Search Results

A century or so ago, the Sears Corp. sold tens of thousands of catalog homes that were constructed across the United States. Today, the Sears company is still creating homes, as its former stores are converted and redeveloped into housing developments.

La Cañada Flintridge has abandoned its efforts to right off a controversial builder’s remedy project and has approved the project.

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 . Los Angeles Mayor Lifts Emergency Declaration that Facilitated Affordable Housing Development Mayor Karen Bass announced that Los Angeles will lift its homelessness state of emergency on November 18, marking the end of the executive powers that enabled rapid action through measures like Inside Safe and Executive Directive 1 (ED1), which expedites the development of affordable housing developments. While homelessness has declined modestly for two consecutive years, City Council members pushed to end the emergency to restore transparency and formalize successful programs, including efforts to codify ED1 into permanent law. If that language is not finalized before the deadline, the city will temporarily halt accepting new affordable housing applications under ED1. Bass emphasized that lifting the emergency does not signal the end of the crisis but a transition toward long-term, sustainable systems. Meanwhile, Bass issued a separate executive order, EO10, to accelerate post-fire commercial rebuilding in Pacific Palisades, focusing on targeted, expedited recovery efforts even as the homelessness emergency winds down. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Shafter Protests At-Grade Alignment of High Speed Rail Frustrated by a new California High-Speed Rail proposal that would run the train through town at ground level, Shafter's City Council voted to reject the plan, with the mayor saying he'd rather see the project “go around the city” than tear up local streets. The revised design, meant to cut costs and shorten construction by two years, would replace elevated tracks with a network of underpasses and overpasses, but residents argued it would harm small businesses, disrupt schools and divide neighborhoods. Rail officials said the change reflects “lessons learned” from earlier construction in Fresno and would reduce community disruption, emergency access issues and the need for millions of cubic yards of fill dirt. Despite those claims, Shafter leaders say the city won't benefit economically from a system that doesn't include a station and only brings local impacts. Report: Los Angeles County Lost Half-Million Residents since 2015 Neighborhood Data for Social Change at USC Lusk Center for Real Estate released its State of Los Angeles County Housing and Neighborhoods (SOLACHAN) report, presenting detailed data on the region's housing, demographics and affordability. The report found that, since 2015, LA County's population has decreased by over 500,000 people, including a loss of 280,000 foreign-born residents, despite the number of households continuing to increase. The report found that housing production has fallen from over 70,000 new units per year in the 1950s to fewer than 15,000 per year in the 2010s, with only 10% of recent rental units affordable to lower-income households while permitting timelines triple the national average. Homeownership has also dropped to 45% of residents, its lowest level in more than 50 years, with Black and middle-income households seeing the largest declines. The report found over 90% of renters earning under $50,000 spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Despite a 57% increase in permanent housing beds for unhoused residents, and the number of unsheltered residents dropping 15% in two years, 66% of people experiencing homelessness in the county remain unsheltered, the largest percentage in the country. CP&DR Coverage: San Diego Midway Project; Referendum Nixed in Livermore San Diego's Midway redevelopment project has been held up by litigation again, as an appellate court has ruled - for the second time - that the city did not prepare adequate environmental documents in preparation for a ballot measure lifting the city's 30-foot coastal height limit. In reversing a lower court ruling, the appellate court also concluded that the state's reforms of the California Environmental Quality Act adopted back in June do not apply to the Midway plan. The effect of the ruling is to invalidate the ballot measure lifting the coastal height limit -- for the second time. Eden Housing has been trying to build an affordable housing project in Downtown Livermore since 2018. Two local groups with the same backer have gone to court with different lawsuits to stop the project - or at least move it. One legal skirmish got caught up in the underbrush of referendum law, specifically the question of whether the city's approvals were administrative or legislative. In a second decision on that case, the First District Court of Appeal has ruled that Livermore's latest approvals were entirely administrative - and therefore a referendum on the project can't go