Said at yesterday’s meeting amendments don’t go far enough to address costs of mandated appliance renovations
By Keegan Coleman, Director, Actum
SAN FRANCISCO – The California Rental Housing Association (CalRHA) issued a statement after the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Board of Directors yesterday voted to adopt amendments to Rule 9-6, the district’s ban on the sale and installation of new natural gas water heaters.
According to a post on the Air District’s X account Wednesday afternoon, “The Air District Board approved updates to the zero-NOx water heater rule that delay implementation to January 2028 and allow exemptions for low-income homeowners, properties with electrical limitations and space-constrained homes.” (See meeting agenda and presentation, watch video and see related article)
CalRHA was joined by hundreds of Bay Area residents including housing and property organizations, such as Better Housing Policies, Business and Housing Network, Santa Clara Association of Realtors, San Mateo County Association of Realtors, East Bay Rental Housing Association, Berkeley Property Owners Association, South County Business Alliance, Silicon Valley Business Alliance, and Small Property Owners of San Francisco Institute, in opposing the gas appliance ban and testifying at the Air District’s September, October and November board meetings. CalRHA will continue to advocate for policies that protect residents, small rental property owners and the renters who depend on them.
“Today’s vote to delay implementation by one year happened despite concerns from Board members over costs, impact to seniors and families on fixed incomes, and electric grid blackouts,” said Adam Pearce, President, CalRHA. “We are grateful to every member, affiliate and coalition partner who spoke out at the September, October, and November Board meetings, and took time away from their families and businesses to make their voices heard. But a delay and set of unworkable exemptions don’t fix the core problem. A hard sales ban tied to replacement cycles still puts the financial and logistical burden on housing providers.
Under the amended rule, a gas water heater that fails after the compliance date must be replaced with an electric model, which in many Bay Area buildings constructed before 1980 means new circuits, upgraded electrical panels and often new service lines from the street. Upgrading panels and service lines alone can cost from $11,500 to more than $120,000 per building, according to a 2023 California Public Utilities Commission report.
“We have asked the Air District for a new cost analysis that reflects what conversion really costs in older buildings,” added Pearce. “We have also asked for alternative financial incentives, so mom-and-pop housing providers already dealing with rent control, rising insurance premiums and thinning margins aren’t left to absorb those costs on their own. We share the goal of clean air, and we will keep working with the Air District to reach it without making housing more expensive or pushing small housing providers out of the industry.”
For a small property owner with a duplex or fourplex, compliance could cost six figures across the property and wipe out years of net operating income, and where rent control applies, capital improvement pass-throughs are slow, contested and often capped far below actual costs.
About the California Rental Housing Association
The California Rental Housing Association represents 14,000+ members totaling more than 805,000+ units, made up of small, medium, and large rental housing owners throughout the State of California. Our purpose is to advocate for the best interests of the rental housing industry and collectively address industry needs.
Amendments directly address affordability concerns and installation barriers while maintaining public health benefits
One of Contra Costa’s three representatives, Gioia votes in favor, Carlson, Adams absent
By Bay Area Air Quality Management District Communications
SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area Air District Board of Directors voted on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, to amend Rule 9-6, delaying the zero-NOx residential water heater requirement by one year and establishing exemptions for low-income property owners and for properties where electrical or space constraints make the transition especially difficult. The motion passed 14-1 with eight directors absent.
The amendments delay the compliance date from January 2027 to January 2028. The standard applies only when a property owner replaces an existing water heater. It does not require any household to remove a working appliance, and it does not apply to stoves, dryers or fireplaces.
“Water heaters are a significant source of air pollution in the Bay Area, and cleaner alternatives can help people live longer, healthier lives,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District. “With these practical amendments, the Board focuses the rule on the properties that can most easily make the switch and gives relief to households that cannot afford the change without financial assistance.”
