California

LA Approves New Safe Parking Pilot
The Los Angeles City Council approved $50,000 to fund a new safe parking site for people living in vehicles.

Discovering LA’s Biodiversity: The 2024 BioBlitz Challenge
The BioBlitz Challenge invites participants to document local wildlife throughout October using the iNaturalist app, contributing to conservation efforts and scientific research on Los Angeles' biodiversity.

California Law Affirms Local Power Over Oil Extraction
A new law strengthens local governments’ ability to regulate and limit fossil fuel production in their jurisdictions.

Experts Call for Extreme Heat Action Plans as Communities Face Growing Risks
Experts are urging cities and counties to develop heat action plans and personalized heat warnings as extreme heat becomes a leading cause of climate-related deaths.

Puente Hills Regional Park Development Gets $15M Boost
The federal grant will help to transform the former Puente Hills Landfill into a 142-acre regional park, bringing much-needed green space and environmental benefits to the San Gabriel Valley.

San Francisco ‘Best-Performing Metro’ for VMT, Traffic Reduction
The city saw a 13 percent drop in miles driven per capita in the last five years.

Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities
The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.

California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates
Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.

California Colleges Debate Letting Students Sleep in Cars
Long Beach City College offers a Safe Parking Program to enrolled students who need a safe place to spend the night. Other schools are skeptical.

Gov. Newsom Signs Housing Bills Aimed at ‘Original Sin’ of Affordability
A package of 32 bills could help make housing more available and affordable in California.

California Law Bars Parking Mandates Near Transit
Local governments are prohibited from requiring parking spaces at new developments where transit is readily available.

California Law Would Streamline Adaptive Reuse Process
A bill passed by the state senate would ease the permitting process for office conversions in central city neighborhoods.

San Francisco Scrambles to Build Shelters Faster
Mayor Breed directed city officials to double its shelter expansion goal.

SoCal City Defies State, Extending Homeless Shelter Ban
The Norwalk City Council voted to extend a ban on shelter facilities days after receiving a warning from state officials that the ban violates state housing laws.

Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Crisis Could Be Declared a Public Emergency
Street safety advocates are calling for a stronger declaration that would focus on road design and equity.

Judge Sides With Oil Companies Over LA Drilling Ban
The decision invalidates a law that would have eliminated oil drilling in the city over the next 20 years. A proposed state law could still let cities regulate extraction.

San Francisco Could Ban Overnight RV Parking
Advocates say the proposal would further destabilize the lives of people forced to live in their vehicles.

Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover
A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.

California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’
New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.

Study Reveals Los Angeles a Hotspot for Insect Diversity
A study reveals that L.A. is a surprising hotspot for insect and spider biodiversity, with diversity driven more by proximity to mountains and stable temperatures than by land value.
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