SF CEQA

By Aldo Toledo : mercurynews – excerpt The Embarcadero Institute has been cited by slow-growth cities across California to contest state-mandated housing goals PALO ALTO — As cities across California fight lofty state-mandated housing goals, many are relying on the research of a nascent housing policy think tank run by Palo Altans with deep pockets … More Palo Alto-based NIMBY think tank says Bay Area housing goals are wrong, others call it propaganda

By Rick Jacobus : shelterforce – excerpt It’s not because they’re stupid. Liam Dillon covers the politics of housing policy more closely and thoughtfully than almost any other journalist in the country and yet he was nearly dumbfounded by the results of a recent survey commissioned by his paper, the Los Angeles Times. The Times … More Why Voters Haven’t Been Buying the Case for Building

Op-Ed by zrants Tents in an alley off Mission Street in SF, were the only sign of humanity on a Sunday drive through SOMA, where a stench filled the air coming from the area around the Transbay Terminal. Sacramento Politicians roll out more density bills – Ignoring exodus of jobs and workers for greener pastures. … More California Legislators ignore New Normal

By Nathan J. Robinson : currentaffairs – excerpt Nobody likes a NIMBY. The “Not In My Backyard” resident is the one who objects to the building of a homeless shelter or methadone clinic in their neighborhood, because it will negatively affect their property values and possibly bring them into contact with the poor… Enter the … More The Only Thing Worse Than A NIMBY Is A YIMBY

jdsupra – excerpt In 2018, the CEQA Guideline which defines the term “mitigation” was amended to add “conservation easements” to the list of measures that can provide “compensatory” mitigation for an environmental impact.Guideline §15370(e). The amendment was intended to resolve a debate about whether conservation easements over off-site farmland can provide a means to mitigate … More Do Conservation Easements Provide Effective Mitigation for Loss of Farmland to Development?

By Bay City News Service : cbslocal – excerpt MARTINEZ (CBS SF) – A microgrant program to help Martinez small businesses and offering support for a Contra Costa County-wide cap on what food delivery services like DoorDash and GrubHub are among the measures Martinez leaders hope to approve this month. On Wednesday, the City Council … More Martinez Council Pursues Small Business Microgrants, Backs Cap On Food Delivery Fees

By Matt Levin : calmatters – excerpt Back in 2017, I wrote a fairly unremarkable piece about a state lawmaker’s proposal to take away a tax break on California vacation homes to fund more low-income housing. More precisely — believe me, among housing nerds it’s essential to be precise — the bill would have eliminated … More Commentary: Five things I’ve learned covering California’s housing crisis that you should know

By Rohana Rezel : openhousing – excerpt The Vancouver City Council approved a plan to allow duplexes in all Vancouver neighbourhoods in the dying days of Vision Vancouver’s term in office. Mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision councillors sold the Making Room1 proposal as a plan to improve affordability by increasing density. I spoke against … More Nearly 3 in 4 half-duplexes sold for more than the single detached homes they replaced

socketsite – excerpt As we outlined back in 2014: Residents in north-facing condos at the Palms – or fans of the Marina Auto Body shop – take note: plans to raze the auto shops at 565-585 Bryant Street, between 3rd and 4th, have been submitted to planning for review. And in their place, an eleven-story … More Character of Bonus-Sized Development Questioned