Final Research Report on Urban Planning in Stockton

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Final Research Report
December 22, 2014

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Contents
Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................4
Place..............................................................................................................................................................8
Urban Sprawl ............................................................................................................................................8
Neighborhoods..........................................................................................................................................9
Land Use.................................................................................................................................................10
Population Density..................................................................................................................................11
Urban barriers .........................................................................................................................................12
Movement ...................................................................................................................................................25
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................25
Social Equity...........................................................................................................................................28
San Joaquin Regional Transit District ....................................................................................................29
Safe Routes to School.............................................................................................................................31
Bicycling Improvements.........................................................................................................................32
Related policies.......................................................................................................................................33
Target Goals............................................................................................................................................34
Environment................................................................................................................................................34
Climate....................................................................................................................................................35
Climate Action Plan................................................................................................................................35
Background.........................................................................................................................................35
Current Trajectory - Business As Usual .............................................................................................35
Emissions Inventory: Major Sources ..................................................................................................36
Reduction Measures............................................................................................................................38
Implementation ...................................................................................................................................41
Air Pollution............................................................................................................................................45
Flooding..................................................................................................................................................47
SWOT.....................................................................................................................................................49
Target Goals............................................................................................................................................50
Health + Safety ...........................................................................................................................................51
Crime ......................................................................................................................................................51
Gangs ......................................................................................................................................................52

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Marshall Plan ..........................................................................................................................................53
Community Voices .................................................................................................................................55
Target Goals............................................................................................................................................56
Community .................................................................................................................................................57
Key Demographics..................................................................................................................................57
Racial Breakdown...............................................................................................................................57
Education Levels.................................................................................................................................58
Family Structures................................................................................................................................58
Unemployment and Poverty................................................................................................................59
School Standings.................................................................................................................................59
A Walk Down Airport Way: The Big Picture.....................................................................................61
Education ................................................................................................................................................62
Supplementary Educational Programs................................................................................................62
Potential for Future Programs.............................................................................................................64
Target Goals............................................................................................................................................66
Housing.......................................................................................................................................................67
Homeownership......................................................................................................................................67
Available and Vacant Housing ...............................................................................................................68
Median value of housing.........................................................................................................................71
Foreclosures........................................................................................................................................75
Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................................76
Target Goals............................................................................................................................................76
Economic Development..............................................................................................................................77
PESTEL analysis ....................................................................................................................................77
City Budget Overview ............................................................................................................................81
The 5 Industry Strategy - A Development Proposal...............................................................................83
SWOT Analysis ......................................................................................................................................85
Goals.......................................................................................................................................................85
Goal 1..................................................................................................................................................85
Goal 2..................................................................................................................................................86

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Tables
Table 1: Place Target Goals.....................................................................................................................24
Table 2: Movement Target Goals............................................................................................................34
Table 3: List of GHG Reduction Measures ................................................................................................39
Table 4: GHG Emissions reductions by measure category.........................................................................40
Table 5: Environmental Target Goals ....................................................................................................50
Table 6: Violent crimes in Stockton: rate of crime per 100000 people ......................................................51
Table 7:Property Crimes in Stockton, rate of crimes/100000 people .........................................................51
Table 8: Health and Safety Target Goals................................................................................................56
Table 9: Academic Progress Index (API) Rankings *The Growth API summarizes a school's, an Local
Educational Agency (LEA's), or the state's performance on the 2013 Standardized Testing and Reporting
(STAR) Program and 2013 California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) tests. The API is on a
scale of 200 to 1000....................................................................................................................................60
Table 10: : High School Dropout Rates *The City of Stockton Dropout Rates are derived from data
concluding that 75.7% of the Stockton population 25 years and older have a High School or higher
education.....................................................................................................................................................60
Table 11: Academic Milestones Among Socio‐economically Disadvantaged Students ............................60
Table 12: Math Scores of STEP Up Students..............................................................................................63
Table 13: Community Target Goals........................................................................................................66
Table 14: Homeownership by ethnicity......................................................................................................67
Table 15 ......................................................................................................................................................68
Table 16 ......................................................................................................................................................68
Table 17: Housing Target Goals..............................................................................................................76
Table 18 ......................................................................................................................................................86

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Executive Summary
We are the Global Urban Development Program: Stockton team, an international partnership of
undergraduate and graduate students who hail from all corners of the globe. Our goal is to develop
thoughtful and strategic solutions to revitalize South Stockton in partnership with the City of Stockton
Planning Commission and the Reinvent South Stockton Coalition.
Our project is structured into four phases: two phases of Research and two of Design. Our first phase was
the development of a comprehensive understanding of Stockton’s current conditions as a whole city and
identified areas of strength, opportunities for development, weaknesses, and threats to progress. This
analysis, along with all of our preliminary research was compiled into our first deliverable, available here.
This stage of the research project focused on narrowing and refining our focus to South Stockton. We
identified target goals based on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats identified in our
preliminary research. These target goals are quantifiable measures of progress upon which the city can
measure the success of the future design proposals in the short and long-term. We sorted our goals into
categories based on the existing framework of the General Plan drafted by the Stockton Planning
Commission and the focus areas from the South Stockton Promise Zone Application. The categories are
as follows:
○ Place: Land use and building development.
○ Movement: Streets, traffic, and transport.
○ Environment: Natural features and natural disaster concerns.
○ Health and Safety: Civic services (fire, police, etc), health care, and food sources.
○ Youth and Education: Schools and demographics of the area.
○ Housing: Homeownership, foreclosures, and property value.
○ Economic Development: Industry and opportunity.

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Portfolio of Target Goals
Category Purpose Current Status Target Goal
Place Reduce vacant lots along airport way
(#)
19 0
Movement Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
per capita
2005: 28.09 daily VMT
per capita
2040: 26.71 daily VMT per
capita
Increase number of bicycle
commuters
2009: 6339 commuters
in San Joaquin County
2020: 8000 commuters in
SJC
Increase ridership of public transit Fiscal Year 2013:
4,300,292 passengers
2018 Fiscal Year: 5,385,442
passengers
Add bike lanes to Airport Way No lanes 2020: 4.12 Class 2 Miles
from E. Miner Avenue to
the Stockton Airport
Reduce time to reach market 8 minutes by car from
Airport Way & 8th
Street to Food 4 Less
2020: <5 minute by car
from south Stockton to
Grocery store along vacant
lot
Environment Reduce emissions 10% from 2005
levels by 2020
8.1 tons/capita 10.7 tons/capita
Meet CA PM 2.5 standards 6 exceedance days
(2012)
0 exceedance days
Meet CA Ozone Standards 5 exceedance days
(2014)
0 exceedance days
Health &
Safety
Reduce yearly number of
homicides/100000 people
857.6 214
Reduce yearly number of property
crimes/100000 people
582.6 267
Community Raise Academic Progress Index to
meet CA Average
All: 713
Elem: 704
Middle: 779.5
High: 656.3
Raise by (points):
All: 77
Elem: 107
Middle: 20.5
High: 100.7
Increase Graduate Rates to meet CA
Average
Stockton: 75.7%
CA: 88.6%
Increase by 12.9%
Increase School Sponsored After
School Programs
Available Programs:
STEP Up and Head
Start
Available Programs: Start
program similar to Lodi
Bridge

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STEP Up: 6 schools STEP Up: 12 schools by
2016
Agricultural Education through
Community Gardens
n/a Establish a community
garden and partner with
schools using one of the
empty lots
Increase Diversity of Enrichment - STEM achievement
- Recreation
- English Language
Arts
- Safe environment
- Respect for diversity
- Stewardship and
community service
- Hands on project based
learning
- Career exploration
-College preparation
- Life skills
- Independent learning and
self motivation
Housing Increase home ownership 51.2% +4.7%
Reduce vacancies 9.6% -.7%
Increase residence property value $156,600 +$192,800
Economic
Development
Increase median household income. $42,114 Short term: stop decline
Mid term: $50,000
Long term: US average
Provide fiscal and legal environment
conducive to business. Proxy: No. of
newly registered businesses.
n/a Short term: 3% growth p.a.
Mid term: 10% growth p.a.
Long term: 15% growth p.a.
Table ES-1: Target goals for Stockton.
From these target goals, we will move into the Design phase. We plan to break into two groups to develop
design solutions on a macro city-wide level and micro lot-by-lot level. These solutions will be developed
with our target goals in mind and we will demonstrate clear connections between the two.
Thank you to the City of Stockton for the opportunity to present the conclusion of our research and the
cooperation and mentorship that we have been afforded throughout this process. We look forward to
producing thoughtful and innovative design solutions.

