In California, recovery after wildfires means many upfront investments by communities and the state.
California residents and communities are finding that post-wildfire costs are astronomical, report Thomas Fuller and Ian Penn. Some municipalities are having to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for backup generators in anticipation of power shutoffs during high-risk periods. In addition, insurance rates have skyrocketed in fire-prone areas, and insurers are not renewing some policies as well.
"Pacific Gas & Electric, which already charges among the highest electricity rates in the country, is requesting that regulators approve an additional charge to customers of $2 billion over the next three years to help pay for wildfire safety improvements and other costs," write Fuller and Penn.
The state is also shoring up for the disasters to come. Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill for a $21 billion wildfire fund to cover future liabilities. "Made worse by climate change, wildfires are adding a mounting financial burden in California, a state where taxes are already high and housing costs exorbitant," note Fuller and Penn.
FULL STORY: California, Wary of More Wildfires, Is Paying for Them Already
California Governor's Budget Supports Infill Development
Governor Newsom's new budget proposes incentives for developers to build housing in existing urban areas away from fire-prone zones to reduce fire risk and add to the state's insufficient housing stock.
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Sobering findings from a thorough examination of the causes of the 2018 Camp Fire.
Poll: The Public Supports Development Limits in California's Wildfire Areas
An idea that is gaining support with the public as the state of California suffers through catastrophic fire season after catastrophic fire season is still a deeply difficult political proposition.
The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.
New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.
A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.
Ranking Exclusionary Zoning: D.C., New York Metro Areas Top the List
A new database measures the restrictiveness of exclusionary zoning practices around the country. Exclusionary zoning, it turns out, is much more prevalent than commonly acknowledged.
Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher Rates of Pedestrian Deaths, Study Says
The consequences of historic redlining continue to have consequences in the present day United States. Add another example to the list.
Tolling All Lanes
Bay Area transportation planners are studying a radical idea to reduce traffic congestion and fund driving alternatives: tolling all lanes on a freeway. Even more radical, the plan considers tolling parallel roads.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
