The San Diego Association of Governments is turning to technology to get a detailed account of San Diegans’ driving habits. The agency is asking 200,000 San Diego households to complete a survey of their transportation habits to help planners figure out regional planning decisions for the region. Some of these decisions are where new developments should go, what highway and rail lines to improve, and other big-picture issues. Survey participants – who make up nearly one-fifth of the county’s population – will be asked to download rMove, a smartphone application that uses GPS technology to track when they commute as well as other details of the user’s transportation choices. Research firm Resource Systems Group has a two-year, $1.75 million contract with SANDAG for the survey. Funding comes from the federal government.
Developers Heavily Support Sacramento Supervisor Campaigns
A recent Sacramento Bee analysis finds that development interests account for two-thirds of the contributions and independent expenditures in Sacramento County supervisor races this year. The county has seven candidates running for two seats, raising a combined total of $300,000. The county elections have limits of $1,000 per election period for an organization and $500 for an individual. Of the total sum, $135,000 or 45 percent came from development interests. Josh Wood, executive director of Region Business tells Sac Bee that “Sacramento County has thousands of acres of development that’s being proposed in the next few years.”
Planning Commissioners Reined in by L.A. Mayor
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti plans to issue an executive directive banning private meetings, or ex parte communications, between planning commissioners and developers to “ensure that all dialogue with private stakeholders is on the record.” This comes after city officials plan to stop a planned March ballot initiative that calls for a halt on major building projects that require changes in city rules. Garcetti also promised to make other changes, such as accelerating updates to community plans. Additionally he wants to ensure the city, rather than developers, choose the consultants who assess the environmental effects of projects.
Airbnb Contends Most L.A. Hosts Are Not Commercial Operators
Amid ongoing controversies about the role of home-sharing in California cities, Airbnb released a report in September 2015 entitled “Housing & The Airbnb Community in the City of Los Angeles.” The report found 92 percent of entire home listings were rented less than 90 nights per year and that only 0.05 percent of all housing units in the city were rented more than 177 days on a short term basis. The analysis shows that 80 percent of hosts share the home in which they live and 70 percent use part of the money to pay their mortgage or rent. The report concludes that most Airbnb hosts are middle class residents and that guests generate sustainable, local economic activity that supports small businesses. The City of Los Angeles is currently considering an ordinance that would regulate home-sharing and limit the number of nights per year that hosts may rent to guests. Of particular concern are “commercial hosts” who rent rooms and entire units as if they are full-time hotels.
HUD to Reconsider Position on S.F. Housing Law
The Department of Housing and Urban Development indicates that it will reconsider its rejection of San Francisco’s neighborhood preference housing law, which San Francisco officials are using to help low-income residents stay in the city during times of rising rental costs. HUD said offering a neighborhood preference violated the 1968 Fair Housing Act and could “perpetuate segregation.” This dispute occurred because the 98-unit Willie B. Kennedy senior housing development in the Tenderloin has caused many older residents to move in with residents or onto the streets. More than 3,500 applications have been submitted for the housing development.
Los Angeles Seeks to Reform Developer Fees for Parks
Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to change how the city collects park fees under the state’s Quimby Act. The new change would now cause the fee to apply to new apartment buildings, as before the developers only paid if the project required a zoning change. While the city collected between $20 and $22 million a year in fees, an additional $30 million will be generated. Developers of apartment complexes will pay $5,000 a unit and affordable housing units would be exempt. Another update to the law will allow Quimby fees to be spent on parks up to 10 miles away.
Los Angeles Transportation Measure Overcomes Cities’ Objections
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge rejected a claim from a group of seven cities that said the language for Measure M, which proposes a sales tax increase for tens of billions of dollars worth of transportation projects, would mislead voters. The suited claimed that what was meant to be a half a percent increase was worded as a half-cent increase, implying that the tax would be a single-half cent regardless of the total value of a purchase. The court rejected this claim on a technicality, saying that state law does not require a local measure like Measure M to present the total annual costs associated with it. This suit was filed by South Bay cities including Carson, Commerce, Torrance, Rancho Palos Verdes, Norwalk, Signal Hill, and Santa Fe Springs. However, LA Metro says it is indeed a half-cent sales tax that will generate $860 million per year. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
Updates & Quick Hits
Riverside County Supervisors approved, 4-0, a rezone, general plan amendment, EIR and tentative tract map for subdivision in Menifee Valley. The development includes 511 residential lots with a minimum lot size of 5,500 square feet and 25 drainage basins, park, paseo and open space lots.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell dismissed an array of arguments raised by opponents to a casino proposed by the North Fork Rancheria. The ruling allows the developing of a resort with 2,500 gaming devices, six bars, three restaurants, five-tenant food court, 200-room hotel and 4,500 parking spaces on 305 acres to continue. The proposed casino is north of Madera along Highway 99.
According to CollegeRank.net, San Luis Obispo is the best college town in the country. Robinson reviewed communities in 33 states and looked at factors such as outdoor space, number of boutiques and cafes, pedestrian friendliness, culture, nightlife, and the “general vibe.” Santa Cruz was ranked ninth and Berkeley eleventh.
Two new studies from research firm Axiometrics found Bay Area rents are plateauing. The average rent for all apartment sizes in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties dropped 0.7 percent from July 2015. In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, the increase was only 0.3 percent from July last year. This is the smallest increase since April 2010. This steadying of rents could be attributed to slowdown in job growth and intense apartment construction, 4,600 more units are being put on the market than this time last year.
Airbnb is suing Santa Monica, arguing the city violated federal laws protecting privacy and online speech for its rental restrictions, including outlawing of rentals of fewer than 30 days, and paying a 14 percent hotel tax.
The Anaheim City Council voted to continue with a proposed streetcar project even though it failed to secure federal funding. The city has spent $10 million on the project so far; opponents fear that the $300 million cost is not justified. OCTA is focusing on a streetcar project connecting Santa Ana to Garden Grove.
Angels Baseball filed an appeal with the City of Anaheim challenging the Planning Commission’s approval of the $450 million mixed-use development across the street from the stadium. The development includes condominium and apartment units, 200-room hotel, office and commercial space.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti launched a new loan program to support small business owners located near the city’s “Great Streets” proejcts. The Great Streets Great Business partnership has $4 million to jumpstart the program in LA’s first 15 Great Streets corridors. The loans range from $1,000 to $250,000 to qualifying applicants.
