This month, as part of their 30th anniversary celebration, The California Endowment broke ground on the Robert K. Ross Center for Hope and Healing in Los Angeles. The new affordable housing complex is the Endowment’s first project combining housing and community services on its property. “For too long, we have invested in systems that punish people without making the investments that help them heal, rebuild their lives and thrive,” said The California Endowment President and Chief Executive Officer Brenda Solórzano. “This Center represents a different choice—one rooted in housing, health, opportunity and belonging.” Read more in Urbanize, LA Wave Newspaper, LA Sentinel, Inside Philanthropy, and Our Weekly.

Ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, California Donor Table (CDT) released a voter ballot guide, offering a clear snapshot of CDT’s official positions on statewide candidates and propositions and explaining the rationale behind their support or opposition. It also includes an assortment of other state, regional, and local voter guides from partners around the state. Access the resource here.

Early findings from the Black Futures Lab’s 2026 Black Census Project provides a comprehensive look into the perspectives of Black voters ahead of the midterms. The data reveals that Black voters plan to participate at the polls, yet remain skeptical that the political system has earned their trust. Explore more insights in this Essence article. You can lend your voice to this essential effort: complete the 2026 Black Census Survey here to contribute to our collective vision of the country we want to be.

To help seniors age in place and enable Bay Area families to purchase homes, Alameda County Housing & Community Development Department has launched an innovative program, Scalable Housing Infill Funding Toolkit (SHIFT). The initiative supports older homeowners in constructing accessible backyard accessory dwelling units (ADUs), transitioning into them, and selling their original residences to finance the construction. Read more about the program in the San Francisco Chronicle, and visit achcd.org/shift for additional details.

Oakland’s inaugural Civic Assembly is an innovative, community-driven initiative that empowers residents to directly influence decisions shaping their city’s future. Akonadi Foundation’s latest blog, By the People: Building Governing Power through Oakland’s first Civic Assembly, features a Q&A with Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder in Residence at PolicyLink, and Quinn Delaney, Founder and Board Chair of Akonadi Foundation. Their full discussion on what is possible when people are given the time, information, and resources to tackle a shared challenge is available here.