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Place
Urban Sprawl
Recent history: Stockton in the early 2000s during the housing boom grew outwards like most cities
instead of focusing on infill and revitalization. Northbound subdivisions called “Spanos Park” created by
Alex G. Spanos, are situated by Eight Mile Road, the periphery of the urban growth boundary, and grow
past Interstate 5 towards the San Joaquin Delta. Northeast Stockton added subdivisions within the
neighborhood of “Morada”, which also grow to boundary lines. In South Stockton, Weston Ranch, a huge
subdivision development was created in hope to compensate for the growth of commuter families and to
create more incentive for residents to move to south Stockton. When the housing market crashed in late
2007 early 2008, growth and construction of the subdivisions ceased. In relation to urban sprawl,
Stockton disregarded the state’s climate action plan, due to growing up to the peripheries of the urban
growth boundary.
Lawsuit:
In 2008, the Sierra Club challenged the 2035 Stockton General Plan, which was generous in its
population growth estimates and allocations of land on the urban fringe. The litigation focused on the lack
of quantified greenhouse gas impacts of such development, invoking the California Environmental
Quality Act, as the environmental impact report did not address the carbon emissions associated with.
Additionally, the attorney general also joined due to concerns that the sprawl would undermine
California’s efforts to reach its greenhouse gas reduction targets.1
On September 9, 2008, the City of
Stockton, the Sierra Club, and the Attorney General came to an agreement with the condition that the city
would put forth a Climate Action Plan with enforceable measures to reduce greenhouse gases. This would
reduce Stockton’s CO2e emissions using strategies such as infill development and more efficient
buildings, crafted with the guidance of the Climate Action Plan Advisory Committee to ensure public
input.2
The Climate Action Plan is described in greater detail in the Environmental section.
Present Steps: Due to recent resident disappointment of the general plan, the planning department has
been working towards avoiding urban sprawl growth and promoting infill development. The revision
includes creating “neighborhood plans” that cater to the number of neighborhoods within Stockton in
order to provide necessary amenities for all residents and to create better circulation. Public outreach
meetings have been held to gain a better understanding of what individual residents need in their
neighborhoods. The following section includes more information about the neighborhood plans.
1
Stockton General Plan Litigation Leads to Landmark Settlement on Global Warming. (n.d.). Retrieved December
23, 2014, from http://www.smwlaw.com/news/show/20
2
Memorandum of Agreement. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2014, from
http://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press_releases/n1608_stockton_agreement.pdf

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Community Seeking Action at Town Hall Meeting3
About urban sprawl: Urban sprawl describes the expansion of human populations from central city areas
to rural areas or suburbs, often resulting in communities reliant upon heavy automobile usage. This is one
of the biggest problems, along with necessary funds to provide new streets, water and sewer lines and
public programs. Because of the sprawl already built areas in the city become abandoned. Automobile
dependency leads to larger daily average distances, traffic congestion and a lot of space reserved for
parking lots. To provide better living conditions we are streaming towards transit-, bicycling- and
pedestrian-oriented developments.
Neighborhoods
To prevent further the effect of urban sprawl, the city of Stockton planned to divide Stockton into 16
neighborhoods. Each smaller neighborhood would have smaller hubs and local centers that would
decentralize the city’s downtown. They would provide mixed land use and promote community
development by providing places for public meetings, information and public support, and hubs for
public transportation.
3
http://www.pact4sjc.org/2/post/2012/05/community-seeks-concrete-action-at-town-hall-meeting.html

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Figure 1: Map of Stockton neighborhoods, with SSPZ highlighted
Land Use
South Stockton is mostly single-use low-density zoning area. This means that commercial, residential and
industrial areas are (mostly) separated from one another, which is especially seen in the eastern part of
District 6. Consequently, large tracts of land are devoted to a single use and are segregated from one by
different barriers. As a result, the places where people live, work, shop and recreate are far from one
another, which means that walking, transit use and bicycling become impractical, so all these activities
generally require an automobile.
The General Plan’s goal is to implement mixed land use. This can bring greater housing variety and
density, reduced distances between housing, workplaces, retail businesses and other destinations, more
compact development, stronger neighborhood character and also pedestrian and bicycle-friendly

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environment. This is especially important for the downtown area, which is lacking residents and
pedestrian life outside of work hours.
For District 6 specifically, converting the great number of vacant lots to either commercial or civic is an
appropriate version of mixed land use given the single-use low-density residential zoning all around. One
of the main focuses should be to get critical services like a grocery store close to 8th and Airport Way,
which has the potential to be a neighborhood center in the future. As seen in the figure below, there is
currently little to no commercial land use (red) south of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Right now residents
of this area do not have a grocery store within 10 minutes of walking distance, which has also been one of
the biggest complaints.
Figure 2: Land Use in South Stockton. Low density residential and industrial land use types seem to dominate.
Population Density
The total population in South Stockton is approximately 71,200, which is roughly one quarter of the
Stockton’s population (estimate from U.S. Census Bureau 2012 research, the exact number of SS
residents in 2014 will be provided as soon as possible upon the consolidation with the RSSC).

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Population density in South Stockton is above the city average but that is mostly because of the northern
part which includes a big portion of city’s downtown area. The southern parts of the SS area are much
less populated which is a consequence of certain barriers in these parts of the town such as highways,
railroad and industry which separate it from the central areas with higher density (more in Urban barriers
section). Even though the southern part of the city obviously has lower density than northern, there are
some areas where the concentration of people is above city’s average (central and western part of SS).
These areas seem to be a great starting point when trying to expand the population to nearby areas of
lower density to provide a more balanced and evenly concentrated area.
Figure 3: Stockton Population in SSPZ
Urban barriers
There are two highly visible urban barriers: the railroad, isolating southeastern from other parts of South
Stockton and Ort J. Lothus Freeway, separating South Stockton from downtown and northern parts of the
city.
The main South-North railroad track runs almost through the middle of South Stockton and is near the
freeway crossed by a smaller West-East railroad track. Parts of the railroad are impassable and are in

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some cases up to 980ft wide. There are three longer impassable segments- two on the South-North track
(1.9mi and 0.4mi) and one on the West-East track (1.0mi). These segments are separated from each other
by passages (underpassages) that are mainly meant for vehicles. Passages are very uninviting and unsafe
for pedestrians and cyclists (pictures below).
The Ort J. Lothus is a passable barrier but also very uncomfortable to cross for pedestrians and cyclist.
Streets run under the freeway which is built around 23ft from the ground. There is a lot of covered space
under the freeway that is currently unused or occupied with parking.

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Maps with barriers and passages with numbered views over the railroad and passage
Figure 4: Urban Barriers

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Railroad from the sky
View from Airport Way on the barrier Ort J. Lothus
Freeway
View from the location number 2 over the railroad
Passage number 2
Ort J. Lothus Freeway
View from the location number 1 over the railroad
Martin Luther King Boulevard passage under railroad
(passage number 1)
Airport Way crossing the railroad (passage number 3)

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Passage number 4
Unused space under the Ort J. Lothus Freeway
Airport Way underpass Ort J. Lothus Freeway
Parking under the Ort J. Lothus Freeway

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South Stockton and downtown services
Figure 5: Stockton and Downtown Stockton Services

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Airport Way
Figure 6: Focus on Airport Way Services

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Airport Market Grocery & Deli
Beer/Wine/Groceries Rancho Market
Liquor Store Grand Save Market
Rancho San Miguel Minimart (the only decent grocery
store on Airport Way)
Elsumeri Market

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Vacant Lots
Figure 7: Vacant Lots

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Lots 1-2
Lots 3-12
Lots 13-15
Lots 16-19
Drained out river channel
A desiccated river channel runs through northern part of South Stockton. It branches off from the San
Joaquin River and has a West-East orientation. The beginning of the channel is flooded but it gradually
becomes desiccated. It is ideal for revitalization into a connection between downtown and northern part of
South Stockton, because it runs under the streets and railroad. It could be transformed into a safe and
inviting track for pedestrians and cyclists or even other purposes.

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Map of the channel path
Figure 8: Dry Channel
Google earth top view

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Sttreet View 1
Street View 2
Tilted view
Perceptual analyses of South Stockton
Figure 9: Areas of identity in South Stockton

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Figure 10
Target goals
Goal Metric Current Status CA Average Target Goal
Revitalize Vacant Lots
along Airport Way
Count 19 ---- 0 within 10 years
Increase Commercial
Property Value
$/sqft X Y Z within 10 years
Increase Mixed Use
Development in
Downtown
% lots A B C within 10 years
Table 1: Place Target Goals

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Movement
Circulation + Transportation
Introduction
Like many typical urban areas, Stocktonians rely heavily on the car to get to work. A 5-year
survey (2005-2009) conducted by the American Community found that 77.6% of Stocktonians
drive alone to work, 17.8% carpool, 1.3% use transit, .7% bike, and 1.9% walk to work4
.
Though there is a focus on the car, there has been a shift towards investment in transit and non-
motorized forms of transportation. Recently, Stocktonians have shown interest in transit and
other forms of transportation. During a General Plan meeting in August focusing on
transportation options in Stockton, Stocktonians were able to vote on their top transportation
priorities. The results released by the city show a large amount of support for non-car
investments5
, as can be seen in Figure [], with road widening only receiving 6% of the votes.
Around 60 citizens participated in this exercise, so this is not necessarily an accurate
representation of what all Stocktonians want.
Figure 11: Survey results from August 28, 2014 General Plan Workshop
4
Alta Planning + Design. (2012, September). San Joaquin Council of Governments Regional Bicycle, Pedestrian,
and Safe Routes to School Master Plan. Retrieved from http://ca-sjcog.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/61
5
Garcia, David A. (2014, December 9). Stocktonians demand walkability, more transportation options at General
Plan Meeting. Stockton City Limits. Retrieved from http://stocktoncitylimits.com/2014/12/09/stocktonians-demand-
walkability-more-transportation-options-at-general-plan-meeting/

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According to the Regional Congestion Management Program Transit System Performance,
around 69% of the San Joaquin County population lives within ½ mile linear walking distance of
a transit stop. However, only 12% of the population lives within ½ mile linear walking distance
of a transit stop providing AM/PM peak transit service of 30 minutes or less, meaning a bus
stops at the station every 30 minutes or less6
. Stops with this frequency of service or better helps
to attract riders that might not necessarily have to take transit to commute to work, known as
choice riders. In order for transit to expand, it must not only meet the needs of the captive riders,
or those who have to use transit to get to work, but it should also attract choice riders as well.
6
San Joaquin Council of Governments. (2014). RCMP Transit System Performance Dashboard. Retrieved from
http://www.sjcog-rcmp.org/rcmp-transit-system-performance

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Figure 12: Distance accessible within 1 hour of walking or cycling
Description: South Stockton is walkable(green) but the distances are way too far for pedestrians.
Different centers of South Stockton are hardly reachable within one hour by walking. Cycling
distance(orange) within 1 hour is also not adjusted to human scale but it’s far more pleasurable. Average
humans walk 1.4 m/s (5.0 km/h; 3.1 mph); Regular average cyclist’s speed is 13-15 mph(20 km/h). These
numbers are considered because the terrain is mostly flat.

