Focus

California construction workers and developers are near deal that could mean a flood of new building

■Los Angeles Times - January 28

California developers and construction workers, who have long been fighting over wages for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and others who build homes, are working on a deal that both sides hope could lead to a flood of new building. The negotiations, which now involve Governor Gavin Newsom, are aimed at writing new state legislation that guarantees minimum pay, benefits, and training for construction workers, likely in exchange for relief under state environmental law governing development. Under the proposed deal, builders would have the option to pay workers at a rate below prevailing wage but higher than what non-union labor often receives now. Such rules would only be available for single-family homebuilding or small apartments. Prevailing wages, often negotiated privately in addition to the state mandates, would still apply to the construction of condominium towers and other large projects. In return, developers would receive incentives intended to speed up construction. Details have yet to be finalized, but they are likely to involve an easier path through the California Environmental Quality Act process.

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News

DOE move to weaken light bulb efficiency standards could cost consumers $12B

■Utility Dive - February 7

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday proposed to roll back energy efficiency standards on some types of light bulbs. DOE wants to reverse a 2017 decision made by the department to expand the types of light bulbs covered under stronger standards. Experts at the Appliance Standards Awareness Project say that, by 2025, the changes would cause consumers to lose out on $12 billion a year in electricity savings. The proposed rulemaking would involve rewriting efficiency standards stemming from bipartisan comprehensive energy legislation passed in 2007, the Alliance to Save Energy noted. That legislation has led to increased adoption of LEDs and encouraged innovation in new lighting products.

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San Diego planning commissioners support urban parking reforms

■KPBS - January 31

The San Diego Planning Commission in late January voted unanimously in support of overhauling the city's minimum parking standards for dense, urban housing, saying the measure could alleviate the city's housing shortage while helping transition residents away from car dependence. The plan, announced by Mayor Kevin Faulconer in November, would allow developers to construct new apartment or condo buildings with no off-street parking if the project is within a half-mile of a major public transit stop. Those "transit priority areas" are where the city's General Plan and Climate Action Plan say most new housing growth should occur. The City Council is scheduled to take up the proposal in late February.

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BART and Amtrak assess new shared Bay Area crossing

■San Francisco Chronicle - February 6

BART and Amtrak are teaming up to study the possibility of building a second Bay Area crossing, one that would give passengers a “one-seat” ride on the Capitol Corridor train from downtown San Francisco to Sacramento. The idea of a second rail crossing to increase BART’s capacity has been around for decades, but adding a second regional rail line appears to be giving the idea new life. Plus, thanks to the $3.5 billion bond BART measure passed by voters in 2016, there is money available to start making moves.

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LAWA launches incentive scheme to encourage 'cleaner' vehicles at LAX

■Airport World - February 6

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is now accepting applications for a new voluntary incentive program designed to help airport operators achieve compliance with LAWA's environmental policies and further improve the air quality surrounding Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The Zero & Near-Zero Emission Heavy-Duty Vehicle Incentive Program would help businesses operating at LAX replace older, heavy-duty diesel-burning vehicles with new ones that emit very few or zero pollutants. The program will distribute up to $500,000 in grants of no more than $15,000 per vehicle.

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UC Berkeley releases survey of the scope and effects of California land use policy

■Planetizen - February 6

The Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley has published the California Land Use Data Set, a comprehensive survey looking at policies that affect the production, location, and preservation of housing in the state at the jurisdiction-level. The data set includes survey responses from 252 cities and 19 unincorporated county areas, and it touches on issues from how land is zoned for different uses to the process a project goes through to get approved to policies aimed at producing affordable housing.

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