News & Updates

How does California Forever feel about Fairfield’s First Lady, Mayor Cat Moy?

The only thing they hold back in their latest rant, is their signature.

February 5, 2025 • Posted by Michelle Trippi of California ForNever

City of Fairfield
1000 Webster Street
Fairfield, CA 94533
Attn: David Gassaway, City Manager

February 5, 2025

Dear Mr. Gassaway,

Thank you for your invitation from February 3rd to meet with you and Ms Moy to “explore any economic development opportunities related to businesses that have expressed interest to your team in locating in Solano County.” We would be happy to meet with you, Ms Moy, and other council members to explore potential economic development opportunities related to the businesses that California Forever is bringing to Solano County.

However, we first need to understand how Ms Moy plans to repair the significant reputational damage she has caused the city of Fairfield, and all of Solano County, through her persistent campaign of slander and misinformation in the press and on social media.

Ms Moy has repeatedly demonstrated her hostility to the very investors and companies you seek to engage, for example telling CNBC that they should, “Take their billions and go back down to Silicon Valley.” Even yesterday, Ms Moy was quoted in the press saying “residents would continue to fight the billionaires in a David-versus-Goliath style civil war.” This is hardly a warm welcome for the businesses who want to make a $30+ billion private investment here. Nine months ago, Ms Moy told CBS News, “We don’t need people to parachute in. We don’t need them to come here and fix it… Our economic people are calling them [the businesses] already and saying, ‘Come here right now. You don’t have to wait for infrastructure. We have places here for you to do this.” But here’s the reality: since her election, Ms Moy has attracted exactly zero significant employers to Fairfield.

California Forever has demonstrated that it is uniquely able to create the environment which will draw these businesses to Solano County. By making a $30+ billion private investment, California Forever can be the catalyst that transforms Solano County into an employment cluster, both in the new community and in all nearby cities.

Another significant concern for us is that Ms Moy continues to use Travis Air Force Base as a cudgel to fight against the very housing opportunities that the military has repeatedly acknowledged it needs. Any resident who has lived in Solano County long enough is well aware of the tactic used by anti-growth radicals who bought their homes decades ago for a fraction of their current value, and are now using Travis AFB as false cover to stop young homebuyers and military families from having a shot at the American Dream themselves.

It is alarming to us that Ms Moy continues to purport to speak for Travis AFB. As an elected official, she is well aware of the weight of her words, especially as mayor of the home city of Travis. She must also be aware that only the Base Commander and the Command Structure of the United States Air Force is authorized to speak on behalf of Travis AFB. So her line of messaging that runs contrary to statements already issued by the Air Force is deeply inappropriate, and quite frankly troubling.

Travis AFB has been on the record twice as it relates to our project, both in a statement on their site and at the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission (“Bottom line, Travis AFB effectively executes our mission within the current airspace configuration and does not require any alterations to this plan.” Lieutenant Colonel Ed Silva, Director of Operations for the 60th OSS. Both statements made it clear that the project poses no threat to the base and, indeed, could provide affordable homes for airmen and their families – something Ms Moy has entirely failed to achieve during her time as mayor.

Just yesterday, from the Council dais, Ms Moy once again referenced alleged meetings during which she has been presented with “confidential” information that has been released to her from the Air Force related to our project. It is a disservice to the men and women of the Air Force and to this community for her to continue to use Travis AFB for her own political agenda.

We remain interested in conversations with community partners who share a vision for a brighter future for Solano County and its future generations. To engage in such conversations demands honesty and fair dealing, and we are rightly concerned that Ms Moy has proven herself either unable or unwilling to deal with any facts or reality. While we recognize her well-established fondness for theatrics and media spotlight, these are serious times and serious issues, and should be treated with the respect they deserve.

Again, we welcome the opportunity to identify partnership opportunities and ways to work together with the City of Fairfield. However, as long as Ms Moy, as the public face of Fairfield, treats the Air Force, us, and the community as a political game, we do not see how employers can be brought to Fairfield.

Ms Moy can either be a mouthpiece for anti-growth radicals stuck in the 1980s, or she can be a pro-business mayor. She cannot be both.

Could you please let us know how the city plans to address the brand problems Ms Moy has created? Once we understand that better, we would be happy to meet to discuss economic development.

Sincerely,

California Forever

GHOST(ed) STORIES

We are not going to disappear. 

