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The Citrus Heights City Council has rejected a developer’s proposal to revamp Citrus Heights Mall – once the very reason the city was incorporated – to include big-box stores and drive-through restaurants.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Valero Partners to Explore Redevelopment of Benicia Refinery Valero Energy Corp. is exploring the potential closure or transformation of its 900-acre oil refinery in Benicia, a move that could mark a significant shift for the region. In partnership with Signature Development Group—known for major Bay Area projects like Oakland's Brooklyn Basin and Menlo Park's Willow Village—Valero is assessing redevelopment options for the waterfront site. The refinery's future became uncertain after Valero informed the state it may idle or shut down the plant, part of a broader strategic review of its California operations. The Benicia property, with its scenic hills and views of the Carquinez Strait, offers prime real estate potential. Signature Development emphasized its intention to work closely with the city and community as plans evolve, potentially paving the way for one of the Bay Area's most transformative redevelopment efforts. Los Angeles Housing Pipeline Nearly Dries Up New housing permits in Los Angeles continued to decline this year, with just 1,325 homes approved—a 56.8% drop from the same period in 2024, according to Hilgard Analytics. The study cites high interest rates, economic uncertainty, regulatory hurdles and the impacts of the fires as key factors behind the slowdown. Federal tariffs, labor shortages from immigration policies and the impact of Measure ULA's transfer tax have also strained development efforts, leading to fewer affordable housing projects. The study states new local and state initiatives—such as the Citywide Housing Incentive Program and proposed state bills like AB 698 -could help revive construction by easing regulations and boosting funding. Notably, only four of Los Angeles' fifteen City Council districts surpassed 100 housing approvals this quarter, while areas like the San Fernando Valley saw permit activity decrease by over 90%. Upgraded Honda Center to Anchor Major Anaheim Development The Samueli family, owners of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, have launched a $1 billion privately funded renovation of Honda Center, including a new six-story digital entrance, improved dining areas, luxury suites and revamped entry plazas. This project is part of the broader $4 billion OCVIBE district—a mixed-use development with hotels, office space, residential units and a concert venue—primarily funded by the owners. Anaheim is contributing with $400 million in bonds for parking and $100 million for nearby riverfront enhancements and the Honda will remain open during construction through 2027. The arena is one of only two major leauge sports venues in California that are owned by ther respective municipalities. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Report: Financing Stacks Hinder Housing Development According to UC Berkeley's Terner Center, California's affordable housing development process is slowed and made more expensive by developers piecing together funding from numerous public sources. Analysis of projects awarded Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) between 2020 and 2023 shows that each additional funding source adds roughly four months to project timelines and increases per-unit costs by about $20,460. Governor Newsom's proposal to create a new California Housing and Homelessness Agency aims to streamline housing finance, though the plan does not currently integrate key agencies overseeing tax credits. Developers serving populations with greater needs, such as those experiencing homelessness, are particularly burdened by having to secure multiple funding sources. The study recommends deeper consolidation of housing finance functions and greater standardization across funding programs to cut costs and speed up affordable housing production. San Diego Balks at ADU Development San Diego officials took steps on to roll back a policy that allowed property owners to build apartment buildings in the backyards of single-family homes. The "ADU bonus program" had been successful in exceeding state requirements for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), but it also led to significant opposition, especially in historically Black communities like District 4. Following community backlash regarding issues like traffic, parking and neighborhood aesthetics, the city council voted to repeal the program in single-family zones with large lots. The council also directed staff to propose reforms to the program. CP&DR Coverage: Another Round of CEQA Reform Bills The era of “Swiss cheese” CEQA may be over - at least if Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks are successful in the Legislature this year. It's a dramatic departure from their strategy over the past few years, which has been to end-run the California Environmental Quality Act by increasing the types of housing projects that could be approved by ministerial action. Over the past couple of years, the Legislature has selectively punched a couple of holes in the CEQA when public pressure has forced them to - as, for example, when the so-called “People's Park” court ruled declared student noise a potentially significant impact under CEQA. But this year Wiener and Wicks have gotten far more aggressive. Wiener's SB 607 and Wicks' AB 609 don't fundamentally reform CEQA's structure. But both of them do greatly narrow CEQA's potential impact on a wide variety of projects, including housing. Quick Hits & Updates The House passed a resolution to remove federal endangered species protections for California's longfin smelt, arguing the designation harms water access for agriculture. Critics, including environmentalists and Democrats, say the move disregards scientific evidence of the fish's severe decline and threatens broader ecological health in the San Francisco Bay Delta. The California Department of Housing and Community Development has awarded nearly $119 million in federal funds to support affordable housing and homelessness services, primarily targeting rural and tribal communities. The funding aims to help develop 487 rental homes and expand emergency shelters, outreach and rapid rehousing programs to improve housing stability for vulnerable Californians. The movement to make La Jolla its own city has taken a significant step forward after the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) validated enough petition signatures to initiate the formal secession process. This reverses a prior ruling by the Registrar of Voters, putting the proposal just 12 signatures above the required threshold. Now, LAFCO commissioners must vote on whether the cityhood proposal moves to the San Diego citywide ballot—a development opposed by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who criticized LAFCO for reinstating previously rejected signatures. Inglewood officials are abandoning plans to build a $2.4-billion automated people mover project to a more immediate and modest solution for improving traffic flow ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. The revised Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) plan now emphasizes mobility hubs, shuttle services and enhanced traffic measures like bus-only lanes and synchronized traffic signals. The proposed gondola to Dodger Stadium hit a major setback after a California appellate court ruled that Metro must rescind its approval of the project's environmental impact report (EIR) due to deficiencies in addressing noise mitigation and consultation with a land conservancy. Though most of the lawsuit's claims were dismissed, this ruling effectively halts the project until a revised EIR is completed and approved—potentially jeopardizing the goal of launching the $385 -$500 million transit system in time for the 2028 Olympics. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) has reintroduced the California Clean Coast Act, a bill aimed at permanently banning offshore oil and gas leasing off California's coast to protect marine ecosystems and coastal economies from the risks of oil spills. The newly-proposed SB 675 seeks to expedite the environmental review and approval process for the Seaport San Diego project, limiting the California Coastal Commission's ability to deny or impose conditions on the development. The bill, authored by state Senator Steve Padilla, aims to provide certainty and timely review for the $3.8 billion project by setting strict review timelines and addressing delays in the permitting process, although it has faced opposition from environmental groups and the Coastal Commission. A new study out of USC found relaxing strict tree planting regulations in Los Angeles neighborhoods of Studio City and Boyle Heights could expand potential tree planting space by 26% without impacting safety while improving tree canopy and shade availability citywide. According to the SF Chronicle, San Francisco's legislation to promote small apartment buildings, like fourplexes, has had limited success, with only 11 applications submitted, most of which are stalled or delayed. High construction costs, bureaucratic hurdles and lack of financial feasibility for small developers are major factors preventing the legislation from generating significant new housing. Los Angeles City Council has approved a revised Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance set to go into effect in 2025, expanding adaptive reuse incentives citywide and making it easier to convert underutilized buildings into housing. After multiple years of planning, San Mateo City Council officially opposed a $300 million highway widening project, citing concerns over environmental impact, potential displacement and the project's ability to address traffic. The city plans to draft a letter to state and county agencies to reconsider the project and instead utilize and expand public transportation. Multiple California cities appear in the top 20 happiest cities in the nation according to WalletHub when considering income, life satisfaction, rates of divorce and depression and overall wellbeing. The list crowns Fremont as the happiest city, followed by San Jose (2nd), Irvine (3rd), San Francisco (9th), Huntington Beach (10th), San Diego (15) and Garden Grove (20th). Environmental groups are raising concerns over the Newport-Mesa Unified School District's plans to lease an almost 12-acre site within the Randall Preserve, arguing the district violated the Surplus Land act by not notifying required agencies of their plans The groups claim that only one of the available acres is developable and the district maintains the land is exempt and the district has not finalized plans.