The building industry has identified a culprit in the California affordability crisis: the drought.
"The state’s dry spell is creating challenges for developers at a time when home prices are soaring because of limited inventory," reports John Gittlesohn. "Now the drought, into its fourth year, stands to curb affordability further."
As examples to make the connection between drought and constrained development environments, Gittlesohn cites "areas such as Newport Beach, a tony Orange County town where the median home price is $1.59 million, have been caught in the crosshairs of environmentalists seeking to limit new building." Moreover, says Gittlesohn, "[i]n the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Pleasanton, a proposal to rezone an industrial area for residential use was shot down because of the drought."
Gittlesohn cites one policy as a root of some of the difficulty in getting water supplied to new development: an October moratorium from the State Water Resources Control Board "on new connections at 22 of California’s 7,500 water districts, with more expected this year…"
FULL STORY: Drought Dogs Developers in California's Soaring Housing Market
Water Concerns Follow New Development in Montana
Sprawling subdivision development in Montana is popping up in former agricultural land, pressuring water resources and leading to some legal controversy.
Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake
With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.
Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.
Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?
The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.
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.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research