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FAQs

Below are the most commonly discussed topics. If you have a question that’s not answered here, contact us.

General

  • What kind of a city are you building? Is this some kind of tech utopia?

    We are trying to build a place that says “yes” to things – a place to build the things that Solano County and California need. New industries that bring good paying jobs. New energy infrastructure to support the region. And walkable neighborhoods for Travis AFB airmen and their families, young families, people who work in the city, and the next generation of Solano residents.

    In the new city, we expect to build all of the uses one would find in a medium-size city like Fairfield, Vacaville, or Vallejo: homes of different types, offices, commercial and industrial uses, restaurants, small businesses, hospitals, schools, cultural venues, parks, and more. The community will be surrounded by parks, open spaces, and greenbelts.

    The zoning map for the new community.

  • What kind of jobs will this community create, and how many?

    We are committed to building a city where everyone can thrive, including working families. We are confident that the new community will attract good-paying jobs and become a significant job center for Solano County.

    As part of the new city, we are proposing both a downtown for office jobs, and a brand new 2,300-acre Industry & Technology zone, which will be one of the best places for advanced manufacturing in California. Our goal is to attract the types of employers that build on Solano’s heritage, in both aerospace/defense, and in agricultural technologies. That’s why we prioritized employers like Hadrian (advanced manufacturing of parts for planes, rockets, and drones), Zipline (drone delivery), and Plenty (indoor farming) – read more about them here.

    More broadly, according to the Economic Impact Report by BlueSky, by 2040, new city will bring an estimated 53,000 permanent jobs and $16 billion annual economic impact into Solano County. Read the full report here.

  • What types of homes are you building? Will they be for sale or rent?

    The first phase of the new city would be a series of neighborhoods with about 20,000 homes, for about 50,000 residents. We hope to build these by the late 2030s. The homes would be built in safe, walkable neighborhoods, with homes of all sizes, price points, and both for-sale and for-rent homes integrated into the same neighborhoods. We expect to build homes of all types: “single family” rowhouses, rowhouses split up into “flats”, small and medium-sized apartment buildings, accessory dwelling units, and more.

    The homes for sale in the new city will be just like other homes sold in Solano County. They’ll be sold outright, not on leases. Some of the homes will be part of an homeowners’ association (HOA), and some will not, so residents will be able to choose how they want their neighborhoods to be cared for.

    To read more about creating new paths to homeownership for Solano residents and Travis families, and to see examples of the types of homes we propose to build, please read this post.

  • Is a walkable city accessible for seniors and those with disabilities?

    Yes, and far more accessible than traditional suburban subdivisions. Residents and visitors will traverse smooth and safe streets without curbs from their ground-floor accessible homes to grocery stores, parks, and shops within minutes.

    This will be an ideal city to live independently, without reliance on a car or a driver. Those are available if desired, but they may not be needed when life’s amenities are available by a short, accessible trip around the corner.

    Charming streets

  • What does this mean for Travis Air Force Base? How close will you be to Travis Air Force Base?

    The project will make Travis AFB stronger, by bringing in new advanced manufacturing, defense, and aerospace employers to Solano County, by building homes that airmen can afford, and by creating new job opportunities for military spouses.

    We have worked hard to adjust the project to support Travis’ vital mission, and on February 15th, Travis AFB issued this statement which reads: “California Forever made significant changes to its plans in order to protect Travis’ global mission and local flight operations. With this revised proposal, Travis AFB will be able to continue flying its full mission, including all of our operational, exercise, and local training flights consisting of multiple patterns and landings to all runways, including night vision goggle training to the assault landing zone (ALZ) runway.”

    The statement then adds: “Travis AFB recognizes California Forever’s efforts to minimize impacts to operations and mission capabilities, as well as their project’s potential to improve the wellbeing of our Airmen and families into the future.”