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . San Diego Mobility Master Plan Moves Forward The San Diego City Council unanimously adopted a long-awaited mobility master plan that includes 380 proposed projects aimed at reducing car dependence and making transportation more sustainable. The plan incorporates bike lanes, shuttle services, roundabouts, bus lanes, and other initiatives designed to improve safety and connectivity across the city. It was praised by business and environmental groups for its potential to enhance local transportation and reduce traffic-related issues. The city's climate action plan aims for biking, walking, and transit to account for 36% of commutes by 2030 and 50% by 2036, up from just 13% last year, with performance indicators tracking progress in shifting San Diego's transportation habits. Lurie Proposes Financing District to Convert Offices to Housing San Francisco continues to struggle with converting vacant office buildings into housing, despite policy changes and incentives, with only one adaptive reuse project currently under way. Mayor Daniel Lurie is now proposing a new ordinance to create a special financing district that would fund public improvements necessary for these conversions. The district would cover key downtown areas, including Market Street, the Financial District and Union Square, and would use future property tax increases to finance infrastructure, and an initial study found 1,200 eligible properties within the district, potentially resulting in more than 4,400 units. The bill aims to incentivize developers by offering payouts for up to 30 years to offset development costs. Cupertino Faces Two Housing Lawsuits YIMBY Law has filed two lawsuits against Cupertino, accusing the city of violating state housing laws by rejecting proposals for new housing projects. The lawsuits pertain to two preliminary applications submitted under the builder's remedy, and YIMBY Law argues Cupertino is failing to comply with the California Housing Accountability Act, which mandates that cities meet state housing requirements, including 1,880 units for low-income households by 2031. Cupertino maintains that it has approved a significant portion of the required units and follows state laws but is being cautious with developers' submissions. San Francisco Prompts Unusually High Rates of Supercommuting San Francisco experienced the largest increase among major U.S. cities in the percentage of workers living 50 or more miles from their jobs between 2012 and 2022, driven by remote work and high housing costs. By 2022, nearly 19% of the city's workforce lived over 50 miles away, up from 14% a decade earlier, making it harder for officials to encourage a full return to office work. Cities with a high percentage of tech workers, such as San Francisco, saw greater shifts toward remote work, although places like New York and Seattle experienced less worker dispersion due to increased housing construction. Many workers moved to suburbs and exurbs, particularly in areas like Dublin and Sacramento, which offered better schools, open spaces and lower congestion. These trends present challenges for San Francisco's downtown revival, impacting office occupancy, transit systems and city revenues. CP&DR Coverage: Fulton on Lessons from Past Wildfires Ever since the Los Angeles wildfires erupted in January, there's been a lot of debate about whether, when and how to rebuild after a community suffers from one of California's increasingly intense conflagrations. Wildfire victims and all the folks involved in recovery - planners, developers, wildfire experts - shouldn't expect miracles. Some have argued that communities should not be rebuilt, or at least should be rebuilt differently, and new subdivisions should not be built in high fire risk areas. Attorney Jennifer Hernandez advocated for “hardening” existing communities but also said that new communities with tougher standards must be built to withstand wildfires - and even serve as a “refuge” for those from older communities that are more at risk. The bottom line: full recovery could take decades. Quick Hits & Updates Menlo Park faces legal challenges over its plan to convert downtown parking lots into affordable housing, with a coalition of developers and residents disputing the city's compliance with state surplus land laws. The city had previously declared these lots as surplus, a move contested by a pro-housing group that filed lawsuits alleging violations of the California Housing Accountability Act. A newly-proposed bill, SB 789, seeks to tax commercial property owners with vacant spaces for over six months, with proceeds going towards first-time homeowner buyer assistance. Critics argue it could negatively impact landlords, deter investment and exacerbate vacancies in high-cost areas, as leasing commercial properties is a lengthy and costly process. Representative Kiley (R-CA) has requested that the FBI open a formal investigation into the cost overruns of California's High-Speed Rail Project. Originally projected to cost $33 billion and be completed by 2020, the project's estimated total cost has now increased by over $100 billion, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority is expected to miss its original 2033 deadline. The Trump Administration is set to revoke the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, which aimed to prioritize environmental protection alongside mining, ranching, and timber activities on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). While the move has been praised by some state officials, environmental groups argue it undermines protections for ecosystems, wildlife, and public lands, and criticize the lack of public input in the decision. Fremont has become the first U.S. city to purchase a citywide flood insurance policy, which automatically triggers payouts in the case of a severe flood, offering more reliable and immediate disaster relief. This move comes as traditional insurance options are becoming less accessible due to private insurers withdrawing from some markets and federal disaster relief is cut. A new bill in the House of Representatives proposes a $15 billion federal tax credit program to support converting vacant or underused commercial buildings into affordable housing, helping address the housing crisis while revitalizing struggling urban centers. The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act aims to incentivize conversions in both urban and rural areas—particularly economically distressed ones—the bill aims to repurpose underperforming office space, though concerns remain about potential conflicts with existing tax credits like the historic tax credit and low-income housing tax credit. The Redwood City Council voted 6-1 to begin an environmental review of the proposed Redwood LIFE redevelopment, allowing both the original and scaled-down versions of the project to be studied despite resident requests for delay. While developers claim the revised plan addresses community concerns, many residents and environmental advocates argue the changes are minimal and fail to adequately mitigate potential harm to local wildlife and the environment. Assemblymember Matt Haney introduced AB 342, a bill that would allow California cities to create "Hospitality Zones" where bars could extend last call to 4 a.m. on weekends and holidays, aiming to revitalize downtown nightlife and economic activity. This latest effort builds on a decade of failed attempts by San Francisco legislators and follows a limited exception granted to Inglewood's Intuit Dome — the only venue in the state currently allowed to serve alcohol past 2 a.m. A developer is proposing to build over 1,000 affordable homes on the 86-acre Rockaway Quarry site in Pacifica utilizing builder's remedy to bypass zoning restrictions. The site, located between the Pacific Ocean and Highway 1, has been vacant since 1987 and requires significant reclamation work to restore the excavated quarry face and previous development attempts, including a failed luxury hotel plan in 2006, were rejected or withdrawn. A newly-proposed Senate bill aims to reform federal forest management to reduce wildfire risks, particularly in wildfire-prone areas like California. The Fix Our Forests Act would create a wildfire intelligence center, streamline wildfire risk reduction for communities and fund research into mitigation technologies, though it has faced opposition from environmental groups concerned about weakened protections for endangered species and public input on land management. A $200 million proposal aims to transform the long-abandoned Riverside Golf Club into the Riverside Adventure Center, a 126-acre sports complex featuring activities like kayaking, surfing and climbing—and a potential space to host events for the 2028 Olympics. The privately funded project also includes biking trails, picnic areas, a grocery store and housing. California continues to experience net out-migration, with residents—especially high-income earners—favoring nearby states and those without income taxes, such as Texas, Nevada and Florida. While the pace of departures has slowed since the height of the pandemic, the state still loses more people than it gains, particularly to smaller neighboring states where the impact is more pronounced. High-income earners primarily relocate to no-tax states to escape California's progressive tax system, while lower-income movers are more evenly split between tax-free and taxed states. (See related CP&DR coverage .) A federal judge recently rejected a proposed $5.4 million settlement between the developers behind the former Hunters Point Shipyard in San Francisco and 6,000 plaintiffs, calling the settlement unfair and "collusive," as it would have left the residents with minimal payouts and included provisions that could have limited future lawsuits. The lawsuit stems from claims that the cleanup was fraudulent, including the substitution of fake soil samples, and led to health issues and environmental harm for local residents. A proposed warehouse development on the former Guadalupe Quarry site in Brisbane has sparked controversy, as it could significantly harm San Bruno Mountain's endangered wildlife, including rare butterflies. While developers argue the project would bring jobs and tax revenue, environmentalists fear it would damage critical habitat and pollution, with several groups fighting to preserve the area as open space instead.

Some indicators of California’s prosperity aren’t looking so hot right now: population loss; budget deficits; corporate exoduses; political marginalization; and the departure of the A’s. And yet, despite -- or perhaps because of -- these challenges, scholarship on and commentary about California urbanism is more robust than ever. CP&DR’s bookshelf has overflowed lately with titles from the past two years. Collectively, they offer a compelling account of the state we’re in. The Bay Area If you’re a tech financier or ace programmer Palo Alto, and the surrounding Silicon Valley, is probably one of the best places in the world. Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World is also the best book about California to come out in quite some time -- but not for the reasons the tech folks might like. Author Malcom Harris has a serious axe to grind with a place that loves to idealize itself. Starting with the founding of Stanford University by scoundrel/robber baron/governor Leland Stanford and extending through the present era of the FAANGs now middleaged multibillionaires, Palo Alto offers both a detailed history of the region and a commentary on the cloistered exuberance, antisocial tendencies, and insane wealth that an otherwise unremarkable urban area has fostered. In the hands of a lesser writer, Palo Alto might be too tedious to get its point across; instead, Harris is wry, pointed, and is as cynical as many technologists are oblivious. As much as many technologists would prefer to live in the cloud, the metaverse, or the back alleys of Github, the terrestrial world is still very much with us -- often to harrowing effect. We have one of the history’s greatest object lessons in geomorphology and landscape-based peril in, of course, the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. The Longest Minute: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906 performs some time travel to describe the earthquake, its aftermath, and recovery in the several months following April 18, 1906, in riveting detail. It declines, however, to investigate the myriad ways the disaster gave rise to contemporary San Francisco, leaving readers familiar with the city to make their own inferences. In Portal: San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities. John King, the longtime (and recently retired) architecture critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, makes a persuasive argument for how one building can, even someplace as dynamic as San Francisco, capture the soul of a city. The Ferry Building was one of the city’s grandest public spaces when it opened in 1898 to serve crossbay commuters. It thrived through 1936, until the great automobile bridges rendered it largely obsolete. Having decayed in the post-World War II decades, the Ferry Building has reemerged as a pleasant marketplace and, as a ever, an architectural focal point. Meanwhile, A People’s History of SFO is, historically speaking, a fitting complement to Portal. San Francisco International Airport connects the Bay Area to the world and is, therefore, a powerful force in promoting global capitalism. But, it’s also a problematic local institution, clashing with indigenous peoples and vulnerable to sea level rise. Los Angeles The founders of Silicon Valley did not necessarily want to create a great city. They mainly wanted to get rich. The founders of Los Angeles, though no strangers to human frailties, were arguably more ambitious. Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles covers much the same time period as Palo Alto does, but in a vastly different location. Author and amateur L.A. historian Paul Haddad traces the intersecting careers of the six city fathers who he assigns credit for turning Los Angeles from a dusty frontier town to a major metropolis. From their ambitions sprang the region’s port; its major newspaper; its waterworks; its rail transit system; and countless real estate schemes that, while not entirely shady, illustrate what every planner knows: cities do not build themselves. Renewing the Dream: The Mobility Revolution and the Future of Los Angeles is an appealing coffee-table book that attempts to generate excitement for a new version of Los Angeles. It largely succeeds. Through essays, photo essays, diagrams, and interviews, editor James Sanders makes a convincing argument that Los Angeles’ best days are ahead of it. Though the book is partly a promotional piece for Australia-based architecture firm Woods Bagot, of which Sanders is CEO, it includes contributions from Los Angeles heavy-hitters including journalist Frances Anderton, UCLA planning professors Michael Manville and Don Shoup, and author Greg Lindsay. Housing Veteran design critic Frances Anderton lovingly celebrates an often reviled, or at least disregarded, housing typology -- multifamily structures (i.e. apartment buildings) -- in Common Ground. She digs into historical designs, like the early 20th century bungalow court, which was a casualty of parking requirements, and she highlights recent innovative designs that enable Angelenos to live both densely and graciously. Anderton’s crucial thesis is that, to both solve its housing crisis and become more neighborly, Los Angeles must stop stigmatizing multifamily living and embrace innovative, atheistically pleasing possibilities. Abolish Rent is a brief polemic by activists Tracy Rosenthal and Leonardo Vilchis, co-founders of the Los Angeles Tenants Union. They take aim at property owners, landlords, the American financial system, or much of anything else about the American system of land ownership. The most moving elements of Abolish Rent describe the plight of low-income tenants exploited by negligent and sometimes antagonistic landlords. Unfortunately, Abolish Rent is more combative than productive. Its woefully small-scale solution is for renters to mount protests and rent strikes to compel landlords to behave properly. The macro-level solution they ignore is the need to build more housing so that, among other salubrious effects, tenants have more freedom of choice and, therefore, landlords lose much of the coercive power that Rosenthal and Vilchis (rightfully) resent. Wilderness The Ghost Forest takes us out of California’s cities and into what was once, arguably, the greatest hardwood forest the Earth has ever known. The early chapters ignite a firestorm of anger and regret. The great redwoods, now confined to a few patches in along the north coast, used to dominate the coastal ranges north of the San Francisco Bay. A single tree -- dense, wide, and impossibly tall--could yield more lumber than 10 acres of new-growth pine trees. That’s how majestic they were, and that’s why nearly all of them were cut down in the 20th century to build cities and suburbs. In Ghost Forest, environmental activist and lifelong North Coast resident Greg King recounts the history of logging, the logging companies’ modern-day conspiracies to control land and quell dissent, and the dogged movements to protect what little old-growth remains. King’s account is probably excessively detailed for such a dramatic story. Even so, The Ghost Forest is an important, chilling, loving lament for California’s lost natural history. Try as we might, though, humanity, and Californians, has proven to be no match for wildfires. California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What it Means for America’s Power Grid tells the tragically parallel stories of California’s recent wildfires and the company responsible for causing many of them: Pacific Gas & Electric -- the largest of California’s six investor-owned utilities. Journalist Katherine Blunt explains, with admirable clarity, how mismanagement of a venerable company mixed with climate change, drought, and exurban development to result in the immolation of millions of acres. Beyond the fire-related drama, it’s a crucial look at a utility deeply intertwined with life in California and a tragedy that portends tough times in California as property insurers balk and formerly buildable land on the edge of wilderness becomes perilous. The Coast Perhaps fittingly, the Los Angeles region’s greatest waterside institution is decidedly more frivolous than those of San Francisco. Likewise, Santa Monica Pier: America’s Last Great Pleasure Pier is not a work of serious criticism or historical inquiry but rather a collection of historical photos and anecdotes. The Santa Monica Pier was originally one of nearly a dozen “pleasure piers” that reached out into the Santa Monica Bay. It was, arguably, the grandest, and it’s the only only still standing. James Harris, who is the executive director of the nonprofit corporation that runs the pier today, recounts the pier’s evolution and resiliency. Having been saved several times, the pier is a remarkable throwback and, though Harris doesn’t say so outright, perhaps the state’s most potent symbol of the relationship between city and ocean. Sand Rush: The Revival of the Beach in Twentieth-Century Los Angeles is worthwhile for the title alone, capturing the urge--mainly on the part of recent, and often thoughtless, newcomers--to alter and profit off of California’s landscape. After the gold ran out, the beach took its place. The beach was not “discovered” in the early 1900s, of course. but, it was then that everyday Californians discovered its appeal en masse and promoters and developers attracted visitors in part by physically altering the coastline, adding sand and building lavish facilities like beach clubs and piers. Elisa Devienne’s is a dense work of scholarship--written by a Briton, no less--so it’s not as readable as its subject matter would suggest, but it’s an important contribution to the history of one of the state’s signature assets. One unfortunate truism about the future of California is that there may be less of it. In California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline , journalist Rosanna Xia reflects on how a dozen or so communities on California’s edge--including urban areas like San Francisco and Manhattan beach and seaside hamlets like Bodega Bay and Point Dume -- relate to their respective beaches and coastlines and on the ways that the (rising) Pacific is washing away beaches and gnawing at bluffs. In many of these places, the future depends on seawalls, sand replenishment, sump pumps, and a new vision for California’s coast Everywhere Sam Hall Kaplan has seen a lot. He hung out with Jane Jacobs in Greenwich Village in the 1960s and wrote for an upstart media entrepreneur named Rupert Murdoch in the 1970s. The following decade, he set out for Los Angeles -- not for movie stardom, but for ever more articles to write, stories to cover, and characters to meet. The most important character Kaplan covered was the city of Los Angeles itself. An Urban Odyssey: A Critic’s Search for the Soul of Cities and Self is Kaplan’s well earned celebration of his own career and an uncannily comprehensive history of planning and development in Los Angeles. Kaplan’s chops as a beat reporter and objective observer are undeniable. But, he does not lack for opinions. In the 50 or so roughly chronological essays of An Urban Odyssey, Kaplan holds forth on the good, bad, and absurd in land use with a well earned authority. Common Ground: Multifamily Housing in Los Angeles Frances Anderton Angel City Press 208 pages California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What it Means for America’s Power Grid Katherine Blunt Portfolio 368 Pages The Longest Minute: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906 Matthew J. Davenport St. Martin’s Press 448 Pages Sand Rush: The Revival of the Beach in Twentieth-Century Los Angeles Elisa Devienne Oxford University Press 328 Pages Inventing Paradise: The Power Brokers Who Created the Dream of Los Angeles Paul Haddad May 2024 408 Pages An Urban Odyssey: A Critic’s Search for the Soul of Cities and Self Sam Hall Kaplan Cherry Orchard Books 332 Pages Santa Monica Pier: America’s Last Great Pleasure Pier James Harris Angel City Press Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World Malcolm Harris Little, Brown and Company 720 Pages The Ghost Forest: Racists, Radicals, and Real Estate in the California Redwoods Greg King PublicAffairs 480 Pages Portal: San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities John King 320 pages $19.99 A People’s History of SFO: The Making of the Bay Area and an Airport Eric Porter University of California Press 304 Pages Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis by Tracy Rosenthal and Leonardo Vilchis Haymarket Books 224 Pages Renewing the Dream Edited by James Sanders, Preface by Nik Karalis, Contributions by Frances Anderton and Donald Shoup and Mark Valliantos September 12, 2023 Rizzoli Electa 260 Pages California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline Rosanna Xia Heyday Books 336 Pages

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Suisun City, Rio Vista Reach Annexation Agreements with California Forever Two small cities in Solano County, Suisun City and Rio Vista, have entered into a joint memorandum of understanding to annex a portion of the 60,000 acres owned by Flannery Associates for the planned California Forever project. The annexations will likely allow Flannery Associates to proceed with commercial and industrial portions of the East Solano Plan, including a potential shipbuilding yard. The relatively brief MOU outlines broad goals, including environmental sustainability, attention to traffic impacts, economic development, infrastructure development, and projection of nearby Travis Air Force Base. The annexations will likely enable Flannery Associates to proceed with the development of the East Solano plan through city approvals without requiring support of Solano County supervisors or a popular vote. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Federal Order, Predicated on Reducing Fires, Could Hasten Deforestation in California The Trump administration has ordered a 25% increase in national timber production, opening all of California's 18 national forests to expanded logging. This sweeping directive, issued by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, instructs the Forest Service to implement aggressive timber strategies across more than 100 million acres nationwide. Critics argue the policy sidesteps environmental safeguards, fast-tracks deforestation, and prioritizes industry profits over ecological and public health. Supporters claim the move will reduce wildfire risk, support rural economies, and increase domestic timber supply amid global instability. Environmental groups and legal advocates are preparing to challenge the order, calling it a severe threat to biodiversity and forest sustainability. LA28 Confirms Olympic Venues Throughout Los Angeles Area The LA28 organizing committee has nearly finalized all venues for the 2028 Olympic Games, with only two events yet to be assigned locations. The updated venue plan, approved by the International Olympic Committee, strategically clusters events across Los Angeles in an effort to limit construction and simplify logistics. New placements include Dodger Stadium for baseball, Alamitos Beach for beach volleyball, and Universal Studios for squash, while some original plans, like Santa Monica for beach volleyball, were scrapped due to unresolved negotiations. Long Beach will serve as the second-largest venue host behind Los Angeles, and sites like Venice Beach and the Sepulveda Basin have been added to distribute events throughout the city. With venues now spanning from USC to Santa Anita and even as far as Oklahoma City, officials say the plan balances international spectacle with local economic and environmental goals. Study Praises Statewide AHSC Program A new report by the California Housing Partnership and Enterprise Community Partners studying the outcomes of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program found that AHSC has significantly advanced affordable housing and climate goals by linking housing development with sustainable transportation. AHSC has reduced 5.