The building industry has identified a culprit in the California affordability crisis: the drought.
"The state’s dry spell is creating challenges for developers at a time when home prices are soaring because of limited inventory," reports John Gittlesohn. "Now the drought, into its fourth year, stands to curb affordability further."
As examples to make the connection between drought and constrained development environments, Gittlesohn cites "areas such as Newport Beach, a tony Orange County town where the median home price is $1.59 million, have been caught in the crosshairs of environmentalists seeking to limit new building." Moreover, says Gittlesohn, "[i]n the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Pleasanton, a proposal to rezone an industrial area for residential use was shot down because of the drought."
Gittlesohn cites one policy as a root of some of the difficulty in getting water supplied to new development: an October moratorium from the State Water Resources Control Board "on new connections at 22 of California’s 7,500 water districts, with more expected this year…"
FULL STORY: Drought Dogs Developers in California's Soaring Housing Market
Water Concerns Follow New Development in Montana
Sprawling subdivision development in Montana is popping up in former agricultural land, pressuring water resources and leading to some legal controversy.
Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake
With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.
200-Acre Traditional Neighborhood Development Coming to Northwest Arkansas
A local group recently completed the purchase of 200 acres near Rogers, in Benton County, Arkansas, that will become a master-planned, mixed-use neighborhood called Warren Park.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
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Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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