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Pasadena's SB 9 Urgency Ordinance May Violate Law Attorney General Rob Bonta notified the City of Pasadena that its urgency ordinance restricting the implementation of SB 9 violates state law. Just days before the law went into effect, Pasadena adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 7384, which would allow the city to exempt existing areas from SB 9 requirements by declaring them "landmark districts." Pasadena extended the ordinance on January 10, 2022. Attorney General Bonta warned that the city must repeal its ordinance, or it will be held accountable for disregarding state laws intended to combat the housing crisis. The action is part of the Housing Strike Force under the Department of Justice that encourages local action and accountability to house Californians. Revised Redevelopment Plan for San Diego Waterfront Reaches $3.5 Billion Developers recently submitted to the Port of San Diego a revised, $3.5 billion redevelopment plan that would transform the downtown waterfront, including Seaport Village and adjacent parks, into new hotels, restaurants, an art exhibition space, and a yacht club. The plan may also include a 500-foot tower for observation decks, an aquarium, and more areas for public recreation. Public perception is mixed, with some disapproving, noting their respect for the waterfront's landmark status and its relaxing atmosphere, and others enthusiastic about the new infrastructure. Developer Protea Waterfront says it wants small businesses to remain a critical feature of the new development. Mayor Todd Gloria, the city council, and the Regional Chamber of Commerce all support the plan. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Grand Jury Evaluates Contrasting Approaches to Housing in Mountain View, Palo Alto The City of Mountain View is making great progress toward its housing production goals, while Palo Alto is falling flat, according to a Civil Grand Jury report titled "Affordable Housing: A Tale of Two Cities." The grand jury found that effective planning, political will, and innovative financing are three characteristics key to Mountain View's success. Meanwhile, the grand jury found that the"Palo Alto Process," infamous for its lengthy approach, will be sure to prevent that city from meeting the state's goals. The grand jury also found that Mountain View, home to Google, has notably encouraged community involvement in affordable housing, but Palo Alto does not engage with its residents. Palo Alto essentially has not leaned into state affordable housing goals, while Mountain View has embraced the need for housing with specific, coordinated, timely plans that reflect its interest in building more housing. City of Santa Monica Receives LEED Platinum Certification The City of Santa Monica has achieved a Platinum certification under the LEED for Cities program, which celebrates local governments for their responsibility in green building related to energy, water, waste, transportation, education, health, safety, prosperity, and equity. Santa Monica became the first city to reach a Platinum certification with 80 points, achieving high levels in the Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions category by reducing emissions 60% below 1990 levels and powering 94% of properties with 100% renewable energy. Santa Monica also scored well in the Natural Systems and Ecology category for green space distribution, in Transportation and Land Use for transit access, in Quality of Life for education and community engagement, and in several other categories. Paradise Devises Rebuilding Plan Paradise town leaders have developed a plan for the town's rebuilding process following the devastating 2018 Camp Fire that left 85 people dead and 15,000 structures destroyed and reduced the population by nearly 20,000 residents. A global organization, Counselors of Real Estate, have collaborated with local leaders to draft a number of recommended rebuilding actions that are based on two main approaches: residential construction that would house all income levels and a prototype wildfire area insurance program. This program would work in tandem with the state Insurance Commissioner and would serve as greater protection from potential future wildfires. The report also proposes expanding community septic capacity and establishing a government sector whose duties would specifically be to assist financing and rebuilding. CP&DR Legal Coverage: Courts Reject Projects in San Diego County, Nevada County The long-running Fanita Ranch battle in Santee has reached a new crescendo , as a judge in San Diego has struck down the project’s environmental impact report – the latest in a series of decisions that focuses on wildfire evaluation routes as part of environmental analysis. In her tentative ruling, San Diego County Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal upheld the EIR on many grounds but struck down the EIR largely over the wildfire evaluation route analysis. Bacal is the same judge who found fault last year with the City of San Diego’s EIR on the proposed height increases in the Midway district. Environmentalists have stopped the a controversial 760-home project in Martis Valley near Truckee in Nevada County – at least for the moment. The Third District Court of Appeal upheld most of the actions that Placer County took in conducting an environmental analysis and approving the project. However, the Third District found in favor of the environmentalists on a couple of key points in the environmental analysis – most specifically the question of whether the county had improperly deferred further analysis and mitigation on greenhouse gas emissions – and that was enough to sink the project. Quick Hits & Updates  A state appellate court rejected an appeal from Pleasanton Citizens for Responsible Growth that questioned the validity of the city's environmental review for the proposed Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone with a Costco store and two hotels. The group, who believes that air quality and traffic burdens were not