Gov. Jerry Brown's "May revise" (pdf) of the $122 billion 2017 state budget includes significant provisions meant to address homelessness and promote the production of housing. It calls for a $2 billion bond, supported by Prop 63, to proving up to 14,000 units of housing for mentally ill homeless people, plus support for the CalWORKS jobs program. The budget seeks to speed the production of housing by compelling localities to speed the ministerial approval of developments that meet certain requirements for providing affordable units. The revise reiterates Brown's support for bills such as Assembly Bill 2501, which would strengthen the state's density bonus law, and several bills promoting accessory dwelling units. Brown said that the state should not expect to solve its housing crisis purely through the development of subsidized housing. The League of California Cities opposes certain elements of the revise's housing plan for reducing local control over land use decisions.
Coastal Commission Chair May Recuse Himself from Controversial Vote
California Coastal Commission Chair Steve Kinsey is considering whether he should recuse himself from voting on the controversial Banning Ranch project in Newport Beach because of two unreported private meetings with project representatives. Kinsey's possible breach of protocol could risk civil lawsuits and decisions being overturned were he to vote on the project. Kinsey's two private meetings involved site tours in which he challenged staff's decision of the area as environmentally sensitive habitat. Kinsey did not acknowledge his failure to complete the ex-parte notification until Los Angeles Times contacted him; he says he will now address the issue.
In other Coastal Commission news, commission voted, 6-5, to endorse a bill that would ban ex-parte communications and private meetings between commissioners and developers, lobbyists, environmentalists and other parties. The is designed to improve transparency and restore public's confidence in the commission. The five commissioners that opposed the endorsement say banning ex-parte communications would limit the about of information that is heard on a specific project or publics ability to learn more about a development by contacting a commissioner directly. Another bill by Assembly members Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) would require lobbyists to disclose their clients and register with the state before discussing with commissioners. The commission voted, 8-3, to endorse that bill.
Santa Monica Wins A Round in Airport Fight
In an unpublished ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the City of Santa Monica has won a round against the Federal Aviation Administration in its attempt to close the Santa Monica Airport. The Ninth Circuit overturned a trial judge's ruling that the 12-year statute of limitations on Santa Monica's legal challenge had expired under the federal "Quiet Title Act". Title to the property has been in dispute, with the federal government arguing that the land should revert to the feds if it ever ceases use as an airport. The Ninth Circuit's ruling keeps the case alive and remands it to federal district court in Los Angeles.
Prop. 84 Park Spending May Have Short-Changed Disadvantaged Communities
Ten years ago in 2006, California voters approved Proposition 84, which directed $5.4 billion to parks, protect natural resources and improve state's water quality and supply. UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability released a report showing where the funds have gone and the inefficiencies of the initiative. Author Jon Christensen said some groups have received less of their fair share of the program. The report focuses on $2 billion spent on 2,174 projects that were to have local community benefits. The report found that 45 percent of Prop 84 funds went to disadvantaged communities, but it cautions that many of these communities are rural and therefore have low population densities. This led to marked disparities: Residents in rural areas within a half-mile walking distance of projects saw $7,475 per capita in spending in their neighborhoods, while residents in urban areas saw $209 in per capita spending. The report found that 56 percent of the funding overall was spent in areas that already had more park acres for each resident, while 44 percent was spent in park-poor areas. One Prop 84 program, the Statewide Parks Act, was successful in creating parks for disadvantaged urban communities with little green space.
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Candidate Questions Legality of San Diego Climate Plan
According to some analyses, San Diego's Climate Action Plan, adopted in December, may not be legally enforceable. The city committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions in half over the next 20 years and can be sued by citizens if it does not meet those goals. However, Mara Elliott, a candidate for city attorney, says it is fiction and the existing language needs to be changed. The plan will not be analyzed for weaknesses in language and other vulnerabilities to make a clear message to the public about the enforceability. The Climate Action Plan is tied to the General Plan, which is enforceable. Elliott argues it will not be enforceable until laws are adopted related to the plan; however, many other lawyers disagree. While everyone agrees the end goal of reduction by a certain year is enforceable, Elliott argues there needs to be specific implementation policies included.
S.F. Sues University over Housing Conversions
San Francisco City Attorney Denis Herrera is suing Academy of Art University for illegally converting many buildings in its a real estate empire. This dispute has been ongoing for over a decade, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines levied against the for-profit university. Academy of Art President Elisa Stephens purchased 22 buildings which it converted to university buildings without proper city authorization; many of these buildings house students but should be part of the city's affordable housing supply. The university spent $8 million and nine years on environmental impact reports and lawyer for the school calls this lawsuit "completely premature and unnecessary." The university offered as solutions: building own housing in the future, putting money into city's affordable-housing fund and converting existing buildings into affordable housing.
