Priority Issues

​Policy Issues​
Our priority issues reflect counties’ vital role on the frontlines of public service delivery, advocating for policies that ensure local capacity, funding, and workforce to meet the needs of all Californians.

Housing and Homelessness

We have a homelessness crisis in California. Everyone is frustrated, and rightfully so: The public is demanding progress and results.

Frustration and finger-pointing will never solve the problem. Instead, we must confront two fundamental barriers to reducing homelessness:

  • the lack of clearly defined responsibilities for each level of government (state, county, city)
  • the state’s unreliable, one-year-at-a-time funding approach

CSAC is working with local government partners to build a system with shared accountability and reliable funding – because without both, California will continue to fall short.

Disaster Response and Recovery

California is facing increasingly frequent and severe disasters, from wildfires and floods to public health emergencies. These events disrupt entire communities, often overwhelming local response capacities. The devastating 2025 Los Angeles County Wildfires underscored the urgent need to streamline rebuilding efforts and strengthen disaster preparedness statewide. Counties, as the first responders in emergencies, play a critical role in coordinating aid, managing evacuations, and leading long-term recovery efforts.

To improve disaster resilience, counties are advocating for policies that ensure flexible, adaptable emergency management strategies tailored to their unique needs. CSAC is working with state and federal partners to enhance disaster funding, streamline recovery processes, and strengthen preparedness efforts.

Learn more about how counties are leading the way in CSAC’s Disaster Report, Recovery Starts Local: A Better Blueprint for Disaster Recovery and Strengthening Community Resilience.

Federal Funding

Significant cuts to a wide range of mandatory safety net programs are under consideration as part of this year’s federal budget reconciliation process. CSAC is deeply concerned by current proposals to make significant cuts to key programs, including Medicaid (Medi-Cal), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/CalFresh), and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF/CalWORKs) block grant. In the face of these significant cuts, the state would need to backfill billions of dollars to maintain services, potentially jeopardizing these programs, limiting their impact, and passing costs along to county governments. Reducing funding for these programs will lead to worsening health outcomes, increased hunger, more individuals falling further into poverty, and higher long-term costs. Counties are committed to serving vulnerable populations, including children and families in poverty, seniors and disabled individuals, and those in need of shelter.