KPOA: Working With Our Community

Governance and Civic Involvement in the Unincorporated Community of Kensington, CA:

Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors is the governing body for Kensington. Kensington is part of District 1, along with El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, North Richmond, and parts of El Sobrante and Pinole. The two previously independent special districts* in Kensington were reorganized into one independent special district in 2025, the Kensington Community Services District (KCSD).

The district is an independent, self-governed agency responsible directly to its constituents and is administered by a local board of nine directors (and will reduce to five directors by 2028) elected by Kensington voters. Services provided by the district are primarily funded by property taxes allocated by the County and supplemented by special taxes approved by voters. The Stege Sanitary District is also a special district serving Kensington, although its services cover larger geography than the Kensington area.

*the Kensington Fire Protection District (KPFD) and the Kensington Police Protection and
Community Services District (KPPCSD).

(For more information, see “Kensington Past and Present” published in 2000 by the Kensington Improvement Club.)

Download The Kensington Directory

KENSINGTON SPECIAL DISTRICT

Kensington Community Services District (KCSD)

www.kppcsd.org

Business Office 10940 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito
(510) 526-4141

Public Safety Building (Fire House) 217 Arlington Avenue, Kensington, CA 94707
(510) 527-8395

The Kensington Community Services District (KCSD) is currently governed by nine district directors as a result of the reorganization of the Fire District and Community Services District. Over the next two election cycles the board will decrease to five elected directors serving staggered, four-year terms.

The KCSD provides police protection services including patrol, response to crimes in progress, traffic enforcement, first aid, and CPR, investigations, warrant and subpoena service, and other law enforcement duties. There is a Kensington Police Department overseen by the Police Chief, who reports to the general manager of the district, and the General Manager, handles day-to-day operations of the District.

The District contracts with the City of El Cerrito for all fire prevention, fire suppression, and emergency services provided to the Kensington community and maintains automatic response agreements with other West Contra Costa County fire agencies. The Public Safety Building houses two Kensington-owned fire engines, one specifically engineered for the steep, narrow streets of Kensington and the other, a wildland engine for use during high fire season.

Kensington Park grounds and facilities (including booking rentals at the community center) are KCSD property.

The District has a longstanding agreement with the Kensington Community Council, a nonprofit organization, for use of the recreational building and community center in the park and for providing recreational services in Kensington. The district also has a franchise agreement with Bayview Refuse, Kensington’s garbage collection and solid waste disposal and recycling programs.

Board meetings are held monthly on the second Thursday of the month at the Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Avenue.

Volunteer Civic Organizations:

The “K” groups of Kensington

Kensington residents contribute to the community via a variety of volunteer civic organizations which monitor community governance and finances and provide services that Kensington does not receive from the county.

Examples of these services are a park and playgrounds, after-school programs, town hall meetings, the Kensington Outlook community newspaper, civic improvements, and emergency preparedness.

Kensington Property Owners Association

Kensington Community Council (KCC)

The Kensington Community Council is a 501c3 non-profit corporation that, under an agreement with the KPPCSD, provides educational and recreational programs for the community such as the Kensington After School Enrichment Program...

Kensington Municipal Advisory Council (KMAC)

The Kensington Municipal Advisory Council (KMAC) is an appointed advisory body to the Board of Supervisors with a broad charge to advise the county supervisors on county services, community concerns, and to serve as a liaison between the community...

Kensington Property Owners Association (KPOA)

The Kensington Property Owners Association is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization which collects and disseminates information on issues affecting Kensington property owners. KPOA publishes an annual Kensington directory...

Kensington Improvement Club (KIC)

The Kensington Improvement Club was the first volunteer organization in Kensington, founded in 1921. It is dedicated to promoting and fostering the general welfare of the community and to cooperating with county and local authorities on necessary...

The Friends of the Kensington Library

The Kensington Library is a branch of the Contra Costa County Library System and houses a collection of over 34,000 books and periodicals and a continually refreshed selection of recorded books, movies, and music CDs. The Kensington Library also...

Kensington Amateur Radio Operators

The Kensington Amateur Radio Operators is a group of amateur radio operators who live in Kensington and have agreed to participate in the support of Kensington’s emergency preparedness program. The operators have been incorporated into the CERT training and are part of...

Kensington Public Safety Council

The mission of KPSC is to educate our community on how to prepare for emergencies, strengthen our citizen emergency response infrastructure, and promote community public safety initiatives. The council will address topics related to...

The Kensington Farmers’ Market

A California-certified farmers’ market, the Kensington Farmers’ Market is a nonprofit, community-based organization which is open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oak View Avenue between Colusa Circle and Santa Fe Avenue in Kensington. It also serves the...