California

San Diego City Council Prohibits Short-Term Rentals in Second Homes and ADUs
In a move to limit the number of properties available for rental, the San Diego City Council members voted 6-3 to limit rentals to primary homes and the licensing process more strict.

San Francisco Suburb to Vote on Massive Project to Double Population
Brisbane, a city of about 4,700 on the southern border of San Francisco, will vote on a controversial ballot measure in November to approve or reject a mixed-use development including up to 2,200 residential units on a 660-acre vacant brownfield.

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.

Breaking: Trump Administration Will Revoke California's Auto Emissions Authority
Sources leaked news of the Trump Administration's plans to dismantle the Obama-era environmental policies. The Trump Administration also aims to dismantle the Golden State's ability to regulate air pollution from vehicles.

Sometime This Summer, California's Population Tops 40 Million
Rather than projecting when the 50 million milestone will be reached, demographic and political indicators predict the state's population is more likely to decline, according to Joe Mathews of Zócalo Public Square.

High-Speed Transit Tunnels to O'Hare Airport Could Begin Construction Within Months
The 16-mile route itself from downtown Chicago is still being negotiated. Passengers will be transported in what Elon Musk's Boring Company calls an "electric skate" at speeds up to 150 mph for the 12-minute trip.

People Mover to Inglewood's New NFL Stadium Proposed
The forthcoming people move to LAX could have company nearby, with a proposal for a people mover to the new NFL stadium in Inglewood.

$300 Million Property Tax to Fund Stormwater Infrastructure on the Ballot in Los Angeles County
The proposed property tax would double the county's stormwater capture capacity.

California Achieved its Climate Goal; Now the Hard Part Begins
New York Times climate reporter, Brad Plumer, comments on California's landmark accomplishment in reducing emissions, observing that with the low-hanging electricity generation fruit picked, reducing transportation emissions will prove formidable.

Voters to Decide on Repair of Vital Aqueduct for San Joaquin Valley
California voters in November will have the opportunity to help repair the Friant-Kern Canal, damaged by subsidence, as well as invest in watershed conservation programs, by passing a citizen-initiated $8.9 billion general obligation bond measure.

Bay Area City Could Extend Development Restrictions Beyond Their Expiration Date
A signature-gathering campaign has expressed a desire to extend height and density limits in San Mateo.

San Francisco Voters to Decide on Employer Tax to House the Homeless
It started in Seattle with the Amazon Tax to pay for transportation and housing needs exacerbated by the city's largest employers. Last month, a Google Tax was placed on the November ballot in Silicon Valley. A landlord tax in Oakland could be next.

How Land Use Policy Helped Turn California Blue
As recently as a half-generation ago, California passed anti-immigrant laws, routinely elected Republican politicians, and wallowed in land use laws—like Prop. 13—enacted by conservatives. Manuel Pastor explains California's change of heart.

L.A.'s Transit-Oriented Communities Program Finds Affordable Housing Success
The Los Angeles Transit-Oriented Communities program, which offers development bonuses in exchange for affordable housing in developments near transit lines, is the city's most successful affordable housing tool.

Pools Making a Comeback in California
While California's tendency toward drought is on temporary hiatus, homeowners flush with equity again feel enabled to install pools at record levels.

Los Angeles Express Lane Revenue to Fund Electric Double-Decker Buses
Solo drivers who paid a variable toll to use the 10 and 110 freeways in Los Angeles provided $1.4 million to assist in the purchase of the nation's first electric double-decker buses, to be operated by Foothill Transit

Protected Bike Lane Plan Shelved in San Francisco
Bike advocates say a protected bike lane near the downtown Caltrain station can't wait. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) says the project will have to wait.

California Reaches Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target Four Years Ahead of Schedule
It is possible to achieve state-mandated global warming reduction goals after all. The nation's first such goal, signed into law by Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, called for reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Asia Dominates Metropolitan Growth; California Cities Also in the Top Ten
The Brookings Institution released the Global Metro Monitor 2018 report this week.

Taxpayer Group's Lawsuit Could Repeal Toll Hike on Bay Area Bridges
A California taxpayers association has challenged the June passage of a regional ballot measure because it didn't receive two-thirds support from voters, although two prior voter-approved bridge toll increases also fell short of a super-majority.
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