incentives, and educational programs, can accelerate the adoption of clean energy among residents and
businesses. Additionally, partnerships with renewable energy suppliers enable residents to access green electricity options even when on-site generation is not feasible.

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EN-3: Promote energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

Co-Benefits

Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) Included in EN-1
Actions
Action EN-3-A: Establish a program that connects owners and occupants of residential and nonresidential buildings to existing energy audit and weatherization programs and resources (e.g., California’s Low-Income Weatherization Program, BayREN's Home Energy Advisors), and additionally, helps to determine eligibility. Where existing programs and resources do not exist or are insufficient to meet local demand, consider partnering with CBOs and other local and regional organizations to support and expand access to such programs and resources.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV BayREN, Rising Sun, CBOs
Upgrading buildings with more efficient systems and
fixtures can reduce energy consumption. These
upgrades can take many forms. For example,
weatherization, which may include improving insulation
or replacing window sealant, helps reduce energy usage
from air conditioning and heating. Additionally, installing more efficient electric appliances results in cost and
energy savings, as less energy is needed to power the
equipment. To complement physical upgrades,
educational materials can be paired with support
programs and financial incentives to support residents in reducing energy use and promoting efficiency.

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Action EN-3-B: Partner with BayREN to promote their financing and rebate opportunities for residential and business energy efficiency upgrades (e.g., insulation, air sealing, heating and cooling systems, duct replacements). Through the partnership, develop new pathways to expand eligibility and to potentially bundle various energy efficiency upgrades to deliver more savings.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV BayREN
Action EN-3-C: Increase public awareness of reducing plug loads in homes and businesses, which should include educational materials on efficient appliance usage, smart power strips, and standby power. Partner with local schools (e.g., NUSD), libraries, and community groups to host workshops and distribute materials.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV NUSD, CBOs
Action EN-3-D: Connect commercial building owners with Ava's Building Efficiency Accelerator program, which offers free site assessments to identify energy savings opportunities, 12 months of free technical and implementation support, and additional program benefits and incentives.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/ED Ava
City of Newark | 3-12
Sustainable On- and Off-Road
Transportation & Land Use (TR)
TR-1: Make active transportation the preferred method of getting around, where feasible.

TR-2: Increase the safety, accessibility, and reliability of public transit.

TR-3: Expand and encourage shared mobility options.

TR-4: Where and when passenger and commercial vehicle use is necessary, accelerate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

TR-5: Prioritize sustainable land use by increasing residential density, supporting a diversity of land uses, and implementing transportation demand management strategies.

TR-6: Reduce emissions associated with off-road transportation and equipment.

City of Newark | 3-13
TR-1: Make active transportation the preferred method of getting around.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 182 38
Key Indicators Miles of sidewalks and bike lane installed Action
Action TR-1-A: Adopt the City of Newark Active Transportation Plan to serve as an update to the City of Newark Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/CIP, CD/P&H N/A
Transportation represents the largest source of Newark’s emissions, making the shift toward walking and cycling
essential for achieving our climate goals. Creating a
comprehensive active transportation network requires
deliberate infrastructure investments that prioritize
pedestrian and bicycle facilities over automobile-centric design. Strategic reallocation of street space to include protected bike lanes, expanded sidewalks, and
pedestrian-friendly intersections establishes the safe and connected pathways necessary for residents to choose
active modes with confidence. When active
transportation options become more convenient,
accessible, and comfortable than driving, behavioral
change naturally follows, reducing vehicle miles traveled and associated GHG emissions.

City of Newark | 3-14
TR-2: Increase the safety, accessibility, and reliability of public transit.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 768 226
Key Indicators
 15% increase in transit service
miles or service hours
 50% increase in transit service
frequency
 20% increase in transit service
miles or service hours
 50% increase in transit service
frequency
Actions
Action TR-2-A: Partner with AC Transit and MTC to connect low-income residents with the Clipper START pilot program, which provides single-ride discounts to riders between the ages of 19 and 64 who meet eligible income levels.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO AC Transit, MTC
Public transit systems serve as the backbone of
sustainable urban mobility, offering residents an
emissions-efficient alternative to single-occupancy
vehicle travel. When transit services are safe, reliable, and accessible to all community members, they become
a viable transportation choice that significantly reduces GHG emissions while improving regional air quality.

Investing in public transit is an important step toward reducing vehicle miles traveled and promoting
connectivity within the city. Investments in modern,
frequent, and well-maintained transit infrastructure
create a positive feedback loop where improved service
quality attracts ridership, which in turn supports system expansion and further emissions reductions.

City of Newark | 3-15
Action TR-2-B: Develop and adopt a transit-supportive complete streets policy that prioritizes transit operations alongside other modes of transportation. The policy will ensure that all future street design and reconstruction projects consider transit needs, including dedicated bus lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal priority systems, and implementation of the policy will involve updating design standards, revising the development review process, training City staff, and ongoing collaboration with AC Transit to continually assess and update bus routes, as needed.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG AC Transit, Alameda CTC
Action TR-2-C: Improve safe pedestrian access to transit facilities across the city, in accordance with the City of Newark Local Roadway Safety Plan, and in collaboration with ACWD, AC Transit, and NUSD. Improvements may be addressed through neighborhood slow zones, curbside management strategies, floating transit islands, protected bike lanes, crosswalk and sidewalk improvements, adding wayfinding signage, and co-locating bus stops with pedestrian crossings, among others.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG ACWD, AC Transit, NUSD
Action TR-2-D: Continue partnering with the City of Fremont to provide paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities through the "Ride on Tri-City!" program, with ongoing coordination on potential revisions or improvements to the program.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, RCS Fremont
Action TR-2-E: Increase transit frequency and network coverage of bus lines serving Newark. Conduct a city-wide transit study to understand the travel patterns of residents, visitors, and commuters to prioritize underserved areas.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG AC Transit
Action TR-2-F: Improve bus stops in Newark. This includes ensuring stops have barrier-free accessibility, low-stress connections to the active transportation network, adequate seating, durable and visually attractive shelters, lighting, posted schedules, real-time arrival information, incorporating audio and visual features for those with impairments, and parking enforcement.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG AC Transit, MTC
City of Newark | 3-16
TR-3: Expand and encourage shared mobility options.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action TR-3-A: Partner with NUSD, Ohlone College (Newark Campus), local employers, and other institutions to develop and implement a suite of strategies promoting shared mobility options for students and employees, which may include providing educational resources and promotional materials, encouraging employers to provide pre-tax transportation allowances that can be used for shared mobility services, and offering discounts through negotiated bulk purchasing or subsidies.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, PW/ENG, CD/ED NUSD, Ohlone College, CBOs
Action TR-3-B: Establish partnerships with private micromobility companies (e.g., Spin, Bird, Lime, CycleHop) to create shared scooter and e-bike services within the city, which should emphasize equitable access (e.g., offering discounted rates for low-income residents) and enforce improper parking of scooters and e-bikes that block the path of other mobility options.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, PW/ENG, CD/P&H, CD/ED Micromobility Companies
Shared mobility services represent an efficient approach to reducing transportation emissions by maximizing
vehicle utilization while minimizing the total number of cars needed to serve community transportation
demands. Car-sharing programs, ride-sharing services,
and coordinated carpooling initiatives enable residents to access convenient transportation without the
environmental and financial costs of individual vehicle ownership. These services are particularly effective
when targeted toward populations with common travel
patterns, such as employees commuting to major job
centers or students traveling to educational campuses,
where coordinated trips can significantly reduce singleoccupancy vehicle miles.

City of Newark | 3-17
Action TR-3-C: Collaborate with the Cities of Union City and Fremont to implement a crossjurisdictional community ZEV car share pilot program to benefit disadvantaged communities, which will place ZEVs at affordable housing communities in the tri-city area where residents can reserve the vehicles at a low cost to run errands, get to appointments, and take local trips.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV Union City, Fremont
City of Newark | 3-18
TR-4: Where and when passenger and commercial vehicle use is necessary, accelerate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

Co-Benefits

Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 9,862 17,936
Key Indicators
 52% of light-duty vehicles are
EVs or PHEVs
 30% of medium- and heavyduty vehicles are EVs or PHEVs  91% of light-duty vehicles are
EVs or PHEVs
 75% of medium- and heavyduty vehicles are EVs or PHEVs Actions
Action TR-4-A: Consider adopting a reach code for EV charging to meet CALGreen voluntary standards for new residential and commercial development to install conduits for EV charging equipment. Ensure minimum EV charging requirements reflect updated projections and metrics for EV charging usage and continue to increase the number of charging stations in residential and nonresidential development throughout the city.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI N/A
Zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption decreases GHG
emissions and results in better air quality due to the
reduction in tailpipe pollutants. As vehicle fleets
transition from gasoline to electric, jurisdictions must invest in charging infrastructure to support electric
vehicle ownership. Coupling charging station installation with investment in renewable energy technology will
improve energy resilience and reduce strain on the grid.

