Decía René Poitevin Dardón en sus clases en la Escuela de Historia de la Universidad de San Carlos a fines de los años setenta, que en 1944 Guatemala llegó tarde a su cita con la democracia burguesa y cuando ésta apenas empezaba vino la intervención estadounidense en 1954 a cortar de tajo las aspiraciones del nacionalismo revolucionario.
La intervención reblanqueó a Guatemala y la regresó al feudalismo.
La paranoia anticomunista posterior acabó con las premisas básicas de la democracia burguesa y normalizó la praxis genocida que es clave para la modernización regresiva del Estado y la economía.
Guatemala retoma el camino de la democracia burguesa, diría Poitevin, con la toma de posesión de Bernardo Arévalo de León y Karin Herrera Aguilar, y en ello tuvo un papel decisivo la movilización de pueblos indígenas, jóvenes y ciudadanos de todos los estratos hartos del litigio malicioso de un puñado de rufianes que, con la complacencia del sector privado, controlan buena parte de las cortes y el poder legislativo.
El nuevo gobierno asume justo en el setenta aniversario de la “primavera democrática” lidereada por Juan José Arévalo y Jacobo Arbenz.
Por azares de la historia, es un hijo de Juan José el nuevo presidente, Bernardo, reconocido experto en asuntos de seguridad y ejército, y diplomático de carrera cuyo triunfo electoral despertó la esperanza de que la ética retorne a la política y al servicio público en Guatemala.
No funcionó el chanchullo electoral dirigido a allanarle el camino a la presidencia a la hija del general Ríos Montt, Zury Ríos Sosa, despojando de su derecho a participar al Movimiento para la Liberación de los Pueblos, y ahora asume el mando una organización de izquierda social demócrata que ni siquiera figuraba en las encuestas.
There is a greater number of people who suffer from emotional exhaustion and psychological suffering, they feel dissatisfied, empty and out of place in their own environment, causing psychological suffering and emotional exhaustion that manifest in anxiety disorders, depression and anxiety.
Emotional fatigue and psychological suffering have become contemporary ailments, due to the high levels of stress and worry derived from various situations such as insecurity and economic problems, among many others, which produce a problem of widespread emotional discomfort that urgently needs to be measured and addressed.
This was stated by the professor of the Faculty of Psychology of the UNAMGerardo Mora Gutiérrez, assigned to the Coordination of Clinical and Health Psychology, who pointed out that an increasing number of people feel dissatisfied, empty and out of place in their own environment, causing psychological suffering and emotional fatigue that manifest in anxiety, depression and distress disorders.
And, he explained, we are in a time of greater problems and, above all, with an experience that people express as non-existence; they feel as if they have no place, no identity or reason to live. All of this generates severe problems.
According to an interview given to the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mora Gutiérrez stated that the three emotional determinants that define this condition of contemporary malaise are: liquidity, nonexistence and emptiness, where individuals do not feel good about themselves anywhere, even if they have a good job, a stable family or a society that offers them an important role to play.
He added that those who suffer psychologically are in a state of disharmony, that is, they believe that they do not fit in with themselves, that they cannot maintain good interpersonal relationships and, of course, when interacting with their environment they do not feel confident, they are dissatisfied, as a consequence of a series of accumulated ailments.
Likewise, the specialist warned that this is a social problem that is increasing, which is why it is important to stop and analyze what happens in the different groups, at the level of society or family. In the latter, he said, it is observed that there is a dismemberment that has to do with their environment, where there are a series of circumstances that threaten them, as well as the upbringing of children.
The economic challenges faced on a daily basis to cover basic needs and the different expressions of social violence are two of the main factors that trigger greater feelings of discomfort and fatigue, he stressed.
Mora Gutiérrez commented that it is increasingly common to find what in psychoanalysis is known as “disinhabited families,” where people are physically present, but absent psychically and psychologically; it is there where the first wound or trace of discomfort is identified.
In this regard, Mora Gutiérrez explained that the issue of well-being goes beyond economic or material conditions, since one must also consider the sentimental factor that in this era is decisive in defining whether one can speak of a condition of this nature or discomfort.
Several disorders, such as depression or anxiety, should be considered warning signs or telltale signs, he added.
Two other components that define contemporary restlessness are related to irritability and mental exhaustion, in addition to the fact that people are no longer experiencing pleasure and feel little motivated by the activities they do; there is a feeling of emotional exhaustion.