“The Board raised real questions about cost and implementation in May. Staff did the work, and the rule we adopted today reflects what we heard,” said Air District Board Chair Lynda Hopkins. “This decision protects public health and respects what households can manage. I thank the residents, contractors and local governments who took part in this process.”
Contra Costa County District 1 Supervisor John Gioia explains his vote in favor of the amendments to Rule 9-6 at the Bay Area Air District Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. Video screenshot
During the Board discussion, Contra Costa County District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, who is one of three representatives to the regional agency, along with District 4 Supervisor Ken Carlson and Pittsburg’s current Mayor Dionne Adams, said, “…when we started this rule, we said we’re going to check in and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve checked in a couple times. We’re actually delaying the rule so we can allow more time. That was a promise we made to the public and that’s what we’re doing.”
“If this was the previous version as last year I wouldn’t be voting for it,” he continued. “But I think it’s come to us in a way to make it possible to vote for it, continue to evaluate, get what changes that need to be made, and we’re moving this industry to making higher quality, cheaper heat-pump water heaters and…there’s going to be plenty of health benefits…and in time, we’re going to get a better piece of equipment.”
“I want to get us to the point where we help lower-income residents take advantage of the incentives, so they don’t have to be exempt. The exemption is voluntary,” Goia added before voting in favor of the motion to adopt.
Neither Adams nor Carlson attended the meeting. He was sick, according to his Supervisor’s Office staff.
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The Air District Board of Directors voted on November 4 to amend Rule 9-6, delaying the zero-NOx residential water heater requirement by one year and establishing exemptions for low-income property owners and for properties where electrical or space constraints make the transition especially difficult.
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The Air District published the draft amendments on July 14, 2026, a rule proposal package on October 2, 2026, and accepted public comment through the fall.
The amendments establish exemption categories:
• Low-income property owners, defined as those earning less than 80 percent of Area Median Income and including participants in programs such as Medi-Cal or CalFresh; or households paying more than 28 percent of their income toward their mortgage and property taxes.
• Space-constrained properties without enough room or ventilation to install a compliant unit.
• Properties with electrical limitations, such as panels below 100 amps, insufficient panel capacity or a need to run electrical lines more than 50 feet.
The adopted amendments also include allowances for temporary installations for emergency situations and a further delayed compliance date to January 1, 2033, for water heaters installed in multifamily buildings and deed restricted affordable housing as well as certain product categories such as hydronic units, specialized high heat uses, and large water heaters. Water heaters with capacity of 30 gallons or less and mobile home water heaters are not required to comply with the zero-NOx standard.
Rule 9-6 has been in place since 1992, limiting emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx, from natural gas-fired water heaters. The Air District amended the rule in 2023 to set a zero-NOx standard. NOx contributes to smog and fine particulate matter, and Air District analysis found that pollution from gas-fired water heaters and furnaces cause as many as 85 premature deaths and 15,000 asthma attacks in the Bay Area each year.
Property owners can find guidance on the compliance timeline, the exemption categories and available rebates on the Air District’s Building Appliances web page.
The Bay Area Air District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area. Connect with the Air District via X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Newly appointed Antioch Animal Services Manager Catriona “Cat” Cottle with a friend (left) and with Tony La Russa (right), the former Oakland A’s Manager and founder of his namesake Animal Rescue Foundation now known as Joybound People & Pets. Photos: Antioch Animal Services
Antioch’s first Certified Animal Control Officer is now Animal Services Manager
After almost 3 years as Acting Manager
By Antioch Police Department
Please join us in congratulating Catriona “Cat” Cottle on her promotion to Animal Services Manager!
Originally from Ireland, Cat began fostering for a local rescue in 2011 and volunteering at Antioch Animal Services in 2013. Then a legal assistant in San Francisco, she found herself drawn to the shelter and in October 2016, traded legal paperwork for paws, joining APD as an Animal Control Officer!