    The new city will not impact the mission at Travis Air Force Base because it will be much farther from Travis AFB than Fairfield or Suisun City. They’re about a mile away, while the new city will be at least 4 miles away. The new city is entirely outside official Travis AFB noise and crash zones.

    We are committed to working closely with the Air Force to make certain that we protect and support the base.

  • Who runs California Forever? What role do investors have in California Forever? Are any of them foreign?

    California Forever is run by our Founder & CEO, Jan Sramek, and the management team. Jan Sramek and all members of our management team are American citizens.

    The investors in the California Forever project are passive investors without daily involvement in the project. These are individuals and institutions who believe California’s best days are ahead of it and want to double down on the state and region. This is a long-term investment that doesn’t expect to pay dividends or distributions for decades.

    Approximately 97% of our capital comes from U.S. investors. The remaining 3% comes from Patrick and John Collison (Irish), Charles Songhurst (British), and Thomas Mather (Irish/South African). Our investors include Marc Andreessen, Patrick and John Collison, Chris Dixon, John Doerr, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Reid Hoffman, Michael Moritz, Laurene Powell Jobs, and the California investment firm Andreessen Horowitz.

    With less than 3% of investment from foreign investors, we have far lower foreign ownership than the average large US company, since on average, foreign investors own up to 40% of US corporate equity.

  • What are you working on now? What is the process from here?

    In July 2024, we reached an agreement with Solano County to remove the ballot measure from the November 2024 election, and instead work together collaboratively to plan the new city, complete a Development Agreement and Environmental Impact Report, and then bring the project back to the voters for approval. We are currently following this process and working collaboratively with all stakeholders.

  • How do I give feedback or get involved?

    We are delighted to have met many great neighbors and friends since we started working on the project, and we look forward to meeting and making many more. Please through out to us through the contact form. Or, email us at contact@californiaforever.com.

Infrastructure

  • How will highways be affected? Who will pay for improving them?

    Currently, Solano’s highways can be congested because more than half of our residents have to commute out of Solano County for work. The best way to take traffic off I-80, Highway 37, Highway 12, and Highway 113 is to prevent those trips in the first place – by bringing jobs to Solano County, which is exactly what we’re doing.

    Leveraging the California Forever project to make Solano a bigger center for jobs will make it possible for people who live in Solano County to have a much shorter commute. Often, those Solano residents will be able to take advantage of the reverse commute direction where there’s little congestion.

    For example, people commuting from Fairfield or Suisun City to the new city will be going east on Highway 12 in the morning – when all the traffic on Highway 12 is going west. Each of those trips mean one less trip on I-80, Highway 37, Highway 12, and Highway 113, in the peak direction, which will help alleviate congestion.

    To be clear, over time, Highway 12 and Highway 113 will still need to be upgraded and widened – and this project is by far the best chance to do that.

    To pay for those upgrades, Solano Transportation Authority has existing programs in place under which developers contribute towards the costs of improving highways impacted by their projects. We will contribute more than that amount towards the cost of improving highways.

    For the remaining costs, we will work with the state and federal governments on ways to finance improvements to the highways. But in no event would any balance of the funds be paid by other Solano County residents or cities.

    Transportation projects generally get funded by state and federal grants, not by counties. Highway money is already being spent by California and the federal government. But Solano County is not getting its fair share. We will use our contribution of the costs as the basis to get matching funds from the state and federal governments, so this will not cost Solano taxpayers any additional money, or take away from other projects in Solano.

    California Forever will provide a net increase to the tax base of the county, benefitting current residents in all cities of Solano County.

  • Where will the new city get its water?

    First and foremost, before any construction can begin, as part of the Environmental Impact Report approval process, we must prove that we have sufficient water supply through the rigorous, state-mandated process of Water Supply Assessment and Water Supply Verification. This process is regulated by the State of California, and requires us to prove that we have rights to actual water we can deliver to households and employers in the new community, for decades going forward, including during drought periods, without interfering with water supplies that others rely on.