properly considered under CEQA, is led by a former city councilman. The Desert Hot Springs Planning Commissions voted , 3-2, to approve the development permit for a three-million square-foot e-commerce warehouse proposed by real estate group Seefried Industrial Properties, Inc. It will be one of the largest single warehouses in the United States. The multi-story property is intended for a single, currently unidentified tenant. A crowd of mostly UC Berkeley students voiced their support of banning cars along a four-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue during a march on the street. The students organized for ending fossil fuel dependency and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety. A ban on cars along a 1.5-miles stretch of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park that was introduced at the start of the pandemic may become permanent after San Francisco Mayor London Breed proposed legislation that will head to the Board of Supervisors for a vote. A former San Francisco planning commissioner will settle his lawsuit against the city for $1.8 million. Commissioner Dennis Richards and real estate agent Rachel Swann accused the city of retaliating against Richards for criticizing the department for corruption. A new study has found that fewer residents missed their rent payments and were less likely to be evicted in the months following the introduction of state policy that raises the minimum wage. The report also determined that an increase in minimum wage had a higher impact for tenants who pay lower monthly payments compared to high rents. A Superior Court judge has ruled that the San Diego City Council acted improperly when it chose to approve Measure C, a ballot measure that would raise the hotel tax to fund a convention center expansion, homeless services, and road repairs. Though it came incredibly close, the measure did not technically receive a two-thirds majority vote. San Francisco has begun its ferry service to Treasure Island, which is undergoing affordable housing development and is planned for more amenities. The new service will hold 48 passengers and operate 16 hours per day, seven days a week with $5 one-way tickets and monthly passes available. Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian wants county officials to establish a plan to purchase the Lehigh Hanson property, which houses a quarry and cement plant in hills west of Cupertino that, over generations, have held freeways, dams, and buildings. Simitian hopes to foster an open space with limited housing and reduced pollution and noise.

State Reviews Impact of Transportation Spending on Climate Goals The Strategic Growth Council (SGC)  published the California Transportation Assessment ( AB 285 Report ), evaluating how transportation planning and funding in California support long-term common goals, including building and maintaining a transportation system that advances the state's climate goals and meets the transportation needs of Californians. The AB 285 report, written by researchers from the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies, analyzes state and regional transportation plans and institutions, funding allocations to various state, regional, and local transportation programs and funding sources, and the legal frameworks that govern how transportation funds are spent in California. In addition, the report identifies the initial actions all levels of government and legislators can take to improve quality, sustainability, and equity of transportation in California. BART San Jose Extension Faces Delay The Federal Transit Administration released a 145-page report that suggests that BART's San Jose extension will likely be delayed another four years until 2034. Officials conveyed concerns about the project's complexity and the Valley Transit Authority's time and budget challenges. The report explains why the project may total $9.1 billion, $4.4 billion more than the VTA's original projection and $2.2 billion over its most recent estimate, noting that the VTA acted in both an "insufficient" and "illogical" manner. The FTA's consideration of the project acts under a federal pilot program intended to streamline funding for new transit proposals, which resulted in $2.3 billion of funding for the San Jose extension. In response to the FTA's report, VTA officials noted that they will not currently amend their estimated cost and schedule. Projected Costs of High Speed Rail Segments Rise Again A Bay Area addition to the California bullet train will cost $19 billion, 40% higher than the High-Speed Rail Authority projected, according to a new environmental report. The cost is also far higher than can be made available. The report consisted of the environmental clearance process for a 90-mile segment that would connect Merced County to San Jose. The route would also include a 13.5-mile tunnel, the longest underground railway passage in North America, that runs over an active seismic fault. In 2008, voters approved $9.95 billion for high-speed rail construction from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Now, the entire project may cost $105 billion. The authority faults rising inflation and expensive land costs for the extreme rise in price. Climate Change Report Bodes Ill for Central Valley A UC Merced report suggests that the San Joaquin Valley's annual average temperature may increase by 4 degrees by 2050, putting low-income farmer communities with inadequate resources for adapting at high risk in an environment with damaging water quality, extreme heat, and health burdens. The report is part of California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment and considers the worst-case scenario by midcentury for life in the southern Central Valley, where many residents depend financially on agriculture, 55% of the population lives in poverty, and water sources are already depleting. The report does outline several recommendations for turning this outcome around, mostly relying on clean energy and green space initiatives would advance environmental justice for the region's residents. State Suit Targets Inland Empire Logistics Center for Environmental Impacts Attorney General Rob Bonta and the state of California are challenging a decision that permitted the operation of the $200 million Eastgate Air Cargo Logistics Center, a formative aspect of Amazon's package air network, at San Bernardino International Airport, arguing that the decision is inconsistent with current environmental law and burdens the health of nearby residents due to truck and jet emissions and particulate matter. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the development in 2019, and a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit re-approved the project in 2020, allowing Amazon to run dozens of flights and hundreds of truck drives daily by the middle of the decade and generating at least 1 ton of toxic air pollutants that would largely impact low-income communities and communities of color. (See related CP&DR coverage .) CP&DR Coverage: Pending Land-Use Legislation  After a few years featuring big, controversial housing bills, this year's crop of land use legislation appears to be more subtle. The potentially biggest bill would establish a statewide housing authority that would actually build housing. Other bills would make it easier for cities to convert golf courses to housing and to facilitate adaptive reuse. A bill to limit parking requirements is back, as is a bill to promote active transportation. For the full rundown, click here .  Quick Hits & Updates Governor Newsom signed SB 118, which ensures that student enrollment at a college campus is not singled out as a project under the California Environmental Quality Act, while preserving requirements that campus long-range development plans are comprehensively reviewed for environmental impacts. The bill was introduced in response to a recent court order that could have forced UC Berkeley to shut the door on thousands of potential college freshmen and transfer students, disproportionately impacting students from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds. Pleasanton officials rejected a proposed five-story, mixed-use building in the city's downtown area, stating that the project did not adhere to SB35 and Housing Density Bonus requirements as well as local objective standards and therefore could not receive ministerial approval. The project would have included a 48,000-square-foot building with 3,000 square feet of retail and 37 affordable units near the Pleasanton Public Library. The city of San Diego and the Padres development team are hoping to close escrow by the end of the year now that they have agreed on the $35 million sale and development terms for the four-block Tailgate Park. The developer has a $1.5 billion plan to build a 1.3-acre community park and 1,800 apartments, 15% of which would be affordable. Santa Cruz County staff released a 15-page report that imagines the impacts of a June ballot measure introduced by Santa Cruz County Greenway Inc. on county government and a proposed trail along the Branch Rail Line. The measure would change the county's General Plan to make way for two lanes for bicycles, a divider, and a walkway. The Regional Transportation Commission has also outlined an "interim plan" for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Coastal Commission has unanimously approved a cap on short-term rentals in San Diego after agreeing to a provision that the city reviews the new restrictions in seven years. Commissioners warned that restricting short-term rentals could impact coastal access, so the new policy should be reviewed after a substantial time period with the rule in effect. The Oakland City Council voted against a sixth extension of a two-building, 360-unit housing project with market-rate and affordable units near Lake Merritt on city-owned land, with members saying that the land should be used for purely affordable housing. The lot was empty for six years until a council member initiated a tiny home village for the unhoused population. A mid-sized concert venue may come to Sacramento after SKK Developments proposed a live music, comedy, and event theater that could host 2,300 audience members in the city's midtown. The development would replace a vacant industrial building, cover roughly 43,000 square feet, and accompany a nearby light rail station.

Needless to say, many land use bills introduced in Sacramento do not lend themselves to elevator pitches. They are complex, bureaucratic, and filled with clause after clause of minutiae. The 2022 session features plenty such bills (e.g. Assembly Bill 2234, which concerns "post-entitlement phase permits"). But many other bills this year are unusually likely to capture the average Californian's imagination--especially if that Californian is looking for a place to live.

The long-running Fanita Ranch battle in Santee has reached a new crescendo, as a judge in San Diego has struck down the project’s environmental impact report – the latest in a series of decisions that focuses on wildfire evaluation routes as part of environmental analysis. The battle over Fanita Ranch goes back more than 40 years, when a 1980s developer proposed 14,000 houses on the ranch. In 1999 , Santee voters rejected a 3,000-home project . In 2012 , an appellate court shot down the EIR for a 1,380-home development proposal. In 2020, the City approved a new proposal for 3,000 homes, designed by DPZ , by a 4-1 vote. Environmentalists again sued, challenging the EIR on a number of grounds. In her tentative ruling , San Diego County Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal upheld the EIR on many grounds but struck down the EIR largely over the wildfire evaluation route analysis. Bacal is the same judge who found fault last year with the City of San Diego’s EIR on the proposed height increases in the Midway district.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed  the Berkeley enrollment problem created by a judge’s ruling under the California Environmental Quality Act: Pass a law giving the University of California 18 months to comply with the judge’s order.