Since then, Cat has:
Served as Volunteer & Foster Coordinator
Been promoted to Shelter Supervisor in January 2023
Led field response and daily shelter operations
Served as Acting Animal Services Manager since December 2023
Through challenging times and considerable change, her commitment to Antioch’s animals and the people who love them has remained steadfast.
Antioch’s first Certified Animal Control Officer, Cat has trained incoming ACOs and Police trainees to handle animal-related calls with confidence and care. She has also pursued further education through the University of the Pacific’s Shelter Leadership and Operations program and the Citizens Leadership Institute.
Around PD, she’s known for her humor (have you seen the Animal Services social media posts) candid approach, honest nature and visits to Briefing, Records, and Dispatch with puppies and kittens. Some employees have discovered those morale visits come with an adoption pitch!
Outside work, Cat enjoys family time, especially with her grandchildren, hiking, spotting wildlife and lazy days at home with her partner.
Fun fact: After fostering hundreds of animals, Cat has only “foster failed” once: a black cat named Tequila who fell in love with her daughter and decided she was already home.
Congratulations, Cat! From shelter volunteer to Animal Services Manager, what a journey and what a next chapter!
City of Antioch Land Use Map of Vacant and Underutilized Parcels Working Draft Version 3. Source: GPAC
Will again discuss the General Plan Land Use Map
Save Mount Diablo again tries to stop Zeka Ranch development with disinformation to residents after losing in court six years ago
By Allen D. Payton
The City of Antioch has announced the fourth meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee will be held on Tuesday November 3rd at 6:00 PM in the Antioch City Council Chambers at City Hall located at 200 H Street in Antioch’s downtown Rivertown.
According to the City staff report, “The fourth GPAC meeting will continue the GPAC’s discussion of land use and the General Plan Land Use Map. At the September 1st meeting, the GPAC received foundational land use information, including the Existing Conditions Report Land Use Chapter, the Land Use Designation Change Requests, pending, approved, and under construction projects, and a map of preliminary vacant and underutilized sites and sites with open space and conservation easements. The October 6th meeting addressed economic development and fiscal sustainability, which provides important context for the land uses Antioch should plan for.
“Our objectives for this meeting are:
• Receive GPAC input on the locations and land use changes that will best attract investment, catalyze redevelopment of underperforming properties, expand local employment, and increase entertainment/third-space opportunities
• Translate the GPAC’s previously identified priorities into specific land use mapping approaches to be tested in the Land Use Map alternatives.
“The GPAC is not being asked to identify every change recommended for the Land Use Map or to go through the City at the parcel-level. Rather, we are seeking big-picture direction on where land use changes can do the most to attract private investment and create jobs, which uses are missing from Antioch’s land use mix, and how underperforming shopping centers, corridors, and vacant sites should be repositioned. Based on GPAC and community input, the General Plan Update (GPU) team will prepare two to three Land Use Map Alternatives. “The alternatives will be presented in the Land Use Alternatives Report to the public, the GPAC, the Planning Commission, and the City Council for input before a preferred Land Use Map is identified.”
Save Mount Diablo’s flier about The Zeka Ranch showing the map of the entire Sand Creek area in a high Fire Hazard Safety Zone. Source: Save Mount Diablo
Another Effort to Stop Zeka Ranch
Save Mount Diablo is again trying to rally Antioch residents to oppose the Zeka Ranch new home development. It comes after they pushed Measure T in 2020 which would have devalued the property to pennies on the dollar without compensation by reducing the number of homes planned there from 300 to just eight on the 640-acre parcel, after the developer previously reduced the total from 1,100 homes.
That followed the East Bay Regional Park District drawing an arbitrary line on the map threatening the City they would sue if homes were approved outside the line, despite the voters voting six times to allow housing on the property as it’s located both inside the County’s and City’s Urban Limit Lines. (See related articles here and here)
Zeka Ranch Land Use Plan showing the arbitrary General Plan Development Boundary drawn by the East Bay Regional Park District (see label in blue rectangle) and the flat land outside of the boundary (see red circle). Source: The Zeka Group, Inc.
