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M E M O R A N D U M
To: The Honorable Juan González III, Mayor of San Leandro Honorable Members of the San Leandro City Council
CC: Janelle Cameron, City Manager
Eric Engelbart, Deputy City Manager
From: Christopher Townsend, President, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.
Niccolo De Luca, Vice President
Alex Gibbs, Grants Manager
Kerri West, Senior Associate
Date: January 12, 2026
Subject: Summary of 2025 State Legislative Activities
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) prepared this report for the City of San Leandro following the conclusion of the 2025 State Legislative Session. The report outlines TPA’s work to date and provides an overview of our legislative advocacy and state funding efforts on behalf of the City.
TPA has proudly partnered with the City of San Leandro for nearly 11 years, delivering meaningful results through sustained advocacy and strategic engagement. Over the course of our partnership, we have supported four City-sponsored legislative proposals signed into law, actively engaged on more than 50 bills, collaborated on a range of policy initiatives, provided essential grant-writing support, and helped secure more than $21.2 million in state funding for the City’s priority projects.
Summary of 2025 State Legislative Session
The 2025 legislative session concluded after a prolonged finish on Saturday, September 13, following a frenetic final week of last-minute proposals, late amendments, and negotiations among legislative leaders and the Governor’s administration. The adjournment marked the end of the first year of the 2025–26 two-year session, during which more than 2,700 bills were introduced.
While end-of-session policy pushes are a regular feature of California’s legislative process, this year was notable for the volume of sweeping amendments inserted into bill vehicles during the final 72 hours. These efforts focused on major issues including Cap-and-Invest reauthorization, housing and land use, and public safety reforms. Proposition 50, a redistricting measure, was the headline item on the November ballot and was approved by voters.
Governor Newsom played a central role in session-end negotiations, seeking to shape outcomes aligned with his climate and energy priorities as he enters his final year in office in 2026. His administration worked closely with legislative leaders to advance several priority measures, many of which took final form in the last week through energy- and climate-related legislation.
The Governor had until October 13 to sign or veto bills passed during the session; any measure not signed by that deadline will become law without a signature. Unless otherwise specified, new statutes 2025 State Legislative Summary Page 2 of 3
enacted this year will take effect January 1, 2026. The Legislature is scheduled to reconvene on January 5, 2026. A more detailed summary of key legislative actions is included as an attachment to this staff report.
Summary of 2025 State Legislative and Grants Highlights In 2025, TPA worked closely with the Mayor, City Council, City Administration, and department leadership to advance the City’s legislative and funding priorities. Our efforts included drafting position letters and amendment language, meeting with Senate and Assembly offices, coordinating with committee consultants and senior staff, and partnering with San Leandro’s elected leadership in Sacramento to secure critical funding. TPA also supported the City’s advocacy priorities through targeted engagement on key policy proposals, both in support and opposition, as well as related budget efforts.
More specifically, TPA and the City team partnered on a range of legislative and budget advocacy activities during the 2025 session. Key highlights are summarized below.
Partnered on the preparation and submission of three competitive grant applications:
1. US Department of Transportation – Safe Streets and Roads for All: San Leandro Crosstown Corridors Project ($12,000,000 requested; not awarded).
2. CA Department of Parks and Recreation – Land and Water Conservation Fund: Shoreline Park Project ($2,300,000 requested; decision pending).
3. San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority – Measure AA Grant: Long Beach Shoreline Restoration Project ($8,300,000 requested; decision pending).
Led the effort on the following legislative items:
1. Secured key amendments to Senate Bill 707 (Durazo) that significantly reduced fiscal and operational impacts on the City of San Leandro and similarly situated jurisdictions.
2. Successfully negotiated amendments to Senate Bill 63 (Wiener) to align the legislation with the City’s transit and public transportation priorities while eliminating provisions that would have negatively affected municipal operations.
3. Led statewide advocacy efforts to fully fund the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program during Cap-and-Invest negotiations establishing a stable, ongoing funding stream for housing development.
4. Advocated effectively on behalf of the City to protect critical state budget accounts facing elimination, including housing and homelessness funding (HHAP) and essential transit programs such as the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) and the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP).
5. Collaborated with the Office of Assemblymember Ortega to advance key regional legislation, including AB 1404, which strengthens electrification standards for affordable housing.
6. Provided strategic analysis and policy recommendations on multiple statewide ballot measures to inform City decision-making.
7. Opposed unfunded mandates and threats to local control, successfully pushing back on legislation that would have restricted municipal revenue tools, including efforts to limit Real Estate Transfer Tax authority.
8. Partnered closely with the City to advance electrification initiatives through coordination with PG&E and legislative staff, helping position the City for future clean energy investments.
9. Detailed analysis of priority legislation.
10. Detailed summaries of the Governor’s 2025 Proposed Budget and the 2025 May Revised Budget.
Other accomplishments during the 2025 Legislative Session include:
• Provided ongoing legislative updates (daily and weekly) on bills, statewide policy issues, and other matters of interest to ensure the City remains informed and actively engaged in decision-making.
2025 State Legislative Summary Page 3 of 3
• Prepared and distributed monthly grant memos during the first week of each month outlining upcoming state, federal, regional, and private funding opportunities. • Conducted monthly grant coordination calls with department heads to review funding opportunities, discuss priority projects, and identify strategies to address unique funding needs.
• Provided ongoing guidance and technical support for the administration of previously awarded grants, helping staff navigate complex reporting and compliance requirements.
Next Steps
TPA has partnered with the City Administration to develop a preliminary 2026 State Legislative Platform for discussion and potential adoption (the legislative platform document is attached). The platform establishes a framework for taking positions on relevant legislative proposals, as well as monitoring and recommending action on potential funding opportunities.
TPA looks forward to continuing its work to keep the City informed on state legislative developments, Administration priorities, and funding opportunities through regular updates that highlight advocacy efforts on the City’s behalf, the status of priority legislation, and other time-sensitive matters.