Establishing a reliable and accessible charging
infrastructure can further incentivize ZEV ownership, in addition to the benefit of lower vehicle maintenance
costs compared to traditional combustion engines.

City of Newark | 3-19
Action TR-4-B: Conduct a citywide study to identify optimal locations for public EV charging stations based on traffic patterns, proximity to major destinations, and existing electrical infrastructure. Utilize the study to prioritize investments in and seek grant funding (e.g., Air District's "Charge!" Program) for expanding public EV charging infrastructure in targeted areas, particularly in gas stations, and new and existing multifamily residential and commercial development.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG, PW/ENV Air District
Action TR-4-C: Establish a public-private partnership program to accelerate and jointly fund the deployment and maintenance of a comprehensive EV charging infrastructure network throughout the city. As part of the program, the City will actively engage with private sector stakeholders (e.g., large employers, retail centers, hospitality businesses) to identify potential partnership opportunities, determine optimal EV charging station locations, and explore innovative funding mechanisms (e.g., charging station sponsorships, advertising revenue models).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/ED Private sector stakeholders
Action TR-4-D: Develop a permit checklist to install EVSE within the public right-of-way by 2029, pursuant to AB 2427 (2024).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENG N/A
City of Newark | 3-20
TR-5: Prioritize sustainable land use by increasing residential density, supporting a diversity of land uses, and implementing transportation demand management strategies.

Co-Benefits

Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 1,813 538
Key Indicators  50% of employees participating
in TDM programs
 50% of employees participating
in TDM programs
Actions
Action TR-5-A: Recognizing the nexus between climate and housing, continue to implement the climate-friendly policies and programs identified in the City of Newark 2023-2031 Housing Element, such as those that promote higher-density and mixed-use development and encourage the construction of ADUs.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/P&H N/A
Choosing a transportation method is largely influenced
by an individual’s access to various modes and whether
a destination is accommodating of that mode. Transitoriented development and increased building density allow for easier access to destinations, reducing the
need for vehicle travel. Additionally, cities can deter vehicle use by implementing parking minimums and
fees, increasing the appeal of transit and transportation alternatives. Adapting land uses to promote alternative transportation will reduce GHGs associated with vehicle travel, improve trip efficiency, and result in greater
connectivity within Newark.

City of Newark | 3-21
Action TR-5-B: Implement Safety Element Action SAF-1.C, which calls for updating the zoning ordinance to include transportation demand management standards for development projects.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/P&H N/A
Action TR-5-C: Remove parking minimums for new development within half a mile of public transit and consider establishing parking maximums in new development, aligning with other parking reform programs, such as Housing Element Program H3.5.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/P&H N/A
Action TR-5-D: Update parking standards and regulations to ensure that parking: (1) is efficiently designed and addresses the desire to encourage walking, bicycling, the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and public transit use; (2) aligns with AB 2097; and (3) considers changing business patterns, technology, consumer behavior, demographics, and changes in vehicle design and technology.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/P&H N/A
Action TR-5-E: In accordance with SB 743, amend Newark’s General Plan such that transportation is evaluated based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) instead of level-of-service (LOS) and that all references to LOS are removed.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENG, CD/P&H N/A
City of Newark | 3-22
TR-6: Reduce emissions associated with off-road transportation and equipment.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 1,668 2,040
Key Indicators
 80% of construction equipment
is zero-emission
 25% of generators used at
construction sites are zeroemission
 100% of existing landscaping
equipment is replaced with
electric versions
 100% of construction
equipment is zero-emission
 25% of generators used at
construction sites are zeroemission
 100% of existing landscaping
equipment is replaced with
electric versions
Actions
Action TR-6-A: Require all discretionary development projects starting in 2027 and later to use renewable diesel in diesel-powered construction equipment.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV Air District
Off-road transportation and equipment, like those used
for construction or landscaping, are often powered by
fossil fuels (e.g., diesel) and directly result in GHG
emissions. They also contribute to poor air quality by
emitting pollutants such as particulate matter. Alternative energy sources to fossil fuels include renewable diesel and electricity. Renewable diesel is compatible with
current diesel-powered equipment and is produced from
biomass. Electric-powered equipment can be charged by
renewable energy sources like solar and are often less
disruptive than traditional off-road equipment.

City of Newark | 3-23
Action TR-6-B: Prohibit the use of fossil fuel-powered portable generators at construction sites in all discretionary projects starting in 2027. Coordinate with PG&E to ensure temporary construction power connections to minimize potential project delays.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV Air District
Action TR-6-C: Develop strategies to encourage business owners (e.g., landscaping businesses) to convert or replace their fossil fuel-powered equipment, such as lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and hedge trimmers, with electric or other alternative zero-emission equipment.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/ED Air District
City of Newark | 3-24
Responsible Use of Resources (RES)
RES-1: Expand the practice of circular economy principles that promote the reuse, repair, and recycling of goods and materials.

RES-2: Promote responsible organic and inorganic waste management and reduction practices.

RES-3: Prioritize water-wise practices and technologies that minimize consumption across the city.

City of Newark | 3-25
RES-1: Expand the practice of circular economy principles that promote the reuse, repair, and recycling of goods and materials.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action RES-1-A: Promote StopWaste's Repair Workshop Calendar, which serves as a repository for scheduled repair events for broken or damaged household items (e.g., clothes, smartphones) where attendees are empowered to learn valuable repair skills. Partner with StopWaste, local and regional repair shops, makerspaces, and other organizations to explore offering additional repair events.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV StopWaste
Action RES-1-B: Building upon the Sustainable Foodware Ordinance, partner with local food service establishments (e.g., restaurants, delis, food trucks, grocery stores) to provide incentives, such as discounts or loyalty rewards, for customers who bring in and use their own reusable containers.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/ED Local food service establishments
To produce new goods and materials for consumers,
energy and raw materials and required to create and
distribute these items. Supply chains are difficult to
fully decarbonize due to the number of potential GHG
emission sources. Reusing existing materials is a
sustainable alternative to purchasing new goods.

Cities can incentivize reuse by connecting residents
to educational and rewards programs. Extending the
lifetime of goods not only reduces the consumption of
energy-intensive products, but it also decreases
unnecessary waste.

City of Newark | 3-26
Action RES-1-C: Work with StopWaste to develop and implement strategies (e.g., increased awareness, incentives) that further promote the use of their "RE:Source" guide for the reuse, repair, recycling, and safe disposal of a broad range of items.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV StopWaste
Action RES-1-D: Identify opportunities for circular economy demonstration projects or public art opportunities that use recycled materials to highlight the advantages and provide visibility of circular practices and technologies. Collaborate with local businesses, organizations, artists, and institutions to develop and execute these projects, and share the outcomes and insights gained with the broader community to foster learning and awareness.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV CBOs
City of Newark | 3-27
RES-2: Promote responsible organic and inorganic waste management and reduction practices.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 5,632 6,289
Key Indicators  75% of waste is diverted from
landfills
 75% of waste is diverted from
landfills
Actions
Action RES-2-A: Continue to ensure compliance with SB 1383 by diverting organic waste away from landfills. In coordination with Republic Services, ensure all customers are subscribed to the appropriate level of service and that audits are completed and enforced on the appropriate schedule.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV Republic Services
Many of the emissions that result from waste
disposal come from the decomposition of landfilled
organic materials. This decomposition releases
methane, which is a highly potent GHG. These
emissions can be minimized by reducing the waste
produced, and by properly disposing of waste that is
generated. Education regarding proper waste
management can be implemented to reduce the
generation organic and inorganic waste, and food
and yard waste can be diverted from landfills to serve
as compost material.

City of Newark | 3-28
Action RES-2-B: Launch an annual neighborhood cleanup and waste reduction challenge to engage residents in community beautification and waste reduction efforts.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV, CD/CP N/A
Action RES-2-C: In alignment with state goals, adopt a zero-waste policy for events requiring City permits that establish guidelines for event organizers, including requirements for compostable or reusable service ware, proper waste sorting stations, and minimizing physical promotional materials.

As part of the policy, seek and train volunteers to serve as "zero-waste ambassadors" to assist with waste sorting and education at events.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV N/A
City of Newark | 3-29
RES-3: Prioritize water-wise practices and technologies that minimize consumption across the city.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 01 01
Key Indicators  10% reduction in water
consumption
 20% reduction in water
consumption
Notes: 1 Emission reductions are presented as 0 to avoid potential double counting with Strategy EN-2.

Actions
Action RES-3-A: Adopt a water neutrality ordinance that requires new development—or other changes within the service area that will require a new water service or will increase water demand above the existing demand level—to offset the projected water demand with water efficiency, conservation, and retrofit measures with an overall goal to create a net neutral impact on overall water demand.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV ACWD
Water management represents a significant but often
overlooked component of climate action, as the energy
required to extract, treat, and distribute potable water generates GHG emissions. Implementing
comprehensive water conservation measures reduces
both direct energy consumption within water treatment
facilities and the broader infrastructure demands
associated with water delivery systems. Strategic waterwise practices include deploying efficient irrigation technologies, utilizing recycled or non-potable water
sources for landscape maintenance, and upgrading
aging infrastructure to eliminate waste through leak
detection and repair programs.