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions across California through the production of 20,361 new long-term affordable homes. The $4 billion invested through AHSC since 2015 funded 209 catalytic affordable housing developments, 65% of which are located in disadvantaged communities. The study found investments have helped lower greenhouse gas emissions while improving access to transit and economic opportunities in underserved communities. The study also calls for expanded funding, streamlined processes and better coordination to strengthen the program's effectiveness moving forward. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Lithium Valley Projects Approvals Held up by Appeal Two environmental groups have appealed a judge's ruling that upheld Imperial County's approval of the Hells Kitchen lithium extraction project, arguing the environmental review failed to address water supply, air pollution and tribal concerns. Despite the Superior Court's decision that the county properly consulted tribes and met environmental requirements, the groups claim the project rushed its review and neglected key mitigation measures. Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR), the company behind the project, insists the lawsuit lacks merit and that the court ruling was clear. The first planned facility, Hell's Kitchen 1, aims to produce lithium for electric vehicle batteries while generating renewable energy. While the appeal could prolong delays, the environmental groups remain committed to ensuring the project adheres to stricter environmental and community protections. CP&DR Coverage: Court Second-Guesses GHG Benefits of VMT In a major opinion that could unravel implementation of SB 743 throughout the state, an appellate court has ruled that cities and counties can't assume infill development will automatically lead to lower vehicle miles traveled. The case was published and therefore can be used as precedent around the state. Overturning a Superior Court judge's ruling, the Fourth District Court of Appeal has ruled that, in subjecting infill development to a different standard of analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act, San Diego County should have provided more rigorous evidence of the relationship between infill development and lower VMT. Quick Hits & Updates Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of 21 states have filed a lawsuit challenging a Trump Administration executive order that seeks to drastically reduce or eliminate key federal agencies that support libraries, museums, labor mediation and minority-owned businesses. The lawsuit argues that the order is unconstitutional, violates Congressional authority and would cause severe harm to public services and local economies, especially in states like California that rely heavily on federal funding from these agencies. A coalition of 127 environmental organizations, including major groups like the Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity, has come out against Senate Bill 607, calling it a threat to CEQA. The bill, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener, proposes streamlining approval for certain infrastructure and development projects by significantly limiting CEQA review requirements A lawsuit filed against the city of Los Angeles accuses the city of failing to include updated bike lanes on Vermont Avenue, despite voter-approved Measure HLA mandating improvements from the city's 2015 mobility plan. The suit challenges the city's decision to repave Vermont Avenue without adding protected bike lanes and pedestrian enhancements and criticizes the Metro board's decision to move forward with bus lanes without bike lanes, citing violations of Measure H—approved last year by voters. A recently published draft environmental impact report outlines the expected impacts of San Diego's Midway Rising project, with a 45-day review period before finalizing the deal by the end of the year. The project will redevelop the San Diego sports arena site, with thousands of apartments, a new arena and improve biking and walking in the area while addressing significant traffic and environmental concerns. A new nonprofit, the San Francisco Downtown Development Corp., has been formed to raise private funds and collaborate with City Hall to revitalize downtown, focusing on beautification, events and supporting small businesses. This initiative comes in response to the city's economic struggles, including a projected $1 billion budget deficit by 2030, and aims to create a more vibrant and welcoming downtown. Redwood City is at the highest risk for severe coastal flooding in California, with over 22,000 residents (27% of the population) living in areas vulnerable to a 100-year flood by 2050. This risk is due to its low-lying terrain along the bay and ongoing climate change, which is causing sea levels to rise and threatening many cities in the region, including San Rafael and Huntington Beach. Sable Offshore Corp. is challenging the California Coastal Commission's authority to regulate its pipeline repair work along the Gaviota Coast, which follows a 2015 oil spill, despite the commission's cease-and-desist orders. Rep. Robert Garcia has reintroduced the federal People Over Parking Act has in the hopes of removing mandatory parking minimums in local zoning laws to reduce construction costs and encourage housing development in walkable, transit-friendly areas. The bill aims to address the national housing shortage by promoting sustainable, affordable communities while aligning with the goals of the bipartisan YIMBY Caucus to improve accessibility and reduce environmental impacts. Point Reyes Station is embroiled in controversy following a legal settlement that requires historic family dairies and cattle ranches to vacate the Point Reyes National Seashore due to environmental concerns, particularly regarding pollution and endangered species. While environmental groups support the settlement, many locals argue that the decision fails to consider the cultural and economic impact on the community.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Rams Football Team to Anchor Major Development in San Fernando Valley The owner of the Los Angeles Rams is launching a $10-billion, 100-acre development project in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Warner Center that will include a state-of-the-art team headquarters alongside residential, retail and entertainment components. The proposed project includes new apartments, parks, restaurants and two mid-sized venues for concerts and events, with construction potentially starting in 2027. The facility will also feature both indoor and outdoor football fields and serve as a permanent base for the Rams, who previously trained in the suburb of Thousand Oaks. This development mirrors the $5-billion SoFi Stadium project in Inglewood and aims to create a new cultural and economic hub in the San Fernando Valley, a major population center that historically has lacked a "downtown." (See related CP&DR coverage .) Los Gatos Seeks Court's Clarification on Builders Remedy Applications The Town of Los Gatos has filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court seeking legal clarity on how builder's remedy housing applications should be processed. The dispute centers on whether developers have only one 90-day window to fix incomplete applications, as Los Gatos contends, or unlimited successive 90-day periods, as interpreted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The town is currently reviewing a dozen builder's remedy applications and wants to avoid indefinite delays that could stall housing projects. Mayor Matthew Hudes emphasized that the lawsuit aims to ensure lawful and efficient application processing—not to stop housing construction. This legal action follows disputes over two incomplete project applications, including a proposed 117-unit mixed-use development on Los Gatos Boulevard. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Trump Orders Could Hinder California's Environmental Protections President Trump has issued executive orders significantly undermining state-led climate and environmental initiatives, particularly targeting California's environmental standards. One order directs the attorney general to block state laws that regulate emissions and climate policies, arguing they conflict with federal energy dominance goals and burden fossil fuel companies. Another order mandates a 25% increase in national timber production, opening all 18 of California's national forests to logging, which critics say bypasses environmental protections and favors industry interests. Environmental advocates argue these moves threaten state sovereignty and public lands, while legal experts question their constitutionality. The administration claims these actions are necessary to lower energy costs, reduce wildfire risks and boost domestic resource production. However, opposition from legal, environmental and scientific communities is mounting, with anticipated lawsuits challenging the federal overreach. Lawsuit Settlement Leads to Housing Policy Changes in San Diego San Diego settled a 2019 lawsuit by agreeing to pay $650,000 and revise affordable housing policies to address concerns of housing segregation and economic disparity. Under the agreement, the city will ensure that at least 70% of new affordable housing projects are built in moderate and higher income areas while also incentivizing grocery stores and first time homeowner programs in low-income neighborhoods. Plaintiffs argued the city's past policies limited economic opportunities by concentrating low-income housing in historically underserved areas. City officials denied this but asserted the new policies would increase housing density in wealthier areas and integrate multiple-income residents. California Cities Slide in Economic Rankings; Inland Empire is Lone Bright Spot The San Francisco Bay Area experienced a significant decline in the Milken Institute's recently released rankings of nationwide economic growth, with San Francisco dropping to 126th place, largely due to high housing costs and tech industry layoffs. San Jose and Oakland also saw substantial declines, reflecting sluggish job and wage growth, housing unaffordability and an exodus of domestic migrants. Barely outperforming the Bay Area, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale rank 151st, struggling with housing affordability and income inequality. Merced ranks fourth in the economic rankings for greatest gains nationwide among large cities. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario rank the highest on the list of California cities at 53rd, maintaining strong job and wage growth. Experts noted that the rankings do not fully capture the region's strengths, including its concentration of venture capital and emerging industries like artificial intelligence. Despite current struggles, forecasts predict strong GDP growth for San Francisco through 2028, driven by its tech and financial sectors. Mayor's Proposal Would Permit Taller Buildings, Greater Density in San Francisco San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie unveiled a broad rezoning plan that would permit taller buildings along key transit corridors, aiming to create space for 36,000 new homes and revitalize parts of the city long resistant to change. Dubbed “family zoning,” the proposal targets well-resourced neighborhoods like the Marina, Sunset and Richmond, where new construction has been scarce for decades. The plan includes raising height limits on corridors such as Geary, Taraval and Lombard, with some areas potentially seeing towers up to 350 feet. Supporters praise the initiative as a long-overdue step to address the housing crisis, while critics argue it may spur speculative development and threaten neighborhood stability. Despite pushback, Lurie stresses the changes are essential to avoid a state takeover of the city's housing policy and to secure a future where more San Franciscans can afford to live. CP&DR Coverage: Palisades Fire Could Prompt Major Permitting Reform The Palisades Fire destroyed an estimated 6,000 homes both within and beyond Los Angeles city limits, and estimates are that rebuilding will, in many cases, take multiple years. To speed up the process, the Los Angeles City Council is considering a rare but potentially promising reform: self-certification. Self-certification, also known as professional certification, would enable builders to at least partially avoid the typically tedious process of shuttling plans among relevant city departments — including Planning, Building & Safety, and others — for approval prior to groundbreaking. Self-certification has a short but generally positive track record in a few other cities. Bellflower uses a version of it, as does San Diego County. Potentially more analogous to Los Angeles is Phoenix, Arizona, which introduced a self-certification pilot project in 2011 and has expanded the program to cover a wide range of projects across the megacity of 1.6 million residents and 517 square miles. Quick Hits & Updates The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance to allow single-staircase designs in apartment buildings of six stories or fewer, aiming to create larger, more affordable family-sized units by revising building codes. While some support the change for its potential to reduce construction costs and improve apartment layouts, others, including fire safety experts, express concerns about the risks associated with limiting building exits. Lafayette's 2023-2031 Housing Element was officially certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development after extensive revisions and community input. The plan outlines the city's strategy for developing 2,114 housing units, including a mix of affordable and market-rate units, although it faces a lawsuit from the Housing Action Coalition over its approval. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has advanced legislation to create five new "entertainment zones" aimed at supporting small businesses by temporarily closing streets to vehicles for public events, boosting foot traffic and sales. Previous entertainment zones have led to significant increases in business sales, with events drawing thousands of attendees and businesses reporting sales increases of up to 1,500%. The audit of Anaheim's lease agreement with the Los Angeles Angels revealed that the city's ability to monitor the stadium's condition is limited, as the agreement does not clearly grant Anaheim the right to inspect the stadium regularly, which could conceal significant maintenance needs. Additionally, revenue-sharing terms have generated minimal funds for Anaheim, with a decline in baseball ticket revenue and the city has not consistently verified the accuracy of payments or conducted required audits, despite the lease allowing bi-annual audits. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to create a new county homelessness department, reallocating funds from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), despite concerns from Mayor Karen Bass and city officials about disrupting progress in addressing homelessness. The new agency, which will begin with a budget exceeding $1 billion, aims to improve oversight and accountability but has been criticized for lacking a clear plan and for potentially undermining LAHSA's efforts. A proposed mixed-use housing project on César Chávez Avenue in Boyle Heights—previously blocked by the East L.A. Area Planning Commission over gentrification concerns—has been ordered to proceed by a judge ruling the city acted in bad faith. The court found that denying the development based on potential cultural and economic displacement did not meet legal standards under California's Housing Accountability Act. Los Angeles County will create a new county homelessness department, transferring hundreds of millions of dollars and more than 700 county workers from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The move aims to increase oversight and accountability of homelessness funds, including those from the newly approved Measure A half-cent sales tax. The Trump administration has halted the $1 billion Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, which was designed to fund energy-efficient renovations at affordable housing units across the U.S. This decision, following the program's approval under the Inflation Reduction Act, may affect tens of thousands of low-income residents nationwide. Senate Bill 63, the Connect Bay Area Act, would allow Bay Area counties to place a sales tax measure on the 2026 ballot to secure funding for public transit, including BART and Muni, in an effort to prevent significant service cuts. Despite facing skepticism from voters about funding transit, supporters are hopeful the measure can pass by emphasizing the dire consequences of reduced service on daily commutes and overall traffic congestion. Despite over $3 billion invested in environmental projects, Lake Tahoe's water clarity has declined by more than a third since 1968, with record lows in 2017, according to CalMatters. A significant portion of recent funding has been directed toward tourism and transit projects rather than directly addressing ecological concerns. While the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency regulates new developments, expanding resorts and increasing wildfire risks continue to pose challenges for balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . New Tsunami Hazard Maps Expand Coastal Danger Zones According to new risk assessment maps published by the California Geological Society, some communities across California may have mere minutes to evacuate in the case of a tsunami after an earthquake. These warning extend to communities not located directly on the coast, like large parts of Oakland, Alameda, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego and other popular spots statewide. The maps highlight flooding that could reach up to 50 feet in some areas, extending beyond the immediate coastline to bayside and riverside regions. Officials stress residents and visitors should be aware of these hazard zones and have an evacuation plan in place in the case of large-scale evacuations could be necessary without ample notice. The California Geological Society's maps reflect findings from the 2011 tsunami in Japan and past disasters including the 1964 Crescent City tsunami. (See related CP&DR coverage .) L.A. Universities, ULI Team Up to Envision Fire Recovery UCLA's Ziman Center for Real Estate, the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, and the Urban Land Institute Los Angeles have released Project Recovery, a comprehensive plan for rebuilding efforts after the LA wildfires and suggested a number of policy or organizational tools to focus on rebuilding and limiting future fire risk. The report includes suggestions for debris removal, supply chain issues, insurance and mortgage concerns and infrastructure restoration. The paper also suggests creating community rebuilding authorities to lead rebuilding efforts. Suggestions also include diversifying funding sources, adjusting city housing codes based on findings from the fires and utilizing a number of different fire mitigation risks in housing construction. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Study Questions Value of L.A. "Mansion Tax" A new study out of UCLA's Lewis Center for Regional Policy contends that Measure ULA has significantly reduced high-value real estate transactions in Los Angeles, particularly impacting commercial, industrial and multifamily property sales. While the overall volume of real estate sales have not dropped substantially, this is likely because most transactions fall below the ULA threshold of $5 million. Although the measure, which imposes a 5% tax on eligible sales, was marketed as a “mansion tax,” the study found the measure disproportionately affects investor and business-related properties rather than luxury single-family homes. These reductions threaten both ULA's own revenue and broader property tax revenues that support essential public services. To address these issues, the authors propose targeted reforms to realign the tax with its original intent while preserving its capacity to fund affordable housing. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Legislation Update SB 609 aims to streamline environmental review for infill housing in urban areas by exempting them from additional assessments under CEQA to accelerate housing development while keeping CEQA oversight for broader planning and zoning changes. SB 79 would accelerate multi-family housing near transit stops by making more development near train and rapid bus lines legal and streamlining environmental review processes. SB 79 would eliminate housing bans around transit stops currently existing in many cities statewide. Bay Area lawmakers are advancing SB 63, a regional sales tax measure to support transit agencies including BART, Muni and AC Transit, aiming to raise funds to combat the impending financial crisis and funding drop off that could severe service Bay Area-wide. SB 502 seeks to amend the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund to allocate 20% of the fund for affordable workforce housing, specifically for school districts and community colleges. Another 5% of the fund would be used to create a zero-interest revolving loan program to assist development costs of workforce housing. (See Bill Fulton's Insight column on pending legislation.) CP&DR Coverage: Builders Remedy Cases Remain Active Statewide Though most California cities have adopted compliant housing elements, Builders Remedy projects still loom large across the state -- as does the threat of lawsuits against cities that try to get around the Housing Accountability Act (SB 330). A recent conference sponsored by the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law assembled some of the most active players in the saga of the Builder's Remedy: the provision of the Housing Accountability Act that strips cities of some land use controls if they do not adopt state-compliant housing elements. The panel included two developers who have pursued Builder's Remedy Cases -- Jonathan Curtis, Managing Partner of Cedar Street Partners and former Mayor of La Cañada-Flintridge, and Leo Pustilnikov, principal of SLH Investments -- attorneys Matthew Gelfand of YIMBY Law and Dave Rand of Rand Paster Nelson. Quick Hits & Updates The National Transportation Safety Board recommended 68 bridges nationwide undergo vulnerability assessment, including 7 California bridges. Six of the seven bridges included in the recommendation are in the Bay Area, including the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the Carquinez Bridge, the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, the Antioch Bridge, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. The San Diego-Coronado Bridge is the only bridge in Southern California included. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie unveiled a new plan to address the city's approach to homelessness, addiction and mental health by increasing coordination, accountability and access to treatment. The plan lays out goals across three timelines—100 days, six months and one year—including consolidating outreach teams, reassessing drug paraphernalia distribution and adding 1,500 interim housing and treatment beds. As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in California can be severely delayed due to inefficiencies at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), with many homeowners and builders reporting months or even years of setbacks caused by the utility's slow response times, complex rules and communication issues. Despite PG&E's efforts to improve, these delays continue to be a significant obstacle, particularly as the state faces a housing crisis and seeks to increase ADU construction to meet its housing goals. The construction bid for the long-awaited light-rail extension from Pomona to San Bernardino County was rejected after coming in $350 million over budget. The lone bid, from Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., was 54% higher than originally estimated. As a result, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority plans to restructure the procurement process in two stages to control uncertainty and reduce future costs. This delay pushes the project's completion to 2031. The San Diego Unified School District Board approved a plan to create affordable housing for at least 10% of its staff over the next decade, with plans to build over 1,500 units on five district-owned properties. This initiative, the largest of its kind by any school district in California, aims to help educators and staff struggling with San Diego's rising cost of living, ensuring they can live near the communities they serve. The Long Beach City Council has given initial approval to expand its inclusionary housing ordinance citywide, requiring a gradually increasing share of affordable units—reaching 12% by 2027—in new residential