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Social Equity
In many urban areas across the US, public transit has served a targeted demographic, usually
minorities and low-income communities. In Stockton, that is no different. In the regional
transportation plan / sustainable community strategy for San Joaquin County (SJC), Appendix P
covers environmental justice, which describes transportation accessibility for minorities and low-
income communities, known as environmental justice (EJ) communities7
. In the appendix, SJC is
divided into parts, and within these parts, there are categories considered “areas of greatest
concern”, which include single-parent households, households with no vehicles, and people over
65. A study found that around ⅔ of these communities have access to transit, as compared to
55% for the general population. A greater percentage of these communities are also within
walking distance (defined as ½ mile distance) to transit compared to the general population.
Lastly, there is a greater employment access via transit for the EJ communities as well.
This shows that the EJ communities benefit greatly from transit investment. One reason for this
is that many of these communities are located in developed areas of the SJC where transit service
is frequent. At the same time, EJ households make up around 65% of all households within 500
feet of a major transportation facility, like a freeway or highway. Even though being near major
transportation facilities can have negative effects, like health and noise issues, there are benefits
to being near these arterial roads, as transit is most likely located along major thoroughfares.
Thus, there is a need for balance between being near these major facilities and not being
negatively impacted by proximity.
In terms of transportation, low income workers are less likely to drive / carpool, as can be seen in
Figure []. What’s most surprising is that of the workers that bike or walk to work, 48% of them
are low-income, while only 13% of those who take the train are low-income. Those who take the
train likely have a job outside of the county, like in the Bay Area, whereas those who can walk or
bike to work have a low-paying job within the county.
7
Braughton, Matt, & Damkowitch, Jim. (2014, June 13). Appendix P Environmental Justice. Retrieved from
http://ca-sjcog.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/505

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Figure 13: Percentage of Work Trips by Means of Transportation and Income for San Joaquin County
Including the funding expenditures, it can be seen that most of the investments benefit non-low-
income households, especially for roadway and rail expenditures. The numbers are based off of
what percentage of workers use the specified mode of transport. This shows that EJ communities
gain greater accessibility with increased transit expenditures. This also shows the minority
populations benefit more from transit investments per capita than the non-minority population.
Nonetheless, around 39% of daily trips on the improved roadways financed by these
expenditures originate from EJ communities. Thus, EJ communities still benefit from roadway
investments. Similarly, this also benefits transit riders given that the buses also use the same
roads. Around 94% of low-income households drive alone or carpool to work, showing that there
is a benefit for roadway capacity investment as well.
Overall environmental justice communities benefit greatly from investments in transit and transit
accessibility, due to their proximity to transit systems in urban areas and higher rate of usage of
transit systems for commuting. But they receive less benefit from roadway capacity investments
precisely due to their use of transit or non-motorized transportation.
San Joaquin Regional Transit District
Stockton’s public transit needs is served primarily by the San Joaquin Regional Transit District
(RTD). The RTD offers 69 routes in total: 35 fixed route lines serving the Stockton Metropolitan
Area (SMA), 3 BRT lines, 15 intercity / hopper lines, and 12 San Joaquin Commuter lines8
. The
total ridership for all RTD services in fiscal year 2012 was around 4,300,000 passenger trips.
RTRTD does operate an intercity fixed route, between Stockton and Lodi, on weekdays and
weekends. However, due to the downturn in economy, there is not too much financial support for
intercity fixed routes. The County Hopper connects Ripon, Manteca, and Lathrop to Stockton,
Tracy, and Lodi. The San Joaquin commuter services allows for large-scale carpooling to other
8
DeMartino, Donna. (2013, November 4). Short Range Transit Plan 2014-2018 San Joaquin Regional Transit
District. Retrieved from http://www.sanjoaquinrtd.com/srtp/pdf/20131104-
RTD%20Short%20Range%20Transit%20Plan%20-%20Final%20.pdf

30
major employment centers like Sacramento and the Bay Area. Dial-A-Ride is akin to a taxi
service, but is only for those who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In the 2013 fiscal year, the breakdown of passenger trips is as follows: 1,718,701 for SMA,
1,878,940 for BRT, 416,021 for intercity / hopper, 213,173 for Commuter, and 73,457 for Dial-
A-Ride (DAR). Breakdown of revenue hours is as follows: 79,995 for SMA, 47,347 for BRT,
42,696 for Intercity / Hopper, 17,808 for Commuter, and 21,181 for DAR. Breakdown of
Revenue Miles: 922,439 for SMA, 581,160 for BRT, 679,825 for Intercity / Hopper, and
487,949 for commuter. Passenger trips per revenue hour: SMA is 21.5, BRT is 39.7, Intercity /
Hopper is 9.8, Commuter is 12.0, and DAR is 3.5. All these numbers are represented in visual
form in Figures [], [], and [], respectively. BRT has a strong number due to the transition of
services from fixed routes to BRT services. The blueprint for future use includes maintaining and
improving the Intelligent Transit System (ITS) for the future, which includes automated
passenger counters and integrated vehicle logic units. These upgrades will allow RTD to provide
real-time schedule updates at passenger facilities and on RTD’s website.
Figure 14 Figure 15

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Figure 16
Figure [] shows the various performance measures for RTD for the past four fiscal years. In
general, the statistics are improving across the board, thanks to the gradual recovery in the
economy, as well as the success of the BRT lines. The operating cost per passenger trip has gone
down by almost a dollar from 2012, while the passenger trips per vehicle revenue hour have
increased by 3 since 2010.
Figure 17: Performance Measures of San Joaquin RTD from 2010 to 2013.
Safe Routes to School
Stockton has a Safe Routes to School (SRtS) program, which refers to the variety of approaches
in ensuring traffic safety around schools, while also promoting non-motorized forms of

32
transportation to schools, using tools like education and traffic enforcement9
. The need for safe
routes to schools is evident in that areas within a quarter mile of schools account for 75% of
bicycle collisions and 73% of pedestrian collisions in San Joaquin County, even though these
areas only have 61% of the County’s population. From 2004-2009, there have been 452 bicycle
collisions involving children near schools with 2 bicyclists killed, and 460 pedestrian collisions
involving children near schools with 8 pedestrian killed. SRtS also includes fulfilling
infrastructure improvements and programmatic enhancements. Other stakeholders, like the
SJRTD, are also helping, as they modify routes to help local school districts and colleges in
providing rides for the students. For example, RTD is meeting with University of the Pacific to
establish fare agreements to allow students and staff to use RTD with a prepaid pass. There are
some Safe Route to School planned projects, although they are not located within South
Stockton.
Bicycling Improvements
Currently, South Stockton has few bikeways, and most of them are concentrated around Weston
Ranch, as seen in Figure []. But there are numerous priority projects that have been planned,
including a class 2 lane along Airport Way, from Carpenter Road to Stockton Metropolitan
Airport, and a class 1 route along Airport Way from 750 feet south of 12th
street to Carpenter
Road7
, as denoted in Figure [].
Figure []: Stockton Existing Bikeways (as of September 2012)
Figure 18: Stockton Planned Bikeways (as of September 2012)
9
, 7 Alta Planning + Design. (2012, September). San Joaquin Council of Governments Regional Bicycle, Pedestrian,
and Safe Routes to School Master Plan. Retrieved from http://ca-sjcog.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/61

33
Related policies
Although Stockton has focused on the car as the primary source of transportation, there is a shift
towards more sustainable commuting.
For example, in 1990, voters in San
Joaquin County approved Measure K,
which is a half-cent sales tax for
transportation projects in the county10
.
In 2006, it was approved by voters to be
extended for an additional 30 years, and
is expected to generate around $2.5
billion for transportation programs. The
allocation of the measure can be seen in
Figure []: passenger rail, bus, and
bicycle development includes bus rapid
transit or cycling lanes and congestion
relief projects, includes expanding
highways. Even though 67.5% of the
revenue goes to car-related developments, Measure K still provides almost a third of its revenue
to transit development, which is a step in the right direction.
Figure 19: Measure K Allotment
For the 2014 Measure K Ordinance and expenditure plan, the transportation improvement plan is
meant to fill $7 billion gap in transportation funding11
. As mentioned earlier, of the $2.5 billion
expected to be raised, 30% of that, or $756 million, will go to transit purposes. Further
breakdown shows 39% of that total, or $295 million will go to passenger rail transit, 49% ($370
million) to bus transit, 5% ($38 million) to bus rapid transit capital, and 7% ($53 million) for
bicycles, pedestrians and safe routes to school. Even though there has been a lot of emphasis on
BRT, less money is spent on developing bus transit as compared to the other sectors. Indeed,
passenger rail transit commands 40% of the budget. Similarly, the passenger rail transit focuses
on connecting Stockton to the Bay Area and other cities, instead of focusing Stockton’s internal
connectivity. Bus transit funds all the bus services within the county, with the San Joaquin
Regional Transit District (SJRTD) receiving a minimum allocation of 50% of the funds. Still,
bus transit is getting a significant investment, and should continue to develop, in order to help
those who need it, as compared to those who don’t have to necessarily use the train.
10
Measure K. (2014). Retrieved December 12, 2014, from http://sjcog.org/index.aspx?NID=97
11
San Joaquin Council of Governments. (2014). Measure K Renewal 2014 Ordinance and Expenditure Plan.
Retrieved from http://sjcog.org/DocumentCenter/View/794