forward. The published ruling reversed the decision of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Michael M. Markman. Quick Hits & Updates The San Francisco Arts Commission voted 8-5 to temporarily dismantle the Vaillancourt Fountain in San Fransisco's Embarcadero Plaza, the latest development a fight over the monuments fate sparked in 2024 by the announcement of plans for an overhaul of the plaza and a new park. The Recreation and Park Department called for the removal, saying the city could not afford the estimated $29 million for a full restoration. The owners of a five-acre property near the Santa Barbara Mission, who plan to build an eight-story housing project under builder's remedy, are suing Santa Barbara County over nearly $200,000 in property taxes. The Mission LLC claims the site is exempt because it hosts religious services by the Unitarian Universalist Mission, but the county argues the property does not qualify since it has been largely vacant and not used exclusively for worship. The state's Court of Appeals has allowed preliminary geotechnical work to proceed on the $20 billion Delta Conveyance Project, reversing a lower court injunction blocking the work pending additional environmental certification. The project, aiming to transport water from the Sacramento River to southern parts of the state, remains controversial due to the environmental concerns, local opposition, high costs and ongoing legal and funding roadblocks. Jim Wunderman, 22-year veteran CEO of the Bay Area Council, is leaving to become head of public affairs for California Forever, a billionaire-backed plan to build a new city of 400,000 residents in Solano County with dense housing, middle-income jobs and a large advanced manufacturing campus. The former-CEO's departure comes as California Forever submits a revised plan to extend Suisun City, amid criticism from environmental groups and local ranchers concerned about agricultural impacts, traffic and sprawl. San Diego's Coastal Resilience Master Plan (CRMP) outlines a citywide approach to adapting to rising sea levels with dune restoration and dynamic shoreline design as opposed to seawalls, as coastal squeeze threatens 70% of the state's beaches by 2100. The plan emphasizes community engagement, with workshops, volunteer restoration events and partnerships with loca organizations hopes to protect beaches, habitat and public access.

Voters resoundingly favored new housing Santa Cruz and Sausalito, two cities that have historically had strong anti-growth movements. In Sausalito, a pair of complementary measures designed ot help the city comply with state Housing Element law passed easily. In Santa Cruz, a competition between two measures to promote affordable housing proved to be a snooze, as the more aggressive measure won by a comfortable margin whereas a watered-down measure barely broke double-digit percentages.

The California Chamber of Commerce is floating a ballot measure that would create a series of “shot clocks” for actions under the California Environmental Quality Act.

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 . Supervisors Amend San Francisco's "Family Zoning"; Plan May Produce Far Less Housing than Intended San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's proposed "Family Zoning," intended to meet state housing mandates by allowing taller, denser construction in the city's north and west sides, has sparked debate and a number of last-minute amendments from the Board of Supervisors. The plan aims to add up to 36,000 homes, although a new analysis projects that the number would likely be half that by 2045 due to high construction costs and a weak market. Supervisors have enacted measures to protect rent-controlled tenants, exempt historic buildings, and ensure that development on public lands is 100% affordable, while offering incentives for family-sized units and small businesses. According to a recent analysis by the City Controller's office, the plan, despite upzoning 92,000 parcels, is likely to produce at most 14,646 actual new units in the plan area. The discrepancy between the city's goal and the controller's estimate stems from the controller's economic analysis, which considers projects that are likely to pencil out for developers, based in part on an 8% increase in construction costs and 25% decrease in sale prices for condos since 2019 (adjusted for inflation). Study Finds Exorbitant Housing Development Costs in California A report out of RAND compares the cost of building market-rate and subsidized affordable apartments across California, Colorado and Texas, using data from over 140 projects and found that California has the highest production costs in every category, largely due to longer development timelines, higher fees and strict design and labor requirements. Notably, multifamily housing in California can cost more than twice as much per square foot as in Texas, with wide variation even within the state. The findings suggest that reducing delays, streamlining permitting and inspections and revising fee structures could significantly lower costs and boost