developments. This phased approach is intended to avoid disrupting housing production while addressing the city's severe shortfall in affordable housing, with officials citing rising rents and stagnant incomes as key challenges. California's high-speed rail project requires an additional $7 billion within the next year to complete its first section between Merced and Bakersfield, while the overall project is estimated to cost at least $100 billion. Lawmakers are facing mounting pressure as they await an update on the project, with concerns about the potential misuse of $4 billion in federal funds and a lack of a clear plan to resolve these issues. According to new findings by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, California faces a severe shortage of affordable rental housing, with only 24 available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households, leaving over 1.28 million such households in need. Additionally, 78% of these households experience severe cost burdens, struggling to afford housing despite limited options. A recent analysis found that LA Metro bus riders lose over 5.5 million minutes daily due to delays, with a small portion of streets causing a disproportionate amount of this lost time. Targeted improvements like dedicated bus lanes and signal prioritization in high-traffic corridors could significantly reduce delays, improve service efficiency and safe riders time. A recent Caltrans report found that almost all of the relocations due to highway expansions projects between 2018 and 2023 occurred in LA County, mostly due to the widening of Interstate 5, which also saw the largest addition of two new vehicle lanes. Los Angeles Metro is pushing back against its obligations to comply with Measure HLA, a voter-approved law requiring L.A. City projects to gradually implement safer, multi-modal street upgrades. The L.A. City Council approved a draft ordinance for Measure HLA's implementation but added a mandatory internal appeal process, which may conflict with the measure's legal language. Metro argues that the city lacks authority to enforce Measure HLA on its projects and has threatened legal action to resist compliance. This could force the city into a costly legal battle or require additional spending to retrofit Metro projects after initial non-compliant construction. The Truckee Town Council passed resolutions condemning the Trump administration's cuts to Forest Service staff and spending freezes, warning that these actions could severely impact the town's economy and safety, especially with the summer tourism season approaching. The reductions, which include significant staff losses in the Tahoe National Forest, could lead to campground closures, increased wildfire risks and less oversight of public lands, which are vital to Truckee's $244 million tourism industry. Town officials hope their resolutions will encourage other Sierra communities to take similar actions and push for state-level intervention to address these growing concerns.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . 20-Bill Housing Package Introduced in Legislature Lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan legislative package called "Fast Track Housing" to address the state's housing crisis by streamlining development processes. The 20-bill package aims to eliminate bureaucratic delays, speed up permitting and provide clearer regulations while maintaining environmental safeguards. Key proposals include CEQA exemptions for infill housing, standardized applications, faster inspections and stricter enforcement against agencies that obstruct housing projects. Lawmakers stress the urgency of reform, warning that without action, California will continue to face skyrocketing housing costs and worsening homelessness. If passed, this legislation would mark a major shift in the state's approach to housing development, including potential CEQA exemptions for infill housing projects. This package builds off the recommendations in the Final Report of the Select Committee on Permitting Reform. Newsom Suspends Environmental Regulations for Fire Recovery Gov. Newsom has temporarily lifted environmental regulations under CEQA and the Coastal Act to accelerate the reconstruction of utilities in Los Angeles communities impacted by wildfires. The order is intended to speed up recovery while promoting the underground installation of power lines to mitigate future fire risks. Utility providers have welcomed the decision, but environmental advocates caution that bypassing these protections could have lasting ecological and climate-related repercussions. Critics stress the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes both swift rebuilding and environmental safeguards. Newsom stresses the exemptions are a short-term measure and do not reflect a broader policy shift away from environmental protection. Final Set of Fire Hazard Maps Reveal Expansion of High-Risk Areas The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) released updated wildfire hazard maps for the first time since 2011 with a significant expansion of high-risk areas statewide. The new maps show a 168% increase in "high" and "very high" hazard zones since 2011, impacting almost 3.7 million residents. The designations could enforce stricter building codes, space requirements and real estate disclosure laws, potentially impacting homeownership and housing markets. Officials attribute the expansion to climate change, improved modeling technology and new legal mandates requiring more detailed assessment. Some experts are concerned about insurance costs and property values, while others stress the updated maps provide guidance for limiting fire risk and improving community resilience. Federal Restructuring Could Hobble Environment-Related Agencies in California The Trump administration's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plans to terminate lease contracts at numerous federal offices across California, disproportionately affecting agencies focused on climate, agriculture and environmental protection. The closures, which include NOAA, the EPA, the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, align with broader cost-cutting and deregulation efforts, with officials citing $500 million in savings nationwide. Critics argue that shutting down these facilities will weaken environmental protections, disrupt scientific research and harm local communities that rely on these agencies. The move coincides with mass layoffs, particularly at NOAA, and echoes proposals in Project 2025, which advocates dismantling key environmental agencies. While the administration claims the terminations are about efficiency, opponents see them as an attack on climate science and federal oversight of natural resources. CP&DR Coverage: Los Angeles Suburb Looses Builder's Remedy Case In the latest twist over the long-running battle about housing development in the affluent Los Angeles suburb of La Cañada Flintridge, a judge has ordered the city to post a $14 million bond as a condition of appealing a recent ruling on a builder's remedy project. The city has been battling both a developer and the California Housing Defense Fund over the question of whether the city illegally denied a builder's remedy application by the developer. The judge's ruling ultimately required the city to post a $14 million bond. The battle is part of a larger dispute - involving separate lawsuits - over whether the city's housing element is compliant with state law. Quick Hits & Updates San Francisco's Board of Supervisors unanimously approved revisions to the Central SoMa Plan, removing requirements that prioritized office space development in favor of more housing. The changes aim to revitalize stalled projects and address the city's shifting economic needs following the commercial real estate downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The EPA confirmed its decision not to reconsider the Tijuana River Estuary as a Superfund site despite ongoing pollution concerns in South County San Diego, arguing existing infrastructure repair projects will create a long-term solution and the current pollution levels do not meet the limit for hazardous health risks. The Trump administration is reconsidering whether to grant the monarch butterfly protections under the Endangered Species Act, reopening public comments for 60 days to reassess its risk of extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously declined protections, citing higher-priority species, despite ongoing population declines since the mid-1990s. The Oceanside City Council voted 3-2 to allow broader reviews of development projects during appeals, shifting from a review of specific issues to a de novo review, where the entire project can be assessed. Critics argue that the change could cause delays, discourage housing development and potentially violate state housing mandates while city officials believe it could streamline the review process and improve efficiency. Oakland has failed to issue a bond to generate funds for infrastructure improvements and affordable housing projects, despite voters' approval of a property tax extension in 2022. As a result, nearly 1,000 affordable housing units, street repaving and bike safety improvements have been delayed, with concerns over the city's downgraded credit rating increasing borrowing costs and complicating the issuing process. According to a study by Science Advances, fires in the wildland urban interface (WUI)—where human development meets wild landscapes— pose a greater threat to air quality and public health than previously understood. Despite making up a small fraction of total fire emissions, WUI fires are responsible for a larger share of smoke-related premature deaths due to the proximity of these fires to populated areas, leading to higher exposure to harmful pollutants like fine particulate matter and ozone. Three years after its implementation, SB 9—intended to eliminate single-family zoning by permitting homeowners to convert single residences into duplexes or up to four units through lot splits—has seen limited success. Major cities like San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland have reported minimal applications for SB9 projects, prompting legislators to propose amendments addressing issues such as restrictive homeowner-occupancy requirements and prohibitive homeowner association rules. Recently introduced bill SB 462 aims to strengthen California's Farmland Conservancy Program by providing $20 million annually to fund conservation easements, permanently protecting agricultural land from development. Supporters, including Santa Clara County officials and conservation groups, highlight the bill's role in preserving farmland, promoting food security and mitigating climate impacts, especially as rising land costs threaten open spaces. However, the bill faces potential challenges due to Governor Gavin Newsom's focus on budget constraints and broader state financial uncertainties, including wildfire recovery and possible federal funding cuts. The Hollister City Council unanimously voted to repeal its 2040 General Plan after a successful referendum by the activist group Hollister Guardians Action, reverting the city to its 2005 plan. The decision, driven by concerns about rapid growth and its impact on agricultural land and traffic, prevents the city from enacting a new plan for at least a year. Critics argue that the repeal leaves Hollister out of compliance with state housing requirements and limits the city's control over development. The referendum particularly opposed the plan's expansion of Hollister's sphere of influence by 3,000 acres. The Trump administration is launching a task force to identify federal land suitable for affordable housing development, aiming to transfer or lease it to local governments and nonprofits. The initiative could unlock millions of new homes—including over 512,000 homes across California, Utah and Arizona—but faces logistical, environmental and regulatory hurdles. Critics argue that much of the available federal land is in remote areas lacking infrastructure, making large-scale housing development challenging. The City of Coachella is advancing plans for a rail transit system connecting the Coachella Valley to Riverside, supported by a planning grant from the Riverside County Transportation Commission. The proposed route includes stops in Indio, Palm Desert and Palm Springs, and is expected to take approximately ten years to complete.