State Housing Plan Envisions 2.5 Million New Homes by 2030 State housing officials have released a new plan that calls on cities to build a combined 2.5 million homes by 2030, which amounts to more than double the goal from the previous target set four years ago. Additionally, at least one million must be affordable, according to the RHNA. Of the 2.5 million, six southern California counties must produce over half. Officials cited years of under-supply and rising house and rental costs that have exacerbated the housing crisis and reduced ability to afford childcare, transportation, food, and healthcare. They have also said that cities now have access to better tools to meet requirements and will face consequences if they don't, including less time to rezone land for the future and legal and financial penalties. Supreme Court Rejects UC Berkeley's Appeal in CEQA Case UC Berkeley will not be allowed to postpone an order to cap its enrollment for the fall and must reduce its incoming class size by 3,050 students after the state Supreme Court rejected UC's appeal of a lower court ruling. As a result, the university will send 5,000 fewer admission letters this month. To alleviate the burden of the court order, the UC may increase online opportunities and ask incoming first-year students to delay enrollment. Celebrating the court decision is organization Save Berkeley's Neighborhoods, which filed the lawsuit with the argument that UC propelled a housing shortage in Berkeley. The university continues to work with state officials to bypass the cap, a move supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, who believe the decision exploits CEQA. (See related CP&DR analysis .) San Jose Faces Lawsuit over Open Space Three San Jose families who purchased a total of 126.5 acres of open land in North Coyote Valley over 50 years ago are suing the city, which made plans to protect the space from development into an industrial park. The landowners will argue that the city's proposal is "unfair," as they planned to sell and capitalize off of their properties. Edward Burg, the attorney representing the families, noted that the issue isn't about preservation but rather fairness and that the city should compensate the landowners with a fair market value, considering San Jose and environmental group partners purchased 937 acres across the street for $96 million in November 2019. SPUR Analyzes Inequities of Prop 13 SPUR released a report that analyzes Proposition 13's inequitable impacts on Oakland residents, finding that white homeowners were more likely than homeowners of color to save more on property taxes. Notably, white neighborhoods saw an average of $10,000 in savings per home compared to $3,000 for homes in Latinx neighborhoods. Prop. 13 then causes the city to lose out on $400 million in annual tax revenue, which harms residents who could benefit from government investment in goods and services. Researchers ultimately found that Prop. 13 isn't meaningfully beneficial for most Oakland homeowners, and the law widens the Bay Area's racial wealth gap. CP&DR Coverage: Oakland & Sacramento Contemplate Obsolete Arenas Sacramento and Oakland have been struggling for years over what to do with outdated professional sports arenas. In Sacramento, it’s the Sleep Train Arena, which was a mid-’80s greenfield development on the north side of the city. The NBA’s Kings abandoned it for a downtown arena in 2016. In Oakland, it’s the entire 120-acre Coliseum complex, including Oracle Arena, which the Warriors left in 2020, and the Oakland Coliseum. Comparing the two cities, Sacramento is out ahead, and is about to turn the land around Sleep Train Arena into a mixed-use development with a medical school campus. Oakland is still trying to come up with a plan that re-uses the Oakland Coliseum. Quick Hits & Updates California Northstate University, the Elk Grove-based medical school with a proposal to build a $1 billion hospital and medical university at Sacramento's old Sleep Train Arena Site, has been placed on probation The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) . This will not alter the school's operations or its proposal for North Natomas. Reasons for the probation were not disclosed. The Sacramento City Council in February approved a zoning plan for the project, which would include 11 to 14 stories and 200 to 500 patient beds. (See related CP&DR coverage .) The largest dam demolition project in U.S. history may move forward after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found in its draft environmental impact report that knocking down four dams along the Klamath River would prompt meaningful benefits of migratory salmon. Public hearings on the draft now await for the $500 million habit restoration project. Oakland and Alameda County property owners are legally challenging a pandemic-induced, 2-year-old eviction moratorium, arguing that the local governments are violating their property rights. They also believe that tenants are taking advantage of the policy. The Sacramento Kings have put most of the former Sleep Train Arena property on the market. The organization is searching for a master developer to execute plans for a commercial and residential property in Natomas. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Construction on the Terraces of Lafayette has been halted again after grassroots organization Save Lafayette appealed a judge's ruling that approved the project's environmental review, further delaying the decade-long project. The development would hold 315 apartments with 63 affordable units and 550 parking spaces across 14 buildings on 22 acres. (See related CP&DR coverage .) L.A. Controller Ron Galperin submitted his third review of Los Angeles's performance of Prop. HHH, the $1.2 billion bond program aimed at reducing homelessness by producing as many as 10,000 housing units and interim shelters. According to the review, homelessness has increased over 45% since Prop. HHH passed, and pacing and funding problems overshadow progress, with one project costing over $830,000 per unit. The first headquarters of the Black Panther Party, now home to It's All Good Bakery in Oakland, might get demolished and transformed into a five-story, 20-unit mixed-use housing development. Many Oakland residents have voiced concerns about the potential project's erasure of Black history and the impact on the city's Black community.