City of Newark | 3-30
Action RES-3-B: Work with local and regional partners to promote and expand existing programs and initiatives that promote residential water conservation, such as BAWSCA's Rain Barrel Rebate Program, and ACWD's free water conservation kits and free leak kits, among others. With these partners, track and develop strategies to increase the number of residents who take advantage of the existing programs and initiatives.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV, CMO ACWD, BAWSCA
Action RES-3-C: In collaboration with ACWD, explore the development of water use efficiency program opportunities and implement, where feasible.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV ACWD
Action RES-3-D: Support and coordinate with ACWD to expand potable water reuse options across the city, which may include assisting with the assessment of regulatory, technical, and financial considerations for implementing these options.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENG, PW/ENV ACWD
City of Newark | 3-31
Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS)
NBS-1: Maintain and expand the city's urban tree canopy.

NBS-2: Integrate green stormwater infrastructure throughout the city.

NBS-3: Protect, restore, and enhance natural areas, wetlands, and ecosystems.

NBS-4: Promote sustainable landscaping practices that support native vegetation and pollinator habitats.

City of Newark | 3-32
NBS-1: Maintain and expand the city's urban tree canopy.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
GHG Reduction (MTCO2e) 729 1,216
Key Indicators  30% of Bay Area Green Print
priority landscapes receive tree
canopy
 50% of Bay Area Green Print
priority landscapes receive tree
canopy
Actions
Action NBS-1-A: Prepare and adopt an urban forest management plan that will inform and influence the vegetation, habitats and trees in projects, development, and ordinances for maximum environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, biodiversity and health benefits. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/M/ENV N/A
Trees offer many benefits in addition to their ability to sequester carbon. A greater urban canopy can reduce
the urban heat island effect, reducing strain on the grid as residents use less electricity to power cooling
systems. Increased urban greenery can make a space
more inviting and contribute to people’s wellbeing. Trees also improve air quality, filter groundwater, and can
contribute to local biodiversity. Planting and maintaining trees is an important part of urban landscapes.

City of Newark | 3-33
Action NBS-1-B: Develop a free residential street tree program that builds upon the initial pilot program. As part of the program: (1) prepare a list of approved street trees; (2) establish formal eligibility criteria and implementation processes; (3) partner with local nurseries and tree suppliers; and (4) provide educational resources to participants on proper tree planting and maintenance.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

RCS, PW/ENV UFF
Action NBS-1-C: Foster a sense of community ownership, engagement, and stewardship of the city's urban forest by developing and implementing a tree adoption program, where residents and local businesses can sponsor and be recognized (e.g., through the City's website and social media platforms) for the planting and maintenance of trees in public spaces. Offer a variety of sponsorship levels and options (e.g., group of trees, entire planting area), where sponsorship fees can cover both:
(1) the costs of purchasing, planting, and maintaining the trees for a specified period (e.g., 3-5 years); and (2) a dedicated endowment fund, where a portion of the sponsorship fees can be reinvested to support long-term program maintenance.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

RCS, PW/ENV, CD/ED, CD/P&H N/A
Action NBS-1-D: Continue to maintain the city's consecutive multi-decade status as a Tree City USA® recognized community, which can be upheld by meeting four core standards: (1) forming and maintaining a tree board or department; (2) establishing a tree care ordinance; (3) maintaining a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least two dollars per capita; and (4) observing and celebrating Arbor Day. Tree City USA® is a program led by ADF that celebrates towns and cities committed to growing their urban tree canopy.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV, PW/M ADF
Action NBS-1-E: Continue to partner with UFF to support and promote their events, which focus on tree planting, tree care, and related community outreach and education in the tri-city area (i.e., Newark, Fremont, Union City).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO UFF
City of Newark | 3-34
NBS-2: Integrate green stormwater infrastructure throughout the city.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action NBS-2-A: Continue to track and report the implementation of the City’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan, in accordance with Safety Element Action SAF-4.H.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENG, PW/ENV ACWD
Action NBS-2-B: Collaborate with NUSD and local private schools to transform schoolyards into green spaces by incorporating green stormwater infrastructure elements and utilizing the green spaces as outdoor learning laboratories for environmental education. Engage students, teachers, and parents in the design and maintenance process through partnerships with ACOE and CBOs.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, PW/M NUSD, ACOE, ACWD, UFF, CBOs
Green stormwater infrastructure represents a nature-based solution that addresses multiple urban environmental
challenges while contributing to climate resilience and emissions reduction goals. These systems, including bioswales, permeable pavements, green roofs, and constructed wetlands, harness natural processes to capture, filter, and slowly release stormwater runoff that would otherwise overwhelm traditional drainage systems. By intercepting pollutants before they reach local waterways, green infrastructure protects downstream water quality and supports healthy aquatic ecosystems that serve as critical habitat for native species. Beyond water quality benefits, these installations provide essential flood protection by reducing peak stormwater flows during intense precipitation events, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Green infrastructure also delivers co-benefits through carbon sequestration in vegetation and soils, urban heat island reduction through increased green space, and reduced energy demands on conventional stormwater treatment facilities.

City of Newark | 3-35
NBS-3: Protect, restore, and enhance natural areas, wetlands, and ecosystems.

Co-Benefits
Performance
2035 2045
Key Indicators  Acres of restored habitat  Acres of restored habitat Actions
Action NBS-3-A: Establish a City-led task force composed of residents and interested stakeholders to develop a shared vision and to identify and evaluate potential policies and measures that the City may formally adopt to balance current and future housing needs with the long-term protection and restoration of the city's wetlands (i.e., Area 4).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO, CD/P&H CCCR
Action NBS-3-B: Develop a plan for managing and restoring the city's wetlands. Collaborate with USFWS, BCDC, ACWD, and other partners to ensure the plan aligns with regional conservation goals and includes provisions for addressing sea-level rise and climate change impacts. The plan should include clear guidelines for managing stormwater inputs to wetlands to prevent pollutant accumulation and consider hydrologic connections between wetlands and the underlying groundwater basin.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/CP USFWS, BCDC, ACWD, City of Fremont, Cargill, CCCR
Wetlands are a highly productive ecosystem that support wildlife and human populations. Many animal and plant
species depend on wetlands for shelter, food, and
breeding. The soils and plants of wetlands naturally filter water and sequester carbon. Wetlands also maintain
water levels by buffering the effects of flooding and
releasing stored water during droughts. Caring for this important ecosystem has many benefits and is crucial for future resilience against climate change.

City of Newark | 3-36
NBS-4: Promote sustainable landscaping practices that support native vegetation and pollinator habitats.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action NBS-4-A: To support local pollinator populations, enhance urban biodiversity and climate resilience, and improve the city's aesthetic appeal, develop and implement a plan to establish a network of pollinator habitat corridors across the city, connecting existing green spaces and creating new habitats for pollinators by utilizing public spaces, rights-of-way, and participating private properties. Plan implementation can also include the installation of interpretive signage along the corridors to educate the public about pollinators and native plants, including the role of Newark and the Bay Area in the migration trail of the threatened Western Monarch butterfly species.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENV, CMO N/A
Urban landscaping practices significantly impact local
ecosystem health, making the transition toward native and pollinator-friendly vegetation essential for comprehensive climate action. Traditional landscaping approaches,
particularly expansive turf lawns, require intensive water inputs, frequent maintenance, and often rely on fossil fuelpowered equipment and chemical fertilizers that contribute to emissions and environmental degradation. Native plant communities offer a sustainable alternative that requires minimal irrigation once established, supports local wildlife populations, and provides critical habitat for pollinators whose services are essential for food systems and
ecosystem stability. Native landscaping enhances urban
biodiversity, improves air and soil quality, and creates more resilient green spaces capable of withstanding
climate-related stresses such as extended drought periods and extreme weather events.

City of Newark | 3-37
Action NBS-4-B: Partner with BAWSCA and ACWD to promote and expand the Lawn Be Gone Rebate Program, where customers can receive a rebate of two dollars per square foot for removing their grass lawns and installing native, water-efficient landscapes.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO, PW/ENV BAWSCA, ACWD
Action NBS-4-C: Promote StopWaste's existing resources, such as the Bay-Friendly Gardening Guide: From Your Backyard to the Bay, Now That Your Lawn is Gone Maintenance Guide, and others, that include information and guidance on sustainable landscape design, native plant selection, soil health management, and integrated pest management practices.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, PW/ENV StopWaste
City of Newark | 3-38
Community Capacity & Resilience (COM)
COM-1: Improve climate and emergency preparedness.

COM-2: Reduce exposure to extreme heat and mitigate the urban heat island effect.

COM-3: Bolster protection for sea level rise and flooding.

