{"id":35793,"date":"2026-08-10T04:28:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T23:28:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=35793"},"modified":"2026-08-10T04:28:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T23:28:26","slug":"masterminds-behind-california-forever-plea-for-gavin-newsoms-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=35793","title":{"rendered":"Masterminds behind California Forever plea for Gavin Newsom&#8217;s help"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F08%2F136942450.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/09\/us-news\/californias-rich-paying-3m-to-escape-state-for-new-zealands-southern-alps\/\">billionaires<\/a> behind a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/25\/opinion\/california-never-utopia-faces-setbacks-as-industry-flees\/\">proposed California utopian city<\/a> are making a last-ditch push for <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/tag\/gavin-newsom\/\">Gavin Newsom<\/a> and state lawmakers to clear hurdles they say are standing in the way of the massive project.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/29\/us-news\/gavin-newsoms-secret-bid-to-save-california-forever\/\">California Forever, a proposed new community on 25,000 acres in Solano County<\/a>, wants the state to approve a package of changes before the legislative session ends this month.<\/p>\n<p>The plans are backed by <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/07\/us-news\/new-report-reveals-silicon-valleys-shocking-wealth-gap\/\">Silicon Valley billionaires and investors<\/a> who envision a major hub for manufacturing, shipbuilding and housing between San Francisco and Sacramento.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Gov. Gavin Newsom has been quietly whipping support for\u00a0California\u2019s billionaire-backed megacity\u00a0as it faces the loss of a key tenant. <span class=\"credit\">Anadolu via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But the ambitious idea has struggled to get off the ground \u2014 and its backers now point to Texas as evidence of what they say is at stake.<\/p>\n<p>Saronic Technologies, a defense manufacturer that had considered locating a new factory at California Forever, instead chose Brownsville, Texas.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sick and tired of the brand of California. Texas has beaten us. This state\u2019s beaten us,\u201d former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcra.com\/article\/california-forever-help-from-state-lawmakers-newsom\/73380317\">KCRA 3\u2019s\u00a0California Politics 360<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll we\u2019re asking in this effort that we\u2019re engaged in, private sector funded, is just let\u2019s get rid of a few of the impediments, not local control, but a few of the impediments that slow down the ability for people to want to come.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hertzberg and former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, both former legislative leaders, have been hired by California Forever to lobby for the changes.<\/p>\n<p>Steinberg said the project could help tackle two problems that have long plagued California: a housing shortage and a lack of high-paying industrial jobs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe believe in California, and we see a unique opportunity,\u201d Steinberg told KCRA 3. \u201cThis is a statewide issue.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cI\u2019m sick and tired of the brand of California. Texas has beaten us. This state\u2019s beaten us,\u201d former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg said. <span class=\"credit\">MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cWe know several things about California. No. 1, we have a housing shortage. And No. 2, we don\u2019t have enough high-wage manufacturing, shipbuilding, industrial kinds of jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The proposal would not eliminate environmental laws, Hertzberg and Steinberg said. Instead, they want faster review timelines for certain projects, including a 270-day environmental review process and the ability to rely on a 2008 environmental impact report for the proposed shipyard.<\/p>\n<p>They are also seeking a mechanism to resolve disputes between cities and counties over how tax revenue generated by major developments would be divided.<\/p>\n<p>The changes would only take effect if a major employer actually commits to moving into the project, the former lawmakers said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The proposal faces fierce opposition from Solano Forever, a coalition of residents, local leaders and organizations that has urged Newsom and legislative leaders to reject the changes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdvancing these proposals at the last minute would be extraordinarily harmful to Solano County communities and the environment, and we urge you to reject any such legislation,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n<p>Critics have raised concerns about the project\u2019s potential demands on water, land and sensitive marshlands, as well as the lack of direct voter approval. A ballot measure tied to the development was withdrawn in 2024.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has been hired by California Forever to lobby for the changes. <span class=\"credit\">NBAE via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>California Forever has described the project as an opportunity to bring new jobs and housing to land that has remained largely undeveloped for decades.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed development is roughly five times the size of Manhattan, although Steinberg said the immediate goal is far more limited: attracting one or two major employers and building enough housing to support their workers.<\/p>\n<p>With the legislative session nearing its August conclusion, the project\u2019s backers are seeking to move the changes through a budget trailer bill, which would face a faster process than conventional legislation.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>California Post News<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCaliforniaPost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@CaliforniaPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@thecaliforniapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029Vb6a2IV1NCrL6q2AWq0E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post Sports<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/capostsports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/capostsports\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CaliforniaPostSports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post  <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opinion<\/a> <br \/><strong>California Post Newsletters<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/email.nypost.com\/#california-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post App<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download here!<\/a><br \/><strong>Home delivery<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.californiapost.com\/defaultCAP\">Sign up here!<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/><\/a><strong>Page Six Hollywood<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/hollywood-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The billionaires behind a proposed California utopian city are making a last-ditch push for Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to clear hurdles they say are standing in the way of the massive project. California Forever, a proposed new community on 25,000 acres in Solano County, wants the state to approve a package of changes before&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/136942450.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35793\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/35794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}