My-turn

Joe Buscaino, National League of Cities: Presidential candidates must commit to helping solve our housing and homelessness crises. Candidates should tell voters what their plan is to make sure every person has a place to call home. And whoever is elected in November must commit himself or herself to fulfilling a pledge to provide housing for all.

Stacy Torres, UC San Francisco: Before you toss off an “Ok Boomer” or a head-shaking, “Kids these days,” first consider our linked lives and destinies. Young people must understand that supporting policies to help elders increases their livelihoods. And elders can be more proactive in pushing for programs and policies that invest in young people’s well-being and growth.

Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute: California has a chance to model what a truly resilient water system looks like, combining nature and technology to make the most of every drop and dollar. Reuse reduces the need to divert water from streams already stressed by rising temperatures and shrinking snowpack and can curb ocean pollution associated with sewage outfalls.

Richard Thomason, Blue Shield of California Foundation: California can afford to invest more in the prevention of domestic violence. Research shows we can’t afford not to invest in research and programs to do the difficult work to stop the cycle of harm so that we can create a new generation of Californians who are safer and stronger than ever before.

Dr. Gilmore Chung, Venice Family Clinic: With the increased risk posed by the rise in fentanyl in our region, time is running out. Every Narcan prescription, every test for fentanyl in street drugs and every person who asks for help represent another chance to improve someone's health, prevent an unnecessary death and ultimately provide hope.

Kathay Feng, California Common Cause: We are in a time when there are so many people who seek to sow divisions among Americans. I’m looking for the presidential candidate who presents a vision for how people can find common ground through uncommon solutions to create a democracy that works for all of us.

Horacio Amezquita, general manager of San Jerardo housing cooperative in Salinas: Since 1990, the people of San Jerardo have drilled one well after another, only to see each closed as a result of agricultural contamination including nitrates and pesticides. Our children and our elders have develop painful rashes as a result. We worry about other health impacts from this stew of contaminants.

Robert Lempert, RAND Corporation: As California and our nation head into uncharted territory due to climate change, all of us will need to learn how to adjust in response to changing risks. We will all need to become more adaptive by acting, learning, and responding. To survive our changing climate, we will need to understand that even what looks familiar no longer is.

Joel John Roberts, PATH and PATH Ventures: We need to respond to homelessness like it is a natural disaster. That means not building a limited number of permanent buildings for shelters, but setting up enough temporary structures immediately, perhaps on county and city property, to get people off the streets now. A half a million-dollar studio apartment for one homeless person feels like a design-by-committee solution.

Marcie Frost, chief executive officer of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System: CalPERS is using its voice, shareowner votes, and investment dollars to minimize climate risk to our portfolio and investments while teaming up with others to ensure we see action, not just words.