housing supply. If California matched the efficiency and cost levels of states like Texas or Colorado, it could produce far more affordable housing with the same public investment. Los Angeles County Lost Half-Million Residents since 2015 Neighborhood Data for Social Change at USC Lusk Center for Real Estate released its State of Los Angeles County Housing and Neighborhoods (SOLACHAN) report, presenting detailed data on the region's housing, demographics and affordability. The report found that, since 2015, LA County's population has decreased by over 500,000 people, including a loss of 280,000 foreign-born residents, despite the number of households continuing to increase. The report found that housing production has fallen from over 70,000 new units per year in the 1950s to fewer than 15,000 per year in the 2010s, with only 10% of recent rental units affordable to lower-income households while permitting timelines triple the national average. Homeownership has also dropped to 45% of residents, its lowest level in more than 50 years, with Black and middle-income households seeing the largest declines. The report found over 90% of renters earning under $50,000 spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Despite a 57% increase in permanent housing beds for unhoused residents, and the number of unsheltered residents dropping 15% in two years, 66% of people experiencing homelessness in the county remain unsheltered, the largest percentage in the country. Report Blames Slow Transit Development on Permitting & Regulations The nonprofit Circulate San Diego released a report titled "Powerless Brokers: Why California Can't Build Transit", addressing why public transit construction in California is typically very slow and expensive. The report finds permitting and regulation challenges to be the primary culprit: transit authorities do not have the power to construct projects approved by elected officials or ballot measures, and must seek third-party permits from local governments, special districts, state agencies, and public and private utilities. The Powerless Brokers recommends reassigning permitting responsibilities from third parties to the transit authorities, incentivizing local governments to prioritize transit and streamline permitting, extend CEQA exemptions for sustainable transit, and encourage more leadership from Caltrans. CP&DR Coverage: Newsom Signs over 40 Land Use Bills Although SB 79 and the big infill housing exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act got all the headlines this year, the Legislature was active on a variety of planning and development bills this, with Gov. Gavin Newsom signing more than 40 bills into law. Unlike last year, Newsom vetoed no bills on CP&DR's list. As usual, most of the bills had to do with housing. But the new legislation includes reforms to laws related to accessory dwelling units, general plan law, and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment reporting process, as well as a cleanup bill to last year's controversial warehouse bill. Highlights include SB 79, overrides local zoning to require midrise housing near major transit stations; AB 130 and SB 131 major infill housing and other CEQA exemptions; SB 786 prioritizes housing elements over other general plan elements, while AB 39 requires decarbonization or electrification plans in larger cities, and more. Quick Hits & Updates The San Diego Planning Commission endorsed an update to the College Area Community Plan, last updated in 1989, which would keep most of the area zone for single families while allowing medium- to high-density hosuing adjacent to SDSU and along major arteries like College Avenue, Montezuma Road, and El Cajon Boulevard. The plan would also add protected bike lanes and bus-only lanes. Critics of the plan raised concerns that the area has insufficient parks, fire stations, parking, and other infrastructure to support a substantial population increase. Pasadena City Council revealed two competing concepts for the future of the stub, "Gardens and Terraces" and "Boulevard and Plaza" for the unfinished stub of the 710 Freeway. The stub was relinquished to Pasadena by the state in 2022 after sitting abandoned for nearly fifty years. Both plans call for two-way streets, parks, bike paths, and new housing to revive the area. The Council also heard testimonies from families displaced when construction on the project started in the 1960s and 70s, destroying predominantly African American and Latino neighborhoods. According to a recent audit by the California State Auditor, UC, CSU, and California Community College systems have not done enough to ensure access to affordable housing. The report recommends clarifying state law to assign system offices (Presidents and Chancellors) greater oversight and responsibility for planning campus housing and requiring system offices to biennially assess unmet housing demand on campuses. California's High Speed Rail Authority filed for preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Transportation's transfer of $4 billion in grants frozen by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, alleging that the department unlawfully revoked the money despite the project passing compliance reviews. California Attourney General Rob Bonta wrote that Trump officials were attempting to transfer much of the funds to other projects before the case could be decided. Housing Trust Silicon Valley launched its Building Impact Initiative, a landmark $200 million fund designed to accelerate affordable housing across the Bay Area. Tech giant Apple contributed a substantial but undisclosed sum to the fund. A poll from Bay Area regional think tank Bay Area News Group and Joint Venture Silicon Valley suggests in-person work is rebounding, while still below pre-pandemic levels. 