COM-4: Build a more sustainable food system and increase local food security.

COM-5: Create a local economy that prioritizes green businesses.

COM-6: Provide education and outreach opportunities to help support CAN awareness and implementation.

City of Newark | 3-39
COM-1: Improve climate and emergency preparedness.

Co-Benefits

Actions
Action COM-1-A: Adopt an ordinance for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction that includes provisions for debris clearance, damage assessment, demolitions, re-occupancy and building moratorium criteria, fee waivers and deferrals, and expedited permitting procedures for repair and reconstruction.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO, PW/BI AC OES
Action COM-1-B: Continue partnering with ACFD to offer CERT training and other personal emergency and disaster preparedness trainings, and additionally, expand training opportunities to directly address community and neighborhood-level preparedness for climate impacts. Develop and implement measures to increase training awareness and participation.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO ACFD
Previous strategies primarily address climate mitigation, but the City is also dedicated to improving climate
resilience. The effects of climate change are already being experienced (e.g., increased frequency and intensity of natural hazards, like extreme heat). Enhancing community preparedness allows residents to prepare for and recover from climate hazard events. Disaster training and toolkit assembly ensures individual safety during an event like wildfire or flooding. The City can assist in the evacuation of residents through an effective alert system. In areas where housing is more vulnerable to climate-related damage,
resources can be allocated toward resilience
improvements and reconstruction aid.

City of Newark | 3-40
Action COM-1-C: Partner with BayREN and local contractors to establish a climate-ready home assessment program that is intended to help homeowners and renters make their residences more resilient through subsidized assessments and retrofits. Through the program, trained assessors will evaluate properties for climate-related vulnerabilities and residents will receive a customized report with recommended improvements, potential cost savings, and applicable funding opportunities.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV, CD/CP BayREN
Action COM-1-D: Develop a local, resident- and business-focused climate resilience toolkit that consolidates and builds upon existing local and regional materials, partnering with AC OES, ABAG, local businesses, and CBOs. All toolkit materials should be available in multiple languages and include specific considerations for those who may be more vulnerable (e.g., children, individuals with access and functional needs), along with general guidance on keeping one’s home or business safe when faced with climate stressors.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO AC OES, ABAG, CBOs
Action COM-1-E: Develop and implement strategies to expand the reach of AC Alert, the mass notification system used by cities throughout Alameda County to rapidly spread emergency alerts.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO AC OES
City of Newark | 3-41
COM-2: Reduce exposure to extreme heat and mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action COM-2-A: Establish official criteria and guidelines for the opening and operation of cooling centers within city boundaries, with an emphasis on equity and accessibility through flexible dates and hours, a variety of high priority locations throughout the city, and transportation considerations. Cooling centers may include both City and non-City facilities (e.g., schools). For facilities that are not directly under the City's purview but fall within city boundaries, establish contingency agreements to facilitate the opening and operation of these facilities as temporary cooling centers during periods of extreme heat, as defined by the established criteria and guidelines.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO, RCS NUSD
Rising temperatures and increasingly frequent extreme
heat events pose significant threats to community health, energy systems, and infrastructure, making heat
mitigation a critical component of climate adaptation
planning. Urban environments typically experience
temperatures several degrees higher than surrounding
areas due to the heat island effect, where dark surfaces, limited vegetation, and concentrated development trap
and amplify thermal energy. This creates dangerous
conditions for vulnerable populations while driving
increased demand for energy-intensive cooling systems
that strain the electrical grid and contribute to higher emissions during peak usage periods.

City of Newark | 3-42
Action COM-2-B: Evaluate and consider establishing requirements for the use of heat mitigation measures in the public realm, particularly in common community gathering spaces (e.g., playgrounds, parks) and along transit corridors. Requirements may include the incorporation of: (1) building design features (e.g., varied building heights; setbacks from sidewalks; vertical and horizontal shade features); (2) cooling materials, treatments, and coatings (e.g., for rooftops); (3) multiple layers of shading to maximize coverage throughout the day; (4) street trees and landscaping; and (5) public amenities, such as drinking fountains and water mister/spray areas; among others.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI, PW/ENG, PW/ENV, PW/M, RCS N/A
Action COM-2-C: In coordination with AC Library and AC OES, establish the Newark Library as a permanent community resilience center that can serve as a resource and gathering place during extreme heat events and other emergencies. Seek grant funding from the Strategic Growth Council, BayREN, or other sources.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO AC Library, AC OES
Action COM-2-D: With each triennial building code update, evaluate the City's existing design guidelines and standards to further promote building materials and site design techniques that provide passive cooling and reduce energy demand. Upon completion of the evaluation and if needed, develop and propose appropriate updates to be reviewed, tailored, and adopted by the Planning Commission and City Council.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI N/A
Action COM-2-E: Establish a program to assist and incentivize residential and nonresidential building owners in retrofitting existing buildings with cool roofs or green roofs, underscoring the array of co-benefits they have to offer aside from mitigating the urban heat island effect, such as reduced energy costs. As part of the program, consider developing guidelines and linking them to an array of external resources for proper maintenance. This action supports implementation of the City’s Housing Element Program 6.3, under which the City would amend the building ordinance to require buildings to exceed Title 24 standards by installing cool roofs for all new or replacement roofs.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI N/A
Action COM-2-F: Establish a pilot program to install cool (i.e., high albedo) pavement in select neighborhoods, partnering with technical experts on cool pavement materials and performance monitoring, and additionally, with ACPHD to identify heat-vulnerable populations and prioritize project locations. Assuming program success and community buy-in, develop a plan to gradually expand cool pavement installation across the city, prioritizing areas with high pedestrian activity, low tree canopy, and relatively lower flood risk (i.e., areas where permeable pavement may be more appropriate).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/ENG ACPHD, ACWD
City of Newark | 3-43
COM-3: Bolster protection for sea level rise and flooding.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action COM-3-A: Adopt a local sea level rise adaptation plan to help build resilience to permanent coastal inundation and temporary coastal flooding. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENV ACFCD, City of Fremont, Cargil, USFW, ACWD,
CCCR
Action COM-3-B: Partner with Adopt-a-Drain to implement a local storm drain adoption program, which will engage residents to "adopt" storm drains, keep them clear of debris, and report any issues to the City. The program will include an educational component about the importance of proper stormwater management, including safety guidance, stormwater-groundwater interactions, and debris disposal. This will inspire stewardship, community ownership, and behavior change to prevent runoff pollution and reduce localized flooding.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
PW/ENG, PW/ENV Adopt-a-Drain
Newark's location along San Francisco Bay makes the
city particularly vulnerable to the combined impacts of sea level rise, coastal flooding, groundwater inundation, and increasingly intense storm events that threaten both existing infrastructure and community safety. The City's proactive approach, including comprehensive
vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning,
provides the foundation for implementing targeted
resilience measures that protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable communities.

City of Newark | 3-44
Action COM-3-C: Evaluate the need for more stringent minimum standards for flood protection, groundwater inundation, and resilience, notably for new construction and major renovations. Specific considerations should include floor elevations, flood-resistant materials, and improved drainage systems (among others), and additionally, potential incentives for exceeding minimum standards. Depending on the outcomes of the evaluation, update the Municipal Code to incorporate new standards.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

PW/BI, PW/ENV ACFCD
City of Newark | 3-45
COM-4: Build a more sustainable food system and increase local food security.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action COM-4-A: Adopt an ordinance that clearly defines, permits, and encourages various forms of urban agriculture within the city, such as community gardens, rooftop gardens, backyard chicken keeping, and small-scale commercial urban farms. The ordinance would update zoning regulations, as needed, to explicitly allow agricultural activities in residential, commercial, and mixed-use zones, setting clear guidelines for permissible practices.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/P&H N/A
Action COM-4-B: In partnership with local CBOs, create and manage a network of community gardens throughout the city, which would involve identifying suitable public spaces, such as vacant lots or underutilized park areas, and transforming them into productive garden or fruit tree plots. Additionally, the network can be promoted to draw local volunteers to serve as garden stewards and foster a sense of community ownership. All food grown at the community gardens can be donated to local food pantries.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
RCS, PW/ENV CBOs
Resilience encompasses more than just preparing for
climate hazards—it includes enhancing essential
services like access to local food. Food grown in urban centers can facilitate a greater sense of community,
connection to land, and understanding of food production and waste. Residents can contribute to and support
locally grown, and healthy food options. Decreased
dependency on larger food supply chains results in less trips to stores and avoidance of products that are
resource intensive to produce and transport. Revitalizing urban spaces to incorporate agriculture is also important to strengthen communities and food security.

