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Sacramento County Land Use & Development Digest



Citrus Heights Ramping Up Short Term Rental Tax Enforcement

12/21/2024

Fewer than 30% of short term rentals in Citrus Heights are following licensing and tax rules. Learn more about how the city will be increasing enforcement and collecting the 12% tax revenue it is due.

Harvest Water Project Update

12/20/2024

Learn more about the massive Harvest Water Project which is under construction to process and deliver billions of gallons of reclaimed sewage for agricultural use and to recharge southern Sacramento County groundwater.

Sacramento Fails to Pass Community Benefits Agreement Ordinance

12/17/2024

In their December 3 meeting, the Sacramento City Council failed to pass a proposed community benefits ordinance for major developments receiving $10 million or more in city funding. Read on to learn more about how community benefits agreements work, and why the proposed ordinance failed.

Can New State Regulations Resolve California’s Existential Insurance Crisis?

12/16/2024

There’s no law requiring California property owners to carry insurance, but the vast majority buy it to protect themselves from fire and other perils, or are required to do so by their mortgage lenders.

California Lawmakers Want to Cut Red Tape to Ramp Up Clean Energy but Rural Communities Push Back

12/13/2024

Some rural California communities are resisting efforts to streamline permitting for wind and solar farms and battery storage for environmental or safety reasons.

California Got Millions to Train Workers in Disaster Relief, but It’s Leaving Money on Table

12/12/2024

When disaster strikes, California gets federal funding to hire temporary workers to clean debris. But the jobs are tough, and some agencies struggle to manage the grants.

Twin Rivers Unified School District to Build Workforce Housing

12/10/2024

Learn more about the plans to develop affordable housing for staff on a district-owned parcel in South Natomas.

Sacramento City Council Votes Down ‘Counterproductive’ Ordinance

12/03/2024

In their December 3 meeting, the Sacramento City Council unanimously voted against a proposed 'anti-displacement' ordinance. Read on to learn more about the ordinance and why it failed.

Commercial Development Plans Filed for Vineyard Area

11/21/2024

Learn more about the plans filed with the county planning department for a commercial development in the Vineyard area north of Elk Grove.

Spotlight on Sacramento's Small Developer Incubator Program

11/19/2024

Learn more about the City of Sacramento's Small Developer Incubator which brings local contractors and others in the housing development sector to work on building smaller housing developments faster.

Folsom Housing Built With Innovative Techniques

11/18/2024

Learn more about two new homes under construction in Folsom utilizing an innovative Japanese framing system.

200 Trees Planted in Del Paso Heights

11/16/2024

Learn how hundreds of volunteers spent November 16 planting hundreds of trees in a Del Paso Heights Park.

New Plans to Invest in Old Sacramento Waterfront

11/14/2024

In a November 14 press conference, City of Sacramento officials outlined a planned major investment in the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Read on for details.

Citrus Heights Has Four Open Planning Commission Seats

11/12/2024

The City of Citrus Heights is seeking applicants to fill four open seats on the Planning Commission, which makes important land-use decisions and recommendations. Get details on how to apply in the article.

Railyards Soccer Stadium Advances

11/12/2024

In their November 12 meeting, the Sacramento City Council approved a term sheet with Sacramento Republic FC, allowing development plans for the 31-acre parcel to move forward. Read on for details.

Citrus Heights Food Truck Plaza Advances

10/31/2024

A plan to develop an empty lot in Citrus Heights into a food truck plaza has been approved by the planning commission.

First California Project to Bury Climate-Warming Gases Wins Key Approval

10/21/2024

Capturing and storing carbon underground is a big part of California’s efforts to tackle climate change but community members and environmentalists say it prolongs the life of fossil fuels.

We Fact-Checked the Ads About Proposition 33, California’s Rent Control Ballot Measure.

10/17/2024

The Yes and No on 33 campaigns have collectively spent more than $140 million. CalMatters fact checked some of the more pervasive claims made by both sides.

Sacramento to Awarded State Homeless Funds

10/04/2024

On October 4, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced
the awarding of $18.2 million in funds to help the city address homelessness.

How Candidates Running for Sacramento Mayoral Would Address Homelessness

10/02/2024

A look at how the two candidates for Sacramento mayor would address homelessness.

Affordable Housing Developments Open in Elk Grove

10/01/2024

A lottery will be held for residency in the 387 apartments located on Bruceville Road in Elk Grove.

Groundbreaking Celebrated For New Housing Community

09/26/2024

Elected local and county officials attended a recent groundbreaking for the Somers West master planned community on 2,667 acres with housing for up to 8,000 residents in unincorporated Sacramento County.

Citrus Heights Considers Camping Ordinance Revisions

09/26/2024

In their September 25 meeting, the Citrus Heights City Council heard public comment against bans on sleeping in cars before voting to proceed with revisions to ban camping in public spaces and cars.

New California Law Gives Tenants More Time to Respond to Eviction Notices

09/24/2024

Tenant advocates say giving renters 10 days to respond to eviction notices, up from 5, will help those who live in rural areas and have trouble finding legal help. Some landlords argue it will increase their costs.

Why Ricardo Lara Says His Plan to Fix California’s Insurance Crisis Will Work

09/19/2024

At a CalMatters event, California’s insurance commissioner says the changes he’s making will help homeowners and business owners. One idea: A state grant for those who spend money to protect their property from wildfires.

Sacramento Approves Small Apartment Buildings in Single-Family Neighborhoods

09/18/2024

In their September 17 meeting, the Sacramento City Council approved the construction of apartment buildings of up to three stories in height in neighborhoods designated for single family homes.

A Look at Interim Housing For The Unhoused

09/18/2024

Solving Sacramento looks at the use of interim housing as a scalable means addressing the needs of the unhoused.

Election Explainer: Proposition 33

09/18/2024

The Sacramento Bee takes a look at the Proposition 33 rent-control measure on the November ballot.

Affordable Housing Underway on Stockton Blvd.

09/13/2024

A 113-unit affordable housing development is under development for the site of the former San Juan Motel 5700 Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.

Update on Elk Grove Homeless Shelter Plans

09/13/2024

The City of Elk Grove held a public meeting on September 12 about plans to open a year-round homeless shelter.

CA Cities Jump on Homeless Encampment Bans

09/13/2024

For five years, California officials responding to the homelessness crisis had to work around one big restriction imposed by the federal courts: Because they didn’t have enough shelter beds, cities generally couldn’t make homeless camps illegal.

Which Growing California Communities Will Get the Hottest?

09/13/2024

California’s inland regions are experiencing dangerous heat waves, exacerbated by rapid population growth. As more people move away from the expensive coastal areas to more affordable inland communities, these regions are seeing significant demographic changes and spiking electricity bills.

Featured

Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
The Public Shore Protectors
Born amid controversy, this public agency is responsible for managing some of the most precious real estate in the world.
Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.