“There are two words that really catch my attention in the psychopathological lexicon: one is anhedonia, which refers to people who do not experience pleasure, and the other is abulia, which refers to people who are not motivated and devote themselves to doing practically nothing,” he said.
In this regard, he reiterated that a "warning sign" to identify that someone is suffering from fatigue is related to the fact that they are irritable all the time due to the lack of being able to connect with others, they do not appreciate what is happening, and as a behavioral or emotional response they may assume some addiction.
Whether it is addiction to substances or tranquilizers or to work, interpersonal conflicts can also arise, that is, one cannot maintain contact with anyone, which leads to depersonalization and is related to those who in some way begin to mistreat others and become insensitive to the suffering of others, he stressed.
He emphasized that when emotional fatigue is combined with psychological suffering, it leads to hyperstimulation of escape, where people try to escape from reality in front of the television, or through cell phones and computers.
"They feel the need to escape and begin to have suicidal thoughts, entering a high-risk condition as a consequence of this suffering," he warned.
Mora Gutiérrez suggested that, when the first symptoms of emotional fatigue appear, one should seek professional and specialized help, in addition to performing self-recognition and awareness exercises, as a way of dialoguing with ourselves to find the causes that led them to that state of emotional crisis.
Se arresta a un hombre por ser sospechoso de atropellar a una persona y darse a la fuga en el norte de San José.
Un hombre fue arrestado por ser sospechoso de atropellar deliberadamente con fuga en el norte de San José, convirtiéndose en el primer homicidio del año en la ciudad, dijo la policía este viernes.
Mikel McNack, de 19 años, de Fremont, fue detenido el jueves en una residencia en Sacramento, precisaron las autoridades.
Está acusado de la muerte de un peatón que recibió un disparo y fue atropellado intencionalmente el miércoles por la tarde en el área de Decanso Drive y North First Street, aseguró la policía.
Los oficiales están buscando un SUV Infiniti QX30 gris 2017 involucrado en la colisión.
El motivo y las circunstancias que rodearon el incidente aún están bajo investigación, dijo la policía.
La identidad de la víctima será revelada por la Oficina Forense del Condado de Santa Clara después de la confirmación y notificación a los familiares más cercanos.
Cualquier persona que tenga información debe comunicarse con el sargento detective Barragán al correo 4106@sanjoseca.gov o al Detective Van Brande al 4542@sanjoseca.gov, o al número (408) 277-5283.
Un nuevo informe encuentra que, si bien el gobernador Gavin Newsom ha logrado la paridad de género en los nombramientos de su oficina, los latinos y AAPI siguen estando subrepresentados.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Un nuevo informe encuentra que, si bien el gobernador Gavin Newsom ha logrado la paridad de género en los nombramientos de su oficina, los latinos y la AAPI siguen estando subrepresentados.
The report fue publicado el lunes por la organización sin fines de lucro Hispanas Organizadas por la Igualdad Política (HOPE), en respuesta al veto en octubre pasado de la SB702, la tercera versión de un proyecto de ley de la Senadora Monique Limón (D-19) que requeriría que el Gobernador creara y publicar un informe anual sobre “información demográfica agregada” de los nombramientos realizados para las 420 juntas, agencias, comisiones y grupos de trabajo del estado.
Key results
El informe encontró que “la rica diversidad de la población de California no se refleja en la composición demográfica de los miembros de la junta y los comisionados nombrados en 2023”, según datos autoinformados disponibles públicamente para 480 candidatos nombrados desde enero de 2023 hasta el 15 de diciembre de 2023.
Los californianos blancos no hispanos ocupan la mayoría de los nombramientos con un 52%. Los latinos (17,29%), negros (11,25%), AAPI (8,54%) y nativos americanos californianos (2,29%) en conjunto representan el 39%, y el 9% son desconocidos.
A modo de comparación, el desglose demográfico de California es 34,7% blancos no hispanos, 40,3% hispanos o latinos, 6,5% negros, 16,8% AAPI y 1,7% nativos americanos, según estimaciones del 2023 census.
Un desglose por raza y género de los 480 gobernadores designados en California entre enero de 2023 y el 15 de diciembre de 2023. (Crédito: Hispanas Organizadas por la Igualdad Política)
El 47% de los nombramientos son de mujeres y el 52% son de hombres, y el 1% pertenece a la categoría de otros o desconocidos.
