City of Calabasas Receives Award at League of California Cities Annual Conference

Sponsored by the Cal Cities Partner Program, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program was designed to recognize and promote the outstanding efforts and innovative solutions made by city governments each year.

• City of Calabasas, Public Safety
  Calabasas partnered with a local nonprofit to build a coordinated emergency preparedness system after the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

Further details of the partnership, which were recognized by Cal Cities include:

• Partnership in 2022 with Emergency Preparedness in Calabasas (EPIC), a Fire Safe Council,
• Strengthening emergency preparedness and community resilience throughout Calabasas
• Distributed more than 800 emergency radios
• Developed an emergency preparedness app with off-line resources
• Launched a home-hardening rebate program. 

It was noted on the City of Calabasas website, the Mayor's weekly newsletter, about the award

"The award is a meaningful recognition of the dedication of City staff, EPIC volunteers, and community members who have worked together to help better prepare Calabasas for emergencies."

The 11 other cities recognized were 

• City of Benicia, Internal Administration
  
• Cathedral City, Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement
  
• City of Emeryville, Economic Development Through the Arts
  
• City of Gonzales, Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
  
• City of Moreno Valley, Intergovernmental Collaboration
  
• City of Petaluma, Public Works, Infrastructure, Transportation
  
• City of Santa Ana, Planning and Environmental Quality
  
• City of South San Francisco, Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations
  
• City of Temecula, Housing Programs and Innovations
  
• City of Rancho Cucamonga, Community Services and Economic Development
  
• City of Richmond, Health and Wellness Programs
  

Twelve cities receive Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for outstanding programs | Cal Cities

The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence

• Established in 1982 by the League of California Cities
• Honors exceptional municipal programs and services that demonstrate innovation, effectiveness, and positive community impact. 
• Named for Helen Putnam, the first woman elected President of the League of California Cities in 1978.  Helen Putnam Award for Excellence
• Any Cal Cities member city or group of California cities, including Cal Cities Divisions, that provides a program or service that has proven tangible and measurable results with a minimum of one year of actual implementation are eligible to apply.

Teresa Acosta, the City of Carlsbad council member, was chosen at the conference as the new CalCities president for 2026-27.

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