June 25, 2020

June 11, 2020

The California Department of Housing and Community Development recently released the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for approximately $18.7 million in new federal funds for the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response Round 1 (CDBG-CV1).

These funds are available pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Funding is available on an allocation basis for eligible non-entitlement jurisdictions.

May 15, 2020

April 23, 2020

Earlier this week, CSAC filed and served comments in response to the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) staff proposal for revisions to the Rule 20 utility undergrounding tariff program. The CPUC’s staff proposal is available here.

April 16, 2020

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently revised the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) CEQA Significance Determinations for State Highway System Projects Implementation Timeline Memorandum (Implementation Timing Memo). Caltrans is also soliciting feedback on the draft Transportation Analysis Framework (TAF) and Transportation Analysis under CEQA (TAC).

Revised Caltrans Implementation Timing Memo

April 9, 2020

March 19, 2020

Caltrans recently released its Draft Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)-Focused Transportation Impact Study Guide (Draft TISG). It is guidance to Caltrans Districts, lead agencies, developers, and consultants regarding Caltrans review of a land use project or plan’s transportation analysis using a VMT metric.

March 19, 2020

Counties are required to submit a Board-approved resolution including a proposed project list to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) each fiscal year prior to receiving SB 1 local street and roads funding. On March 20, counties may begin online submittal of FY 2020-21 Proposed Project List-Adopted Resolutions to the CTC via the CalSMART system. Final submittals are due by Friday, May 1, 2020.

February 27, 2020

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will be hosting two webinars for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applicants and grantees on completing a budget and developing and describing project tasks and deliverables in its new CDBG Grants Management System.

The new system, eCivis, allows CDBG and CDBG-DR applicants and grantees to submit applications and financial reports and to manage awards all in one place.

February 13, 2020

Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa testified on behalf of CSAC this week at a Senate Transportation Committee oversight hearing on implementation of SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

Since February 2018, when the first SB 1 funds began flowing to counties and cities, more than 2,500 local projects have been proposed, representing more than $3.5 billion in planned investments in local streets and roads. Over 1,800 SB 1-funded local projects have been completed through June 2019.

January 23, 2020

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has updated technical advisories on disaster response and housing to include references to recently enacted legislation. These technical advisories are intended to provide guidance on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provisions that may streamline disaster recovery response and housing construction.

January 8, 2020

The California Department of Housing and Community Development has released the January 2020 Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) Notice of Funding Availability for approximately $297 million, which is funded from Proposition 1—the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018, which California voters approved on November 6, 2018.

January 9, 2020

October 31, 2019

Caltrans has released its SB 1 Annual Efficiencies Report for fiscal year 2018-2019, which notes that its efficiency measures saved nearly $233 million – more than double the statutory goal of $100 million per year. These funds will be reinvested to maintain and rehabilitate the State Highway System. 

October 31, 2019

Governor Newsom signed 870 bills into law this year. To keep counties informed of new laws that impact them, CSAC will be publishing a series of articles to spotlight those laws in each policy area. This week, the Housing, Land Use and Transportation policy area provides information on new laws affecting housing, land use, transportation, public works, building standards, and more.

The new laws listed below become effective January 1, 2020.

Housing and Land Use

October 11, 2019

Yesterday, Governor Newsom signed a package of 18 housing-related bills, including several that were closely-tracked by CSAC:

October 3, 2019

September 26, 2019

August 29, 2019

Last week, Governor Newsom signed the first tribal-state gaming compact (Compact) negotiated under his Administration. AB 753 (E. Garcia) would ratify the gaming compact between the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians and the State of California. The Compact includes a two-tiered provision for environmental mitigation, which is included in some of the recent compacts and depends on the number of slot machines the Tribe operates.

August 15, 2019