In the South Bay Watch spring 2025 issue, are mini electric cars to solution to our transportation problems? The SBCCOG receives the Eureka Award for its work to reduce South Bay homelessness. The new operator of the South Bay Fiber Network shares his vision for broadband connectivity in the South Bay.
As SoCal water shortages remain widespread this spring, the lush green lawns that made up the residential landscapes of the South Bay’s past continue to shrink as residents gradually transition to more sustainable options like river rock, succulents and sage. But residents of Torrance are proving there is nothing aesthetically “dry” about drought-tolerant gardens, and the city is taking notice.
As the new network operator, Fabric Network's goal is to help transform the SBFN into a shared platform that cities across the South Bay can continue to rely on for decades to come. From traffic systems and emergency communications to park connectivity and civic buildings, the open access model of a municipal fiber optic network scalable to businesses and residents is designed to reduce costs, strengthen resilience and offer local governments greater flexibility in how infrastructure is used.
The South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ outreach team and volunteers were out in full force at South Bay Earth Month events in April. The team works throughout the year to provide the community with information about the programs of its partners SoCalGas, Southern California Regional Energy Network, Water Replenishment District, West Basin Municipal Water District, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, L.A. County Metro, and City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Hawthorne High School’s student-led Wood Technology Pathway gives students hands-on experience in traditional woodworking, cabinetmaking, residential construction, furniture design and computer-aided manufacturing. When it came time for the SBCCOG to develop a memento for attendees to take home from its annual General Assembly—which this year commemorated the organization’s three-decade milestone—it made sense to align this local public school program that helps students whittle closer to their own career goals.
The California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG), representing 49 regional agencies across California, presented its Eureka Award to the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) for its Functional Zero Street Homelessness Initiative.
Dan Sturges has made a four-decade career of working to solve what he calls “highway-capable car disease.” He recently summarized his proposed remedy to an audience of nearly 300 during the morning panel discussion “From Vision to Reality: The Next Chapter in the South Bay’s Evolution” at the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ 25th General Assembly.
In the South Bay Watch winter issue, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the March 27 General Assembly. Former board chairs discuss the SBCCOG's success and value to the South Bay. SBCCOG partner West Basin adds two new professional sports facilities to its water recycling roster. Cities are celebrated for rising to the SBCCOG's energy-saving challenge. And prepare for a major disaster with a five-minute exercise.
Recently 10 South Bay public agencies received a total of $1,109,500 from an incentive program to replace gas-powered water heaters with heat pump technology. Heat pump water heaters are fully electric and are 300% more energy efficient than gas-fired water heaters. Heat-pump technology uses hot exhaust air from other heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to heat water.
Brandy Villanueva, Los Angeles County, Area G, Disaster Management Area Coordinator, Offers a Five-Minute Evacuation Exercise to Prepare for A Major Disaster
