By Perla Brito
SACRAMENTO, CA – CA State Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) announced that he introduced Senate Bill 418, a bill to set the California Prison Redevelopment Commission in motion and find creative ways to repurpose closed prisons to sites that would serve the community.
It’s similar to what was done by New York Governor Kathy Hocul who established the Prison Redevelopment Commission in 2022, and both California and New York are in the process of closing prison facilities, many of which are in rural areas, said Padilla.
Padilla notes New York’s Prison Redevelopment Commission recently released a 140 page report that includes short and long-term recommendations to successfully revitalize communities.
SB 418 would create a panel of 15 members, said Padilla, with economic development experts alongside state and local representatives focused on developing recommendations on turning closed prisons into community assets.
Senate Bill 418, the author writes, would have the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) lead the commission with the assistance of representatives from the Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Dept of Finance, Dept of General Services, and State Parks as well as economic development experts, and local community representatives.
The Commission would be in charge of forming a plan of action to change closed prisons into opportunities for communities to thrive economically and financially, said Padilla, adding, “California’s rural communities suffer from chronic underinvestment and we need to think carefully on how to convert former prisons in those communities into economic assets.”
He argued, “Having economic development experts alongside community and state leaders carefully analyze redevelopment options will provide an important road map for replacing prisons with economic opportunity and investment in rural communities.”
Senator Padilla represents the 18th Senate District which includes the cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego. It also includes the Coachella Valley and the Imperial Valley.
Within his district is the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, which the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has marked for closure, Calipatria State Prison, Centinela State Prison, Ironwood State Prison, and the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
