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Bakersfield council hears budget, HR report on 155 vacancies as residents urge more housing and services
Summary
City staff presented the proposed fiscal 2025–26 budget and an Assembly Bill 2561 vacancy report showing a 7.64% citywide vacancy rate (155 vacancies). During the public hearing, residents urged larger investments in affordable housing, eviction prevention, mental-health responses and community programs instead of larger increases for the police.
The Bakersfield City Council on June 11 heard public testimony and staff presentations on the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget, including a statutorily required vacancy report under Assembly Bill 2561 and a wide-ranging public comment period calling for greater investment in housing, mental-health services and community programs.
City Human Resources Director Christy Tenter told the council the city’s point-in-time vacancy rate is 7.64%, representing 155 open positions. "We are at 7.64% citywide vacancy rate, and that's a 155 vacancies," Tenter said during her presentation, adding that the figure reflected a May 5 data snapshot and that vacancies are concentrated in police and public works. She described the public-sector hiring process and said average time-to-fill varied by classification but that the city had completed 220 recruitments to date with an average 81.4 days to fill a position.
Tenter outlined recruitment and retention actions the city has pursued — job fairs, expanded outreach, compensation adjustments,…
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