63% of Bay Area respondents reported working fully in person, up from less than half of respondents last year, and just 9% reported working fully remotely. The CEO of the think tank called the results "surprising", but pointed to companies wanting to reinforce culture and productivity as reasons for calling people back to the office. The Redlands Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend to the City Council a citywide ban on new warehouse development. The Commission cited concerns about the extensive development of warehouses on already developed sites and ensuring diverse land use. Redlands has seen 28 million square feet of warehouse development in the past quarter century, vastly outstripping every other type of development. Irvine and San Francisco ranked second and seventh, respectively, in safest cities for cyclists in the new Pedestrian & Cyclist Safety Report, which analyzed nearly 300 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. The report praised Irvine's extensive use of separated bike paths and protected crossings to allow cyclists to go nearly anywhere without entering high-speed traffic, and noted San Francisco's use of slow streets and car-free corridors. The report emphasized that pedestrian and cyclist safety is the result of policy and planning, not luck or statistical variance. The US Senate passed the ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan bill that seeks to tackle the nation's housing crisis through a wide range of provisions that reduce red tape, incentivize housing construction, and streamline federal review procedures. The bill's sponsors, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tim Scott, hailed the bill as landmark legislation to combat housing shortages.

by CP&DR Staff Vol. 40 No. 10 October, 30 2025 Report

Under a new state law, rezonings related to the housing element aren’t subject to the California Environmental Quality Act. But UC Davis law professor Chris Elmendorf says there’s a tradeoff: environmental impact reports will almost certainly be required for all housing elements, putting more pressure on cities and counties to identify the environmental impact of every possible housing site at the housing element level.

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 . Bay Area MPO Advances Regional Plan for 2050 The Draft Plan Bay Area 2050+ presents 35 regional strategies designed to guide housing, transportation, the economy and the environment through 2050 in the Bay Area. The plan aims to increase housing options near transit, improve affordability, and strengthen coordination across local jurisdictions. Transportation strategies focus on enhancing reliability, expanding transit and active travel networks and improving safety and accessibility. Economic measures emphasize supporting local job centers, diversifying employment opportunities and promoting workforce development. Environmental actions prioritize protecting open space, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate-related risks such as flooding and wildfires. Overall, the plan provides a regional framework for coordinated growth and investment while balancing equity, resilience and sustainability goals. Fresno to Upzone 11 Square Miles in Southwest of Highway 99 The Fresno City Council approved the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan on October 16 after a multi-year process that included extensive community outreach, more than 60 public meetings and input from a steering committee. The plan, covering 11 square miles and roughly 50,000 existing residents, sets a long-term framework for coordinated growth west of State Route 99, focusing on expanding housing, improving transportation connections and adding parks and community amenities. It identifies “catalytic corridors” for higher-density, mixed-use development near transit, outlines a prioritized list of park and infrastructure projects and establishes a capital improvement program to fund early transportation and VMT-mitigation projects. A key feature is its dual land-use designations for some parcels, balancing future development potential with opportunities for new regional and neighborhood parks. The plan's adoption also updates Fresno's General Plan land-use map and zoning, increasing citywide housing capacity by several hundred units while protecting agricultural and rural edges. Moving forward, the