El informe combina raza y género para mostrar que los hombres blancos representan el 30% de los nombramientos, las mujeres blancas el 22%, los hombres negros el 5%, las mujeres negras el 6%, los hombres latinos el 8,5%, las mujeres latinas el 9%, los hombres AAPI el 3,5% y las mujeres AAPI el 5%. %, Hombres nativos americanos 1% y mujeres nativas americanas 1%.
El informe también encuentra que el 63% de los nombrados viven en el norte de California (41%) y el Área de la Bahía (22%), con el condado de Los Ángeles en el 15%; el área del Valle Central, Inland Empire y el Gran San Diego al 5% cada uno; y el Condado de Orange y la Costa Central con alrededor del 3% cada uno.
La mayoría de los nombramientos son demócratas con un 71%, republicanos con un 9%, Sin Preferencia con un 18% y Otros con un 2%.
Precedents
Limón dijo que Newsom “ha sido muy intencional al garantizar la diversidad en sus nombramientos”: recientemente nombró a la primera jueza latina de la Corte Suprema de California en 2022 y aprobó SB54 en 2023, que requiere que las empresas de capital de riesgo realicen informes de diversidad demográfica sobre las empresas en las que invierten. “El objetivo de informes como este es replicar su éxito”.
“No se puede arreglar lo que no se puede ver”, añadió. Cuando finalice el mandato de Newsom en 2027, “tendremos un nuevo gobernador y queremos asegurarnos de que los logros que ha visto su administración sean logros que puedan sostenerse”.
La carta de veto de Newsom a su proyecto de ley sostiene que debido a que la información demográfica especificada en la SB702 es proporcionada por los propios candidatos, un informe no necesariamente refleja con precisión la diversidad de los designados.
Un desglose por afiliación política y residencia geográfica de los 480 gobernadores designados en California entre enero de 2023 y el 15 de diciembre de 2023. (Crédito: Hispanas Organizadas por la Igualdad Política)
Sin embargo, el informe HOPE responde que “nuestro estado utiliza regularmente datos autoinformados por muchas agencias estatales diferentes para recursos como créditos fiscales, seguros de discapacidad y en el nombramiento de nuestros tribunales judiciales. Creemos que este informe se produciría de manera más precisa y eficiente si viniera directamente de la oficina del Gobernador”, es decir, si medidas como la SB702 fueran más comunes. Esto “no tendría prácticamente ningún coste para la Administración, dado que ya recopilan estos datos demográficos”.
A nivel estatal, existe un precedente para un informe de este tipo. El Consejo Judicial de California, por ejemplo, publica datos demográficos relacionados con el género, la raza, la orientación sexual, la identidad de género, la condición de veterano y de discapacidad de los magistrados y jueces, y el informe del proyecto de ley propuesto por Limón también incluye estas métricas.
Among other states, Illinois , bajo el gobernador Pritzker, aprobó una medida similar a la SB702 en 2015, y desde entonces ha visto nombramientos consistentemente más diversos.
Este énfasis en la transparencia también está ganando terreno entre los gobiernos locales de California.
En 2023, la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Los Ángeles adoptó una moción inspirada en la SB702 que exige a la junta publicar un informe demográfico anual de nombramientos. La Junta de Supervisores del condado de Santa Cruz adoptó una extent similar en 2021. Karen Bass, alcaldesa de la ciudad de Los Ángeles, también pretende crear un informe similar.
Next steps
HOPE ha declarado que continuará realizando un seguimiento de las citas en 2024.
A la luz de las conclusiones del informe de 2023, la senadora Limón ha reintroducido su proyecto de ley que exige un informe demográfico anual sobre los nombramientos de gobernadores, en el formato SB782, cuya audiencia está prevista para el 11 de enero.
Después de tres vetos anteriores, “será nuestro cuarto intento en este proyecto de ley en particular”, dijo Limón. “Lo que hemos visto en los últimos cuatro años es que no se trata de una cuestión partidista, como lo demuestra el fuerte apoyo bipartidista que ha recibido este proyecto de ley, particularmente en el último año en la legislatura”.
Si el liderazgo californiano no “evalúa nuestro progreso, seguirán existiendo brechas en la representación”, añadió. “Este informe reitera la necesidad de que los datos demográficos estén disponibles públicamente. El trabajo para promover la transparencia debe comenzar internamente”.
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the CaliFornia State Library.
