Orange County Cities Push Back Against Housing Allocations
Newport Beach and Huntington Beach have announced they will appeal their Regional Housing Needs Assessments (RHNA). Huntington Beach was the first to vote to appeal, in a closed session, on a motion that passed 7-0. The current draft numbers state that Huntington Beach would have to zone for 13,337 residential units during the 2021-2029 cycle. The Newport Beach City Council unanimously voted to appeal the city's RHNA numbers, which hold Newport Beach accountable for 4,834 housing units. The 34-page-long appeal addresses three main concerns, pointing to site constraints, the methodology, and the change in circumstances--namely, concerns over density--in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeal proposes that the numbers be reduced to 2,426 units. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
Milpitas to Sue to Stop State-Funded Homessless Program
The Milpitas City Council unanimously voted to sue to stop a Project Homekey proposal that would convert 146 hotel rooms into 132 studio apartments with on-site supportive services for homeless people. State funding would have covered $29.2 million of the cost of purchasing and converting the Extended Stay America hotel, but Santa Clara County, which pitched in $21.2 million for an affordable housing bond, is the likeliest target for litigation; though the council has said it will "pursue litigation against any and all parties involved." Under new state law AB 83, pandemic housing projects for homeless people are allowed to skip local planning processes. While originally supportive, the council soured on the project after significant push back from community members.
Environmental Groups Threaten Suit over Drilling
The Center for Biological Diversity threatened to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom to halt all new permits for gas and oil wells in the state unless Newsom "promptly direct[s] your regulators to halt permitting." An official with the state Department of Natural Resources disputed the organization's assertion that any permits were issued improperly. Environmental groups have grown increasingly frustrated with what they consider a lack of consequential action on Newsom's part to curb oil- and gas-production related pollution. The permits were issued after a November announcement by Newsom that he would temporarily block new fracking permits until those projects were reviewed by an independent board of scientists. The California Geologic Energy Management Division, known as CalGEM, issued close to 50 new hydraulic fracturing permits to Chevron and associates of Shell Oil and ExxonMobil since April.
Quick Hits & Updates
A developer who finally won approval of a five-story mixed-use building in downtown Los Altos via SB 35 has sued for $4 million in damages. Los Altos approved the project this fall after choosing not to appeal an adverse trial court ruling.
A new report shows a solid majority of Los Angeles County residents believe that climate change is caused by human activity and that it poses a threat to their well-being. However, less than half of residents are aware of government incentives to help them adopt environmentally-friendly practices. Nearly 70 percent of respondents realize that climate change is a threat to their well-being. A slightly lower share, 64 percent believe that their actions can make a difference in fighting climate change.
A little more than a year after the Agua Caliente Band of Cauilla Indians and the Los Angeles company Oak View Group announced plans for a $250 million sports and entertainment arena in downtown Palm Springs, officials confirmed that the project is moving to the mid-valley--and the tribe is no longer involved. The arena is now planned for an unincorporated piece of land just north of Palm Desert with a new partner: a local nonprofit that owns the land and will lease it out.
Two California sites made the top 11 most endangered historic places for 2020. The list, compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, includes the Harada House in Riverside. Local advocates have launched a campaign to rehabilitate the house, which is on the brink of collapse. The future of West Berkeley Shellmound and Village, one of the earliest known Oholone settlements, is uncertain, though plans to build a large condo project on the site are now on hold.
The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) released the Draft 2018-2019 Annual Action Plan October 2, 2020 Amendment and is asking for public comment. These amendments will allow the state to align the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) program to HUD's regulations by permitting new construction, rehabilitation, acquisition, and more for HTF funding.
The Anaheim City Council voted to approve a revised deal with Angels owner Arte Moreno, selling Angel Stadium and the surrounding land for $150 million in cash in return for the team's commitment to stay in Anaheim through 2050. Last December, the council voted to sell the site for $325 million in cash and community benefits.
The city of El Cajon has caught the eye of both Qualcomm and Cox Communications: both companies say they want to take what the city is already doing and fast-track it to help El Cajon become a leader in technology as a "Smart City." The senior director of Qualcomm went so far as to say they would like to make El Cajon the first '5G city' in the world.
A proposal by the city of Escondido to raise development fees on new homes by about $9,300 per home is on hold after objections from developers, realtor groups, and others. Escondido City Council agreed to postpone consideration, though the county has said fees only cover about 74 percent of the estimated infrastructure costs needed to serve a new development.
The idea of congestion pricing in San Francisco has been around for years, but with the backing of Mayor London Breed and others, the effort appears to be gaining support. Currently, the San Francisco County Transportation is seeking community input for a study on charging up to $12 for driving into the downtown area during rush hour.
Rent prices continued to plunge across the U.S. last month, with San Francisco leading the decline, according to data from Zumper, a real estate start-up. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco dropped more than 20 percent from a year ago, to $2,830, according to the report.
