California's COVID-19 Emergency To End 3 Years Since Stay-At-Home Orders Were First Issued

California's coronavirus emergency officially ends Tuesday February 28, 2023, nearly three years after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order and just days after the state reached the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths related to the virus. The end of California's order will have little to no effect on most people as Newsom has already lifted most of the state's restrictions, like those that required masks, closed beaches, and forced many businesses to close. The Los Angeles County emergency order encourages mask use in some public places like business and trains and for residents who have been exposed to the virus will remain in effect for at least another month.
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California Tripled Its Spending On The Homelessness Crisis. Here’s Where The Money Went

The amount of money California sent to the Sacramento region to address its growing homelessness crisis nearly tripled to $191 million between 2019 and 2021, with much of the increase set aside for homeless housing projects. Unhoused Department officials say the massive increase in funding reflects the state's commitment to addressing the issue. A report was produced by the state’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and presented to the Legislature. The report concluded that California directed nearly $10 billion statewide to addressing the homelessness crisis, while providing services to more than 571,000 people over the three-year period. Additionally, it found 40% of the people who made use of at least one of the services ended up housed, though the majority remained homeless or their whereabouts were unknown. Click here to read more.

Why It’s Hard for California to Store More Water Underground

In spite of the storms that have deluged California this winter, the state remains crippled by drought. One of the simplest solutions to drought is the collection and storage of rainfall, but it is far more complex than it appears. A significant portion of California's water infrastructure relies on the storage of precipitation during the late fall and winter to provide water during the dry spring and summer months. The state’s groundwater aquifers can hold vast quantities of water far more than its major reservoirs. The state has tried to advance the system to create temporary water rights, effectively. However, obtaining one of these permits may take several months. This has resulted in the system being incapable of responding quickly enough when these storms occur. Click here to read more.

New Subway Station Names

Metro Purple Line Extension Section 2 - Subway Stations will open 2025. Please share your thoughts and ideas on legacy names for the second station in Beverly Hills and Century City station.
Click here for survey!

Innovate Beverly Hills 

Attend our Next GAC Meeting on March 16^th

Upcoming Events & Meetings 

3.7     FLAIR Networking Event | 5:30 - 7:30 PM @ Fogo de Chão
3.9     Young Professionals Network Committee Meeting | 2 - 3 PM 
3.10   March Networking Breakfast | 8:30 - 10 AM @ TBA
3.15   March Chairman's Circle Networking Luncheon | 12 - 1 PM @ Il Fornaio
3.16   Government Affairs Committee Meeting | 4 - 5 PM @ Chamber Boardroom 
3.16   Healthcare Professional Networking Event | 5:30 - 7:30 PM @ Velverie 
3.21   Women's Business Network Meeting | 4:30 - 5:30 PM @ Chamber Boardroom 
3.22   Innovate Beverly Hills 2023 | 4:30 - 8:30 PM

@ Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts 

View the full BHCC Calendar here