34
Target Goals
The target goal for public transit is compared to San Mateo County due to the similar population sizes of
the two counties, whereas the city of San Mateo is around six times smaller than San Joaquin County12
.
Goal Metric Current Status Comparison Target Goal
Reduce vehicle
miles traveled
(VMT) per capita
VMT 2005: 28.09 daily
VMT per capita13
US 2013: 25.76 daily
VMT per capita14
2040: 26.71 daily VMT per
capita15
Increase number
of bicycle
commuters
Number of
commuters
2009: 6339
commuters in San
Joaquin County16
City of San Mateo
2008: 1281
commuters17
2020: 8000 commuters in
SJC
Increase ridership
of public transit
Annual
Number of
Passengers
Fiscal Year 2013:
4,300,292
passengers18
San Mateo County
samTrans 2013 Fiscal
Year: 12,752,336
passengers19
2018 Fiscal Year: 5,385,442
passengers17
Add bike lanes to
Airport Way
Number of
Lanes
No lanes Stockton 2012: 36.13
Class 2 Miles18
2020: 4.12 Class 2 Miles
from E. Miner Avenue to the
Stockton Airport19
Reduce time to
reach market
Time 8 minutes by car
from Airport Way
& 8th Street to
Food 4 Less
x minutes from North
Stockton to decent
grocery store
2020: <5 minute by car from
south stockton to grocery
store along vacant lot
Table 2: Movement Target Goals
12
US Census Bureau. (2014, June). Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin
for the United States, States, and Counties: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013. Retrieved from
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk
13
Blueprint for American Prosperity. (2008). Vehicle Miles Traveled.Retrieved from
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Reports/2008/6/metropolicy/vehicle_miles_traveld.PDF
14
McCahill, Chris. (2014, February 24). Per capita vmt drops for ninth straight year; DOTs take notice. State Smart
Transportation Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.ssti.us/2014/02/vmt-drops-ninth-year-dots-taking-notice/
15
San Joaquin Council of Governments. (2014). Appendix M Performance Measures. Retrieved from
http://sjcog.org/DocumentCenter/View/502
16,18,19
Alta Planning + Design. (2012,September). Regional Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Safe Routes to School Master
Plan. Retrieved from http://ca-sjcog.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/61
17
City of San Mateo. (2010). Bicycle Master Plan. Retrieved from
http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/11277
18
,17 DeMartino, Donna. (2013, November 4). Short Range Transit Plan Fiscal Year 2014-2018. Retrieved from
http://www.sanjoaquinrtd.com/srtp/pdf/20131104-RTD%20Short%20Range%20Transit%20Plan%20-
%20Final%20.pdf
19
SamTrans. (2014, August 8). Ridership. samTrans.com. Retrieved from
http://www.samtrans.com/about/Bus_Operations_Information/Ridership.html

35
Environment
Climate, Climate Action Plan, Hazards
Climate
● Hot dry summers, cool wet winters
● Average annual rainfall: 14 inches (source?)
● Implications: susceptible to drought, low heating loads, high cooling demand.
Figure 20: Heating and Cooling Cost index comparing Stockton with CA and the US.20
Climate Action Plan
The goal of the proposed Climate Action Plan (CAP) and related plans/programs is to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions to 10 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2020, as required by Assembly Bill 32, the
Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006; and the 2008 Settlement Agreement between the City of
Stockton, the Attorney General of California and the Sierra Club.
Background
● The City of Stockton is projected to grow by 31,863 inhabitants between 2005 and 2020, or by
10% (U.S. Census 2005; Fehr & Peers 2011).
● General Plan Lawsuit: Settlement Agreement with the Sierra Club and the Attorney General
○ CAP: one of the conditions of the Settlement Agreement
○ Climate Action Plan Advisory Committee (CAPAC): stakeholders from environmental,
non‐profit, labor, business, and development interests.  
Current Trajectory - Business As Usual
● 13% projected emissions increase from 2005 to 2020 based on the expected growth in city
population, employment, and housing
● 2,672,519 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide (Co2) equivalent (e).
● Assumed drivers of emissions growth: Vehicle miles traveled (VMT), building energy
consumption, water use, and wastewater generation due to population and economic growth.
● Projected Emissions increases by sector (2005-2020)21
20
Stockton, CA Weather. (n.d.). Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.usa.com/stockton-ca-weather.htm

36
○ Transportation: 9%
○ Building energy: 17%
○ Water: 42%
○ Wastewater: 11%, respectively.
Stockton’s GHG Target for 2020 is 2,122,000 Metric Tons Co2e.
Emissions Inventory: Major Sources
The CAP assumes 83% of the reductions needed to achieve the City’s GHG reduction goal will be
achieved through state programs, with the remainder (17%) accomplished through City‐level programs.
Building energy, transportation, and waste were identified as areas with great potential for emissions
savings.22
The inventory analyzed emissions from the following sectors
● On-Road Transportation: Fuel consumption for on‐road vehicles due to the land uses in the
City.
● Building Energy (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial): Natural gas and electricity
consumption
● Solid Waste Management: Methane emissions from landfills
● Off-Road Equipment:
● High GWP GHGs: Fugitive emissions of HFCs and CFCs from appliances and SF6 from
transmission
● Wastewater Treatment:
● Water Importation:
● Agriculture: N2O emissions
21
ICF International (2014). City of Stockton Climate Action Plan. Sacramento, CA. Prepared for City of Stockton,
Stockton, CA. Retrieved December 22 2014, from
http://www.stocktongov.com/files/Climate_Action_Plan_August_2014.pdf
22
ICF International (2014).

37
Figure 21: Mton CO2e released in Stockton by sector.23
Sources included in the “Other Sources” category include
solid waste management (3%), water importation (0.4%), and agriculture (0.04%). 2020 projection for business as usual
case without the Climate Action Plan.
*2020 CAP target values assuming uniform 10% reduction across all sectors, including state initiatives.
23

38
Reduction Measures
24 separate GHG reduction measures
The CAP includes a Cost/Benefit Analysis of many GHG reduction measures.
Carbon Offsets: considered but not analyzed further, City prefers focus on programs that would direct
economic resources within Stockton.
Measure Description
Multisectoral
DRP-1 Development review process
Building Energy
Energy-1 Existing Green Building Ordinance (mandatory)
Energy-2a Outdoor Lighting Upgrades (city)
Energy-2b Outdoor Lighting Upgrades (voluntary, private)
Energy-3 Residential Efficiency incentives and retrofit programs (voluntary)
Energy-4 Non-Residential Efficiency incentives and retrofit programs (voluntary)
Energy-5 Solar Powered Parking
Energy-6 Rooftop Solar
Land Use and Transportation
Trans-1 Land use/transportation system design integration
Trans-2 Parking policies
Trans-3 Transit system support
Trans-4 Efficient Goods Movement
Trans-5 Reduce barriers for Non-Motorized Travel
Trans-6 Transit system improvements (City + RTD)
Trans-7 Safe Routes to School (city)
Trans-8a Additional Safe Routes to School (City)
Trans-8b Transportation Demand Management (Private, Voluntary)
Waste
Waste-1 Increased Waste Diversion (Mandatory)
Water
Water-1 Comply with SB X7-7

39
Water-2 Promotion of water efficiency for existing development
Wastewater
Wastewater-1 Energy efficiency improvements at the RWCF (City)
Urban Forestry
Urban Forestry-1 Urban tree planting programs
High GWP GHGs
HGWP GHG-1 Residential Responsible Appliance Disposal Programs (city)
Off-road vehicles
Off-Road-1 Electric Powered Construction Equipment (Voluntary)
Off-Road-2 Reduced Idling Times for Construction Equipment (Mandatory)
Off-Road-3 Electric Landscaping Equipment (Voluntary)
Table 3: List of GHG Reduction Measures

40
GHG emissions Reductions MT CO2e Percent of total reduction (%)
STATE PROGRAMS 473,415 83
LOCAL PROGRAMS
Development Review process 4,963 1
Building energy use measures 49,271 9
Land use and transportation
measures
13,619 to 19,360 2 to 3
Waste generation measures 4,245 1
Water consumption measures 16,228 3
Wastewater treatment measures 312 0.1
Urban forestry measures 75 0.0
High GWP GHG measures 255 0.0
Off-road vehicle measures 2,622 0.5
Subtotal for LOCAL
PROGRAMS
91,590 to 97,331 16-17
TOTAL REDUCTIONS 565,005 to 570,746 100
Table 4: GHG Emissions reductions by measure category

41
Figure 22: Estimated breakdown of emissions reductions by sector24
.
Implementation
Funding
Private
Private equity
Power Purchase Agreements
On-bill financing
Upfront costs of local programs add up to $1.4 million for the city. For the remainder, other sources of
funding are necessary. Public Private Partnership are hailed in the Climate Action Plan, and considered a
necessary path towards implementation considering the city’s limited access to resources as it emerges
from bankruptcy. The city’s primary role will be “that of a convener and land/infrastructure owner,”
bringing together private interests and public stakeholders such as property owners, developers,
transportation authorities, financial sector members, the Chamber of Commerce, neighborhood alliances,
24

42
and universities.25
Figure 23: Cost/ton reduction CO2e, using the NPV. Negative values indicate net savings over measure lifetime.
25
ICF International (2014)

43
Figure 24: Measures sorted by increasing upfront cost. Some measures not listed because they are mandated through
state programs, are existing practices, or are not quantified. Rooftop solar value is upper estimate
Public
Federal tax credits
Energy efficient mortgages
Utility program: California Solar Initiative
Utility program: Energy Upgrade California – San Joaquin County
California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
California Air Resources Board
Existing Capital Improvement Programs (CIP)
State Infill Infrastructure Grant Program
Transportation-specific Federal and State funding
Public Utility Enterprises: rate increases
Measure K: transportation funding through half cent sales tax increase
AB 2766 and SB 709: Vehicle registration fees used towards air mitigation
Bus Stop Sponsorships
Transit fare increases
Parcel Tax
As evident above, a variety of federal, state, and local funds are available for greenhouse gas reduction
measures. While many are sector specific (i.e. Measure K only focuses on transportation), these are still

