Milena de Melo

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a forty member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. The term "rural" may be defined in various ways: population density, population size, demographics or economic data. However you define it, rural counties face unique challenges when putting federal and state policies into effect. The greater distances, lower population densities, and geographic diversity of RCRC's forty member counties create obstacles not faced by their more urban or suburban counterparts. For those reasons, "one-size-fits-all" policies don't work, especially when the "size" typically is a more metropolitan model. Founded in 1972, RCRC works with its membership to advocate on behalf of rural issues at the state and federal levels. RCRC provides the rural county perspective on a myriad of issues during the legislative and regulatory process, including land use, water and natural resources, housing, transportation, wildfire protection policies, and health and human services. The core of RCRC’s mission is to improve the ability of small, rural California county government to provide services by reducing the burden of state and federal mandates, and promoting a greater understanding among policy makers about the unique challenges that face California's small population counties. The RCRC Board of Directors is comprised of a member of the Board of Supervisors from each of its forty member counties. RCRC staff work in partnership with the Board of Directors to deliver a rural perspective when legislation and regulations are being formulated in Sacramento, and Washington, D.C. Our efforts help enhance and protect the quality of life in California’s small and rural counties.