Articles

Water problems both physical and legal are threatening to slow development in the foothills and mountains of eastern Fresno County. >>read more

A recent ruling by the Department of Industrial Relations regarding labor rates for subsidized housing projects might be an advantage for affordable housing development, especially in rural areas. However, the situation regarding "prevailing wage" requirements might best be described as fluid. >>read more

Long one of the fastest growing commuter suburbs in the San Joaquin Valley, the City of Tracy is about to see a dramatic reduction in development.

In a March referendum election, El Dorado County voters upheld a revised county general plan and rejected a growth-control measure that would have tied growth to Highway 50 improvements. The election was another step toward a new general plan, as the county has been without a legal general plan for six years.

The Third District Court of Appeal has published its decision in a case involving the environmental impact report for the 6,000-acre Sunrise Douglas community plan in the City of Rancho Cordova. In a rather harsh opinion, the Third District ruled against the Environmental Council of Sacramento and Vineyard Area Citizens for Responsible Growth. The court found that the project opponents failed to state the facts fairly and did not address the evidence in the record (see CP&DR Legal Digest, March 2005).

As has become customary for at least the last five years, the state Capitol is awash in legislation concerning housing. And, as usual, much of the legislation deals with small pieces of California's housing puzzle. This year, though, the cast of characters is different, and there is serious talk about major policy changes.

The scenes we see when strolling around the periphery of River Park, a master-planned development in Oxnard, tell us a lot about the history of Ventura County.

California, it is oft-noted, has a larger economy than all but a handful of countries in the world. And the ongoing state budget deficit suggests the government could use more tax revenue. Yet the economic development bills that lawmakers introduced this year are a motley collection.

After years of planning, negotiations and political battles, redevelopment of the former Marine Corps base in Tustin is proceeding. A developer is in the midst of building 565 single-family homes, townhouses and "paired homes," and another 4,000 housing units are on the way.