Energy efficiency regulations may not be changing quite as fast as housing laws, but California has made notable changes over the last several years aimed at reaching its ever more ambitious carbon emissions reduction goals,...more
Two bills proposed to modify the Builder’s Remedy are currently making their way through the State Legislature. As currently proposed, AB 1893 (Wicks) would (i) reduce the required percentage of (lower income) affordable...more
After years of record budget surpluses, California now faces a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit, Governor Gavin Newsom announced last week. As part of a required adjustment in state spending, Newsom proposed cutting...more
1/20/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Budget Cuts ,
California ,
Commercial Buildings ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Flood Zones ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Homeless Issues ,
Land Developers ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Shopping Malls ,
State Agencies ,
State Budgets
California air regulators voted unanimously last Thursday to approve an ambitious plan to drastically cut reliance on fossil fuels by changing practices in the energy, transportation, and agriculture sectors, but critics say...more
Proposed California affordable housing bills could create more than a million apartments - KQED – August 22 - View in browser Allen Matkins SustDevLndUseUpd August 24, 2022 Focus Proposed California affordable housing bills...more
Development and construction trends in California’s multifamily housing market Bullet Allen Matkins – July 21 Allen Matkins recently moderated a panel at the California Multifamily Forum to discuss current trends in...more
8/9/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Eviction ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Housing Developers ,
Moratorium ,
Multi-Family Development ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Investments ,
Sustainability
State Supreme Court decision could complicate CEQA review of certain housing projects - San Francisco Chronicle – July 14 - The state Supreme Court has left intact a ruling by the First District Court of Appeal that rejected...more
California legislators propose helping people buy homes in exchange for partial ownership Bullet KQED – June 16 State legislators are proposing to create a billion-dollar fund in this year’s state budget that would provide...more
Audit: California too slow in offering surplus land for affordable housing - Bullet U.S. News & World Report – March 22 California has not effectively used surplus properties owned by the state to help alleviate the...more
DOE launches partnership to cut in half building and factory emissions by 2030 - S&P Global – February 28 - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will partner with public and private stakeholders to develop ways to slash greenhouse...more
Appellate court orders publication of recent win for California’s Density Bonus Law in San Diego - Allen Matkins – January 25 - Last week we reported that, on January 7, 2022, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal in...more
Biden signs $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law, unlocking funds for transportation, broadband, utilities -
CNBC – November 15 -
President Joe Biden signed the more than $1 trillion bipartisan...more
White House presents plans to improve housing affordability -
The San Diego Union-Tribune – September 1 -
The White House Council of Economic Advisers on Wednesday detailed the administration’s plans to improve...more
Governor Newsom moves to ban hydraulic fracturing by 2024 -
NPR – April 23 -
Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans last Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, by 2024 as part of a longer-term...more
Governor Newsom launches effort to deal with drought; emergencies declared -
Los Angeles Times – April 21 -
Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a drought emergency in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. The...more
4/23/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Clean Air Act ,
Drought ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Insecticide ,
NASA ,
NHTSA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Paris Agreement ,
Watershed
$4.2 million fine upheld for California homeowner’s blocking of beach access -
The Mercury News – April 6 -
A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a $4.2 million fine against a Malibu homeowner for blocking beach...more
Deb Haaland confirmed as first Native American Cabinet secretary -
NPR – March 15 -
Deb Haaland, a member of New Mexico's Laguna Pueblo, has become the first Native American Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. The...more
State senators introduce bill to ban hydraulic fracturing in California by 2027 -
San Francisco Chronicle – February 17 -
State Senators Scott Wiener and Monique Limon have introduced a bill that would halt the...more
2/19/2021
/ Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fracking ,
Fracking Bans ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
NEPA ,
NHTSA ,
Oil & Gas ,
Public Works ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Park
DOJ to let companies pay for environmental projects again to reduce fines -
The Hill – February 5 -
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has eliminated nine Trump-era directives on environmental law enforcement, including...more
2/5/2021
/ CA Supreme Court ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of the Interior ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
Monsanto ,
Pesticides ,
Proposition 65 ,
Warning Labels ,
Wildfires ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
DOI unveils plan to weaken protections for millions of acres of California desert -
Reuters – January 13 -
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on Wednesday proposed weakening environmental protections for millions...more
1/15/2021
/ Clean Air Act ,
Dams ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of the Interior ,
DTSC ,
Endangered Species ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Public Comment ,
Renewable Energy ,
Toyota ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Congress takes aim at climate change in massive relief bill -
Bullet Associated Press – December 21 -
The pandemic relief and spending package that President Donald Trump signed into law on Monday includes billions of...more
12/30/2020
/ Asbestos ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule ,
Housing Developers ,
Infrastructure ,
Pesticides ,
Trump Administration ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Walgreens ,
Water Resources Development Act ,
Wetlands
U.S. formally exits Paris Climate Agreement -
Bullet Associated Press – November 4 -
The United States this Wednesday formally left the Paris Climate Agreement, a global pact it helped forge five years ago during the...more
11/9/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Climate Change ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Paris Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
State Attorneys General ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Wildfires
EPA chief challenges California effort to mandate zero emission vehicles in 2035 -
Bullet Reuters – September 28 -
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Monday questioned...more
10/2/2020
/ Air Pollution ,
Bureau of Land Management ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
FERC ,
Final Rules ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Public Land ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
California plans to ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 15 years -
The New York Times – September 23 -
California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars statewide by 2035, Governor Gavin Newsom announced...more
Montage Healdsburg resort faces $6.4 million fine for construction stormwater-related violations -
Bullet The Press-Democrat – September 15 -
The developer of the Montage Healdsburg hotel in Sonoma County is facing...more
9/18/2020
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Bureau of Reclamation ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Review ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Oil & Gas ,
Waste Management ,
Water Quality ,
Water Quality Control Boards ,
Water Supplies ,
Watershed