Convening the Sierra – Fall 2026
Join SBC at these Upcoming Events Across the Region
Future California Building Performance Standards for Public Agencies, and How SNEW Can Help!
Two SNEW services that are often requested by Sierra Nevada public agencies are energy benchmarking (sometimes including AB 802 reporting for buildings over 50,000 square feet) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories. By receiving one of these reports, agencies can better understand their historic energy use patterns and resulting impacts on utility bill costs and […]
2026 Legislative Session: What It Means for Wildfire & Climate Resilience
California’s 2026-27 legislative session wrapped up September 1 after a turbulent final week of negotiations over wildfire policy, funding, and the state budget. While a last-minute proposal on wildfire liability ultimately stalled, the Legislature did restore and increase funding for climate resilience through Proposition 4 and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)—a meaningful outcome for Sierra communities amid a challenging state budget year.
The final plan includes $329.5 million for wildfire and forest resilience through Prop 4 and $118 million for wildfire prevention through GGRF. While these investments are an improvement over the June budget, wildfire resilience funding remains near historic lows, with no clear plan for sustained investment in future years.
Read more about the final budget, Prop 4 and GGRF allocations, and what’s next for wildfire and climate resilience in the Sierra.
Prop 45 – Oppose
Prop. 45 would make significant changes to California’s environmental review and permitting processes for certain projects.
SBC supports thoughtful efforts to streamline permitting for projects that address urgent needs, including housing and wildfire resilience. However, we believe the changes proposed by Prop. 45 are too broad and could reduce important environmental protections, public participation, and local decision-making while placing additional demands on already-limited local government capacity.
Prop 43 – Oppose
Prop. 43 would change the voting requirements for certain local special tax measures and prohibit local governments from levying certain ad valorem property taxes.
SBC opposes the measure because local governments need the ability to identify and fund solutions that reflect the needs of their communities. In the Sierra, where communities face significant challenges related to wildfire, emergency services, housing, infrastructure, and other essential services, local funding capacity is particularly important.
Prop 37 – Support
Prop. 37 would establish a state program to provide financing assistance to eligible Californians purchasing newly constructed homes.
SBC supports efforts to expand homeownership opportunities for working and middle-income households, particularly as housing costs continue to make homeownership difficult across California and in Sierra communities.
Prop 1 – Support
Prop. 1 would authorize $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds to support affordable housing, homeownership, and housing programs serving Californians including veterans, seniors, farmworkers, Tribal communities, and other households facing barriers to housing.
For the Sierra, continued state investment is particularly important as communities face high housing costs, limited developable land, wildfire risk, rising insurance costs, and the challenges of building and preserving housing in rural and mountain communities.
Sonora Strategy Leverages Sierra Jobs First
Recently Approved Sonora 2026-2031 Economic Development Strategy Leverages Sierra Jobs First Strategic Plan Insights One of the meaningful outcomes of the Sierra Jobs First initiative has been seeing the regional planning work translate into local action. Notably, in August, the City of Sonora adopted its 2026–2031 Economic Development Strategy, which draws on Sierra Jobs First’s […]
Forest Entrepreneurship Series Equips the Next Generation of Sierra Forest-Focused Businesses
Forest Entrepreneurship Series Equips the Next Generation of Sierra Forest-Focused Businesses The final session of the Forest Entrepreneurship Series wrapped up in Auburn on July 18–19, marking the completion of a program designed to help entrepreneurs build businesses that strengthen both the Sierra’s economy and its forests. Over the course of the series, 137 participants […]
How a November Ballot Measure can support housing in the Sierra
SBC is supporting the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026 (Prop 1), which will go in front of voters on the November ballot. Its passage is critical to advancing California’s housing goals, as Prop 1 would provide much-needed sustained investment in housing programs and projects across the state. Progress without it would be much more challenging, as funding for many housing programs has been exhausted.