For Sacramento’s new city manager, the first step will be building trust | Opinion
Sacramento is turning the page with the arrival of a new city manager, Maraskeshia Smith. This transition comes at a critical moment: our community is facing urgent challenges — jobs, housing, education and community safety — alongside powerful opportunities for progress in projects like the Railyards, Aggie Square and broader regional economic integration.
Success in tackling these issues will depend on one thing above all else: trust.
Trust is the real currency of governance. With it, a city can marshal resources, build coalitions and deliver results. Without it, even the best ideas falter. For Smith, earning and sustaining trust with both the public and city leaders will be the essential first step.
That won’t be easy. Trust in government has eroded across the nation. National politics feel more polarized than ever, the way people consume information has splintered into bubbles and technology is transforming work and communication at dizzying speed. Residents often carry their cynicism about Washington straight into local debates. But that also means local leadership has an outsized opportunity: to be the steady, reliable anchor people can count on.
How does a city manager build that trust? As a former city councilmember, I know it begins with relationships. Listening — genuinely and consistently — is more powerful than any press release. Residents need to feel heard, and city leaders need to know their perspectives are respected. That doesn’t mean every decision will be popular, but it does mean decisions should be transparent, explained clearly and tied to measurable progress.
Results matter just as much as inclusion. Sacramento’s credibility will grow when residents see promises turn into performance: housing approvals that lead to actual construction, safer streets through smart investment in prevention and enforcement and stronger partnerships with schools and employers that improve educational and career pathways, such as with Intel or the Museum of Science and Curiosity on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math learning.
The opportunities ahead make this even more urgent. The Railyards project offers a once-in-a-generation chance to reshape our city’s core, but it will only succeed if people trust the process and see tangible benefits.
Aggie Square, the $1 billion investment by UC Davis for an innovation center in Oak Park, represents Sacramento’s future as a hub for jobs and education — but only if the community feels it has a stake in its success. And our city’s economic future is tied to regional integration, meaning Sacramento must align with neighbors to ensure we attract investment and build prosperity that reaches every neighborhood.
For Smith, my advice is simple: focus on building relationships, lead with transparency and always connect inclusion with results. Sacramento is a city full of talent and promise. Residents want to believe in their leaders, but they need to see progress they can touch and feel in their daily lives — safer streets, more housing, better jobs and stronger schools.
This moment is an opportunity. By making trust the foundation of their work, Smith can unify city leaders, empower communities, and drive forward the progress our city urgently needs. The task is not easy, but it is essential. And if done well, it can restore not only trust in local government but faith in what Sacramento can achieve together.
Steve Hansen is a former Sacramento City Council member and current managing partner at Lighthouse Public Affairs.