La poca visibilidad y las fuertes nevadas en Sierra Nevada registradas la mañana y tarde de este miércoles, provocaron que, a unas 20 millas de la zona de esquí de Palisades Tahoe, se produjera una avalancha que dejó como saldo un muerto, un herido, y 4 personas sepultadas bajo la nieve.
La poca visibilidad y las fuertes nevadas en Sierra Nevada registradas la mañana y tarde de este miércoles, provocaron que, a unas 20 millas de la zona de esquí de Palisades Tahoe, se produjera una avalancha que dejó como saldo un muerto, un herido, y 4 personas sepultadas bajo la nieve.
El evento se registró aproximadamente alrededor de las 9:30 horas de este 10 de enero, según las autoridades del condado de Placer, quienes informaron que la persona que perdió la vida era Kenneth Kidd, de 66 años de edad.
Diversos videos en redes sociales muestran lo sucedido y como muchos visitantes ayudaban a aquellos que estaban enterrados por la nieve cerca de Palisades Tahoe, una popular estación de esquí que atrae a decenas de visitantes cada año.
The Servicio Meteorológico Nacional de Sacramento, California, advirtió el 8 de enero que “una tormenta de invierno traerá fuertes nevadas de montaña a las montañas del interior de NorCal a mediados de esta semana. Las cantidades más pesadas se esperan el miércoles”.
Las autoridades refirieron que se puso en marcha un esfuerzo de búsqueda y rescate por parte de múltiples equipos para encontrar víctimas potenciales.
“Más de 100 miembros del personal de Palisades participaron en la búsqueda y se completaron dos líneas de sonda. La montaña estará cerrada por el resto del día”, dijo la oficina del sheriff.
La oficina también señaló que el campo de escombros de la avalancha tenía aproximadamente 45 metros de ancho, 137 metros de largo y 3 metros de profundidad.
Cabe destacar que una advertencia de tormenta invernal está vigente en el área y se esperan acumulaciones de nieve de 70 a 76 centímetros en el área del resort, además de que se prevé que otra tormenta de invierno traerá fuertes nevadas de montaña el viernes por la tarde y el sábado.
The 2024 Board of Supervisors, from left Ray Mueller, Noelia Corzo, Warren Slocum, David J. Canepa and Dave Pine. Credit San Mateo County Executive's Office
The supervisor of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors For District Four, Warren Slocum became the new Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for 2024 with a vision of evaluation and change, stating that: “Just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.”
At the same meeting, the Board also selected District 5 Supervisor David Canepa as Vice Chair and thanked outgoing District 1 Chair Dave Pine for his leadership during 2023.
The term is Slocum’s third since taking office in 2013 and his last due to term limits. His district includes the cities of Redwood City and East Palo Alto and areas within the city of Menlo Park east of El Camino Real and including Belle Haven and the unincorporated community of North Fair Oaks.
During his remarks, Slocum noted that the county of 10 years ago is quite different than it is today.
“The reality is that we are more diverse, more people are struggling to support their families, food insecurity is prevalent, and we are still recovering from a global pandemic,” she said. “Our public life has become at times more confrontational, our dialogue sharper, and our challenges far more complex.”
In response, Slocum said change is inevitable and necessary, and questioned the county’s organizational structure, including the need for 26 separate departments. He also called for amplifying public voices and strengthening the county’s equity work, including passing an ordinance codifying the county’s commitment and “recalibrating” the Office of Equity and Social Justice. He said the county should invest in data collection to improve goal setting and decision making, and in technology, including artificial intelligence.
Slocum said former Supervisor Don Horsley, who died in November, taught him that board presidency is more about setting a tone and vision than creating a to-do list.
In February 2023, the Board of Supervisors was tasked at a retreat with collectively crafting a headline for three years into the future that would summarize their work. Slocum, closing his remarks, said the aspirational quote chosen says it all: “San Mateo County leads the nation in best practices in the areas of homelessness, equity and affordable housing.”
As Slocum looked ahead, Pine took time to reflect on his final year as president and the work the Board will tackle in 2023.
“After welcoming two new supervisors, we began the 2023 calendar year with unprecedented storms and flooding, quickly followed by the tragic, deadly shooting in Half Moon Bay,” Pine said. “While these events set a somber tone for the year and exposed some inequities that were previously not well known, they also presented an opportunity for this county to do what we do best: pool our resources, with neighbor helping neighbor, to provide necessary services to the most vulnerable among us.”