city will monitor progress through five-year reviews, project-level evaluations and updates to ensure investments align with the plan's goals. (See related CP&DR coverage.) Federal Government Explores Partial Development of Camp Pendleton The U.S. Department of Defense is exploring the possibility of leasing or developing parts of Camp Pendleton, the 125,000-acre Marine Corps base representing Southern California's largest remaining stretch of undeveloped coastline. While no decisions have been made, the proposal—aimed at generating federal revenue—has raised questions about potential environmental impacts, local collaboration and how commercial activity might alter the base's long-standing role in military training and conservation. Massive Commercial Redevelopment Proposed for Los Angeles Refinery Phillips 66 has revealed redevelopment plans for its refinery in Wilmington, after the plant processes its last oil shipment this October. After hundreds of meetings with local residents, Catellus Development Corp. and Deca Cos., hired by Philips 66 last year, revealed plans for Five Points Union, a complex centered around a new town center with 400,000 square feet of space for stores, restaurants, and cafes, two playgrounds, and new walking paths. The majority of the 440-acre site would be occupied by eight warehouses ranging from 250,000 to 1 million square feet. The town center will be part of the initial development, while the warehouses will be built in phases potentially spanning more than 20 years. The project would also redesign the frontage of Anaheim and Gaffey streets, adding new tree canopy coverage and pushing the sidewalks back from the road. Implementing the plan will require city approval, as well as remediating underground pollution. City officials and community members expressed the importance of removing the 25 million gallons of butane tanks. Complaints of pollution, flaring, and fires from have increased in recent years as the plant has aged. State Disburses $414 Million for 30 Housing Projects California has awarded more than $414 million to fund 30 affordable housing projects, creating over 2,000 new homes, nearly all of which will serve low- to extremely low-income residents. The funding, distributed through Governor Gavin Newsom's Multifamily Finance Super NOFA program, streamlines the application process for developers, allowing them to access multiple housing programs through one coordinated system, an approach that has supported more than 12,600 affordable homes statewide since 2020. The new awards will finance multifamily, farmworker, veteran and infill infrastructure housing projects, helping seniors, large families and individuals with special needs. State leaders say the initiative reflects Newsom's broader housing strategy to address homelessness, improve behavioral health care and reform zoning and permitting to speed construction. Officials emphasize that these efforts are producing measurable results, with California outpacing most states in slowing homelessness growth and expanding affordable housing access. CP&DR Coverage: Court Rejects Redondo Beach Overlay District for Limiting Housing In the latest housing element skirmish from Redondo Beach, an appellate court has ruled that the city's mixed-use overlay district doesn't meet the requirements of the housing element law. The city argued that the overlay met the housing element law's provisions involved mixed-use developments. But the Second District Court of Appeal ruled the other way. The case was brought by New Commune DTLA, an entity controlled by developer Leo Pustilnikov, who controls the former AES power plant near the beach in Redondo Beach. The city made a complicated argument that 20 units per acre was not required on all sites because, even though mixed-use sites must have a minimum of 50% residential, the law also requires that 100% residential projects must be allowed in mixed-use zoning (even though there are no mixed uses). The court did not buy the argument. Quick Hits & Updates A recent report from the Council of Infill Builders outlines barriers and strategies for expanding affordable housing through infill development in Marin County. It identifies obstacles such as high construction costs, complex permitting, limited funding and community opposition, and proposes solutions including streamlined approval processes, reduced fees and parking requirements and coordinated funding across jurisdictions. San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond has introduced legislation aimed at prioritizing homeownership opportunities for local residents and urging the state to restrict foreign and corporate investment in residential real estate. The proposal seeks to address concerns that such investments contribute to rising housing costs and limit access to homeownership for working families. The Sonoma County Fairgrounds, a 90-acre site historically used for horse racing, is being considered as a potential location for professional men's and women's soccer teams through a partnership with the United Soccer League and local officials. The