Appointed and elected commissions and boards have the power to make decisions that significantly affect the daily lives, opportunities, and future well-being of people living and working throughout the San Diego region.
For this report CPI studied five local boards and commissions that are a cross-section of the types of entities making public policy decisions in San Diego County. Through interviews and public records, researchers examined the levels of diversity, inclusion, and community representation on the five bodies, how accessible and responsive they are to constituents, and how successfully they are addressing the needs of underserved communities.
The study found significant underrepresentation of the racial, gender and socioeconomic diversity of the region. In general, elected and appointed officials were more likely to be white, male, and economically advantaged than the populations they are entrusted to represent.
The report was done in collaboration with the San Diego Leaders coalition. The full report is available on the coalition’s website, here: www.sandiegoleaders.org/resources
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