California

California’s Energy Emergency: Fodder for Democrats and Republicans
What are the lessons to be learned from California's 10-day power grid emergency this month? Democrats and Republicans in Congress have their own takeaways, and both may be right.

New Parks Needs Assessment Standards in L.A. County
The report contains data and analyses in support of expanding land conservation and restoration, transit to parks, and other strategies to meet regional and rural needs in Los Angeles County.

Activating L.A.’s Transit Stations
Advocates say encouraging community events, vendors, and activity at transit stations can improve public safety without increasing the presence of law enforcement.

Rise Of Electric Vehicles Makes Good Planning More Crucial Than Ever
There may be plenty of reasons to hail the rise of electric vehicles, including California's policy to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. But what may be good for the air is not necessarily good for cities.

California's Energy Reality Check
Is California ready for an all-electric future? The California energy grid barely withstood its biggest test during last week's heat wave as residents cranked up their air conditioners. CalMatters columnist Dan Walters questions if the grid is ready.

A Transit Ridership Role Reversal in California
Since the outset of the pandemic, the capital of car-oriented sprawl in California has become the king of public transit. Looking for lessons about the future of public transit in the United States? Look to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Opinion: San Francisco’s Central Subway Is a Bad Investment
Critics of the subway project argue that the line is too short and disconnected from other transit options to be useful. Meanwhile, projected costs continue to rise.

L.A. Bus Stops Offer No Relief From Searing Temperatures
As heat waves intensify, bus riders in Los Angeles are forced to wait at bus stops that offer little shade or seating, putting vulnerable residents at risk of heat stroke and other health impacts.

New Downtown Master Plan for Danville, California
The city of Danville, located along the Easy Bay Area’s I-680 corridor, last week approved a new master plan for its downtown, with funding for implementation made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.

Disaster Averted!
The California power grid withstood its biggest test ever on Tuesday and passed—barely. The only rolling blackouts that occurred during the Stage Three Energy Emergency alert were results of miscommunication.

Evictions on the Rise Among San Francisco Supportive Housing Residents
With COVID-19 assistance programs expiring, tenants of the city’s single-room occupancy hotels face growing eviction rates. Many of them have nowhere to go but back on the street.

California Poised To Eliminate Parking Requirements Near Transit
A state bill awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature would prohibit parking mandates in neighborhoods within half a mile of transit.

A Menu of Proposed Housing Policy Reforms
The Mercatus Center published a list of 16 policy recommendations designed to help states clear local obstacles for housing construction.

Will California's EV Rule Spread to Other States?
Last month California banned the sale of new light duty vehicles powered by internal combustion engines by 2035. Over a dozen other states have the ability to adopt the same rule, but will they? The Associated Press investigates nine of them.

San Francisco’s Tenderloin Makes a Compelling Case for Public Restroom Programs
San Francisco’s Pit Stop program, which provides public restroom facilities to vulnerable and unhoused residents, has helped contribute to a decline in feces-related service calls in the Tenderloin.

Legislature Extends $1.4 Billion Lifeline to California's Last Operating Nuclear Power Plant
A bipartisan bill, fiercely opposed by many in the environmental community, would keep the Diablo Canyon Power Plant operating beyond 2025. The bill received overwhelming approval after it was amended to shorten the duration of the extension.

BART’s Phase II Extension Into San Jose Ready to Go
A long-awaited extension of the Bay Area’s regional rail transit system is finally coming into view, with an expected completion date of 2030.

The Nation's Largest Wind Farm: Planned in Wyoming, Built for California
This project could "save California," according to the Los Angeles Times. But it won't be easy.

San Francisco’s Big Redevelopment Plan Was Paused for Equity Analysis That Never Happened
Checking in with The Hub, a proposed rezoning that would enable a multi-parcel redevelopment at a conspicuous intersection, two years after the city paused the rezoning for additional analysis (spoiler alert: the analysis hasn’t even started).

California Makes Planning History, Resets the Housing Status Quo
The California Legislature this week approved a historic package of bills, including a bill that allows affordable housing on commercially zoned properties and another that removes parking requirements near transit.
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