Redlands Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend to the City Council a citywide ban on new warehouse development. The Commission cited concerns about the extensive development of warehouses on already developed sites and ensuring diverse land use. Redlands has seen 28 million square feet of warehouse development in the past quarter century, vastly outstripping every other type of development. Fourth & Central, a proposed multi-use mega-development in Downtown LA's Skid Row neighborhood, took a major step forward when the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the project for construction, setting up LA City Council to consider final approval later this year. The 7.6-acre project would include 1,589 apartments with 249 affordable units, 401,000 sqft of office space, and 145,000 sqft for restaurants and retail, all across 10 buildings of various heights up to 30 stories. In a letter to LA City Council, Mayor Karen Bass proposed a one-time 3-year pause on Measure ULA, the "mansion tax", for homeowners affected by January's fires. In the letter, Bass said that the pause would help homeowners sell their burned properties and gain funds to rebuild or relocate, stimulating sales that were being discouraged by the measure. Measure ULA, a non-marginal tax of 4-5.5% taking effect on any property purchase over $5 million, was approved by voters in 2022 and has been linked by an April 2025 UCLA report to a 50% decrease in sales over $5 million. The California Housing Defense Fund nonprofit filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Altos Hills, claiming the city unlawfully denied development approval for a proposed multifamily senior housing development consisting of 62 units across two properties. The applicant and plaintiff, Forrest Linebarger, has been trying to develop the property for 12 years but has been embroiled in legal battles with the city. He says Los Altos Hills has no interest in developing affordable units or tackling the housing crisis. San Francisco Mayor Lurie unveiled the Fisherman's Wharf Forward project, beginning with a new public plaza on Taylor Street, featuring seating, retail pop-ups and improved access to the inner lagoon. City leaders and the Port of San Francisco say the plaza, along with new lighting, an overlook and longer-term infrastructure upgrades, will reenergize the city's top tourist district as part of San Francisco's broader downtown recovery.

by CP&DR Staff Vol. 40 No. 9 September 25, 2025 Report

Though 2025 is an off-year for elections, voters are going to the poll statewide because of Proposition 50, the Congressional redistricting measure sponsored by Gov. Newsom. Only two of these ballots include land use measures. But, despite the small numbers, there is a distinct pattern: both jurisdictions are upholding California’s not infrequent tradition of competing land-use ballot measures. The jurisdictions are far from surprising: the City of Santa Cruz and the City of Sausalito, neither of which is a stranger to contentious land use debates, and both of which have severe housing shortages and affordability crises. The two cities are debating very different solutions. Sausalito’s measures ask voters to approve zoning updates that will enable the city to implement a housing element compliant with state housing law. State Housing Element Law requires the City to have a housing element which plans for at least 724 new housing units at various income categories by January 30. It’s a move that other cities have used: city councils that are wary of allowing more housing put the onus on voters to approve necessary changes -- or else. In this case, the council is asking voters for piecemeal approval. Measure K calls for zoning of a portion of Martin Luther King Park for housing, and Measure J upzones 12 sites in the city’s commercial district. Both measures must pass in order for the city to reach compliance and avoid the threat of state-imposed penalties. The Santa Cruz County measures are both complex measures designed to fund affordable housing. Measure B, sponsored by the county’s Association of Realtors, would enact a 0.5% transfer tax on property sales over $4 million whereas Measure C, sponsored by members of the city council, imposes a similar tax on much smaller transactions: sales of at least $1.8 million. City staff estimates that Measure C would raise $2.5 million annually -- roughly four times more than Measure C would. If both measures pass, the one with more votes will prevail. Sausalito Measure K : Local Control Shall the measure to achieve compliance with State Housing Law mandates, by adopting a housing overlay zone allowing City-directed development on limited parts of the City-owned Martin Luther King Jr. property consistent with Sausalito’s publicly adopted Housing Element, providing capacity for no more than 50 units of housing prioritizing Sausalito’s seniors; while maintaining existing recreational, dog park, and school uses; maintaining building height limits, be adopted? Sausalito Measure J : Commercial District Local Control Shall the measure adopting various