The city of Citrus Heights might have been the least walkable city in the Sacramento region, and it faced significant challenges to changing that status. But with the help of the California Healthy Cities and Communities program and a process that leaned on residents for ideas and organization, the city has made significant progress.
Residents of City Heights in San Diego often deal with mold and vermin infestations in rental housing, but a bureaucratic rats’ nest prevents them from getting any action. The city does not enforce parts of the state code dealing with these issues, and the county enforces codes only in areas not served by cities. The could step in but is taking a go-slow approach. The result: a runaround, and no help for tenants.
Cuts in public transit across the state have made it tougher for transit-dependent Californians to get to work. In San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood, many residents now find themselves commuting several hours a day to get back and forth from their jobs.