44
valuable resources to be leveraged as the city meets its goals, and should be considered for future
development in general.
Financing
AB 811 (PACE)
Property owners can assess their buildings to receive low interest loans for energy efficiency, water
conservation, and renewable generation to be paid off through property taxes. Stockton participates in the
HERO PACE program, the largest in the country26
, which ensures that these programs meet federal
standards for mortgages.
Timeline
Prior to Approval of CAP:
Begin GHG inventory (2009)
Inventory completed and accepted by the CAPAC (2011)
CAP Approved (December 2014)
Approval onwards:
Phase 1 (2014-2015):
● Develop key procedures, programs, policies
● Greater Downtown Stockton Area Specific Plan
● Planning framework
● Complete cost benefit analyses for urban forestry, HGWP GHG, and off-road vehicle measures
● Updated emissions inventory
Phase 2 (2016-2017)
● Continue measures already enacted in Phase 1
● Review measure effectiveness
● Identify and implement measures for Phase 2
Phase 3 (2018-2020)
● Continue existing measures
● Implement remaining measures
● Analyze Phase 1 and 2 measure effectiveness
● New GHG inventory
● Begin planning ahead beyond 2020
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring expected to take place in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Annual reporting expected from Climate
Implementation Coordinator. Protocol for monitoring has not yet been developed.
26
Stockton City Council votes to Adopt HERO Residential Energy and Water Efficiency Program. (2014, May 7).
Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.greentechmedia.com/industry/read/stockton-city-council-votes-to-
adopt-hero-residential-energy-345840

45
The criteria for choosing which measures will be implemented first include27
:
● Cost/funding: Measure cost (upfront and long term), does funding exist
● GHG reductions: emissions reduction effectiveness
● Consistency with existing programs:
● Impact on the community: advantages and disadvantages to community?
● Implementation speed: Both in terms of implementation and ability to reap benefits
● Implementation effort: Difficulty of implementation
Note that though some of the above criteria are quantifiable, many are qualitative and nuanced. It is not
immediately obvious how the city will choose measures that do well in different respects, or whether
more weight is given to certain criteria. It may be safe to assume that cost and emissions reductions are
the primary priorities, but even then there are long term and short term differences in how costs impact
the city, due to savings for example.
Air Pollution
Figure 25: Breakdown of major precursors to smog by source. Due to the San Joaquin Valley’s strong agricultural
economy, diesel trucks and farming operations are the two largest contributors to NOx and VOC emissions, respectively.
While a similar breakdown of PM 2.5 emissions was not found, wood burning seems significant as Figure [# above + 2 ]
focuses specifically on the winter months when wood burning is more likely to take place.
27
ICF International (2014)

46
Figure 26: SJVAPCD Report to the Community: hours over the 1-hr ozone standard. Strong decrease in ozone standard
violations down to zero hours over the one hour standard in 2013.28
Figure 27: SJVAPCD Report to the Community: PM 2.5 standard violations and number of healthy and unhealthy
days.29
While the San Joaquin Valley has been notorious for its elevated pollution levels, the region seems to be
making significant strides towards improving its air quality. Ozone in particular has improved
dramatically, and in 2013 had zero exceedances. For this reason, the SJVAPCD has asked the EPA to lift
the $29 million penalty for ozone and to designate the region as “in Attainment.” However, PM 2.5
concentrations remain high and stricter ozone standards aren’t necessarily met - the San Joaquin Valley
remains “the most polluted region in the nation outside of Los Angeles County.”30
While a detailed
analysis for Stockton has not been completed, staying attentive to air quality issues will be important for
protecting the health and safety of its citizens.
28
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (2014). Report to the Community 2013-14 Edition.
http://www.valleyair.org/2013-14-AnnualReport.pdf. Retrieved 12/22/2014
29
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (2014).
About the District. (n.d.). Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.valleyair.org/General_info/aboutdist.htm
30
Barboza, T. (2013, December 22). San Joaquin Valley officials fight with EPA over air quality. Retrieved
December 23, 2014.

47
Figure 28: Attainment Status for Criteria Pollutants in the San Joaquin Valley. Note that PM and ozone remain classified
as “nonattainment,” or not meeting the standard.31
Flooding
Below a flood zone map is presented, as updated and issued by New Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) for San Joaquin county. This map is part of the
San Joaquin map and focuses in Stockton and in particular the southern part of the city which is our
interest area.
Flooding is the most likely natural hazard to occur in the area, since San Joaquin County is largely
surrounded by water, protected by levees, and experiences periodic flooding.
Building restrictions apply in areas designated as Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zone A).
For all parcels designated as Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone A), building restrictions will apply to new
construction, reconstruction and additions, including but not limited to a requirement to elevate new and
existing structures above the base flood elevation.
For all existing property identified on the final maps as being in a high-risk area, should be advised to
carry flood insurance.
Only a small percentage of South Stockton is in Zone A and thus under flood risk. Only the areas close to
water are in Zone A. Parts of South Stockton are also in the areas protected by levees.
31
About the District. (n.d.).

48
Figure 29: Excerpt of map delineating changes in floodplain areas from the San Joaquin Valley Planning Department,
focus on Stockton.32
Yellow areas are protected by levees, and white areas do not face substantial flood risk. All blue areas
are considered at risk for flooding and require additional insurance,and dark blue areas represent more additions.
32
San Joaquin County Public Works Department (2009). San Joaquin County Flood Zone Changes: Final FEMA
DFIRM Data. Accessed 12/22/2014.

49
SWOT
Strengths:
· Waterway system for irrigation
· Climate action plan,
· Highly fertile soil
· Biodiversity
· Agriculturally rich area
Weaknesses
· Potentially contaminated brownfields,
· High energy consumption in summer
· Urban sprawl
Opportunities
· Delta water supply project
· Rise of electricity mobility
· Number of sunny days
· Constant wind
· Recycling material projects
Threats
· Natural hazards (medium: earthquakes, high: floods, droughts, freeze)

50
Target Goals
CAP: Reduce
emissions 10%
from 2005 levels
by 2020.
tons CO2eq per
capita
8.1 tons/capita (2005),
2.016 tons/capita from
residential and
transportation (2005)33
10.7 tons/capita
(2005)34
6.6 tons/capita
(10% reduction
from 2005 levels)
by 2020
New buildings
must be efficient
and LEED
certified
kwh/ square
foot, %change
Not quantified 25% reduction in
HVAC, lighting, and
water heating from 2008
standard.35
25% reduction
Commercial
Rooftop Solar
% of electricity
from solar
Not Quantified 5% (PG&E preliminary
average for 2013)36
10% by 2020
Meet CA PM2.5
standards
concentration
PM 2.5, # days
above standard
6 exceedance days in
2012 37
135 days above standard
2012-1338
0 days above
standard in
Stockton
Meet CA Ozone
Standards
concentration
ozone, # of
hours above
standard
5 exceedance days of
CA 8-hr standard
(2014)
US 8-hr standard
(2014)
CA 8-hr standard in CA,
135 in San Joaquin
Valley Air Basin
(2014)39
0 exceedance
days for any
ozone standard
Reduce impact of
new development
on flooding
% change in
impermeable
surfaces
Not quantified Not quantified <= 0% (net
decrease in
impervious
surfaces)
Table 5: Environmental Target Goals
33
Marilyn Brown, Frank Southworth, and Andrea Sarzynski - Brookings Institution (2008), “Shrinking the Carbon
Footprint of Metropolitan America”
34
U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. (2014, February 25).
Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/state/state_emissions.cfm
35
Building Energy Efficiency Standards: Frequently Asked Questions:. (2012, May). Retrieved December 22, 2014
from
http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2013standards/rulemaking/documents/2013_Building_Energy_Efficiency_Standar
ds_FAQ.pdf.
36
Wesoff, E. (2014, March 27). California Utility PG&E Exceeds 20 Percent Renewable Energy Standard.
Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/California-Utility-PGE-Exceeds-
20-Percent-Renewable-Energy-Standard
37
AQMIS Data: Stockton-Hazelton Street. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2014, from
http://www.arb.ca.gov/aqmis2/display.php?param=PM25HR&units=001&year=2012&report=SITE1YR&statistic=
DAVG&site=2094&ptype=aqd&monitor=G
38
Figure [ ]
39
Latest Year's (Annual) Ozone Summaries for Selected Regions (PST). (2014, December 22). Retrieved December
23, 2014, from http://www.arb.ca.gov/aqmis2/ozone_annual.php

51
Health + Safety
Crime
Violent Crime
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*
Murders 37 40 41 37 29 24 33 49 58 71 32
Rapes 155 108 109 102 105 112 82 107 90 90 91
Assaults 2,225 2,365 2,695 2,630 2,467 2,628 2,329 2,464 2,684 2,913 2,144
Robberies 1,208 1,187 1,357 1,519 1,615 1,158 1,259 1,413 1,323 1,556 1,088
Violent
crime rate
(Stockton,
CA)
761.8 743.8 818.3 808.4 771.3 799.5 691.1 763.3 778.5 857.6 no data
Violent
crime rate
(U.S.
average)
262.6 256.0 258.9 264.1 259.7 252.4 238.0 223.2 214.1 214.0 no data
Table 6: Violent crimes in Stockton: rate of crime per 100000 people40
* - as of December 2013
Property crime
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013*
Burglaries 3,125 3,067 3,434 3,836 4,054 4,353 3,980 4,482 4,133 4,416 4,189
Thefts 11,791 11,023 11,487 12,202 11,783 11,102 9,274 9,654 9,651 8,339 8,748
Auto-thefts 3,863 4,135 3,940 3,681 2,840 2,500 2,173 2,041 1,679 2,503 2,143
Property
crime rate
(Stockton,
CA)
702.5 686.2 683.6 693.1 639.0 639.0 564.3 600.1 550.0 582.6 no data
Property
crime rate
(U.S.
average)
334.1 327.4 322.3 317.3 309.2 302.2 285.6 276.4 273.5 266.5 no data
Table 7:Property Crimes in Stockton, rate of crimes/100000 people41
40
Crime rate in Stockton, California (CA): Murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts, arson, law
enforcement employees, police officers, crime map. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2014, from http://www.city-
data.com/crime/crime-Stockton-California.html

