California

Skyline-Shifting Development Approved in Los Angeles
The Downtown Los Angeles-adjacent neighborhood of Echo Park is set to get its first towers—including one new building reaching 49 stories.

The Demographics of San Francisco’s Pandemic Urban Exodus
New Census data break down San Francisco’s population losses during the first year-plus of the pandemic by race and age.

Almost 36,000 California Households Got Eviction Notices Last Year
Despite efforts to implement rental assistance programs and eviction moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic, tens of thousands of California households were served eviction notices last year, with more falling behind on rent payments.

Bay Area Pop-Ups Aim To Activate Vacant Storefronts
As commercial storefronts experience high vacancy rates, cities like Oakland and San Francisco are making concerted efforts to support temporary tenants, public art installations, and small entrepreneurs that can revitalize abandoned spaces.

San Jose Begins Lowering Speed Limits
Thanks to a state bill, California cities can reduce speed limits on city streets by 5 miles per hour to improve traffic safety.

California Budget Includes $4.2 Billion for High-Speed Rail
The recently approved state budget directs $4.2 billion in bond funding to the Bakersfield-to-Merced leg of California’s long-awaited high-speed rail project.

Long Beach Opens New Water Playground
The coastal city just celebrated the grand opening of its newest beach attraction, an inflatable aquatic playground called the “Wibit.”

San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.

California Senate Committee Kills Freeway Expansion Bill
The proposed legislation would have prohibited new construction in historically underserved areas that often bear the burnt of the negative impacts of freeways.

Sacramento Households Hit Hard by Evictions
With pandemic-era renter protections ending and rents rising by close to 20 percent, renters in Sacramento are finding it harder to afford housing in the region.

California Approves Revised Los Angeles Housing Element
State officials officially approved the city’s housing plan, which was initially rejected for not doing enough to enhance housing equity.

Biden Proposes Gas Tax Holiday to Reduce Gas Prices
President Biden asked Congress on June 22 to suspend federal fuel taxes, unchanged since 1993, for three months to provide motorists 'relief' at the pump. Additionally, he asked states to follow suit and for oil companies to increase refining.

San Francisco Just Ended Single-Family Zoning
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to Tuesday to eliminate single-family zoning, but pro-development advocates say additional changes are needed to unleash a wave of construction.

Seeking Public Input to Improve and Expand Waterfront Park in San Diego
The Port of San Diego is engaging the public to gather additional feedback on the latest draft design for the National City Bayfront’s Pepper Park.

Land Banking to Prevent Transit-Oriented Displacement in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will implement a new land banking program to mitigate gentrification and displacement around future transit lines.

Preserving More Hillside Land for Conservation and Biodiversity
The Los Angeles City Council recently approved an ordinance giving the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy first right of refusal to purchase any surplus hillside land owned by the city so it can be preserved.

The Importance of Inclusive Playgrounds
The first fully inclusive playground in the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County features full, accessible rubber surfacing and activities accessible to children of all abilities.

New Tool to Understand Heat Vulnerability and Resilience in California
The California Healthy Places Index: Extreme Heat Edition is a tool which provides datasets on projected heat exposure for California, including place-based indicators measuring community conditions and sensitive populations.

The Return of San Francisco’s Privately Owned Public Spaces
In San Francisco, you can find respite from city life in some unexpected places—if you know where to look.

California Coastal Commission Nixes Parking Reforms Intended to Spur ADUs in San Diego
Environmental causes run into conflict with zoning reforms intended for environmental benefit once again, as the California Coastal Commission requires San Diego to reinstate parking requirements for ADUs.
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