October 31, 2024 • Posted by Michelle Trippi of California ForNever

Over 3 months ago we learned The East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative was pulled from the ballot. Aside from being bombarded by California Forever’s / East Solano Plan’s / Flannery Associate’s in-your-face marketing and the oversaturated press coverage, what has changed? Nothing.

In fact, the very day they withdrew their ballot measure, the very first two words they said to the public were misleading and self-serving as usual. The title of tehir website post, “Joint Statement by Solano County and California Forever,” was anything but a “joint statement.”  There were 2 statements not one as the title would suggest, one from Solano County Supervisor, Mitch Mashburn and the other from Jan Sramek and their individual messages were clearly far from being considered “joint”. You can read them here.

Just last week, a friend of mine said “It looks like we’ve been ghosted by California Forever now.” My response? “We have been banned, blocked, censored, disregarded, and misled this entire time. We have been ghosted all along.” 

In the spirit of the season, it only seems fitting to dig up some past I can only imagine some would want to keep buried.

Facebook Ghosted

Commenting was turned OFF because we refused to take their word without proof.

Commenting was turned back ON when the censorship made their opponents more angered. However we were given boundaries for what  would be tolerated on their page. Which they have the right to do.

Commenting was turned OFF again when they were still unable to provide answers, therefore making people angrier than they were before. Again, their page, their rules.

Commenting was turned back ON again after we extended an olive branch to participate on our page.

This time when things did not go their way they systematically started blocking groups of followers. A select couple hundred of opponents were blocked from their page and remain blocked.

The other day, Steve gets unblocked!

It’s mind-boggling because there is one constant and enthusiastic cheerleader, Tanya Burt, amongst a small crowd of opponents. Why those opponents are not blocked remains of mystery.

Ghosted by Vacaville Vice-Mayor Gregory Ritchie 

What are the odds the same day Vacaville’s Vice-Mayor, Gregory Ritchie announced his support of  California Forever, I would come across a website actively promoting California Forever home loans?

It turns out the website was owned and managed by Ritchie. His website went down immediately, followed by a statement posted on it the next morning. Steve found he also had four DBA’s registered with Solano County that were associated with California Forever and his mortgage company. 

The posts in our group made national news. I made the initial post found here which did not make CF, Ritchie, or someone else particularly pleased. More on that below.

During the May 14, 2014 Vacaville City Council meeting (forward this video to 4:43:10) Ritchie announced that it was found there was no conflict of interest when no one else would or could, like the City Attorney.

The rest of his Council Report was him complaining about having to sit for two hours in the city attorney’s office, while being investigated by the FPPC, and how hard this had been on him. The retaliation on my end lasted a hell of a lot longer than two hours after the story from our posts went national.

No accusations here, it hasn’t been proven who is responsible, still looking into it but finding out the cost for the type of investigator needed is limited to those who have unlimited funds such as major corporations or billionaires.

I wrote an email to Vice Mayor Ritchie and copied the Mayor and City Council members because I found his actions that evening to be unbecoming of a community leader. You can read or download my letter here in pdf format. 

The following night, I received the first text in the screenshot below with the rest of our communication. I asked to meet with the Mayor and/or the CIty Attorney and I haven’t heard from him since. I still don’t understand why it would be a problem to meet me at City Hall to discuss this matter if there is nothing for him to be concerned about.

Ghosted  by Michael Fortney California Forever Head of Partnerships and Former City of Vacaville Planning Commissioner 

May 14, 2024 Fortney, employed by California Forever, was reappointed to serve another term on the City of Vacaville Planning Commission. Appointed  by Vice Mayor Gregory Ritchie, a supporter of California Forever. Fortney’s seat on the commission opened up after it was abruptly vacated in early August, just 3 months after his appointment. Who ghosted who? It remains a mystery.

As a fourth generation Solano resident, the opinions expressed on our group and elsewhere are that Fortney has ghosted his community to profit from California Forever. Who knows? Another mystery.

Fortney ghosted our entire group after I expressed disinterest in meeting him alone and instead Steve and I offered him the opportunity to speak to all of us on Facebook live or Zoom. Steve and I don’t speak on behalf of the group members. We want everyone to have a voice and an opportunty to speak.