City of Newark | 3-46
Action COM-4-C: Launch a multilingual outreach and education campaign focused on urban agriculture and sustainable food production, offering a series of workshops, classes, and hands-on training sessions covering related topics (e.g., container gardening, seasonal planting, caring for private fruit trees, organic pest management).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, RCS CBOs
Action COM-4-D: Partnering with local CBOs, organize regularly recurring community "food swap" events where residents can exchange homemade, homegrown, or foraged foods with each other to reduce food waste and foster a sense of community connectivity.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, RCS CBOs
Action COM-4-E: Partner with NUSD and local private schools to further integrate food education and local food sourcing into curricula and/or voluntary extra-curricular activities (e.g., gardening clubs). The initiative will establish gardens at each school site and provide curriculum resources for teachers, and additionally, would encourage regular "taste tests" as a form of student engagement to help promote acceptance and enthusiasm for healthy, locally grown foods.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CMO, RCS NUSD
City of Newark | 3-47
COM-5: Create a local economy that prioritizes green businesses.

Co-Benefits
Actions
Action COM-5-A: Promote strategies to encourage local businesses to meet the requirements for and get certified by the California Green Business Network, which may include local incentives or benefits (e.g., promotional support from the City).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CD/ED Green Business Network
Action COM-5-B: Promote green tenant leasing practices for commercial businesses to align tenant and landlord co-benefits, utilizing best practices such as those identified in the Green Tenant Toolkit developed by the Business Council on Climate Change.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)

CD/ED N/A
Action COM-5-C: Partner with CBOs and businesses to develop and implement targeted outreach campaigns that raise awareness of green business products and services available to residents, emphasizing the benefits of sustainable consumption and accessibility of local green options. To support outreach, multilingual materials will be created to inform residents of where they can purchase sustainable products and services and access related information.

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CD/ED, PW/ENV CBOs, Businesses
Green businesses engage in environmentally conscious
practices, including using sustainably and equitably
sourced materials and limiting pollution. The expansion of green businesses can be encouraged by the City
through incentives and promotional efforts, educating
potential businesses and consumers of the benefits
associated with sustainable products and services.

Greater support and investment in green businesses
creates demand for a skilled workforce. Ensuring there
are adequate training opportunities and worker
protections will aid workforce development and
contribute to the growth of Newark’s economy.

City of Newark | 3-48
COM-6: Provide education and outreach opportunities to help support CAN awareness and implementation.

Co-Benefits
Action
Action COM-6-A: Develop an education and outreach program that will help spread awareness and support implementation of each of the strategies and actions included in CAN. The program may identify or include both broad topics (e.g., water conservation, circular economy) and tailored engagement opportunities that are specific to each strategy and/or action. Additionally, the program will engage and/or partner with a diverse range of local stakeholders (e.g., residents, businesses, schools, CBOs).

Implementing Department(s) Community Partner(s)
CMO, PW/ENV CBOs, Businesses
Achieving meaningful climate action requires broad
community engagement and shared responsibility
between the City, residents, and businesses, making
public education and outreach fundamental to CAN’s
success. Through strategic public engagement
initiatives, the City can communicate progress on climate goals, highlight opportunities for individual and
organizational participation, and foster the community
partnerships essential for implementing comprehensive
climate strategies.

City of Newark | 3-49
Municipal Operations (MUN)
MUN-1: Reduce emissions from municipal buildings and facilities.

MUN-2: Minimize vehicle miles traveled for City employees.

MUN-3: Shift to clean municipal on-road and off-road vehicles and equipment.

MUN-4: Reduce municipal water use.

MUN-5: Practice sustainable waste management for municipal operations.

MUN-6: Protect municipal assets from climate hazards.

City of Newark | 3-50

MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
Strategies and Actions Implementing
Department(s)
Community
Partner(s)
MUN-1
Action MUN-1-A: Adopt a policy requiring new municipal
buildings and facilities to be all-electric, starting in 2026. PW/BI N/A Action MUN-1-B: Develop and implement a roadmap outlining the necessary steps and timeline for electrifying existing municipal buildings and facilities, including a detailed inventory of current building systems, and a prioritized list of buildings for electrification based on factors such as age of equipment, energy use intensity, and necessary electrification measures. The roadmap should also include cost estimates, potential funding sources, and projected energy savings and GHG emissions reductions for each project.

PW/BI, PW/M N/A
Action MUN-1-C: Launch an initiative to install solar carports and battery storage systems at existing municipal parking lots to transform them into dual-purpose spaces that provide shade and generate/store clean energy. This would involve identifying suitable locations within parking lots, designing appropriate carport structures, complying with existing standards identified in the Municipal Code, and integrating EV charging stations, where feasible.

PW/M N/A
Action MUN-1-D: Participate in Ava's Resilient Facilities Program to reduce the cost and complexity associated with developing solar microgrid and battery backup installations for municipal operations.

PW/M Ava
Action MUN-1-E: Develop and adopt a green building policy requiring all new municipal buildings to meet or exceed LEED Gold certification standards, establishing requirements for energy-efficient design, renewable energy integration, water conservation, and sustainable materials use.

CMO, PW/BI,

PW/M N/A
Municipal operations present a unique opportunity for
direct climate action where the City can demonstrate
leadership while achieving emissions reductions within
its own facilities and services. By focusing on Cityowned buildings, fleet vehicles, infrastructure systems, and operational practices, Newark can implement
comprehensive decarbonization measures that serve
as visible examples of effective climate strategies for the broader community.

City of Newark | 3-51
Strategies and Actions Implementing
Department(s)
Community
Partner(s)
Action MUN-1-F: Install a building energy management system (BEMS) in all municipal buildings and facilities that provides real-time monitoring and control of energy usage, allowing for optimization of heating, cooling, and lighting systems. Each BEMS will include smart sensors, automated controls, and data analytics capabilities to identify energy-saving opportunities, and implementation will involve a phased approach, starting with the largest energy-consuming buildings and facilities and gradually expanding to all facilities.

PW/BI, PW/M N/A
MUN-2
Action MUN-2-A: Participate and enroll in AC Transit's EasyPass program, which would provide unlimited AC Transit bus passes to City employees.

CMO AC Transit
Action MUN-2-B: Conduct a review of municipal buildings and facilities to identify opportunities to increase amenities that encourage biking, such as bicycle parking/storage, shelters, end-of-trip facilities (e.g., repair stands, bicycle wash stations, showers, locker rooms), and electric bicycle charging
infrastructure.

CMO, PW/ENV N/A
MUN-3
Action MUN-3-A: Establish and implement a plan to: (1)
transition the municipal vehicle fleet to EVs and other ZEVs; and (2) scale up and provide ongoing maintenance for the
infrastructure required to support a full ZEV fleet (e.g., deployment of EV charging stations at appropriate locations).

CMO, PW/M N/A
Action MUN-3-B: Establish an incentive program for contractors working on City projects to use low- or zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment (e.g., landscaping, construction), which will offer a tiered incentive structure, with higher incentives for using zero-emission equipment. Incentives could include bid preferences, contract bonuses, or other direct financial incentives. The program may also include a
recognition component where contractors who consistently use clean equipment are highlighted in City publications or at City events.

CMO, PW/M N/A
MUN-4
Action MUN-4-A: Continue phasing out the irrigation of
nonfunctional turfgrass with potable water on municipal property through means such as replacing water-intensive landscaping with native, drought-tolerant plants and/or permeable hardscaping. Ensure full compliance with AB 1572 by 2027.

PW/M N/A
Action MUN-4-B: Develop a water-efficient vehicle washing policy for all municipal vehicles that requires the use of watersaving techniques, such as high pressure, low-flow nozzles, and the capture and reuse of recycled water where feasible.

Collected water will be properly treated and disposed at the appropriate facilities.

CMO, PW/M N/A
City of Newark | 3-52
Strategies and Actions Implementing
Department(s)
Community
Partner(s)
Action MUN-4-C: Upgrade all municipal irrigation systems to smart, weather-based systems that use real-time weather data and soil moisture sensors to optimize watering schedules and reduce overwatering, and additionally, develop a
maintenance and monitoring program to ensure long-term
efficiency.

PW/M N/A
Action MUN-4-D: Conduct periodic water use audits for all municipal buildings and facilities, which will help to identify leaks, inefficient fixtures, and opportunities for water reuse.

Based on annual audit results, develop a list of water-saving upgrades and needed operational changes.

PW/M N/A
MUN-5
Action MUN-5-A: Conduct a review of existing municipal
operational practices to identify and implement practices to avoid waste generation, which may be accompanied by
training for City employees to maximize avoidance of waste generation and conducting periodic waste audits to measure the success of existing efforts and inform potential changes to policies and procedures, as necessary.

PW/M N/A
Action MUN-5-B: Increase recycling and organic waste
diversion at all municipal buildings and facilities by inventorying and identifying needs for additional recycling and food waste bins and appropriate signage to inform and educate
employees and the public on proper waste disposal and
recycling.

PW/M N/A
MUN-6
Action MUN-6-A: Conduct a comprehensive climate change
vulnerability assessment specific to municipal assets and planned capital projects, and based on findings, develop a prioritized list of municipal assets requiring climate adaptation interventions.