housing overlay zones to allow housing at various income categories, including housing for seniors/families/individuals, on twelve sites in Sausalito’s commercial districts, consistent with Sausalito’s publicly reviewed and adopted Housing Element – in order to maintain compliance with State Housing Element Law, preserve local land use authority, prevent state fines, and preserve historic community character, while maintaining existing required developer fees – be adopted? Santa Cruz Measure B : Parcel Tax for Workers and Climate Resilience Measure To fund affordable housing for local workers, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, reduce/prevent homelessness, and increase climate resilience, shall the Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors-sponsored measure, enacting an annual parcel tax of $50 and a real estate transfer tax in the amount of 0.5% in excess of $4,000,000 (with a maximum of $100,000), with certain exemptions, providing approximately $1,100,000 annually, for 10 years, subject to oversight/audits, be adopted? Santa Cruz Measure C : Parcel Tax for Housing Measure To fund affordable housing for local workers, seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities, and reduce/prevent homelessness, shall the Housing Santa Cruz County-sponsored measure, enacting an annual parcel tax of $96 and a graduated real estate transfer tax from 0.5% in excess of $1.8 million, up to 2% in excess of $4.5 million (with a maximum of $200,000), with certain exemptions, providing approximately $4,500,000 annually, for 20 years, subject to oversight/audits, be adopted?

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 . California Forever Submits Formal Application for Annexation into Suisun City California Forever, the proposed new city northeast of the Bay Area, has submitted a formal application to Suisun City for the Suisun Expansion Project. The documents submitted include a cover letter, a formal application form, a General Plan Amendment, Area Plan, Specific Plan, Vesting Subdivision Tentative Map, and other related documents. Collectively, these provide detail on the plan for a major new employment center, with a focus on advanced manufacturing at the Solano Foundry; well-planned, walkable neighborhoods with homes at a range of price points; as well as a full set of public services, infrastructure, and amenities. The plan is designed to protect and strengthen Travis Air Force Base, provide housing for military families and establish the Travis Protection Zone to support the base's operations. On X, California Forever CEO Jan Smarek promised that it would bea "real city, not a bedroom community: with "a new downtown, and over a 40-year build out, walkable neighborhoods with 175,000+ homes. The proposed Solano Shipyard, 7 miles south, remains in unincorporated Solano County." “We have taken in the application. We have taken in the applicable fee,” Suisun City City Manager Bret Prebula wrote on X. “I really appreciate the work that California Forever has done to this point in the months that we have been having high-level conversations with them about our interest in jobs and housing and transportation and the need to have open space.” (See related CP&DR coverage .) San Jose to Purchase Site for Sports and Entertainment District San Jose approved the $13.5 million purchase of a 3.56-acre downtown site at 447 S. Almaden Blvd., once intended for a major tech campus, to support future plans for a convention center expansion and a sports and entertainment district. The property, situated between the convention center and Discovery Meadow, was sold by developer BXP after it abandoned plans for twin office towers amid a weak office market. City officials say the acquisition gives San Jose strategic control over a key parcel for potential mixed-use development that could include hotels, retail and cultural venues. The purchase will be financed through the city's commercial paper program, with repayment drawn from parking and convention center revenues, bringing total costs to about $15.7 million. Leaders view the move as a rare opportunity to guide downtown revitalization, complementing ongoing efforts to create entertainment zones and retain the San Jose Sharks through a new long-term agreement. Southern California Auto Travel Reaches 97% of Pre-Pandemic Levels; Public Transit Still Lags The Southern California Association of Governments' bi-annual Transportation Trends Report reviews data on 27 transit agencies through June 2025. The report found that transit usage is still in rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, with bus ridership rates recovering the fastest, followed by light and heavy rail. Commuter rail has been the slowest transit type to recover. Overall automobile miles travelled is at 97% of pre-pandemic levels. The report names remote work as a key contributor to transit trends, with 34% of workdays being performed at home over the past year. Across all transit modes, bus ridership has led the recovery, followed by light and heavy rail, while commuter rail has been the slowest to