In case you missed it here are some screenshots:

Jan Sramek Ghosted

On the day California Forever  withdrew the  ballot measure, July 22, 2024, Sramek put out a statement. He said they would be holding workshops in the upcoming weeks, invited the community to email him if with suggestions, ideas, or wanted to participate.

Taking the wait and see approach and seeing nothing during my 3 month wait, I decided to email him. It’s been over 2 weeks and no response. I am sure he is a very busy man and do know he has been writing letters himself to Solano County*, but he had an opportunity to at least act like he wanted to try to bridge the gap and he made the choice not to.

I had no expectations for a response. I knew I would be ghosted, so did those who knew I wrote him, we call all see right through him.   I encourage everyone to reach out to him to ask him any questions you may have at jan@californiaforever.com and please post your email to our Facebook group. Following is a screenshot of my email to Jan and with that am ghosting you – just for now.  Happy Halloween!

These recent letters from California Forever to the County of Solano are…ummm…well…not really sure. 

October 30, 2024 • Posted by Michelle Trippi of California ForNever

Oct. 16 Letter:  Siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Southeastern Solano County

How reassuring when they had at least a half dozen fires on their bare land even without a battery storage facility.  “…appropriate safety measures to minimize any impacts to public health from fires or other hazardous situations occurring at the BESS facility.”

Complying with SB 38 is mandatory and the bare minimum required by law. It is not an option. It is not an added benefit going above and beyone no matter how it is presented. This ain’t our first rodeo, we know how they present things,

Oct. 21 Letter: Evolving Orderly Growth into Sustainable Growth

“Let’s call it Sustainable Growth”  How about “Let’s stop trying to polish the turd”

Oct. 23 Letter: July 2024 agreement to work together, and moving East Solano Plan forward

Are they heroes trying save the stupid people of Solano from their pitiful lives or are they the victims  of a county government that won’t bend the rules for them? These and more questions will be unanswered…but you will learn when the first jumbo jet rolled ou t of the factory, how long it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge, and more fun facts to make us more smarterer.

I looked at the plans for the new city proposed by Silicon Valley elites. They’re really terrible.

September 19, 2024 • Posted by California ForNever Originally Published in Business Insider on September 23, 2024 By: Adam Rogers

California Forever presents an idyllic vision of city life — but it’s completely clueless about how cities actually work.

Make no little plans,” goes an often-quoted cliché in city planning. “They have no magic to stir men’s blood.” That’s from the grandiloquent planner of Chicago, Daniel Burnham, who had a typical late-1800s propensity for wide Paris-style boulevards and white, neoclassical buildings — a prototypical think-about-the-Roman-Empire guy. Even so, Burnham had a point. In citymaking, small plans are for suckers and grifters. For proof, click through the renderings for California Forever, the recently revealed proposal to turn 55,000 acres of drought-prone Northern California hillside into a glorious city of the future. It looks like a big plan. So far, it isn’t.

Right now, California Forever is just a website with some ideology and a handful of hopeful sketches with a faintly socialist-utopian flair. The money behind it, though, is real — $800 million from a conclave of tech and tech-adjacent billionaires who for years have been secretly buying rural land in Solano County, between Travis Air Force Base and the Sacramento River. And they would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for the meddling kids at the New York Times unmasking last month the venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, and Michael Moritz; philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs; the Stripe-founding Collison brothers; and others. They’ve all heaped money onto something called Flannery Associates and its leader, a Peter Thiel-quoting former Goldman high flyer named Jan Sramek. Now Sramek is making the media rounds more openly, as well as courting the political and landholding forces in Solano.

Put aside your feelings about billionaires pitching private libertarian paradises away from us hoi polloi (which: barf). What the company says it wants to build says a lot about how rich people think cities work — what cities are. They’re mostly wrong.

In the 1990s, American architects and planners tried it again and made some of the same mistakes. A gloss on the nostalgic idea of small-townish homes centered on a shopping street and transit hub expressed itself in Seaside, Florida — best known for playing the role of the fake town in “The Truman Show.” Point is, the garden city remains a dream honored more in the breach — in pitches like the one for California Forever. It tends to turn into something else once ground gets broken.

What’s not on the map

In the images of Foreverville I see the following types of transportation: bicycles, kayaks and canoes, and a train that appears to stop next to the sidewalks of a downtown where ten- or 12-story buildings snuggle shoulder-to-shoulder.

