CP&DR

The Other State Budget Breakthrough: Environmental Review Exemptions

Mar 2, 2009

California, California Environmental Quality Act, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 03 Mar 2009, William Fulton

It was a little-noticed aspect of the final California budget deal, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made California Environmental Quality Act history when he signed the long-delayed 2008-09 budget in February.

Schwarzenegger asked for and got something no governor had ever gotten through the budget process before: an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for certain state construction projects based on economic hardship, rather than on natural disaster.

Is Obama's Tent Big Enough For All Land Use Constituencies?

Jan 27, 2009

Insight, Vol. 24 No. 02 Feb 2009, William Fulton

Not since Lyndon Johnson more than 40 years ago has any president come into office with anything like the sky-high expectations about reforming urban policy that Barack Obama brings. But the various federal policies related to growth and development have many constituencies – urban, suburban, and rural – and it is not yet clear that Obama can meld them in a meaningful way.

CARB Decision Places Even More Focus On SB 375 Process

Dec 30, 2008

California, Climate change, Insight, Vol. 24 No. 01 Jan 2009, William Fulton

Five million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

This is the target – at least for now – that is likely to drive
"smart growth"-style land use planning in California over the next few years. It's the tentative reduction target that the California Air Resources Board has assigned to the land use sector in order to help meet the state's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals by 2020.

Could Obama's Urban Policy Embrace Regional, Suburban Issues Too?

Dec 1, 2008

Insight, Vol. 23 No. 12 Dec 2008, William Fulton

No president in more than 40 years has been better positioned to reshape American urban policy than Barack Obama. But the new president faces three challenges in dealing with urban policy.

SB 375: It's An Incremental Change, Not A Revolution

Oct 23, 2008

California, Insight, Legislation, Vol. 23 No. 11 Nov 2008, William Fulton

Supporters and opponents alike are touting SB 375 as the most significant land use reform bill in recent California history. When he signed it in September, Gov. Schwarzenegger called it the biggest bill since the California Environmental Quality Act 38 as approved years ago. Meanwhile, the hilariously over-the-top Orange County Register has called the bill "one of the most authoritarian, far-reaching and elitist bills that has ever made it to the governor's desk." In fact, it is neither.

Presidential Candidates Bypass Substantive Land Use, Metropolitan Policy Issues

Oct 1, 2008

Insight, Vol. 23 No. 10 Oct 2008, William Fulton

Barack Obama and John McCain are both selling themselves to the American people as reformers. And neither was raised in a conventional American city or suburb. So you'd think that they would have unconventional ideas about how to deal with growth, planning, and development issues.

Federal Housing Funds For California May Have Limited Impact

Sep 5, 2008

California, Housing, Insight, Vol. 23 No. 09 Sep 2008, William Fulton

The state and federal governments are throwing a lot of "new money" at the housing market in hopes of stabilizing prices and bailing out subprime mortgage borrowers. For California alone, the total looks to be several hundred million dollars – at least – in the next year alone. But is that anywhere near enough to make a dent in the problem?

Oakland, Sacramento Dominate 1st Round Of TOD, Infill Grant Awards

Jul 29, 2008

California, Infill development, Insight, Vol. 23 No. 08 Aug 2008, William Fulton

The state has gone into the infill and transit-oriented development business for the first time. But it is hard to say whether the state government's newfound interest will reshape California.

Using money from Proposition 1C, adopted by the voters in 2006, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) recently awarded almost $500 million in infill infrastructure grants and transit-oriented development (TOD) grants. No, it's probably not enough to alter the state's growth patterns. But it is enough to get some projects off the ground that otherwise might have languished in the real estate downturn.

Slammed By Market Downturn, Exurbs May Not Rebound Quickly

Jun 25, 2008

California, Housing, Insight, Vol. 23 No. 07 Jul 2008, William Fulton

Are the exurbs dead?

You'd think so, based on all the publicity about plummeting home prices in California – and the rapidly increasing price of gasoline. In the short run, it is probably true that we'll see big housing price drops in the exurbs and construction will stop almost completely.

Astute Planners Will Use 'The Next Big Thing' To Cities' Advantage

May 30, 2008

California, Economic development, Insight, Vol. 23 No. 06 Jun 2008, William Fulton

What's the next big thing?

The last big thing was housing, and it's over. So what's next?

We may be in a real estate slump, but as California communities and planners begin mapping out their futures, it is not too early to start thinking about what the next big thing will be in the world of real estate development.

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