Instead of fighting it, the Zeka Group voluntarily reduced plans to 338 homes on 196 acres, leaving over 440 acres as future open space.
Furthermore, the measure was tossed out of court because it also violated state law which prohibits downzoning residential property by either council action or citizen initiative. (See related articles here and here)
This time Save Mount Diablo is attempting to use the issue of fire danger and traffic on Empire Mine Road as the reasons, and they’re lying to Antioch residents in both fliers distributed door-to-door and a a post on the organization’s Facebook page on Thursday they wrote, “Please speak up to protect the Zeka property next Tuesday, November 3, at 6:00 PM, at Antioch City Hall, 200 H Street.
‘Zeka,’ the southwest corner of Antioch, is land mapped by CAL FIRE as being in ‘Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones,’ so it’s *not* a good place to build homes. But developers want to cover 640 acres in dense housing. Instead, it should be protected: Zeka is surrounded on three sides by protected open space. If you live in Antioch, the city wants to hear your voice! Please show up and encourage them to protect this beautiful area.”
Sand Creek Area map showing areas in red where proposed housing developments remain to be approved on the west side of Deer Valley Road. Source: Save Mount Diablo
However, that is incorrect. The current plan only allows housing on a portion of the 640 acres, in fact less than 200 acres as mentioned above, which will result in an average of one home for every two acres for the entire parcel.
Plus, according to Save Mount Diablo’s map, the adjacent property to the east of the Zeka Ranch, known as The Ranch, where 1,177 homes have been approved to be built, is in the same exact Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Plus, the area on the east side of Deer Valley Road where most of the new homes that have already been built are located, is also in the same zone. So, City staff and past Councils already took that into consideration when approving the homes and zoning in the Sand Creek area.
Plus, all the homes west of Deer Valley Road that have either been approved or have yet to be are within the total 4,000 homes approved by the City Council in 2003. That is much less than the total 9,500 homes originally planned for the area prior to that year which also included the homes that were to be built around the Roddy Ranch Golf Course which is now open space.
The flier by Save Mount Diablo containing misleading information distributed to Antioch residents. Source: A resident who chose to remain anonymous
More Misinformation in Flier Distributed to Antioch Residents
The reverse side of the flier which shows the Sand Creek Area map above asks the question in a headline, “A Square Mile of Houses Choking Empire Mine Road?” It also reads, “Tell City Leaders to…Keep Empire Mine Rd as Wonderful Recreational Path.”
But Empire Mine Road, which, except for emergency vehicles, has been closed to vehicle travel for years and only pedestrians, bicycles and horseback riders are allowed to use the road, and it will not be the access road for The Zeka Ranch project. Instead, the access will be from a road through the neighboring The Ranch project off of the future extension of Dallas Ranch Road, which, when it crosses Deer Valley Road, will connect to and become Sand Creek Road as shown in the map below.
Phase Map of The Ranch new home project in the Sand Creek Focus Area showing the access point to The Zeka Ranch on the west side of Empire Mine Road in the yellow circle. Source: Richland Communities
Alternative Option
What the General Plan Advisory Committee can do is correct the arbitrary decision of the East Bay Regional Park District and change the zoning boundary to again allow the 1,100 homes on the flat land of the Zeka Ranch property.
Meeting Details
The GPAC meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 6:00 p.m. inside the Council Chambers at City Hall 200 H Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.
General public comments on items not on the agenda but on an issue related to the General Plan will be allowed at the beginning of the meeting. Then comments specifically about the agenda item will be allowed prior to discussion by the committee members. Prior to 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting: Written comments may be sent to Community & Economic Development Department, City Hall, 200 H Street (P. O. Box 5007) or submitted electronically to planning@antiochca.gov. All comments received by that time will be provided to the General Plan Advisory Committee Members at the meeting.