52
* - as of December 2013
Although, crime continues to be of significant concern in South Stockton, the measures and
initiatives introduced to addressed the problem are finally providing measurable results.
In 2013, initiatives including Operation Ceasefire, accomplished to drop the year’s homicide
count by 55%, robberies count by 30%, and assaults by 17%, when compared to the year prior.
This success can also be attributed to the increased participation of citizens in reporting crimes.
Yet, even with said progress, the city's crime rates continue to be comparable to the metropolitan
areas of Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles and much higher than those of its size and density.
Particularly responsible for these numbers are historically poor neighborhoods such as South and
Southwest Stockton (District 6). These dire need for economic development and better
infrastructure in these neighborhoods has lead to problems such as high gang activity, low
income rates, and a poorly educated youth.
Figure 30: Stockton homicides.
Gangs
Street gangs have been the biggest provider of crime in the city of Stockton. In the past few
decades gang activity was constantly increasing, which can be explained by the poor social and
economic status of the minorities in the suburban parts of the city. Stockton's present-time gang
members are usually in their late teens or in early 20s, with no education, relying only on
41
Crime rate in Stockton (n.d.)

53
themselves and their fellow gang members. Although the comradeship between old friends is
still present, the model of constructed crime organization is slowly falling to pieces. The trend of
all vs. all mentality has been a huge difference when comparing gangs in Stockton to those in
bigger metropolitan areas and is making an unfriendly environment even more dangerous.
Another thing that is making the suburban areas more dangerous than in the past, is a common
belief that every dispute gang members have among themselves should be solved with fire-arm.
The guns are either stolen or purchased from drug addicts in exchange for drugs.
Figure 31
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan is addressing crime as a system-wide problem, involving Stockton's police
department, criminal justice agencies, non-profitable organizations and city's residents. The
communication and collaboration between these parties is crucial when trying to reduce crime
trends. The Marshall Plan strives to focus the community’s efforts on “hot” people and places for
crime reduction. Much of its design is informed by the statistic that over the last two years, less
than .2% of Stockton's population was responsible for up to 80% of homicides.

54
Figure 32:From Marshall Plan Symposium Overview, February 8, 2013.42
The Marshall Plan was passed in two stages. Measure A was a ¾-cent general sales tax effective
April 2014. Measure B allocates 65% towards increasing public safety through Marshall Plan
implementation and 35% toward ending bankruptcy and service restoration. In addition, the plan
establishes a Citizen Advisory Committee to engage community members with these efforts.
The result of this program were operations like "Operation Ceasefire" a gun violence
intervention strategy which is cooperating with federal gun and narcotics operations and is
concentrating on the small number of gang members responsible for a large number of violent
crimes in Stockton. The police department reported that the 54% drop of murders in 2013 was
the direct effect of Operation Ceasefire, giving it a much needed momentum fighting crime in the
future. Another cause for lower crime rates compared to years from 2008 to 2012, was an
additional recruitment of 120 police officers. The Stockton Police Department had 346 officers
in 2013, the largest number of sworn officers since 2008 and are estimated to get another 50 in
the next two years.
42
http://www.stocktongov.com/files/2013_2_08_MarshallPlan_SymposiumOverviewPowerPoint_34pages.pdf

55
Figure 33: From “Measures A and B Implementation Plan Phase 1.” City Council Meeting. February 25, 2014.43
Community Voices
Figure 34:Word cloud of survey responses to the question, “What would you change about the community?”
The Reinvent South Stockton Survey was a primary source for us to gauge some of the potential
areas for growth. Self-generated ideas from the community are often very powerful and the
community survey data collected showed a community that has thought deeply about their needs
and what they want out of their community. This word cloud was generated in response to the
43
Measure A & B Implementation Plan Phase I: Stockton City Council Meeting (2014). Retreived December 23
from http://stockton.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=48&clip_id=4768&meta_id=393646

56
question, “What would you change about the community?” The biggest trends in responses were
concerns about safety. Many talked about the violence in the community and issues with the
police force. They wanted more effective police presence; many people said that the police did
not respond when called. Considering that the Stockton budget is almost 50% expenditures on
the Police force, it is concerning that there is a perception of a lack of police presence. How can
we utilize that budget in a more effective manner to better support the communities that need it
most?
Target Goals
Goal Metric Current Status US Average Target Goal
Reduce Number of
Homicides
# per
year/100,000
people
857.6 214 214
Reduce Property
Crimes
# per
year/100,000
people
582.6 266.5 267
Table 8: Health and Safety Target Goals

57
Community
Demographic analysis + education.
Key Demographics
For the purposes of this analysis, South Stockton has been distinguished as the zip codes 95206, 95205,
and 95203.
Figure 35
Racial Breakdown
Figure 36

58
Education Levels
Figure 37
Family Structures
Figure 38

59
Figure 39
Unemployment and Poverty
Figure 40
School Standings
California Growth44
API*
City of Stockton45
Average API**
Difference (CA -
Stockton)
All Grades 790 713 77
44
California Department of Education. (n.d.). 2012-13 Accountability Progress Reporting (APR). Retrieved
December 18, 2014, from http://api.cde.ca.gov/Acnt2013/2013GrthStAPI.aspx?allcds=
45
California Department of Education. (n.d.). Local Educational Agency (LEA) List of Schools 3 - Year Average
Academic Peformance Index Report. Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://api.cde.ca.gov/acnt2014/apiavgdst.aspx?cYear=&allcds=3968676&cChoice=2013BDst

60
Elementary School 811 704 107
Middle School 800 779.5 20.5
High School 757 656.3 100.7
Table 9: Academic Progress Index (API) Rankings
*The Growth API summarizes a school's, an Local Educational Agency (LEA's), or the state's performance
on the 2013 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program and 2013 California High School Exit
Examination (CAHSEE) tests. The API is on a scale of 200 to 1000.
**Stockton’s Average API is based on the 3-year average from 2011-2013 on a scale of 200 to 1000.
Table 2: High School Dropout Rates
California46
San Joaquin
County16
City of
Stockton47
High School Dropouts (%) 11.4 12.0 24.3*
Table 10: : High School Dropout Rates
*The City of Stockton Dropout Rates are derived from data concluding that 75.7% of the Stockton
population 25 years and older have a High School or higher education.
Metric CA % San Joaquin
County %
3rd graders at or above proficient in language arts 33 25
7th graders at or above proficient in mathematics 42 38
High school students at or above proficient in chemistry 27 26
Graduated from high school within 4 years 73 72
Graduated with CSU/UC Requirements 30 22
Table 11: Academic Milestones Among Socio‐economically Disadvantaged Students48
46
High School Dropouts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2014, from
http://www.kidsdata.org/topic/105/highschooldropouts/table#fmt=192&loc=2,127,347,1763,331,348,336,171,321,3
45,357,332,324,369,358,362,360,337,327,364,356,217,353,328,354,323,352,320,339,334,365,343,330,367,344,355,
366,368,265,349,361,4,273,59,370,326,333,322,341,338,350,342,329,325,359,351,363,340,335&tf=73&sortColum
nId=1&sortType=desc
47
Stockton, California. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2014, from http://www.city-data.com/city/Stockton-
California.html
48
Community Needs Assessment of Children and Families in San Joaquin County. (n.d.). Retrieved December 22,
2014, from http://www.hscdc.org/pdf/SJCCA2014.pdf

61
A Walk Down Airport Way: The Big Picture
The charts above were generated using 2010 census data by zip code. These numbers are only half of the
story that South Stockton has to tell. As shown, the area is predominantly Hispanic and contains above
average numbers of Black residents. All three zip codes in South Stockton are minority-majority
populations. South Stockton has experienced tensions between authoritative bodies and members of the
community because of the lack of representational governance and policing, as discussed in the Health
and Crime section. South Stockton is a distinct area from the rest of Stockton due to both the physical and
cultural barriers that prohibit interactions between the more affluent populations in North Stockton and
the comparatively impoverished populations found in South Stockton.
South Stockton has higher than average numbers of families. The area is suburban and primarily single-
family homes, as discussed in the Housing section. Despite the high rates of crime, the area contains a lot
of youth and families. However, these families are under the pressure of higher than average rates of
poverty and unemployment. The impression given by the demographics and by the efforts of the Reinvent
South Stockton Coalition is that these families are at the heart of the community and bolstering programs
and features that support them will be the best chance at success.
The key to success for many communities is
education. Level of education is one of the key
predictors of behavior. The area has lower rates of
attainment for Bachelor’s degrees and
higher as compared to the state of California as a
whole. Stockton has a number of universities, but
they are not integrated with the community and
there are a number of physical barriers that make it
difficult for young people without personal
transportation to pursue higher education. Beyond
that, many schools in South Stockton are far below
the California average Academic Progress Index
and only 22% of San Joaquin Valley students
graduate with the requirements for admission to
UCs and CSUs.
Figure 41: Google Maps reference of Higher Education
Institutions in the Stockton area. Airport Way is denoted
with a star.
Supporting education and youth development is critical to empower the community members of Stockton,
reduce crime, and in the long term, raise the level of education and thus, median income of the area.