return to pre-pandemic ridership levels. Bus ridership has shown a steady recovery, with 76 percent of pre-pandemic ridership recovered as of June 2025; most months ranged between 86 percent and 89 percent, suggesting relative stability before the decline observed June 2025. Light and heavy rail ridership recovered 74 percent of pre-pandemic ridership as of June 2025, despite recent service expansions. Commuter rail has recovered 63 percent of pre-pandemic ridership and experienced ridership gains month over month, averaging a growth of 1.4 percent the last year. Repeal of Roadless Rule Could Endanger 4 Million Acres in California The Trump administration moved forward in repealing the Roadless Rule that protects 58.5 million acres of wild areas in national forests nationwide, including more than 4.1 million acres in California. USDA Secretary Brooke Collins announced that the agency would publish a statement of intent thus starting a 21-day public comment period. The 2001 rule protects specified national forest areas from logging and road-building, which are known to destroy habitats and increase erosion and drinking water pollution. Scientists and environmental groups slammed the decision as a potentially disastrous move that would open untouched land to logging and mining. CP&DR Legal Coverage: Infill in Roseville; Mobile Home Park in Jurupa Valley A suburban-style Roseville shopping center properly qualifies for an Article 32 infill exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, an appellate court has ruled in an unpublished decision. The shopping center's exemption had originally been challenged by nearby residents because a fast-food restaurant was included, saying that was an “unusual circumstance” that permitted as exception to the exemption. When the fast-food restaurant was removed from the project, the residents switched to the argument it would generate traffic. But the Third District Court of Appeal ruled for the city, writing, “the record contains no factual foundation supporting the proposition that the approved project will create significant traffic-related safety issues.” A Jurupa Valley landowner seeking to build a 10-unit-per-acre mobile home park in a 2-unit-per-acre residential zone doesn't need a general plan amendment to move the application forward, an appellate court has ruled . The court seemed to place the zoning code above the general plan, but it also found provisions in the general plan that seemed to support the project. The court also ruled that the community development director didn't have the discretion to make the decision not to move the application forward. The appellate decision is unpublished, meaning it cannot be used as precedent in other cases. Quick Hits & Updates UCLA and LADWP released the report "Innovation Opportunities for a Resilient L.A.", the result of a UCLA-hosted workshop in June 2025 attended by over 100 utility representatives, public officials, and scientists. The report identified four areas for innovation: undergrounding power lines, strengthening water infrastructure, smart metering infrastructure, and wildfire risk assessment and detection. Tulare city officials are planning an entertainment district with dining, shopping, and hotels on a 100-acre site off Highway 99. City officials said to expect at least two years before any project breaks ground, and that the project would be funded with visitor tax dollars. The City of San Diego has determined that historic mitigation requirements have been completed for the half-acre site of the California Theatre in Downtown San Diego, opening the site for redevelopment. Developers called the site a rare opportunity for development that will advance the city's goals for the Civic Center district. A Carlsbad homeowner is facing a $1.4 million fine from the California Coastal Commission and is being ordered to remove a gate blocking public access to the Buena Vista Lagoon and the beach south of the Carlsbad border. Eight months after the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed 11,000 homes across Los Angeles County, rebuilding remains slow, hindered by high construction costs, insurance shortfalls and bureaucratic delays. While cities and counties have introduced faster permitting systems, including AI-assisted plan reviews and self-certification by architects, only a fraction of affected homeowners have secured permits, leaving many to sell their lots or relocate, even as officials and utilities pledge new funding and compensation programs to accelerate recovery. Anaheim's tourism district, which includes 93 hotels near the city's resort area, has proposed directing about $3 million annually—or 9% of its revenue—toward affordable housing for hospitality workers. The City Council voted unanimously to begin the process of amending the district's rules, including creating a five-member housing committee with authority over how the funds are allocated across programs for first-time homebuyers, rent assistance and affordable housing construction, with final approval expected later this year after a public review and hotel vote.