PW/CIP,

PW/ENG,
PW/ENV
N/A
Action MUN-6-B: Retrofit existing municipal buildings and facilities to improve their resilience to climate hazards (e.g., extreme heat, flooding). Determine and implement solutions that are feasible and tailored for each building or facility (e.g., extreme heat measures may include installing cool/green roofs, enhancing insulation, and incorporating additional passive cooling design elements; floodproofing measures may include elevating critical systems, installing flood barriers, or incorporating flood-resistant materials).

PW/M N/A
Action MUN-6-C: Develop a policy mandating the
consideration of future climate projections in capital projects that includes a checklist of resilience measures to be
considered for different types of projects (e.g., street and park construction and rehabilitation projects, construction and/or repairs to municipal facilities, major equipment replacement purchases).

CMO, PW/CIP N/A
City of Newark | 3-53
CHAPTER 4
Implementation
Chapter 4 | Implementation
and Monitoring
This chapter outlines the City’s approach to implementing Climate Action Newark (CAN) strategies and actions. In addition, it details the process for monitoring implementation progress to ensure CAN effectively reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improves community resilience against climate change.

4.1 PRIORITIZATION MATRIX
The development of strategies and actions is the first step toward achieving GHG reductions. Actions and strategies represent the City’s commitments to building sustainable infrastructure and improving the quality of life of residents.

Effective implementation of CAN is the critical second step to ensure the City’s commitments result in tangible outcomes. Tracking the progress of action implementation can be used as a metric of CAN success. The City will dedicate various departmental resources to meet the goals of CAN and continue to prioritize the equitable inclusion of community members throughout the implementation of actions.

The City developed a prioritization matrix to determine which CAN actions should be implemented in the near term, based on various criteria. These criteria included GHG reduction potential, technological feasibility, consistency with current City policies, jurisdictional control/ease of implementation, timeframe of implementation, City role, and associated co-benefits. Each of these criteria is described in further detail below. Scores for each criterion were added to calculate a prioritization score, which can help inform the City’s approach to action implementation.

City of Newark |4-2
Prioritization Evaluation Factors
The following criteria were used to develop a prioritization score for each CAN action. A summary of the prioritization evaluation factors is provided in Table 4.1. All identified co-benefits from Chapter 1 are scored using the same scale as shown in Table 4.2; for further information on the criteria for each co-benefit, see Appendix B. Responsible City departments and community partners for each action are provided in Chapter

3.  GHG Reduction Potential considers the GHG reduction potential of each strategy using the results of the City’s GHG emissions reduction quantification analysis (see Appendix A for more details). It is important to note that the scores associated with this criterion are higher than those used for other criteria; this increases the weight (i.e., importance) of each action’s GHG reduction potential relative to other criteria in the prioritization process. Emissions reductions in the quantification analysis were evaluated at the action level where feasible, and at the strategy level when estimated emissions reductions captured the cumulative impact of multiple complementary actions. Prioritization scores were assigned to each action based on the percentage of emissions reductions achieved or designated as "not applicable" (N/A) if quantification was not completed due to a lack of data or an established methodology.
 N/A: Not quantified.
 4: An action that has the potential to reduce communitywide 2035 GHG emissions by less than 5 percent.
 6: An action that has the potential to reduce communitywide 2035 GHG emissions by 5 to 9 percent.  8: An action that has the potential to reduce communitywide 2035 GHG emissions by more than 10 percent.
 Technological Availability considers the availability of necessary technology or other resources (e.g., funding) for successful implementation and achievement of the action’s intended goal.  2: Actions where technology or resources currently exist and have already been deployed at a broad scale.
 0: Actions where technology or resources needed for implementation are either on track to be deployed in the specified timeframe, are in pilot stages, or the status of technology or resources is unclear.
 -2: Actions where technology or resources needed for implementation are not readily available and are not on track to be deployed in the specified timeframe.  Current Policies considers whether existing City policies or ordinances that would support the implementation of an action are currently in place.
 2: If City policies currently exist to support an action or city initiatives (e.g., established programs) or state regulations exist.
 0: If City policies would need to be developed to support an action, or it was unknown whether City policies or ordinances currently exist to support an action.  -2: If City policies currently exist that would prohibit an action.

City of Newark |4-3
 City Role considers the City’s authority to achieve the overall objective of an action.  2: The City has direct operational control and primary responsibility for successfully implementing this action. Achieving the desired outcomes of this action would require minimal reliance on other community actors.
 1: The City has some operational control and responsibility for successfully implementing this action and/or achieving the desired outcomes of this action may require some reliance on other community actors.
 0: The City has limited operational control and responsibility for successfully implementing this action and/or achieving the desired outcomes of this action would substantially rely upon voluntary participation or independent actions of other community actors, with the City playing a supporting or influencing role.
 Implementation Timeframe considers the amount of time that it would take for an action to be initiated (not necessarily operational). Actions that involve the City encouraging or supporting initiatives received a score of 2 because of the ease of implementation, while those that would require the City to create and implement a program, develop an ordinance, or install infrastructure received a score of 1.  2: An action that could be initiated within 1-2 years.  1: An action that could be initiated within 3-5 years.  0: An action that would take at least 6 years to initiate.

Table 4.1 Summary of Prioritization Evaluation Factors
Prioritization Factor Score
Yes Maybe No N/A
GHG Reduction Potential 8 6 4 0
Technological Availability 2 0 -2 0
Current Policies 2 0 -2 0
City Role 2 1 0 0
Implementation Timeframe 2 1 0 0
Maximum Points Possible 24 8 4 0
City of Newark |4-4
Table 4.2 Summary of Prioritization Evaluation Factors for Co-Benefits Co-Benefit Score
Yes Maybe No Unclear
Improved Public Health 1 0.5 0 0
Community Cost Saving 1 0.5 0 0
Environmental Quality 1 0.5 0 0
Economic Development 1 0.5 0 0
Equity 1 0.5 0 0
Resilience 1 0.5 0 0
Resource Conservation 1 0.5 0 0
Maximum Points Possible 7 3.5 0 0
City of Newark |4-5
Prioritization Matrix for Actions
Based on the prioritization evaluation approach described above, the maximum score any action could receive was 24. To enable the City to focus on and feasibly implement high-priority actions, a minimum score of 10 was chosen as the threshold for the inclusion of an action in the prioritization matrix. The 34 actions with total scores equal to or greater than 10 are included in the summarized prioritization matrix below. The prioritization matrix also lists each action’s associated co-benefit score, prioritization criteria score, and the status of implementation as new or ongoing. The table below presents each action’s overall prioritization score. The City’s approach to monitoring and ongoing engagement are included in the sections following the matrix. Although not all actions were identified as high priority, it is important that each action is implemented.

The City has developed an implementation strategy for CAN that uses metrics to track action progress and achieve emissions reductions.

Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Energy Transition & Efficiency (EN)
Strategy EN-1: Electrify
and decarbonize the city's
building stock.

Action EN-1-A: Develop a comprehensive building energy retrofit plan to transition existing residential and nonresidential buildings to all-electric. The plan should address end-of-life recycling and disposal of gas appliances, and additionally, should include policies that provide incentives to replace gas-powered appliances with electric alternatives (e.g., heat pumps, electric water heaters, induction stoves) and that cover the costs of electrical panel upgrades and other necessary infrastructure improvements. The plan could be informed by BayREN's forthcoming Existing Buildings Study.
6 10 16 New
Action EN-1-B: Promote existing websites and incentive resources from BayREN, Ava, PG&E, and The Switch Is On that provide information on building electrification, such as replacing natural gas stoves with all-electric induction range cooktops, among other opportunities.
3 12 15 Ongoing
Strategy EN-2: Expand
clean energy generation
and use.

Action EN-2-A: Streamline the permitting of nonresidential solar photovoltaics or other renewable energy and battery storage projects. 3.5 12 15.5 New Action EN-2-B: Support Ava's commitment to achieve 100 percent green energy by 2030, which may include developing and implementing measures to increase residential and business enrollment in Ava's Renewable 100 service plan.

3.5 10 13.5 Ongoing
City of Newark |4-6
Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Sustainable On- and Off-Road Transportation & Land Use (TR) Strategy TR-1: Make
active transportation the
preferred method of getting
around, where feasible.

Action TR-1-A: Adopt the City of Newark Active Transportation Plan to serve as an update to the City of Newark Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

5.5 8 13.5 New
Strategy TR-2: Increase
the safety, accessibility,
and reliability of public
transit.

