CP&DR News Briefs June 9, 2026: Sonoma Ag Plan; Sprawl Rankings; L.A. Co. Population Loss; and More

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Sonoma County Plan Attempts to Bolster Agriculture Industry

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved an action plan aimed at strengthening the agriculture industry in collaboration among county agencies including the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District and the University of California Cooperative Extension. Agriculture accounts for roughly 18% of Sonoma County’s economy, but the sector has experienced significant declines, including the loss of 14 dairies and more than 2,700 acres of vineyards since 2018. The plan proposes creating an agricultural incubator for new and small-scale farmers, expanding access to affordable long-term leases, and new approaches like using land as rentable campsites and small on‑farm educational events. The action plan will be rolled out in phases over the next three years, with a broader county General Plan update expected by January 2029.

Study Ranking Sprawl Puts San Francisco at No. 1, Inland Empire Dead Last Among 233 U.S. Metros

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University calculated "sprawl scores" for 233 metropolitan areas, 995 urban counties, and 64,444 census tracts covering about 85% of the U.S. population. Metro areas were assigned composite scores based on four factors: density, mixed land uses, activity centering, and street connectivity. Of the top 10 "most compact and connected" metropolitan areas in 2020, three are in California: ranked first is San Francisco/San Mateo/Redwood City, with Santa Maria/Santa Barbara and San Rafael following in 8th and 9th. San Francisco (composite score: 242.91) and New York (227.3) are the most compact and connected U.S. metros. Just outside the top-10, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Santa Cruz, and Oakland rank 11th, 13th, 16th, 19th, and 20th. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario ranks last, at 233rd, making it the most sprawling metro area in the study. The analysis links compact urban form to lower energy costs, improved health outcomes, reduced exposure to vector-borne diseases, and greater transportation efficiency.

Study Analyzes Population Loss in Los Angeles County

According to a report from the State of Los Angeles County Housing and Neighborhoods (SOLACHAN), Los Angeles County has lost more than 500,000 residents (about 5%) since 2015, including an 8% decline in foreign-born residents, while the share of households with children has fallen from roughly one-third in 2010 to one-quarter in 2023. The report from the Neighborhood Data for Social Change (NDSC), an initiative of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, found that despite population decline, the number of households continues to grow, sustaining housing demand amid worsening affordability pressures. Homeownership has dropped to 45%, the lowest in over 50 years, with median home values more than 10 times median incomes, compared to a 4-to-1 ratio nationally. Renter households face severe cost burdens, with over 90% of low-income renters spending more than 30% of income on housing, while higher-income renters have grown to 15% of the rental market.

Los Angeles to Maintain "Mansion Tax;" Study Finds it Depresses Transactions

A Los Angeles City Council committee voted 2-1 to set aside a proposed November ballot measure that would have reduced the city's Measure ULA “mansion tax” on multifamily and mixed-use properties, opting instead to pursue a narrower tax break for newly built affordable housing projects. The committee advanced plans for a five-year pilot program that would lower the transfer tax rate to 1.5% for qualifying affordable housing developments without requiring voter approval. A report by the RAND Corp. examining Measure ULA transfer tax concludes that while the measure has generated approximately $1.185 billion since taking effect in 2023 for affordable housing, tenant assistance and anti-eviction programs, it has also significantly reduced high-value real estate activity and development. According to the study, transactions subject to the tax declined 31% over the first three years, while construction of large apartment buildings fell by an estimated 30%, despite mitigation from the city's Executive Directive 1 housing program. (See related CP&DR coverage.)

Los Angeles Metro Sues Burbank over Bus Rapid Transit Line

Los Angeles Metro filed suit against the City of Burbank after the city refused to issue permits for its portion of the planned North Hollywood-to-Pasadena bus rapid transit line, a $270 million project intended to be operational before the 2028 Olympics. Metro argues Burbank lacks authority under state environmental law and existing agreements to block the project and is seeking a court order requiring the city to process the permits. Metro reports spending nearly $44 million so far on design and pre-construction work and warns that continued delays could jeopardize the project's timeline and its planned completion before the 2028 Olympic Games.