I’ve been a pharmacist for more than 50 years. In that time, I’ve witnessed staggering medical advances. Patients now have access — at least in theory — to lifesaving medicines that seemed like science fiction just a decade or two ago.
But in practice, tens of millions of Americans struggle to obtain those drugs. In recent years, I’ve watched more and more patients approach the pharmacy counter, look at the required co-pay on the screen with horror, and glumly walk away without their prescribed treatments.
These patients have insurance. But all too often they can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs that remain after coverage kicks in.
The crisis stems, in large part, from the fact that big insurers like UnitedHealth, Cigna, and Humana don’t merely process claims, anymore. Their parent companies control physicians’ practices and hospitals. They also own pharmacies and operate pharmacy benefit managers — the middlemen that determine which drugs patients can access and what they pay for them.
Today, just three PBMs (pharmacy benefit manager) control prescription drug access for roughly 80% of Americans. In virtually any other industry, that level of concentration would raise serious concerns about competition. Yet these vertically integrated conglomerates have warped the healthcare system to maximize their own profits — and gouge patients — every step of the way.
PBMs typically base patients’ out-of-pocket costs on drugs’ much higher “list” prices, rather than the discounted prices negotiated behind the scenes. Those inflated list prices only exist on paper, yet they justify higher co-pays while also generating larger rebates for PBMs and more profit for the companies that own them. In some cases, PBMs collect more from patients via co-pays or co-insurance than they actually reimburse pharmacies for dispensing a drug.
PBMs also profit by making it harder for patients to access the medicines their providers prescribe. One of their most common tactics is prior authorization. Providers must justify prescriptions they have already determined are appropriate and wait for the insurer’s approval before patients can begin treatment. The process can delay care for days, weeks, or even months. Faced with those hurdles, up to eight in 10 patients forgo treatment altogether.
Then there’s “step therapy”, sometimes called “fail first”. Patients must first try one or more older, less expensive medicines before gaining access to the treatment their provider originally recommended. That may reduce short-term costs for insurers, but it can also delay effective care and, in some cases, seriously harm patients.
Together these, and other, barriers contribute to unmanaged chronic disease, avoidable hospitalizations, and more than 100,000 preventable deaths every year.
Fortunately, Washington is beginning to crack down. The Federal Trade Commission has sued the nation’s three largest PBMs over practices that inflate drug prices. The Department of Labor recently proposed a rule that’d require PBMs to better disclose the fees and compensation they receive. And earlier this year, Congress passed legislation requiring PBMs to increase transparency and pass through more of the discounts they receive to employers.
It’s a great start — and a much more viable way to decrease Americans’ pharmacy bills than one of the other ideas frequently tossed around Capitol Hill. Some lawmakers want to mimic other nations’ price controls on prescription drugs. But artificially lowering what biotech companies charge for medicines would deter research investments — meaning that the pharmacists of the future will have fewer lifesaving drugs to dispense to patients.
Until policymakers decisively confront PBMs, Americans will continue to pay more, get less of the care they need, and be at risk of worse health.
Salvatore J. (Sal) Giorgianni, Jr, PharmD, CMHE is vice-president and cofounder of Healthy Men, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the health of boys, men and their families. He is chair-emeritus and cofounder of the American Public Health Association Caucus On Men’s Health. This piece originally appeared in Issues & Insights.
With Dr. Brian Keum, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health & Dr. Supreet Mann, Director of Research, Common Sense Media
By Mairead Glowacki, Communications Director, Office of Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) will host a virtual Town Hall on Social Media and Mental Health on Thursday, October 29th at 3:30 p.m. PT. In 2023, then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a public health warning linking the youth mental health crisis with social media use. Since then, social media usage has increased and recent lawsuits are an indication that more needs to be done. The Congressman will be joined by expert special guests from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and Common Sense Media to discuss the latest research on this link and innovative policy solutions to protect American kids and families.