Action TR-2-A: Partner with AC Transit and MTC to connect low-income residents with the Clipper START pilot program, which provides single-ride discounts to riders between the ages of 19 and 64 who meet eligible income levels. 3 8 11 New
Action TR-2-B: Develop and adopt a transit-supportive complete streets policy that prioritizes transit operations alongside other modes of transportation. The policy will ensure that all future street design and reconstruction projects consider transit needs, including dedicated bus lanes, queue jumps, and transit signal priority systems, and implementation of the policy will involve updating design standards, revising the development review process, training City staff, and ongoing collaboration with AC Transit to continually assess and update bus routes, as needed. 4 8 12 New
Action TR-2-C: Improve safe pedestrian access to transit facilities across the city, in accordance with the City of Newark Local Roadway Safety Plan, and in collaboration with ACWD, AC Transit, and NUSD. Improvements may be addressed through neighborhood slow zones, curbside management strategies, floating transit islands, protected bike lanes, crosswalk and sidewalk improvements (e.g., mid-block crossings, shortened pedestrian crossings, protected intersections), adding lighting to improve nighttime safety and wayfinding, adding wayfinding signage, and co-locating bus stops with pedestrian crossings, among others.

3.5 10 13.5 Ongoing
Action TR-2-D: Continue partnering with the City of Fremont to provide paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities through the "Ride on Tri-City!" program, with ongoing coordination on potential revisions or improvements to the program. 3 9 12 Ongoing
City of Newark |4-7
Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Strategy TR-4: Where and
when passenger and
commercial vehicle use is
necessary, accelerate the
widespread adoption of
zero-emission vehicles.

Action TR-4-A: Consider adopting a reach code for EV charging to meet CALGreen voluntary standards for new residential and commercial development to install conduits for EV charging equipment. Ensure minimum EV charging requirements reflect updated projections and metrics for EV charging usage and continue to increase the number of charging stations in residential and nonresidential development throughout the city.

2.5 12 14.5 New
Action TR-4-B: Conduct a citywide study to identify optimal locations for public EV charging stations based on traffic patterns, proximity to major destinations, and existing electrical infrastructure. Utilize the study to prioritize investments in and seek grant funding (e.g., Bay Area Air District's "Charge!" Program) for expanding public EV charging infrastructure in targeted areas, particularly in gas stations and new and existing multifamily residential and commercial development. 3 14 17 New
Action TR-4-C: Establish a public-private partnership program to accelerate and jointly fund the deployment and maintenance of a comprehensive EV charging infrastructure network throughout the city. As part of the program, the City will actively engage with private sector stakeholders (e.g., large employers, retail centers, hospitality businesses) to identify potential partnership opportunities, determine optimal EV charging station locations, and explore innovative funding mechanisms (e.g., charging station sponsorships, advertising revenue models).

3.5 11 14.5 New
Action TR-4-D: Develop a permit checklist to install EVSE within the public right-ofway by 2029, pursuant to AB 2427 (2024). 1.5 12 13.5 New Strategy TR-5: Prioritize
sustainable land use by
increasing residential
density, supporting a
diversity of land uses, and
implementing transportation
demand management
strategies.

Action TR-5-A: Recognizing the nexus between climate and housing, continue to implement the climate-friendly policies and programs identified in the Housing Element, such as those that promote higher-density and mixed-use development and encourage the construction of ADUs.
5 10 15 Ongoing
Action TR-5-B: Implement Safety Element Action SAF-1.C, which calls for updating the zoning ordinance to include transportation demand management standards for development projects.

3.5 10 13.5 New
Action TR-5-C: Remove parking minimums for new development within half a mile of major transit stops and high-quality public transit corridors and consider establishing parking maximums in new development, aligning with other parking reform programs, such as Housing Element Program H3.5.
3 8 11 New
City of Newark |4-8
Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Action TR-5-D: Update parking standards and regulations to ensure that parking: (1) is efficiently designed and addresses the desire to encourage walking, bicycling, the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and public transit use; (2) aligns with AB 2097; and (3) considers changing business patterns, technology, consumer behavior, demographics, and changes in vehicle design and technology.
3 8 11 New
Action TR-5-E: In accordance with SB 743, amend Newark’s General Plan such that transportation is evaluated based on VMT instead of LOS and that all references to LOS are removed.
1 10 11 New
Strategy TR-6: Reduce
emissions associated with
off-road transportation and
equipment.

Action TR-6-C: Develop strategies to encourage business owners (e.g., landscaping businesses) to convert or replace their fossil fuel-powered equipment, such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and hedge trimmers, with electric or other alternative zeroemission equipment.

2.5 8 10.5 New
Responsible Use of Resources (RES)
Strategy RES-2: Promote
responsible organic and
inorganic waste
management and reduction
practices.

Action RES-2-A: Continue to ensure compliance with SB 1383 by diverting organic waste away from landfills. In coordination with Republic Services, ensure all customers are subscribed to the appropriate level of service and that audits are completed and enforced on the appropriate schedule.
2 11 13 Ongoing
Action RES-2-B: Launch an annual neighborhood cleanup and waste reduction challenge to engage residents in community beautification and waste reduction efforts. 3 12 15 New Action RES-2-C: In alignment with state goals, adopt a zero-waste policy for events requiring City permits that establish guidelines for event organizers, including requirements for compostable or reusable service ware, proper waste sorting stations, and minimizing physical promotional materials. As part of the policy, seek and train volunteers to serve as "zero-waste ambassadors" to assist with waste sorting and education at events.
2 10 12 New
Strategy RES-3: Prioritize
water-wise practices and
technologies that minimize
consumption across the
city.

Action RES-3-B: Work with local and regional partners to promote and expand existing programs and initiatives that promote residential water conservation, such as BAWSCA's Rain Barrel Rebate Program, and ACWD's free water conservation kits and free leak kits, among others. With these partners, track and develop strategies to increase the number of residents who take advantage of the existing programs and initiatives.
3 8 11 New
Action RES-3-C: In collaboration with ACWD, explore the development of water use efficiency program opportunities and implement, where feasible. 3 9 12 New City of Newark |4-9
Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Nature-Based Solutions & Urban Greening (NBS)
Strategy NBS-1: Maintain
and expand the city's urban
tree canopy.

Action NBS-1-A: Prepare and adopt an urban forest management plan that will inform and influence the vegetation, habitats and trees in projects, development, and ordinances for maximum environmental sustainability, climate resiliency, biodiversity and health benefits. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.
6 10 16 Ongoing
Action NBS-1-B: Develop a free residential street tree program that builds upon the initial pilot program. As part of the program: (1) develop a recommended street tree list; (2) establish formal eligibility criteria and implementation processes; (3) partner with local nurseries and tree suppliers; and (4) provide educational resources to participants on proper tree planting and maintenance.

6.5 10 16.5 Ongoing
Action NBS-1-C: Foster a sense of community ownership, engagement, and stewardship of the city's urban forest by developing and implementing a tree adoption program, where residents and local businesses can sponsor and be recognized (e.g., through the City's website and social media platforms) for the planting and maintenance of trees in public spaces. Offer a variety of sponsorship levels and options (e.g., group of trees, entire planting area), where sponsorship fees can cover both: (1) the costs of purchasing, planting, and maintaining the trees for a specified period (e.g., 3-5 years); and (2) a dedicated endowment fund, where a portion of the sponsorship fees can be reinvested to support long-term program maintenance. 2 10 12 New
Action NBS-1-D: Continue to maintain the city's consecutive multi-decade status as a Tree City USA® recognized community, which can be upheld by meeting four core standards: (1) forming and maintaining a tree board or department; (2) establishing a tree care ordinance; (3) maintaining a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least two dollars per capita; and (4) observing and celebrating Arbor Day.

Tree City USA® is a program led by ADF that celebrates towns and cities committed to growing their urban tree canopy.

3.5 10 13.5 Ongoing
Action NBS-1-E: Continue to partner with UFF to support and promote their events, which focus on tree planting, tree care, and related community outreach and education in the tri-city area (i.e., Newark, Fremont, Union City). 3 8 11 Ongoing
City of Newark |4-10
Strategy Action
Score
New/
Co- Ongoing
Benefits
Prioritization
Criteria
Total
Score
Strategy NBS-2: Integrate
green stormwater
infrastructure throughout
the city.

Action NBS-2-A: Continue to track and report the implementation of the City’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan, in accordance with Safety Element Action SAF-4.H. 5.5 6 11.5 Ongoing Strategy NBS-3: Protect,
restore, and enhance
natural areas, wetlands,
and ecosystems.

Action NBS-3-A: Establish a City-led task force composed of residents and interested stakeholders to develop a shared vision and to identify and evaluate potential policies and measures that the City may formally adopt to balance current and future housing needs with the long-term protection and restoration of the city's wetlands (i.e., Area 4). 3 9 12 New
Action NBS-3-B: Develop a plan for managing and restoring the city's wetlands.

Collaborate with USFWS, BCDC, ACWD, and other partners to ensure the plan aligns with regional conservation goals and includes provisions for addressing sea-level rise and climate change impacts. The plan should include clear guidelines for managing stormwater inputs to wetlands to prevent pollutant accumulation and consider hydrologic connections between wetlands and the underlying groundwater basin.

4.5 8 12.5 New
Community Capacity & Resilience (COM)
Strategy COM-3: Bolster
protection for sea level rise
and flooding.

Action COM-3-A: Adopt a local sea level rise adaptation plan to help build resilience to permanent coastal inundation and temporary coastal flooding. Upon adoption, begin implementing plan recommendations and priority projects, and additionally, ensure that implementation and progress is monitored and assessed over time.