    Second, our team of leading industry experts has determined that the 13,700-16,400 acre-feet per year of water currently used on our holdings is more than the 12,600 acre-feet per year required to supply water for the initial build out of the new city to 100,000 residents, including all associated industrial, commercial, and other uses. Put simply, we already have enough water for all employers and residents who may move in between now and mid 2040s. 

    For the balance of our water, our team is still working to confirm how much additional water is available based on our existing uses. We will then layer that with water purchases from outside of Solano County.

    To read more about our water plan, please read this post, which also details our plan for conjunctive water use, highest water efficiency, and use of recycled water for landscaping and industrial, non-potable uses.

  • What about fire risk?

    State law requires that moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones be identified by the State and each County. No part of the entire area between Fairfield and Rio Vista has been designated as moderate, high, or very high fire zone in the current Solano County fire hazard severity zone map.

    This is largely because there are no forests in the area, which means that wildfires that happen are grass fires – which are much easier to control, due to the low combustible load and easy access to fight the fire.

    Any approved project will provide new fire protection services, including state of the art equipment and new fire response personnel to meet all applicable fire protection standards for the project and other communities in the county.

    For more information, you can also read our longer post about sustainability and resilience.

  • Is it OK to build solar farms close to Travis AFB?

    Short answer – absolutely, it is supported by the Air Force, and there are dozens of major solar installations near other Air Force Bases, including Luke (Arizona), Davis-Monthan (Arizona), Nellis (Nevada), Eglin (Florida), and Robins (Georgia). For longer answer, read on.

    Solar installations near Air Force Bases

    “The increased risks driven by climate change cannot be addressed by emission reductions in the Air Force alone, but the Department of the Air Force will be part of the solution. Improving energy efficiency and deploying advanced energy technologies will not only decrease emissions but will help mitigate combat risk and increase operational capability.”

    Department of the Air Force Climate Action Plan, 2022

    Military investments into renewables have risen significantly in the last two decades. DoD spending on clean energy is projected to surpass $10 billion annually by 2030—25 times greater than the $400 million spent on clean energy investments in the early 2000’s—and the Air Force is now the largest clean energy purchaser of any federal entity. Earlier this year, the Department of Defense (DoD) was awarded an additional $55 million in federal grants for initiatives aimed at improving energy resilience and efficiency.

    Solar farms can reduce energy users’ dependence on the grid, keeping power on even during blackouts. They also reduce strain on the grid by shifting demand to off-grid clean energy, making the grid more reliable and resilient—and significantly improving air quality—for everyone.

    Operating solar farms on or near airport runways is common and safe. Airport operators have long operated on-site solar farms to create sustainable sources of clean, low-cost energy to power terminals, hangars, temperature, lighting, and more. Sometimes, concerns have been raised about glare, but solar panels are coated to absorb light, which helps minimize any potential glare. As a result, they generate a similar level of glare as things like lakes and parking lots.

    A mix of rooftop and ground-mounted arrays help power many civilian airports, including Denver, Indianapolis, O’Hare and San Francisco International Airports. Tallahassee International, for example, currently operates a 62 MW facility across nearly 400 acres, about 700 feet from its runway.

    In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formally recognized these facts and established policy for solar energy system projects and safety, which in part stated that “in most cases, the glint and glare from solar energy systems to pilots on final approach is similar to glint and glare pilots routinely experience from water bodies, glass-façade buildings, parking lots, and similar features.”

    As long as glare impact analysis is conducted to inform safe configuration of the panels, an airport solar facility may present a level of risk similar to that of a river, lake, or coastline near the airport. Building on the 2021 policy, last year, the FAA committed $92 million in grants to 21 airports for solar and other sustainability investments to help airports reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

    Solar installations by California Forever

    California Forever has proposed building solar farms on lands it owns near Travis AFB. Any such installations would require approval from Travis to ensure the technology, location, and design for any solar farm is acceptable. Planning will include a glare study and possibly adjusting panel orientation to minimize potential impacts.