Virtual Town Hall on Social Media and Mental Health
Thursday, October 29th
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. PT
Hosted on Zoom
Panelists include:
Dr. Brian Keum, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Dr. Supreet Mann, Director of Research, Common Sense Media
Rep. John Garamendi with his wife, Patti (top) as she speaks and the Congressman speaks to the honorees at his 13th Annual Women of the Year event on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Photos: Office of Congressman John Garamendi
22 from Contra Costa County, 52 total
Learn why the congressman honored the two women from Antioch
By Cameron Niven, Office of Congressman John Garamendi
BENICIA, CA – On Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at his 13th annual Women of the Year event, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08) honored 52 women from California’s 8th Congressional District, including 22 from Contra Costa County and two from Antioch, who are leaders and visionaries in their communities. Each honoree has made a real difference in our community through public service, business, education, and the local economy.
“Every year, I’m honored to recognize the remarkable women of California’s 8th District who serve as the backbone of our community,” said Rep. Garamendi. “They come from every corner of our district and from many different backgrounds, and they work in a wide range of fields. Each is united by the profound impact they have on the people around them.”
“Their commitment and passion for service deserve recognition, and through this award, their contributions will be preserved for generations in the official Congressional Record in Washington, D.C.”
The event was held in Benicia at the Clocktower and the women from Antioch who were honored are Laura Jacques and Lisa Lacy.
In a post on Facebook following the event the congressman also wrote, “Yesterday I had privilege of recognizing 52 women from California’s 8th Congressional District at my annual Women of the Year celebration. These women are leaders and visionaries who are making a real difference in our community through public service, business, education, and the local economy. Thank you to every honoree for all you do. Congratulations!”
Antioch resident Laura Jacques (second from left) was among the 52 women honored by Congressman Garamendi this year.
When reached for comment about the honor, Antioch resident Laura Jacques said, “I was very honored. I was really humbled by some of the other women who were there and I was thinking, ‘do I really belong here?’ I was really surprised.”
“It was a really nice event,” she added.
The 2026 Women of the Year Honorees are:
Contra Costa County:
Laura Jacques (Antioch)
Lisa Lacy (Antioch)
Champagne Brown (El Cerrito)
Stacy Wayne (El Cerrito)
Susan Duncan (El Cerrito)
Christine Mathias (El Sobrante)
Jamela Smith-Folds (Hercules)
Christine Dean (Martinez)
Rachel Shoemake (Martinez)
Annisha Geran (Pittsburg)
Kaitlin Clink (Pittsburg)
Annie King-Meredith (Richmond)
Elana Bolds (Richmond)
Maria Del Rocio Martinez Luna (Richmond)
Mary Ann Dawkins-Padigela (Richmond)
Dr. Mayra Padilla (Richmond)
Michelle Denise Milam (Richmond)
Nwaeze Nmereole (Richmond)
Shasa Curl (Richmond)
Amanda Jenkins (San Pablo)
Dr. Rocio Hernández (San Pablo)
Yolanda Mendoza (San Pablo)
A photo and a bio about each woman were included in a program provided to each honoree at the event and a plaque showing their information entered into the Congressional Record was presented to them by the congressman. Lacy did not attend the event nor provide a photo for the program.
Laura Jacques, from the event program, and being presented with her plaque by Rep. Garamendi on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Photos: Office of Rep. Garamendi
Laura Jacques – Antioch – Contra Costa County
Laura Jacques is a dedicated member of the Antioch Historical Society and the Woman’s Club of Antioch. In her role with the Historical Society, Laura is essential in organizing and running several community events, including the city’s 150th anniversary and the relocation of the Red Caboose. Laura continuously goes above and beyond, whether it is helping produce a commemorative coin, a book documenting Antioch’s history, or a celebratory barbecue.