62
Education
Supplementary Educational Programs
Head Start Child Development Inc.49
Head Start is a federally funded child development program provided for low-income populations at no
cost to families. The Head Start program serves children age three until Kindergarten eligibility. Early
Head Start serves pregnant women, expectant families, and infants/toddlers up to age three.
Head Start is the leading publicly-funded comprehensive early child development program in the country.
Enrollment in preschool is correlated strongly with future success and the impact is even larger in areas of
low income50
.
Head Start has had a presence in San Joaquin County for 50 years. It has 15 locations in the South
Stockton area, and 5 locations also provide Early Head Start services.
Programs Offered:
● Head Start - 5 days/week
○ Full and Part day classes
○ Extended Care, up to 6 hours/day
○ Home Base Classes
■ Weekly visits focused on parent role in education
● Early Head Start - 5 days/week
○ Full and Part day classes
○ Extended Care, up to 6 hours/day
○ Home Base Classes
○ Pregnant Women’s Program
Stockton STEP Up51
Stockton STEP Up is a free afterschool program that targets students with the greatest need in English
Language and Pre-algebra/Algebra skills, but leaves remaining slots open to any students on a first-come,
first-serve basis. STEP Up develops enrichment activities to engage learning in areas of literacy, math,
social studies, science, visual and performing arts, and civics. As of now, STEP Up exists in six
elementary schools throughout Stockton
Program Goals:
● Increase basic math skills
49
Head Start Child Development Council, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved December 22, 2014, from http://www.hscdc.org/
50
Anderson, L. M., Shinn, C., Fullilove, M. T., Scrimshaw, S. C., Fielding, J. E., Normand, J., & Carande-Kulis, V.
G. (2003). The effectiveness of early childhood development programs: A systematic review. American journal of
preventive medicine, 24(3), 32-46.
51
Stockton Unified School District: Welcome to STEP Up. Retrieved December 18, 2014, from http://www.susd-
ca.schoolloop.com/stepup092810

63
● Increase academic achievement in ELA
● Increase student engagement in school
● Increase student physical fitness
● Provide a safe environment for children during after school hours
Means to reach target goals:
● Use Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) to analyze academic goals of each student
● Promote active student engagement through leadership in planning activities, use staff’s passions
to inspire students
● Hold Family Nights to draw broader community to celebrate achievements of students
● Track attendance and ask parents of targeted students to enroll them
● Engage in 30 minutes of recreation each day and implement a curriculum for healthy eating
choices
● Create a Youth Council to identify bullies/bullying behavior and reward/empower students to
problem solve
● Conduct yearly surveys to assess program’s success
District Average Math
Scores Pre Test Mid-Year Post Test
% Increase
(Pre/ Post)
1st Grade 32.41% 48.76% 70.30% 117%
2nd Grade 56.20% 65.72% 76.47% 36%
3rd grade 49.82% 65.14% 76.57% 54%
4th Grade 52.12% 60.73% 71.05% 36%
5th Grade 52.12% 60.73% 71.05% 36%
6th Grade 49.10% 53.16% 59.78% 22%
7th Grade 59.99% 60.76% 66.24% 10%
8th
Grade 60.28% 62.80% 65.36% 8%
Table 12: Math Scores of STEP Up Students
PLUS52
The Stockton Unified School District has implemented a Peer Leaders Uniting Students (PLUS) program
in 41 Elementary Schools, 1 Middle School, and 7 High Schools so far. The program focuses on building
strengths in student connection, gathering data, and program development. Through peer to peer program
development, facilitators help students engage and connect to utilize leadership qualities and connect
students to adults on campus. The program also helps schools gather data through a Directional
Leadership Survey and Resource Database. PLUS also provides professional development training and
52
Our Services. (2013, June 4). PLUS Program. Retrieved December 21, 2014, from
http://www.plusprogram.org/find_us/

64
conferences for staff members to educate about youth safety and school climate as well as various
prevention programs. Though the PLUS program aims to help with student involvement and safety in
school, it fails to provide students with further enrichment and activities after school hours.
Potential for Future Programs
Benefits of Gardening for Children53
Research shows that gardening provides an array of engagement and educational opportunities for
children “including designing, planting and maintaining gardens; harvesting, preparing and sharing food;
working cooperatively in groups; working cooperatively in groups; learning about science and nutrition’
and creating art and stories inspired by gardens” (Yost).
Research-proven benefits include:
● Lifelong benefits from interactive knowledge of healthy foods, outdoor physical activity, and
positive social interactions
● Positive social and interpersonal skills gained from bonding through communal effort
● Community growth
● Healthy eating habits and hands on nutritional education
● Increase in science achievement and positive attitude towards learning
● Higher self-efficacy and enhanced environmental stewardship and value
● Opportunities for special populations including children with learning disabilities and juvenile
offenders to engage in positive cooperative effort
Lodi Example: Bridge After School Program54
The Lodi Bridge After School Program runs daily after school until 6 pm and focuses on a number of
areas integral to child development including academics, enrichment, and physical recreation. Since the
program addresses a wide range of developmental areas including career exploration, leadership building,
community service learning, hands on project based learning, and a respect for diversity, Bridge not only
enhances academic performance but also provides a space for real world application and lifelong
betterment.
Mission Statement:
The Lodi Unified After School - Bridge Program will engage students in year-round expanded learning
programs to support student achievement and prepare them for college, career and life.
Bridge Program Goals:
Participating students in the program will experience...
● Respect for Diversity
53
Yost, B. Benefits of Gardening for Children. Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design.
University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
http://www.childrenandnature.org/downloads/CYEfactsheet3gardening2009.pdf
54
LodiUSD: Bridge After School Program. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2014, from
http://www.lodiusd.net/bridge

65
● Trusting Relationships
● Safe & Supervised Environment
● Common Core Program Design with Expanded Learning Opportunities
● Project Based Learning Activities in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM)
● Academic Homework Assistance that supports Mastery by a Credential Teacher
● Enrichment and Recreation Opportunities
● Student Centered Activities
● Citizenship and Leadership Building
● Community Service Learning Opportunities
● Career Explorations
● Positive and Fun Learning Environment for all Students
In Conclusion: The Value of Enrichment Activities55
Education and recreation enhance the lives of people of all ages, yet the American school system
continuously cuts the budget for recreation and extracurricular activities. Enrichment activities provide
an outlet to allow students to develop creativity, moral direction, a sense of responsibility, and
cooperation in diverse settings. Traditional education focuses on mastery of information but often fails to
encourage independent learning and discovery, self-motivation, and the value of learned skills in later
life. Lasting impacts from enrichment activities include an awareness of purpose outside of the self,
positive interactions with the natural world, influence on character and attitude, and interest in developing
new skills and reaching goals.
55
Sabo, K. The Value of Enrichment Activities. Home EDucators Resource Directory. Retrieved December 21,
2014, from http://www.homeeddirectory.com/blog/value-enrichment-activities

66
Target Goals
Raise API (by target
goal points)
200-1000
point scale
All: 713
Elem: 704
Middle: 779.5
High:656.3
All: 790
Elem: 811
Middle: 800
High: 757
All: 77
Elem: 107
Middle: 20.5
High: 100.7
Increase Graduation
Rates
% 75.7% 88.6% 12.9%
Increase School
Sponsored
Afterschool
Programs
# Available
Programs: STEP
Up and Head Start
STEP Up: 6
schools
n/a Available Programs: start
program similar to Lodi
Bridge
STEP Up: 12 schools by
2016
Agricultural
Education through
Community
Gardens
# n/a n/a Establish a community
garden and partner with
schools using one of the
empty lots
Increase Diversity
of Enrichment
Focus
areas
- STEM
achievement
- Recreation
- English
Language Arts
- Safe environment
n/a - Respect for diversity
- Stewardship and
community service
- Hands on project based
learning
- Career exploration
- College preparation
- Life skills
- Independent learning and
self motivation
Table 13: Community Target Goals

67
Housing
Homeownership
From 2010 Census data, about 59.2% of the Stockton population are comprised of homeowners,
in more detail, homeownership rates are noted by ethnicities. African Americans are the ethnic
group with the lowest number of homeownership rates at 41.9% in 2010, the ethnic group also
predominantly concentrated within District 6.
Homeownership
Rates by Ethnicity
2000 2010
African American 43.9% 41.9%
American Indian 46.3% 46.9%
Asian/Pacific
Islander
55.5% 62.6%
Hispanic 48.3% 47.8%
White 68.2% 68.7%
Table 14: Homeownership by ethnicity
For Stockton as a whole from 200 Census data, 46.1% of the population is paying more than
30% of their income towards their rent. African Americans again number the highest among
ethnic populations paying over 30% of their income towards housing. American Indians come
out at 51.4% and Asian/Pacific Islanders are at 50.9%

68
Share of Renters Paying More than 30%
of income for Rent
2000
Metro Area 46.1%
Share of Renters Paying More than 30%
of Income for Rent by Ethnicity (2000)
Metro Area
African American 52.7%
American Indian 51.4%
Hispanic 46.1%
Asian/Pacific Islander 50.9%
White 43.5%
Table 15
Available and Vacant Housing
Housing Occupancy
Total housing units 100,011 100,011
Occupied housing units 90,372 90.4%
Vacant housing units 9,639 9.6%
Homeowner vacancy rate 2.6 (X)
Rental vacancy rate 7.5 (X)
Table 16

71
Figure 46
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009-2013 5-Year American Community Survey
Median value of housing
In 2005, the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit in Stockton was 341,800 dollars.
Housing values then peaked in 2006, reaching 384,000 dollars. The next year, prices fell 5.02%
as the financial crisis was starting to take shape. In 2008, with the recession in full swing, values
started falling more rapidly and by 2009, the median value had already halved compared to its
pre-crisis peak. In the following three years, the contraction in values diminished, finally
bottoming out in 2012 at a median value of 156,600 dollars, a 59% drop from the peak in 2006.
This decrease is considerably larger than the fall of housing values in California as a whole,
which stood at 35% and much larger still than the United States median housing value, which
fell 13% from its 2008 peak. Coming into 2013, housing values in Stockton rose only slightly,
reaching 162,000 dollars. These figures indicate that Stockton has been hit disproportionately
hard by the global financial crisis, severely affecting assets of residents and local government
income from property taxes. If the median value of housing units in Stockton stood at more than
twice the amount of the national figure in 2006, by 2009 it had dipped just below and had not
recovered by 2013. In fact, the situation had worsened still: in 2013, house values in Stockton
stood at 93% of the national median.