I get that these are just renderings in a proposal, so I forgive the fact that the train arrives through some kind of tunnel and doesn’t seem to have a power source — no locomotive, no overhead power lines. I’ll tell you, in municipal politics, putting an electrified third rail through downtown is a real third rail. As far as I can tell the only rail track running through the land in question is a largely abandoned spur that the nearby Western Railway Museum sometimes runs restored cars on for visitors. (This is a goddamn delight, by the way.)

Anyway, you’ll notice something missing from the renderings: Cars. The streets in which kids play are empty of them. The plaza has no parking. A crowded street fair amid multistory buildings shows happy people walking in the middle of the street, the sidewalks full of stalls selling…well, you can’t see what they’re selling. Scented candles, is my guess.

Now, it’s not impossible to have a city that isn’t car-based. In fact, I recommend it. After all, before about 1940, none of them were. But these days it takes some planning. Gloriously car-free or car-light places like Pontevedra in Spain also have transit and services baked into the city form; Paris’ “fifteen minute city,” with jobs and shops within that striking range of homes, relies on saturation by rail transit. And right now, a big residential development called Culdesac, in Tempe, doesn’t allow cars or on-street parking. Of course, Culdesac is centered on a light rail station, and it only has 700 apartments — not tens of thousands.

The only thing that really connects Foreverville’s footprint to the rest of the world is California State Route 12, a narrow asphalt ribbon that the locals sometimes call “Blood Alley.” California Forever’s plan promises to improve and widen the 12 so that the new population doesn’t clog the thing up. (Spoiler: Widening a highway literally never reduces congestion.) So how will people get to and from Foreverville? How will people get around once there? How will the walkable neighborhoods connect to each other?

Robot buses? The lack of cars seem like an implicit promise that Foreverville can’t keep.

The walk of life

The California Forever website promises “homes, shopping, dining, and schools all within walking distance.” That seems to recognize that when it comes to cities, “density” cannot simply mean “maximum people per unit space,” especially when the only thing that links them all together is car infrastructure like streets and freeways. That’s not walkable. That’s — well, that’s Los Angeles again.

No, the kind of density that makes cities walkable, lovable, and less likely to burn down the planet, requires density of use — short blocks, lots of different kinds of buildings providing lots of different kinds of service, open space, and interconnections to other uses and cities via transit. It’s not clear from the renders and statement of purpose that California Forever has any of these things other than the open-space thing.

More than that, it’s not clear what the city will actually do. A functioning city provides a context for systems to allow people of different backgrounds and classes to mix, to enjoy recreation and each other, to earn money, and to make and move the things that let other people do the same. So what companies will rent the 8th, 9th, and 10th floor office space in the downtown towers? What commercial work will go on, besides latte art, yoga studios, and bike shops? Will the city have lawyers? Banks? Cabinetmakers? Welders? Hardware stores? Artist studios? Comic book stores?

The only job anyone seems to be doing in the California Forever renders is installing solar panels, which I fully support, but I do wonder where those hard-hatted solar installers park their F-150s, or live.

California Forever isn’t pitching a city.

It’s pitching houses. Now, look, California needs those. The state’s housing shortage is egregious. But building new homes on greenfield land, far from jobs or services, is terrible, too. And while the website promises “new employers” and “thousands of permanent, good-paying local jobs,” it does not specify where those things will be relative to the hillside homes or the rowhouses, or if those working-class amenities will even be in the new town at all.

Main Street Electrical Parade

When a city doesn’t perform all the functions of a city — when it is merely city-esque — things get real weird, real fast. The “row house” render on the web site shows a bunch of different architectural styles, from Edwardian and Victorian to sort of arts-and-craftsy. But in real life, presumably all these houses will be built at the same time. If they’re sharing walls, they’re likely to be all one building.

Maybe the façade won’t look variegated at all — the built version could have the shared mansards and unitary faces of Hausmannian Paris or John Nash’s London. Nothing wrong with that! But one of the keys to the success of those buildings was that once developers agreed to maintain those facades, they were allowed to do pretty much what they wanted with the building behind them.

Alternatively, the builders will add old-timey fronts to make the building look like it’s composed of multiple structures built at the turn of the century. It’ll be a condo complex hidden in a show building, like the ride part of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. Or instead of row houses, they’ll end up building townhouses with a few feet of clearance between them, as is more and more common in typical California residential developments. None of the space- and energy-efficiency of rows, with all the lack of privacy.