    With all necessary steps taken, solar projects can be compatible with airport operations and create beneficial use of land that has otherwise limited uses due to noise, airspace, or other operational concerns. We are committed to working with Travis to ensure any proposals meet requirements to protect ongoing base operations while furthering a critical clean energy transition. We are also excited to explore building solar farms on our land whose output is dedicated for use by Travis AFB, thereby helping the base’s sustainability and resilience goals.

    Travis AFB has recognized the compatibility of our plans, including the solar farms proposed there, with flying its full mission in the statement published on its website on February 15, 2024, where Travis AFB stated:

    “California Forever made significant changes to its plans in order to protect Travis’ global mission and local flight operations. With this revised proposal, Travis AFB will be able to continue flying its full mission, including all of our operational, exercise, and local training flights consisting of multiple patterns and landings to all runways, including night vision goggle training to the assault landing zone (ALZ) runway. Travis AFB recognizes California Forever’s efforts to minimize impacts to operations and mission capabilities, as well as their project’s potential to improve the wellbeing of our Airmen and families into the future.”

    Examples of solar near military airports across America

    Many military airports successfully operate solar farms. Most notably, last year, Edwards AFB in California opened a 1,300-MW system—the largest project of its kind in US Air Force history, as well as the largest private-public collaboration in DoD history. The nearly two-million panel facility is estimated to power over 238,000 homes and annually save over 320,000 tons of emissions.

    There are many other examples of solar farms built near our Air Force Bases. Here are just some of those other examples:

    1. Luke AFB in Arizona operates a 10 MW solar farm on 105 acres immediately adjacent to their airfield.
    2. Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona provides 16.4 MW of solar power across 170 acres approximately 1,000 feet from their airfield.
    3. Across two solar farms, Nellis AFB in Nevada provides about 33 MW over 242 acres approximately one mile from its airfield.
    4. Eglin AFB in Florida operates a 30 MW solar farm across 240 acres about one mile north of their airfield.
    5. Robins AFB in Georgia produces 128 MW of power across 650 acres approximately 1.5 miles from its airfield.

Agriculture & open space

  • How will this new city affect agriculture in Solano County?

    We intentionally located the new city on non-prime farmlands. The entire 17,500 acres that the new city would be located on contribute less than 2% of the total agricultural revenue of Solano County, based on information provided by Solano County in the official Livestock and Crop Reports from 2020-2022.

    See this Blue Sky Consulting Group report for details and calculations, which indicate that the entire 17,500 acres contribute roughly $6 million of the total $385 million of Solano County’s agricultural revenue – i.e., approximately 1.6% of the total.

    We are planning on building greenhouses and vertical farms in the Industry & Technology zone which utilize the latest, most water-efficient farming techniques to make more food with less resources. A single large greenhouse or vertical farm can produce between $10 million and $40 million in annual agricultural revenue.

    We therefore believe that the new city will increase, not decrease, Solano’s agricultural production.

  • Does the new city encroach on protected open space?

    No, the proposed location for the new city avoids all habitat conservation areas including:

    • Areas protected by the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act and Suisun Marsh Protection Plan.
    • The Jepson Prairie Preserve, and conservation easement areas within the Jepson Prairie Area.

    California Forever is committed to working with resource agencies and other stakeholders to expand conservation areas within the Jepson Prairie and surrounding areas.

    That commitment is evident in the map below, showing the new city located in areas with the lowest ecological value (white) in the county, and not in areas with high ecological value (dark green) according to the draft Solano County Habitat Conservation Plan, prepared by SCWA (Solano County Water Agency).

Debunking other myths

  • The new city is in a remote location.

    The new city is half-way between two existing cities of Fairfield and Rio Vista, a few miles away from each.

  • California Forever is a sprawl development.