72
Figure 47: Home Sales in Stockton, CA
Estimated median house or condo value in 2012:
$156,600 (it was $117,500 in 2000)
o Stockton: $156,600
o California: $349,400
Mean Prices in 2011: $266,978

73
Below we present the situation in terms of housing in three zip codes in South Stockton. We can
see from the graphs that in these zip codes home sales follow the same decreasing trend as the
rest of the city. Median prices in general follow the same rising trend, but in the two zip codes
below that are southern (95203 and 95205) they are much less than the city average. Zip code
area 95206 is close to the city average both in terms of sales and median price of housing. For
reference, here are the zip boundaries for the three areas.
Figure 48
Home Sales in Zip Code 95203
Median value of housing units
with mortgages in 2011:
This zip code: $210,538
California: $363,600
with no mortgage in 2011:
This zip code:$230,595
Median price for vacant houses
and condos in 2011:
This zip code:$15,473,182
Figure 49

74
Homes sales in Zip Code 95205
with mortgages in 2011:
with no mortgage in 2011:
Median price for vacant houses &
condos in 2011:
Figure 50
Homes Sales in Zip Code 95206
Median value of housing units with mortgages in 2011:
Median value of housing units with
no mortgage in 2011:
Median price for vacant houses &
condos in 2011:
Figure 51

75
Foreclosures
In conjunction with homeowner data,
foreclosures within Stockton in 2005 (during
the housing boom) are shown. Foreclosures
are concentrated within Weston Ranch and
the north periphery of the city. Weston
Ranch served as a low to middle-income
community predominantly with minority
groups, located in District 6. Foreclosures in
2010, also signifying the housing market
collapse, overlay much of the city.
Foreclosures within Weston Ranch are
denser, with housing in Airport showing a
higher concentration on foreclosures. Spanos
Park East and other suburban neighborhoods
of the north also experienced a dramatic
density of foreclosures, areas that
experienced housing growth during the
housing boom. Foreclosures shown presently
for 2013 seem to be stabilizing compared to
2010, but a high amount of foreclosures are
still occurring in Weston Ranch.
Figure 52
Figure 53 Figure 54

76
Conclusion
Homeownership rates are low among minority groups, especially the ethnic group of African
Americans. From demographic data and analysis, minorities (i.e. African Americans) are
concentrated more in lower-income areas like District 6 of Stockton. Lower and middle-income
groups were also targeted for unreasonable and unsafe high interest rate loans, leaving many
unable to make their home mortgages, resulting in foreclosure. Due to this faulty lending
practice, a foreclosure crisis erupted within Stockton, specifically in areas that were newer
(suburban neighborhoods built during the housing boom) compared to older homes in affluent
neighborhoods. Weston Ranch, located in District 6, experienced a harsh rate of foreclosures,
which can be attributed to the targeted minority groups that had high interest loans, most of
which were not financially stable to make high interest loan payments.
Target Goals
Increase home
ownership
% 51.2% 55.9% +4.7%
Reduce vacancies % 9.6% 8.9% -.7%
Increase residence
property value
$ $156,600 $349,400 +$192,800
Table 17: Housing Target Goals

77
Economic Development
PESTEL analysis
Political
Stockton’s political environment has been substantially influenced by the city’s bankruptcy
procedures. Creditors and the bankruptcy court are now also effectively stakeholders in the city’s
political process. With the city council elections behind it, the government has two years of
relatively stable decision making ahead of it, allowing it to focus on the implementation of its
strategic goals. However, ensuring fiscal sustainability while working towards a more business-
friendly environment may prove to be difficult. On the other hand, the city government does
have strong resolve to revitalize the city. Furthermore, NGOs are very active, with nonprofits
such as the Reinvent South Stockton Campaign working hard towards improving the local
communities.
The encroachment by state and federal governments on local matters is also problematic. The
city has limited abilities to alter its business environment because much of its legislation and
procedures are predetermined by the state, political efforts to make the climate more business-

78
friendly therefore have to, short of attempting to influence state and federal legislation through
their representatives, focus mostly on other, smaller details, which are also very important in
determining a city’s business attractiveness. The city government’s intentions to attract and
retain businesses are praiseworthy, however, more focused ongoing efforts will be required to
achieve this.
Economic
Stockton suffered greatly in the 2007 subprime mortgage financial crisis with over 3% of homes
posting for foreclosure in the same year, the most in the entire United States. The value of
median-priced homes declined by over 40% from September 2006 to September 2007.
Stockton filed for bankruptcy in July 2012, making it the largest US city to do so at that time. On
October 30th 2014 a federal bankruptcy judge approved the city’s bankruptcy recovery plan, part
of which was a ¾ of a percent increase in the sales tax to help fund the revitalization.
The median household income in Stockton is 70% of the State average, while the living income
required to support a household comprising of 2 adults and one child is 87% of the State average
as per 2013 data. The analysis also shows the difference in income between Stockton and
California is increasing with the age of the population; the State average income is only 5.5%
higher for workers up to 25 year of age but is 26% higher for workers 45-64 years of age. Data
mentioned above imply a higher degree of Stockton’s working population active in low paying
industries, which is confirmed by an industry breakdown comparison. Further supporting the
above mentioned assumption is the class of worker breakdown, which shows a
disproportionately large part of Stockton’s workforce is employed in the Government sector
while the private wage and salary worker percentage is the same, a disproportionately small
amount of workers are self-employed; the assumption here being that Government employee
salaries are more upward limited than self-employed workers salaries.
Consumer spending in Stockton is below the State average in all measured areas. However, some
products stand out as particularly price inelastic (demand not affected a great deal by price
changes) such as tobacco products, utilities, food and health insurance. The data suggests raising
taxes on these products would increase the tax revenues, however very little fiscal authority is
left with the city itself. The city can, in fact, raise the sales tax above the State appointed amount;
Stockton raised its sales tax to 9% in 2013, of which 1% point the city keeps. Our findings
support this decision.
Socio-Cultural
Economic environment reacted strongly to the crisis, but the society suffered even stronger. The
increase of the religiousness of the people was one of the results, showing the seriousness and
often hopelessness people felt. Crime escalated, transforming a once calm and family city into
the likes of Detroit and other major city in the country according to the criminal activities and
safety of the people. Presence of gangs, drugs and other criminal activities, combined with the
impoverishment of the people and foreclosures of the real estate resulted in part of the city being

79
abandoned and started being perceived as center of criminal activity in the area. The perception
of South Stockton made it impossible for firms to maintain their level of business, and many of
them bankrupted in short time affected both by the crisis and movement of the inhabitants to the
more attractive locations in the city, state or even country. What was once connected to part of
the city shortly became the entire city’s symbol, putting it among 10 poorest and most dangerous
cities on the country level.
Another important characteristic of Stockton is cultural diversity of the city. Many different
nations, races and ethnicities live together in this area for decades. The one area where the
difference among them is most evident is the health condition of different races, sensitivity to
illnesses and death causes. The studies show that greater number of new infections with HIV is
occurring in the African American population. While African Americans had the highest
proportion of deaths due to diabetes than any other racial/ethnic groups, they had the lowest
percentage of cancer deaths. This is in contrast to the high incidence of cancer in African
Americans. Hispanics had the highest percentage of deaths due to accidents (unintentional
injuries) but the lowest due to heart disease.56
Historically having high rates of educated people, Stockton recently faced lack of funding for
educational purposes, provoking problems in raising the quality of the education provided to
students. Nevertheless, the number of highly qualified workers in many fields is still present, and
enabling them to find jobs in their fields would positively affect the economic situation in the
city as well as lower the expenditures that are made due to the unemployment of those people
(social contributions, insurance etc.).
Technological
Stockton is in an unenviable situation when it comes to technological comparison with other
cities, because of its location near the Silicon Valley, home to the world’s largest technological
multinational companies like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Apple and others.
The most surprising piece of information is that 32% of residents are not connected to the
internet at all, which is odd for a city with otherwise decent internet speeds and excellent cellular
network coverage. LTE network is provided by all the biggest US telecommunication providers
such as AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon.
Investing in research and development is low and Stockton features (to our knowledge) only one
technological incubator. While other Californian cities spend nearly 8% of their budget on R&D,
Stockton spends only 3%.
Future of urban areas lies in the smart city approach, often connected with large capital
investments, which are unlikely to be done neither by the city of Stockton, since it is bankrupt,
nor by the other investors, because of the other issues that Stockton is faced with.
A step in the right direction is, of course, the Stockton Police App, which allows users to report
crime with just a few taps, sending the time and location without any effort at all. Warning about
56
San Joaquin County (2011). Community Health Status Report 2011. San Joaquin County Public Health Services.
Retrieved from http://www.sjcphs.org/disease/documents/FINAL%20Updated%20Health%20Status%204-1-11.pdf

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