Pine’s colleagues took turns praising him for his performance as president during a busy year. “His steady hand made a huge difference,” Slocum said.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azín declared a State of Exception and National Curfew, which will be implemented indefinitely in the country. Photo: X @PoliciaEcuador
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azín declared a State of Emergency and National Curfew, which will be implemented indefinitely in the country, following the wave of violence recorded in the country since last Sunday, January 7.
The South American nation has been shaken by atrocious acts by criminal and terrorist groups, following an emergency operation on the suspected escape of “El Fito,” leader of the group “Los Choneros,” and one of the most dangerous drug traffickers in Ecuador.
After six riots and the escape of Adolfo Macías “El Fito” from the Regional Prison, who was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, acts of violence against the population were also recorded, and even the takeover of the facilities of the TC Television network, in the city of Guayaquil.
In a message to the population, President Daniel Noboa said that “the time is over when those convicted of drug trafficking, contract killings and organized crime dictated to the government in power what to do. What we are seeing in the country's prisons is the result of the decision to confront them.”
For this reason, he added, "the government has taken action to regain control of the centres of freedom that have been lost in recent years and, in response, these narco-terrorist groups seek to intimidate us and believe that we will give in to their demands."
He also said that the government has given precise instructions to military and police commanders to intervene in the control of prisons and that a State of Emergency decree has been signed so that they have full political and legal support for their actions.
Through social media, he highlighted that, following the example of the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, Military Democracy was implemented, which is why from now on the country enters into “total war” against drug traffickers and local gangs.
The organized crime groups detected are Las Águilas, Águilas Killer, Ak47, Dark Knights, ChoneKille, Choneros, Covicheros, Cuartel de las Feas, Cubans, Fatales, Gángster, Kater Piler, Lizards, Latin Kings, Wolves, Los p.27, Los Tiburones, Mafia 18, Mafia Trébol, Patrones, R7 and Tiguerones.
In turn, Admiral Jaime Vela Graso, head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Ecuador, explained that the “actions and decisions undertaken by the national government seriously affect criminal structures and, in response, have unleashed a wave of violence to frighten the population.”
For this reason, he explained, criminal groups have committed bloody acts unprecedented in the history of the nation, but despite their brutal evil, this attempt will fail due to Executive Decree No. 111, which establishes a clear mission: “from this moment on, every terrorist group identified in the aforementioned decree has become a military objective.”
“The present and future of our country is at stake and no act of terror will make us give in. We will not back down or negotiate. Good, justice and order cannot ask permission or bow their heads to terrorists.”
It is worth noting that the armed forces and the police of Ecuador confirmed the escape of another 32 prisoners, including Fabricio Pico, leader of “Los Lobos”, who was accused of planning the murder of prosecutor Diana Salazar.
So far, of the 32 fugitives, at least 20 have been recaptured.
The Redwood City Police Department (RCPD) is investigating an armed carjacking that occurred on the morning of January 9, after responding to a complaint.
The Redwood City Police Department (RCPD) is investigating the armed robbery of a vehicle on the morning of January 9, after responding to a complaint.
Authorities said that at around 12:25 a.m., RCPD officers responded to the 3700 block of Rolison Rd. for a report of a stolen work truck.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that the victim heard someone breaking into his vehicle and got out to confront the suspects. Upon yelling at the two perpetrators, one of them pulled out a gun, pointed it at the victim and ordered him to “Stop.”
The two suspects then entered the victim's vehicle before starting it and fleeing the scene.
RCPD said a car was seen stopped on the road down the street and appeared to wait for the suspects before turning to follow the victim's vehicle as it was driven away from the scene.
The stolen vehicle is a white Ford F250, while the suspects were driving a light-colored Toyota RAV 4 Highlander, license plate unknown.
The first suspect was described as an African-American male adult, thin build, in his mid-20s, wearing black clothing and a black balaclava-style mask; the second, they said, is an adult male of unknown race, also wearing black clothing and a black balaclava-style mask.
The Redwood City Police Department is actively investigating this case, so they have asked that if you or anyone you know has any information regarding this matter, please contact the Redwood City Police Department at 650-780-7100.
Similarly, to submit reports anonymously, you can call the tip line at 650-780-7110.
Violet Affleck, daughter of actress and producer Jennifer Garner and actor and director Ben Affleck, was trending on social media for some images where she is seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a watermelon print from the brand Wear The Peace.