As a part of Antioch’s Woman’s Club, Laura has worked tirelessly to transform her local community. She has dedicated her efforts to enhancing the Woman’s Club’s outdoor space, while also spearheading the early stages of a new mural on the building’s exterior that will celebrate local history and art. In addition to directly supervising the reconstruction of the space, Laura was instrumental in the project’s fundraising.
Across all her roles, Laura consistently drives positive change in her community through her leadership, sense of civic responsibility, and commitment to excellence. Her efforts have benefited Antioch community members of all ages and her dedication to supporting the community is truly worth celebrating.
Laura Jacques being honored by Rep. Garamendi (left) and with other honorees (2nd from left) and the congressman (right).
Lisa Lacy – Antioch – Contra Costa
Lisa Lacy is a dedicated member of the Antioch community who works tirelessly to protect and care for the local feral feline population of Antioch. Starting her days in the early hours of the morning, Lisa works to trap, transport, house, and medicate feral felines across Antioch. She has worked tirelessly to prepare formerly feral cats for their new lives in loving homes through trap, neuter and return efforts. Lisa has helped to create a more humane environment for our feline friends and those who enjoy their company.
To educate and empower her fellow Antioch community members, Lisa created the Scruffy to Fluffy information page. Community members can find adoptable cats, as well as information on how best to deal with those that are feral. Many community members have turned to her after receiving litters that are too large for them to manage, and Lisa has helped to arrange adoptions and other methods of care.
Lisa Lacy with one of her friends, Asher. Photo courtesy of Lisa Lacy.
Her work has benefited both 4-legged and human members of Antioch’s community, and her dedication does not go unnoticed. Lisa’s dedication to caring for Antioch’s feline population reflects the very best of community service and continues to make a meaningful difference for both animals and residents.
UPDATE: When reached for comment Lacy said, “I was not able to attend as we had transport to several different cities to have both friendly and community cats sterilized.”
As for her friend in the photo she said, “His name is Asher and he went to a wonderful home in Old Town Sacramento.”
A video of the event can be found here and see more photos here.
4.5-star rating reflects the expert medicine, seamless care, and outstanding service provided to more than 1.5 million Medicare Advantage members inCA
By Elissa Harrington, Senior Media Relations & PR Representative, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
OAKLAND, Calif. October 27, 2026 — Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage health plan in California is among the highest rated plans in the state, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2027-star ratings.
Kaiser Permanente California earned 4.5 stars. The top rating is 5 stars.
Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare HMO health plan in California has been highly rated for 17 consecutive years (2011-2027) and is tied for the highest performing health plan in the state.
“Every day our Northern California care teams deliver personalized, compassionate care to our Medicare health plan members, helping them lead healthy and productive lives,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region, which serves more than 1.5 million Medicare health plan members. “We’re proud to be recognized nationally for the high-quality care and outstanding service we provide.”
This high rating reflects the expert medicine, seamless care and outstanding service Kaiser Permanente California and all Kaiser Permanente health plans provide to their Medicare health plan members. For the third year in a row, all Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plans are rated 4 stars or higher.
“Our physicians, nurses, and care teams in Kaiser Permanente Northern California are committed to helping our Medicare health plan members achieve better health outcomes through coordinated, personalized, high-quality care,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “These ratings reflect the expertise of our teams and their dedication to supporting the health and well-being of our older adult populations.”
What CMS ratings measure
Every year, CMS publishes Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D) ratings. Each year, CMS rates Medicare health and prescription drug plans using a 1-to-5-star scale. The ratings help consumers compare the quality of available plans.
CMS evaluates several key areas to determine star ratings:
How well health plans help members stay healthy
How well plans manage ongoing health conditions
Member experiences
Customer service
Access to care
Pharmacy services
Enrolling in a Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan
Open enrollment for all 2027 Medicare health plans begins on October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026. Kaiser Permanente is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Kaiser Permanente depends on contract renewal.
Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the CMS star ratings and Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plans by visiting kp.org/medicarestars.
About CMS
CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.9 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
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