Redevelopment Reprise?
In 2012, the Legislature and the Governor ended redevelopment. Citing concerns that local redevelopment agencies (RDAs) were earning too much money, that project areas were continuing to bound across the lines of “blighted, urban areas” – and because of the impact RDAs were allegedly having on the state’s general fund – redevelopment was done. Despite its […]
Climate Change Conundrum
When California enacted AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act (“the Act”), prominently featured was the Act’s “cap and trade” program. Cap-and-trade was a sop to the business community which had reluctantly joined the legislation’s negotiations to help hammer out a “compromise”. Cap-and-trade was advertised as the “market based” justification for bill. The business community […]
Funding for the homeless, redux
In a recent piece in the Fox and Hounds, commentator Joel Fox warned against slapping homeowners with a new transfer tax – the proceeds of which would go to fund various programs to care for California’s homeless population. Of course, Joel is not being dismissive of the homeless problem in the state. He has long been […]
Global Warming and Land Use
Is the earth getting hotter? To me, the scientific conjecture is probably a little bit correct on both sides. Data show the earth is warming though it’s doubtful that it’s due completely – or even partially – to human activity. It seems as if there’s a war going on between opposing scientists: an apparent majority […]
Mass killings: they’re all copycats
Recently, pundits worried if the mass shootings in a Texas church would inspire copycats to do likewise elsewhere. But what is a copycat shooter if not someone who just finds a soft target and proceeds to mow down people there with gunfire? Aren’t most of our more notorious mass murderers copycats? Isn’t the past history […]
Rent Control: Trying to have it both ways
To begin to cure the state’s stubborn housing crisis, 2018 gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom recently called for nearly quadrupling California’s annual housing production, so that by 2025 the state would add 3.5 million to its inventory. That same day, a group called the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) filed for a ballot measure […]
The Cost of NIMBY
Neighborhood opposition to new housing projects is likely viewed by the general public as a natural right of existing property owners to organize objections to a change to their living environment. After all, why shouldn’t longtime residents have a say in what goes on or might go on in their neighborhoods? Why can’t they say […]
The Cost of Extortion
Whatever some say to justify sky-high fees, design requirements and affordable-housing mandates it’s certain they all do one thing: raise housing costs. It is said that the fees are necessary to mitigate the impact(s) of new housing on the community. Yes, but so high? Moreover, new design requirements locals say are written to conform the […]
Homebuilders (Still) in Good Hands
The selection a few years back of former GOP leader David Cogdill to lead California homebuilders (CBIA) through difficult times was an excellent choice. CBIA had come to symbolize an industry in transition – flummoxed by the duality of a deep recession and smaller, regional builders giving way to increasingly dominant national companies. Both were […]
Do These Five Things and You’ll Leave CA Ready to Build More Housing
After taking their recent cap-and-trade victory lap, the Governor and Democrats in the Legislature pledged to fix the state’s housing problems next. When I heard this I wasn’t surprised, politically – the pressure is on for them to do something. California’s housing shortage is catching up to the mighty Golden State. McKenzie and Company reports […]