    Urban sprawl is formally defined as development that is low density, with segregated land uses, and not planned.

    California Forever is the opposite – we’re building a thoughtfully planned, compact, mixed use, city, with everything there – jobs, homes, schools, stores, restaurants, and things to do.

    The average densities for the proposed new city are higher than the rest of the Bay Area, and rates of driving are lower than the rest of the Bay Area. The plan is the opposite of sprawl.

  • The new city would be gated and only people who live in it could access it.

    The new city will be just like every other city in Solano County. Open, and welcome to everyone.

  • Residents of the new city won’t be able to own or drive cars.

    Homes have garages at the back of them and people who want to drive cars can. All we are trying to do is to provide alternative options for trips when walking, biking, or taking transit may be easier or more fun.

  • Residents won’t be able to buy homes, or the homes will be for sale on leased land only.

    The new city will offer a good mix of homes for sale and homes for rent. The homes for sale in the new city will be just like other homes sold in Solano County. They’ll be sold outright, not on leases. Some of the homes will be part of an homeowners’ association (HOA), and some will not, so residents will be able to choose how they want their neighborhoods to be cared for.

  • The project would create problems for tax revenues of Solano County and its existing cities.

    This project would bring billions of dollars of new investments to Solano County, both in the new city and in existing cities. These investments would increase tax revenues for both Solano County and for existing cities, and help pay for law enforcement, schools, and other public services across Solano County.

  • California Forever is led by foreign investors including from China.

    California Forever is an American company through and through. 97% of our capital comes from well known American investors (balance is from British/Irish investors). Our Founder & CEO, Jan Sramek, is an American citizen, as are all members of our senior management team.

  • California Forever sued small farmers who did not want to sell.

    California Forever purchased properties from approximately 600 landowners, and made them multi-millionaires. In total, the landowners who sold to California Forever made almost a billion dollars.

    In a small number of cases involving four landowner groups, California Forever alleged that groups of wealthy landowners worth tens or hundreds of million of dollars got together to form a price-fixing ring, and filed an antitrust complaint against them. The case is ongoing, but in an early ruling in the case, the federal judge wrote that “these statements do reveal there was some sort of agreement among defendants to fix the price of land in Solano County.”

    Despite the defendants’ wrongdoing, California Forever has already settled with almost all of the defendants, and done so on generous and fair terms. In particular, California Forever has already settled the case with all farmers, and with all residents of Solano County. The remaining handful of defendants are neither farmers nor Solano residents. We remain open to settling the case with them as well.

Strong local support

See allSupport the project

The prospect of a European-style walkable town is very exciting! Envisioning a safe haven for my teenage kids, this initiative isn’t just building homes; it’s creating a community where nostalgia meets safety. It’s the promise of a place close to home where our family can thrive, and my teenagers can hang out securely, blending the best of familiar comforts and vibrant, walkable spaces.

Olga Danilchenko Fairfield, CA

I would recommend this to many people, including elderly groups looking for safe and walkable…

Barbara Smith Fairfield, CA

I would recommend this to many people, including elderly groups looking for safe and walkable streets.

Barbara Smith Fairfield, CA
Amazing project that will bring growth of jobs, businesses, housing, and overall tax revenue for Solano County. Like many cities which have grown in the county, this will benefit everyone in the area. I definitely support the California Forever Plan.

I am excited to see what is to come! I’m ready for a change.

Yolanda Kelly Vallejo, CA

I am excited to see what is to come! I’m ready for a change.

Yolanda Kelly Vallejo, CA Social Worker

I’m excited for this project because it is a rarity to hear of developers wanting to build a community that enhances the direction California is heading. California Forever is great for Solano County.

Tim White Vacaville, CA Reverend

I endorse this project and can’t wait to see the future there! I want my…

Bianca Rubio Vallejo, CA

I endorse this project and can’t wait to see the future there! I want my child to have better opportunities than I did here in Vallejo. More sporting activities!

