News
New tool shows places with the highest wildfire risk in California
SFGate – May 17
With wildfires in California expected to only worsen in coming years due to climate change, new data is available to help you determine the fire risk to your residence or business. First Street Foundation, a nonprofit research group, added huge amounts of new data to its Risk Factor tool, which allows users to type in their address and learn its fire risk, ranging from minor to extreme. Three Bay Area counties will likely see the highest increases in the number of properties in the state at that level of risk over the next three years: Sonoma is projected to see a 41.6% increase, Napa 40.9%, and Marin 40.7%.
Biden administration unveils action plan to boost affordable housing
CNN – May 16
The Biden administration announced an action plan on Monday aimed at boosting the supply of affordable housing amid rising home prices and overall high inflation. Among the new policies are steps to leverage existing federal funding to encourage state and local reforms to zoning and land use policies, a senior administration official told reporters, via funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Department of Transportation. There are also steps to finance or produce more manufactured housing, accessory dwelling units, 2-4 unit properties, and smaller multifamily buildings, according to a White House fact sheet.
Los Angeles County unveils final L.A. River Master Plan
Spectrum News – May 17
Los Angeles County on Tuesday unveiled its final Los Angeles River Master Plan, which the county’s Board of Supervisors will consider for adoption on June 14. The plan is an update to the original master plan, which was drafted in 1996 with the goals of flood abatement and beautification. The plan’s update, overseen by L.A. County Public Works, intends to ensure improved river access and ecosystem support, while also seeking to support COVID-19 recovery, mitigate housing shortages, and address concerns about the high cost of housing.
San Jose gets $25M to convert downtown hotel for homeless
The Real Deal – May 12
The City of San Jose will pay $25.2 million to convert a boutique hotel in the downtown area for homeless housing under the state’s Project Homekey program. It marks the second hotel in the city purchased under the state Homekey program, which allows cities, counties, and nonprofits to acquire hotels, apartments, and other buildings and turn them into homeless housing. If approved by the legislature, another $150 million proposed by Newsom last week will make $1.5 billion in Homekey grants available next year.
Colton adds another year to its ban on new warehouses
The Sun – May 10
Colton will have another year to analyze how best to address the adverse impacts warehouses have on the community after city leaders this month unanimously extended a moratorium they implemented on such facilities this time last year. The ban is set to expire May 3, 2023, though elected officials can repeal it sooner. Colton last year was one of a handful of Inland Empire cities to hit pause on approving new warehouses in response to a groundswell of community pushback on the proliferation of such facilities near sensitive uses.
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