by CP&DR Staff Vol. 40 No. 3 March 27, 2025 Report

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Suisun City Votes to Explore Annexation; California Forever May Bring Shipbuilding to Collinsville The Suisun City Council voted 4-1 to explore annexation and expansion; the vote calls for the city to engage in discussions with landowners within its sphere of influence, including the proposed mega-development California Forever. Meanwhile, California Forever is considering the development of a major shipbuilding facility near Collinsville as part of its broader development plans in Solano County. The proposed shipyard aligns with a potential federal initiative to boost domestic shipbuilding but has sparked concerns about environmental impacts, economic viability, and encroachment on Travis Air Force Base. Collinsville , a sparsely populated and historically struggling community along the Sacramento River, has seen past development attempts fail, and some residents remain skeptical about California Forever's intentions. While the area is zoned for maritime industrial use, opponents worry about losing agricultural land and disrupting the region's character. Both Suisun City's expansion and California Forever's shipbuilding proposal remain in early stages, requiring further negotiations, regulatory approvals and public engagement before moving forward. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Trump Administration Hints at Rescinding Designation of New National Monuments The Trump Administration caused confusion by initially suggesting, then seemingly retracting, a rollback of two newly designated national monuments in California, Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands. The uncertainty arose from a White House fact sheet that briefly included, then removed, a reference to reversing national monument designations, sparking immediate backlash from conservationists, tribal leaders and local officials. Trumps Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, has previously ordered a review of public land protections, raising concerns that these monuments could face resource extraction pressures. While the legal authority to rescind monument designations remain unclear, any attempt to do so would likely face strong legal challenges from environmental and tribal groups. Advocates argue that the economic benefits of development do not justify the potential destruction of sacred tribal lands, wildlife habitats and popular recreation areas. Audit Criticizes Los Angeles Homeless Services A federal court-ordered audit found that Los Angeles' homeless services system lacks financial oversight, transparency and accountability, making it vulnerable to waste and inefficiency. Conducted by an independent consulting firm, the audit revealed that the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's contracts were vague, leading to inconsistent services and unclear spending records. The city was unable to track total expenditures on homelessness programs or verify whether paid-for services were actually provided. The audit was expanded to include LAPD homelessness-related activities and county services to city shelters, though enforcement of anti-camping laws was excluded. Attorneys for plaintiffs in a 2020 lawsuit against the city called the findings proof of systemic failure, with billions spent on ineffective programs while unhoused residents continue to suffer. The presiding judge demanded greater transparency, reinforcing the need for urgent reforms to ensure funding reaches those in need. San Francisco Group Sues to Stop Voter-Approved Closure of Great Highway Opponents of San Francisco's Proposition K, which closed the Upper Great Highway to cars and converts it into a park, plan to file a lawsuit challenging its validity. The plaintiffs argue that the city overstepped state authority by partially closing the road while still allowing certain vehicles, violating the California Vehicle Code. They also claim the city bypassed environmental review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The lawsuit targets the city, Board of Supervisors, and five officials who placed Prop. K on the ballot, alleging voters should not have decided on a matter of statewide concern. Supporters of the measure remain confident in the city's legal defense and anticipate the park's opening in April. CP&DR Coverage: Trump Threatens Coastal Commission Could Donald Trump really get rid of the Coastal Commission, as he has threatened to do? Realistically no, argues Bill Fulton. The Coastal Commission was created by the voters of California and, in a subsequent law, by the California Legislature. For the Coastal Commission to go away, the Legislature and Gov. Newsom would have to undo the Coastal Act. This is not going to happen. Even if it did, there'd probably be a legal battle over the underlying voter approval, and if it went back to a vote in the end, the Coastal Commission would probably survive. But, every lever the federal government's got to undermine the commission's authority - and California's power - will be used. Quick Hits & Updates The Trump administration is considering closing or selling at least 16 federal buildings in California, including a major complex in downtown Los Angeles, as part of a broader effort to reduce government real estate costs. The General Services Administration (GSA) initially published a list of targeted properties but later removed it, causing uncertainty about the final plans. A proposed redevelopment of the Guadalupe Quarry on San Bruno Mountain has sparked a debate between developers and environmentalists, with plans to build a 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse while designating some land for conservation. Supporters argue the project will create 1,500 jobs and address warehouse shortages, while critics warn it threatens endangered butterfly species and disrupts the mountain's ecosystem. Environmental activists advocate for restoring the land rather than redeveloping it, continuing decades-long efforts to preserve the mountain. San Diego is considering reforms to its historic preservation rules, including reducing the authority of the Historical Resources Board and limiting tax breaks for historic properties under the Mills Act. City officials argue that the current regulations deter development and need modernization, while preservation advocates contend the proposed changes lack thorough analysis and could undermine efforts to protect historic sites. SB 601 would restore state-level protections for streams and wetlands in response to a Supreme Court ruling limiting federal Clean Water Act coverage. The bill aims to ensure that pollution discharges are regulated and that California's unique waterways, many of which are seasonal, remain protected. Urban trees in central Los Angeles absorb significantly more carbon dioxide than previously thought, offsetting up to 60% of fossil fuel emissions during warmer months, according to a USC Dornsife study. While the research highlights the important role of urban greenery, it also underscores that trees alone cannot counteract emissions from cars, buildings and industry, reinforcing the need for broader clean energy and transit solutions to meet the city's carbon neutrality goals. The Pasadena City Council is set to adopt an ordinance amending the municipal code to streamline adaptive reuse of non-residential buildings into housing. Developers will benefit from density and floor area ratio incentives, including 15 additional feet for residential amenities like pools or fitness centers. Projects will require an average unit size of 450 square feet, with open space requirements that can include common areas. The ordinance eliminates new parking requirements for adaptive reuse projects and modifies review processes for shared parking and historic resources. Waymo has launched a transit credit pilot program in Los Angeles, offering $3 ride credits for passengers connecting to one of eight eligible transit stations through its zero-emission ride-hailing service. Running until April 1, the initiative aims to promote multimodal travel and support sustainable transportation options, particularly for travelers heading to and from LAX. (See related CP&DR coverage .) The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District awarded $17 million in Measure A competitive grants to 13 recipients, marking the largest parkland expansion effort in the district's history. The grants will fund the creation and preservation of 623 acres of new green space, including projects for urban farms, pocket parks and larger conservation efforts. In California, office-to-apartment conversions are increasing , with Los Angeles leading the state with 4,388 units set for transformation by 2025. This trend comes amid rising office vacancies, with Los Angeles being third nationally for office-to-apartment projects, reflecting an 80% increase from the previous year. Other cities like San Francisco are also streamlining the approval process and offering financial incentives to encourage these conversions. SB 79 aims to expedite the construction of multi-family housing near transit stops by requiring upzoning in areas near train and bus lines, where many cities currently restrict housing. The bill seeks to reduce housing costs, encourage transit use and combat climate pollution by overcoming local zoning barriers that limit housing development around public transportation systems. Sen. Laura Richardson introduced SB 611, which aims to revise the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process for community plans. This bill would reenact provisions allowing a development project to proceed without further CEQA review if it is consistent with an approved community plan, provided certain requirements are met as part of a legislative package aimed to improve public safety, education and environmental standards across the state. Senators Blakespear and Stern have introduced SB 427 , which would remove the July 1, 2030 sunset date for the Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF). The HCF was established under Proposition 117(the California Wildlife Protection Act), a ballot measure championed by PCL and passed by voters in June 1990. Since then, the Fund has protected over 1.2 million acres of wildlife habitat and improved public access to more than 350 park projects across California. A new bill, SB 222, would allow individuals to sue businesses for climate-related damages linked to fossil fuel products, retroactively applying to 1965. Critics argue it would lead to higher costs for consumers in areas like gas, electricity and housing, with households potentially losing up to $6,200 annually. The bill could deter investment and cause economic instability, while proponents argue it's necessary for climate accountability. After the U.S. Secretary of Transportation threatened to cut federal funding for California's high-speed rail project, a new state bill to explore alternative funding options has been proposed . SB 545 commissions a study on public-private partnerships and economic opportunities along the 400-mile corridor between Los Angeles and San Francisco, with findings due by July 2026.

This article is brought to you courtesy of the paying subscribers to California Planning & Development Report . You can subscribe to CP&DR by clicking here . You can sign up for CP&DR 's free weekly newsletter here . Lafayette Faces Legal Trouble Over Housing -- Yet Again A housing advocacy group has sued the Contra Costa County suburb of Lafayette, alleging that officials have failed to comply with state housing laws by relying on unrealistic sites to meet their housing obligations. The lawsuit, filed by the Housing Action Coalition, argues that Lafayette's plan, despite state approval, includes locations such as businesses and religious institutions that have no actual intention of developing housing. California mandates that cities create housing plans to accommodate growth, though they are not required to build the units themselves—only to facilitate their construction through zoning and planning. Lafayette has a history of resisting housing development, having previously delayed a 315-unit apartment project for over a decade. This lawsuit is part of a broader trend of advocacy groups challenging cities they believe are obstructing housing production while appearing to comply with state laws. Los Angeles Seeks Innovative Designs for Small Lots Los Angeles launched the "Small Lots, Big Impacts" initiative to encourage the development of affordable, for-sale starter homes on small lots, aiming to increase housing density without relying on high-rise buildings. The city, in collaboration with LA4LA and UCLA's cityLAB, is holding a design competition to create innovative small-home plans that could become pre-approved templates for developers. To demonstrate feasibility, officials plan to sell about 10 city-owned lots to developers who would use the winning designs to construct housing. Proceeds from these sales will fund down payment assistance for homebuyers, with projects expected to range from four to 20 units and one to three stories tall. The initiative seeks to make smaller, lower-cost homes more common, offering an alternative to expensive single-family houses and large apartment complexes. Irvine Seeks to Create "Gathering Space" with TOD District The Irvine City Council adopted the Crescent Transit Oriented Development District plan as part of the Great Park Framework Plan, exchanging two parcels of land with Heritage Fields El Toro to link Irvine Spectrum and Great Park in the heavily suburban city. The 60-acre Crescent District, located near the Irvine Transportation Center, is envisioned as a central gathering space that prioritizes housing and mobility. Originally part of the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, the land was later developed by HFET and another company into the Great Park Sports Park. In return for the Crescent District, HFET will receive 27 acres of city-owned land. City officials emphasized that the project aligns with Irvine's long-term planning goals, promoting transit accessibility, reducing car dependence and fostering workforce housing. San Francisco Considers Ambitious Bike Plan San Francisco transportation officials have drafted a long-term plan to expand the city's bike infrastructure, aiming to make a safe cycling route accessible within a quarter mile of every resident's home. The "Biking and Rolling" plan proposes upgrades to 385 streets, including protected bike lanes, speed bumps and redesigned intersections, but faces challenges due to past community opposition to bike lane expansions. Unlike previous bike plans focused on downtown commuters, this version emphasizes accessibility for diverse neighborhoods and shorter local trips, aiming to reduce car dependency in a post-pandemic era. Officials have gathered community input, particularly from historically underserved areas, but remain cautious about proposing major changes to commercial corridors to avoid business disruptions. While the plan outlines a broad vision, specific commitments for certain streets, like Geneva Avenue, are yet to be finalized. CP&DR Coverage: California Forever + Suisun City? Last month, the city council of Suisun City — a city of 28,000 in the southwest corner of Solano County — voted 4-1 to study the annexation of potentially all land within its sphere of influence. That would encompass a trapezoidal area east of the city and south of Travis Air Force Base. It includes some of the 60,000 acres owned by Flannery Associates throughout unincorporated portions of the county and would abut a major industrial development planned by the company. Suisun City is financially distressed with little infill opportunity. Annexation could enable the city to gain jurisdiction over a portion of the East Solano Plan, which has, thus far, failed to receive support from the county Board of Supervisors or and has not yet been submitted to county voters. Quick Hits & Updates San Francisco's Board of Supervisors adopted an amendment to the city's planning code that removes certain fees and deadlines to encourage converting commercial buildings into housing, potentially saving developers up to $90,000 per unit. A recent poll of Los Angeles County voters reveals strong support for tougher building codes and restrictions on home construction in high-risk wildfire areas, following the Palisades and Eaton fires. Voters also back increased fire protection funding, even with tax hikes, and favor building more homes in higher-density urban areas rather than fire-prone neighborhoods. However, there was opposition to allowing insurance companies to raise rates to provide broader fire coverage. Senator Scott Wiener has introduced Senate Bill 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, to promote housing development near major transit hubs by allowing buildings up to seven stories and easing zoning restrictions. Previous versions of Wiener's transit-housing proposals faced opposition over concerns about neighborhood character and displacement, but he says this bill is more targeted, focusing only on high-quality transit stops. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles has paused new applications for the Section 8 voucher program due to insufficient federal funding, which is not expected to meet current operational needs. The Section 8 program, which subsidizes rent for around 60,000 families in the city, could face cuts to existing vouchers if funding gaps are not addressed, potentially affecting up to 6,000 households. The Encinitas City Council approved , on a 3-1 vote, the controversial Quail Meadows apartment project, a massive 448-unit development, despite strong opposition from local groups who filed appeals over environmental concerns and state law violations. The council's decision, which they described as made under "absolute duress and coercion" due to state pressure, allows the project to proceed, although it could still face an appeal to the Coastal Commission. A motion introduced in the Los Angeles City Council aims to relax building codes requiring multiple staircases in mid-sized apartment buildings, potentially increasing housing supply by allowing more space for apartments. The change would allow developers to build buildings with a single staircase, which research suggests would not compromise safety, reduce construction costs and help create more family-sized rental units in a city facing an affordable housing shortage. A report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and Gensler suggests converting vacant office buildings in Los Angeles and Houston into tiny apartments with shared living spaces would be a cost-effective solution to housing shortages. These micro-apartments would be cheaper to build than traditional housing, with estimated rents of $1,000 in Los Angeles. The San Benito County Board of Supervisors has begun implementing Measure A, which requires voter approval for rezoning agricultural, rural or rangeland areas for commercial development. At a recent meeting, the board determined that developers, not taxpayers, would bear the cost of these elections, ranging from $40,000 for a general election to $500,000 for a special election. The Sierra Club reached a settlement with a major warehouse developer in Moreno Valley, requiring the facility's entire fleet of trucks and delivery vehicles to be 100% electric ahead of state mandates. Additional environmental protections include onsite solar power, battery storage, truck idling limits and funding for an air quality monitoring station. A similar settlement with Costco in Tracy mandates that 72% of trucks servicing its warehouse be zero-emission by 2027. A study analyzing wildfire planning in 58 California counties found gaps in addressing social vulnerability and recovery planning in key policy documents. Researchers assessed the effectiveness of General Plans, Hazard Mitigation Plans and Community Wildfire Protection Plans in building wildfire resilience. San Diego has ended negotiations with an investment company on a plan to develop over 400 affordable housing units on a valuable downtown site, citing financial infeasibility and the city's requirement to sell the land at fair market value. The project, which would have replaced a Ritz-Carlton hotel, struggled due to rising interest rates, limited funding for affordable housing and restrictions under the Surplus Land Act, prompting the company to withdraw. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP), a rezoning plan aimed at increasing housing development along commercial corridors and multifamily neighborhoods while largely preserving single-family zones. The program offers developers incentives to build more housing, particularly affordable units near public transit, as part of the city's strategy to meet state-mandated housing goals and address concerns over equity and displacement. Newly introduced Senate Bill 71 seeks to make exemptions from environmental reviews permanent for various transit projects, including bus-only lanes and bike paths, aiming to fast-track sustainable transportation options. The bill, supported by lawmakers and environmental groups, is designed to reduce gridlock and emissions but faces opposition due to concerns about potential negative impacts on communities and businesses.

Ruling in Favor of San Francisco Narrows Scope of Clean Water Act The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of the City and County of San Francisco, narrowing the scope of the Clean Water Act and limiting federal regulatory power. The case centered on whether cities are responsible only for meeting pre-set pollution limits or if they must actively prevent contamination beyond those thresholds. The ruling overturns a 9th Circuit decision that had sided with the EPA and California regulators, who argued San Francisco was failing to prevent harmful bacteria from entering the ocean. Justice Samuel Alito's opinion warned that strict EPA requirements could lead to harsh penalties even for cities following their permits precisely. California Attorney General Rob Bonta had urged the court to uphold the EPA's authority, citing risks to state waters. This decision continues the conservative court's trend of limiting federal regulatory power, following similar rulings on environmental oversight. San Diego Tamps Down ADU Fervor The San Diego City Council voted to scale back a controversial housing incentive that, critics say, allows an excessive amount of ADU development on single-family lots in certain neighborhoods. in some cases, density bonuses led to small apartment buildings with multiple units to be classified as ADUs. The rollback removes the program in eight zoning areas with larger lots to prevent excessive development beyond the city's original intent. Additional proposed changes include new parking requirements, infrastructure fees and stricter rules on property boundaries to prevent loopholes. The city also plans to allow ADUs to be sold separately, expanding homeownership opportunities. While some council members pushed for a full repeal, the compromise aims to preserve affordable housing incentives while addressing community concerns over large-scale backyard development. Goleta Order to Process Builder's Remedy Project A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge ruled against the City of Goleta, ordering the city to process a 56-unit housing project that includes 13 affordable units. The developers submitted the project under Builder's Remedy. Goleta initially refused to process the application, citing a prior 2011 proposal for the site, but the court rejected this argument. Attorney General Rob Bonta supported the developers, emphasizing the need for affordable housing and warning cities against obstructing state housing laws. The ruling is a significant setback for Goleta, though the city may appeal. Meanwhile, supporters argue the project is well-suited for its location, near schools, transit and existing housing developments. Williamson Act May Benefit Corporations More than Farmers in Fresno Co. A Fresnoland investigation reveals that Fresno County's Williamson Act tax break, originally designed to protect small farms from urban development, overwhelmingly benefits large agribusinesses and out-of-state investors. In 2022 alone, just 120 farming operations—less than 1% of recipients—received half of the program's $5 billion in tax breaks, diverting funds from local schools and public services. Tax records show that subsidies meant to preserve farmland now flow to corporate giants, including a $240 billion Canadian pension fund, which received a $1.6 million tax break for its Fresno land holdings. Small farmers receive minimal relief while mega-growers and hedge funds see soaring benefits, with top landowners' tax breaks increasing by 300-700% over the past decade. Critics argue the program has strayed from its intended purpose, accelerating farmland consolidation and benefiting financial firms rather than the local agricultural community. CP&DR Coverage: t he Roots of the Housing Crisis California's housing challenges are so acute, it's easy to assume that it's an endemic phenomenon. It's similarly easy to assume that the state's slow-growth ethos and constricting regulations, including the statewide California Environmental Quality Act and the hundreds of local zoning codes that limit development, are to blame. USC demographer professor of planning Dowell Myers does not dispute these phenomena. But, according to a newly published study, they are actually tangential to deeper economic causes that have led to what he describes as not just a local housing crisis but, indeed, a national housing crisis. CP&DR spoke with Myers about the study and its implications for housing production in California. Quick Hits & Updates The Coastal Commission is seeking public input to guide the development of its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, which will shape the agency's efforts to protect and enhance California's coast and ocean over the next five years. Interested individuals can submit their priorities via a public input form by March 31, 2025, or participate in virtual public listening sessions scheduled throughout March, with sessions in both English and Spanish. The process will include public feedback, tribal consultations and a draft review before the final plan is adopted in Winter 2025. The EPA is seeking to delay approval of California's Regional Haze Plan, which aims to reduce pollution in Yosemite, Sequoia and other national parks, citing staffing shortages as a primary reason. Critics argue that the recent layoffs at the agency contradict its claims of being understaffed, warning that delays will prolong air quality issues in already heavily polluted parks. The Trump administration has begun staff reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages California's water infrastructure, raising concerns from water agencies that the cuts could compromise water delivery systems and public safety. The U.S. General Services Administration published and then quickly removed a list of 440 federal properties it considers for sale, including prominent office buildings in San Francisco, part of an effort to cut costs. This move follows significant staff reductions in the GSA's San Francisco office, with nearly 40% of employees in Region 9 receiving termination notices. Two weeks after the Trump administration announced a compliance review of California's high-speed rail project, CEO Ian Choudri stressed the need for new funding sources to ensure its completion. He warned that without stabilizing the funding, inefficiencies could further delay the project, which has already faced significant budget and timeline increases. Bay Area-based law firm Meyers Nave has merged with The Sohagi Law Group, a California-based environmental and land use law firm, strengthening their in-house team in complex development and regulatory matters. After more than three years of discussions with local residents, a developer has received approval to convert a 1960s-era shopping mall in Marin County, near San Francisco, into a large mixed-use development featuring over 1,400 new homes. The number of apartment permits issued in Los Angeles has fallen nearly 45% over the past five years, according to Crosstown, worsening the city's already severe housing crisis. Factors such as high borrowing costs, restrictive zoning and the impact of Measure ULA have contributed to this decline, which is compounded by a shift toward more expensive, less dense single-family homes. Riverside County is facing a major expansion in warehouse development, with over 42 million square feet of logistics space proposed across multiple projects. These projects represent seven of the ten largest warehouse projects in the state. Critics worry that the county lacks the infrastructure to handle the increased truck traffic, air pollution and environmental impacts that come with these massive facilities. Caltrain's new electric trains use regenerative braking to return about 23% of the energy consumed back to the electric grid, exceeding initial performance expectations. The agency's electricity costs are lower than originally anticipated and they expect to receive $6 million annually in energy credits, all while providing service powered entirely by renewable energy. A recent poll shows that over 80 precent of riders hold a favorable view of Caltrain. Sorrento Valley and Kearny Mesa are San Diego's top employment centers, but traffic congestion along the 805, which connects them, causes significant delays, with only 4% of commuters using public transit. SANDAG plans to address this with the Purple Line, a high-speed, high-capacity rail line connecting underserved areas like Chula Vista and City Heights to major job centers, reducing travel time to 45 minutes and expected to serve 30,000 daily riders when completed in over 15 years.