Bianca Rubio Vallejo, CA Co-Owner, Restaurant

I want to open the first barbershop in the new city.

David Shott Fairfield, CA

I want to open the first barbershop in the new city.

David Shott Fairfield, CA Barber

New community, hospital, homes, and schools. Count me in! This will bring job opportunities to our community. I can’t wait.

Holly Moore Vallejo, CA

As a member of this community, I look forward to the future of the California Forever project and look forward to working together to make Solano County better.

Ernie Houston Fairfield, CA
As residents of Rio Vista, we were skeptical about what California Forever was proposing. However, as we learned more about the project and read the initiative, we support the vision of what is being proposed. We see this as clear opportunity for Rio Vista and the surrounding community to have resources and future growth that will benefit current residents and future generations.

As the CEO and Founder of The Coach Sarna League, which includes an NFL Flag Football League and a LEGO STEM League, I am a strong supporter of the California Forever initiative for Solano County. Our league mission is to never turn a child away due to finances, and so because of this we have firsthand knowledge of the economic desperation of so many Solano County families. The plan to create thousands of good paying jobs will forever change the lives of so many Solano residents.

Ryan Sarna Vallejo, CA CEO and Founder of The Coach Sarna League

Northern California is one of the most beautiful places on earth. However, home construction has not kept up with demand. Our region’s housing shortage is creating access and affordability challenges. Many in my family are seriously thinking about leaving the state. This initiative could go a long way toward solving our local housing problems through the construction of a complete community with good-paying jobs and a mix of housing for all income levels.

Shan Bhattacharya Benicia, CA

A walkable, mixed-use community that promotes sustainable development and open space with an aim to provide safe homes and a short radius of living is the model of growth that the United States needs.

Andrew Ellis Fairfield, CA USAF Dentist

As a mother to four kids, I often fear they will grow up and move far away. Knowing there is a new community with more jobs, affordable housing, and small business opportunities is exciting.

Kimberly Palang Vacaville, CA Nurse

I’m pleased to be a supporter of the Forever California project. A cutting-edge project that…

Will Leighton Fairfield, CA

I’m pleased to be a supporter of the Forever California project. A cutting-edge project that will provide an innovative and sensitive land planning vision while offering a unique example of thoughtful, orderly growth for Solano County and its residents. A quality project with a competent development team.

Will Leighton Fairfield, CA

I am so looking forward to the growth, opportunities, and enrichment that California Forever will bring for our future generations.

Pam Athwal Fairfield, CA

I agree with the proposed growth to Solano County wholeheartedly.

Michael Shipp Benicia, CA

I agree with the proposed growth to Solano County wholeheartedly.

Michael Shipp Benicia, CA Retired

California Forever heralds a new era of opportunity. From thriving job markets to sustainable living,…

Joel Arances Dixon, CA

California Forever heralds a new era of opportunity. From thriving job markets to sustainable living, it’s a catalyst for progress. Embrace the possibilities, as this initiative paves the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for Solano County residents.

Joel Arances Dixon, CA
Having spent the first half of my life in Europe, I took for granted being able to walk to local shops, school, and work until I came to the US. All it takes to build such communities is vision, patience, common sense, teamwork, and openness - which is exactly what California Forever is proposing. Furthermore, beautiful communities are possible only if a diverse group of citizens and stakeholders have a shared commitment for a new community.

I support the initiative because this kind of walkable community is what we need in the world. We need a new vision for the future!

Radhika Lynette Kaplan Vallejo, CA Community Organizer

The idea that this new community is popping up near somewhere I’ve lived my whole life is remarkable. It’s so new and fresh, which brings lots of opportunities.

Danielle Anderson-Lacy Fairfield, CA

I support California Forever

I believe in Solano County and California that build again. Let’s build new industries, affordable homes, and clean energy for this generation and generations to come.

Let's build