A screenshot of the CalFire active incidents web page from August 4, 2024. Yikes.
I hate to be a broken record droning on and on about wildfires, but California is breaking records with the hottest July ever, leading to possibly the worst fire season ever.
Global average temperatures are fast approaching 1.5°Celsius above pre-industrial levels—a tipping point—and the extreme weather predicted by climate scientists is already upon us.
We've previously written about how communities are devoting resources to prepare for and respond to extreme events, and in this issue of The Newsletter we want to shine a spotlight on a partnership building community resilience in North Tahoe.
• Unregulated Group Homes Cause for Concern
Over a hundred unregulated group homes in Santa Clara County are housing formerly incarcerated people on parole or those released from mental health or addiction programs, often in overcrowded or unsanitary conditions.
(08/03/2024) → The Mercury News
• Hundreds of Homes Proposed for North San Jose
A 25 acre lot in north San Jose once considered for an office campus is being proposed for development of housing, including more than 100 affordable units.
(08/01/2024) → The Mercury News
• Arson Suspected in Santa Cruz Mountain Fires
Arson is the suspected cause of four Santa Cruz Mountain fires over 11 days.
(08/01/2024) → The Mercury News
• Palo Alto Forward Supports Housing Element
The City of Palo Alto's latest Housing Element plan has support from a longtime critic.
(07/31/2024) → Palo Alto Online
• Mountain View Housing Proposal
Mountain View parcels which have low-density apartments and a single family home are proposed to be redeveloped into a 4-story 42 unit housing complex.
(07/30/2024) → Mountain View Voice
• Los Altos Stacked Housing to Rise After Wrecking Ball
An abandoned three-story office complex on El Camino Real in Los Altos was demolished, to be replaced by 129 units of housing.
(07/30/2024) → Los Altos Town Crier
• Los Alto Hills Residents Urged to Create and Maintain Defensible Spaces
The Los Altos Hills County Fire District is urging residents to take steps to create and maintain defensible spaces around their homes.
(07/30/2024) → Los Altos Town Crier
• Rent Drives Up CA Cost of Living
Many landlords in California can only raise the rent a certain amount. On August 1, they — and their tenants — found out how high.
(08/02/2024) → CalMatters
• A Soil Fungus That Can Kill Is on the Rise in California: What to Know About Valley Fever
About 80 Californians die every year after contracting Valley fever, a fungal disease that typically affects the lungs. A recent outbreak was traced to a music festival in Kern County.
(08/01/2024) → CalMatters
• California Lawmakers Negotiating Sweeping Package to Speed Up Solar, Wind Energy
Legislators and Gov. Newsom are working behind the scenes to draft energy legislation before the end-of-the-month deadline.
(08/01/2024) → CalMatters
• What CA Voters Should Know on Minimum Wage, Health Tax Props
A voter at a polling center at Santa Ana College in Santa Ana on March 5, 2024. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters
(08/01/2024) → CalMatters
• California’s Voters Face Competing Ballot Measures as Interest Groups Clash
Although the initiative process — proposing new laws via ballot measures — has been in California’s constitution for more than a century, its use was fairly uncommon until the 1970s.
(07/30/2024) → CalMatters
A screenshot of the CalFire active incidents web page from August 4, 2024. Yikes.
