Proven results across California government affairs

Securing $1.2 billion for California port infrastructure, workforce training, and offshore wind

California's ports are critical economic engines—and keeping them competitive requires sustained investment in both physical infrastructure and the workers who operate them. Our firm led a coordinated, multi-year legislative and budget strategy on behalf of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to align port modernization with California's broader workforce and climate priorities.

This engagement required sustained, direct engagement with legislative leadership, budget subcommittees, and the Administration to navigate competing fiscal priorities and close complex funding negotiations. The result was a historic $1.2 billion commitment to port infrastructure improvements across California—one of the largest single investments of its kind.

A centerpiece of this effort was securing $110 million for a state-of-the-art job training center, developed in close coordination with the California Workforce Development Board. This facility ensures port workers are equipped for the evolving demands of 21st-century operations, from automated cargo handling to zero-emission equipment.

In parallel, we advanced legislation that unlocked $450 million in offshore wind energy funding—positioning California's ports as anchors for the state's clean energy economy and long-term economic resilience.

$26.9 million for a new community center and expanded digital access in Alhambra

When the City of Alhambra envisioned a modern community hub where residents could gather, learn, and thrive, translating that vision into state funding required more than a grant application—it required a strategic advocate who understood both local priorities and the mechanics of California's budget process.

Our team worked closely with City leadership to articulate the project's community impact and position it competitively within the state funding landscape. Through sustained engagement with the Legislature and Administration, we secured $26.9 million in state funding to make that vision a reality.

The investment is now fueling the construction of a new community center designed to serve residents across generations—alongside the establishment of public WiFi in a local park, ensuring that digital connectivity extends beyond the home and into shared community spaces. This project reflects our commitment to bridging the gap between local needs and state resources, and to delivering infrastructure that strengthens communities for the long term.

$18 million in state funding to elevate Latino data and research in California policymaking

Latino communities represent a growing share of California's population, workforce, and civic life—yet their experiences have historically been underrepresented in the data and research that drives state policy decisions. The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute sought to change that, and engaged our firm to build the funding infrastructure to make it possible.

We developed a complex, multi-year budget strategy centered on targeted engagement with legislative leadership, budget subcommittees, and the Administration. The goal was not just to win one-time funding, but to establish a durable, recurring state investment in the Institute's research and fellowship programs.

After extensive late-stage negotiation and direct intervention to align policy and fiscal priorities, we secured $15 million in one-time state funding for the Unseen Latinas initiative—a landmark research effort on the lived experiences of Latina women in California—along with $3 million in ongoing annual state budget funding to sustain the Institute's core programs into the future.

These investments now inform statewide decisions on workforce development, climate resilience, and economic equity, ensuring that Latino voices and data are embedded in the policies that shape California's future.

$15 million to expand workforce reentry programs for formerly incarcerated Californians

Homeboy Industries is one of the most recognized workforce reentry organizations in the country, providing job training, career placement, and social enterprise opportunities to formerly incarcerated and gang-impacted individuals. Despite its track record, securing durable state investment for its programs required sustained advocacy at the highest levels of California government.

Our firm led a targeted state budget strategy focused on securing multi-year funding that would allow Homeboy to scale its proven model. Working in coordination with the California Workforce Development Board, we engaged directly with legislative leadership and budget subcommittees—and conducted late-stage negotiations to resolve fiscal and policy issues and finalize budget language.

The result: $15 million in multi-year state funding supporting the expansion of Homeboy's job training, career placement, and social enterprise programs. This investment advances California's statewide goals to reduce recidivism, improve workforce participation, and build safer communities—while providing real opportunity to individuals who have historically been left behind.

Modernizing public transit in Commerce with $2.77 million in state funding

As California accelerates its transition to clean transportation, cities need the resources to modernize their local infrastructure. The City of Commerce had a clear vision for sustainable, community-centered transit—and turned to our firm to secure the funding to bring it to life.

Through strategic advocacy, we secured $2.35 million in state funding for the development of Clean Transit Centers—modernizing local transportation hubs with eco-friendly infrastructure and improved accessibility. These transit centers support cleaner, more efficient public transportation options, reducing environmental impact while improving the daily commute for Commerce residents and workers.

In addition, we secured $416,319 through the Local Jurisdiction Assistance Grant Program, providing the City with targeted resources to implement transportation and mobility improvements tailored to the community's specific needs. Together, these investments position Commerce as a model for smart, sustainable local transit policy in the San Gabriel Valley and beyond.

Advancing AB 1439 to improve farmworker housing competitiveness in California's LIHTC program

California's farmworker communities face some of the most severe affordable housing shortages in the state—yet the scoring system used to allocate Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) had not been designed with their unique circumstances in mind. Farmworker housing projects routinely lost out on critical points simply because the scoring criteria didn't account for the remote locations and limited amenities common to agricultural regions.

Our firm partnered with La Cooperativa Campesina de California and Plaza Development Partners to address this inequity through both legislation and regulatory reform. We helped advance AB 1439 (Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia) through the California Legislature—directing the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) to amend its regulatory scoring system so that farmworker housing projects can receive maximum points under the "housing needs" category, as well as an initial five points for site amenities beyond required thresholds.

AB 1439 was chaptered on October 7, 2023 (Chapter 369, Statutes of 2023). But our work didn't stop at enactment. We continued to engage through CTCAC's formal rulemaking process—tracking proposed scoring updates, participating in public comment periods, and advocating for implementation language that would deliver on the bill's intent through CTCAC's 2025 regulation package.

This engagement reflects our full-cycle advocacy model: from introduction to enactment to regulatory implementation, we stay engaged until our clients see real results.