Environmentalists have stopped the a controversial 760-home project in Martis Valley near Truckee – at least for the moment.

So, the Berkeley enrollment case has stirred more concern about the California Environmental Quality Act than any other situation in recent memory – more, it seems, than all of the stalled or killed housing projects California has seen over the past 30 years. The question now is whether the Legislature will act – and, if so, will CEQA be truly reformed or merely weakened.

If stadium redevelopment was a baseball game, Sacramento would be on third base. Oakland would still be trying to get a hit.

Los Angeles's Widely Lauded Housing Element Rejected by State The Department of Housing and Community Development has rejected Los Angeles's Housing Element and ordered the city to rezone to add over 250,000 new homes by mid-October 2022. Per state law, cities with noncompliant housing elements must rezone in one year rather than three years. While it's unlikely the city will be able to meet the HCD's requirement under the deadline, failing to amend the zoning plan may result in a loss of billions of dollars in affordable housing grants, significantly hindering the development of new housing for low-income and unhoused residents. While state officials have praised L.A. for its dedication to rezoning wealthier neighborhoods and adding more affordable housing, they say the city hasn't done enough to increase access to green spaces or economic development in low-income communities. (See related CP&DR coverage .) Sacramento Gains State's First "Prohousing" Designation Sacramento became the first city in California to achieve the state Prohousing designation that identifies the city's dedication to streamlining and advancing housing production. Going forward, this means that Sacramento will earn added points when competing for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program funding for low-income housing, transportation, and infrastructure. The Department of Housing and Community Development announced the award when visiting On Broadway, a proposed affordable housing development that received AHSC funds. Benefits to Sacramento may include waiving construction fees, approving housing by right in commercial corridors, streamlining approvals for ADUs, and reducing parking requirements. Sacramento will also have a greater competitive edge when applying for the Infill Infrastructure grant, the Transformative Climate Communities grant, the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, and federal tax credits. (See related CP&DR coverage and analysis .) New Business Plan Anticipates Higher Costs for High Speed Rail The California High-Speed Rail Authority released its Draft 2022 Business Plan that details the estimated $5 billion cost increase for its bullet train, bringing the total to $105 billion. When voters approved a bond for railroad construction in 2008, the estimated cost was $33 billion. While officials could have saved money by building a single track for a 171-mile system between Bakersfield and Merced, they decided in their newest blueprint that they will continue with a two-track operation. The authority also must pay more to avoid burdens on San Joaquin Valley communities. The authority expects to have environmentally cleared 422 miles by mid-2022 and in the meantime will seek public review and comment until April 11. Contested Point Molate Development in Richmond Prevails in Court A mixed-use development proposed for Richmond's northern shoreline will move forward after a judge tossed an environmental lawsuit and found that the city adequately considered the project's environmental impacts. Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Edward G. Weil ruled that city officials did comply with CEQA; state planning, zoning, and open meeting laws; the state constitution; and Richmond's general plan when it approved Winehaven Legacy LLC's proposal for a 193-acre space with 1,425 housing units and 400,000 square feet of commercial space. For years, the future of Point Molate has been a point of contention between those who believe the site should be a place of economic and housing revitalization and those who find that development will lead to environmental ruin. CP&DR Analysis: Fulton on UC Berkeley Enrollment Freeze At its core, the Berkeley CEQA case has everything a critic of the law would want: First, a university that tried to move forward with a project while finessing the required environmental review. Second, a city and a sophisticated group of neighbors who know how to use the law to gum up the works. And third, a judge willing to go nuclear in response to a flawed environmental impact report. The question that the Berkeley case raises is one that all planners and CEQA practitioners grapple with: Is an increase in the number of people an environmental impact – or, at the very least, a state of affairs that requires constant and renewed environmental assessment? More