Los Angeles Approves New Soccer Stadium
The Los Angeles City Council voted, 12-0, to approve plans for a $250 million stadium complex for a Major League Soccer team on the site of the to-be-demolished Memorial Sports Arena in Exposition Park. The development will include 22,000 seats, 100,000 square-feet for restaurants, retail outlets, conference center, sports museum and 143,000 square-feet open space. The Sports Arena will be demolished this summer and the new stadium will open by 2018. This arena will create 1,800 permanent jobs, $129 million in economic activity and $2.5 million in local tax revenue annually.
Costa Mesa Rejects Affordable Housing Proposal
Amid controversy over the City of Costa Mesa's provision of affordable housing, a $20 million bond measure for affordable housing lost on a 3-2 vote. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer wrote the proposal to place a property tax on residents to generate funds for housing. He estimated that it would cost property owners $9.42 per $100,000 assessed value of their property over 20 - 30 years. The three other council members who voted against the plan say there was no specific plan for developing affordable housing and constituted an additional tax.
Los Angeles Turns to Crowdsourcing for Clean Streets
Los Angeles is launching a $9.1 million initiative called Clean Streets to rank every street on its cleanliness. Initial research finds that 61 percent of streets were clean, 35 percent somewhat tidy and 4 percent were flat-out dirty. The 4 percent that received a "3" is equivalent to 376 miles. Unclear streets generally correspond with low-income Other cities with similar street-rating systems are San Francisco, Philadelphia and New York. Los Angeles' is unique because it covers 22,000 miles; Bureau of Sanitation workers drove down every block in the city. To track conditions a tool called CleanStat was developed to implement new efforts cheaply and efficiently. Mayor Eric Garcetti said that the system is designed to encourage citizen participation: "it's really about hyper-accountability. Any business owner or resident can log on and check it out, then say to their council member: �Why the heck is our street a 3? I want it to be a 1.'"
Court Rules for Cadiz's Mojave Desert Groundwater Transfer Plans
A ruling by California's Fourth District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana gives Cadiz, Inc. the right to transfer ancient groundwater from Mojave Desert to parts of Orange County. Many years in the making, the Cadiz Water Project is a partnership with Santa Margarita Water District and other Southern California water agencies. Center for Biological Diversity was challenging the project saying CEQA was incomplete and second case dealing with San Bernardino County's approval of the project. While this was a victory for Cadiz, now they must fight for an 1875 railway right-of-way to build the 43-mile pipeline. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in October rejected Cadiz's proposal, which the company is now trying to fight.
L.A. Grants Clemency to Some �Bootleg' Apartments
Los Angeles City Council tentatively approved so-called bootleg apartments in exchange for a 55-year period of affordable housing on affected properties. Bootleg apartments can be lofts divided into multiple units or storage spaces converted to tiny studios. This new law would ease L.A.'s housing shortage and make landlords bring their buildings up to code. There are multiple caveats to this: it can only be apartment buildings, had to have existed before December 10, 2015 and requirement of parking spaces could be waived. Every year 400 to 500 illegal apartments are removed following inspections because of the high costs (up to $20,000) to put the unit up to code.
L.A. Businesses Fed Up with Traffic
According to a recent survey conducted by the Los Angeles County Business Federation conducted a survey, local employers listed transportation as their second business concern, topped only by taxes and fees. Long commutes and traffic result in disruptions in productivity, goods movement and recruiting and retaining employees. Additionally, transportation problems will affect future job growth as 44 percent of employers ranked "traffic congestion" as a major reason that businesses and jobs leave the county. Across the county, more employers noted transportation-related public infrastructure as needing more attention: for instance roads and streets increased from 52 to 57 percent from last year and sidewalks and bike paths went up 4 percent to 29 percent.
EIR Released for Burbank Airport Terminal
Airport officials released a 3,700-page draft EIR for a new terminal at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank. The three options include a 355,000 or 232,000 square-foot terminal and third option is keeping the current terminal. The current airport is not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration standards, needs to meet seismic-safety regulations and has asbestos in the walls. The plan is to build in the northeast section of the airfield but the southwest corner is being considered as an alternative. For all options, the consultant RS&H says there will be air quality and other environmental impacts.
Tensions Rise over Proposed Gaming Compact in Madera County
The North Fork Mono Indians have been trying to build a casino near Madera for years. California voters rejected the compact for the North Fork trip in 2014, but the Department of the Interior is looking into a new gaming compact, under which North Fork would not have to contribute for seven years until the casino is making profit. Groups that backed Proposition 48, Stand Up for California and other tribes, have sued. The Revenue Sharing Trust Fund asks gaming tribes to contribute 2 percent of their revenue from slots to distribute to non-gaming tribes. The North Fork Rancheria and Station Casinos will build a complex with 2,000 slot machines, 40 table games and a hotel.
