Overview
- Nick Hardeman resigned as chair on May 22, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him to the California Housing Finance Agency board the same day.
- The full nine-member council held no meetings in 2025 despite a statutory requirement to meet at least every six months, with only subcommittees convening in January and February to hear testimony on a possible wage increase.
- California’s Department of Finance confirmed a $1.1 million allocation this year to fund four council staff positions, while the administration says it is reviewing applicants to fill the chair vacancy without providing a timeline.
- SEIU California continues to press for staffing and further action on wages, workplace safety and workers’ rights under the law that raised fast-food pay to $20 an hour in April 2024.
- Reporting has raised transparency questions over NDAs used during 2023 negotiations and over an unclear carve‑out for chains that bake and sell their own bread, leaving some businesses seeking guidance from the council.