to the point, the Berkeley case highlights CEQA’s bias toward the status quo – the idea that, whatever is being proposed, it will probably only make things worse. Quick Hits & Updates San Francisco has become the first major U.S. city to propose an 18-month moratorium on new parcel delivery stations in order to limit Amazon's recent expansion of delivery operations. The bill will likely be unanimously approved, laying the groundwork for other decision makers to limit Amazon's influence in their own cities. California YIMBY and State Senator Scott Wiener have proposed a new policy, the Student Housing Crisis Act, that would streamline the production of student housing at all University of California and California State University campuses and properties. SB 886 would recognize student housing projects as environmentally beneficial and seek to house the 5-10% of students who experience homelessness. The bill is considered to be a response to a legal ruling that may curtail UC Berkeley's student population. (See related CP&DR analysis .) Hollywood Burbank Airport filed an environmental lawsuit that requests that the state's bullet train be put on hold for the rail authority to reimagine designs and produce a new environmental impact report. The suit suggests that the 13.7-mile L.A.-to-Burbank segment would impact the airport's operations and safety. The most recent quarterly auction in the cap-and-trade carbon market did not sell out, suggesting that a pandemic-induced increased surplus of banked credits may be obstructing the state's greenhouse gas reduction plan. UC San Diego has a plan to house 3,310 students in new dorms in the context of a housing shortage and a quickly growing student population. The UC Board of Regents approved two housing projects, Pepper Canyon West and Thurgood Marshall College Undergraduate Student Housing, which will be 22 or 23 stories tall and feature retail space. The Santa Cruz City Council unanimously decided to oppose a proposal that would cease freight service on the Felton and Santa Cruz Rail Lines and give up plans to make essential repairs. While the decision has no actionable power, it alerts the council's position, in alignment with Roaring Camp Railroads, to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. The Department of Housing and Community Development launched the Prohousing Designation Program through emergency regulations onJune 30, 2021 and must go through a regular rulemaking process to make it permanent. Emergency regulations will remain in effect throughout the regular rulemaking process. HCD has submitted proposed regulations for the Prohousing Designation Program and is accepting public comments through March 23. A new report from the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation and its partners details the potential impacts of transforming land owned by school districts into faculty and staff housing. The report identifies tens of thousands of sites that could serve to promote education workforce housing and provides recommendations for reinventing underused school lands. If the "Emergency Temporary Shelter and Enforcement Act of 2022" gathers enough signatures, Sacramento voters will consider an initiative that would establish over 3,000 shelter beds and Safe Ground sanctioned camping spaces for people experiencing homelessness. L.A. Metro, in collaboration with San Gabriel Valley officials, presented 15 proposals to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments' Technical Advisory Committee that would address long-term transit in place of the extension of the Eastside branch of the Gold Line. Metro has $2.7 billion to spend on improvements to existing services or north-south and east-west bus and rail services that could connect to other transit lines. A new study evaluates the impact of concentrated Ellis Act eviction notices in the city of San Francisco from 1997 to 2016 and analyzes the law's role in allowing for tenant displacement to further gentrification. L.A. Metro approved a 19.3-mile light rail line from Artesia to Union Station, going through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Bell, Huntington Park, and Vernon. The project will cost an estimated $8.5 billion, propelling officials to construct the project in two segments, and will be completed as soon as 2043. Los Angeles City voters may have an opportunity to voice their opinion on the Healthy Streets L.A. initiative if proponents obtain enough signatures. The initiative would require Los Angeles to implement its Mobility Plan every time the city repaves or works on other street improvements.

CP&DR Vol. 37 No. 2 February 2022

The California Environmental Quality Act stimulates lots of headlines – but nothing in recent memory compares to the uproar in reaction to the University of California’s decision to comply with a local judge’s CEQA ruling that the UC Berkeley must consider reducing enrollment because of a faulty environmental impact report.