Recently, Violet Affleck, daughter of actress and producer Jennifer Garner and actor and director Ben Affleck, was trending on social media for some pictures where she is seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a watermelon print. So far, everything is normal, but the 18-year-old was strongly criticized for it.
Zionists from various parts of the world have attacked it for being “violent,” arguing that the watermelon “erases the entire state of Israel” and implies that “all of Israel is Palestine.”
Whether in posts on TikTok, Instagram, X, or drawn on banners appearing at many demonstrations, watermelons are used as a symbol to communicate solidarity with Palestinians in the deadly war between Israel and Hamas, according to The New York Times.
The fruit, she said, is grown in Gaza and the West Bank, and has the same four colors (red, green, black and white) as the Palestinian flag. Palestinians have also used it for decades as a symbol of identity and resistance, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, 30, founder of the Muslim Girl online publication, told the outlet.
The check @StopAntisemites, posted on X “Beverly Hills – Jennifer Garner’s 18-year-old daughter was spotted today wearing a sweatshirt with a watermelon, a fruit repurposed to represent the challenges of the Palestinian people. The symbol erases the entire country of Israel.”
Following this and a post on Page Six, Wear by Peace went viral and people began buying clothes from the Chicago-based store.
“Thanks to this page and the public anger of other Zionists towards our collections in Palestine, we were inadvertently given free promotion that helped us donate another $22,034 to the @piousprojects team on the ground in Gaza to provide food, aid and water. I’m not sure why a watermelon made you nervous, but you didn’t even flinch when 30,000 humans were killed.”
Created in 2016, the founders of Wear The Peace, Murad Nofal and Mustafa Mabruk, set out to create a brand that spreads awareness about the atrocities happening around the world while giving back with every purchase.
According to the clothing company's website, Murad came up with the idea after visiting the Zaatari refugee camp, the largest in the world, in the summer of 2014, where she witnessed people living in terrible conditions as their country was torn apart by war.
Nofal's grandparents have lived in a refugee camp in Jordan since 1975 and the camp eventually became a permanent residence, an area where supermarkets, barbershops and grocery stores began to appear, normalizing the living conditions of the residents.
So Nofal continued to contemplate how this could happen in today’s world, asking himself, “Why do humans have to live like this? Why does where a person is born determine their quality of life?” He was 17 years old at the time and continued to ponder these questions over the next few years.
By 2016, Murad and Mustafa met and brainstormed how they could make a difference. They were both children of refugees and both saw the direct result of the refugee crisis.
After weeks of discussions, they came up with the brand Wear The Peace and made it a statement to ensure that the brand sent loving messages, spread awareness about issues around the world, and gave back to the humans who need it the most.
Wear The Peace is a brand that believes that “Each of us can make a difference. Together we make a change.” Wear The Peace epitomized this idea of “together we make a change” into the brand by creating their Buy One Give One initiative and The All Profits initiative, which allows customers to have a direct impact on someone else’s life simply by purchasing from the brand.
San Mateo is reviewing 315 applications seeking Measure K sales tax funds as part of a community-wide process to match the Board of Supervisors’ priorities in three critical areas: children, families and seniors.
San Mateo County staff are evaluating 315 applications seeking Measure K sales tax funds as part of a community-based process to match the Board of Supervisors’ priorities in three critical areas: children, families and seniors; emergency preparedness; and housing and homelessness.
The County published a Funding Opportunity Notice requesting proposals in November 2023 and the application window closed last Friday, January 5. County staff worked over the weekend to process applications so that evaluation can begin this week.
Applications total $750 million over three years. The first year of applications alone totals more than $251 million. That's more than seven times the $35 million to $37 million available annually in the county, meaning the money available can only cover 14 percent of applications.
“We asked for bold and innovative ideas to serve our residents and I am confident that this important applicant pool is full of them. But frankly, the requests far outstrip the funding we have available,” said the county executive, Mike Callagy.
“Evaluation committees will review each application thoroughly and carefully to ensure that funds are allocated to those projects that provide the greatest good to the largest portion of the county and to the most vulnerable,” he added.
Of the 315 applications received, 232 are for children, families, and seniors services ($158.8 million in first-year applications); 28 address emergency preparedness ($19 million in first-year applications); and 55 address housing and homelessness ($73.4 million in first-year applications).
The county said in a statement that the review committees are not required to recommend equal funding to the board in each priority area.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to hear funding recommendations in March 2024 and contracts are expected to begin July 1, 2024.
This publication was supported in whole or part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the 