4.5 6 10.5 Ongoing
Strategy COM-6: Provide
education and outreach
opportunities to help
support CAN awareness
and implementation.

Action COM-6-A: Develop an education and outreach program that will help spread awareness and support implementation of each of the strategies and actions included in CAN. The program may identify or include both broad topics (e.g., water conservation, circular economy) and tailored engagement opportunities that are specific to each strategy and/or action. Additionally, the program will engage and/or partner with a diverse range of local stakeholders (e.g., residents, businesses, schools, CBOs).
4 6 10 New
City of Newark |4-11

4.2 NEAR-TERM ACTIONS
Actions in CAN are designed to achieve a variety of community benefits and emissions reductions over the course of the plan’s implementation. To ensure Newark has a head start to meet the key indicators identified for each action, the City has prepared a 5-year implementation strategy. The implementation strategy serves as a workplan for the City, helping inform staff and budget allocations. It incorporates the implementing departments, community partners, and key performance indicators identified in Chapter 3 and identifies external costs, potential funding sources, and timelines. Municipal operations actions in the implementation strategy have fewer barriers to implementation than many of the other actions as they fall entirely under the purview of the City. Each component of the implementation strategy is measurable and provides transparency regarding action progress.

4.3 MONITORING
The City will monitor the implementation of actions to track progress toward achieving GHG reductions and improving climate resilience. This ensures the City is accountable for reducing its emissions and provides transparency to the public. Monitoring will include an assessment of policy and program development, emissions data, and environmental improvements to gauge the performance of each action. Evaluating the performance of CAN actions can help the City evaluate CAN’s effectiveness and amend the plan to best suit community needs and meet emissions reductions targets.

As part of the City’s commitment to action implementation, staff will prepare an annual monitoring report that provides updates on CAN progress and the status of each action. The first annual CAN monitoring report will be issued in late 2026, approximately one year after the anticipated adoption of CAN. The report may include changing community needs, the advancement of technology, and the increasing intensity and frequency of climate change events to help the City identify actions that need to be improved, adjusted, or removed. Findings from the annual monitoring report will be presented to the City Council to share progress on actions and facilitate discussion regarding compliance with CAN objectives. Prior to a complete CAN update, the City will publish a more detailed monitoring report to review progress over the past five years.

The more detailed report will provide insight into what to include in the CAN update and is an opportunity for the City to address obstacles from the previous plan.

In addition to the monitoring reports, the City will complete a GHG emissions inventory update every two to three years. Updating the inventory at this frequency will allow the City to accurately account for its emissions reductions following CAN implementation. A full update to CAN will be prepared every five years, to reflect the findings and recommendations of the monitoring reports and inventory updates. Based on project CAN adoption in 2025, the first update would be released in 2030. Future updates are necessary to account for any new state or federal legislation that may affect the CCAP and to focus on strategies and actions that may have been difficult to implement previously due to a lack of available technologies or high upfront implementation costs.

City of Newark |4-12

4.4 ENGAGEMENT
Successful CAN implementation is dependent on continued engagement with the community. Achieving the goals established by CAN actions requires the commitment of City staff to action implementation and monitoring, and the support of residents, businesses, community organizations, developers, property owners, utility providers, and other local, regional, and state agencies. Collaboration among the various agencies and organizations represents a unified effort to reduce GHG emissions and build a more sustainable Newark. City-wide engagement in action implementation is also an opportunity for individuals to provide recommendations to improve CAN and ensure the plan accurately reflects the needs of the community.

Many of the strategies and implementing actions in CAN focus on the City investing in programs, policies, and partnerships to achieve target reductions and abide by guiding principles. However, actions are also dedicated to increasing community awareness and participation in existing programs, as well as connecting the community with new information, tools, funding, and resources. Effective and long-term climate action and resilience building in the community depend on ongoing efforts that change the way individuals and businesses interact with the environment.

Numerous actions require participation from residents and businesses to be fully implemented. With the CAN as a guiding document, all community members can contribute to climate action in Newark. To ensure CAN remains an active representation of community and staff goals and contributions, the City is committed to continuing outreach and engagement efforts through implementation, monitoring, and future plan updates.

CHAPTER 5
Works Cited
Chapter 5 | Works Cited
Chapter 1: Introduction
California Department of Insurance. 2024 (June). Impacts of extreme heat to California’s people, infrastructure, and economy. Available:
https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/180-climatechange/upload/Impacts-of-extreme-heat-to-California-s-peopleinfrastructure-and-economy-by-California-Department-of-InsuranceJune-2024.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2024.

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. 2020 (June). California Adaptation Planning Guide. Available: https://www.caloes.ca.gov/wpcontent/uploads/Hazard-Mitigation/Documents/CA-AdaptationPlanning-Guide-FINAL-June-2020-Accessible.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2024.

California Ocean Protection Council. 2024. State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science & Policy Update. Available:
https://opc.ca.gov/california-sea-level-rise-guidance/. Accessed June 27, 2025.

Cal OES. See California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

CDI. See California Department of Insurance.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2018. Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5 °C: Summary for Policymakers. Available:
https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/. Accessed November 12, 2024. ———. 2021 (August). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis:

Summary for Policymakers. Available:
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_ SPM_final.pdf. Accessed November 12, 2024.

IPCC. See Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments. 2023.Sea Level Rise Adaptation Funding and Investment Framework Final Report. Available:
https://www.coastal.ca.gov/climate/slr/?utm. Accessed November 12, 2024.

MTC and ABAG. See Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Area Governments.

City of Newark |5-2
NBC. See NBC Bay Area.

NBC Bay Area. 2024 (October 19). Temperature records fall across the Bay Area in rare October heat wave.

Available: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/temperature-records-bay-area-fall-heatwave/3669305/. Accessed November 12, 2024.

OPC. See California Ocean Protection Council.

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. 2024. Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2023 Tool. Available:
https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/. Accessed November 12, 2024.

YPCCC. See Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

Chapter 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory,
Forecasts, and Targets
Bay Area Greenprint. 2019. Glossary. Available: https://www.bayareagreenprint.org/glossary/. Accessed November 12, 2024.
———. n.d. City of Newark. Report generated using Greenprint fishnet version 7. Available:
https://www.bayareagreenprint.org/. Report derived on November 12, 2024.

EPA. See United States Environmental Protection Agency.

US Environmental Protection Agency. 2025. Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. Available:
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator. Accessed July 1, 2025.

Chapter 3: Climate Action Strategies
No works were cited in this chapter.

Chapter 4: Implementation
No works were cited in this chapter.

APPENDIX A
Greenhouse Gas Technical Materials
Memo
2054 University Ave., Suite 400
Berkeley, CA 94704
410.217.5000
Date: April 8, 2025
To: Jim Scanlin (City of Newark)
From: Natalie Kataoka, Brenda Hom, John Steponick, Hannah Kornfeld, and Honey Walters (Ascent) Subject: City of Newark Climate Action Plan Update: Final Greenhouse Gas Inventory Update Technical Memorandum
1 INTRODUCTION
The City of Newark (City) is updating its Climate Action Plan (CAP) to provide a comprehensive and transformative framework for mitigating and adapting to climate change while supporting its broader sustainability and resilience goals. The City’s CAP was completed in 2010. This technical memorandum (memo) describes the major sources of community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2022 and is the first step in the climate action planning update process. The community GHG inventory will inform the update to the City’s CAP, titled Climate Action Newark (CAN).

CAN will serve as a roadmap for reducing local GHG emissions across various sectors while building resilience to future impacts posed by climate change. According to the modeling conducted and available data, the community activities generated 377,325 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) in 2022.

1.1 INVENTORY PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION
The first step in the climate action planning process is to develop a GHG emissions inventory, a snapshot of the emissions associated with activities within its jurisdiction in a given year. The purpose of an inventory is to:
 establish a baseline against which future emissions levels and future reduction targets can be measured,  understand the sectors and sources generating GHG emissions and their relative contribution to total emissions, and  monitor progress towards achievement of GHG reduction targets.

Preparing a GHG emissions inventory is a critical step in climate action planning. To develop and implement a plan that will effectively reduce GHG emissions, local governments must first have a comprehensive understanding of the emissions that are generated by activities within their jurisdictions. GHG emissions inventories not only serve to provide this knowledge, but they also act as the basis for measuring progress and provide agencies with a framework to track emissions over time and assess the effectiveness of actions taken to reduce emissions.

An inventory estimates GHG emissions generated from activities occurring within a defined geographic boundary during a year. It identifies the sources and associated sectors producing these emissions and the relative contribution of each while also providing a baseline to forecast emissions trends into the future. This information is used to set reduction targets consistent with State and/or local objectives and then identify local measures for reducing GHG emissions as part of a jurisdiction’s climate action plan.

City of Newark Climate Action Plan Update - GHG Inventory Memo April 8, 2025