CP&DR Coverage: State Supreme Court Ruling Reels in Coastal Commission

After a seven-year legal battle, the California Supreme Court has ruled that a developer can move forward to build three single-family houses in the San Luis Obispo County community of Los Osos. In a ruling by Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, the Supreme Court reversed an unpublished appellate court ruling, concluding among other things that the project is not located in a “sensitive resource area” and therefore the Coastal Commission did not have the right to appeal the project to itself. In this case, the Supreme Court tackled a complicated fact situation in large part to determine the question of whether the Coastal Commission or the county deserved deference from the courts. The Supreme Court concluded that neither deserved deference and based on its own analysis determined that the Coastal Commission did not have the ability to appeal the project to itself. The Pacific Legal Foundation – which represented the developer on appeal – declared total victory, while the Coastal Commission issued a statement downplaying the importance of the ruling.

Quick Hits & Updates

The Suisun City Council approved the sale of seven downtown parcels of land in the waterfront district to California Forever for a total of $1.14 million as part of an effort to revitalize the neighborhood. The lots are currently zoned for Downtown Mixed Use and Main Street Mixed Use with height limits ranging between 50 and 60 feet, but it is yet unclear what the firm plans to do with the properties. (See related CP&DR coverage.)

San Benito Holdings has dropped its federal lawsuit against San Benito County challenging the effects of Measure A, ending a legal fight over development rights on two properties near Highway 101. The lawsuit argued that Measure A’s removal of commercial land-use designations from the properties amounted to an unconstitutional taking and sought either restoration of the commercial zoning or more than $25 million in compensation.

The High-Speed Rail Authority entered into a co-development agreement this month with Momentum Alliance Partners, a group of eight international infrastructure, engineering and related firms that could help finance and build future segments of California’s high-speed rail system outside of the Central Valley. During the proposed 30 month agreement the rail authority would invest $9 million to $10 million in the initial phase. SB 198 has also created obstacles to spending, limiting spending over $500 million outside the Merced-to-Bakersfield portion.

The city of Cupertino is being sued by a resident over concerns about the city’s approval of a 51-unit residential development in a high fire risk area, arguing officials failed to adequately analyze wildfire evacuation and safety risks in a state-designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The Linda Vista Drive housing project was upzoned from single-family to allow for the project, but neighbors argue the city and developers did not adequately study wildfire evacuation capacity along Linda Vista Drive, a hillside corridor with limited access.

Oak View Group, the entertainment and venue company co-founded by former-Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff, is negotiating the purchase of the Oakland Arena as part of the long-running effort to transfer ownership of the 155-acre Oakland Coliseum complex. According to a term sheet released by Alameda County, an unnamed arena buyer would pay at least $100 million for the venue. The proposed transaction is in works between the African American Sports & Entertainment Group (AASEG), the county, the African American Sports & Entertainment Group, and Coliseum Way Partners, an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, due to the county’s 50% share of the sports complex. (See related CP&DR coverage.)

The City of Encinitas is raising developer impact fees for the first time in decades, with some charges rising between 300% and 500%. Effective July 20, developers of a typical 1,736-square-foot single-family home will pay about $47,827 in impact fees, up from $15,843 previously. Additional revenue will be directed to fund parks, transportation improvements, open space acquisition and community facilities.

Caltrans is studying a high-speed train that could reach up to 140 mph, reducing the San Francisco-Los Angeles run to about three hours. The research is speculative, and implementation of the coaches would require extensive new dedicated freeway lanes, custom-built stations, and buses engineered for long stretches at triple-digit speeds.

The California Coastal Commission approved UC Santa Barbara’s East Campus Housing Project, clearing the way to replace the 412-bed Santa Rosa Residence Hall with four new buildings that will collectively house 1,688 students. The approval includes exceptions allowing building heights up to 85 feet (above the 65-foot limit), waiving on-site parking requirements in favor of existing campus lots, and adding extensive bicycle parking. A similar project had been the object of controversy several years ago when billionaire Charlie Munger proposed an enormous largely windowless dorm to economize on exterior space.

Los Angeles City Planning released the Homeowner’s Guide to Missing Middle Housing, a new resource that explains current state laws and local policies and that help homeowners understand how they can unlock new housing opportunities on their properties, including Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior ADUs, duplexes, and small lot subdivisions, many of which have been facilitated by newly adopted state laws.

Sacramento-based Bardis & Miry Development has inked a deal to acquire about 35 acres of Blue Diamond's midtown Sacramento campus for a mixed-use redevelopment project expected to include 1,000 to 2,000 homes, retail space and community amenities. Specifics for the redevelopment plans are still being considered, but the development company stresses their interest in a walkable mixed-use community that preserves the character and history of the property. Part of the agreement determines that Blue Diamond will remain in their corporate headquarters on campus until 2030, and the cooperative will retain approximately 19 acres for almond processing.