FOLSOM, Calif. — Drivers in Folsom going northbound on Folsom Boulevard just past Blue Ravine Road have seen a sign since March directing them to take a U-turn at Parkshore Drive if they want to visit their local California assemblyman.
Assemblyman Josh Hoover took office Dec. 5, 2022. The city of Folsom put up two signs directing constituents to his office three months later, according to Matt Hedges, Hoover’s chief of staff.
Christine Brainerd, a Folsom city spokeswoman, says the street signs were requested by Hoover’s office. She says the city’s public works department obtained California logos from the state and created the signs in a city sign shop. They cost about $250 total.
“If other elected officials have offices in Folsom, the city would post signs for them as well so that their constituents know where to find their elected officials,” she said.
Directional street signs are somewhat uncommon for California State Assembly members, as the assembly does not pay for signs pointing to member offices.
“The Assembly Rules Committee is in charge of district office leases and signage posted on buildings or nearby directories to help the public find a particular district office,” said Lia Lopez, chief administrative officer for the Assembly Rules Committee. “However, the Assembly does not pay for signs marking a location of a member’s office, such as city street signage.”
She says an Assembly member’s local city may have specific procedures in place to increase awareness as to where constituents may be served.
Hedges says Hoover’s street signs draw significant traffic from people. Many will visit the office “simply because they saw the sign,” he said.
“These people had significant problems they needed help with, but didn’t realize that help was only one street away,” Hedges said. “It’s also been helpful because our office is tucked away off the street.”
He thinks street signs directing constituents to the offices of public officials should be more common and people should be able to get help without having the hassle of navigating their government.
There are no street signs pointing toward Assemblyman Carlos Villapudua’s office on Quail Lakes Drive in Stockton, according to his staff.
“We would be interested in inquiring with the city of Stockton to provide directional street signs,” said Ben Cheever, a spokesman for Villapudua’s office.
Cheever says availability and outreach “has always been a top priority” of Villapudua’s office, and it has set up booths at various community events to provide resources to constituents.
Villapudua hosted webinars on tax credit and state grants and general meet-and-greet events, such as sidewalk talks series and annual holiday open house, allowing him “to connect one-on-one with constituents,” Cheever said.
“For two years, we consistently held ‘mobile office hours’ in Tracy to help connect with people who cannot travel all the way to Stockton,” he said.
Cheever says the assemblyman works on having an active social media presence and sends out district-wide emails to help constituents become aware of a variety of resources.
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